Advice where you least expect it

Today I talked with an art dealer. About making a living from art.

He was very generous with his advice, and set me the following homework:

1. Have my work professionally photographed
2. Document each work's title, size, media
3. Write my biography in 2-3 paragraphs
4. Make a website to show off my work & myself
5. Produce a printed booklet of a selection of my work to give to dealers
6. Email him when all this is done and he'll critique my efforts

He called this the transition from "crafty" to "fine art", and discussed how this change in level of finish would help me to engage with serious art dealers - and that this was the way to meet the kind of market that could make my work generate an income.

I guess it all comes down to how seriously I take myself and my work, and how much I want to let those finished works out into the world to find a home with someone else.

Quilting to fix my mind _ _ _

I've just noticed a fascinating trend in my quilting.

Over the last three months, i've spent much more time quilting than piecing - many works have been getting to that happy state known as 'finished'

In almost every case, the design qualities of the quilting have been a visual representation of what i *needed* to rebalance my emotional or mental state. When i've been low or sad, my quilting has been bouyant and vigorous. When I've been agitated, the lines have been smooth and simple. When i've been irrational, they have been a calm
reinforcement of the top design.

While making the design decisions, i only thought about what each quilt needed to complete it. I think i've been subconsciously choosing *which* project to work on depending on what kind of work will help my mental state. This really is art as therapy, and is a very happy discovery.

Key lesson: it's probably a very good idea to have a variety of projects to work on at any time, so I'm free to select the one that is what i need at the time

another finish ... with no photo

Finn's African scene quilt is finnished and gifted. I hear his big
sister has taken possession of it already. That sounds like success
to me! Living in hope that my colleague, his Papa, will bring me a
photo of him enjoying it.

When is your wardrobe like a quilt?

i've just had a fabulously successful clothes shopping expedition. The
key difference was treating my body like a quilt composition. All the
same concepts of balance, repetition, scale, proportion and colour
added up to a fun time putting together wonderful outfits.
Surprisingly friendly to the bank balance too!