Sarah*n*dipitous

Silly Crow

Aesop wrote about a crow who, believing that the Swan was more beautiful than he, thought it was where it lived that made it thus and left his high perch (where he was able to find his livelihood) to trade it for a life in the ponds and streams. He starved to death and died not as a Swan but, as a crow. The moral was that a change in scene cannot bring about a change of nature.

It is easy to look at the perceived success of others and believe that if only you had the same rolodex, the same capital, the same circumstances, the same, well you can fill in the blank here, that you too will be as successful and better off. The truth is, we, in capitalist based Constitutional Republics, all have the same opportunity (we all live on the same planet and have the ability to be a self-employed business owner) but, because we are born unique and with different skill sets and talents, by proxy, our business models, customer bases, and earning potential will be different. It is to compare apples to broccoli to think otherwise. To pine after someone else's success wastes your time and hampers your ability to earn and acquire your own livelihood.... it is a distraction that only breeds bitterness and contempt. Folks who choose to focus on what others have or their success (defined as wealth, status, appearance, fame or even intellect) lose the sense of gratefulness for the things they themselves already have. They believe themselves to be a "have not" and then in turn, an "owed to or entitled to" as a result of jealousy. Admiration respects and values the differences in people and applauds the success they are capable of, whereas, jealousy stems from thinking we are not unique and special and therefore, consequently, deserving of success just because we woke up this morning and took a breath. The misconception is that it is a competition on the same ladder and they are ahead of you, further up, when in reality, you are on a different ladder completely.... your own ladder. True success isn't given, it is earned using the talents you were given and in the place you were planted. I will never be a Warren Buffet or Bill Gates most likely... I won't have the wealth or power but, I will look at them and their examples of how they choose to use their resources and emulate that behavior with the resources I do have. To demonize people for being wealthy and going so far as to DEMAND that they give away their earnings is nothing more than a Crow wanting to be a Swan. The Crow will starve and the Swan will fly away.

It's True

Yes, I have been working on a huge project. I apologize to even my closest friends for not spilling the details until now.... you know I work in the Batcave and there are just some things I can't talk about.... Today I can finally talk about it a bit. As most of you know, my passion has always been about equipping people. I see a generation of folks who are insanely talented and we as a culture really letting them down in so many ways. People will do great things and make amazing things and invent the things we thought were not possible *if* you believe it and invest in that belief.

I have been asked to be on television... not just create stuff for television and other media as I have been doing for so many years... To create a television show that links making things with making a difference (inspired by the booth I did at CHA). After marinating on it for a bit, I have chosen to do this on Public Television with a significant online component because I believe that something worth doing should be available to all, not just those blessed with Cable. This is a huge step of faith because I do not even know if the sponsorship money will come in or whether I am the "right" person to do this however, I do know that I cannot waste the talents I have been given or the opportunity by not trying. The next months are going to be crazy (especially because I intend on continuing doing the writing/ teaching thing). I have been meeting with a number of my friends already on television and experienced in the behind the scenes stuff as well as industry leaders in technology, media, education, and of course in my own industry asking questions and figuring out if something like this is even possible. There have been a lot of dropped jaws and emotional tears...

This project is the biggest and most scary project I have ever thought up....a Pay It Forward. I have been encouraging my children and every one of my students (young and older) to do something worthwhile and make a mark on the timeline of history... I cannot live with myself in hypocrisy if I never put it into practice- especially as one who teaches. Once we have corporate sponsors for the first season solidified, we will start filming immediately here in Detroit. Filming week (most likely Aug.) will be a block party outside of the studio with crafters, artists, authors and musicians doing their thing and you are all invited.... what fun is making stuff and not sharing it? We are figuring out the liability issues but, my hope is that the set will be open and students will be allowed to work side by side with mentors that teach so much more than a mere textbook :) in all stages of production. I would not be where I am today without my mentors (thank you C, K, M.J. and S). I will reveal more details as I can.

Post it Notes Record Keeping

I am notorious for writing stuff on my hand. I tell my kids to not draw on themselves yet, I do it ALL the time. I have even woken up in the morning to find my arm covered in ink from something I wanted to remember.... seriously sick I know. I have post-it notes covering every surface and more journals than I ever care to admit.... I am constantly writing down ideas, quotes, inspiration whatever. The sad truth is, I lose a lot of those little lovelies and the million dollar ideas attached to them. It seems many folks are a lot like me in that we are scattered dreamers perpetually chasing yellow pieces of paper in the wind (not noticing the ones sticking to the bottom of our shoes). The folks who spend the time to write the big thoughts down and REVISIT them... yup, that means putting them down in one place and taking the time to look back on them, are the folks who tend to follow through. Who knows, perhaps someone will discover a leaf from your personal journal someday long after you are gone and comment on how your ideas changed the world.

Craft Stylish

Every once in a while you meet folks that are just plain cool. Once you meet them, you can't imagine your world without them in it. This year at CHA, I met some folks from the Craft Stylish booth that literally blew me out of the water. I was impressed by the fact that they transformed 350 magazines into booth decor and that even after show hours, they were crafting in their hotel rooms. I cannot list everyone because I just know I will forget someone and feel bad but, know this, there are still people in this world who are passionate about making the world a more vibrant place through innovative and amazing handcrafted goodness. These folks aren't in it for the money (heaven knows it isn't much), they are in it because they truly LOVE what they do. I am concerned about the fact that the print media is suffering in today's economy, and that folks have forgotten why writers and "imagineers" are important and worthy of their investment. This my friends is where innovation begins. It begins with a spark, an idea that spreads like wildfire and the investment by others that fan those flames. It is where addicts are created and fed with thought provoking and inspiring content provided by folks who never saw what they do as a "job" but more as a mission to make this world a brighter place. Every single person I met in that booth were passionate crafters themselves. They write from which they know and love and draw content from the things that inspire them to take their own personal crafting to the next level..... my kind of people. I encourage all to check out Craft Stylish for themselves.

Collecting Specimens

My bulletin board is full of sticky notes and business cards strategically placed as gentle reminders to follow through. I laughed the other day when my son asked me if this was my collection. I suppose I need to clarify a bit. My middle child is a collector. He collects stones, bugs, random things from outside (we had to limit them to not living things after the frog in the bed fiasco...poor frog), and of course anything shiny. I have given him more old cigar boxes to house his collections than I ever imagined humanly possible over the years. His room is more museum than bedroom and I sincerely could not imagine it any other way. His observation of my cork board made me think.

As business folks we do our fair share of collecting. We collect receipts, contacts, clients... our own little specimen boxes. The thought occurred to me- specimen boxes only contain stagnant....not moving.... things. Did I want my rolodex, those cards on my corkboard to be nothing more than a specimen? Networking and business isn't about collecting, it is about learning from and interacting with those names on the cards. It is about being active and engaging. I decided at that moment that my rolodex would be a living breathing collection not sitting there for posterity sake.

American Idol Rock Star

For many, this is probably the last topic you'd ever expect coming from me and on this blog considering the fact that I tend not to watch much television however, The American Idol Rock Star is the perfect analogy for art and the business of making a living while creating... Seriously, ANYONE can be a star these days.

I find it fascinating that business folks do not get that it isn't about networks inasmuch as adoring fans that speak of your praises (tip of my hat to Seth Godin and his Fabulous book "Tribes" for the insight). Adoring fans can say things about you that etiquette would deem inappropriate if you did it yourself. Rock stars, you know, the real ones, can get away with pretty much everything but, the new and upcoming depend on the mob, their masses of fans to talk about them to achieve stardom... once they are there, they can speak for themselves (that's when it's hard to get them to stop talking methinks.... another post, another time). How is art any different? What art sells better.... the one hanging on the gallery wall with the artist standing next to it looking stoic and misunderstood or the art on the wall with a total stranger glowing about the intricacies and complexity of the piece? Who do you think will sell the piece? Who do you think has more credibility... the guy who has a motive to sell it or the guy who has no vested interest in it but just likes it? Think about that for a minute. Rock Stars allow their branding to be hijacked by the mob. They let the mob promote them and stay out of their way while they talk them up in their circles of friends and spheres of influence. My question is, what are you doing to create a fan base in your world? I will give you a hint, it isn't about you, it's about them.... what are you doing to make them WANT to be your fan?

Overachiever

Why do we hate to say the word "overachiever"... For me, I think it stems back to the brutal Middle School years when if you did something excellent, you know got 100% on a test, went above and beyond on a project, did something outside of school that was noteworthy, you were scorned and stamped with the nerdy and oh so not cool moniker.... "Overachiever". Funny how all the "overachievers" I went to school with ended up doing amazing things when they grew up and have gone on to be very successful individuals.

I began to wonder today why it is that excellence and the pursuit of it is such a demonized attribute and on the flip side, why mediocrity and being status quo is so openly revered and accepted. It is hard to be different, it takes courage to think above and beyond, buck common sensibilities and culturally accepted forays, and, well, it takes work. I am beginning to think deep down that laziness is the root cause of so much. It's not that humans are incapable of thinking big thoughts and doing great things, it is just that it takes a lot of hard work, determination, and perseverance to follow through and do those things. And, truly, we humans always choose the path of least resistance thus, we tend to be armchair quarterbacks instead of getting on the field, taking the hits, and working hard to win the game.

There is nothing wrong with being excellent or setting the bar high. Excellence spurs creativity and others to think big thoughts and do great things. Stop thinking small and doing the things just to merely get by, get to work and change the world.

Soda Pop

Sugary sodas rot your teeth as does sweet talking smoke blown up your skirt in the form of flattery...if it's too good to be true, it usually is.

I wonder if folks would continue to drink the stuff they do if the ingredients were plain and simple and not the chemical names....like, "this stuff actually eats away the enamel from your teeth due to the acid content or this stuff is known to cause cancer in lab rats....." Would you buy it if it were all in writing like that? Perhaps, after all, we do buy medication peddled on television with side effects rambled off in a non-threatening way all the time. I suppose it really is the way it is said that tends to make us let our guard down in a way.

So, where am I going with this.... How many times do we buy into the sugary sweet words and promises made by folks liking our work and in that moment of elation (they love me, they really love me) we give away all our thoughts and plans and even show off the portfolio and such without getting that ever important Non-Disclosure signed first. Trust me here folks, I have done this and you know what, those folks happily looked at my ideas and ran with them... It is so easy to trust folks who are passionate about your work but, like my grandmother always said, good fences make good neighbors. That little piece of paper spells out all expectations there in black and white and protects you and your work as well as defines what is expected of those looking at your work, reminding them that this is your livlihood and your business. NDA's effectively neutralize all the sweet talk right then and there and take the emotion right out of the decision. As an artist or a person buying artwork for use in a professional way, it is in your best interest to set the guidelines right from the get go. I guarantee people who are worth their salt will find no problem with a NDA being presented before that portfolio is even cracked open. I'd be cautious about folks and companies who never bring it up in conversation because like those sugary sodas, they taste good but are full of stuff that will bring us harm later on.

Is it *Just* Business?

"Business is business". My question is, what is the "business" they refer to in this commonly heard quote? Is it the prerequisite folks say as to not feel guilty before doing something they know may or may not hurt someone else but, that they do  anyway because it is in their own personal best interest irrelevant of how it affects others? Is it permission to stick the proverbial screw to someone else in a veiled 1-800-justify that says, "Well, I had no choice...."?

Children learn business skills (in their many forms) young. I think I learned negotiation skills at my parent's sides as we tooled down the market aisle ways as I would try to make the case as to why my folks should buy me something...wink... I remember one time when my Mom had said "No" when I had asked for a treat. I felt my reasoning was justified, her reasoning was flawed, and I opened the king sized candy bars (handing one to my brother as well) and took a bite despite of it.....yes, I had a tougher backside after that day I suppose but, the lesson is something I will never forget. At the time I did not realize that my decision had really impacted our whole family in that my Mom had the shopping list down to the penny and was forced to give up something else on the list to pay for my indiscretion. Our choices do have consequences whether we are aware of them or not. "It's just business" does not erase the consequence just because you say it.

As with all other industries, there are some unscrupulous folks in the arts and crafting industry that have used similar "justifications" to renig on deals and outright steal others ideas, concepts, and designs...saying that it isn't an act against Designers and Artists personally but, that it is just a business decision. "Sorry we told you we loved your ideas and then decided to create our own versions of your thoughts so we wouldn't have to pay for yours...you were just charging a fee that wasn't free and we just didn't have the money. You are just so talented and we are thankful for your support. You understand right, it's just business..." Yup, I understand we'll be eating Mac and Cheese for another month while you hope on that jet to Bermuda courtesy of the ideas I gave you and that made you a ton of money yet, you could not pay for thank you very much. I know this post is dripping with irony and snarkiness but, let me tell you, this happens everyday, all over the world and it makes me very angry. People deserve to be paid for their work and their contribution....period.

One of my students called me up to share with me a story that would make any sane person's stomach turn. She is a struggling single Mom with 2 middle schoolers and she spent a great deal of time creating concepts, discussing ideas, and formulating the marketing plans for a well known company. Non Disclosures had been signed and she truly believed she was a partner in the process until the moment the plug was pulled, the project re-named and bundled into an existing project, and she was left with a pat on the back for her willingness to "help". I felt so sorry for her and hearing the desperation in her sobbing made my heart break.

I am not saying that companies are not entitled to earn money nor that they should not be allowed to profit from their ventures. If all Designer's had the ability to pay for their ideas on their own and had the willingness to risk their own capital on an idea, this wouldn't be an issue. Conducting business assumes that risks will be taken and, companies assume the risk of losses (as well as gains) every time they invest in a product or service they bring to market. However, not paying folks for their contribution is stealing. Not living up to their end of the bargain and going back on their word under the guise of "this is just business" is wrong. 

Old and New

I love reading How Magazine and I always seem to find some nugget in the commentary that gets me wondering about what it is we are doing and where we are going not only as an industry, but as a culture and as the human race. There was an article about returning back to handmade that caught my eye that spoke of what I had dealt with a few days prior perfectly.

I had taught a class and had a student tell me that they did not need to bother to learn to draw because everything is on the computer and that computer graphics are the way of the future.... I reminded him about the Apollo 8 mission when all the computers failed and the men aboard actually had to know how all those computers worked and do the calculations sans technology to get back home....

I am seeing a growing trend of people who are looking for things that are less manufactured and more unique and a group of up and coming kids that do not know how to, for lack of a better term, do it the old fashioned way without technology or clip art and stock photos to help them. This is a rude awakening of sorts. We have made everything so mechanical that the human element is almost completely stripped out of the equation. Our products and materials are comprised of a bunch of manufactured layers as opposed to having a foundation of something original.

My Grandmother gave me this hand stitched piece of linen that is literally hundreds of years old. She had mounted it on a piece of printed fabric from the local craft store using a sewing machine. I looked at it hanging on my wall and thought how easy it was to blend the handiwork of the old and combine it with the new to get a complete finished piece. The only caveat is, one really needs to know and understand the primitive form of sewing before they can take advantage of the technology that makes it easier (the sewing machine) to blend the two or else both pieces could get ruined in the process....

Generations

I have been contemplating the importance of generational crafting. With CHA being a just a few weeks away and the themes concentrating on children, I have been thinking  lot about why it is I chose this path in terms of my own career and what it is that "breeds" crafters in general.

When I was a child, I learned at the feet of my grandmother how to sew, weave, quilt, paint, bead, and knit. My first embroidery was at 4 years old (like my daughter pictured here) and I used the real needles....the ones that pricked your finger if you were not careful. I thought about the fact that I played regularly with "choking hazards" and used the good paints and paint brushes up in Grandma's studio. The key was that I was supervised and my Grandmother spent the time to sit over me, teaching me every step of the way.

I think the point that our industry is forgetting is the fact that "addicts" are created in apprentice situations not by seeing a cool graphic on the box with fuzzy instructions inside. If a child is guided to appreciate the wonder of perfect tension in knitting or the value of higher quality paper or dense pigments from the get go, they are going to grow up to be adults that not only appreciate fine art when they see it but, they are going to be able to see the many uses of something sitting there on the shelf while wandering through a craft store. I owe my Grandmother a debt of gratitude for all the amazing things she taught me; things that could never be learned by following pictures in a manual or a book. I am grateful that my children have a great-grandmother who takes the time to teach them in the same way.

Getting Noticed

I had a wonderful conversation today with one of my students about getting noticed in the scrapbooking industry. She came to me with her portfolio filled with lay-outs she had created using sketches from various magazines and online galleries. It was beautiful work but, I asked her where her stuff was. There was a weird silence for a bit and then she said, "Well, I haven't seen the kind of stuff I do in the magazines...." Holy smokes Batman, did you hear the same thing I did? I immediately asked her to see that stuff because it would be the first thing I would like to see if I were an editor looking for fresh and innovative content. In this industry, CONTENT is king. The folks with "never been seen stuff" are the ones editors clamber over themselves to find. My advice to her in parting was, be the bright RED spot in the black and white world of print.

Thinking about Art

Where does art come from? Is it from your heart or from in your head? There is a reason I ask this....

The first question I have for folks that ask me about how to sell their art here or there is, "what do you want from this adventure?" I can tell you, if it is all about earning a few extra ducats to spend on that handbag and pair of shoes you have been lusting after, your artwork will almost guaranteed have more of a commercial vibe to it (you are after all thinking of the things you can buy once it is sold, not about the work itself). I say this because I, like others I know, have VERY personal pieces that are off limits and no amount of money could entice me to part with them. They are not my best works, or even the prettiest but, they are significant in that the represent thoughts and memories that are raw and from my soul- they are from my heart. The pieces I sell are thoughtful (at least I hope) in nature but, are not things I have an emotional attachment to- they have been designed from start to finish in my head with no real emotional investment (unless I managed to singe something or wreck something important in the process) for the purpose of being sold- I am afterall trying to earn a living creating right? As an artist or designer, one really has to be able to let go and move on when a piece has been purchased and, most importantly feel good about the transaction- it was a fair exchange. I know this sounds like one of those "duh" moments here but, trust me, there will come a day when you make something and there is a pang of guilt in your heart when you hike up the price for no other reason other than it was made with your favorite discontinued paint color, and you used your last drop on that canvas.... I know, irrational and totally not business like but, it *was* the most magnificent shade of red.

I saw this sculpture today and it really personified my thoughts about this art from the heart versus art from the head thing. I hope it gets you thinking too.

MegaMeet is around the corner.....

Here is a sneak peek of  one of the three projects I will be teaching at MegaMeet this year....I am giddy. It is hard to imagine that this is actually felt..... amazing what a few scraps of paper, fabric strips and white out correction tape can make huh?

Almost Back to Normal

For folks involved in the Arts and Crafting Industry, this is the busiest time of the year. New products, *the* convention (CHA) and following up with all the folks you met in that sleep deprived state at the show. I say almost normal because the day I am ever "normal" is the day I hang up my paintbrushes and find something else to do.

The discussions on the various boards today are all about what to do after a big convention and how to capitalize on the contacts you made and maximize the potential profits (both in networking and in dinero on the ole' balance sheet in the plus column). Creating for a living is no different than any other business. There is an exchange of products or services of value- be it ideas, actual art, products, or valuable alliances. One thing of perceived value for another. I find it fascinating that folks tend to forget sound economic principles and business basics 101 when it comes to the designer world. Put on your customer hat for a moment....what makes you tick, what are the things that keep you coming back to the places you spend your resources (time or money, don't forget that time IS an asset too), what is it that makes you feel special and that your have a good return on your investment? Yup, it is about the people- not the product, not the sale, not anything else you can think of. At the end of the day, it is about the people who invest in you and your business, the people who help you, and the people who you have in your quiver of friends that tell you like it is.....(yes that bathing suit makes you look fat, no you should not date him, and no way is that even remotely smart- you are just joking about that time share in the Everglades right?) Write thank you notes, be prompt, help folks and remember to Pay It Forward.