to blog or not to blog
I have been struggling with the question of what to blog and what not to blog... hence my silence this week. Am I doing this to keep a record for myself? To entertain others? To communicate with those who are important to me? I suppose everybody who's waded into the great blog pool has gone through the same process and eventually found a niche that suits them best. I'm not quite there yet. In person I tend to be fairly candid and have no trouble revealing all to those I trust (and it's rarely who you'd expect). For example, the minute I realised I was pregnant for the first time I had to tell everyone I talked to. How do people keep that sort of life-altering news a secret I wonder?
I haven't been painting; maybe that's the problem. This week I have been struggling with all the parts of the art biz that have nothing to do with painting. For one thing, I made some changes to my website. I understand now why the pros suggest you make as much time for your administrative affairs as your actual painting once you begin getting established. My struggle this week has been to find a reasonably cheap way to make high quality digital images of seven of my paintings. That is, after I spent time combing through, dissecting and annoying the head cheese with a lot of questions about a contract I need to sign to get on board with a new art print company (for whom I need the images). There are shades-of-grey integrity issues re. original vs. print art but I have to be a pragmatist at this stage and this looks like an ethical company that runs limited edition (only 150), authenticated prints and donates part of the proceeds to various charity organizations. They chose me rather than vice versa so I was very cynical at first but have spent enough time with it now that I'm starting to get excited. If it were a local company I'd be on their doorstep checking them out in person but it's in northern California. Come to think of it that could be reason enough because the office is in the heart of wine country and I'd love to visit... Anyway, I talked to a number of places that do high quality digital imaging (I would've thought that flatbed scanners of larger than 14" x 18" existed...) as I'd need to directly scan the paintings, but so far the price is prohibitive. My next move is to contact photographers who can photograph the work and provide me with excellent quality transparencies. I'm tempted to try it myself but have no studio lighting and getting the right outdoor lighting is so hit-and-miss.
I think I need the perspective I always get when I'm immersed in producing a painting so tomorrow I will (a) go for a head-clearing run and (b) get back to work. I'll have to start early as it's 30C here today...
I haven't been painting; maybe that's the problem. This week I have been struggling with all the parts of the art biz that have nothing to do with painting. For one thing, I made some changes to my website. I understand now why the pros suggest you make as much time for your administrative affairs as your actual painting once you begin getting established. My struggle this week has been to find a reasonably cheap way to make high quality digital images of seven of my paintings. That is, after I spent time combing through, dissecting and annoying the head cheese with a lot of questions about a contract I need to sign to get on board with a new art print company (for whom I need the images). There are shades-of-grey integrity issues re. original vs. print art but I have to be a pragmatist at this stage and this looks like an ethical company that runs limited edition (only 150), authenticated prints and donates part of the proceeds to various charity organizations. They chose me rather than vice versa so I was very cynical at first but have spent enough time with it now that I'm starting to get excited. If it were a local company I'd be on their doorstep checking them out in person but it's in northern California. Come to think of it that could be reason enough because the office is in the heart of wine country and I'd love to visit... Anyway, I talked to a number of places that do high quality digital imaging (I would've thought that flatbed scanners of larger than 14" x 18" existed...) as I'd need to directly scan the paintings, but so far the price is prohibitive. My next move is to contact photographers who can photograph the work and provide me with excellent quality transparencies. I'm tempted to try it myself but have no studio lighting and getting the right outdoor lighting is so hit-and-miss.
I think I need the perspective I always get when I'm immersed in producing a painting so tomorrow I will (a) go for a head-clearing run and (b) get back to work. I'll have to start early as it's 30C here today...
posted by andrea at 5:16 p.m.
3 Comments:
Andrea -
I can understand your dilemma about defining the nature of your blog. I find so many blogs incredibly confessional, and I wonder what prompts people to reveal so much of their lives to anyone who happens along. I do believe there's a difference between sharing exciting news (like a pregnancy) and providing minute details of various encounters and conversations that are of a private nature. I think as an artist this is a wonderful venue for sharing with other artists...I always enjoy, and am inspired by, postings of sketches and works-in-progress. It's then an extra special treat to see the finished work! Your work is so gorgeous, and it's fun to see your photographs and read about things going on in your life...just keep doing what you're doing!
Thanks for adding me to your blogroll! I would like to add you to mine - once I get it set up. Is there any kind of "etiquette" invloved in adding a link to someone's blog, or do I just do it? That's what's kept me from listing some of the wonderful places I like to visit.
Carla: Thanks for the vote of confidence, and I don't really know what the etiquette of adding links to one's blogroll is; I just charged right in and added what I thought was worth reading and assumed that I was doing the right thing. If you read this, Andy: what's the drill?
One of the delights of blogging is that there is no drill, or at any rate, there are no rules, only those that you choose to make up and follow yourself. Some people seem to consider it "bad form" to pull or edit a post, but I think that applies more amongst those who like to make more contraversial or inflammatory posts.
As far as linking to others goes, that's a classic case of the adage "there's no such thing as bad publicity". Links bring people - and Google - to a site, so they're almost always good for business.
Link to anyone whose blog you like. When I began blogging, I made up my own rule that I'd only link to people on whose blogs I'd left comments, or who had left comments on mine - perhaps that's a hangover from realspace, a counterpart of "being introduced". But no such rule is really necessary.
Enjoy the freedom to make connections!
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