Dear reader, since we last convened you were kind enough to read my thoughts in my last blog post, entitled “The New Year's Gift, or how Sometimes a Nuisance can lead to a Minor Epiphany.” You might recall how, after spending 3 days sick in bed, I rose, Lazarus-like, to the epiphany of the importance of order, cleanliness and structure in one's home- and how I subsequently de-cobwebbed and decluttered my way into a renewed sense of hope and possibility.
Since then I have been eager to apply the same zeal for order to my art practice. I started off the year “Kondoing” my studio: organizing everything so that I could readily see what materials I had available. I recycled about 50 lbs of clay, and prepped it for use on a new piece. I swept and scrubbed the floor.
But, while organizing my studio space is a great start, it will take a bit more to develop a plan for my art practice for 2019.
I start by looking back at what has been big year for me - art wise.
In 2018, I started teaching Tilemaking and Handbuilding classes, participated in my first ever art fair, and had a solo show in a beautiful space at the Baltimore Clayworks. I began a series of small tiles and sculptures to sell at the Greater Goods Market at the R house garage, and moved into a larger studio space- ideal for making more complex work. Lastly, I joined the the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion committee at the Clayworks.
And while all this is good, I don’t feel as if I’ve even scratched the surface of what I could be doing. I listened to an interview today on WYPR with Tom Hall and acclaimed classical violinist Jennifer Koh. In it, Koh asks” How am I serving my larger community? How am I serving my artistic community? How I am I serving my art form?” I think these are the right questions to be asking oneself, and are especially helpful in crafting a plan of action for the new year. To this, however, I would also add, “How am I serving my family?” While I feel that I am the most actualized version of myself, my “best” self, when I am making art, my art practice alone does not currently provide enough income to sustain my family. One of this year's goals then, must be to increase the amount of income I can provide my family through my art practice.To this I will also add participating in opportunities to serve my larger community, my artistic community, and my art form as well.
So - lofty goals indeed! And just what does it mean to participate in “opportunities to serve my larger community…?” I don't know about you, dear reader, but I really can't begin anything, much less accomplish anything, without breaking tasks down into mini-tasks,- and most specifically delicious and bite-sized mini tasks, like the “Cheetos” of achievement.
The following is a proposed plan for my art practice for the next 11 months. Mapping out the year like this does give me a sense of orderliness, as if Marie Kondo herself had folded and stacked my life into neat little compartments. It is not without some anxiety, however. Like everyone else, I struggle to meet the demands of work, family, and my own aspirations to become a successful artist. I am hoping that taking the time now to map out my goals and priorities will actually facilitate my progress- or, as my father might say “Festina lente.”
Janurary
-Map out goals for 2019- haha! - done😀
-Research and apply for grants and shows that may be receptive to my work. (I find a lot of information about these opportunities on the Bmore Art “Calls for Entry” page)
-Make a high-relief press mold of my votive rabbits to “mass produce.” Experiment with versions that hang on the wall, and that would stand upright on a table.
-Continue construction of large clay slit gong (approx. 4 ft”) to add to body of work shown at Clayworks in Fall of 2018
-Continue teaching at Clayworks
February
-Make a linocut of votive rabbits and print a small run on high quality paper.
-Complete construction of large clay slit gong.
-Research images and references for new series of “identity shields”- 8 to 12 clay shields that can be worn, and will be able to hang on a wall. These shields will bear the marks of battle, and be adorned with faces and reminders of one’s identity
-Research galleries in Phila for show of shields for 2020
-Find community meeting to attend. - get out and about!
March
-Make small face and mask studies in preparation for large faces on the front of the identity shields.
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage
-Research and attempt to meet with artist with similar tone of work, to learn how they moved forward, and steps that I can take that I may be missing.
-Find community meeting to attend.
April
-Visit Philadelphia to research galleries to show new work.
-Sell small works at Baltimore Faerie Faire.
-Make a high-relief press mold for a second series of my votive rabbits to “mass produce.”
-Begin construction of Shield series.
-Find community meeting to attend.
May
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage.
-Continue construction of Shield series.
-Begin to assemble all of the photos I have taken of my work over the past few decades (did I just say decades?)
-Find community meeting to attend.
June
-Finish Construction of Shield series.
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage
-Organize photos of work according to date, tone, general theories.
-Attempt to find a mentor to help push both work and career.
-Find community meeting to attend.
July
-Glaze shields.
-Reflect on past work, through photos, and begin to organize thoughts in words, through essays.
-Further push search for mentor.
-Find community meeting to attend.
August
-Glaze and fire all shields.
-Assemble structural elements to hang shields.
-Continue to work on essays, reflecting on past work.
-Further push for mentor.
-Find community meeting to attend.
September
-Assess where I am in terms of finding a place to show my work. Make a harder push. Visit more galleries.
-Continue on essays reflecting on past work.
-Make a high-relief press mold for a third series of my votive rabbits to “mass produce.”
-Find community meeting to attend.
October
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage
-Possible Solo show at unknown Philadelphia or Baltimore gallery.
-Continue on essays reflecting on past work.
-Find community meeting to attend.
November
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage.
-Research galleries in the larger markets. NYC, L.A., etc. Plan a trip to one of these cities.
-Find community meeting to attend.
December
-Prep essays and pictures for an art book, including works and thoughts up to this point.
-Research how to crowdfund to create an artbook.
-Set date to launch crowdfunding.
-Make definitive plans to visit galleries in the larger markets.
-Sell small works at Greater Goods Market at the R house garage.
-Find community meeting to attend.