What Do You Mean Priorities?

A Fairy Smelling Flowers and Fushias

manipulated photography copyright 2008 MaryAnn Cleary

Recently, I read that in order to truly be successful one needs to prioritize. What does this mean, especially to one who is creative and artistically inclined? It seems to me that most artists are not the best business people. We tend to think, "if we create it, they will come". Wrong.

One of the things that I am desparately trying to do is to stay on track and not get my creative mind and energy into to many directions. I must admit that this is extremely difficult, especially as I try to find my niche and direction.



There are so many things that I have put onto my plate:

• entering contests for my oil paintings (one is due July 3rd)
• being accepted into the Little Falls, MN Arts Festival to be held Sept. 7th & 8th
• trying out photo manipulation to make mandalas (what fun, but this is getting me sidetracked)

Mandala Created of a Sleeping Baby
photography by MaryAnn Cleary
copyrignt 2008

• committing to doing 29 small pieces of artwork for the 29-Day Giving Challenge (I am behind schedule for this)
• doing a "painting a day" to hone my skills and keep them honed as an artist
• writing not one blog, but two
• keeping my website up-to-date (it is up, but not so up to date)
• doing another arts festival near my home in August in Rush City, MN (it would be a great place to do a trial run prior to the Little Falls show)
• finding a part time job so that I can remain an artist (I really have been procrastinating this one as I know that my time will be even more limited....but the bills do need to get paid)
• getting my new printer setup so that I can have control over glicee prints and paper (it has archival pigmented inks and I choose the paper!!!)
• posting a few daily paintings to ebay
• posting to etsy

.........the list goes on

The above are things that keep me busy. Yet my focus on the business side is lacking.

• what about my mailing list
• what about cool business cards
• what about updating my business plan
• what about my artist statement and bio

It is time to focus and stay on the right priorities!!!!

Peonies

manipulated photo

copyright 2008 by Maryann Cleary

My First Attempt at a Mandala...

A Four-Sided Mandala from a Sunflower
original photograph by MaryAnn Cleary
copyright by MaryAnn Cleary




Mandala No. Two
copyright MaryAnn Cleary

The mandalas above are my first attempts at making them using Photoshop Elements. It took some time to figure it out, but what fun once I did. The first is a simple four sided one and the next is a six-sided and my favorite as far as making mandalas. The photo for the above actually came from a calla lily that was growing and blooming in my kitchen area. What a beauty.

Look for more of these. I may also going to try doing some with watercolor and pen & ink, but so far I really enjoy the manipulation of a photograph.

Enjoy and feel free to leave any comments.

How to Develop a Series.....Oh, my!!!

Pink Dahlia I
Opening
Image copyright by David Bookbinder
Flower Mandalas by David Bookbinder
The above blog has some spectacular photos of mandalas created by the author.

This past week I have really been trying to focus on paintings or drawings for a series that I plan on doing for Cami Walker's 29 - Day Giving Challenge. With this challenge, one begins to realize how fortunate we are and how simple things can and do change people's lives with our actions or words. The gift of giving does not need to be something significant. I realized many years ago that sometimes it is just a person's kind words or a simple compliment that can make a difference in how another person thinks of themselves.

But back to this thing of developing a series....29 paintings. Goodness!!! I think that I have finally decided that breaking big things down into little things is so much more manageable! So the plan is to do several groups of paintings or drawings and then one major work as the grand finale. I am still contemplating on the little groups. They will be seven groups of four similar items.

My daughter, Julie, had a most wonderful suggestion and it would be fitting with the theme of the 29-Day Giving Challenge...a group of mandalas. Prior to her suggestion, I had no idea what a mandala was. Of course, I have seen them and been exposed to them many times. They do surround us in nature. She suggested that it would be a way of developing a feeling of peacefulness and contentment. Lately, I am feeling so overwhelmed with what is going on in my life...and at times it seems a bit frightening. After all, I am now semi-retired and looking to find some type of job that I enjoy while my art becomes established. It certainly would be simpler just to go back to a full time regular job, but I want the passion of what I love doing so......

So back to the series.....initially I thought of just doing all small oil paintings. However, why limit myself. I also enjoy watercolor, pen and ink, color pencil, charcoal and photography. Why not do them all??? Today the plan is to do seven groups and they will be:

• four mandalas probably using pen and ink with watercolor....I will need to think on this
  
• four charcoal/conte drawings on toned paper....maybe flowers or portraits
• four miniature oil paintings of flowers...(bud, opening, open, and going to seed)
• four sunrises or sunsets
• four elements of air, earth, fire and water (I am not sure how I am going to pull this one off)
  
• four trees (trees give so much to the earth...so look for a tree)
  
• four things that usually go unnoticed (this is my way of saying, I don't know yet ;-) )
  
• the finale....a mystery so far.....

Of course all of this could change as I do have the option of changing my mind. However, I will attempt the mandalas first. I have a feeling these will take a few hours to create, but they will be a good starting point for the rest of the series.

Also, if anyone has suggestions or ideas, please drop me a comment or email. I would love to hear from you.

As far as the 29 paintings/drawings, I plan on creating the works first and then I will give one piece of art for 29 days in a row. If you would like to be eligible for a "free" piece of artwork, email me and I will put your name in the drawing. I will need your name and email address. The give away will begin in July or August!!! This is absolutely free with no strings attached. I will pay the shipping!!!

Enjoy!!!!