Torso: Athena, and other works hung at Deja vu Salon and Spa, with Stephanie Riggs, shop receptionist. Artwork by Tammy Vitale.
Here's my press shot for the release I'm doing about affiliating with Deja vu Salon on Spa.
Re today's title: look how close "scared" and "sacred" are as words. Isn't that interesting?!
As mentioned in my last post, my business/marketing plan has changed significantly and I won't be going after this type of shop in the future. I am concentrating on wholesale shops, who will buy directly from me and then sell in their shops. But I am thinking hard that I should probably "grandmother" (as oppose to "grandfather") in those spaces that have been selling for me in the past. The thing is, I don't plan on making small works any more, and most of them sell only the smaller items. I will have small items left over, I'm sure, so I guess I can supply them until I'm out.
This is what I notice: all sorts of things change as I shift and tighten down the kind of work I'm going to do and how/where I'm going to sell it. I have to plan to pick up work from shops where I've been hanging just to get the work out. I have to contact all my shops that aren't wholesale and chat with them about this change. I probably wouldn't have spent all the money I just spent joining networks locally since I'm not sure how many, if any of them, have contact with my targeted audience. In other words, figuring out who your best client is, is truly the foundation from which everything else flows. And when that changes, so does everything else.
My studio space can be smaller and more efficient. I need x-size containers for my work, not whatever I can find. Each torso will have her own container and I know which size fits them all perfectly. Same for the masks. I'm thinking that I will probably move more and more toward raku because of it's uniqueness of end product. That means a whole different supply of clay (it's more expensive) - not that I plan on wasting the 800 pounds or so I still have of the clay I regularly use now. But I can contract much of what is spread out all over the place into a more confined area and take some of my tables out into the shed (once we move stuff around out there - you know how it goes).
And I was thinking that after the first year, I could put a book together of the torsos and their stories and sell that, probably self-published (print on demand). I understand there are methods out there for "coffee table" books that only print when you need them.
And I was also thinking about how much time this frees up for me. X amount of work. More time to do experimental play with whatever I want to play with, and to rest, and to meditate and exercise and keep myself healthy instead of on some treadmill that is no different than working for the "real" world. That's not how I envisioned being an artist. So I'm going to start being the artist I envisioned right now.
I just have to get this all lined up and the people to help me lined up. That's all.
I fell very excited about all of this. And very scared. About the right mixture of both. Makes me feel like I'm most definitely on the right track!
Meanwhile, here's a great new blog, Passion for Painting, by Christine, whom I met and work with in Alyson Stanfield's art marketing class. Go visit and say "hi." New bloggers always need comments to keep them going (and enjoy her art while you're there). Her website is here. Love that turtle painting!
thought for the day: When we work only to do, we most often find ourselves helplessly doing again without having placed the first doing in any context. When doing is followed immediately on doing it can seem impossible or indulgent to celebrate any accomplishment...Without an appreciation of the hours of life, we are simply a target for our own incoming death...constant busyness has no absence in it, no openness to the arrival of any new season, no birdsong at the start of its day. David Whyte, Crossing the Unknown Sea: work as a Pilgrimage of Identity.
WOW!!!!!!! Tammy!!!! You are in uber-inspirational mode today! A book??? That would be SO awesome!!! The torsos could tell their stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That would be AMAZING!
Posted by: Jana | October 29, 2007 at 11:52 AM
I was just thinking today aboout how I often day dream of a good enough sinereo. Especially when it comes to finances...I think up ways I can make a little more instead of dreaming the big dream. I love how you are dreaming and doing this for you!
Posted by: Melba | October 29, 2007 at 09:41 PM
Tammy--thanks for mentioning my blog & my work. Your moving ahead towards your dream is truly inspirational. It takes a lot of courage to change, to stick your neck out, and say "I'm going for this. I deserve it and my work deserves it". I applaud you! I love the book idea. Making this change could lead you to all different kinds of things that you can't even imagine now. Take heart! And keep to the good red road!
Christine
http://passionforpainting.blogspot.com
Posted by: Christine DeCamp | October 30, 2007 at 12:47 AM
always a never ending source of inspiration - you. I like the idea of being an artist you envision; I have that too; one thing that julia cameron was so good at prompting people to do. are you doing any journaling books like this these days. I know you did finding water awhile back. (just curious)
Posted by: AscenderRisesAbove | October 30, 2007 at 09:51 PM
Wow--it really sounds like you are zooming in on what you need and what you want. Transitions are always tough (I'm in the middle of one myself!) but they are also some of the most fertile times we have, I think. Our creativity just surges as we open ourselves to possibilities and it seems like you are busting out all over (sorry for that sort of pun there ;-) Anyway, good luck with all your changes! Sounds great!
Posted by: Mary Richmond | October 31, 2007 at 09:27 AM
i quite understand how you feel...quite a change...much work to do...decisions to take...but that's so important for you You inside, deep inside, the artist and the woman...the wild one...so I send you all the strength and patience and peace I can, can't do more to help.!
have a nice Samain dear...
Posted by: mousie/paisible | October 31, 2007 at 02:12 PM
The first thing I noticed in the photo is the woman. I had to look a lot closer to see your stuff. Are you really sure that this is the best way to show your work? I think the woman is great and all, but she is center stage in the pic.
Posted by: seventh sister | October 31, 2007 at 05:08 PM
Oo - I like the sacred/scared connection...and the coffee table book idea, too.
Hope you had a happy Halloween!xo
Posted by: tinker | November 01, 2007 at 06:43 AM