Thank You, cards, fun fact and flowers

  With many many thanks to those folk who came along to our studio closing down sale on the weekend. Saturday was a huge and bustling day, and Sunday was slower but steady. A lot of work has now found new homes, and we have  a clearer path forward for the remaining work; and for the next steps in the process. It is a long road, but we are progressing! Our FINAL sale will be in mid-January and will involve art and craft supplies; the furniture and appliances in the studio; and possibly some work. Phew.

As we re-imagine our art lives without the large studio space, we are looking ahead to collecting and collating our best and favourite works and getting them online. 

With the hope that folk will but things from us in this way, we have been preparing our online purchases' gift wrapping and packing. Sounds funny, but each of us will use slightly different colours to wrap and send our work and I also want to include a hand-printed thank you card with each purchase.

So the other day I cut  a lot of paper (Gmund 300gsm - delicious and bright white), then mixed up some light grey ink and set some type and printed a handful for me.

I added some black to the mix and printed some for Barry - so that they appear dark grey. 

I sent him photos and he asked if I could add in some gold ink to the mix to bring bit of bling. Eek. 

I did not feel at all confident with this move, but I printed him a few - which he seemed to like, which was a relief.

Both the small and large cards have plenty of room to write a hand written note to accompany the purchase.

And in other news - I have been making more pebble jewellery which I had for sale at the studio sale this weekend, and this is the sort of work that will also find itself on line afterwards.

Here is one of the pendants, for illustrative purposes...

I have a fairly ad hoc relationship to my making of pebbles. Unlike my other more formal work where I plan incredibly; with the pebbles I tend to go - big, small, medium; hmmmm, I'll cut a piece of wire maybe this long.

Which works up to  point.

It doesn't work when somebody asks for a trio of pebbles of around a certain size. So I thought I'll work out how to measure the circumference of a pebble and then I'll have a formula.

Harder than I thought, so I messaged my two mathematician-type brothers and one of them came up with a link to this online calculator which works a treat.

He told me to go look at the formula behind it and said "Yep! You give a nice circle a little squish and the formula goes straight to hell...". Hard agree. This is the formula:

For reference purposes, the formula for a circle's circumference is this: C=2πr  😁

So using the online calculator widget,  I now have a table of sizes and lengths that I can use to form my pebbles to order so to speak; but am yet to test them out when I put them through the roller and stretch them bit more. This will tell me what the final size actually is; but I am getting there!

And as a form of palette cleanser after that disturbing formula calculation, and just because they were vibrant and beautiful - some nasturtiums

Would I follow me?

 As mentioned here, I am have been pondering things like my creative brand and social media platforms and marketing and....all the stuff I struggle with. I am however committed to working my way through things and understanding it all better, so the other day I sat down to assess my Instagram account.

And one of the funniest things I wrote down was "Would I follow me???".

It came about because I was thinking about what I am looking for when I follow an Instagram account as it is one of the questions that Kim asks in the workshop. For me I think it is a combination of things:

• The art work and style have to appeal to me
• I like the look of an account to be consistent - that sense of when I go there I will find the sort of things I like on a regular basis
• I don't enjoy too much irrelevant information or imagery - food, travel, people etc
• However it is nice to have those occasional moments of life outside the art revealed.
• I like to see the person, the maker on occasions
• I like to see the process as well as the outcome
• I like to see close up details of things and the whole
• I don't like to see  a heap of promotion for events, mostly because living in a small country town I am unlikely to be able to see any of them!

I was surprised by the number of things that fed into an account's appeal and I wondered how my own account would stack up against my collection of 'criteria'.

And as I imagined, I was a bit disappointed and not entirely sure that I would follow me at all!

The first full screen from my Insta account (on my phone which is where I mostly look at Insta) when I did this check, had some book-ets, a close up of paper, some jewellery a stack of books, a promotion of the garage sale, a silver wire nest, promotion for Libris Awards, some cards, a black and white shot of some artwork, more promotion this time for for the pop up show in Scotland, some earrings, and black and white photo.

So I didn't give myself many marks for consistency, lack of promotion, or images of the artist or works in progress. And personally I just really don't like yellow and it felt 'ick' to see it on my page!

The next full screen of images was a bit better. The colour palette was more consistent, there was a photo of me, a bit of promotion and a real sense of the exhibition Hame which was the main focus at this time. Also a couple of random domestic arty moments which may or may not work.

Going further back, things were a bit hotch potchy, but the palette was soft and soothing, a mix of my work and others, and a lovely domestic moment (the vases) which seemed to complement the arty things.

I went back one more screen and the colours and paper-based nature of things worked well, the artists' books and the cards. I imagine the pax was for the International Day of Peace. The earrings sort of stood out a bit as different. I liked the pop of gold leaf int eh Circles of Concern.

My learnings from this were to really consider what I posted - both the why and the what - and to see if I could get the mix right of consistency with variations and interest, colour groupings that pleased the eye, and to use promotion very carefully. Especially when the colours don't suit me! I noticed some folk would have their art for a show on the front and the last image in the carousel would be the promotional image. The text would talk about the exhibition or show or whatever it was, but the promotional material wasn't the number 1 thing.

I am also now testing and trialling reels and stories - making short videos from images and adding music here and there. It is all a bit hit and miss at the moment, but a worthwhile thing to pursue I think.

The process is also making me think about, and try to understand, what I do where (like here on this blog) and what I do on Insta and what the website is trying to do and how they all fit together.  Fun times!

Bits of teaching, marketing and sharing

 Life as a creative, as an artist, is full of all sorts of weird things that are tangential to the making, yet make for a full and arty life.

I count amongst these the work I do researching, planning, thinking and prepping for teaching. Recently I wanted to update some thoughts about how to progress work when it feels stalled; or where you think you might have got the perfect solution really quickly. I came across some of my learnings from a workshop six years ago and refreshed them, added to them and printed them. 

 

And as I so often  do - I reckon I got the its v it's thing wrong again here! Why oh why doesn't it have an apostrophe for the ownership bit??? A do-over won't hurt. Sigh.

Fixed it!

And today I got to use the cards as I taught another workshop on Building Narrative in Artists' Books. It was such a joy and delight! It's a small group - only four folk - and we get to go deep, think hard, and explore a lot.

I get to teach in Kim Herringe's beautiful space The Studio here in Maleny, with so many lovely things around us how could we not be inspired?

One of the things I teach is about how to read an artists' book and we have some lovely, lovely examples to dive into.

A few weeks ago we did a short evening workshop with Kim on Marketing and Social Media for Creatives. It's never easy for me to do the marketing thing, but Kim offered sensible and clear ideas and information about how to go about it.  And I think I can do some of it!  It was so good in fact that I started my homework the very next morning!

And to share some small good news...the State Library of Queensland recently purchased my small Grief is  Stone book-ets. In fact they bought two of the editions so that one could go in the Education Kit to share with visitors, school children and the like. I am thrilled to know they have a public home; and will also get the chance to be shared and talked about more.

So I packed them up and posted them!

An artistic life is full of this and that, and oh what fun it can be.

A good few days

In the week where I tested negative to Covid and could venture out into the world again, there were some small and lovely moments of art and books.

The first one was as we walked down the main street and stopped to look in the window of a shop, thinking about gifts for Scotland. Barry was about to say that jewellery looks like yours - when he realised it was! Very exciting to be on display in the front window on the main street.

Available at Maleny Additions, 3/25 Maple St Maleny.

It took us both a while to realise that Barry's work was directly underneath as well!

Further down the street we looked at the fully weathered log again.

I have never been asked to refresh it or renew it so I figure the owner must be happy, like I am, that the words simply weather...

I received these postcards in the mail - small advertising bits for the exhibition Scotland. I  am quite happy with them but of course the critical eye goes over them and wishes I had done this or that differently; but the bottom line is they show the artwork and the information is there. Tick!

And we finished the week with Our Big Book Club. It was a great success, full of lively   enthusiastic discussions with folk who are passionate about books and reading. Such a joy to share time and space with like minds. Barry took this photo of me interviewing Kate Evans. Hand talking as ever...

And to a lovely night celebrating the fruits of our labour and enjoying each other's company with a marvellous sunset backdrop.

The countdown is on to Scotland, and I still have a bit to do, so it will be head down for the next wee while.

Slowly, slowly…

 Making emerges slowly as I re-adjust to where we are and what needs doing. I oftentimes find it hard to simply be in the artistic moments - time is given to the myriad of things we need to check, and to the walking and exploring, and then,  I seem to allow myself to think about artiness.

We have brought some of our wares with us and are booked to participate in two markets whilst here!

They are small and local, and the season is really just beginning but we thought it was another way to participate in community.

I have mostly brought cards and a few artists’ books bits, but as I sorted through my box of arty goodies left behind last time, I came across this beautiful stash of feathers a neighbour had gifted me.  Knowing I could use some of the larger ones for brushes and mark making, and also knowing that I couldn’t take them back to Australia given our tight bio security rules, I thought about using them somehow.

In my box of goodies I also found six cards I had prepared earlier - folded and with envelopes - and so I set about making feather cards.

A spool of black thread was waiting for the stitching

As a bunch of feathers spilled from their storage envelope.

And some cards emerged.

I have nightmares about this G but that’s life sometimes…

A lovely trio of cards.

Joined by another lovely trio today.

Starting small, starting slowly, but starting!

Shopkeeping, marketing and promotion

As we edge closer to our soft opening this Saturday (6 June), and to our Open Studio day (next Saturday 13 June), the reality of having a Gallery-Shop is becoming clearer, and is quite exciting.

As I am trying hard not to get so far ahead of myself that I stress myself out, I am pretty much taking a day at a time and finding that works quite well.

Today, hooray, we go the reverse cycle air conditioner installed and the heating worked wonderfully well. Deliciously so in fact, so it is grand to be able to have people visit and know they will be warm as toast.

We approached our local Visitor Information Centre today with our DL cards and they were happy to to have us!  They will promote us to visitors and also do a  special promotion around the Open Studio as well, so that feels great.

We have been fortunate to get our banner designed and printed. The plan is it will be out whenever we are in - so people can glance down the driveway and know whether we are there or not. Barry is currently down the coast buying sandbags to keep it in place when the wind blows!

Our DL cards were designed by a local printmaking friend Kim Herrings and look great.  We are planning to share them far and wide.

We have managed to do a very detailed inventory which kind of amazes us.  We have even managed to enter most of it into our sales device (square) with quantities etc so we know how many we have left - most exciting even more amazing .

And we have pretty well priced everything too and I have been making up small price cards.

And popping them on display.

We ordered a stamp and have been merrily stamping brown paper bags for wrapping and packing.

Signs have been printed for the doors about the impact of the virus on how many folk we can accommodate at one time and things like that.

Our B-I-G sign for the building on the main street is still happening - just waiting to confirm the size and we should be good to go. Some things take more time it seems.

We have just ordered the parking signs for our parking bays and they should arrive soon.  We are doing things little by little, but there are lots of little!

I have done some small single sheet price lists for the current wall works

And so it goes...there is a lot to being a shopkeeper, promoter and marketer of one's work.  And in our spare moments we are making plenty of product.

But still, its great fun and we are excited to begin...

Doing lots of little things

Here I am, still nudging and cajoling a whole bunch of things along, feeling a bit like my own personal television station, so bear with me as I follow along that analogy.

Here's what I've been up to:

Over on Channel Teaching I am getting samples and books and stitching ready for teaching. Also finding works that could be for sale at the marketplace and also finding, and packing work to donate as a fundraiser.

Sample.

Maybe for sale?

On Channel Commissions I am working out words, layouts and calligraphy; as well as cutting paper and proofing posters for a letterpress commission.

Proofing upper case versus lower case.

Back on Channel Exhibitions you can find me researching loads, playing with different folds, writing words in preparation for printing and testing out new papers. Later in the week, you'll find me planning three more books, wondering how overlocking pages together goes and a whole bunch of weird experiments. As well as preparing for a massive aluminium etching day.

Previous aluminium etching

Pondering cloud books again

Click the remote and head to Channel Projects and I am setting type for a wee book; testing out the solar plates; pondering colours of ink to use on the warm paper; and making more cards for deckled edge press.

Flick to Channel Writing and there I am researching and exploring, making connections and creating a structure and an outline for an article.

Turning to Channel Promotion and I have updated my blog and website with details of exhibitions this year and created and sent two newsletters.

So no one big thing is getting done, but lots of small steps are being taken.

For anyone who knows me, they know my head is so disorganised that I love, and need, to have structure and order in my work.  So I have a folder for every major task/commission/commitment where I update the front cover to-do list regularly.

For whatever reason, it gives me comfort to be be able to grab a folder and find all the details I need about something.

Here's the current bunch of folders.

And for those who may have missed our most recent newsletter, (Barry Smith and Fiona Dempster Art News) you can click here to read it; or subscribe over on the right hand panel.

I'd also like to let you know that as part of our joint initiative deckled edge press, I have produced a series of what I am calling 'grief cards' - for reaching out to people who are grieving.  If you'd like to purchase some, you can find them here, and I am so pleased that they have been well received!

If you'd like to see our latest deckled edge press newsletter you can find it here. You can also subscribe at the contact page of deckled edge press website - here. 

Time for a cup of tea and a lie down! Go well.