People, Places and Things; utilizing our resources

People, places and things…..

Yep, shows are still being canceled.  We are going online and pushing our art.  Some of us are hunkering down and trying to wait it out and several artists are going back to work in the corporate sector.  Several of my friends are trying new things and working with new platforms.  None of them sit around complaining about the political situation or whether or not we should be wearing masks. We are all working on our resources and building our list of people, places and things.

People, who are successful in areas that we don’t know anything about.  The ones that are excited about any success they have small or large, they are sharing what they have learned.  They are sharing new products they have created, new platforms they have tried, and new groups to explore.  They are talking each other up and working to keep each other positive.  Sometimes, just having someone tell you how amazingly talented you are; gives you the boost you didn’t know you needed.  They listen to your frustrations and fears and share what they have learned.  They call you up to bounce ideas off of you and brag about you to their friends.  Follow their example and tell them they are amazing.  I have one friend who is doing the art for a full on 75-page graphic novel! OMG! I am so excited for him!  People I have never met on Facebook that let me use their photos and in fact send me more so that I have incredible material to paint from.

Places, we go and look for ideas.  Parks, drives, social networks, websites and groups that give us inspiration.  We look ahead to areas we want to travel to when this is over.  When the pandemic is over, you will see travel like the nation did after WWII.  My grandmother talked about all the places she and my grandfather went to when they finally could at the end of the war.  We will see people pulling RV’s and renting out Air bnb’s all over the country.  Need to make some extra money, think about spiffing up a room and renting it out.  Be a place that people want to go to and share your art while they are there.  Polish your studio space so that you can invite them there to see your creative place.  Make a visit calendar for the curious to schedule a visit (when the numbers go down).

Things, not just art but new products and new materials.  Another friend is selling stickers of her art like crazy right now.  Very in-expensive coffee cups for people to buy into your art and use on everyday things.  Think about ways you can promote your images so that when this is over and the economy starts to flow, people have a tangible reminder of what you do.  Try new materials too, play with mediums that you have been interested in.  I know, I keep pushing this but when will you have the time or chance to do it again without interfering with your inventory production?

This pandemic will end.  I have said it before, this is a non-cyclical event.  It will run it’s course and be over.  Try to look through to the other side.  It is okay to make a few plans for when this is over.  Make a list of what you want to accomplish then.  It will help if you have something to look forward to.  In the interim, keep studying your People, Places and Things.