For some reason, I'm very tired today, so I've been resting up. There are a lot of things on my "to do" list these days. I've actually been quite busy, although today was no indication of what I've been up to. It's getting unseasonably hot in Austin again (summer tends to do that here) so I always look for interior things I can do to keep myself busy.
I've been meaning to clean out my studio and haven't really done that yet. I also want to work on the new computer, to start to setup the new RAID devices and all, and to start to move things over to the new setup. It's just that these things tend to take a lot of time, and I tend to procrastinate when it comes to working these kinds of things (rather than going out and taking pictures.) I'm much more inclined to be doing that kind of stuff if I'm being honest. (I tend to neglect routine things.)
I've been thinking about it a lot too and it seems that I really want to get a Fuji camera. I want one of those little walkabout cameras that shoots in square format. I've been thinking about all of the things I could do if I had one of those to play with a bit, so that's totally going on my list of things to get, once I start getting things again. (Might be a while for that, as I'm not in a hurry to run out and get a lot of new gear. At least not while it's been too hot to go out shooting a lot really.)
I need to start doing some copy work, so that you can see the wonderful pastels and encaustic paintings I've been working on over the course of the last year or so. I'm very behind in my copy work, so that's also on the list of things to do. I need to update my website. Man, there's a crap-load of stuff I could be doing instead of sitting here complaining about the heat.
When it doubt, there's always tomorrow, right?
Until next time...
Monday, June 17, 2013
YAWN - Slow Day Today
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Happy Father's Day
Tomorrow is Father's Day. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there-I hope you have a great day.
We had some good light in Austin today. Not the best, but still kind of OK. We had some clouds but it was a bit flat. Still managed to go out and shoot some flowers. My crepe myrtle tree is starting to bloom, so I got some shots of that, as well as some of these little yellow flowers my neighbor planted right alongside our borderline. They are cute little flowers although, in hindsight, they do appear to be taking over the yard.
Note to self: even little flowers can grow massively big sometimes.
What's that they say, "from small things, big things one day come." Yes, well my poor neighbor is about to have a massive covering of these little yellow and white flowers if we don't get out there and yank them real soon now. It's not that they are big, no, not really. There are just lots and lots of these little yellow and white flowers and they appear to be creeping 'round the yard, making their way up to the front door.
Until next time...
Friday, June 14, 2013
I Told You It Was Coming
OK, now you can't say I didn't warn you about this one. Back when I had just returned from location in Vegas, I mentioned that I had done some shooting of words. Words, words, words, I think I called it. Inside of the Mob Museum, I shot nothing but words. Well, OK, maybe almost nothing but words, but still a lot of words anyway. Words here, words there, words everywhere. Lots and lots of words. And, I told you I'd upload them at some point, right?
The point is now. It's time. Here are my words. Well, some of them. You'll just have to wait for the rest. But, they've started coming. Here they come, I can almost see all of them now. Can you guess what words tomorrow will bring? Corruption, greed. What is a Racket? Sports. Prostitutes. Laws. Crime, money, politics, sex, scandals, garbage, Hollywood, New York, Chicago, booze, drugs, gambling. It's all there, man. It's all out there in Vegas. It's all hidden in the words.
Sometimes, all you have to do is read the writing on the wall. And, why, that's what I've done, when I went out to visit with that mob museum. Words, lots and lots of words. Maybe some of them will make sense, some of them won't but they'll all be words. Words for you to read. Writing. Walls. Lots of little words, all adding up to one big puzzle. What do these words mean to you? What did these words mean to me? Why did I shoot so many of them? Ah, life is full of little riddles, isn't it? Lots of little riddles and more than a few words to go around, that's why we love it so much.
Frankly, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Until next time...
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Perfecting Your Elevator Speech - Mmmm Tacos
These days, being an artist, photographer, or virtually whatever else it is that you do, you are going to have to come up with some kind of elevator speech. In case you don't know what an elevator speech is, allow me to introduce you to one. From the Wiki,
"Hi, I'm Carol and I'm a fine art photographer and visual artist from the Austin, Texas area." That's a short one. It could be mine, in fact, it is often mine. (I'd say you can borrow it, but you probably don't want people calling you Carol unless that's you name, in which case, have at it, Carol.)
It's really important for artists and creative types to have a good elevator pitch. It's really a good idea to practice your elevator pitch before doing something like going to a portfolio review, going to a professional round-up, or even going to something as simple as a networking or art group meeting. If you're a photographer, it's a good idea to have some kind of elevator-like pitch, along with business cards, that you can use to get people to let you photograph them.
A lot of photographers, especially those who want to do more portrait work, ask me all the time, "how do you get the courage to go up and ask people to pose for you?" For some reason, photographers are shy. Now, I haven't discovered a magic bullet here, it's just that I've found over the years having a little bit of an elevator-like pitch, along with a business card, goes a long way. This is why I almost always carry my Moo cards and I almost always introduce myself to lots of people I bump into along the way. The little spiel, "Hi! I'm Carol and I'm a..." gets used a lot, especially as a travel or go on location. I'm also always handing out business cards, even to people I've never met. Here's my website, here's my card, "Hi! I'm Carol..." Yes, I do that lots.
The experts recommend that we all practice our elevator pitches. Practice, practice, practice. This is probably a good idea. I'm not the best at doing them, I too could use a lot more practice. I've got some friends who could work a room so good you'd be dizzy just watching them (it's like an indoor sport of some sorts, that is, really.) I'm guessing anyway, they would get a lot of free tacos. (Not me. No, I usually have to pay for my tacos but, hey, I sometimes too get a bit lucky and get some free salsa.) Other friends? They get hung up on the words, like "photographer" or "artist" and don't want to use them. My guess is that, if they'd practice a bit, they'd get over those hang-ups and just starting taking pictures or painting.
There is one thing all these folks have in common though. It's virtually impossible to become a successful photographer or artist these days unless you have a good elevator pitch. Unless you are comfortable, squeezing into that elevator with that oh-so-important person and jabbering off about "Hi! My name is..." You are probably not going to make it in the art world. It's just a sad fact of marketing reality, so probably best to deal with it early in your career and get yourself on over that hump. There are bigger problems you will grow to face, trust me on that one. You've got bigger fish to fry so, go on, man up and "Hi! I'm..." whoever you are. Fill in those blanks, practice it a bit, and move right along.
So, there you have it. Elevator pitch. You. Work. Go. Do. Best of luck with it too.
Until next time...
"An elevator pitch, elevator speech, or elevator statement is a short summary used to quickly and simply define a person, profession, product, service, organization or event...The name 'Elevator Pitch' reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes. The term itself comes from a scenario of an accidental meeting with someone important in the elevator. If the conversation inside the elevator in those few seconds is interesting and value adding, the conversation will continue after the elevator ride or end in exchange of business card or a scheduled meeting."So, there you have it. Picture yourself trapped for (slightly less than) two minutes in an elevator. By trapped I mean you are stuck in there with somebody important. Imagine what you might say to that oh-so-important person. "Hi, I'm (insert name here) and I..." Basically, your elevator pitch (speech, statement, whatever you want to call it) is the completion of that sentence.
"Hi, I'm Carol and I'm a fine art photographer and visual artist from the Austin, Texas area." That's a short one. It could be mine, in fact, it is often mine. (I'd say you can borrow it, but you probably don't want people calling you Carol unless that's you name, in which case, have at it, Carol.)
"Hi! My name is Melissa and I'm the lady who paints giant murals on the side of Taco Bell restaurants all around the country. I got started painting as a child when, coincidentally, I also started eating a lot of tacos. My love for tacos eventually grew into the founding of my own business-painting murals for small taco establishments along the Texas coast-until I eventually moved into the position of painting all of the murals for all of the Taco Bells around the world. Chihuahua be damned, if you've seen a Taco Bell, why I've painted the fake taco on the side of it."That's possibly a really good elevator pitch for somebody who's a really odd painter, but there you have another example of one. Probably a better example too. (Again, I would recommend against stealing this one unless you are really all that into tacos. Mmmm. Tacos.)
It's really important for artists and creative types to have a good elevator pitch. It's really a good idea to practice your elevator pitch before doing something like going to a portfolio review, going to a professional round-up, or even going to something as simple as a networking or art group meeting. If you're a photographer, it's a good idea to have some kind of elevator-like pitch, along with business cards, that you can use to get people to let you photograph them.
A lot of photographers, especially those who want to do more portrait work, ask me all the time, "how do you get the courage to go up and ask people to pose for you?" For some reason, photographers are shy. Now, I haven't discovered a magic bullet here, it's just that I've found over the years having a little bit of an elevator-like pitch, along with a business card, goes a long way. This is why I almost always carry my Moo cards and I almost always introduce myself to lots of people I bump into along the way. The little spiel, "Hi! I'm Carol and I'm a..." gets used a lot, especially as a travel or go on location. I'm also always handing out business cards, even to people I've never met. Here's my website, here's my card, "Hi! I'm Carol..." Yes, I do that lots.
"Hi, I'm Carol. I'm a fine art photographer and artist from Austin, Texas. I often take photos so that I can paint from them. Would you mind if I take your picture today? Can I take a few pictures of you?"That sort of an approach goes a long way in getting a "yes" response out of my subjects. If somebody says "No," why I respect that, but it's a good idea to have a bit of a pitch ready for these times. I've met photographers who are too shy to even call themselves "photographers" or "artists." They get hung up on the words. "Well, I'm not really a *photographer*" They will say to me, "I just like taking pictures." Mmmm. Right. Newsflash! People who like taking pictures are called: photographers. (Have another taco and try it again. Once more with feeling and all.)
The experts recommend that we all practice our elevator pitches. Practice, practice, practice. This is probably a good idea. I'm not the best at doing them, I too could use a lot more practice. I've got some friends who could work a room so good you'd be dizzy just watching them (it's like an indoor sport of some sorts, that is, really.) I'm guessing anyway, they would get a lot of free tacos. (Not me. No, I usually have to pay for my tacos but, hey, I sometimes too get a bit lucky and get some free salsa.) Other friends? They get hung up on the words, like "photographer" or "artist" and don't want to use them. My guess is that, if they'd practice a bit, they'd get over those hang-ups and just starting taking pictures or painting.
There is one thing all these folks have in common though. It's virtually impossible to become a successful photographer or artist these days unless you have a good elevator pitch. Unless you are comfortable, squeezing into that elevator with that oh-so-important person and jabbering off about "Hi! My name is..." You are probably not going to make it in the art world. It's just a sad fact of marketing reality, so probably best to deal with it early in your career and get yourself on over that hump. There are bigger problems you will grow to face, trust me on that one. You've got bigger fish to fry so, go on, man up and "Hi! I'm..." whoever you are. Fill in those blanks, practice it a bit, and move right along.
So, there you have it. Elevator pitch. You. Work. Go. Do. Best of luck with it too.
Until next time...
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Artist Statement Roundup
For any and all of my artist friends, there is going to be an Artist Statement Roundup (meeting) this Thursday, June 13th at Cari's north studio location. It will be held from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Austin Art Lab, 13216 Pond Springs Rd. Bldg. D.
The "Roundup" as I'm calling it is going to be a working type session where we cull our artist statement's. It's going to be an informal gathering where anybody (any media) can gather and work out, work on, work up, or otherwise just "work" to get an artist statement that makes you proud.
You should plan to bring any artist statements you might already have plus some fresh ideas. Probably some paper, a notebook, or a laptop/tablet (if you prefer) as this is going to be a working session. We plan to go over our artist statements in detail and hash out things to say about our work. You do not need to bring you work, although you might find bringing a sample piece (or having a sample image of your work available on a tablet/laptop) might be helpful. If you do not (yet) have an artist statement, but feel that you will need one in the near future, don't be afraid to join in on the fun. The goal is that we hope everyone leaves with at least a working draft of some kind of artist statement regardless of what you came in carrying.
If this "Roundup" or Artist Statement Meeting sounds like a great idea to you but you cannot make the meeting this Thursday, please let either Cari or myself know. We may schedule additional meetings, depending upon interest, so it's important you let us know. (We're also going to schedule a follow-on or additional meetings if most folks feel they need more time to work on their artist statements.)
In other news, this is Chase in his pre-haircut days. I recently had him shaved for the summer and he's a lot perkier now that he's got a lot less hair. I believe you can maybe make out one of his eyes in this photo. He really was all that furry. (I do love the long curls but he won't let me brush him and it's getting to be 100 degrees this week, so I opted for the shaved look, at least for the summer months.)
Until next time...
The "Roundup" as I'm calling it is going to be a working type session where we cull our artist statement's. It's going to be an informal gathering where anybody (any media) can gather and work out, work on, work up, or otherwise just "work" to get an artist statement that makes you proud.
You should plan to bring any artist statements you might already have plus some fresh ideas. Probably some paper, a notebook, or a laptop/tablet (if you prefer) as this is going to be a working session. We plan to go over our artist statements in detail and hash out things to say about our work. You do not need to bring you work, although you might find bringing a sample piece (or having a sample image of your work available on a tablet/laptop) might be helpful. If you do not (yet) have an artist statement, but feel that you will need one in the near future, don't be afraid to join in on the fun. The goal is that we hope everyone leaves with at least a working draft of some kind of artist statement regardless of what you came in carrying.
If this "Roundup" or Artist Statement Meeting sounds like a great idea to you but you cannot make the meeting this Thursday, please let either Cari or myself know. We may schedule additional meetings, depending upon interest, so it's important you let us know. (We're also going to schedule a follow-on or additional meetings if most folks feel they need more time to work on their artist statements.)
In other news, this is Chase in his pre-haircut days. I recently had him shaved for the summer and he's a lot perkier now that he's got a lot less hair. I believe you can maybe make out one of his eyes in this photo. He really was all that furry. (I do love the long curls but he won't let me brush him and it's getting to be 100 degrees this week, so I opted for the shaved look, at least for the summer months.)
Until next time...
Friday, June 07, 2013
Austin Encaustic Arts Meeting Tomorrow
Just a quick note for the Austin-based encaustic artists out there. Tomorrow, from noon - 2 pm we are going to have an Austin Encaustic Arts meeting at Cari's north location.
The details are:
Ok...it's official!
Next Austin Encaustic meeting this Saturday is on!
June 8
Noon-2pm
Austin Art Lab
13216 Pond Springs Rd. Bldg. D
(North Studio)
As you can probably well imagine, I have not been painting much recently. I did manage a bunch of shooting (photography) but it's been a bit too hot for me to get out into the studio with the blow torch. Still, I hope to do some painting come autumn and I have been shooting some things I plan to use with photo+encaustics, probably in the fall as well. I also hope to copy some additional paintings I have already completed and post them to the blog, website, and other Internet hovels. I'll try to get to those this week, so that I have something new to post on the encaustic front at least for now anyway.
It's really been hard for me to juggle painting, doing photography and the other stuff I do, so I'm looking at having more focus and narrowing down a bit what I'm doing. Unfortunately, my encaustics have suffered but I do hope to get back to them at some point (one point or another, right?) What's that they say about the best laid plans, good intentions and all? (Yeah right, please don't remind me!)
Hopefully, I will be able to catch up with everybody a bit anyway and see what other folks are doing.
Until next time...
The details are:
Ok...it's official!
Next Austin Encaustic meeting this Saturday is on!
June 8
Noon-2pm
Austin Art Lab
13216 Pond Springs Rd. Bldg. D
(North Studio)
As you can probably well imagine, I have not been painting much recently. I did manage a bunch of shooting (photography) but it's been a bit too hot for me to get out into the studio with the blow torch. Still, I hope to do some painting come autumn and I have been shooting some things I plan to use with photo+encaustics, probably in the fall as well. I also hope to copy some additional paintings I have already completed and post them to the blog, website, and other Internet hovels. I'll try to get to those this week, so that I have something new to post on the encaustic front at least for now anyway.
It's really been hard for me to juggle painting, doing photography and the other stuff I do, so I'm looking at having more focus and narrowing down a bit what I'm doing. Unfortunately, my encaustics have suffered but I do hope to get back to them at some point (one point or another, right?) What's that they say about the best laid plans, good intentions and all? (Yeah right, please don't remind me!)
Hopefully, I will be able to catch up with everybody a bit anyway and see what other folks are doing.
Until next time...
Thursday, June 06, 2013
Take a Left at Abstraction Street
Towards abstraction, yes, I know I keep moving closer and closer towards abstraction. I just can't help myself. While it's true that I've been shooting a bit more "normal" these days (in what amounts to a possibly feeble attempt at landing more print/magazine type work) I just can't let go of my past. I can't let go of the abstraction. I'm abstract to the core and I just can't help myself. If you'll pardon me, my fine art roots are showing.
I've decided not to fight it anymore. These days, I'm just shooting two cameras. One with the "special" lens I've rigged up that allows me to do some of these abstract type images and one with a "normal" type of lens that allows me to, well, to shoot more "normally" (at least, kind of "normal looking" although I question if I can really do that anyway. I mean, have I ever been, now or ever, really a "normal" type of shooter?)
Current plans for these abstract images are to gather than and to print them larger, on watercolor paper (makes the colors really pop) and then do a one-person show of them. Somewhere. Sometime. You know, down the road a ways. Haven't finalized more plans for them than that, just keep shooting them really. I've always been a "take what the camera gives you" kind of a girl, and I'll probably keep on doing that with these abstract type images as well (I see no reason to change that up now.)
But, I'm not giving up shooting these abstract images, magazine work or not. In some ways, I feel that this is really my best work. It's all me anyway, no matter how you really come down and slice it. So, there you have it. Abstraction. Me. The tree-lined street. The lady waking with an umbrella. The painterly-like soft colors and folds of lines. The circles of confusion, visible for all to see. Yes, I'm doing more "normal" type stuff nowadays, but that doesn't mean I'm abandoning my various forms of abstraction. Sure, you might see me get all crispy sharp focused once in a while but, the "real" me? Yeah, it's under there too. It's under there, quietly waiting its turn. Waiting, watching, and lurking. Just around the bend, waiting quietly to come out and show its face. You know, you just know, at one point anyway, it will. (It's not like I can leave it behind for too long, now, can I?)
Yes, I'd say it's safe to say it. The "real" me, the one you all know and love (or maybe don't!) is still there. Hiding in the shadows. Take a left up on this next street corner and you might find it again, popping out from the shadows, rearing up its head from quiet contemplation, jumping out at you. Although it speaks in soft whispers and doesn't say very much at all, not even when you are "tuned in" to its quiet harmony, it's still there. Waiting and watching. Softly reflecting city life in its own abstract kind of way. So, go ahead, take a left on the next corner, up on Abstraction Street and you just might see it too.
Abstraction Street. It's a wonderfully quiet place to settle down and enjoy a quiet slice of life these days, isn't it? Even if it is only a small piece of me these days, I have to say I rather like it there. Yes, I like it there.
Until next time...
I've decided not to fight it anymore. These days, I'm just shooting two cameras. One with the "special" lens I've rigged up that allows me to do some of these abstract type images and one with a "normal" type of lens that allows me to, well, to shoot more "normally" (at least, kind of "normal looking" although I question if I can really do that anyway. I mean, have I ever been, now or ever, really a "normal" type of shooter?)
Current plans for these abstract images are to gather than and to print them larger, on watercolor paper (makes the colors really pop) and then do a one-person show of them. Somewhere. Sometime. You know, down the road a ways. Haven't finalized more plans for them than that, just keep shooting them really. I've always been a "take what the camera gives you" kind of a girl, and I'll probably keep on doing that with these abstract type images as well (I see no reason to change that up now.)
But, I'm not giving up shooting these abstract images, magazine work or not. In some ways, I feel that this is really my best work. It's all me anyway, no matter how you really come down and slice it. So, there you have it. Abstraction. Me. The tree-lined street. The lady waking with an umbrella. The painterly-like soft colors and folds of lines. The circles of confusion, visible for all to see. Yes, I'm doing more "normal" type stuff nowadays, but that doesn't mean I'm abandoning my various forms of abstraction. Sure, you might see me get all crispy sharp focused once in a while but, the "real" me? Yeah, it's under there too. It's under there, quietly waiting its turn. Waiting, watching, and lurking. Just around the bend, waiting quietly to come out and show its face. You know, you just know, at one point anyway, it will. (It's not like I can leave it behind for too long, now, can I?)
Yes, I'd say it's safe to say it. The "real" me, the one you all know and love (or maybe don't!) is still there. Hiding in the shadows. Take a left up on this next street corner and you might find it again, popping out from the shadows, rearing up its head from quiet contemplation, jumping out at you. Although it speaks in soft whispers and doesn't say very much at all, not even when you are "tuned in" to its quiet harmony, it's still there. Waiting and watching. Softly reflecting city life in its own abstract kind of way. So, go ahead, take a left on the next corner, up on Abstraction Street and you just might see it too.
Abstraction Street. It's a wonderfully quiet place to settle down and enjoy a quiet slice of life these days, isn't it? Even if it is only a small piece of me these days, I have to say I rather like it there. Yes, I like it there.
Until next time...
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