taking stock

A couple days ago listening to the radio in the studio, the end of the year, time to take stock. Of course I thought, isn't that what everyone is doing this time of year? Taking stock. I had also been thinking of making stock with the wonderful ham I cooked for the holidays. Oh that was good--the first time I ever cooked a ham that tasted great--so easy. I just baked it uncovered until the outside was browned and bubbly, the meat fork tender. Then I cut off the fat. Sometimes simple is best--but I diverge.

Back to the word stock--interesting word. Sixty some definitions in my Random House dictionary.  Have you ever thought about it? Stocks and bonds, livestock, stock on hand.  One of those words we use all the time without even thinking about it. But where did it come from? What did it originally mean?

Stockades. Rolling stock. Laughing stock. Christmas stockings. The list rolls on. I do a bit of internet research. Stock can mean a tree, a dunce. You can get put in the stocks. I find a great article on the origins of the word stockings--stock for sock goes way back. Means be still. Being in one place. That makes sense. A tree stands still--is there in its own being. Check it out.

But isn't taking stock the perfect thing to do at the solstice--when time stands still. I read that the solstice is when folks would assess their livestock before the winter. How much food did they have? Which ones should try to survive? This was when they got fresh meat before the cold stress of winter really set in.

And now it is time for me to take stock. So much I have done last year. I redid my website--by myself. Learned Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter. Started writing my blog. I had a two person show at the Bluestone Gallery in PA. A one person show at the Landmark Campus in Tarrytown, NY.  Quilts selected for shows at the National Quilt Museum and the New England Quilt Museum.  Enough orders to last through Baltimore. New designs. Started work on pillows again. Whew!!! What a pace. I am exhausted.

I hate to think of plans for 2011. So much depends on fate--it is out of my control.  How many large quilts will I sell? What shows will I get into?  How much can I push my blog? I want to redesign my website. IWeb was fine for a while--but Apple does not seem to be supporting it. Do I learn Wordpress? Rapidweaver? Drupal? Joomla? Do I list on Etsy? Sell off my website? So many choices. As a small business woman I must be nimble--take advantage of the breaks.

I don't like lists or goals. Feel that I don't need to hold myself accountable--my checkbook does a pretty good job of telling me if I am successful. And I don't like to focus on what I have NOT accomplished--I want to think positive.  I do have a few plans--ideas of things I want to do. Know quilts I want to make for the Baltimore Craft Show. Know that I will take advantage of that show to make more opportunities for myself. I need a new business card. There are a few shows I know I want to apply for. I need to do more contact with my customers--more mailings. I have already committed to participating in  A River of Stones --a blog a day in January. It sounds fabulous.

And you what are your goals? What did you accomplish this year? Do you write down a list of projects for next year? Do you make New Year's resolutions?

the shows of Ann Brauer

Ah--home at last. How green it is. The pear trees are blooming--the peach blossoms are pink--ready to open. The forsythia are still bright yellow.  I  have a row of peas up. Though right now I must confess that the best crop is the weeds--why do they always grow so well?

But alas I leave again for another show this week-end. Now normally I wouldn't do a show immediately after the Smithsonian (which was fabulous by the way)--but I love doing the Paradise City Arts Festival shows. Have you ever been to one?  Not only are there wonderful crafts but they also have "fine art"-- paintings, sculpture, photographs. (Don't get me into the discussion between fine art and craft at this hour in the morning--please.) In the middle of the show is an exhibition gallery--this time the show is about Love. My booth is right across from it so you can see my new quilt from a distance.

For me though the best part of the show is that there's work that I can easily afford. I always treat myself to some little wonderful memento--maybe another mug this time? Or a gift for my sister? If you're in the Philly area do check it out-http://www.paradisecityarts.com--it's at the Convention Center Hall D April 30-May 2. Maybe I'll hang this piece in my booth, what do you think?

Meanwhile I'll have several of my quilts in "A Sense of Place: The Fiber Art of Ann Brauer and Karen Henderson" at the Blue Stone Gallery in Milford, PA through June 6. I don't know if you've ever seen Karen's work--thoughtful woven, manipulated landscapes in hauntingly dreamy colors. The town of Milford itself is quite lovely set in the Delaware River Water Gap--really interesting architecture amid rolling green hills. http://www.bluestonegallerymilford.com.

Then home--so many orders to fill. All those people who saw the Chronicle piece on Shelburne Falls coming into town. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/23154823/index.html

I can't wait to finally plant my garden--getting up each morning, weeding, finding new things growing. The birds singing. My cats chasing moths and little ants. But more of that later. After all it is supposed to be cold and rainy for the next couple of days.

I do hope to see some of you there. What is your spring like? Do you ever over-schedule for good reasons?

rejection--argh!!!

OK--I must confess--I wasn't even going to write about the first rejection. Who wants to read a self-serving, whiny blog post. Such things happen. The first rejection was for a really good craft show that I've gotten rejected from before. Frequently. I know there are other quilt makers whose work is just as good who apply. Probably the jurors just didn't like my work. Different styles for different people. If I want to make unique work then there will be those who don't particularly like it.

Besides I looked at the slides I submitted--I can see why I submitted them and also why someone who didn't know my work or even decorative fiber could fail to see how wonderful they were.
Here's one of the pieces I submitted. I love this piece. It's sold. But I can see why some one might not like the particular colors or know how hard they are to achieve. No problem. This show is much better done every other year. And I didn't think the set of quilts held together as well as it could have.

But the second show--now that one has my hackles up.  Argh!!! Sure there's a new director who may not love my work as much as previous directors.  I've no clue who was on the jury--or what slides may have come just before mine. But I know they don't get many quilt makers applying.  I've been on that jury. I know how great my work looks at the show--it can be seen from a great distance and draws people in. Indeed my two person show at the Blue Stone Gallery in Milford, PA  is a direct result of that craft fair.

Now maybe it was luck of the draw. Maybe the jury was tired. Or had just seen four absolutely spectacular sets of slides and mine seemed a bit off to them. Life isn't always fair though wouldn't it be great if it was (and of course if I got to define what was fair--right?)  And I do know that I'm wait-listed and the wait list moves. But still....

Probably I should've used more care in selecting my slides. I admit I have a nasty habit of  choosing images that I like assuming others will also like them rather than choosing work that I know others will like--there is a difference.  Indeed--I do still like this quilt and I think the white dashes tell a story. But I can see now why someone might not like it. Again it does have a happy home so we needn't worry about the quilt.

 But guess what? This quilt will not be used for jury slides again. Ever!!!

And in the end I know that it'll all work out. After all I am doing the Smithsonian Craft Show next week and who knows what will come of that. And this may give me the chance to make some new work and  try a couple of shows I haven't done before--there is a lot to be said for something different. Maybe I can even enter a couple of quilt shows that I never have time for.

Thanks for listening. What do you think? Know of any great shows to do that are still accepting applications? How do you deal with that thud of rejection?

joy and fun

Recently I've been thinking about the difference between joy and fun--not only because it's finally spring and I'm ready to have FUN but also because I do need to finish the big quilt--I have to sew the Velcro on to hang it. Boring--but it does make a nice presentation. Then clean it up --check for odd threads, the once over. And that's also not fun--just picky (sorry for that pun.)

Sure I baste the Velcro onto strips of fabric before sewing them onto the quilt--but it's hand sewing--and a lot of it. UGH!!! And I've already done a lot of hand sewing finishing the back of the quilt. Do I complain too much? When I finish, I'll have an empty design board--a bit scary. So that's why it's not done yet. Today though it won't be fun.

Now I'm not thinking of the fun that we all need. Niche on their Facebook page recently reminded us  that we all need to have real fun every day--smell the roses, live each day like it's your last. Choose your cliche--I couldn't agree more. (Do check out their post. http://www.facebook.com/#!/NICHEmag?ref=nf)

Indeed the least productive person I know claims she works from 8 in the morning to 10 at night--no wonder she never has enough time. She is always harried--no time for fun. Not me--I'm a 9 to 5 type of gal. I like my fun too.

So let me explain a bit about the difference between joy and fun. I think of my dad--a farmer. I'm sure plowing the fields day after day was not fun. I tried it. Indeed I tried to make it "fun" by steering off to the side and then pulling back. I was young then. Needless to say, he didn't think this was fun--or funny. For him there was joy in seeing the corn in true straight lines. The subtle differences in the fields. The completion of the harvest. And yes, he did have real fun-- taking my sister and me fishing on the river--ugly catfish that tasted of the river bottom--but what a day.

So today I'll crank up the radio--hopefully Diane Rehm will have an interesting guest or two--and get the quilt done--now that'll be true joy.  Showing a complete body of work--true joy. Knowing that I can now make another new quilt--joy. And tonight--after work I'll weed my day lilies while my tuxedo cat watches oh so patiently. True fun. And later the joy of blooms.

So what do you think--do you deal with the difference between joy and fun? What is joy for you?

upcoming shows of Ann Brauer

Wow--all of a sudden it's spring. Daffodils, forsythia, the chorus of peepers. This year it happened so quickly--one day there was snow on the ground and brown--the next day the grass was green and I was planting my peas.

I've been so busy I barely have time to observe the changes except in the small wonderful ways--the door to my studio is now open, I can hear the rush of the river. On the way to the post office I can walk across the Bridge of Flowers in beautiful Shelburne Falls.

Later this month I am honored to be doing the Smithsonian Craft Show at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC April 22-25. This is one of the premier shows in the country--over 1300 applicants for 125 spaces. Needless to say I was surprised and excited to get in and have been working non-stop to get ready. If you are in the area, check it out. http://www.smithsoniancraftshow.org

Then I will be in a lovely two woman show--A Sense of Place--at the Blue Stone Gallery in Milford, PA April 30-June 6. I am looking forward to seeing the work of Karen Henderson who has some wonderful subtle takes on landscapes. Check it out http://www.bluestonegallerymilford.com

For those in the Boston area,  watch for this quilt on Channel 5's Chronicle--they came out to western Massachusetts to film Josh Simpson and other artists in Shelburne Falls. They even stopped by my studio. This was a favorite piece--see if it is included. I'm not sure when it'll be aired yet--I'll try to let you know.

Then I have the Paradise City Arts Festival at the PA Convention Center in Philadelphia--but more on that later. http://www.paradisecityarts.com

prairie dawn

There has been an interesting discussion on the Studio Art Quilt Association forum about whether realistic or abstract pieces sell better. I am not sure there is a standard answer to this one although usually I find that my simple color studies do better than my more realistic pieces. For instance my quilt red barn, blue silos is loved and admired--although I still own it. Maybe there is too much detail or I just need to find someone who knows what a Harvester silo is.

On the other hand, prairie dawn just got a new home because of its title. In this quilt I was trying to capture how large the sky was on the farm I grew up on. Interestingly, its new owner bought the quilt precisely because of the title--she grew up in North Dakota. Now I want to make a whole series of quilts capturing the hugeness of the sky and the feeling of freedom it implies. Tomorrow I will get more blue fabric--wonderful navy, rich purples, and all the teal I can find.

 Luckily I will be having a show at the Blue Stone Gallery in Milford, PA with Karen Henderson this May entitled "A Sense of Place" so I can continue exploring this concept.  Check it out at http://www.bluestonegallerymilford.com. I will write more later.