Putting Your Best Foot Forward

I spent this morning jurying applicants to Wholesalecrafts.com as well as for the American Craft Retailers Expo. If you ask jurors for any show or website, they'll tell you most people make the same mistakes, so I'm going to give you some tips to help you be one step ahead next time:

First of all: Jurors want to see a line of similar work - not a felted belt with glass earrings and a quilted pillow. You need to show us a line that represents who you are in a cohesive collection. If you can't do that you're probably not ready to sell your work, and you're definitely not ready for wholesale.

Considering that artists are visual people, I'm shocked that so many don't realize how important photography is. Everyone wants to think that their work will speak for itself, but here's the thing: jurors can't pick up your work to look closer, turn it over, see the detail, or move it to see how it catches the light. We have only the image you give us and we have hundreds to look at so you don't get much time to impress us. You owe it to yourself to make that image the best you can.

• PLEASE, do not send images that are out of focus. I constantly shake my head in amazement at how many artists send in fuzzy images, or images taken from so far away we can barely tell what we're looking at. Most jurying is done on the web now, so remember your images will be small and we can't zoom in on them to see them better.

• Do not send images taken on a busy background. We don't need to see your work placed prettily on branches, your work in baskets or birds nests, or your work on wrinkled fabric or sitting in the grass or on a rock. We just want to see your work. We want to see it with no distraction or competition.

• We want to see your work close up, well it, with no shadows and no props. We want your work to speak for itself and speak clearly and brightly. The best background is a graduated background (shown below). There is a reason most professionals use it - it works.

This is the image I first used for my magnets:

Not bad, right? Most people think this is fine. And many people send in much worse. But here's what Jerry Anthony did for me:

What a difference! In this image the magnets pop, glow and float off the page. They don't look like a DIY project, they look much classier and way more valuable.

When it comes to photography, this is NOT the place to pinch pennies. Your images are one of the most important tools you have to sell and promote your work. If you are not an expert it will be worth every cent you spend to hire one. It probably doesn't cost as much as you think, and a good image will make your work look it's best, shine above the rest and tell a jury you're professional and know what you're doing.

I'll talk more about jurying soon. Next time - jurying for a wholesale website.

Let there be light

For years I've had this great idea for a group show called 'Let There Be Light'. I thought it would be really fun to have about a dozen artists each create art that incorporated a working light of some sort. No limitations or rules, except that it must be illuminated in some way. I imagined it would be beautiful and I also thought it would be smart to have a show in which all of the pieces for sale were also functional. The illuminated art would attract people from the street and seeing what artists working in different mediums would create would be totally fun and inspiring.

For years, I imagined it, sometimes I'd tell other people about my dream ("You know what would be really cool?"). I'd come up with ideas for my own pieces and I'd make lists in my head of the which artists to invite. But it was what I call a "Someday Idea". Something you like thinking about doing someday, but never get around to making a reality.

Then about two months ago I happened to read a little story about Beberuhi, a character in Turkish shadow puppetry. Beberuhi is a dwarf who wears a stocking cap with a light hanging at the tip, just in front of his face. The light is to help him search for the truth. For some reason, reading this story got me thinking about the show again... and I got a flash of total inspiration and energy. I decided to make it happen.

First, I spoke to Richenda, the owner of Childhood's End Gallery here in Olympia and she loved the idea. Then came the work of finding the artists - I thought this part might be tough, but within just a few couple of days I had 16 people committed. We met to discuss details and I submitted an official proposal.

I got the word this week - it's confirmed! The show will open August 20th and run until September 26th. Opening night Reception is Friday, September 3rd. (I'll be sure and remind you.) I am totally excited! I have so many ideas for my pieces, the kind of art I've only done for love in the past and never sold. I'm already working on several. So, I thank Beberuhi, he and his hat certainly led me to the light.

Here are the amazing artists participating in the show. Check out their websites!

Pam Corwin (me!)

Nikki McClure

Jay T Scott

Pino Cherchi

Jennifer Kuhns

Joline El-Hai

Bil Fleming

Diane Kurzyna (aka Ruby Re-Usable)

Pat Tassoni

Tom Anderson

Rob August

Ainsley Walden

John Walden

Nancy Sigafoos
Steve Susky

Randi Parkhurst

Great PR Resource

If you have been reading this blog or getting my Hot Tips Newsletter, you know that when I find a great resource, tip, tool or website I have to share it with everyone I know.

This is one of the best resources I've found in a long time and at a really reasonable price. I just discovered MyMediaInfo.com, a great service for people like us who can't afford to hire a PR firm. I did a free online tour with a great guy named Greg. It was refreshing, not a boring scripted tour, more like talking to a friend. In fact, I can honestly say it was fun. So here's the deal: For $500 a year you get access to thousands of editorial calendars. If you don't know what an editorial calendar is, every publication on the planet has one. It's the schedule of every article that magazine (or blog, or website,etc.) is planning for the calendar year. Using this site you can do a search under any topic and then check for upcoming features that apply to what you do. The site will then send you an email alert two weeks before the deadline so you can send a query to the appropriate editor/reporter in hopes of being included in the article.

For example, did you ever wonder how products get listed in those Gift Guides published in every paper and magazine each year for every possible holiday? On My Media Info you can do a search for 'gift guide' and find hundreds of them and where and when to submit your work for inclusion. How cool is that?

If you have a larger budget, for $2000 (and up) a year there are lots more super cool options. They offer a living database of hundreds of thousands of media contacts in North America that is literally updated over 20,000 times per day. You can create a contact list of every editor and contact for every publication you are interested in and search any TV station for contacts, blogs, magazines. It's all there. (If $2000 sounds like a lot, look into hiring a PR firm and think again. Being featured in just one article can easily pay back your investment and more.)

AND you can explore and use the site for free. I got 10 free searches just for doing the tour. Check it out - I strongly suggest you write Greg Perry directly. He was the best tour guide ever. (Please tell him I sent you!) I'm not sure the others go off the script AND unlike most salespeople he discouraged me from paying for services he didn't think I would need. You gotta love that.

Greg's email is: gperry@mymediainfo.com

Let me know how you like it!

Visiting Hours

Okay, here’s the scenario.

It’s Wednesday afternoon. I’m in the studio shipping orders. I’ve hired a friend to organize my paperwork for tax time and she’s sitting on the floor sorting last year’s receipts. It’s distracting but I’m managing to stay on task. UPS is due in 48 minutes and I still have about eight more orders to process. The phone rings. It's my brother, who knows if he calls on my business line that I'll pick up. I'm telling him I'll call him back later when I get a delivery from the printer. The driver comes in to tell me all about his new truck which turns into 10 lost minutes. As I attempt to politely wrap up that conversation Rob arrives to deliver 24 alarm clock displays, for which he needs to get paid. He’s waiting patiently for his turn when I see another car pull in. A friend has stopped by to ask if he can borrow my folding table, he walks right in the open door and joins in the conversation.

It’s then that the personal line rings in the other room. I don’t answer it but I can hear my recently widowed friend on the answering machine telling me she’s in the neighborhood and wants to swing by to bring me some of her husband's ashes to scatter on my property.

This is all true. And no, I didn’t make my deadline. Not even close.

This is my challenge every day. I’m sure it’s yours, too. People seem to think working at home is not a real job. That they can stop by to visit, call to chat or entice us to take the afternoon off to go shopping.

The UPS driver delivers every morning and picks up every afternoon, five days a week. Each and every time he wants to stop and visit. Hey, buddy - that’s ten times a week you expect me to take a break to listen to stories about your softball team. And what’s worse, when I am sitting at the computer and don’t look up when he drives in, he tiptoes around, stands outside of the office window and raps hard and loud on the glass right in front of my face. It scares the bejeezus out of me every time. I jump (sometimes even yelp) and he just laughs and launches into some story, shouting it at me through the glass.

Does he not realize I have work to do? Does anyone?

When you tell people you work at home all week I sometimes think all they really hear is the “at home all week” part. They all seem to think it's like running a lemonade stand. We just make stuff and sell it, what's the big deal? I know most folks have no idea at all what it is we do all day, what it takes to do it, how many hats we wear and how hard we have to work.

In my case I think this is (at least to some extent) my fault. Because while I often tell people that I work from nine to five and can’t take breaks, I know I make just enough exceptions to confuse them.

When someone shows up at my door I’m happy to see them. Why wouldn’t I be? While I may groan when I see them pull in the driveway, I open my door and there they are, a sweet friend standing in my doorway smiling at me. Of course I’m tempted…and it feels rude to tell them I’m working and ask them to leave. So I figure hey, I’ll take a short break - just a few minutes. The next thing you know we're sitting on the couch, I offer them coffee and an hour slips by in a blink.

Or sometimes someone calls when I’m not so busy so I take the time for a quick chat and what I intend to be a short call turns into a gabfest. No one made me do it. I could have let the answering machine take it, right? So why wouldn’t they think they could call back the next day? How would they know that as a rule I really can’t take personal calls during the work day?

I know I need to be consistent. I know I have to have more will power when presented with temptation. I know, I know.

This, my friends, is one of the few times I need a boss. A boss who will give me a glare from across the room when I waste time, tell me that I really need to buckle down, deny my requests for a two hour lunch, lay down the law. But wouldn’t you know it, whenever I need her she’s on a break.

So just sent out the latest Hot Tips for Artists and Craftspeople and what happens? I get a fantastic and timely tip from my friend Becky Boutch of Seattle Rainwater Soap.

Restaurant.com sells discounted gift certificates for restaurants all over the U.S. (and not just franchises). The certificates are a great deal at $10 for each $25 certificate, but on the last week of the month it gets even better. Just enter the code 'BONUS' when you finish shopping and it automatically deducts 80% from your total. Each $25 certificate costs you only $2.00! Print out the coupons and you're off to dinner.

There are restrictions; you can only use one certificate per restaurant per month, you have to spend at least $35 per party, it doesn't include alcohol and the restaurant will add an 18% tip onto your bill, which applies to the full total before the discount. That seems fair to me.

I know this sounds like an ad, but I just love sharing great finds. And this is one of those rare too good to be true deals that really is true. I've now heard from a few friends who use these coupons often. It really works and you still have 2 days to use the coupon code this month.

This is a great deal for anyone, but for those of us who travel and spend a fortune eating out at shows, this is a gold mine of savings. I just found coupons for the restaurants in the Downtown Marriott in Philly, where I will be staying for my next show.

My suggestion: Before every show search by zipcode and pack them along with you. At $2 each even if you end up not using them, on the last day of the show you can give it to a good customer who will be thrilled and remember you next time. (In fact, I think these would be a nice gift with purchase or a thank-you to give to special buyers when they order.)

Work vs Play

When I tell people I’m an artist most of them seem to have this vision of me standing at an easel all day following my muse. I was thinking this morning about how most folks really don’t understand the difference between creating art for fun and creating art for a business. I love what I do, but contrary to what most people think, I don’t get to paint all the time and I don’t get to paint whatever I want to, and I can’t always do it when I’m in the mood and feeling inspired.

For instance, about two weeks ago I was scurrying about trying to ship holiday orders, and make enough stock for Pike Place Market as well as all my wholesale orders and in the midst of that mayhem realized that my 2010 catalog needed to go to print by mid December in order to have it in time for the winter wholesale shows.

Uh-oh.

So here I was in the middle of the busiest season of the year and I had to find time to paint. Not only to paint, but also to come up with new ideas. And not only did I have to do this in a rush when I was already overloaded (my own fault, of course) but I had to paint what I think will sell, not what I felt like painting. For me that kind of creating is not as much fun, not as inspiring or relaxing and not as rewarding.

It means compromise.

Such as:

Because I hadn’t planned ahead, I had to fit it in at night after working all day making the gears of my business run smoothly. This meant dragging myself back into the studio after dinner when I’d rather be reading my book, out for a drink with friends or just sitting by the fire with the cats.

And then there’s the creative compromise. For instance: I have been resisting the Angel alarm clock request for years. (I believe I wrote about it here not that long ago) Call me a scrooge, but I just can’t deal with sugary sweet cute stuff like angels and unicorns. But I finally gave in this week and decided to do it. And the bowling wall clock? Not my thing really, but I’ve had a lot of requests so I had to get over myself and do it.

Now, the Lizard and the T-Rex were more fun.

And the Dinner Dog wall clock, I loved doing this one.

The little bird magnets and the leaves were fun, too. But the bowling magnets and the skiing magnets? Not so much. Still, I did them – they were on the list and I have to listen to my customers and buyers if I want to make a living.

Now don’t get me wrong. I LOVE what I do. I know this job is about as cushy as they come. I don’t have to risk my life in the coalmines, or sit in a cubicle or answer to anyone else in any way. I can take Facebook breaks and listen to podcasts while I work. I feel absolutely blessed and lucky to be making a living with my art. I say thank you every day. Really. Out loud.

But sometimes I almost forget how much I love painting and long for the days when I did it for that love. When I could drift off into my right brain and feel that meditative, spiritual sense of relaxation and expression that comes from creating from that pure place. If you’re an artist you know that feeling.

So, come January I’m going to dedicate a few days off to painting just for fun, just for me. To remind myself how and why I do what I do and feel that surge of creativity run through my veins again. It's the addiction to that drug that got me where I am today, and I'm long overdue for my next dose.

Home Sweet Home

I try to keep this blog all business and not get too personal, but there are some times the lines blur.

It's been a tough couple of months. I've been going back and forth to the East Coast where my mother has been in and out of the hospital. It's been a scary ride and there were many times we almost lost her. She's doing better now (still in the hospital but improving) and I am still trying to catch up. This has been the hardest thing I've ever gone through, but at the same time I feel so blessed and grateful for the many lessons I've learned.

1. Yes I can! Being self employed I have always felt like I can't leave my business for more than a couple of days unless it's for a business trip. I've spent over 35 days out of town in the past two months and while it hasn't been easy, I learned it can be done. Friends help out and do what they can, catching up in between each trip has been overwhelming at times, but my buyers and customers have been incredibly understanding. I'm still able to pay my bills and it's all working out. And the bonus lesson: I realized I can take a vacation.

2. It's really okay to ask. I've never been very good at asking for help or support, but I sure had to learn these past 9 weeks. I realized that many people like to be asked. Friends feel helpless when you're in crisis and accepting their help is good for them, too. And when I had no choice I found that others could do things that I always thought only I could do. Apparently I'm not indispensable.

3. I have the most amazing, incredible, generous friends. There really are no words. I am beyond grateful for the cat sitters, the bill payers, the stock deliverers, the order packers, the errand runners, mail collectors and all the amazing people who did thankless jobs like empty rotting food out of my fridge and cleaning the kitty litter box while I was gone. I am also thankful to the kind folks at BMAC who accommodated my needs to set up early and get out fast when that dreadful call came, to all who listened and gave me hugs when I was falling apart, and for my kitties who remind me every day to be quiet and get centered, and guide me there with a nuzzle and a purr.

4. It really is true that you can handle more than you think you can. I never would have imagined I could manage the kind of stress, worry and workload I have this past summer and fall. I found priorities became clear, the choices became easier, family became closer and friends held me up when I was down. When you are in crisis some primal instinct steps in to help you find balance. I learned to breath, that you can only take it one step at a time and that being in the moment is the key.

5. Thank you Verizon. As much I resent my cellphone most of the time (I hate to give out my number and almost never turn the blasted thing on) I have to admit, it was my lifeline while I was away. I cannot imagine managing everything without it while spending 12-14 hours a day at the hospital, 3,000 miles from home.

6. I believe in angels. It's true our healthcare system needs some reform, and I won't go into the countless stories of how many times a day mistakes were made or it took hours to get help. (NEVER let someone you love fend for themselves in a hospital!) But the people in the trenches, the kind, hard working doctors, nurses, PCT's, and PA's at Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut are my heroes. I never in my wildest dreams imagined we'd be surrounded by such wonderful, kind, caring and patient people. There are too many to list, all with wings - but Dr. David Cohan - I may have to make you a cape.