Progress on November Goals and More Work to Do
Markings #14 ©2007 35"x37"
Two weeks ago I posted a list of projects I needed to complete by the Nov 25. My progress to date:
- Complete 6-9 small pieces for the Arvada Center Holiday Art show. Completed!
- Deal with paperwork for several upcoming shows, including preparing some images for catalogs. Completed!
- Buy christmas presents. We had a wonderful Christmas last week.
- Write and review requirement documents for 3 projects. Completed!
- Attend another memorial service for my father next weekend. It was a warm and comforting service with family and friends that knew him growing up.
- Sleep I slept lots over turkey day weekend - what a treat to have 4 days in a row to sleep late, which is making this week particularly brutal when the alarm goes off at 5:30am.
The 2 things I didn’t have to get done got pushed back but now the pressure is on to get these finished.
- Start a blog for the group show I’m curating next spring.I’m about half way done on the initial setup, although no rush since the show isn’t until next April we want to get our group blog up and running fairly soon.
- Make 10 quillows and help my daughter make 10+ pillows. This is painful, my daughter has little interest in this project and we need to have this done by thursday if possible. I’ve got 5 quillows nearly completed. Many many more hours to go.
So my goals for the next few weeks are to complete the above in addition to the following:
- Get back to putting in 20 hours a week in the studio - including this week. This will be a stretch but I’m tired of my life being so out of balance. Time in the studio with out time pressures and deadlines is where I recenter and it is much missed.
- Update my guild.com webpage. I’d like to submit new work as I’ve not had any luck selling the work on there yet. Time to add some new pieces.
- Ship some new small work to Lux Art Center. They shipped back my work I sent a while back, time to send some new pieces that they display in their fiber art classroom.
- Update my website. I have ideas for what to do but have not yet found the time to make it happen.
- Work no more than 40 hours a week at they day job. I put in enough overtime in November to buy me brownie points for a long time to come.
My plan is to wrap all of this up by Dec 11th as that day marks the beginning of a 3 month period that I plan to really focus on my art and my art business and get them into top shape. My kids are going to London and Spain with their dad for 3 months, leaving me with an empty nest. I’m excited for this opportunity for them but I will miss them a great deal, so I will focus on the art to make the experience as positive for me as possible.
The above piece I included in a post earlier this month about my Markings series and the image was terrible. I play around with the raw camera image in photoshop for a few minutes and figured out how to fix it . Hurray! Thanks to the commenter that left some tips on things to try to fix things.
Posted by Lisa in: Goals and Intention
Tagged: goals, guild.com, lux art center, marking series, movies, photographing artwork, the day job
cynthia said,
November 28, 2007 @ 7:21 am
I’m always so impressed with your goals - how you write them down and follow up. I should take a cue from you and do the same because most of my goals only live in my brain.
Wow - 3 months? For a time, I was always jealous of the luxury of time that many of my childless friends have - yet I think I would miss my daughter immensely if she were to go away for that long! What a great opportunity for them and you.
Good luck getting all your projects done with your daughter. That sounds like a lot, but it’s good she’s helping so she understands the time investment. It’s sort of funny, my daughter is taking my clay class by default and to a certain extent she like it. It’s a social and creative time. Yet, on the other hand, when I press the importance of craftsmanship, her eyes glaze over. She’s not accustomed to pushing herself to do her best work possible always when it comes to art. There are other kids in the class who would stay there all night if I let them. I had never heard the term “quillow” before.
Cherie said,
November 28, 2007 @ 7:49 am
Lisa, I am always impressed with your goals too. I’ve started writing mine down as well and it actually increases my productivity quite a bit when I know what I’m working towards.
I also want to make sure I am still first in line to buy your scraps. Anytime you have an overflowing box that you just can’t stand to look at (or even if it’s a small baggie of scraps), PLEASE LET ME BUY THEM, OK???? :)
Your quilts are wonderful!
Cherie
Daniel Sroka said,
November 28, 2007 @ 10:37 am
How long have you been on Guild.com? They have such a well-designed site, I’d hope that it would generate some sales. I tried to get on there with my photography, but they said they weren’t adding any more photographers because of the difficulty they were having getting any sales. Bummer.
Deb Kirkeeide said,
November 28, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Lisa
I have been following your blog for a while now. I enjoy your work and your insights very much. I am truly amazed at all you accomplish with a full time job, family and your art. I don’t know how you keep up your energy. I am trying to do all that as well but my nest is empty and I still can’t quite get as much done as I’d like. You are an inspiration.
Deb
PaMdora said,
November 30, 2007 @ 4:21 am
wow I love that top image. I guess I really like skinny stripes!
Hey Lisa, do you upgrade your WP every time they say there’s a new release version? When I switched to it, I didn’t realize I would have to maintain my own software, and the upgrades are irritating when you have more than one to do.
Tracy Wall said,
November 30, 2007 @ 7:11 am
Wow; lot’s done! It truly feels so good to get things checked off the list. I just started doing weekly goals (always have seasonal and live by my day-timer, but was missing the inbetween). Have had some success, some carry over to next, but it’s a start. What a perfect way to keep your attention focussed here. Keep cruising!!
Lisa Call said,
December 2, 2007 @ 8:23 am
Cynthia - I think the same thing about my childless friends - but I know I will miss my kids a lot. It will take a while to adjust to having them gone, by then they might be back!
Cherie & Tracy - good for you guys for writing down your goals - I hope it continues to help. And yes Cherie - you can buy my scraps when organizing such things bubbles to the top of my list.
Daniel - I’ve had my work on guild.com for a little less than a year. I’m not sure they sell much large textile work. I’m going to add some smaller pieces if I can (they jury everything on that sight).
Thanks Deb.
Pam - yes - I upgrade within a few weeks of a new release being issued. It is a pain but to me it’s worth it.