Miya Hannan - Connectivity at Hyde Gallery

All artworks in this post are © 2006-2010 Miya Hannan

I just got back from seeing the Miya Hannan art show "Connectivity" at the Hyde Gallery, Grossmont Community College and it is AMAZING!

The show is open until February 25, 2010, and it is free.

My friend Starry came to see the show with me, and Grossmont Art Professor Jim Wilsterman stopped by to give us some more insight on the show.

The artist statement from Miya Hannan does a great job of putting these ethereal pieces into context. Here is the statement, which is slightly different from her Artist Statement on her website:

I have nothing but great things to say about this show, but for time purposes, I will leave you with her images. Please do go see it if you are in the area and let me know what you think. Seeing art in person is so much more inspiring than online, but this is for the time crunched or distance-challenged artists!

All artworks in this post are © 2006-2010 Miya Hannan

Happy Art Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Addicted to Philanthropy

Can you be addicted to Philanthropy? I think I am.

Donations? Sure, where do I send the money or stuff?

Promotion of a good cause? Even easier - I'll post it on my blog, Facebook and Twitter.


Volunteering my time? Yes, of course I...wait. Maybe not. But I will try anyway!

As I strive for BALANCE in my life, it is really difficult to turn down chances to help others. I say "YES!" before I think or even check my schedule. But is it really that bad? I'm not sure.

Let's look what volunteer activities I have scheduled or participated in the last week and upcoming.


Sunday - San Diego Women's Caucus for Art Board meeting. (I am the President this year, so I cannot skip these monthly meetings, and all the assignments that go with them).

Wednesday - Hillsdale Middle School Builder's Club - Teaching kids to use the Knifty Knitter to knit hats for babies which are given out all over the world. Helping each week for the rest of the semester.

Thursday - Drumming up HOPE, Fundraising for Haiti. One time event.

Saturday - SDSU Mortar Board Senior Honor Society's Backpack Stuffing of school supplies to give to under privileged children. One time event.

This is in addition to my college schedule, work schedule, art making, scholarship applying, show entering, personal obligations, study time and dare I even say it...social/personal life? 

I did say that I was giving up overachieving this year. But am I really?

It is hard to maintain this Superwoman lifestyle, but each week I schedule more and more into my packed life. So it must be my Addiction to Philanthropy.

I am hooked on helping others, even when sometimes I would rather play video games than to go help.  

The first step to addiction is to admit you have a problem. So here is my confession.

Anyone else addicted to helping? ~ Jaime Lyerly

Drumming Up HOPE for Haiti - 2/11/2010 at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park, San Diego

Just had to share this event, which mixes my love for the drum and giving to others. If you are in the San Diego area, come check it out. Some members of the San Diego Women's Drum Circle will drumming it up at this event!

Drumming Up HOPE
Dear Drumming Spirits,

Please join me at this event in San Diego

Drumming Up HOPE led by Christine Stevens, Frank Lazarro,
Kat Fulton, and Sundiata Kata.

Raising Money and Energy through Sacred Drumming for Haiti

Please wear RED

Thurs Feb 11, 2010 8-930pm

World Beat Cultural Center
2100 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA
619-230-1190
Suggested donation $10.00

________________________________________________________
Rev. Bonnie Devlin, an initiated Haitian drum minister has provided this You Tube educational clip to prepare you to participate in Drumming UP HOPE!

Wear RED and learn this beat together as we send our support to Haiti.



YouTube Video Part 2




For more information, check out Upbeat Drum Circles and learn more about the healing power of the drum.

Happy drumming! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Artist Question: Learn new skills or improve old ones

I have this undying need to ask questions of artists. 

Their process, their inspiration, their art marketing, their concepts, their education, their techniques, their opinions on the art world, their ability to balance, their artistic path and anything else that they will let me bother them with. 

So it only seems reasonable that I should be asking these same questions to my blogging and social networking audience. Therefore, I am going to start posing more questions and hope that some kind soul will take pity on me and answer them. 

With each answer, we all learn more about the artist and how they tick. So here is my first official Artist Question: 

As artists, is it better to learn new skills or improve old ones? 

With our limited time, how to you best utilize it? Is it better spent working in your chosen medium, or spent learning something new that you can connect later?

My example here, of course, comes from my own experience now. As a college art student, we are required (usually) to take studio courses outside of our chosen field. This is challenging and rewarding because it can show you a world outside of what you are already making and expose you to different instructors with new ways of working. You have a semester to learn these new skills, and even if it is painful, you can make it through.

This semester, I am taking Fiber Surface Design this semester and it includes embroidery. It is definitely not painful, and can be connected to most of my current work.

Learning traditional skills is rewarding, but I love how it can be applied to contemporary art issues. If you haven't seen this exhibit "Pricked: Extreme Embroidery" you must check it out. This is not your grandma's sampler.

But for me, embroidery is a new skill. It is time consuming.

Encaustic painting and beeswax sculptures are my chosen medium. It is also time consuming.


Three hours on a Saturday free. What do I do?


So artists, which do you chose? Learn new skills or improve existing ones? 

 Eagerly awaiting your response! ~ Jaime Lyerly


 

Missing art submission deadlines - Confessions of a Super Procrastinator

Feburary already? What happened here? Who stole my month of January? I want it back.

I haven't been blogging recently. Not for lack of want or even lack of time. It is all about not wanting to be in front of a computer any longer than I already am. My job involves the computer. School work involves a computer. My bills are mostly paid via computer. I am always searching for interesting art and artists online, or researching projects. I cannot get away!

So when I have been choosing my free time recently, it has been away from the computer and bend over an embroidery frame or a griddle full of wax. I will go on more about my new fiber class soon, because I have come to fall in love with embroidery. Ah, embroidery...

Okay focus! Here is what I need your help on - Missing Art Submission Deadlines. 

Even though I am still developing a solid body of work, I have begun to show my work in local exhibitions. I have more work that I want to show. The experience of applying is as important to me as getting into the shows. But there are a few snags.

Here are my 12 Steps to Miss Art Deadlines

1. See my artwork on the wall. Think to myself "I need to show my work more."
2. Search Art Deadline or look at emails for opportunities.
3. Find a show that fits my work.
4. Get Excited!
5. Check the dates. Sigh if it is past, and smile if it is upcoming.
6. Print out the info and/or post it to Facebook.
7. Place it in my direct view at work, or in a school binder so I see it.
8. COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT IT.
9. Memory is triggered by something else, go find opprotunity again.
10. See the missed deadline.
11. Kick myself. Vow to find more shows that fit.
12. Repeat the process, repeatedly without the pattern changing.

See my problem? Me too, but I don't change my ways.

I admit there may be a little adult ADHD in me, but I know for sure that there is a lot more Procrastination than anything else. And I identify myself with this.

This is the dirty little secret of procrastinators everywhere. We procrasticate because we want it to be perfect, so we wait until there are better pictures, time to write a better statement, a better oppronity. Deadline missed. Procrastinator Sad. Pattern Repeats.

Procrastinators also want be organized, but we wait until we have "time" to organize, and that means NEVER. Or we get organized for a week and then lose interest in up-keeping it.

My favorite thing to say is "I don't want to deal with this now. I'll handle it later." Later never comes.

So then other than hiring someone to organize me or spending years in behavioral therapy, I turn to you. 

You are artists (creatives, writers and more). 

You get into shows. 

You make your deadlines.

Your work is seen by others (and maybe even sold). 

So how do you do it? 

I concede that your way may not work for me, but I am desperate for some advice here. Please leave a comment here, and share with everyone how you make it work.

Yours, in all her Procrastinating glory, ~ Jaime Lyerly 

Art Supply Trade! Bringing Back the Barter System!

Oh, Dadant refined beeswax - how I miss you so.

So sorry this post took so long. As I mentioned to friends that I had supplies to trade, I found some takers already, and got rid of some large (read: too expensive to ship) items and traded it for an art consultation. However, I had a week of pack rat doubt about getting rid of my stuff and let that resistance hinder me from finishing this post that I started 3 weeks ago. Well here it is!

More stuff to come, but I just needed to get this out into the world now - a kind of "asking the universe and it will provide" idea. I need lots of beeswax for my current projects. Can you help?

In my post "Out with the Old! Bringing in new energy by cleaning" I talked about how I was frantically getting rid of old clothes and doing the unthinkable (in my pack rat mind) - Throwing out art!

I decided it was time to make room for some new art and supplies by getting rid of the supplies that I am not using. I am also working on more 3-D beeswax art work and encaustic paintings. For anyone who works in encaustic, they know how expensive these paints are! Almost outrageous at at least $20 a small cake. And with encaustic, it is all about lots and lots of layers. So each layer just adds to the price. My 3-D beeswax and fiber forms also use a ton of beeswax, and I am down to about 2 lbs of it. Yikes! What is a girl to do? There is art to be made and no supplies to make it with!

Also, In this difficult economic times, I feel guilty about spending money on art supplies when it could be used for something more practical. So what if I traded my unused supplies and art books for some encaustic paint or beeswax? Then I won't have to worry about spending "money" as it will almost be like getting it for free. The idea sparked - BARTER SYSTEM!

So here I am; offering my supplies to you. Do you work in encaustic? Did you try it and not find it fun to work with? How about oil sticks? Any of those lying around unused? Have beeswax to spare? Maybe have an unused cradled board or two that you have no plans for? Plain, unused, rolled canvas need a new home? I can help out! Let's make a deal!

The supplies I am looking for are pretty specific to my area of mixed media encaustic/beeswax 2-D and 3-D creations. But I am open for other suggestions. As being a lifelong learner, I am willing to trade items for things less tangible, such as online classes, art consultations, art business help, and coaching services. It really just depends on the offer. I just want my stuff to become your stuff, but I don't want to sell it to you.

If I have peaked your interest at all, see the two lists below: Want and Have.

Want:
Encaustic Paints
Unbleached, Refined Beeswax (lots of it, please!)
small Blow Torch
Encaustic iron
Cradled Boards (birch or something unprimed)
Claybords
Oil Sticks (see R&F paints for these)
Gift certificates to R&F, Dadant and Sons or other encaustic paint or beeswax suppliers

Have:
General supplies
3 11x14x.75" canvases
1 16x20x.75" Oval Canvas
Bags of various ribbons and papers
Knifty Knitter purple rectangular loom

Art Books (All books in excellent condition)

Anthologies/Biography
Art 21: Art in the twenty-first century, Volume 1 hardback
American Art book (small book)- Phaidon
20th Century Art Book (small book) - Phaidon
The 20th Century Art Box Postcards - Phaidon
The Art Box postcards - Phaidon
Surrealism - World's Greatest Art
Rome and Vatican Book
Pablo Picasso - Ingo Fi Walher

Art Technique Books
Encyclopedia of Sculpture Techniques - John Mills
Teach yourself Sculpture
Complete Guide to Drawing - Giovanni Civardi
Essential Techniques for Drawing and Painting
The Zen of Creative Painting - Jeanne Carbonettis

Writing/Art/Journaling (technique included)
Artists' Journals and Sketchbooks - Lynne Perrella
Journal Spilling - Diana Trout

Assemblage
The Altered Object - Terry Taylor
Secrets of Rusty Things - Micheal De Meng
Classic Color Theory/Design Textbooks
Design and Form, Revised Edition - Johannes Itten
Interaction of Color, Revised Edition - Josef Albers
Creative Living/Art Business
The Saavy Crafter's Guide to Success - Sandra McCall
Living the Creative Life - Rice Freeman-Zachery

I will be adding to this list as I can. Did you find something that you want? Email me and I will work with you.

Desperately seeking beeswax ~ Jaime Lyerly

Lessons from Failure

I start this new college semester with a better understanding of myself.

After whining for the last few days (okay weeks....maybe a month....) about not wanting to start classes again because it will cut into my creative time, I am actually excited to start today.

This semester will be a focus on what is important to me, which is a big change from my attempt at learning the Japanese language last semester so that I could study abroad in Japan. I ended up failing Japanese I, because of many reasons which included no time to study, a difficult studio class, illness and my memory not being as good as it was 10 years ago. Since I identify myself as an overachiever (and yes it is very true) this was a hard blow to my ego. I still have a difficult time to identify myself as more than just an academic, so failing a class is a heavy burden to bear. As I was clearing out my Japanese binder last night, I heard each paper yell "FAILURE!" as I shuffled them into the recycle bin. However this failure has taught me more about who I am now than all the scholarships and honor society awards that I won within the last year.

What I learned from failing:

1. Learning a language at 32 is harder than at 22.
2. My self worth should not be judged by my grades or GPA.
3. The world will not end if I fail a class.
4. Stress makes you sick. Sickness makes you miss class. Missing class makes you stressed. Cycle repeats and repeats.

and most importantly:
5. BALANCE is the more important than anything.

So this semester, I am going to seek BALANCE more than academic achievement. As the semester starts today, I vow to keep this sense of balance by taking time to exercise my body, eat healthy foods, write and enjoy life and make time for my family and myself.

Even though I have no choice but to take full time classes (12 units) or work part time to pay my bills, I can chose my classes carefully, and budget my time better. I am going to say NO more often for things that don't serve me, and carefully evaluate the wonderful opportunities that present themselves to see they fit into the time I have now.

Therefore, I hope that my readers will kindly understand if there is less content on this blog, and know that while I am silent here, I am creating somewhere else. I still plan to document my process and share art and art marketing tips I find, but there may be less. And as the newness and excitement of my classes turns to work and stress, I plan to come here to blog about my failures in addition to my successes. Viewed as a whole, this will show the real me - flaws and perfection at the same time.

If you are starting classes now (teaching or learning), I applaud you and hope you will help me on my journey towards balance. And in turn, I wish share my world of creativity and artistic expression with you. We will both win. If you are not starting classes, I still hope you will seek out balance and share with me your lessons from an unapologetically creative life.

Forever seeking Balance! ~ Jaime Lyerly

San Diego Community Art Events at the Women's History Museum

Some great art events coming to the Hillcrest area of San Diego, CA to the wonderful

Women's History Museum and Educational Center. Check it out!

Ladies Who Paint

at the museum thru January 31

In the tradition of Grandma Moses, these 3 artists discovered their artistic talents later in life and have made creative expression part of their daily lives.

Please join us to view "VENTURES IN ART", a representational collection on exhibit through January 31, 2010

Mollie Solorzano, Linda Kennedy and Dr. Georgianna Galas have painted together for several years and share a love of artistic expression.

Closing Reception
Sunday, January 31, 1 to 4pm

And in February

Bronze Sculpture © Jean Cornwell

"Up From the Ashes"

a new body of work from Sculptor, Jean Cornwell"

Opening Reception: Friday, February 5,

NOTE: This exhibit has been postponed due to illness in the artist's family. Will keep you updated.

6 to 9pm

Women's History Museum

Jean's work speaks for itself... but just as loud, are the words of the artist herself:

Artist Statement

My first one-woman art show was exhibited on the underside of my grandmother's kitchen table. I had not yet developed my own particular style nor could I reveal my source of inspiration but I was, nevertheless, expressing my artistic self. In years to come these childish dabblings would lead me to a never-ending experimentation with a variety of styles, media and methods which, to this day, are still in the process of creative evolution.

Born in the Black Capital of the world, Harlem, I was bombarded with sights and sounds that only this unique neighborhood could offer. I felt I had it all and was quite aware that I was living in a very live art gallery. From behind the windows of my basement apartment, I viewed the colorful parade of Black ladies with their sugar brown legs; red-eyed winos, drooling in drunken contentment in the curb; the white-tipped cane of the nameless blind man announcing this approach. I listened to the local crooners, using the stoops as their public stages. I watched the flamboyantly-dressed numbers runner make his twice-daily rounds dispensing either joy or sorrow. When I can on the street itself, I danced to the hop-scotch rhythms of the double-dutch, played with the neighborhood girls. I watched with envy the scrabby-kneed boys playing their game of loadies with old bottle caps. I enjoyed the summer evening games of stoop-ball watching the soft pink ball bravely bouncing against the gray-brown cement steps. It was a time for running, laughing, jumping-a fun time. A lifetime of images, waiting to be born, were formed on these streets by these alive Black people.

I hope you can check out these shows. I am going to do my best to head down to this wonderful museum.

Happy show attending! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Video from smARTist Telesummit alumni

I have been eagerly anticipating the smARTist Telesummit which starts TOMORROW, Thursday, January 21, 2010!

The free preview calls are still available for any artist who is interested. You are able to listen to the speakers for the conference all without spending any money. Last year, the preview calls are what hooked me to sign up for the full session. This year, I barely hestiated to sign up, even before the first preview. Last year's conference was amazing and I am excited to listen and take action again.

Ready to jump start your artist career but not sure how? Still not sure what all this talk about smARTist Telesummit is all about? I am here to help again. You may have read my testimonial on my blog post about last year's smARTist. Facilitator Ariane Goodwin shares a video from Artist Amadea Bailey with her smARTist video testimonial.

Embedded videos work for blogger, but will not show when this blog is imported into Facebook, so check it out through this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYnZmpGoGQ

Feeling compelled to see more about this smARTist Telesummit and maybe take the leap and sign up? Wonderful! I will be right there with you.

Learn more about smARTist and register through my affiliate link.

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

My college classes start the same day as the smARTist Telesummit, so I am not sure how much blogging I will get to do while it is going on. However, I will be writing all about it and giving you tips that you can use. The sessions are dense with information, and I am glad this year I signed up to have the transcripts in paper format. Listening later via the internet and downloading the MP3s is the best way for me to be able to attend this conference AND still attend classes.

To your art career success!
~ Jaime Lyerly

Big news for the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art and our Winter Quarterly Newletter including Annual Retreat Photos

You have heard me mention it before, or seen a post on Facebook about it. Wondering what the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art (SDWCA) is all about? I am here to help!

Here is a link to view the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art Winter Quarterly Newsletter that is sent out to all members and is available in hard copy at our events. http://sn.im/sdwcanewletter12-09

You can also read previous newsletters at http://www.sdwca.org/new/newsletter.htm

The December newsletter features pictures and information about the Annual Retreat, which I taught "Encaustic Technique." I have been promising pictures and stories on the blog for so long, and I am sorry to let you down. However, I have posted pictures of the Annual Retreat on my Facebook fan page, so please check them out there!

The current newsletter also has the final President's message from Laura Jean Thompson, 2005 - 2009 SDWCA President, which includes the official announcement that I am not sure everyone knows yet.

Yours truly, Jaime Lyerly, is the new 2010 President of the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art! Hurray!

I am so excited to be leading the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art this year, along with my two Vice Presidents, Ellie Benfatti and Jen Bottoms. We had our first meeting of the new year yesterday and it was electric!

Here is a little taste of what we have in store for the new year:

• Free artist demos open to the public after each of our monthly Board meetings
• Juried and Invitational Exhibitions
• Online Juried Exhibitions
  
• Development of Scholarship and Professional Grants for artists

This is new territory for the SDWCA, so it will take some work to establish all that we are trying to do. But I believe in my Board will make this happen!

Now back to Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

"Starving to Successful" Author Jason Horejs at the Free smARTist Preview Call Tonight!

Last minute change to the Free smARTist Preview call that I wrote about in last week's post Twitter and smARTist 2010. Now it is focused on finding your own path to success.

See the information below about the Free Preview call tonight!

You know that success in the art world doesn't follow the same path for every artist.

And it's great to hear how other artists have figured out their path – you'll get ideas, tips, and suggestions to mix-and-match and use to smooth your own path!

Jason Horejs grew up in the art world – literally: his father is successful painter, John Horejs.

Jason owns Xanadu Gallery and is the author of Starving to Successful: How to Find and Keep the Right Gallery for Your Art, at Any Stage of Your Career. He'll be talking with Ariane Goodwin of smARtist®, tonight about three artists who have found their path to success in very different ways. And he'll be talking about why NOW is the perfect time to be looking for gallery representation.

Tonight, Tuesday, Jan 5th 7-8 pm ET (NY) 4-5 pm PT (CA)

===========================================
If you haven't signed up for the pre-events yet, click here to sign up and get the call-in & webcast details for all the Pre-events (and access to the recording afterwards):

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

* Find the sign-up box in the upper right corner of that web page * Enter your name and email * Look in your inbox for all the call-in & webcast details ===========================================
One thing Ariane makes sure of—all of her smARTist Pre-events have meat on the bone!

Registration is open for the 7-day conference which starts on January 21st, and for a limited time you can make your budget as happy as your art career by paying over 3 installments but only until midnight (PT), tonight:

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

From a smARTist alumni from last year: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
I just want to say, I'm astounded at where my art career has led me since I partook in your course!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I look back at where I was when I signed up in December to where I am now ... it is truly amazing. The creativity in my work has really opened up. I am no longer afraid to take the next steps. The public art gallery (Art Gallery of Hamilton) in my city has a piece of my work and has asked that I keep them informed about any new work and what is happening with my career. WOW. I can't thank you enough for running an awesome course! - Elle How ----------------------------------------------------------------------

You shouldn't miss this FREE preview calls! There is no obligation to smARTist or myself for signing up for these. It is not a scam. Trust me on this one. And you won't be sorry that you listened.

Sure you can get this art career information other places, but why not take advantage of the fact that it is all available to online to download and listen to at your leisure (or break from the studio!)

To read more about my love of smARTist Telesummit, go to this post about my experience with the 2009 smARTist Telesummit.

Happy Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

P.S. I am still working on typing up all the info for my art supply bartering. Don't give up on me! I will have it soon.

Out with the Old! Bringing in new energy by cleaning

I am feeling hyper, motivated and inspired to do the unthinkable - CLEAN and GET RID OF STUFF - Including ART SUPPLIES!

This feeling hardly ever comes. And when it does, it usually lasts only for a hour or two. Then I get overwhelmed by the amount of work it takes and I avoid it again for another year or so.

But all the energy in my life is telling me that it is time for a change.

I need to LET OUT THE OLD TO ACCEPT THE NEW!

There are so many examples and descriptions that I could go into for why this is resonating with me that I would end up spending the whole day writing blog posts about it. But there is cleaning, returning and organizing to do and I have to strike while the iron is hot. Iron...encaustic...painting...mmm...oh, distractions.. how I miss you already. No! Focus! Okay, one quick example.

In my Japanese class, we talked about traditional activities surrounding the New Year. (I am just going by memory here, so if I get it wrong, please forgive and correct me!) Each year has a specific animal sign (adapted from Chinese Zodiac), and a new deity that is welcomed into the home by cleaning every inch of it. Getting rid of old things, cleaning, writing New years' cards, and putting up decorations is necessary. The first three days of the new year, everyone has off (with one exception). New years' cards are sent to everyone you know and are delivered on New Years day by mailmen who are the only ones that work. New years eve at the Shinto shrine, the monks ring the gigantic bell 108 times to release the 108 sins or demons inside every person. More about Shinto New Year bell ringing here. Going to the Shinto temple for blessing is common within the first few days of the year. Bathing and cleansing are very important for the house and the body. To the left is a picture of Chris and my friend Joyce cleansing their hands and mouths before going into the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo during our Japan and China Study Tour. They even wear new clothes on New Years' day. It looks like an amazing tradition, and one that I am going to adopt and modify to fit my own life this year.

So back to what has been occupying me for the last few days - cleaning out the old. I am getting rid of all the clothes, items and even art stuff that no longer fits me. This includes lots of watercolor stuff, acrylic paintings and maybe even art books (although those are harder to part with). And as I get a notice from my health insurance company that starting January 2010, my health insurance per month will be raised to $295, I am thinking about the barter system. Maybe I need to trade some of my art supplies for other services? Maybe trade art for something more practical? Maybe trade of acrylic supplies for encaustic wax that I need to continue my projects for the new year? I am already making a trade with my friend Starry to help me regain my sewing skills, but we haven't worked out the details. I am looking for options in the new year, and I believe that this new energy will not do me harm. Anyone looking for a trade of art supplies? Email me and we can work out a deal!

I have spent too long on this post, but I am still energized to make room in my life for more abundance! So if you don't see my posts as often as I usually do, trust me, I am still here and working away on my art and life. I look forward to sharing more of my life and art with you in the new year!

Happy cleaning and Welcoming the New Year! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Join me at the 2010 smARTist Telesummit in January 2010. Take the leap to the next level in your art career!

Happy Holidays everyone!

I have been waiting to send out this information about the 2010 smARTist Telesummit until after Christmas, but the offer below is too wonderful to wait. So you will get my testimony and plug for this awesome event now while you are in the frenzy of holiday preparations. Don't worry; I won't take up too much of your time!

The 2009 smARTist Telesummit launched my art career last January. I found out about it through the Art Biz Coach, Alyson Stanfield, since she was one of the Keynote Speakers.

I had just started reading her book "I'd rather be in the Studio," and was decompressing from another long and grueling college semester. But the timing was right for me. The smARTist Telesummit is in between my Fall semester and the start of Spring semester. I would actually have time to process this information. What a better way to start of the year than to focus on the beginning of my art career?

The 2009 smARTist motto was:

Get Clear.
Make A Plan.
Inspire The World
With Your Art.

Get clear? That I needed to do. Make a plan? Yeah, I guess I need one of those...and Inspire the World with you Art- that sounds right up my alley!

I was hooked. The only obstacle was the cost. The smARTist telesummit is a hefty price for a self-supporting student and mother to afford. But smARTist offered a 100% money back guarantee. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

So I signed up for the smARtist Telesummit and was amazed on how much information could be crammed into these 1 hour phone call/recordings. You "attend" the conference by either calling into a special phone number during a certain time or downloading an MP3 recording and listening later. There are handouts to download and print out, and a members only discussion board where you can ask questions of Ariane (the facilitator), connect with other participates or just gush about the wonderfulness of the presentation.

After just a few days of listening to the recordings, I learned so much about social networking that I hopped right into Facebook, Twitter and Blogging. I am pretty tech-savvy so this part was easy. Plus there were handouts to tell exactly how to do it all. Then I started on the more difficult items, such as making a plan for my art business. Since this conference is meant for people of all stages of their career, there is lots of information that I am not quite ready to implement (such as getting corporate sponsors for your work). As the school year started for me again, I was prepared to maintain and enhance my sprouting artist career while tackling my classes. If you want to know all that I accomplished this year, check out my post Celebrate your Accomplishments for 2009.

Long story short - the smARTist Telesummit is amazing and worth every penny - for ANY STAGE of your Art Career.

2010 smARTist Telesummit is this motto:
Focus, Facts and Fabulous Art
Get Recognized,
Exhibited,
and Paid what you Deserve!

Check out the pre-event recordings to hear what this is all about. Right click and open this in a separate tab to check it out and then come back here to register using my affiliate link.

http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/pre-event/recordings/

Now for what would drive me to send out this information now! This is a steal! I really wish I would have paid for this upgrade last year so that I could have the transcript recordings. But if you act now, you get this upgrade for FREE! Crazy, I know.

For the next 48 hours (until midnight Dec. 24th PST/CA), or up to 50 registrations, you can get all 3 upgrades ($97 value) for the price of a standard registration for the live 7-day conference:

* A COMPLETE SET OF WRITTEN TELESUMMIT TRANSCRIPTS-all 14 Sessions

Download immediately to your computer. Print. Read. Highlight.
2 MasterMind Panel Days, and 12 Keynote Speaker Presentations.

* Ariane’s "STAY-ON-TRACK" GROUP COACHING PROGRAM

A unique 15-day, "Stay-On-Track" group coaching program, to help you get results before the dust settles. Ariane will be your personal guide to help you
1) identify the holes in your career before the event, and then
2) create your post-event action plan to fill in those holes.

* ACCESS to SPECIAL PLATINUM MEMBER'S ONLY FORUM
Enjoy special access to a Platinum Members' Only Forum where you can dialogue directly with Art Career coach, Ariane, and chat with other artists about how they are using the "Stay-on-Track" Program to get the most out of the conference.

Step 1: Click here to register (please use this link, since it is my affiliate link):
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631

Step 2: After you choose to upgrade, type (or copy/paste) this code in the Coupon Code Box and click "apply" to get all 3 upgrades immediately: 2010UPGRADE

Then, let the wild January rumpus begin, where your art career gets all the attention.

PS: Registration is open for the 7-day conference in January, and for a limited time you can choose to pay over 3 installments:

Click Here >
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631

Feel free to email me with any questions you have about last year's smARTist Telesummit. It was really life changing. You owe it to yourself to at least check out this conference.

Happy Holidays! I look forward to seeing all that you can accomplish this next year! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Celebrate Your Accomplishments for 2009

Picture of me stamping my travel journal at Himeji Castle in Japan.
To be able to go to Japan was a HUGE accomplishment; one that I still am not sure how to put into words.

Since it is finals week at SDSU, I am rushed to finish everything I started and study for those big tests. Yet, I already feel the tension and pressure lessening each time I turn in a project, take a test or finish a paper. College classes will be over in three days for me, and I am READY FOR A BREAK! I can finally focus on my art and enjoy life for a month before the madness of classes starts again at the end of January. Until then, let's talk about celebrating this year in a truly artistic way.

The Art Marketing action tip from the Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield this week is one that I am ready to start now and try to finish up by the end of the year.It is all about celebrating your accomplishments.

I am fond of bubbling to my friends, co-workers and other students about what I am doing now and my accomplishments. I have been know to jump up and down with excitement. I blog, twitter, post status updates on Facebook and pictures of work in progress on my fan page. Yet, I don't take time to celebrate my accomplishments for the year. I have made a huge jump this year into the art world, and know that is would be a great time to start writing my accomplishments down!

Check out this post (right click and open in a new tab).

Art Marketing Action Podcast: Celebrate Your Accomplishments

Posted using ShareThis

Here is the start of my accomplishment list for this year:

Started and maintained a blog
Got into my first juried show, Women's Caucus for Art "Herstory" at the Women's History Museum
Participated in the Women's Caucus for Art member invitation at Queen Bee's (formerly 8teen Art and Cultural Center)
Started in the world of social networking
Participated in the smARTist Telesummit 2009
Got hooked on the Art Biz Coach's blog and book, "I'd Rather Be in the Studio"
Featured article in SDSU's Daily Aztec
One of the featured artists in an article on Encaustic by America Creates
Participated in an Encaustic workshop at the San Diego Art Department
Participated in Artist Trading Card Workshop (ATC) at Escondido Municipal Gallery
Initiated into SDSU's Mortar Board Senior Honor Society
Won a scholarship from CSEA - GCCCD union employee scholarship
Won a scholarship from Mortar Board for outstanding community service
Won a scholarship from the Junko Koike for study abroad in Japan
Won a scholarship from Fu Foundation as the 2009 Fu Scholar for study abroad in China and Japan
Participated in a two week study abroad tour to China and Japan
Took Japanese I with Dr. Higurashi at SDSU (hardest academic class I have taken)
Took Beginning Woodworking and Furniture Design at SDSU with Wendy Maruyama (hardest studio class I have taken)
Took Handbuilt Ceramics with Joanne Hayakawa at SDSU
Took Figure Drawing with Jeanne Dunn at SDSU
Took Intermediate Sculpture with Richard Keely at SDSU
Took Figure Sculpture with Jesus Dominguez at Grossmont
Taught Beginning Encaustic Workshop at Escondido Municipal Gallery
Taught Encaustic Technique Workshop at the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art Annual Retreat
Learned more about and experimented with 3-D encaustic sculpture
Developed "micro-movement" type art projects called Art Actions
Visited Luis de Jesus Seminal Projects Gallery
Visited Escondido Municipal Gallery
Visited the Buddhist Center of San Diego for their annual Food and Music Festival
Participated in monthly San Diego Women's Drum Circle
Participated in Drumming and Movement Workshop (uncomfortable but made me grow)
Participated in Family Constellation Workshop (uncomfortable but made me grow)
Participated in the Stone Soup Challenge
Participated in a collaborative mail art project (tried and failed at this by holding everyone's pieces too long)
Started a mailing list (although I still haven't sent out any newsletters)
Investigated different art file management programs
Got a person art website (template) and actually put something on it!
Got more involved with the San Diego Women's Caucus for Art
Started blogging for the SD/WCA
Transitioning into being President of the SD/WCA for 2010
Re-joined the San Diego Writers Ink
Joined the International Sculpture Center
Joined the Encaustic Ning and Owning Pink Ning
Found awesome sites for growth and creativity Owning Pink and Journey Juju
Read more SARK online
Subscribed to Art News, Art in America, Works and Conversations and Sculptural Pursuit Magazines
Read and bought issues of Stampington Co: Somerset Workshop, Artful Blogging, Art Journaling, and Cloth, Paper, Scissors
Submitted art to Women Made Gallery juried show (did not get in)
Made an online tutorial/demo for Encaustic Monoprints
Made new business cards featuring my current art on them
Made connections (in person or online) with artists Lisa Bebi, Renee Richetts, Helen Redman, Gray Gray-Adams, Thea Haubrich, Lissa Rankin, Ellie Benfatti, Cynthia Morris, Lincoln Maynard and many more
Was able to honor artist/professor David Fobes at the Mortar Board Faculty/Staff Appreciation Dinner
Submitted art for the Featured Artist section of the National Women's Caucus for Art
Attended lecture by Janet Koplos (check out my essay "Redefining Craft" on this talk here)
Attended Visiting Artist talk by Tom Loeser
Attended Visiting Artist talk by Virginia Scotchie
Saw shows by SDSU student work
Saw SDSU gallery show "Animalkind"
Saw SDSU faculty show
Tried wood carving, stamp carving, watercolor crayons, assemblage, intuitive knitting, oil pastel over magazine collage, art journaling, encaustic on photographs, encaustic on 3-d forms, oil sticks, encaustic on board and fabric and working in plywood.
Wrote a blog post "100 Contemporary Artists you need to know, NOW"

and the single best thing to happen to my art career in 2009 is that it started! I am finally getting my work out for other people to see. I am still developing a solid portfolio, connections with others, and ways to show my art, but I got a firey start on this year by attending the online smARTist telesummit and reading the Art Biz articles and books.

Thank you to everyone who supported me in this fabulous year. It is never easy, but it takes each of you who helped me in some way with a kind word, a critique or an opportunity. I am looking forward to great next year with a much longer list of accomplishments!

Your Turn:

What is your list? This is what I could think of in a hour. I could probably do more over time. A year goes by very fast (and seems to get faster as we age), but what are your accomplishments. Post a comment here to let us know or just spill it into your journal or blog post. Either way, make sure you honor your busy year with a toast to your attempts and successes!

Happy art making! Enjoy your holidays! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Redefining Craft - My Essay on a Lecture by Janet Koplos

Pablo Picasso, found object assemblage

As I finish up the last hectic weeks of the semester, I am trying to find some time and energy to blog, make art and relax. Since none of that has happened recently, guess what, I got a cold. When you are running at full force for as long as I have, it is hard to remember that my immune system cannot keep up. Nevertheless, I am here and ready to share what is the most creative non-fiction that I have written in a while - an essay based on a lecture.

In October 26, 2009, Janet Koplos, Guest Editor at American Craft magazine and Contributing Editor at Art in America was a brought in by the San Diego State Art: Applied Design Department as a guest lecturer. It was wonderful, and I hoped to write about it right afterword. However, life gets in the way of my best intentions, but as luck would have it, I needed to do a write up of one of the lectures that I attended this semester for my Woodworking class. So better late than never!

I believe that this essay can stand on its own without seeing the slide show or hearing the lecture. The topic of CRAFT vs. ART is fascinating and one that every artist will face many times in their life. I hope this essay will stimulate you to comment or just contemplate how this battle of words affects you as an artist.

Redefining Craft by Jaime Lyerly, 2009

Craft. The word by itself brings up images of Styrofoam balls covered in sequins, pompoms and lots of glitter. There are Michaels’ stores, which have “arts and crafts” listed in their title. If you go to there craft section, the above materials will be found, along with colored foam, fuzzy pipe cleaners, googley eyes and assorted other little trinkets that had no where else to be stored. It is a sad day for the word, craft, when its definition is limited to what can be found on the aisle of Michaels. Janet Koplos, Guest Editor at American Craft magazine, Contributing Editor at Art in America, and co-author of upcoming book Makers: A History of American Studio Craft, written with Bruce Metcalf, wants you to look past the initial response to the word, craft, and see that it is no different than the word art. Koplos’ has a unique position as the editor of two different magazines and her role is to help redefine craft. Also by authoring a book specifically on crafts, her role becomes one not just of editor but also one of the defining voices in an area where there appears to be lacking a solid and academic representation. In her SDSU Visiting Artist Lecture on October 26, 2009 entitled "A View of the Maelstrom," Koplos showed a history of art and craft via slides, and defined three main points: questioning our need to separate craft from art; the need for a visual vocabulary specified to the craft being critiqued, and a shift in mentality from craft-exclusive to “craft-proud.”

Through slide examples, Koplos shows how the histories of art and craft have not always been separated as they are today. From the ancient Etruscan pottery to Picasso’s work in clay, found objects and metals, craft has been a part of art making since its inception. Craft is now defined by the art community as use of particular materials such as fiber, wood, jewelry, clay, book and paper-making. However, in these days of mixed media, how can craft be separated from art? Is it function that makes it craft instead of art? It is the intent of the creator? Is it manufacturing techniques? Is it material use only? Is it concept? When does a work stop being craft and become art? When does it go the opposite direction and start as art but then become craft? These questions were not answered by the Koplos, but they loom overhead during the lecture for the listener to answer themselves. By showing art that can be defined as art or craft, Koplos asks us to question why we need to categorize it all. This separation makes the artist have to choose one category to stand firmly in, instead of letting the art establish its own genre and intention.

Another key point of Koplos’ lecture was the need for critics and people reviewing craft-related objects to have their own visual vocabulary to describe the work. For example, according to Koplos, tapestries need address a different set of questions than a painting. Although both a tapestry and a painting may be wall hanging and relatively two-dimensional, they need to be critiqued by a reviewer who is familiar with the materials being used. Someone who is familiar with the applications and limitations of acrylic paint may not have the same qualifications when faced with a tapestry. Each material has its own benefits and limitations which cannot be ignored when critiquing the artist’s work. Koplos advised that we need critics who are willing to educate themselves on craft related materials, so that they can best describe the materials in front of them. By placing painting expectations on a tapestry, we are limiting how the creator can interact with their audience, and ignoring the history of fibers from which this tapestry can ultimately be judged. Taking down the walls between art and craft does not mean ignoring the history of the materials used and the objects relationships with those materials. We need a shift in mentality about art identified as craft, which leads final point in the lecture.

Koplos described in her lecture an artist who was advised by a gallery to delete all references to craft in her Curriculum Vitae. She continues on that this artist was able to project a craft-free image and therefore to get into more exclusive art galleries. Koplos believe that this cleansing of the Curriculum Vitae to remove all traces of the word craft is harming to artists who do not see fit to do so. She finished the lecture by showing some screenshots of the newest movement in the craft world – the DIY or Do-it-Yourself crafters. Websites such as Etsy.com gives people a way to make handmade, one of a kind items and sell them to others over the web. It is the eBay of crafts. Koplos said that the people selling on Etsy.com are “craft-proud” and that is the attitude that fine artists working in craft related mediums should adopt. She does point out that the quality on Etsy.com varies tremendously, since anyone can post and sell items without any formal training or quality control. However the attitude of proudly proclaiming your craft is one of inclusiveness, and is a welcome change from the exclusivity of the art world.

In conclusion, Koplos’ lecture was a fascinating look into a world in which I was only barely familiar. Her slides included many works that I would categorize as craft, such as functional ceramic bowls and works that I would never even consider in that category such as Kiki Smith’s figures or Tara Donovan's swell of white cups. To question what is art and what is craft is inviting exclusivity that is neither necessary nor wanted. Magazines such as American Craft and Niche provide a place for artists to show items that proudly pronounce their craft materials to the world. Can they be art too? Of course, if the creator so deems it. Koplos’ point about needing critics who are willing to look past the word craft and actually learn about the specific materials that are included in that broad title rang true to me. Since I love writing about are as much as I love looking at it, I see this as a call to action. I believe that there is a niche that can be filled by a new generation of art critics who will be inclusive with their writing and they will help redefine the word, craft - one article at a time.

Feel moved to comment? Please do! I am not sure how the format of a typical 5 paragraph essay works for blog readers, but I am trying out something new here. Academic writing is part of my life as a student, so I thought it was time to share. Maybe next time you will only get an excerpt. Now back to my regular scheduled hectic life!

Happy Art (or Craft) Making. Be Craft Proud!

Jaime Lyerly