This past weekend started off on a high note. The reception for a group show that I was invited to participate in was on Friday. When Heath and I walked into the gallery I noticed a little red dot by my piece! (for those of you who don't know, that means the work had been sold!) Yay! But at the same time I'll miss those little guys. (yes, yes, I know I can make more but I still get attached to them) After hanging out at the gallery a bit we went over to West Sixth for some beeeeeeer! And then to pick up Ruby from daycare. 

Saturday we took Ruby to get a haircut. Her first haircut was really just a trim so this was her first major cut. We were going back and forth as to what style to give her. I was all about going all out and giving her a pixie cut. After all, she really doesn't care at this point. (we kept asking her during the week if we could shave her head and she kept saying, "okay") Heath wasn't completely sold on the pixie but he was adamant about not wanting the short, across the forehead bangs. What we got was a assymetrical bob, short in the back, angled, and then long in the front. 

 She wasn't 100% cooperative during the cut. We tried Netflix but that didn't work very well because she kept pressing buttons that would start the movie over again or hits the home button and backed out completely. Instead we ended up bribing her with suckers. It wasn't happening otherwise and our stylist had already made a major cut so it had to be finished at that point. In all, about 8" was taken off of the back but the sides were basically just trimmed. Her hair looks much, much healthier and so much thicker. Way better than her Christopher Lloyd-esque hair before, right? I tried to get a different "after" picture but alas, she was very angsty for the rest of the day. 

Sunday was our typical get shit done we should have gotten done during last week so that things aren't a total disaster this week day. This means laundry, dishes, and other general cleaning. We also went grocery shopping. Oh, and there were naps. We always gets naps on the weekends. I think I sleep when Ruby sleeps more now than I did when she was an infant. She definitely wears me out way more now! 

It's the first daHow did you spend the gorgeous fall weekend? 

As you are reading this post I am more than likely loading a Uhaul cargo van and getting ready to head to the fair grounds. It is finally time! My aunt and I spent a good chunk of yesterday putting up the tent in the driveway and setting up the walls inside just to get some practice. I cursed a lot, got very frustrated, and at one point it turned into a mini sob fest whereas my inability to put up the tent quickly and efficiently turned into OMG I am going to fail so hard this weekend. Yes, I put a lot of pressure on myself. 

Even though I'm stressing a little right now, I don't think that this weekend is going to be a total bust. I'm dreading set-up a little bit tomorrow but other than that I am really excited for this opportunity to share my work with new people.

If you are heading to the fair I'd love to see you! My booth is #39 and it is located by the baseball field. I'll check back in early next week with the name of the winner of the little purple cell (enter by clicking HERE and 'liking' my artist page) and hopefully lots of pictures! 

Back in '09 I traveled to Minneapolis to attend a wedding photography workshop ran by Erin Johnson. Besides providing the most amazing Baked Potato pizza from Pizza Luce, OMGeee was it good, she provided all of the attendants with a complete listing of all her expenses, income, etc. It was incredibly eye-opening, to see every. little. thing. that was involved in her business. It was then that I realized that I did not want to be a full-time wedding photographer. Second shooting and random portraits throughout the year is a-okay with me. 

Fast forward to now where, perhaps against my better judgement, I'm working on the whole small business thing anyway. I think most of my blog readers understand the cost associated with being an artist, but just in case I thought I'd share some of the costs associated with my work and the cost of being in an art fair. This is not intended to guilt anyone into purchasing my work, but rather to inform. Artwork IS work, and it usually isn't cheap to do. 

There's the stuff I use every day to create: 
Kiln: $600. I was lucky to score mine for that price (it's 20yo). To buy a new one would cost around $2500 so I'm hoping mine still has a few more years left in it!
Firing: $7-$10/load, depending on whether it's a bisque or glaze firing.
Glaze, Clay, brushes, kiln shelves, etc. etc: $993.27 (you have no idea how terrified I was to tally the amount I've spent as Kentucky Mudworks this year...But hey, SUPPORT LOCAL! Right?)
Material for packaging: $110, for bags and boxes. Thankfully I've been able to score FREE bubble wrap and from Target AND did you know that you can get super cheap paper roll ends from the newspaper? I picked mine up in Georgetown. They are only like $3/roll, depending on the size of the roll, and it makes great packing material.
Business materials: $76 (business cards)
Time: This is a little harder to put in a dollar amount. Each cell take about an hour to make (depending on the size) but there is also time loading/unloading the kiln, getting supplies, driving to the studio, packing them, taking inventory, etc. For my time I currently am charging what I make at Target, which I can't share per company policy. 

Then there are costs associated with the fair: 
Tent-$800 (and this was used. I couldn't bring myself to buy a (much cheaper) EZ-Up tent after some of the horror stories I've heard about how they (don't) hold up in the wind and rain. I do NOT want to be responsible for destroying another artists hard work because my tent got caught in the wind)
Application fees: $35
Booth Fee: $350 (Woodland has a reasonable booth fee, it is not uncommon to pay $750+ at other fairs)
Pro Panels display panels for inside of the tent: $2650
Signing: $250
Stickers: $40 (stickers) They are super cute. You can have one if you visit my booth this weekend!

Thankfully the costs of my materials really do go a long way in making a lot of little cells (which only matters is they actually sell) and most of the costs associated with the fair are on things that can be used over and over again. IF I get into another fair that is. But we won't think of how much of a total bummer that would be if I never got into any fair ever again!

You may be wondering how I get started making my work. Well,  a long, long time ago back in 2008 (at least it feels like a long, long time ago) I was in my first fiber arts class at UK. I sat in my studio facing a huge pile of hand-dyed wool and the deadline  for my final project looming just a week away. Very randomly I started cutting out circle and this is what took shape:

I loved that piece. Still love it. The next semester I took my first ceramics class where I was introduced to the work of Virginia Scotchie. For the final project I decided to do a wall installation inspired by her large-scale installations. While it may have looked cool, the spheres were a hot mess! Some of the larger ones probably weighed about five pounds and could have easily been classified as weapons. They were hung on the wall by nails but at this point I wasn't using the key-hole carved out of the back so it was just a giant gaping hole. During critique in my head I was like please don't fall off the wall, please don't fall off the wall! Thankfully they didn't and there were lots of "balls" jokes thrown around, always funny. 

The next semester I learned the glorious skill of making molds. The spheres were much, much faster to make and no longer weighed enough to kill a person. *insert angels singing* I also starting making cells, inspired by medical images. For whatever reason I was very against glazing that semester so all of these bad boys are painted. 

And then for my final semester and my BFA show the cells evolved into what they are today. Now they are even lighter (under 1lb each), there are more sizes and generally there is more texture. 

I've been asked what drives me to create these guys and well, my first reaction to that question is because they make me happy. Shouldn't that be the very best reason to make art? As much as I hate to admit I tend to gravitate a little more towards the 'glass half-empty' camp and I need something around me fun and cheery. Plus, usually people's reaction to them is also very positive so I feel like each and every little cell that I create puts a bit of happiness out into the world. Not to sound too terribly cheesy. 

Also, I enjoy interracting with people, seeing how they react to seeing them for the first and starting conversation with them about what they think they are and what kinds of things they see in them. Their responses are so varied and interesting. Kids especially are very good at coming up with things I'd never thought of or noticed in them. The cells give me the opportunity to connect with people, which, as a social person who doesn't always get out as often as I'd like, I enjoy immensely. 

Lastly, they are just very relaxing to make. When I create these guys I go to my happy spot. I have my music on, I'm singing, I probably have an iced coffee by my side. It's all very zen for me.

Sheesh.  The time is flying by. Just 2 weeks until Woodland. I wish I could say that I was ready to go but I'm not. More than likely I'll be working right up until the day before but hey, I work really well with a deadline looming so I'm not too concerned. I am busy but it's an "I'm accomplishing something" busy rather than a "I'm just trying to keep my head above water" busy which is nice for a change. 

I'd also love to say that I've been able to spend every possible moment in the studio creating but unfortunately that just isn't realistic. Ruby duties, appointments with tax lawyers, ordering packaging and signing, working on pricing (ugh), random appointments, grocery shopping, cooking, 30 Day Shred-ing, and collapsing exhausted on the couch to watch Project Runway are all in there too. 

Time in the studio has been spent making spiky cells, prepping for mass glazing, and firings. I feel like this week was a 'make it or break it' week and I needed to get as much stuff done as possible.  Thankfully, I had help in the studio which helped tremendously. 

This part of the process, applying underglaze to enhance the texture, took ALL DAY and they were not all finished. Of course I know how many cells I've made but until you see them all together and are physically working with them it's hard to wrap your mind around just how many that is (about 175 in case you're wondering). Yes, I was very grateful for my help today. 

I am going to try and update a couple more times before the fair but I might end up just posting updates on my artist page (click here to 'like'). I will be doing some sort of giveaway so stay tuned on Facebook to hear the details! 

Tonight is the opening reception for Less is More: Small Works in a Great Space, the show that I was accepted to in Annapolis, Maryland. Unfortunately I am not able to attend, which bums me out because the invitation it stated that is was a "gala event" Gala just screams I need to find a beautiful fancy dress! and how often do I get to wear one of those? In honor of the occasion I thought I'd share a little bit about the piece that was accepted into the show. 

I entitled the piece March 25, 2012. (have I mentioned that I am terrible at thinking of titles?)  This was the day that Heath went to the UTC with a mega migraine. Once he was seen by a doctor, but before they examined him, they told him that he had to go to the ER because it was possible that he might have a brain aneurysm.  At the time I was still nursing my broken ankle so after Heath called me to say he was going to the ER I had to call some friends to help out. One brought me to the hospital and the other stayed home and kept an eye on Ruby. 

In the end, thankfully, there was absolutely nothing in the way of an aneurysm wrong with Heath. In fact, the doctors and the nurses at the hospital pretty much rolled their eyes at the UTC's diagnoses and made several comments about them "covering their asses." They gave him some medicine to make his migraine (yep) go away and that was that. I kept all of the paperwork we received at the hospital, including Heath's hospital bracelet, and used it for this piece, drawing and painting a neuron over top of it all. 

Now without knowing the above story someone looking at the piece might assume that it is meant something deeper than it really is,  but no, it is simply creative documentation of one day of our lives. like sands though the hourglass......
However, I really love this piece so when I noticed that the work had to be for sale in order to be part of the show I priced it (what I think to be) crazy high. This way if it sells, well, sweet! But if it doesn't it gets to come home to me and that makes me even happier.

If you're interested you can check out all of the work in the show HERE.

As is typical in life there have been some WINS and FAILS lately. We'll get those pesky fails out of the way first. 

FAIL
1. Emerging Artist award application REJECTED. Oops. Apparently I either missed an entire section of the requirements completely or I read them over and over so many times in order to not mess something up, therefore of course,  I messed something up. Oh well. I'll apply the next time in 2015. 
2. St. James Court art show NOT INVITED. Honestly, I wasn't all that upset about this. SJ's is a massive art fair and I think I would have been a bit over my head especially since this is my first year. Still, I was curious about what the judges thought so I emailed and asked for feedback:

Juror 1:  5/7 
Juror 2:  5/7
Juror 3: Does not meet show standards., 2/7 
Juror 4: Limited appeal. Repetitive., 1/7 
Juror 5: Craft Fair material, 3/7 

Well, at least jurors 1 and 2 liked me! The others, well, I'd like to know a little more details on their thoughts but sometimes you'll just never know. Moving on. 


WINS
1. That piece that I got into Less is More: Small Works in a Great Space in Annapolis, Maryland.
2. I was invited to participate in the Woodland Art Fair, a fair much closer and dearer to my heart. It's also closer to home. Win! I would have been much more upset if I hadn't gotten into Woodland. I was pleased about my invitation especially considering that this is what I submitted for my booth shot: 

Obviously it was enough to woo the judges so yay! Now though, I must create this EPIC booth :)

4. All right. I've been kind of keeping this on the DL but I guess I should come out with it so that I don't puss out. My very generous friend, Shaun Ring, (amazing photographer, real estate agent, and all around great guy), had offered to let me use his uber cool space this November for a show. Well, actually it will be myself and one other person, TBD. So yeah. I guess I'm kind of having a show with some of my work in it. Eeeek! I hope to have NEW stuff, not just the little cells, so that people won't be bored to tears and all like, "I've seen this before. Yawn!" I'll have more info to come, so stay tuned! 

I am just now starting to get back into the groove of artsy things since Oliver died. I was at the studio one day last week making plaster molds which took much longer than I thought it would, was incredibly messy, and not really exciting enough to write a post about. But I am happy that once they dry out I'll be able to produce work more efficiently. 

Some good news, I did get into the exhibition that I applied to at St. John's College in Annapolis. (I found out that I got in the same day that I found out Oliver's cancer had spread so I don't think I had mentioned it on here) It was not with any of my ceramics work though, the juror actually chose one of my mixed media paintings. I would have been thrilled if the ceramics got in but it is going to be much, much, much cheaper to ship my little painting than it would have been to ship my ceramics! I was really hoping that we'd be able to make the trip to Annapolis so that we could attend the opening reception but unfortunately we won't be able to. That really bums me out because I am DYING to go on a vacation. 

I am still waiting to hear if I got into the two art fairs that I applied to. I should hear sometime this week. Ahh! Honestly, I'll be content with either answer, yay or nay. If I don't get in I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and I won't have to shell out $2K+ for a booth. If I DO get in I'll be shitting myself both from excitement and shear terror!

This past Friday was Gallery Hop and the opening reception of For the Delight of the Children at Christ Church Cathedral, a group show that I participated in. We brought Ruby with: 

I guess the rookie mom in me is still naive enough to think that Ruby would behave at an event like this. Yeah, right. I could have gotten a babysitter or put her in daycare for the evening but I want her to see these kinds of things-plus she needs to be out in public in order to learn how to behave in public. Still, I ended up being very frustrated that night. It was a bad combo of she can never sit still for more than 5 seconds and she's been very, very clingy lately, but only to me. She wants very little to do with Heath right now. So if I wasn't holding her she was running around like a nut up and down the halls, up and down the aisles in the sanctuary, and repeat. Heath tried to wrangle her but...yeah...

Eventually Heath took her into the closet that was right next to wear my work was displayed. They were in there for a few minutes and a friend and I made jokes about the noises she was making, saying we could tell people that's where they kept the Holy Ghost during events. 

We were able to keep her kind of, sort of occupied for just over an hour and then you could just tell that a meltdown of epic proportions was brewing. We left and I was disappointed because I had wanted to see some more of my friends. Very selfish, I know. It's times like this that I question my parenting skills. I know I shouldn't expect too much of her but at the same time I don't want to coddle her. Lesson learned: Either get child care or drive separately so Heath can take her home when the time comes. 

On Saturday we took Ruby to get her first haircut. Nothing major, just enough to even things out a bit and make her look a bit less shaggadelic. I got off one blurry shot before she decided that she wouldn't do this thing without sitting with me. 

She did very well, I think. She didn't scream or cry during the cut she just wouldn't sit still!

Linsey was able to get the last little bit cut when Ruby became occupied with stuffing Mum Mums in my mouth. If you're thinking "what the hell is a Mum Mum", a Mum Mum is sort of like a rice cake for babies. As you can tell from my expression they aren't particularly good. Blech. 

On Sunday we spent a lot of time working on organizing the blue room (our office). At one point Ruby was very quiet and when I found her I discovered that she had opened the pantry, knocked down the peanut butter jar, somehow got it open, and helped herself:

Towards the end of the day Ruby decided to be naked and started playing in front of a big mirror. The really funny pictures are those of her fully naked dancing with herself in the mirror but I'll save the fully nekkid pictures for her Shutterfly book. I'm pretty sure that this little gal is ready to potty train. She climbed up on her changing table and said, "diaper pease!" Just another interesting adventure! 

On Saturday I took a Narcissism workshop offered by artist Paul Shortt at the Lexington Art League as part of the Approach performance art exhibition. (you can learn more about Paul's work here). 

I don't consider myself much of a narcissist, in fact, I try very hard NOT to be.  I don't want to seem cocky or full of myself or that my stuff doesn't stink just like everyone else's.  Unfortunately the way the world works these days, and the fact that I am an artist, I have to promote myself and my work. I'm uncomfortable with it most of the time but it's a necessary evil.  Anyway, I decided to take the workshop because I thought it sounded interesting and it would be an opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. 

The first thing you do when you arrive is you pick a tag, a condition of narcissism, that most represents you: 

My tag said something like:

 I react to criticism with rage, shame, and something something internally
(dang, why didn't I keep my tag?)

Several participants made up a second tag with another statement. My second one said:

Once everyone was settled we had a short discussion about narcissism in society today, which centered mainly around Facebook (imagine that). Then we made a list of the 5 best things about ourselves and went around introducing ourselves to each other and telling them one of the awesome things. So you'd go up to someone and you'd say, "Hi! My name is Laurie and I have a nice rack." and they'd reply, "Hi! My name is Christine and I am a fabulous painter." 

For the next activity we busted out the crayons, markers, and pencils to draw a self-portrait: 

Yes, believe it or not, I actually did graduate from art school. At one point I might have been able to draw a decent portrait but obviously I am a little out of practice. Instead it looks like a 4th grader drew me. That's not insulting to 4th graders, is it? 

Then we had to post 5 pictures to Facebook with either cocky or mundane captions. Here's one of my 5: 

I guess it isn't as cocky as I could have been. I could have said, "My work is the BEST" but I know it's not THE best artwork in the world. This is where Heath says I am pessimistic and I say I am being realistic...I really love my work but is it THE BEST art in the world? No.  I probably had the hardest time with this portion of the workshop just because I knew that people would see it on Facebook. (I probably should have made another name tag that said, "I care too much about what others think)

The last activity of the day was to make an award for ourselves and then write a corresponding speech for someone to read about us as we accepted our own award. Here I am reading Christine's speech:

And then it was time for me to accept my award for All Around Cool Chick: 

The workshop was a lot fun.  As Paul said, a chance for us to pat ourselves on the back, since most people don't suffer from Narcissistic personality disorder and generally aren't all that narcissistic. After all, we should all show ourselves some love every once in a while, right?