Just read both Anna's great little bit (from Sept 23) about her old art store job, and the NYTimes article that sparked her memories, and I am sitting here thinking that I don't know an artist who HASN'T worked as a clerk in an art supply store. Maybe I'm wrong.

A couple years ago when a writing job fell through, I started working a few days a week selling brushes and paints and papers. I've done a lot of retail work in my day and all of it helps give me the human contact I need as I aim to make art that connects (or maybe that's how I rationalize?).

At the art store, I was able to save enough money on supplies with my discount that I went off on my residency with fancy new colors and brushes...I found myself considering more materials and reading more product labels when it was slow in the art store, and I did try a few new directions. Most of the people I worked with were artists, but the bosses weren't.

It's funny to me how in smaller communities (not Atlanta, San Fran or NY) the art stores have a little less artist attitude (in what other retail field would it be OK for a store to display a book of satirical drawings and insults of customers?) and a little more of a craft store, strip mall feel...

So, any artists care to share how their time spent working in an art supply store changed their work? I'm curious.

Now for something completely different, a nice web gallery of Women printers, book-makers, and whatnot at Princeton . Lots of time this weekend for exploring, painting, and writing...

take care,
Rachael

My magic and wacky surprise trip to Cincinnati won't happen. Oh well. I didn't really move to Rochester to take trips to chin-chin-atti and having the weekend means that I can paint and write and read and think and take walks and maybe even write letters. Sure, it stinks to go from feeling like a jet-setting art star back to a work-a-day creative troublemaker but...that's the reality.

In other realities, here are a couple of good things to look at and think about:

an interesting article about Marjane Satrapi is at NYFA

Olana sure looks magical

I suppose there are only as many magical things as one has time or patience to see. There is a pile of books and a watercolor set that I see and am drawn towards now. So I'll go.

take care,
Rachael

Below is my blurry picture of the painting that is in Cincinatti, see it if you can get to the Delta Business Elite lounge.

I've started taking a short writing class in which a large focus is helping each other get our stuff out and it occurred to me that there are probably painters out there who do not kno0w about these two great opportunities for funding. Well, make it three if I remind everyone about the October first deadline for full fellowships at the Vermont Studio Center .

So here are the other 2 Oct. 1st opportunities for painters...

The George and Helen Segal Foundation is accepting applications for grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 for painters only. Applications may be found on our website segalfoundation.org or you may contact us at Segal Foundation, 136 Davidson's Mill Rd., N Brunswick, NJ 08902. The deadline for submission is October 1, 2004.

Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts

The Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts, Inc. is a private foundation whose primary purpose is to support individual artists, working in paint, who demonstrate exceptional creative ability.

Eligibility: Professional artists, 25 years of age or older, working in paint.

General Restrictions: The Foundation will not accept applications from commercial artists. It does not make grants to students or fund academic study. It does not support photography or installations. The Foundation will not fund travel expenses or pay for the cost of commissions or projects ordered by others. (Refer to application.)

Deadline: Complete applications must be postmarked October 1. FAXed or electronically submitted applications will not be accepted.

The Selection Process: The selection of applicants to receive an award will be made by a committee consisting primarily of artists and art professionals of distinction. The committee’s criteria will focus on innovative uses of paint and quality of work. The committee meets in mid-October. The Foundation Board of Directors will approve final funding recommendations. Award announcements will be made in December.

Requirements For Individual Artists: Individual artists must submit (6 ) 35mm color slides of the highest quality, representing permanent work in the visual arts. Send only duplicate slides as they will not be returned. Slides must be in a full sized 8 ½ inch plastic sheet and accompanied by a one page slide list: numbered, titled, dated, medium, size and top indicated. Refer to application download for additional information.

Disclaimer: The Golden Foundation assumes no responsibility for lost, misdirected, illegible, late entries or postage due entries.

Individual Artist Checklist:
• A one page typed narrative
• A one page budget, including the amount requested
• Six color slides in plastic sheet and slide list
• Signed, completed application form

Mailing Instructions:
Please send your signed, completed application package to:
Foundation Director
The Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts, Inc.
188 Bell Road, New Berlin, NY 13411 USA

Questions:
Artists requiring any additional information or assistance in submitting the application form or
procedure for application, may write, fax, phone or email Lucy Tower Funke, Foundation Director, at the Golden Foundation Office.

info@goldenfoundation.org.

Now that I have satisfied myself that this is a useful blog entry, I can babble a bit about how I think the marketing to new mothers crap at Babies R Us and similar monster stores is ridiculously out of control, how I am headed to Cincinnati this week to help promote Vinum some more, and how, the chill in the air and the start of the school year are such welcome treats. Yea, fall! Makes me want to get more of these oranges, reds and yellows.

Now, go make those October first deadlines and take care...
Rachael

If I was still in Atlanta, I'd be off to see...

New Work by Karen Tauches
at the Grand Opening of Little Sparrow Floral Design
Friday, September 24 5:30-9pm
1185 Virginia Avenue (next to Cortex)

ARTIST STATEMENT: invisible constituents                       

Forest spaces hold formidable magic.  I believe Atlanta is built on such magic energy, for at one time—not that long ago—it was all trees and Indians and animals.
I live in Ormewood Park, a fairly green neighborhood. For 6 years I have lived next to a five and a half acre lot of city forest which was recently sold to make 26 brand new Victorian cluster homes. With not even a week’s notice, we fought with developers and developer-friendly neighborhood associations, and in the end lost this treasured space without any significant concessions. Business is business. And this land is too valuable to be left for the birds.
In my sorrow for what is about to be erased, I have documented this particular space with photography and then added the invisible parts—the birds, the rainbows, the moths, the orbs of energy.  I am not suited for politics. But one of the things I do have of value to society is the stubborn power of my imagination. I proudly illustrate a reality that business often misses: the fantastic and the free.
The showing of this artwork marks the opening of a floral design business called Little Sparrow.  This common bird is known for its assertiveness and adaptive survival skills. It has often been associated with those who keep an air of dignity in the presence of dominating power.  Both floral arrangement and commercial art are businesses that can remind us of the natural world, while comfortably and romantically removing the wildness.

By the way, I've heard lots of nice compliments lately on my art. If anyone wants to support my art and get some pretty stuff I just found my cafepress store again (kinda forgot it was there for a while, woops...will be updating soon).

take care,
Rachael

On Saturday and Sunday I ran around at a very busy community arts festival , trying to tell as many people as possible about the arts classes available. Funny but true that even within the tent city created by 600 vendors, I heard a lot of "Oh I can't possibly make art myself", "I can't draw", "Not me", but the kids were not worried about the product. Give a kid a lump of clay and she'll make a giraffe if she wants to.

It's true. I saw it. The little girl was adorable, the clay turned out pretty giraffy.

I have no clay giraffes for you but I am freshly inspired by my writing class, by David Byrne, by my zippy new shoes , by Saul Steinberg's memories of Romania , and by the possibility of a kamikaze trip to Cincinnati and, yes, by giraffes .

The true truth of arts classes and writing classes and bowling classes and any other kind of after-work, after-hours kind of education you seek out because you know you need it and you think you might even be able to do it (make work people want to see, write something someone wants to read, bowl a 300 game) is that you can. Have an idea, put hard work behind it, be diligent, be kind and...clay becomes giraffe.



take care,
Rachael