Category Archives: The Business of Being an Artist

Dusting Off the Mental Cobwebs

Posted on July 17, 2012 | 1 comment

Last week I finished unpacking my studio and starting working on several new artists’ books. They’re ideas I’ve had floating around during moving and recovery and, finally, I’m ready to get back to work. After months of getting a house ready to sell, moving for the first time in 15 years, and then having a hysterectomy and recovering from that –  I finally feel like I once again have the physical and mental energy I need to dedicate to being an artist.

First, I had to start the week by beating myself up mentally. Why on earth didn’t I write/create/develop ideas while recovering? All I was doing was lying around, right?

Next, I had to forgive myself. Apparently I needed all of the energy I had just to heal. I wish I could have used that time more productively (I don’t think watching 63 episodes of Eureka counts as productive) but for some reason I couldn’t. I tried.

And finally, I’m dusting off the cobwebs (and my tools) and starting anew. I’ve started working on images for one of the new artists’ books. Family and friends are gamely standing against a white while for photos while wondering what on earth I’m going to do with them.

Photoshop is less intuitive right now – I know I used to know how to do all of this. I’ve started taking photographs every day – Oh, how I love to take pictures!  So far mostly of my garden growing and some jam I made this morning.

I’ve hooked up my new printer, a Canon iX6520 (all by myself, no husband-who-is-an-engineer-tech-support!) and I’ve started testing it. My beloved HP that I’ve used to print all of my artists’ books went kaput and I feel like I’m back at square one. Can I use pages I’ve already printed with pages from the new printer? Do I have to start over? Will this printer print on Rives BFK as beautifully as that old printer?

And I’ve started working in my studio. I’ll post photos of the studio later this week. Right now I’ve got the radio cranked up and I’m remembering how to hold a bone folder and being grateful for my health, for being able to find most things where I look on the first try, and for my amazing new workspace.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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Studio Update: Let There Be Drywall

Posted on January 29, 2012 | 4 comments

A quick studio update. We have drywall!

And chicken-wire. Sadly that will probably be the only chicken-wire in our yard. Despite lobbying for nearly 6 months I’m making no progress in getting Greg to agree that chickens would be a nice addition to our brood of four kitties. Fresh eggs for breakfast doesn’t seem to be enough incentive. I think I’m making progress on the a-puppy-would-sure-be-nice front, though. Stay tuned.

The front door is on the left. The closed door on the right is to the bathroom. (You can get to the bathroom via an inside door, as well.) I’m looking forward to being able to make cyanotypes and paper in the patio behind the studio and take all that wet, messy and wonderful stuff straight into the sink. No more trekking it through the studio.)

The bottom photo is a tradition Greg and I started nearly 13 years ago when we met. We take shadow pictures wherever we go. (It warms my heart that now my niece, Samantha, takes shadow pictures everywhere, too.) The thing in Greg’s hand is a tape measure. We seem to be measuring everything these days.

I’ve also started space planning and I’ll tell you some more about the books and software that I’m using for inspiration and planning in a blog post or two later this week.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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Happy New Year! What Are Your Art Resolutions?

Posted on January 2, 2012 | 2 comments

I hope you had a lovely holiday season! Greg and I are fortunate to live close to both of our families so we had plenty of family events as well as some much-needed rest after working 24/7 on house and yard projects. We even took off an entire day to watch movies – we managed to fit in five – for my birthday.

But, its January 2nd and time to get back to the real world. I’ve been thinking a lot about my New Year’s resolutions and, more importantly, how to make realistic ones given that we are packing, getting a house ready to sell, and moving – only to start unpacking and decorating a new house and, even more fun – setting up a new studio. Is it realistic to do all that and create art, too?

After hemming and hawing and making ambitious lists and crossing everything out again, I’ve decided to commit to the following New Year’s Art Resolutions:

1. I will spend at least 2 hours almost every day making art. Whether it is working on a new artists’ book, taking photographs, doing post-production work, producing an edition or just playing with materials. Sure, once the move is over it will be a lot more than 2 hours, but if I can just keep that window open for creativity almost every day – despite packing up my studio, I’ll call that a win.

2. I’ll keep a daily journal to jot down thoughts for my art – even if I don’t have time to work on it right now – I don’t want to lose the ideas! More importantly the journal doesn’t have to be fancy, artistic or, even worse, perfect. It just needs to keep ideas in one (findable) place.

3. I will not stash everything in my studio in boxes just to get it packed and done. I will clean it out as I go and find homes for items that I don’t love any more. I’ll offer supplies to my artist friends, the kid’s schools and Freecycle. Only supplies I love and find inspiring will go with me to my new studio. By investing this time now, I’ll have freedom to create later.

4. I will make new mid-year resolutions once the move is over. Yes, right now moving to a new house and a new studio feels all-consuming, but this too will pass. There needs to be a point where I get back to my regular art-making practices. The sooner the better.

Are you making Art Resolutions for the New Year? I’d love to see them. Please share yours in the comments.

Happy New Year to you and your family.

~Ginger

www.gingerburrell.com

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