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Question #1 Collaborations: a good idea?
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May 01, 2012
April 09, 2012
Creative Entrepreneur of the Month: Michelle Davis Petelinz
Creative Entrepreneur of the Month: Michelle Davis Petelinz
Michelle Davis Petelinz, Kindred Spirit Studios
Facebook Business Page: http://www.facebook.com/KindredSpiritStudios
Website: www.kindredspiritstudios.com
Blog: http://artventuring.blogspot.com
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/KindredSpiritStudios
What inspired you to become a creative entrepreneur?
Like most artists I know, I’ve always been creative. I credit my father with encouraging my initial creative endeavors as a child. He bought me my first box of 64 Crayola crayons, and once I opened it, inhaled that unmistakable aroma, and made my first marks on paper with cornflower blue, I was hooked!
My first foray into creative entrepreneurship was as a jewelry designer; when women began asking me where I’d bought the necklaces I wore, I figured it was time to go into business. Later, after the birth of my son, it was the lack of children’s furniture with any sort of Afrocentric flair which propelled me back into painting, which is my first love, creatively.
Share one business goal:
One business goal is to have my work in a gallery which understands, appreciates, values, and enthusiastically promotes it. I have had six unsuccessful gallery experiences, each one either a disappointment or a disaster, so the next gallery venture will come only after a great deal of research and deliberation.
What would you say contributes to your success?
My collaboration with my husband, who is also an artist, has a great deal to do with my success. We bounce ideas off each other, and he takes care of the mechanical aspects of my work. We have side-by-side studios which he built in our basement, and the ability to work in such a great space gives me the freedom to create.
I also believe the uniqueness of my product contributes to my success. Of course, everyone thinks her products are unique, but I can truthfully say that in all the years I’ve been doing juried art shows and festivals, I’ve never encountered anyone who does exactly what I do, which is combining mixed media elements with bamboo and recycled wood to create wall hangings, clocks, mirrors and shadow boxes.
What is a typical working day like for you?
Since I am a part-time art teacher as well as an artist who does art festivals, a typical day would include: teaching a class in the morning to children between the ages of 18-months to 5 years old, running errands after class, then returning to my studio to respond to calls for artists, complete show applications or work on an ongoing art project. Weekends are my favorite time to begin new projects; the uninterrupted stretches of time provide the focus I need to bring my design ideas to fruition.
What has been your biggest struggle as a professional artist?
Finding the right audiences and outlets for showing and selling my work; it’s an ongoing process.
What has been your biggest accomplishment with your business?
Becoming known for my art in my local area, and being able to share my talents with others. I’ve been asked to sit on art show juries, teach workshops, develop art curricula for summer camps, and I’ve won awards for my work.
Most recently, I was selected to be the artist-in-residence at our local Kids Museum, which allowed me to do what I love: teaching children about art, while creating art myself. It was a fantastic month-long series, and the collaborative projects I did with the children will become a permanent part of the Museum’s decor.
What resources would you recommend to help other creative people stay organized?
Find a good inventory software program; you’ll need it to keep track of what you’ve created, and where it is.
Begin blogging or revitalize a languishing blog. It’s the cheapest (free!) way to connect with fellow artists, potential buyers and your collectors. Posting every day is not really necessary, but you’ve got to post often enough, and with interesting enough content (images are always a good idea), to make your readers return again and again.
Blogging is also a great way to stay organized; writing about upcoming show application deadlines keeps you aware of what’s ahead, reporting about shows can remind you later about ones you’d do again, and looking back over the year’s posts can remind you about just how much you’ve accomplished (which comes in handy for writing that Artist Statement you dread!).
Read I’d Rather Be in the Studio!by Alyson Stanfield with highlighter in hand. It’s the best book I’ve found on the business of being an artist. Subscribe to Alyson’s ArtBiz blog, (www.artbizblog.com) and you’ll get daily posts (yes, she does post daily!) about topics of great interest to artists. Alyson’s book led me to begin my blog in 2007, run an Art Salon in 2008, and write a really good Artist Statement and Bio. I was thrilled to be able to invite her to speak to my Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild (a.k.a. my tribe) here in Raleigh about the revised edition of her book in 2011.
What piece of advice would you offer to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
1. Develop a cohesive body of work before presenting it to the world.
2. Be open to opportunities, and be willing to venture outside of your comfort zone. Sometimes, taking a leap into the unknown is exactly the right direction, but you’ll never know that if you don’t try.
3. Find your “tribe,” people whose work inspires you, and upon whom you can depend for honest critiques, advice, and friendship. We artists are often solitary folks, so finding like-minded others is important.
4. Use social media to network and find new audiences for your work.
What are you currently working on?
My show season is quickly approaching, so I’m developing a new series of wall hangings which will debut at my first event in Maryland, in mid-June. We’re also in the process of redesigning our website, and putting out a newsletter. And, I’ll still be doing adult workshops and teaching children throughout the summer, so there’ll be new projects, lessons and samples to prepare…I’ve got a very full plate!
For more information on Michelle and her artwork - visit www.kindredspiritstudios.com
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Could you be our next Creative Entrepreneur of the Month? If interested- please send your contact information to alease@schoolofcreativebusiness.com.
July 27, 2011
Learning How to Love the Creative Entrepreneur Despite the Rough Times
Loving what you do and yourself can be a difficult task especially when things, business deals, loving relationships or whatever may have you in the dumps are bad. Sometimes you may ask yourself, "Where do I find the strength just to work past the tough times and survive the whole situation?
Wish Amy Winehouse could have heard this small whisper in her ear- "Well sweetie, I am here to tell you - It’s all in the ATTITUDE! " Those words seem so simple, - a simple statement could snap someone out of a deep funk- but there are some creative people who just can't get beyond the hard and difficult stuff. Amy Winehouse was one of them - another super talented creative entrepreneur gone.
How to Prepare for the Fight
If you start off each day thinking that you will be defeated, what do you think will happen? You gotta' practice looking at the brighter side of things. The economy, customers, business deals are unpredictable. You don't know what tomorrow will bring. So you have to prepare with a good fight. I want every creative entrepreneur to be ready and fit for the many fights ahead.
Here are few reminders that you can consider if when you are faced with such situations.
Know who you are. You must understand your strengths and weaknesses to know how you can handle business situations better. The problems that you are faced with in your creative business will help define you as a business person. In understanding the scope in which you can handle such hurdles, you will be able to face the situation with more maturity and understanding.
Live within your means. Sometimes, you can be overcome by greed and desire. After tasting some luxury, you will sometimes want to experience such extravagance even if you can no longer afford it. There are many advantages to wanting and experiencing luxury things. By maintaining a positive atitude will prove to be beneficial especially at times when you are feeling so low and think that you will never be able to return to that lifestyle.
Start with your personal life. You can't start or maintain a creative business if you don't have a positive and encouraging personal life first. You must always think good thoughts and act with graftfulness on all the things that experience and receive. This way, despite the weary situation that you are faced with, you can still find some light and reasons to smile and act kindly to another.
I know and you know ,you can't stop hunger, poverty, war and the other problems in the world in just one day. But what you and I can do is try to maintain the life we have and work out how to love what we do despite the rough times. We gotta' face our own situations first. You have to learn how to cope with your situation and emerge a better person throughout it all.
Last Thought
Amy Winehouse will be missed. Amy sung a song- Tears Dry on Their Own- Just life goes on - just learn to master the life of living it to the fullest!
Peace and More Love,
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May 27, 2011
August 18, 2010
Creative Business Professionals: de'Angelo Dia - El Negrito
I get so caught up with teaching, running my business that I sometimes forget that I'm an artist also. de'Angelo sent me a n email reminder about his Negritude Movement Performance - August 20th at The McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC.
I viewed the attached Youtube video, his website and the McColl Centers write up and I have to say WOW! I am truly impressed and his performance is on my calendar of a must do event.
His email sparked a little light in myself- I have to get back into the studio- very very soon! I'm very proud of de'Angelo and I'm glad to consider him a friend.
Check out the Open Door Interview with de'Angelo Dia
August 09, 2010
Let's Celebrate - Anna Fox at FoxySunshine.com
Anna attend the August 2nd - 45 minute blogging workshop and took the advice I gave and run with it.
In the 45 minute blogging workshop - I discussed how important it is to have your own dot.com name, especially when you're using a free blogging site.
Anna is a makeup artist and student at The Art Institute of Charlotte. Her blogging platform of choice is tumblr, which is a great site, but they don't offer custom domain names.
Saturday evening, Anna sent me the link to her new custom domain site: Foxysunshine.com. She even included hot topics on her site- which is a good way to drive traffic to your site.
Anna wrote: ahahha I could not help myself, he was too funny and I was taking your advice.. . putting something that is "hot" or popular right now and tagging it so it will come up when people search ahah :D
Anna's domain name is simple and easy to remember and spell (I'm a awful speller),which makes for a great domain name. Anna used her last name as part of the domain name and a very descriptive adjective to describe herself - sunshine. And for those of us who know- Anna- "sunshine" is the correct descriptive term to describe her sunny & bright personality.
Good work Anna! See you next Monday.
Check out Anna's site - foxysunshine.com
August 01, 2010
Creative Business Professional: Tim Mantoani
I don't know how I came across Tim Mantoani, but I'm glad I did. His work is really inspiring, but his explanation on following your passion is even better.
Check out Here: Focus on Your Passion: Finding Yourself in Your Photography- This is a interview done on Photo Shelter with Photographer Tim Mantoani. He talks about photography but he really discuss how to focus on your passion. When he says photography - just replace it with your creative inspiration. Listen and learn.
By the way- Did you like this article? Then you'll love my free creative business tips !
Talk with you soon,
July 25, 2010
Creative Business Professional: Claudine Hellmuth
This week I've chosen Claudine Hellmuth as my creative business professional to showcase. Claudine is on of my favorite collage artists. Her Collage Discovery Workshop
I've been following Claudine's career for a while and I have to say that I respect the way Claudine has successful grown her business. I read her blog, I read her status updates on Facebook and I listen/watch any show show she may appear on. ( I'm not a stalker!)
Just recently Claudine did a podcast interview on Escape from Illustration Island. This was a great interview. Claudine talks about her career as an illustrator. It is packed with great resources to help you to jump start your own creative business.
Click here to listen: Claudine Hellmuth - podcast interview . Make sure you schedule more than 15 minutes to listen- it's a long interview. I worked on a few collages in my studio while I listened.
Happy Listening,
PS. Did you like this article? Then you'll love my free creative business tips !
July 05, 2010
How to Write Better Blog Post
Sometimes our fear of not being a good writer can stop us from writing good content that we know others may benefit from. I too have thisproblem. But time to time I refer back to resources & advice from other bloggers to get myself back into gear with writing. I am sharing with you a few post that have help me continue writing and build my confidence. Hope they help.
How to Blog When You're Not a Writer-
June 03, 2010
Living a Creative Thought Provoking Life: Strategy #9 - The Wrap Up & Video
Strategy #9 - The Wrap Up
The key point to keep in mind when working through these stategies were that you are engaged in a personal reflections. You were reflecting and testing ideas in your everyday artist life. You were integrating them and building on them, in the light of your actual life expereinces.
For instance - Strategy # 6 - Redefining the Way You See Things, you start to notice the social definitions that rule many situations in your life. You begin to recognize how your behavior is shaped and controlled by the definitions in use:
"I'm an aritst" - thorefore I should be creating artwork like other artist - We now know this not to be true- An artist is a person who creates beautiful things - not what others have done before.
You start to see how important or unimportant social definitions are, you can start to redefine situations in ways that run contrary to your own life goals. And when you are able to redefine situations, you then are able to Get in Touch with Your Emotions. You can move on to recongnize the way you think generates the emotions you expereince. Redefining situations can empower you to learn from your emotional experiences.
This is the way to intergrate these strategies into your daily life. The more thought provoking you are about your life as an artist the more your begin to become an skilled and insightful thinking artist.
Share
If you did get a chance to share your experiences - please take this time to share them with us.
Wrap Up Video
Peace and More Love,
Alease
An Educator, Creative Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, and Mixed Media Artist
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