“Wake up as an artist; be an artist each day. Do what is before you to do. Be still, open, and willing.” Aliye Cullu.
I feel the strength of my Norwegian roots more apparently when hanging out with my Dad.
Along with ancestry and eye colour, I also inherited his love of routine.
Not to burst the fancy free artist image… in truth, I relish comfort of familiarity in daily regimes, a fondness for surprise only at the easel.
My Daily work habits are on many of your minds.
- 1. “Do you work only when you feel like it, you have to be inspired to work, right?”
- 2.“Do you paint all the time, every day?” “ It’s your job to just paint, right?”
- 3.“If you have a dog, may I rent it? your dog would be a happy dog. Very zen.”
~
1. When in the business of inspiration, it’s best to find inspiration in everything.
Therefore, its easy to get to work.
2. Painting all day, every day, wouldn’t allow room for the business portion of my career, which would bring creating to a screeching halt.
Ideally, a handful of ethical established dealers nationally & internationally promoting/selling the work would unburden me of some tasks. Until then its a daily balancing act between creating and business.
Conscious how much paint I am exposed to on a regular basis, I also make an effort for activity balance for health & wellness, creation endurance and my longevity.
Art is my livelihood, as a business owner, daily structure depends on variety of work commitments.
Every evening, I make a daily list of duties/ activities for the following day, maintaining separate lists for ongoing or future projects. Some projects are years in the making.
My work responsibilities include:
- Art creator
- Art growth evolvement/ originality
- Skill development
- Subject research
- Client communication/ correspondence
- Retail studio management
- Proposal submissions/ applications ( Ie: Artist in Residences/ Art Installations, etc)
- Presentations/ speaking engagements
- International & national market research
- Dealer/Collector research
- Commercial/ Clinic/ Corporate & Residential construction research
- Entertainment studio prop contractor connections
- Public relations
- Dealer/ gallery negotiations
- Exhibit coordinator
- Packaging & shipping/ logistics
- Inventory manager
- Supply runner
- Tech department :website update: social media update
- Blog writing & posting, advertising, billing, taxes, etc.
- Researching architects, designers, corporations that I want to work with, where my work would be a good fit. Establishing these relationships & sending proposals for future projects.
~ When I am painting, other than ‘creator’ all of the above tasks need to disappear from my mind.~
That can be challenging when many things are pressing, my day almost always includes some of above duties.
This is where routine and mindfulness come in handy.
3. No dog, thou I grew up with one and loved her so. She was pretty zen.
~“Get on a daily routine… Working is a process not a product. Success comes from the word, succeed: Latin: ‘to under go.’ You must keep moving.” Nicoletta Baumeister
“Zen is not some kind of excitement, but concentration on our usual everyday routine.” Shunryu Suzuki
What’s one activity I do every day, no matter circumstance or location? Meditate.~ Dawn
NEW Work!
“Island Lake” 12×24 oil on canvas $1,030.oo
“Mountain Winter Sunrise” 14×24 oil on canvas $1,210.oo
Other Photos above: Studio/ Dad, Grampa’s flag & lefse/ my brother, Dad & I with our little dog, Tuff.