Lisa Call

The river at the Bend of Ivy Lodge at the Great Big Dreams Retreat – 2007

 
I got back from the Great Big Dreams Retreat today. What an incredible experience. I learned much, listened to much, thought much, laughed much and found this to be one of the most rewarding weekends I’ve spent in a long time.

I’m now enrolled in Christine’s Great Big Dreams e-seminar to continue following the path I started this week. The money I’m spending on this retreat and seminar is usually earmarked for an art workshop but I’ve decided this a much better use of money right now. I’ve felt a need for a change for a while and instead of ignoring it and continuing on as usual I’ve stopped and listened and now I am doing something to make sure the change happens.

My art is super important and I know it will continue along fine without additional instruction at this time. It’s time to get help on the bigger picture – me.

 
This year I’ve decided to list my accomplishments for 2007 without comparing them line by line to the list of goals I set at the beginning of the year (art making goals – business goals). I stopped worrying about my specific goals part way through the year because of my dad’s illness and my preference to spend as much time as possible with him.

My accomplishments/gratitudes for 2007, and in keeping with my plan of taking a more holistic view of my life they are not restricted to just art.

1. I worked in my studio around 865 hours this year – over 16 hours a week on average.
2. I complete the 13 major pieces started prior to 2007 in my Structures and Markings series: Structures #47, Structures #48, Structures #49, Structures #50, Structures #65, Markings #4, Markings #5, Markings #6, Markings #7, Markings #8, Markings #9, Markings #10, Markings #14. No more piles of unfinished work from years past to sap my energy!
3. I completed 6 new major pieces in my structures and markings series: Structures #66, Structures #67, Structures #68, Structures #74, Markings #15, Markings #16.
4. I started 4 additional major pieces in the Nancy Crow workshop that I will complete in early 2008: Structures #72, Structures #73, Markings #17, Markings #18.
5. I challenged myself to do some smaller work and completed 23 pieces: Structures #69, Structures #70, Structures #71, Structures #75 – Structures #94
6. I kept my art business records up to date each month and will be able to hand my paperwork over to my accountant as soon as I receive all the forms from banks and employers and such.
7. I wrote 150 blog posts about my art and being an artist.
8. I updated my computer system with more memory and an external hard drive and avoided having to spend thousands to buy a new machine for a few more years.
9. I sent out 2 postcards to my mailing list.
10. I started an email mailing list that I will use in 2008 for my studio newsletter.
11. I was asked to curate a show at the Lux Center for the Arts in conjunction with my solo show coming up in April.
12. I sent out many solo show proposals.
13. My work was included in the Blogger Show so I had my first piece included in a show in a New York City gallery.
14. I did a minor update to my website midway through the year.
15. I got to display my work at a Ferrari dealership
16. I came very close a few times to getting my email queue down to 0.
17. I have learned to love my day job instead of spending 8 hours a day wishing I were in my studio instead. My life is now more peaceful.
18. I entered 7 juried shows and was accepted into the Visions Quilt Art Gallery Member show, Artist as Quiltmaker at FAVA, the Arvada Center Holiday Art Show, Materials Hard and Soft, and Art Quilt Elements.
19. I completed Matisse The Master, by Hilary Spurling and A Woman On Paper by Anita Pollitzer and have started a biography on Picasso.
20. I listened to many good books on tape, too numerous to list. My favorite by far was Eat, Pray, Love. Reading this book was a large factor in taking charge of my life to make it what I dream it to be.
21. I traded artwork with Tracy Helgeson and then received one of her Pay It Forward pieces. I’m thrilled to own 2 of her pieces now.
22. I gave away 3 small pieces of art via my blog.
23. I stopped complaining about what the art quilt world was doing.
24. I helped my daughter’s class make quilts for their teacher and the silent auction fund raiser.
25. I made a commitment to go complaint free.
26. I helped my daughter make quillows and pillows to sell for her class project. She came close to selling out her booth and grossed over $300. I earned about $100 of it as her employee, which I spent buying things from the other kids in her class.
27. I put aside money each month to purchase art and bought a few small pieces from artists who’s work I admire.
28. I made 3 artist trading cards and sold 2 of them. This one is still for sale Sold.
29. I got to see my piece, Structures #36, hanging at the Mint Museum of Craft + Design a few days ago.
30. I took the big step and put my work up for sale online, on my blog, my etsy shop, guild.com and my cafepress shop. From this I learned more about how I want to sell and market my work and what feels authentic to me.
31. I won the Lydia S. Golomb Memorial Award for Outstanding Use of Traditional Materials at Fiberart International.
32. I took a 2 week workshop with Nancy Crow and spent 2 amazing weeks completely immersed in my art.
33. As the year came to a close I returned to yoga, hiking and searching for the truth of what I want from this life.
34. I maintained a gratitude journal for a good part of the year.
35. I continued to build my investments focusing on my plans for retiring early.
36. I canned 2 batches of homemade salsa with tomatoes from my garden.
37. I went to Kansas to help my mother say goodbye to her husband, a really cool guy.
38. I spent more time with my family this year than I have in a long time. It’s been wonderful, even if not always in the best of circumstances. I appreciate my relationship with my mother, sister, brother and Shirley and am lucky to have them in my life.
39. I was able to say goodbye to my father in a comforting and loving way before he died and have no regrets. This was the hardest thing I did this year and I am very thankful for the friends and family that were there for me.
40. I left a long term relationship that was not working out, which took a lot of strength and courage as there were some good parts, but the bad was no longer acceptable.

 
Thank you to each of you that read my blog, whether you comment or not. I appreciate the support and kind comments so many of you have left over the years.

Happy New Year everyone. May the year bring you everything you dream of and more.