March Madness

I didn’t blog at all in March.  Ooops!  I guess I should explain my absence. 

March was a tough month.  It started with needing to devote extra time to teaching (not that this was bad; the work was fun, creative, and rewarding).  Then I’ve been sick for about three weeks.  The cold/flu thing that seems to be going around and doesn’t want to go away.  I still have it, but am feeling better. 

For the reasons mentioned above I spent little time in the studio, which resulted in little to blog about.  As my to-do list got longer and longer, my momentum slowed to a snail’s pace.  Ah, but this is par for the course of being an artist. 

As I was filling out my timesheet for my paid job, the little light bulb above my head went on.  Why not fill out a timesheet for my studio work?  I like the idea of keeping track and holding myself accountable.  Also, this way I can gauge my productivity.  The rules are that in order for the studio hours to count, I need to be doing something to further my creativity, career, or business.  As I blog, I’m on the clock.  Checking my e-mail, surfing the web, or messing around on Facebook does not count unless it directly relates to promoting my art.  The other rule is that I need to complete at least one hour of work in the studio per day.  If I miss a day, I have to make it up within a week.

But the timesheet wasn’t enough.  I needed some sort of reward for my time.  After asking for suggestions from friends on Facebook, I went with cash.  I get paid $1 for every hour of studio work.  Yeah, I’m underpaid.  The beauty is that those dollars can add up.  The more I work, the more money I make.  I could use it to buy art supplies, treats, or clothes, but I needed a more compelling goal.  Of course, I knew immediately what that was: Mendocino. 

I love the Mendocino/Fort Bragg area of California.  I’d move there in a second if I could.  There is something about that wild and wooly coast; it reflects my inner wild and wooliness.  And I love the woods, the art community, the quaintness, the funkiness, the remoteness and quiet.  I am saving for a trip to Mendocino.  The trip will be completely justified, because I earned it.  I’ll go for quiet and inspiration.  I may even go alone, and make it a personal, spiritual, artist’s retreat.  But, I’m getting way ahead of myself.   If I don’t put in some serious studio time, it could be years before I can afford to go. 

I started clocking my hours on March 25^th.  I’ll pay myself monthly, so in March my earnings are $10.  That’s okay for starters, but I can do better.  And for Joe Q. Public out there; I won’t be keeping large amounts of cash in my house.  Once the money jar becomes more that I would carry in my wallet, it’s going in the bank.  I’ll leave an IOU note in the jar. 

Disclaimer:  I am full of motivation and inspiration to make art, the savings jar is just to get me over the hump between wanting to create and laying on the couch watching TV because I’m tired from working all day.  I’m excited.  It’s the little extra push I need.  I did great with my goal of getting my Etsy store up and running by a particular date, so this goal will be good for me.

In other news: during my month of "March Sickness" I started working on a clay commission for a friend.  I’ll share it with you later in the month when it is complete.  I finished the sculpting and the piece is currently drying.  It will be fired, glazed, and fired again.  She hasn’t seen it so I can’t share it yet.  It’s a surprise!  I also completed a commission of a wire wrapped beach stone pendant.  This friend found a beautiful piece of quartz on the beach and I wrapped it with sterling silver wire.  For some reason, I didn’t take a picture to share!  Finally, my paintings will be on display for another week at Studio Gallery on Polk Street as part of an Easter display in their front windows. 

Wow!  Look what happens when you don’t blog for a month.  I sure am chatty today.  I’ll be back to my 3x a month schedule, so stay tuned!

My Studio Door