An Artist’s Interpretation of Eat Pray Love
Yesterday I was at the first showing of the movie “Eat Pray Love”. Anticipating this movie’s release for weeks – I got nervous that I was too excited and would be disappointed. I am happy to say that I was not.
After posting my love for the movie on Facebook, a guy friend teased, “Isn’t that a chick flick?” I have heard this remark from many men I’ve spoken with as well. I retorted that I was indeed, a chick, and that I can relate more to this movie than 15 minute high-speed car chases (I’ve never been in or seen one in real life – thank goodness!) or slow motion shoot-outs (again, thankful to have never seen or been in one.)
Even though the movie is about a woman, I believe men who can open themselves enough to consider the meaning of life and love, will also relate to this story of finding oneself. As I watched, I felt she had stolen the thoughts right out of my brain. Having been through a divorce and breakups, it was comforting to see that my feelings weren’t actually unusual and that as in most things – this too shall pass.
But as is my way, I have also been trying to decide what business lessons might be gleaned from this movie…
(Perhaps it’s my way of trying to trick some men into going to see it … I think there were 3 men in a theater of about 75 people when I saw it yesterday.)
The premise is, Liz has fully participated in creating her life and realizes one day, it no longer fits. She feels she has lost herself, her balance, her zest for life. Exchange the word “work” for “life” and I bet 95% of the population will say, “Yes, I’ve felt that way before too.” She heads to Italy to feel passion again – that’s EAT, India to meditate and recenter herself – PRAY – and Bali to learn from a healing man – and she inadvertently finds LOVE.
Most of us won’t have the means or lack of ties to be able to go on a year-long adventure of self-discovery. And perhaps we haven’t reached the same brink that she did, maybe it is more of an itch to know if we are on the right path…
Here is my solution, for the artist in search of balance and meaning in their business.
It’s a work in progress so feel free to offer ideas in the comments section as well.
EXPLORE – If you are feeling less than excited about what you are doing creatively or feel your business has become mundane, explore new ways of doing things. Try new techniques, analyze your business and decide if there is something that can be changed to make things more interesting and exciting for you. I believe it is hard for artists to create to their best abilities long-term without maintaining a passion for what they are doing.
CENTER – Be true to yourself. Meditate, pray, listen to music, exercise – whatever helps you focus and center your being. Being true to yourself of course assumes you know yourself – maybe it’s time for a little check-up: are you taking enough care of you and not giving everything to others? Balance is the key!
CREATE - Decide what is right for you and what will resonate with your market. Set aside time each day or week to create. Turn off email, the phone, yes – even Twitter – and let your creativity flow. Love what you are doing and know that it is the best you can do.
The point, in the end, is to enjoy your life and be grateful for the adventure. Sometimes we get so focused on where we want to go or on what others think we should be doing that we lose sight of ourselves or forget to take comfort in all the good things happening now. So clear your mind so the universe can rush in – apparently everything else will take care of itself. 
Here’s to your happy, centered and creative success!
– Tara Reed
CLICK HERE to buy the book on Amazon – it’s a great read! (affiliate link)
How does an Art Walk compare to Art Licensing?
Last Saturday I had the honor and fun of heading to Seaside, Oregon to see Paul Brent at work in the monthly Art Walk. Nestled in the Fairweather House and Garden on Broadway Paul was working on a new oil painting. Never having painted with oils – except in maybe 7th grade which I don’t think counts – I was watching the process in awe. It didn’t seem as scary as I’d made it out to be in my head.
I was amazed at the number of paintings – both watercolors and originals – Paul had done of local homes and seascapes. Just as in the licensing side of his business, he can produce, produce, produce for the original / gallery side of things too.
They served wine and hors d’oeuvres, people milled about and many stopped to talk with Paul while he worked.
I’ve never done anything like this so I found it very interesting to watch and study. How is doing an Art Walk similar or different to art licensing?
The Art Walk was similar to licensing, in that Paul was there presenting his brand. His art, style and the way he interacted with shoppers were all a part of it. Much like showing his art and interacting with manufacturers at a trade show.
A key difference was the subject matter. In licensing, art often has to have a broader appeal – the beach should look more generic so it could sell on both coasts for example. However when selling originals in a beach community – people are more apt to expect art from the local area.
This is a great example of how you need to understand your customers – during the Art Walk they were people who would potentially buy originals for their homes. (Yes, he sold a few!) For licensing, the customer is the manufacturer who doesn’t want to sell one of a kinds but quantities of a product.
Thanks again Paul for letting me come and enjoy the event!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Mark your calendar now! Paul Brent will be the October 20, 2010 Ask Call expert. In addition to answering questions from artists, Paul Brent will discuss how to plan your art collections for a trade show. Planning your collections, pacing yourself to get the work done and designing for trends for the new year. Head to www.AskPaulBrent.com to submit your question at any time.
Does your portfolio include “black pants”?
If your house burnt down and you lost all of your clothes, what would you buy first? Would you buy an expensive and flashy cocktail dress that people would remember – and realize that you were wearing day after day – or would you go for the basics – jeans, basic shirts and of course, black pants. (Assuming of course, that you are a woman. I hope no men that read this blog are going to head right out and buy cocktail dresses! But if you do, I won’t judge!) Most people would get the basics and then build their wardrobe from there. So do you follow that approach when building your art licensing portfolio?
When I work with artists who are new to the industry and just starting to think and design in collections, they are often very stressed and need direction. They have so many great ideas and concepts but don’t know what to do first. I find myself talking about black pants.
If you are just starting out, it’s a good idea to create some basics that will give you a good idea of how your art will fit in the industry before branching out into more niche topics.
If you paint holiday themed art for example, create Christmas and Halloween collections first since they are some of the most licensed holidays – don’t start with Grandparents Day because the need for that type of art is very limited. Your “black pants” would be Christmas – which manufacturers are looking for year after year.
Now let’s say you like doing coastal art. Your “black pants” might be generic beaches with palm trees and your “party dress” is a very specific and identifiable beach scene. The generic beach will appeal to more manufacturers but there will be those looking for specific locations as well.
If you build your foundation of art to present to manufacturers when you are starting out, you will get better feedback. Instead of “we don’t need art from that island” they many say, “We like the scene but the colors are a little off.” Any feedback can then be used to strengthen the next collection you work on.
Of course even artists who have been in licensing for a while might check their portfolio and see if it could use another pair or two of black pants… sometimes it’s the basics that keep you in business.
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
Learning resource for artists: TeachStreet.com
I got an email the other day saying that a friend recommended this blog for TeachStreet’s Featured Blogger Program. (Thank you unknown friend!) Having never heard of TeachStreet before, I decided I should do my due diligence before adding the badge to the blog (you will find it down on the right).
So what kind of due diligence did I do?
First, I went to the website to see what they were all about. Looked interesting…
Next I went to compete.com to see what kind of web traffic they get. VERY interesting… they get a lot so they must be offering something of value.
Then, I wandered about the site some more and finally decided, this is the kind of website I’m proud to be associated with.
Since I had never heard about it, you may not have either. Here is what TeachStreet is all about – directly from their “about” page:
About TeachStreet
TeachStreet is a place to Teach or Learn Anything.
TeachStreet is a dynamic online community that brings motivated learners and talented teachers together. On one hand, this is a place where people who love to learn can find classes that are just right for them. On the other, we offer a public forum that helps teachers, coaches, and other experts share what they know. In the process, TeachStreet helps these experts grow their businesses with simple online tools they can use to promote their classes, workshops and special events. So they can then focus on what they do best—teach.
In short, the TeachStreet team is a bunch of dreamers and tech geeks who want to encourage people to get away from their computers, get out into the real world, and learn something new. So we support that goal by helping people find experts in their own neighborhoods who can teach them face-to-face.
TeachStreet is privately-funded and located in downtown Seattle, WA. We’ve formally launched in major cities all over the U.S. and are growing bigger all the time. In fact, customers have listed classes in more than 500 cities across the country.
Joining TeachStreet is absolutely free, and it takes only a few minutes to register. Once you become a member, you can take advantage of all of TeachStreet’s features and benefits. Members can:
- Review classes: Students can spread the word about classes they love, or get the scoop on a course they’ve been thinking about taking. And teachers can promote their work with starred reviews that tout their skills.
- Search (and be found) with ease: No more wasting hours online trying to find a class, or bugging friends for a lead. TeachStreet makes it easy to search thousands of local classes, by subject or teacher.
- Achieve your goals: Teachers can grow their businesses while doing what they love; and students can browse articles, take classes, and get the resources they need to learn something new.
Our beginnings:
TeachStreet is the brainchild of Dave Schappell. (Yes, it’s pronounced like the Dave Chappelle. And sadly, no, our Dave isn’t that funny, but we like him anyway).
Before launching TeachStreet, Dave worked at Seattle-based Amazon.com as a Director of Product Development, and later as the Vice President of Marketing at JibJab in Southern California. While he was at JibJab in warm and sunny Santa Monica, Dave decided that a scooter would be a great way to commute. Two problems though: 1) He returned to not-so-warm-and-sunny Seattle and 2) He had no idea how to drive the aforementioned scooter.
Undaunted, Dave sought a teacher at his scooter dealership and was directed to an old bulletin board at the back of the store. Thinking, “There’s got to be a better way,” Dave discovered that there wasn’t. So he created one. And—after a bit of brainstorming, many sticky notes, and some generous funding from investors—TeachStreet was born.
Dave’s hope is that by making it easier to connect learners and top-notch local teachers, TeachStreet can, in its own small way, help build stronger communities and contribute to putting smarter and more interesting humans out there in the world.
The site has articles about art by a variety of people – including me. READ TEACHSTREET ARTICLES HERE
Go to the homepage at www.TeachStreet.com and they will know where you are and show you the types of classes that are available in your area. (The internet is an amazing thing!) You don’t have to learn about art either – step outside your creative box and take a yoga class, learn to salsa dance, learn about the stars in an Astronomy class – this is a pretty cool website!
Head over to TeachStreet.com and learn something new today!
– Tara Reed
P.S. Thanks for reaching out – I’m excited to explore your site more.
Straight from a manufacturer’s mouth – food for thought for artists considering art licensing
I was talking with a manufacturer the other day about art and licensing. (They have requested to remain anonymous) I won’t bore you with all the details but here is a point they made that I thought was worth repeating. I know I’ve said this many times, but wanted you to know it came straight from a manufacturers mouth as well.
Licensing with manufacturers is “commercial art” not “fine art”.
Artists shouldn’t be emotionally tied to every detail in their work because manufacturers know their markets and what is needed to make the art work for their products. Changes are inevitable and usually shouldn’t be resisted because, in the end, “You don’t get paid if you don’t sell it.”
I for one, want to get paid, so I have a mindset of working as a partner with my clients and not resisting change requests, how about you?
– Tara Reed
Copyright for Artists eBook by Attorney & Jeweler Sarah Feingold, Esq
Have you ever noticed that sometimes you are just in sync with things? Last week an artist asked if I had any written information or eBooks about copyright law and registering copyrights. I answered, “Unfortunately, no.”
Not four days later and I get an email from Sarah Feingold, telling me about her eBook called… Copyright for Artists. Talk about timing!
I went and bought a copy at the introductory price of $14 because I didn’t want to recommend something to you that I had never seen. (It’s just not how I operate.) A legal book that can make me laugh is a hit in my eyes. Sarah was a jeweler and wanted to protect her creations so what did she do? Became an attorney! That amuses me. She is saving us from years of study by creating the eBook – thank you Sarah!
After looking the eBook over, I will be adding it to the website and can put my “Tara Reed stamp of approval” on it for what that is worth to you. It has a great explanation of the legal terms and differences between copyright, trademark, patents and more as well as detailed information about what the different sections of the online copyright registration system are asking for. (It is a bit confusing at first.)
To learn more about the legal issues of art and copyright registration, check out Copyright for Artists by Sarah Feingold, Esq.*
Here’s to your creative and legally protected success!
– Tara Reed
FTC disclosure: These are affiliate links and I will receive a commission if you decide to make a purchase. Thank you for your support – commissions help me have time to keep blogging!
LEARN before you LEAP so you can speed up your business!
The other day, I re-learned a lesson that I knew, but have chosen to disregard in many areas of my business. The lesson is:
If you read instructions and learn to do things efficiently, you will save time and effort in the long-run.
I know that men get an especially bad rap for never reading instructions, but I will be woman enough to admit that sometimes I skip them too.
Other sayings that say the same thing include “Look before you leap” or “Measure twice, cut once” – I sometimes leap and cut my way to a more complicated day!
I figure out the basics and then charge ahead – often to the detriment of my work flow and time. How many times have I said, “I’m self-taught on Photoshop. I’m sure there is so much more I could be doing with it, but I’m too busy to take the time to take a class, watch tutorials, learn new things…” That applies to many other programs on my computer as well.
If you read my blog regularly you will realize what a fan I am of Daylite – a contact management software system for the Mac. And how many times have I lavished great praise on Matthew Bookspan, a Daylite partner who I hired to talk me through the setup. He asked questions, learned what I wanted the software to do and helped me get it ready to roll. Maybe I wouldn’t be writing this post if I had a Matthew for every software program… but alas, I don’t.
One of my goals for 2010 is to start documenting what I do in my business and creating systems. As of December 2009, everything that was done was stored in my brain. What would happen if something happened to me? What happens if I *gasp* want to go on vacation and not check email – truly leaving someone else in charge for a bit? Without anything in writing, that would be impossible.
The first thing I decided to document was the Ask Call procedures. Everything I do, all the systems I use, to do the free monthly calls. Shouldn’t be too bad, right? You would be amazed how much goes into it – 57 pages of documentation and I’m not sure every last bit is there.
When I started, I decided to split the information up into a group of Word Documents – I had 6, each on a different category. The websites, the audios, etc. But then it became a mess to find anything – the process was long and the page numbers kept repeating and trying to do a table of contents was … well… not an easy task.
So I slowed down and learned how to set up my Word document so it would create and update the Table of Contents for me. By spending 30 minutes googling I found a great article about how to easily accomplish what I wanted (Microsoft Word 2008 Generating a Table of Contents), thought through my document, set up my headings that would be pulled for the TOC and got down to business. I then had to copy and paste from the 6 different documents to create one master Ask Call plan, but it was well worth the effort! Now it will be easy to see where the information is that I need – or better yet, that an assistant needs – to get things done. And the next thing I document will be faster still because I’ll do it right the first time.
I’m sure there are many of you shaking your head that I didn’t know how to do this – but I didn’t. We all start at different places with technology and computer programs. The point is, we are all very busy with many demands on our time – sometimes it’s easy to justify saying,
There may be a better way, but I know this way so I’ll just get it done.
and to believe that you are saving yourself time and accomplishing more. I’m here today to question that theory. It isn’t always true. My new theory is
LEARN BEFORE YOU LEAP.
I’ll be asking myself if there is a better, more efficient way, on a daily basis, will you?
Here’s to your creative success!
– Tara Reed
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