A door opened, and I went through it.

…and I’m back.

Wowza. It’s been a while. I’ve been pretty darn distracted lately. I don’t know why, but I have. I’ve been up to a few things lately. First, I designed the new invite for Bozarts! I really like this one because I’ve started to gradually work away from the previous designer’s “look.” I’m deviating from her fonts & layout. Her stuff was awesome, but I like to be authentic. The environmental show invite is so much more…me.

The next show is August 5th. It’s another alliance show – 12×12. The 12 alliance members are each inviting an artist. I invited Robert Holleman. He’s a pretty cool guy. He’s a potter, drawer and thai bodywork guru. Everyone around here knows his commercial work. He designed & made the Proud Larry’s sign in Oxford, MS.

Also, I’m meeting with a local artist to discuss a building project she’s dreaming of. She’s pretty neat, too. She moved here from San Fran. She wants to build a small cottage on her property along with a free standing, outdoor bedroom. She wants it completely screened. Yeah. This projects has my name written all over it. Here’s a little something I found to inspire me.

Anyway, that’s the obligatory update. Not sure when I’ll post again. I’m starting a class next week for my ambitious career change. I’ve made the decision that making a living off my creative mind is not for me. It’s hard for me to consistently produce work in an office environment. I’m an artist not an architect worker bee. It is just who I am. I feel my work. I get impetuous moments of creativity. Let’s face it, my moody creative spurts aren’t gonna pay the bills. So, back to school for some left brained education. Until whenever, Leigh Ann.

i should follow good advice

wish list

1. Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 + rest of web suite.

2. Silhouette SD Cutter

3. Various versions of the Pattern Sourcebook

4. Old refrigerator for my booth

5. Extra findings for jewelry

 

That’s it for today. I’m sure I’ll find something to drool over soon!

Check out the invitation to the new show at Bozarts! Designed by yours truly!

diversify

So, I’m working at a day job that’s not design related. At first I was hesitant to take on a desk job, but now that I’m starting to make some money I’m realizing it’s a good opportunity to continue expanding my studio equipment. There are a few things I’m dreaming up. Realistically, fulfilling my vision for a self supporting design business will take time. I’m hoping to hear the news about my graduate school application. I’m preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best. I’ve put my ceramic experiments on the back burner for a couple weeks. Lately, I’m staying at my grandmother’s most of my time outside of work. She’s very sick & I am starting to sit with her again.

In the meantime, I’m spending a lot of time researching design on the internet. I mentioned earlier I’m now the graphic design go to lady for Bozarts. I think it’s a great opportunity to showcase and practice my graphic skills. I’m not one to believe I’ve reached some level of design excellence & inflate my ego. I feel like I can always improve, learn and communicate with excellent designers, mentors and general badasses. It keeps me inspired and encourages me to push the bar even higher.

Back to making money & the day job. I have a few financial obligations, but those will soon be dealt with. The idea is to invest in a new adobe suite specifically tailored to graphic artists, focusing on web design and publishing. Also, it is bundled with illustrator, which is just cool. I started using photoshop in 1997, so how many years is that? 14. Man. I’m getting older. Forget that, I’m getting better at what I do and evolving along with the tools of the trade. Boo-yah.

So, I’m looking at the Creative Suite 5 Web Premium. It’s just fancy & goes beyond what I have now, which is just Adobe Photoshop Elements 6. It was bundled with my awesome wacom tablet. No regrets. It’s a great program. I’m just ready  to keep pushing myself in more directions. I know Illustrator. Been using it since 1999. Damn. 12 years.

Anyway, along with my grad school aspirations, I’m thinking it wouldn’t hurt to start cranking out some logos and graphics to post on istockphoto. Maybe I can get a little extra income from freelance work, which is good. I’m looking for opportunities to practice design & also support myself financially, especially through grad school. Meanwhile, the outlook for web design as a means to diversify & make some bread and butter looks good. Between gallery sites, artist’s commerce sites, businesses and dare I say, wedding sites, I think it seems promising. All of this stuff is good for me to do when I can’t play with clay, like while I’m sitting my grandmother or simply away from my “studio.” Besides, if I get accepted to the ceramics program, I think it’s best to compartmentalize my ceramic work and leave it at the school’s studio. All in time. For now, it looks like I need to keep on focusing on expenses and start saving for the adobe investment. I have a feeling it will pay off.

Feel free to check out what I am studying. I pin work I think is beyond excellent. I only hope I can achieve this kind of stellar work, but hey, for now it’s good to look in amazement & know if I focus, anything is possible.

bozarts alliance 2011

Well, it’s 2011. I’m sure of it. I was invited to become a member of the Bozarts Alliance in Water Valley this year. Naturally, I accepted. I’m pretty happy there is a gallery in my little town. I moved home almost 2 years ago out of neccessity and pleasantly found it to have changed. Who knew I would move home & have the opportunity to get to know other artists and art lovers.

Tonight, I’m meeting with Annette & Mickey – owners of Bozarts Gallery. The woman who designed their show invitations last year is on sabbatical, so I volunteered to design the invitations & take on the website project. I’m really excited about it. I love graphic design & this will be good for everyone involved. Here’s a list of the 2011 alliance members. I’ll try to dig up some links eventually.

Support the local arts & come see me this weekend while I gallery sit, Saturday noon-5.

Members: Nicole Gladden, Pati D’Amico, Bill Warren, Andi Bedsworth, Hanne Gaycken, Lyn Kartiganer, Caren Vitell, Mari Foster, Katrina Geenen, Jeff Long, David Race, Leigh Ann Black, Annette Trefzer and Mickey Howley

what’s next

So, when I was at Arrowmont last summer a guy in my class showed us a video of a mini wood kiln he built from plans in a 2006 issue of Clay Times. So, I’ve been thinking about it for a while & asking him questions. My friend’s husband has some extra firebrick, so I’m thinking in about a month I’m finally going to build this on a concrete slab on the family property. I’m really excited about it. Check out the video of Chris & his girlfriend firing their mini train kiln.

call for entries

So, I’ve applied to grad school seeking a M.F.A. Hopefully, I’ll study ceramics, but I have a lot to learn. I guess that’s what 3 years of school is for, right? If I get in, I won’t start until the Fall. Now, I’m working full time and continuing to play with clay in the evenings at on the weekends. I’m starting to get with it & become an active member of my the Bozarts Alliance. I was invited to be an alliance member at the end of 2010. I’m excited to get involved with local artists. We meet tomorrow, so I’ll see what’s in store for me locally, which is exciting.

In the meantime, I keep thinking this time between graduate school (if I am accepted to start in the Fall) is a good opportunity to make more work, experiment and start learning the ropes of submitting work for exhibitions. Now, for someone like me, who is pretty much self-taught, this is a little overwhelming. I decided to compile everything I find & post it here. Mostly, for my future reference, but hey, if I save someone else searching for this stuff a little time by compiling everything, awesome.

• Ceramics Monthly’s Call for Entries List
• Fired – A Call for Contemporary Ceramics
• 7th Int’l Biennale of Ceramics, Inside Out, Kapfenberg, Austria
• CEBIKO International Competition
• 31st Concurs Internacional de Ceramica De L’Alcora 2011

These are a few I am looking at. I highly doubt anything I make would ever get admitted, but it can’t hurt to start trying. For some reason I have the type of personality that is really laid back, but if I challenge myself I can focus easily and make good work. I think just the process of applying will help me keep working and pushing my limits. That’s not a bad thing.

I know I should focus on local festivals like Double Decker Arts Festival, Gumtree Art Festival and Art in the Pass. I did some local festivals last year when I was just starting. Everytime I went out, which was seldom, I did really well. I’ve proven to do well at street fairs, but I’ll be honest – I want the time & space to just experiment before I get back out there selling my wares. Honestly, that’s why I’m not around on etsy right now.