Fabric News:
Last fall I received an email from David Paul Bayles, who was a member of my class at the time. The email read, in part: Recently The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley (third largest special collections library in the U.S.) created The David Paul Bayles Photographic Archive to create a home for my life’s work. I am driving down to meet with them on Monday to place a large number of prints and oral history audio files into the Archive. Whoa. How cool is that A major institution deemed David’s work ...
One of the most-used business metaphors is the ladder of success. With this metaphor it’s assumed that you start at the bottom and work your way to the top rung in a predictable, progressive fashion. Wouldn’t it be easy if you always knew your next steps But this isn’t how your business works. Think about it. What’s at the bottom of the ladder of success What is the progression of steps And, most importantly, what in the world happens when you get to the top When you get to the top, are you fini...
I’ve been encouraging artists to join artist organizations for my entire career, but the truth is that not all organizations are created equal. And before you go thinking that you should start your own, let me say this: the world does not need more artist organizations. The world needs better artist organizations - organizations with powerful visions and commitment to serving their artists. To be clear, I’m not talking about organizations for hobbyists. Those serve a separate and noble purpose, ...
You are more likely to get the commission, sell the work, fill your classes, and have your proposal accepted if we believe in you. And we are more likely to believe in you if you believe in yourself and your art. Confidence is one of the most collector-attractive qualities an artist can possess. And, yet, doubt and fear are endemic in artists’ lives. To move beyond these demons, it might first be comforting to reread that last sentence. It’s endemic. You are not alone. Many, if not most, artists...
If it’s on your bucket list to schedule a museum exhibition, volunteer or work at a museum, or see your art in a museum collection, you will benefit if you understand how a museum administration is structured. While I havent been part of the museum world since 2001, I am confident that what I share below can still be helpful to you. Keep in mind, however, that not all museums operate the same way, and there is a vast difference between how small and large museum personnel divide their responsibi...
You know that I’m all about action. My book, I’d Rather Be in the Studio, is broken up into actions rather than chapters. While I’m a champion of moving forward, I also slow down to read, research, and learn, which is crucial because my superpower is teaching. While I could easily bliss out on months of research, the fact is, at some point (not too late in the process), the learning phase must make room for the action phase. No matter how much you research, it doesn’t do you any good until you p...