Ask Call Confusion, OH MY!
It seems I have confused a few people about this month’s calls – yes, that is “calls” – plural.
So here is the schedule:
My “Ask Tara Reed” call is on Wednesday, March 18, 2009. 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST AskTaraReed.com
I will be acting as the interviewer for a special “Ask Paul Brent” call on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. 5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST AskPaulBrent.com 
If you are ever unsure about what is going on, you can always check my calendar, there is a link on the top of every page of the ArtLicensingInfo.com site or click here and see what’s coming up.
I hope you can make it the next Wednesday or two — there will be lots of great information!
~ Tara
Are you working with luke-warm water or steam?
I just got back from my Teleseminar Secrets Reunion for the class I just took with Alex Mandossian in San Francisco — it was amazing! 2 days in a room filled with 185 people moving forward, doing new projects, optimistic and successful. I didn’t sleep well last night — all the notes, doodles and things I want to implement and work on swimming around in my head.
We saw a video that I absolutely loved and found inspiring. It’s call 212 degrees. Taking water from cold to hot to steam can make such a huge difference in what the water can achieve. That last degree that takes it from boiling to steam is the key! Are you there? Are you working with steam? Or are you playing around in tepid water in the kiddie pool?
I think in some seriously hot water (in a good way!) but not sure I’m ‘steaming’… today I’ll be looking at that and figuring out how to get there and stay there.
Here’s the video — I hope it inspires your day, your week, your business!
~ Tara
Giving Feels Good!
I’m glad I’m not a charity right now. With the downturn in the economy, the stock market and overall fear of job security, retirement security and every other kind of security, I image getting people to open their wallets and give is getting harder by the day. And who can blame us? Our mortgage, gas & electric companies aren’t going to let us skip a payment because we donated to charity, so we need to be careful with our hard earned dollars.
HOWEVER... (you didn’t think I’d let you off that easy, did you?) giving feels good. Even if you can only give a little – be it money or time or a combination of the two – it can make a big difference. What it every artist who reads my weekly newsletter gave $1 to a charity. Voila! There’s $500 right there. That can make a difference.
5% of profits from ArtLicensingInfo.com is donated to The Books for Kids Foundation – I’ve always had an interest in children’s literacy and am excited to support this wonderful organization. The Books for Kids mission is to promote literacy among all children, with special emphasis on disadvantaged children and youth by donating books, creating childrens libraries in under served locations, and participating in reading initiatives with community based organizations.
To learn more, visit their website at: www.BooksForKidsFoundation.org
If you would like to donate directly to the Foundation, and it can be as little as $1, make a tax deductible donation through the 
NetworkForGood.org website.
But of course you don’t have to give to the charity of my choice. Give to your favorite cause. Give your time and talents– teach an art technique at a school, to seniors, to other local groups. Just think about one way to can give back… I believe the “good deeds” will come back 10-fold in your karma bank!
~ Tara
What kind of Glue can keep you from going Crazy?
I have a new friend, Mary Foley, and I find her delightful! We haven’t met physically but I consider her a friend none the less. I met her through the teleseminar class I’ve been taking and we ended up in a Mastermind Group together. (Do you know what that is? It’s like a business networking / brainstorming group)
Mary used to be a big-wig at AOL in their growth days and now inspires women to be Bodacious! through live talks, books, a blog, a talk radio show and a very cool membership program “Live Like Your Nail Color Club”. I’m on her email list and always giggle at what she has to say while reminding myself that YES! I’m pretty darn bodacious and better not forget it! Her website is www.GoBodacious.com and her blog site is www.MaryFoley.com
Well, on February 11th she do a blog post that really spoke to me. The title is, “Rather than a Boyfriend or Husband…” Like me, Mary is in her 40′s, divorced, and thinks that calling her “special someone” a “boyfriend” feels a little weird. So she came up with a new label: CRAZY GLUE. Why? Because he’s crazy ’bout her and she’s stuck on him. FUN!
In Mary’s membership program, she interviews women each month and sends her members and uplifting and inspiring CD, along with her own nail polish, that goes along with the interview. February’s color was, you guessed it “Crazy Glue Love” and the interview was about relationships and she and her ‘Crazy Glue’ were the interviewees.
All this talk of CRAZY GLUE got me to thinking… and my mind started taking the concept past romantic relationship. Who is your glue when you are feeling a little crazy? Do you have a good support system to cheer you on in the good times and remind you of how amazing you are when you forget? People to keep you grounded and balanced and full of joy?
I have my family, my friends, a community of artists. But I have two very important “Crazy Glue” people in my life, my son and my boyfriend, oops! I mean my “Crazy Glue”. They are my rocks. I know that no matter how crazy I may sound, act or feel, they love me and support me unconditionally. See the picture of me and my glue and be sure to notice my beautifully nails — painted in Mary Foley’s Crazy Glue Love!
Think about who your main crazy glue people are and take a minute to acknowledge and thank them. Behind every good artist are some great people cheering them on. Here’s to you and your glue!
~ Tara
P.S. Need a little more “Bodacious!” in your life? Check out Mary’s book, Bodacious Woman: Outrageously in Charge of Your Life and Lovin’ It!
Passion, Values, Beliefs… oh my!
Do you ever feel like following your passion leads you into the Haunted Forest like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz? If you grew up in America, I’m guessing you know what I’m talking about and your inner 5 year old is shaking in his or her boots! Flying monkeys, trees that talk and grab you, that’s scary stuff!
In a perfect world, being able to ‘follow your passion’ should look more like a bed of roses, right? But in reality, I bet you’ve had those days where you want to click your heels together, put down your art supplies and get a mind-numbing job. It’s both rewarding and nerve-wracking to follow your dream.
When you follow your dream, you put yourself out there. Sometimes issues and insecurities creep up on you. Or maybe limiting beliefs hold you back. “You have to have connections to succeed.” “You aren’t bad but you’re no Picasso.” “You’re selling out” — any of those sound familiar?
Last week I was interviewed by Paula Harvey of www.DesigningaPassionateLife.com. She has a great blog you could turn to in times of mental crisis. Better yet, check it out and avoid the crisis! Short reminders and new perspectives about how to get over thoughts that hold you back, nurturing yourself, how the words you use can affect your mental game and more. I recommend you check it out!
In the 30 minute interview, we talked about my ‘crossroad moment’ in 2004 when I was getting divorced and needed to decide between following my passion or getting a traditional job. We also talked a little about Art Licensing. If you want to listen to it, click here.
In my opinion, the most important thing to remember when you feel stuck in the Haunted Forest is this: things probably aren’t as bad as they seem and this too shall pass. Also remember that EVERYONE visits the forest from time to time so don’t beat yourself up about it, k?
Here’s to you! ~ Tara
Paul Brent to share his Art Licensing Wisdom March 25, 2009
Have I ever told you about my “to be as cool as” list? When I first set my sites on licensing my art, I looked around and saw some very inspiring artists out there. The ones who, in my eyes, had really made it, landed on my “to be as cool as” list. One of those artists is Paul Brent.
The first year I exhibited at SURTEX was in 2005 and I took his introduction to art licensing class. Paul did a great job explaining the basics of the business and inspiring me to work hard, work smart and build my business. He is a very kind and sharing man and I am THRILLED to announce that he has agreed to share his knowledge and experience with us.
The “Ask Paul Brent” phone call will be on Wednesday, March 25, 2009. I will be the interviewer and putting a few of my questions in the schedule but would love to know what you want to ask him as well. Go to AskPaulBrent.com and let me know what you want to know… then call in and hear what he has to say. If you can’t make it live, the audio will be available for free on the site after I clean it up a little.
“So who is this “Paul Brent” and why am I so excited?” you ask? Good question! Paul is most widely known for his gorgeous coastal painting, although he does other stunning work as well. Did you ever see the movie “The Truman Show” starring Jim Carey? Yeah, most of the art is Paul’s. (How cool would that be to have your art in a movie?) His work can be found in other movies and on TV – I recognized a print in an episode of CSI: Las Vegas and Paul told me one was in an episode of Friends. But that isn’t what we will be talking to him about — our focus is the licensing side of his business. Paul has been licensing his art since 1988 and even if you don’t recognize his name, I’ll bet you will recognize his work and say, “Oh yeah! I’ve seen his stuff.”
You can learn all about Paul and his art on his website, PaulBrent.com. Click on the “about the artist” to see the evolution of his business. I hope you join me to learn from a real pro in licensing on March 25, 2009. (5:30 pm PST / 8:30 pm EST) Head to AskPaulBrent.com and start sending me your questions today!
~ Tara
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