Should we better promote quilts as art?

Let's face it--I love to browse through these glossy magazines--the ones advertising lovely decorator homes. What is the latest style and trends? Cutting edge bathroom systems. Sleek furniture. Kitchen with all the latest ovens and refrigerators. The wine coolers. The decorators who bring this all together. The builders of these homes. Don't we all love to imagine we live in them?

But then I noticed. In the bedrooms with the rich well polished furniture--the beds had comforters with simple covers on them. White down comforters. Or generic prints in bright--but not too bright--colors. With geometric flowers.The walls had paintings--simple, generic landscapes. Again you know the look.

Now--let's face it. Staging is important. There is a home about to be put on the market in my family. An architect designed home in a stunning location. The agent wants the home cleared of all the furniture and possessions. She will rent items to create just the look that potential purchasers might like. Create an atmosphere where the browsers can see themselves living there.

I'm sure that must be the same for these magazines. But certainly there must be a lot of images of fiber art on the internet--right? I go to pinterest. Now I have been on pinterest for a few months--I love it. You have to sign up for it. They approve your application. Then you create boards of lovely images that you like--gardens, the color blue, bedrooms, favorite places. Designs that inspire you. An interesting way to share and refine your style, your colors.

Yes, I found a few. But not enough. Shouldn't we as fiber artists post more images of our work in homes and offices? Isn't it important that others realize how autumn afternoon can draw you down that modern--almost sterile hallway? Add warmth to an environment seemingly lacking it?

Or what about showing that quilts are art? That prairie dawn can hold its own with any painting? Doesn't it look fabulous?
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Don't these images show that fiber is not just for country homes any more? What do you think? Are you on pinterest? Do you know of any great installation images that use fiber? How do you promote fiber art?

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 opportunities of rejection

Yesterday the rejection came. It really wasn't a surprise. Sure I had hoped for another result--at least a "Wait List". But I sort of knew it would happen.

After all the craft show that rejected me is one of those very very prestigious ones--you know hundreds and hundreds of applicants for about 120 places. And I know that at least five to ten of the applicants--the quilt makers--are just as qualified as I am. Moreover, I knew it would be even harder to get in--the show likes to accept those who have not done it before. Probably great from their perspective. Harder for me. I have done the show before.

So though of course I was disappointed--the show is absolutely lovely and I do very very well there--I wasn't surprised.

And I certainly don't have time to be upset about this. Instead, this will give me a chance to maybe do a craft show or two that I haven't done for a while. I wonder which one I will choose. I think of my house visits--those have been getting me some great results. I should do this more often. After all, I am doing the Washington Craft Show in a couple of weeks--maybe I need to arrange a time to come down and visit those who are interested. I order more postcards so I can promote myself.

Maybe I can also apply for a couple of quilt shows. I have been going so non-stop that the deadlines usually pass me by. I read a great article on LinkedIn by Rhonda Schaller on "Creating a DIY Strategy for Exhibiting Your Work"--great article--check it out--yes, creating my own show. That would be fun. I love how my work looked at the Landmark Campus. That show was supposed to travel but the next location ran out of funds. Too bad. I start researching on the internet--where would I like to show? So many possibilities. I need to reread this article--explore possibilities. There are hints here

I think of my quilt red barn, blue silos II.  Yes, I should keep my focus on my goals like the red barn is the focus of the fields. Keep this vision in mind.

I read the blogs of Lisa Call--she is so organized. Check out this blog of Lisa's. I love how she can write out her goals for the week--so much she hopes to accomplish. I love the structures of her work, the plans, the way the pieces create the whole. But I am not sure that is for me. I make my quilts almost by intuition--I get the palette right and then it is almost a gut reaction. What comes next. It is the same with my strategies, my goals. I create a general concept in my mind, a purpose and then start moving toward my goals. I don't know if this is the best way--should I write it all down? I don't know. I tend to get overwhelmed with possibilities. I like the freedom to accept opportunities if I can keep that red barn in mind.

And you--what do you think? How do you reach for those goals? Are you a list maker or gut reaction? Do you have any great tips?

my quilts at Landmark Campus in Tarrytown

Wow--I just got the pictures from my one woman show Ann Brauer: Contemporary Landscape Quilts at the Landmark Campus in Tarrytown, NY. The pictures totally reconfirm my feeling that art quilts fit perfectly in modern corporate settings. Of course, the Art Advisor Wendy Kelley did a superb job selecting quilts to coordinate with the surroundings IMHO. What do you think?

Unfortunately while the show runs through October 1, 2010 the building is not open to the public. To arrange viewing or for inquiries about the pieces in the show, please contact Wendy Kelley Art Advisor 203.912.1044.

Without further ado, here are the images:

solo show Contemporary Landscape Quilts

I just shipped my quilts off for my solo show Contemporary Landscape Quilts of Ann Brauer at the Landmark at Corporate Campus in Tarrytown, NY.  I'll post images from the show after it is hung. Thanks Wendy Kelley for all your work.

Here is the information about the show:

ART AT THE LANDMARK CAMPUS
Tarrytown, New York

ANN BRAUER
Contemporary Landscape Quilts

July 2 - October 1, 2010



Ann Brauer grew up on a farm in Illinois where she watched her grandmother make quilts. She complete her education to become an attorney Twenty eight years ago she moved to Western Massachusetts and began supporting herself making contemporary art quilts.

Brauer's work is in museum and public collections including the US Dept of State, the Springfield Federal District Court, the American Museum of Art + Design, NY Wool Institute, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Museum of Women in the Art both in Washington, DC. She has received an award of Excellence from the American Craft Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. The quilts are for sale. Viewings by appointment.

All inquiries should be directed to Wendy Kelley Fine Arts
www.artworksadvisory.com   203.912.1044