Cow. Of course.

The Monterey Peninsula College print club declared a print holiday today, and asked printmakers everywhere to do their thing for printmaking and unity. It looked for a while as if I might miss the bus for this one, but this afternoon I managed to squeak in the start of a tiny reduction linocut. It's gonna be a cow. Of course.


In other news, after untold frustrating hours wrestling with the last necessary file, the nine Collegiate Peaks Byway interp panels are off to the fabricator. Ginormous files and temperamental FTP sites meant I was trying to upload until nearly midnight last night, but I was determined to be done with it. Sadly I had to finish this morning, but used the time to work on my art inventory database. One eye on the FTP client to make sure it didn't drop me AGAIN, and one eye on the database.

It's going to be slick once I get it all together, but UGH. It's a tad tedious at the moment. Maybe because I'm simultaneously trying to learn the software and do the work. Well, that, and my previous record-keeping was, shall we say, spotty? And about two months elapse between each time I sit down to work on it... and...

The software I'm using is a nifty little application based on Filemaker called Flick! One doesn't need Filemaker to run it, and it's only $30. It doesn't do everything I'd like, necessarily, but it actually has a way to manage editioned work. Those clever Aussies.

We had a little rain shower today, it started the moment the DM and I left the café to walk home, turned into a downpour three blocks from the house, and stopped about the time we got in the door. Figures, huh? But it was delightful to smell rain, even when being pummeled by it.

Hopefully the next color will go down on the lino at some point tomorrow.... stay tuned.

New arts resources and running away from home

I had a nice note today from the folks at Art Connect, who have included a review of Brush and Baren as part of their growing new resource. I confess I had a bit of a chuckle over the idea that this blog would have a "calming influence" when its author is generally running around like a headless chicken, but hey! I'm also flattered by the idea and by inclusion on this site.

Katherine Tyrell, who I already suspect is at LEAST three people, has launched yet another nifty resource for those of us who can't go in to book stores or art supply stores without someone else to hold our wallets. Pop on over to Making a Mark Reviews and join the fun. And then try to figure out how she manages to run such excellent blogs AND get art made.

Closer to home, Arts for Colorado just announced their new website. Looks nice so far... I have high hopes.

Closer yet, Salida ArtWorks has their blog up and running. For a small community, seems like we have an awful lot going on!

And after much waffling and mind-changing and uncertainty and such, it looks like the DM and I are going to take a couple of days off and get some space between our respective projects and our selves. Even as the garden mumbles "barely spring," the calendar screams "summer insanity just around the corner." Running away from home seems the best response, don't you think? So we shall, despite dire weather forecasts. Back on the weekend some time. See ya then!

Art Marketing Workshop Opportunity

Could be it's a serious case of preaching to the choir, telling you all about an opportunity to learn more about online marketing. But maybe not! Especially if you're in Colorado or plan to be this way in May...

Alyson B. Stanfield of ArtBizCoach.com will lead a two-day workshop in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado--the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park. Learn how to effectively promote your art online using email, blogs, and websites!

May 2-3, 2009
Just $165 until March 6
($195 after that)

You’ll learn:
* How to decide which online formats are best for you
* Five email secrets that produce results
* How to use an email newsletter to cultivate collectors
* How to expand your mailing list
* The Dos and Don’ts of artist Web sites
* Where to splurge and where to save
* Why you need a blog right now
* How to start your blog
* What to write on your blog
* How to increase traffic to your blog (and website)
* What to put in your website media room
* Why you can’t afford to ignore social networking sites

Alyson said she's expecting a sellout crowd of 70 artists from around the country, so don't dilly dally!

Save $30 by registering before March 6. See http://artbizcoach.com/estes

Fame and Glory and Good Information

Well! What a nice little "atta girl" for me this morning! Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield featured one of my linocuts in this week's Art Marketing Action Newsletter. If you don't subscribe, you might want to start. It's an every Monday kick-in-your-complacency, just in case you need one.