I've been thinking a lot about working on my own artwork and I think I finally have an organized direction. A friend of mine...Lori Wilson...was here recently and we had a long chat, er, discussion about life. I don't think I've had a conversation like that in years. While staying at my house for the Proceed workshop we put together, she noticed some paintings that I had done a long time ago. She asked who had done them and when I said me, she was surprised. They're a different style than what I do now (if I have a style at all at this point.) Earlier we were talking about doing your own art. She has recently completed a body of work and had a successful showing earlier this year. I had mentioned doing something with my dad's radios, an idea that Paula Henry had helped me brainstorm but I really hadn't found a direction. I had talked about liking American subject matter like old cars, neon signs, architecture, etc and she had said that the paintings reminded her of Edward Hopper. I was pretty happy about that because that was who I was into when I painted them. Then she made the connection for me between the radios and those paintings. It was like the proverbial light bulb went off in my head! Thanks Lori! There's a lot more floating around in my head than cars and radios that I'm still fleshing out so you'll have to stay tuned. I'm thinking that I would love to have a body of work by 4th of July next year to show at a gallery.
I've also thought about hiring. Not sure if I should hire outright or subcontract. I've lost work because of how far out work is booked. I've talked with a lot of people about that and there are differing opinions and I can't decide what is best for me and what I feel comfortable letting go of. What is my time best spent on? Would clients be upset if I had and assistant do some of the set up and preliminary stages for me?
I also want to find a real studio. Perhaps one without snakes or mice or the parents upstairs. (I work on murals in my parents basement. Its my second "studio." The wildlife is in mine.) But everything is way too expensive or doesn't have any personality or in a not so nice area if it is reasonably priced. If I had my druthers I would build a garage. Or I would rent a place on main street in Ellicott City. My dream would be to have a really cool warehouse that has a store front with a showroom where passers by could drop in and clients could come and meet. The back would have a loading dock for easy loading and drop off, and one long uninterrupted wall with 20' ceilings for mural work. Ok, I'd settle for 12'. Oh and lots of natural light. And I could leave my messes without anyone complaining about it. Anyone have a place like that within 5 miles of my house for lets say $500 a month!? Didn't think so.
But a girl can dream!
