A picture of true love. 

Why is this bookcase, newly installed in my office, a picture of love?  Because husband drove the van not once, but 3 x (one unfruitful visit) over the Thomas Johnson Bridge from Calvert to St Mary’s to pick up the bottom and then the top part of this and then put it all together (it came in nice flat packages).  Carpentry is not his strong suit, he will tell you.  But he is persistant if nothing else and there you have it.  He could have done other things, would rather have done other things, but did this for me so I can start ordering my office – bringing my books back in from the shed, getting books out of the closet where they have resided since we decided to sell the house.  I am happy to be able to see my books.  It gives me great comfort.

Am posting the results here of browsing this morning looking for information on marketing art.  Tried google and google blogs and didn’t come up with much (including any reference to my blog here, so perhaps those aren’t the proper keywords).  At any rate, here is what the web has to say and tomorrow I will post my own ideas (which may or may not agree with what’s here)(here’s a past one of mine on publicity). 

Professional Growth, The Business of Art

http://www.artquotes.net/directory/1artbusiness.htm

Welcome to the World of Art:  It’s Not Science

The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing (Art Marketing 101 Series)

The truth is that Art has a business side just like anything else when you’re trying to sell.  If you’re it – administration, finance, marketing, sales – it doesn’t hurt to gather other people’s ideas, cull them, toss what doesn’t fit, keep what might work.  Yep – you have to try it out and see what fits after you’ve culled.  And if you find the secret to marketing all your art, all the time at every show – please let me know, because I’m still looking (although I am noticing that the high end is selling as well as the low end, which is amazing to me!  Is it because I have enough work locally – the only place I do shows – that people see it all the time and are more comfortable with investing?  Is it because shows have their own energy (I don’t think so)).  This makes me happy as I want to make the larger work anyways.  Have I mentioned that I am getting tired of fish?  Poor things.  Not their fault.  I’m just done with them for right now.

thought for the day: Much of our stress comes from mentally living out of our own business.  When I think, "You need to get a job, I want you to be happy, you should be on time, you need to take better care of yourself," I am in your business.  When I’m worried about earthquakes, floods, war, or when I will die, I am in [the business of the Universe.]  If I am mentally in your business or in {the Universe’s} business the effect is separation….If you are living your life and I am mentally living your life, who is here living mine?  We’re both over there.  Being mentally in your business keeps me from being present in my own.  I am separate from myself, wondering why my life doesn’t work.  Byron Katie, Loving What Is:  Four Questions that can change your life