THE EYE OF THE STORM: VERMEER IN BOSNIA

This article was originally posted on my Radio Userland blog on Sunday, October 2, 2005. 

This summer, I created a special “artist’s table” for our local coffee house, Prime Roast. The owners, John and Judy Rogers (who also happen to be our good friends!) commissioned artists who were also regular customers to create “art coffee tables”. When the final table is completed, there will be a grand reception. I hope to post images of my table soon. (UPDATE: See all the images of my table at the end!) (Yeah, they’re out of order, so you could start from the bottom and work up…)

Last night, we had friends over for Bad Movie Night, a tradition where we find a terrible movie, invite friends over, have tacky (but yummy) snacks (jelly beans! caramel corn!), and talk and joke about the movie as we watch.

They had seen my table, and loved it! We got to talking about where I got the inspiration for it. (Bear with me, this is a meandering journey!)

Years ago, I read an article in THE NEW YORKER magazine by Lawrence Weschler. It was an excerpt from his book “Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet Of Wonder:  Pronged Ants, Horned Humans, Mice on Toast, and Other Marvels of Jurassic Technology“. You can read about this book here. 

The book is about an odd and intriguing “museum” called The Museum of Jurassic Technology. You can explore this unusual work of performance art here: 

http://www.mjt.org/

It’s a real building, with exhibits, in a strip mall in Culver City, CA. I hope to visit it someday. (UPDATE: We DID visit it a few years ago, and it’s even more fascinating than I imagined! If you go, go with an open mind, no judgement, and READ the exhibit information. Jon is pretty sure he saw Mr. Wilson while we were there!) It’s a fascinating mix of real and faux scientific exhibits, and inspired the “History of Coffee Part I” collage tabletop I made for John and Judy. (UPDATE: Judy told me a few years later that a customer came in regularly for weeks, sat at “my” table, and read every entry. Then they announced that everything on that table was false. I told Judy to tell them that almost 3/4 of the entries were TRUE!)

While searching for the link to send to people, I came across a second book by Mr. Weschler. Here is the Amazon entry for “Vermeer in Bosnia : Cultural Comedies and Political Tragedies“:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0679442707/

The first essay on the author’s musings about Johannes Vermeer (Girl with a Pearl Earring artist) and his world, juxtaposed against Weschler’s coverage of the War Crimes Tribunal judging the atrocities committed in Bosnia in the 1990’s.

Now, scroll down that Amazon page to the customer reviews, and read the review by G. Bestick of Dobbs Ferry, NY. (UPDATE: That review can’t be found anymore, and I’m so grateful I captured it here!)

This passage especially caught my heart. Weschler writes about a war crimes judge who retreats daily to a local art museum to restore his soul after gut-wrenching court sessions:

“Weschler shows us that Vermeer’s greatest achievement was to imagine a world of stillness and serenity at a time when all of Europe was being torn apart by national hatreds and religious persecution, and then to will that world into existence through his art. Those magnificent paintings are more than technical triumphs; they are triumphs of the human spirit. The distance between Vermeer and the murderers, rapists and torturers on trial is heartbreaking. Weschler makes us see Vermeer in a new light, and makes us feel in a new way the unique burdens of being human.”

Just a beautiful essay, one that speaks deeply to the artist in me today.

Art can be beautiful, but not always.

Art can inquire, and expose, and provoke. It can arouse us to look and think deeper on the world.

It can also offer respite and restoration, and peace.

It can ask, “What if?”

What a delightful journey Google and Amazon took me on today! I’m ordering the book now.

And now for the coffee table images!

CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF For the Rest of Us Part 3: “I’m Outta Ideas!”

Tolderance for a trial-and-error approach made allllll the difference in my new, smaller, shrine series!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last story from an article originally published in The Crafts Report (now known as Handmade Business) in July 2010. Backstory now included!

(Phone rings)

(Operator): “Craft 911, what is the nature of your craft emergency?”

(Caller #3): “I’m out of ideas!”

(Operater): “Can you give me more details?”

(Caller #3): “I’m in my studio and I’m wandering around. I just don’t have any good ideas for what to make. Is this fatal??”

(Operator): “Happens to everyone, ma’am. Tell me, do you have any upcoming shows? A big order for a gallery?”

(Caller #3): “Um…not really. Things are kinda slow this week.”

(Operator): “Uusally this kind of situation responds very well to deadlines. Are you sure there isn’t some kind of deadline coming up on your calendar? Something you’ve overlooked? Go look, I’ll wait.”

(Caller #3): “Let me check… Wait a minute, yes! There’s a special order here I forgot about! Okay, now what?”

(Operator): “Ma’am, I sugget you simply settle in to fill that special order. I’m sure you’ll be flooded with lots of new ideas once you get those craft hands of yours moving again.”

(Caller #3): “Wow! That’s great advice–thanks!”

(Operator): “It’s our job, ma’am. And next time this happens, try taking two days off from checking your email, then call me in the morning.”

I think this is a great idea whose time has come, don’t you?

And now for the backstory….

This was me! Er…this IS me, all the time.

It usually hits during a difficult time in my life, when I’m distracted. When sales are slow, when I’m feeling invisible in the world. “What’s the use?” “Who cares about my work? Obviously, NO ONE!!!” And other thoughts of no purpose and no use.

I’ve found not one, but TWO terrific solutions. The first, obviously, is a deadline. The minute I realize I HAVE to get something, anything ready for a show, a photo shoot, an article, etc., that’s when I’m swamped for ideas for…something else!

I either hold that thought/idea/vision until the deadline is met, or I start on it instead. (Some deadlines are flexible, self-imposed, or not as important as I thought.) This is the power of procrastination! When we don’t want to do a certain thing, we suddenly find the inspiration to do another thing instead. (Yep, I’ve written a slew of articles on this!)

OR I realize I’m trying to figure out that “thing” in my head before I start it. I think if I do all the thinking stuff ahead of time, I won’t hit any roadblocks.

Wait for it…..

Hahahahahahahahaha wheeeeee!!!!!!  (Oddly, I found this article today about getting things done,  while searching for….something else!)

At the beginning of the pandemic shutdowns, I finally realized that a project that had been in my heart for years, could only be accomplished by using…..yup, trial-and-error!…to figure stuff out. With all that time on my hands, I realized I had plenty of time to do that.

And it worked! I created enough new work to call it a new series.

Of course, as the pandemic measures eased, I’m back in my my “old normal”, and the dozens of small shrines I made are now works-in-progress. And without the deadlines of articles to be written for pay, it’s a lit-tul harder to make room for writing/publishing.

But then I remember how this helped me. And wondered if it might help someone else.

And hence, this article, with the addition of backstories.

I hope this gave you a giggle, and the realization that anything that’s holding YOU back, could be overcome with a little finagling, a deadline, and knowing it worked for me.

Now go to your creative space and make some stuff!

A VALUABLE ART MARKETING RESOURCE FOR YOU TODAY

Yep, like Dave, I’m allllll about the stories. Even sticks have a story!

One of the ‘free’ gifts I get with my FASO website (FineArtStudiosOnline.com) was the wisdom of art marketing expert extradinaire Dave Geada.

So much of the ‘expertise’ about marketing our creative work really gets my goat. “Branding”, “driving people to our website”, etc. are all cattle herding metaphors. I really wish there were more human-based conceptions available.

Oh, wait–there are!

Dave first rocked my socks off when he explained the value of a “creation story”. I’ve known mine for decades.

We’re all familiar with “hero stories”.But I didn’t realize mine was a CREATION story until I heard him share his.

After a near-death experience with a health issue, he realized that his place in the world wasn’t about becoming rich, or famous. It was about being a force for good in the world. And helping other creatives grow their audience (and buyers!) became his mission in life.

Dave gives funny, inclusive, heart-felt videos sharing his insights and suggestions. I always get something from them, too!

He’s now created a library of these podcasts and videos, with a reasonable $9.99 (okay, $10) a month plan, or $99/year, and a free 14-day trial period so you can decide if this is for you or not.

My only issue is, I don’t do podcasts or recordings of people talking. I WANT to. But I can’t do my creative work, read, or drive while listening to people talking. It’s just a ‘thing’ that doesn’t mesh with my brain.

So when Dave’s latest email hit my inbox, I let him know: I love his take on marketing, I love his insights, I love his sense of humor.

Would he ever consider providing transcripts with these? (I could easily make time for this, I could read them faster, and I wouldn’t be distracted by trying to take notes while he’s talking.)

And he said yes! Hurray!!!

Now, you don’t have to have a website with FASO to access these videos/transcripts, though you can sign up for a basic plan for $12/month. (Includes free email app, see-your-art-in-a-room options, sell from your website, etc.) Anyone can have access!

So check Dave’s work and see if it speaks to YOU.

(This recommendation is based on my personal experience with Dave’s skills, and I receive NO commission or rewards of any kind from this.)

 

 

CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE REST OF US Part 2: “Show Organizers Messed Up!”

My show booth! (A very edited-down version…)

Second story from an article originally published in The Crafts Report (now known as Handmade Business) in July 2010. Backstory now included!

(Phone rings)

(Operator): Craft 911, what is the nature of your craft emergency?”

(Caller #2): “#*@!?(@*!!%!”

(Operator): “Sir, that kind of language is not helpful. Please state the nature of your craft emergency.”

(Caller #2): “Oh, sorry. I’m just SO MAD!! I set up my booth at this high-end indoor fine craft show, and there’s half an empty space on each side, and somebody says I’m in their space! The show floor is laid out wrong! These show organizers are brainless, stupid, #*?@*!!$#!!”

(Operator): “Seriously, buster, knock off the foul language. Okay, I think I know what your problem is. I want you to lift the corner of your booth carpeting and see if you see some lines of tape on the floor underneath. Go ahead, I’ll wait.”

(Caller #2): Yes, there are tape marks under my booth.”

(Operater): “Sir, by any chance are those marks running down the middle of your booth, from front to back? Right down the center?”

(Caller #2): “Why….yes! How did you know??”

(Operater): “Just an educated guess. Sir, you need to enlist the help of some sturdy people. I’m sure the show organizers would be happy to shut you…er…help you out. Have them grab your entire booth frame and carpet, and shift it halfway to either the left or right. Heck, there might even be a little marker on the floor with your real booth number to guide you.”

(Caller #2): “You’re right! I found my booth number! Thank you!!”

(Operator): “It’s what we do sir. Have a great show.”

Backstory: This is a true story!

Back in the day, I did several major fine craft shows, retail and wholesale. At one I did every year (sometimes twice a year!) for awhile, I got to meet many other creatives, and some became good friends. (Thanks to social media, it’s easier to stay in touch, too.)

I also got to know many of the show organizers/employees, and grew to appreciate their wisdom, their integrity, their skills, and their support.

And one year, an exhibitor did this exact thing. Set up their booth halfway in their space, halfway into their neighbor’s space. And then they complained loudly and often to everyone within site and range, especially the show managment. (They had been a pretty cool person before this incident, so we were all kind shocked at the awful things this exhibitor said about the show personnel.)

Especially when, later that day, from the staff that it was NOT the show peeps’ fault. The exhibitor had set up their booth in the middle of TWO booth spaces, despite the very-easy-to-see tape markings outlining their booth space.

The show staff handled it with kindness and efficiancy. They didn’t even tell the exhibitor that the EXHIBITOR had messed up their set-up, not the booth layout team. They just got the booth moved to one side, and reassured the exhibitor that they were always there to help.

Later, I learned more about the exhibitor’s personal backstory, and complicated family matters, and had empathy for them. But it still changed everything about how I viewed them as a professional creative, and as a grown-up.

Yes, there are jerks in every organization, every group, etc. But most show organizers DO want you to have a GREAT show! Most professional service providers are pretty good at their job. And obviously, in this case, they set aside the unfair attack against them, and simply fixed this person’s problem without adding to that person’s stress.

I thought that was pretty amazing! Still do.

What I learned:

It’s okay to be (understandably) frustrated when things go wrong. We all mess up, other people sometimes mess up, etc.

But making assumptions without exploring the “why” behind what happened, asserting blame without knowing the whole story, and telling complaining loud and long to everyone and everybody, is not okay.

And that person never owned their own goof. I asked the staff later, and no, that person never apologized, or even admitted to others that it actually wasn’t the staff’s fault.Either the person never realized that THEY had goofed up, or it wasn’t part of their nature to accept responsibility for their errors.

The temper tantrum was really, really hard to forget, too.

That totally changed my opinion about them and all the “professionalism” they claimed to bring to their career.

Short story: We all make mistakes.

But it’s never okay to blame others for ours. And being the only booth out of hundreds of booths, to be out of alignment? Shoulda been a clue….

Coming soon! Part 3!

 

 

CRAFT EMERGENCY RELIEF FOR THE REST OF US Part 1: Why Didn’t I Get Into That Show??

(This is one of my favorite articles I wrote for The Crafts Report, now known as Handmade Business, back in July 2010. (I split it into three parts, so stay tuned! And now I can add the backstory behind each ’emergency’, too.)

You probably all know about CERF, the Craft Emergency Relief Fund, an organization that aids craftspeople who have lost their studio or equipment to disaster.

It’s a great organization, and deserves our support. But I can’t help thinking we need a smaller, more immediate, more…intimate…emergency resource for artists and craftspeople. Maybe something that looks like this?

(Phone rings)

(Operator): “Craft 911, what is the nature of your creative emergency?”

(Caller #1): “Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

(Operator): “Please stater the nature of your emergency.” (More wailing in the background.) “HEY! Knock it off!!”

(Caller #1): “Sorry, sorry….I’m just so upset!”

(Operator): “Ma’am, please calm down. Tell me what’s going on.”

(Caller #1): “I didn’t gent into that juried exhibit I applied to. My work is perfect, and they didn’t choose me! It hurrrrrts!”

(Operator): “Okay, ma’am, calmdown. Are your really injured, physically? Or are just your feelings hurt?”

(Caller #1): “I guess….just my feelings? OH, and my pride.”

(Operator): “Well, fortunately, injuried feelings and pride are rarely fatal. You know that hundreds, maybe thousands of artists applied to that exhibit. And the curator has to put together a cohesive show out of those entries. Maybe it has nothing to do with the quality of your work. Maybe it just didn’t “fit in” with the rest of the entries that were submitted.”

(Caller #1): “Oh. Oh, yeah…. I guess I didn’t think of that. You’re right. It’s nothing to get all worked up over. Thanks!”

(Operator): “Happy to be of service, ma’am. Now go finish that new series of pots!”

Now for the backstory. 

I created a little artist support group decades ago in New Hampshire, and one of the women was an amazing, wise woman, Bobbye Sansing. (You can read a little more about her and her work here.)

This actually happened to her. She submitted her pottery to a highly-respected ceramics show, and was rejected. She was upset by that, as any of us would be.

But she decided to go see the show, to see if she could figure out why her work wasn’t accepted. And because she had the gumption, and the courage, to do this, I have another valuable life lesson in my backpack.

All the pottery on exhibit was white. 

Bobbye realized she wasn’t rejected for not being “good enough”. It was because the curator was a) obviously limited and limned by the venue’s space; b) had to put together a cohesive exhibit of the works submitted; and c) had gone with the white work because that’s what worked for them.

Her work didn’t fit in to that particular aesthetic. Her pottery work is pit-fired pinched pots, in dark shades of brown and black. (She added white to her repertoire after this, though!)

And yet, I’m always amazed at the number of people who don’t understand 100% that judging/evaluating/nominating is about who the judge is, and how that person feels about our work. Not necessarily how good our work is, how famous we are, etc.

Another example of how this works: An extremely talented artist griped to me a few years ago that a highly-respected open studio tour had rejected their application. They were offended, angry, obviously deeply hurt.

In this case, I knew a little backstory: Though there was a regular team that reviewed the artwork, there was also an “outside judge”–a curator, or a gallery owner, or an art critic, etc.–who was invited to the review process, every year.

And that the judge, (and even some members of the committee) were different every year.

“So one person’s opinion might have struck you out,” I said to them. “But there will be a different person every year. Why not just try again next year?”

They did.

And they got in, hands down.

Another story: I served on the steering committee of a major annual craft show in New Hampshire. The craft org had several awards at its annual fair, including one for best booth. Again, a different outside judge was added to the mix every year. One year, a lot of people got very low booth scores, and no one could figure out why. Until one exibitor overhead that judge exclaim loudly, “What’s with all the black booths?! I HATE BLACK BOOTHS!!” And they gave really low scores to all the people who had black panels, black displays, black carpeting, etc. in their booth set-up.

The moral of this story?

Do your best. Persevere. And don’t let the opinions of others keep you from making the work of your heart. 

I am forever grateful to Bobbye for her wisdom and insights, and her courge to set aside anger and disappointment in favor of learning more and doing more.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Bobbye Sansing’s beautiful handformed, pit-fired pottery vessels.