Know Me, Know My Art

I absolutely, positively love and enjoy the mixed media art I create. It has become a best friend, teacher, healer, listener, consoler, coach, guide, critic, sustainer and inquisitor. It is evolving, honest, authentic, curious, and all original. Every piece gifts me with escape, self-expression, peace, joy, tears and giggles in the creative process. The process is more intuitive and liberating as I continually explore, play and experiment with different textures, materials, themes and panel sizes. Every piece is tethered to my left hand, overextended right brain, highly sensitive heart and perfectionist soul until I loosen my grip to reach DONE for show, tell and sell.

Far be it from me to artistically suffer from FOLO (fear of losing out), FOMO (fear of missing out) , and one that I personally came up with: FONKU (fear of not keeping up.) But I can and I do. I want to be more successful with my art. I continually seek out those wiser and more experienced in art, social media, marketing and sales, and organizational techniques. I started investing more time and energy trying to learn and understand more platforms, implement and utilize them, all the while trying not to get too overwhelmed to do EVERYTHING at once. It is not possible with my schedule. I still value and need live, face to face social interaction and my full time job.

“Creativity always stirs up terror because creativity asks you to enter into realms of uncertain outcomes. And fear hates that more than anything. It ‘s just terror. It passes. It’s an appropriate way to feel.”

Elizabeth Gilbert, Author

One of the areas I wanted to improve and have been ever since I started this body of work was talking about my art when I am not doing a show. There are no props, just my business card which has some adjectives and a picture. When it comes to describing what it is, the inspiration, motivation behind it, I need brief and pithy.. ( Say WAH?!! Ya lost me!! ) At shows, I have the actual work to visually speak, support and connect on its own and am ready to jump start with eye contact and some conversation. I like to observe, give a person space to connect to the work, observe what they gravitate towards, and then engage in conversation and work toward selling.

I am a “moderately” private person (aka someone not of this generation who once cherished all privacy and appreciates boundaries.) I TOTALLY understand the need and requirement to become more open, personal, and engaging , which I enjoy live and in person, but online, I am a bit more reticent. Time to loosen the reigns on all platforms. Not only are individuals knowing and buying my work, they are also knowing and buying me, the artist.

On the cyber side, I am WAY out of my comfort level when it come to utilizing and keeping up with ALL the ever changing strategies, platforms, apps, techniques and technology to social media marketing. THIS is where most my FOLO, FOMO and FONKU comes. Art NXT Level has been an ASSET in this area. I am reminded to be patient with myself. However, in these constantly changing, very accelerated times, it is essential to adapt and be adept at keeping up, learn even more, engage more in person and on social media. I need to be relevant, find my audience and have them find me with increased exposure opportunities, It’s an entirely new algorithm and hashtag ballgame. I am definitely making time and working on this!!

“Enjoy the Process, Love the Process more than the numbers, likes and followers.” - Sergio Gomez, Artist, Curator, Creative Entrepreneur Art NXT Level.

Last September, I noticed other artists I know embracing a Chicago-based online coach tailored to the business of art and being an artist. They all had one thing in common: success stories. They were nailing it on social media, marketing, press with positive results. There is a wealth of shared how-to information and resources. I love having access to all this valuable insight and guidance at my disposal.

I wanted in and to be a member of this insightful, generous online art community. I signed up for Art NXT Level , masterfully, passionately, and brilliantly led by Sergio Gomez, a Chicago based Artist, Curator at Zhou B Art Center, Gallery Owner, and Creative Entrepreneur and his wife, Dr. Yanina Gomez, author and wellness coach..

I have no fear when it comes to balancing work, passions, interests and health. The challenge is integrating, making and taking time for each. I am comfortable with sacrificing some things and I do. I know how and have no problem saying NO, especially when it comes to my passions and health. Is there some JOLO!! - The Joy of Missing Out! involved.? Absolutely.

EXAMPLE: In March of this year, I traveled to Cambodia!!! to feed two of my passions : Asian culture and yoga. I have never been to Southeast Asia and this was the farthest I ever traveled to date I had two weeks (requested this off a year in advance to make sure I went) and decided to spend it in one country after researching various flight and visa configurations. Simplified this trip! I spent 1 week on a yoga retreat beautifully taught by Pierce Doerr and Rachel Sherron Matrejek in Kampot and the other in Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. I brought back statues that will be incorporated in my art and a rejuvenated, happy albeit VERY jet lagged soul!! I definitely want to see and do more travel in this part of the world.