Prose Tile: I believe I can, hand made ceramic tile, 6"t x 4"w, by Tammy Vitale, $22
I’m having a contest! And you can win this lovely Prose Tile if you are the winner.
Are you excited?
Well, as you know I’m going away for a week and I was going to prepost a week’s worth of blogs and guess what, I didn’t. And won’t. Instead I’m going to get my toes done.
So instead, I’ll run this contest and let you do some work for me that I have been trying to do for myself: come up with my 10 second elevator speech. It’s harder than you think. Because this speech (about 30 words long if you aren’t into timing it) is supposed to hook the listener into asking more questions while you get enough about the art you create through to them to hook them. 30 words (or so).
My latest version is: I make art from clay in all sizes, from tiles to torsos to architectural murals, that creates a sense of place and encourages contemplation.
This comes after:
1. My art is meant to remind you of who you have always wanted to be, of the power that is yours for the asking.
2. I work in wet earth, fire it, sometimes glaze it. It all bears the imprint of my own hands, reflects energy that yearns to move from idea to entity.
3. Always fascinated by aspects of the divine feminine, I have begun concentrating on faces and torsos, mastering technique so that I can concentrate on spirit.
4. I follow the energy of the divine feminine and the storyteller to create spaces where new things come into view, depending on where you stand.
and several others, but you see I’m all over the place. So I’ve decided to come to you, who are looking at the work. If you had just met me, what could I say to you (or to anyone) that would tell you about my work and make you want to know more?
Now then – I will not choose the winner until October 5, and you will not hear from me until probably October 2nd. So you’ll have to spark each other. You can enter as many times as you feel like it.
Here are some older posts you might enjoy browsing (space them out and you’ll have a new one every day!)
Sculptor as Blogger: Learning Curve (my very first post ever on this blog)
Push and Shove (where "thought for the day" showed up for the first time)
13 Comments
Oh, and I got so caught up in the speech that I forgot to tell you that I gave you an award! Come on over to my blog and check it out…
I'm going to have to think on this elevator speech. Brevity is not always my strong suit. Love the colors on the tile!
Okay, here goes:
"I mold pieces of Earth. With clay, color, and form I capture the powerful spiritual Divine spark that resides in each of us."
I think I would feel captured by your latest version which I find very clear and simple. I also would be happy to have a beautiful business card as suggested by Christy on quality paper and with a good photograph! picturing one of your works, torso or tile etc;
Andrea
PS We miss you;)
Ooh, I like Sara Leeland's entry better than mine.
I think you have a winner with one of your own entries slightly modified:
I'm a sculptor. I like getting my hands muddy in wet clay, then shaping it into beautiful forms –it's like making a solid, earthy poem.
************
So then this listener is going to ask what kinds of things you make.
…..and if you write poetry too.
You don't need to capture all that in the 30 second response.
Okay. Here's my entry:
I work with clay; wet earth which I mold, mark, glaze, fire and adorn. It's a quest to find the goddess energy inherent in the gifts surrounding us.
I am posting this comment so that perhaps my email will update on this site. We'll see.
I too am going to mull over this elevator speech. I'm afraid my personal elevator speech would require around 27 floors uninterrupted. But then, some people would say I talk too much!
Wishing you a happy vacation, complete with your new Ipod, many new contacts and art sales, and pretty toes (everything seems to go better with a pedicure).
I'm going to have to mull over the elevator speech, and come back for that part.
Thank you again for the blog love – I'm sorry I'm so behind. Your new work looks soulfully beautiful, as always.
Happy out-of-towning! xox
If I'd just met you in an elevator and the fact that you're an artist came up, my natural question would be, "Oh really? What do you do?" (meaning what sorts of things do you make). It's tough to find a blurb that would mean all you want it to – especially without seeing your work. There's some interesting phrases in your statements but they don't bring up many mental images. I'd suggest some business cards with a great photo of one of your pieces for one thing so you can whip it out and say, "See, like this…" And then you could offer to let them keep the card and it would be an intro for further conversation.
Anyway, I'm assuming you need a statement that you can say naturally and with enthusiasm… Which is REALLY hard to come up with. 🙂 But here's a shot, trying to use some of your own thoughts:
I'm a sculptor/artist, I get my hands muddy with wet clay. Lately, I've been concentrating on the female form, trying to capture a different spirit in each torso I sculpt. It's like creating solid poetry – using shape, texture and color instead of words.
(Then you could go on to mention that you also make tiles, etc. The small, love note phrase on your website is really good).
Now if someone saw your blog over my shoulder and asked about you, I'd just say something like, "Yeah, she makes these great torsos and collaged tiles, and check out those cool fish. I really like the rich colors and she comes up with some surprising combinations."
i hope you'll enjoy your holidays dear…thanks for letting us some substantial food …bye, see you later…
well, i'm going to have to think on this contest thing. (writing those intros are hard!), but just wanted to stop in and say, have a great vacation my dear! xoxox