Taming the Tangle

"You're so city you don't even realize how city you are"

That's a comment from my friend Alley Maranto (about me)... I'm pretty sure it was in reference to the time I visited her suburban home and got worried about parking so decided to park on the street a few houses
down. We laughed! And then she made me move my car into her driveway... right.

Today I'm on my way to Columbus, OH for the arts festival there (starts tomorrow! Come visit me on Long Street, booth L95). It was quite an exciting moment to get beyond the Chicago city limits and find gas for
under $4 a gallon... $3.92!! Haven't see a price like that near home in months. -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Lucky Number 13

Yes, 13 years ago today Dan and I got married. We are older, wiser, and even happier than I look in this photo. We've learned that the best gift we can give each other is time together, so we each took the day off and biked to our favorite bakery -- Milk and Honey -- where we sat reading, drinking cappuccinos, and sharing scones (one of our weaknesses). We then treated ourselves to massages at Urban Oasis, followed by more reading (it's a slightly chilly, rainy day... and we are both tackling fat sci-fi books that we are engrossed in), and we will finish the day with dinner at Bistro Campagne where we can walk and then later meet some friends for birthday drinks at the end of the night. Also forgot to mention, we saw Avenue Q last night. Hilariously wonderful! 

I'm feeling more rested and less anxious about having to pack my bag again tomorrow for another weekend away... my first trip to Columbus, Ohio. Please spread the word to anyone you know there that I will be at the Columbus Arts Festival on Long Street... it runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

When I’m on a roll… more networking resources

One of the reasons that networking has been on my mind so much lately is because networking can be akin to business research, which I’m trying to do to get a clear vision for my revised business plan this year.

Today was a full day of driving, and I decided to pass the time by listening to an audiobook: “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. This book is so inspiring on many levels; from an entrepreneurial standpoint it teaches much about patience, persistence, and the power of networking. I swear I am not just being single-focused!

When I reached my hotel, I decided to spend a little time bouncing around the web, catching up on emails, and reading some of the magazines I brought with me. What should I find? In email I learned about the Wholesale Matters blog from the Buyer’s Market of American Craft (BMAC). It has already proved to be a great resource because it pointed me toward Cindy Edelstein with the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau… just the type of business connections I’ve been trying to unearth.

When the internet on my Mac got flaky, I turned to the June issue of The Crafts Report, a magazine that I have been subscribing to for several years. It’s a great resource for starting out in the craft world, and I always find a few of the articles in every issue useful to make my ongoing subscription worthwhile. What should I flip to? An article on page 64: “Networking: The Glue that Connects Artists to Success” by Michelle Sholund. It’s a good overview of building up your own professional networks, with one of the main ones being talking to fellow exhibitors at shows (note: do not let this get in the way of sales, though!).

I can attest to the usefulness of that first-hand. In February at the BMAC I met Loretta Lam, a wonderfully upbeat polymer clay artist. We had a lot to talk about because, like wire jewelry, polymer clay jewelry is building in attention and sophistication and already has some rock-star artists in that medium. We talked with each other about being emerging artists, finding our own voices in our work and finding our market share without creating controversy (or being accused of copying another artist’s work – aack! The biggest insult we’ve each faced). We really hit it off, traded cards, but haven’t found the time to re-connect with all the responsibilities of being an independent artist (I’m hoping to see her again in Philly this August).

Well, apparently she kept my card (just as I have kept hers) and passed my name on to Ronna Weltman… another great jewelry artist who combines polymer and wire in her designs. She’s also a contributing editor for Step by Step Wire Jewelry magazine; she interviewed me for an upcoming article about inspiration due out this summer. What lucky happenstance for me since upping my PR efforts has been taking a back-burner this year while I get a handle on studio business practices. And all thanks to the fortunate networking with Loretta! I’ll keep you posted when the article is out in print.

Making Friends on the Road

Last night was a rare treat to go out for dinner with fellow jeweler Judith Foster and her assistant/friend Nancy. Judith creates amazing inlaid jewelry pieces (check out the cuff bracelets!) that I cannot even begin to fathom how they are created.

Last year we had the luck of meeting for the first time at the Four Bridges Art Festival in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That night at dinner we just clicked and yacked away the whole evening… well, last night was no different. We each hoped we weren’t boring the pants off Nancy, but we have so much to share with each other because we started doing art shows at about the same time but from radically different perspectives. Judith was down-sized from a large corporation, whereas I eased myself into this lifestyle. We each have marketing in our backgrounds, so we are like-minded in those efforts.

We talked about so many issues, including: selling our work wholesale, how to design a wholesale production line (Judith has had the opportunity to consult with Wendy Rosen -- I think through the Arts Business Institute or the Clasp conference -- and shared some of that information), how far to drive to a show, working with assistants, how to handle custom work, teaching opportunities and what to charge, as well as how to outsource studio tasks without bringing on staff (specifically accounting and bookkeeping).

By the end of the night we were pretty wound up and had to go our separate ways to get a good night’s sleep in preparation for the last day of Paradise City Northampton… it’s always a little crazy to get up early (to workout, get organized, etc.), have a full day of selling, pack up, and for some to start the drive home… me, I’m waiting for a pizza delivery as I type. Judith and I have called a truce on the idea that if we ever share a hotel room, no talking business or we’ll never get any sleep. It’s so much fun to click with someone and discuss different approaches to doing business in the art world, though. I was excited to learn from her experience and hear how she would do things differently if she were my age. Good things to ponder on my drive home tomorrow and discuss with my business counselor on Friday… I’m still working towards putting a business plan in place this year so am gathering as much information and ideas as possible.

Return to NoHo, Networking and A Dose of Mystery

After being home for just over a week, I’m back on the road again – heading towards Northampton, Massachusetts for the Paradise City Arts Festival. Northampton holds a special place in my heart because I attended Smith College for two years and met two of my dearest friends there (for any Smithies out there, here’s the code: 1990-92, Ziskind House). This will be my second year at this show – last year was memorable for me because one of my most dramatic pieces of jewelry (the Wire Boa) found a rightful owner, and I made gallery contacts… my work is now carried at the Smith College Museum of Art Gallery Shop as well as at Pinch on Main Street.

This goes to prove the point that I’ve discussed with many people this week, for opportunities to come knocking, you have to put yourself out there and be receptive to them. We’d all love to sit back in our living rooms and just get “discovered” one day, but I’m taking a pound-the-pavement approach by trying to meet as many people as possible, unearth opportunities, and keep myself open to opportunities that I’ve never even considered.

Along those lines, while I was hoping for a relaxing week at home, many networking opportunities arose that I just couldn’t turn down. I’ve already mentioned my class with Arline Fisch last Saturday and Sunday.  On Tuesday I joined my friend Alley Maranto at the Illinois Institute of Art Chicago (where she has joined the faculty of the new Accessories Program) to teach a class on designing a jewelry line (this morphed into lots of career and networking discussion as well). Wednesday night found the two of us meeting up again at the Mayor’s Fashion Council networking event… so many interesting contacts (and hopefully more to come from the business card exchange table). I had great discussions with Boris Powell, a fabulous emerging Chicago fashion designer (hopefully we will collaborate on a runway show some day!), as well as Jenny from Evlove Intimates (maybe we’ll join up for a bridal home show soon). Alley also laughed as I pushed my way to meet Jason from the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center, but I’ve learned to not be too shy at these things. Combine those unusual opportunities with a half-day of accounting with my bookkeeper and a separate training session on understanding inventory control practices for my business, and today, as a full 12 hour day in the car, was almost a welcome relief from this go-go schedule… it gave me time to process everything I took in and start setting priorities.

Just to make sure you don’t think it was all work last week, there was fun stuff like cooking club one night and Mystery Night another. What’s Mystery Night? It’s a great idea I learned from my friend and fellow jeweler Sara Lenart… Dan and I take turns (roughly monthly) planning a fun night out to surprise the other. It’s a great way to break the routine after almost-13 years of marriage. This week was Dan’s pick – we went to see the play “Speech and Debate” at the American Theater Company, a great local theater that we were able to walk to. It was an interesting play about high school sexuality; I was particularly intrigued at the incorporation of video projection to capture texting and internet interactions.

After that full week, even just in re-cap, I’m ready to hit the hay. Which reminds me… random product placement. This week I got a new pillow (upon the suggestion of another friend and jeweler Joanna Gollberg)… it’s a curvy neck-supporting memory foam pillow. Awesome! I love it. It should really help with the jaw and neck tension issues I’ve been having, and it makes for a good travel pillow. In fact, I think I hear it calling :)

Taking a detour

On my way to Kansas City from Las Vegas I could've booked it and made it quickly as a direct route, but instead I decided to stop over in Salt Lake City, Utah, to visit my brother-in-law Lewis (who ended up sick)
and his wife Barb (a lovely host). Without this stopover, how else would I have experienced a lovely Mahi-mahi with soy ginger glaze and mango puree at The Oasis Cafe, learned about rice cookers and sweet rice (yum! A perfect travel snack) from Barb, and enjoyed a brisk "run" in the foothills around the Red Butte Gardens (it was a hike-y run due to the steep uphills... not for a Chicago girl). It was also fun to call into the studio from the top... good reception up there. These are some images from that experience... a great delay, despite the sore quadriceps for the rest of my drive. Have you had any great detours
lately, planned or unplanned? -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

I love chicken poop

Well, I'm back in Kansas now, on my way to Missouri where I will be at the Brookside Art Fest for the weekend. When driving through last week, I couldn't resist picking up a tube of Chicken Poop lip balm... a
product of Kansas. When I saw it once before somewhere in Chicago, I bought a tube for my mom's Christmas stocking as a joke, and she said it was great. I agree!

The nice thing is that it's not waxy, so it glides on... a bonus when traveling in the mountains and desert like this trip... it's impossible to stay moist and hydrated. The important thing to know: it "contains no
poop" as stated boldly on the label. It's a little more floral than my usual minty Burt's Bees, but a nice change. Check it out at ilovechickenpoop.com. -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

It's May 1... do you know where your snow scraper is?

Yes, today when I woke up in Evergreen, Colorado I was greeted by a snowy surprise. Now I'm in the clear but have to push on to Kansas City... I'll post more from my travels later this week. -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Making time for yourself on the road

When I'm driving 11-14 hour days like I've been doing the last two days, the only time for myself is a latte from a Starbucks here and there (although due to anxiety I've even had to give up caffeine, so it's
decaf for me). Those unusual circumstances aside, this year I've started setting aside some time each morning to work out... in my case running. This puts a little sanity into my day and really gives me stamina for a long show day (especially with no caffeine). It also helps me to feel like I have some control over my day and my schedule, which is good considering last year I was on the road for 90 days. Do you have any
tips for finding sanity on the road or setting a schedule in unpredictable circumstances? Please share.

Until then, enjoy this photo from a beautiful Las Vegas park that is filled with sunshine, unusual plants, and little darting chipmunks... it has helped me prepare to face a convention center and a car full of display stuff to unload. But first I'm going to hit the Starbucks I spotted on the way here... sometimes you just can't beat familiarity. -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Feeling very small

I just made it safely to Vegas. This has been one of those days where I feel very small, literally and figuratively. It's been amazing to be on the open road sometimes surrounded by 18 wheelers and other times surrounded by nothing other than huge rocks and mountains like the snippit shown here... I'm pretty sure this is from a pass in the Rockies but I had similar experiences in Arizona, too.

Setting up at the show tomorrow will be a similarly humbling experience... it can be hard to be in a sea of artists, but I'm hoping to find some familiar faces. -- Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®