Sunday, February 08, 2009

8th February 2009 - Who's made a mark this week?

Tuesday 3rd February - Adebanji Alade painting South London in the snow

The snow! That's what made a mark in the UK this week. I know there's lots of places in the world which get far worse snow than we did - but just imagine, if you will, what it would feel like for you if your area has just had the worst snow for 18 years! I know all the kids noticed! :)

Lots of people were out taking photographs and videoing the reaction of their pets to snow - but here's a selection of artists blogging about snow in the UK this week. I'm starting with a couple of artists who erected their easels in the snow!
Beloved children's book illustrator Randolph Caldecott once said, "the fewer the lines, the less error committed."
The Ecology Park Pond Series - #7 - Moor Hen Pond from the roof of the Ecology Centre (2nd February 2009)
copyright Katherine Tyrrell
whereas
while "downunder" in Sydney Australia Liz Steel (Liz on Flickr) is writing and sketching about how it's too hot to go out sketching again on Urban Sketchers!

Art Blogs
Art Group Blogs

Urban Sketchers has a new feature - the Flickr Fave which is regular feature highlighting the work from contributors to Urban Sketchers on Flickr. Art Business and Marketing
A number of artists have been asking about the current economic downturn. More than anything, they want to know what's going to happen to us creative spirits. While I'm no economist, there's evidence of a hard truth.

Art follows money.
  • At the end of the week I created a couple of new information sites in the "selling your art online" series. Judging by the comments I've been getting from people these are a welcome addition to existing information. The new sites are:
  • The Artspan Blog has a couple of posts about
  • This is a ning community for Art Fair Insiders - I don't know anything about it, feedback would be appreciated. It says it's an "Art Fair network for artists exhibiting at juried fine art fairs and art festivals. Info on best craft shows, call for entries nationwide." This is their discussion forum
  • Market Insider has a strapline which says it's the craft artists' guide to the business of selling to galleries, museum shops and retail stores. It's previously been run as a newsletter and has converted to a blog - but I'm wondering if they're struggling to get into the blogging habit. Posts have been good but sparse.
  • The Wholesale Matters blog is currently running a series of 100 small actions - all aimed at improving business. They're a bit sparse - along the lines of 'do it' rather than 'how to do it' - but they're all generally good ideas. Here are 100 small actions #1-38. Again the blog seems to have stalled.
  • One of the small actions which I noted - as I'd not come across it before is HARO (Help a Reporter Out ) run by Peter Shankman (Peter Shankman) - which is a service which has won awards. The idea is that it connectes up reporters seeking information with people who can provide an 'on-topic' constructive response. If you subscribe you get an email in your inbox three times a day and I guess the response is to write a blog post about the topic in question and then send a link by way of a reply.
  • This is thought provoking post from Seth Godin The customer is always wrong
If your art has no market, it's still art. It just might not be a living.
Art exhibitions and juried shows
Tips and techniques
  • I don't know who started this one but I'm using Julie Oakley's blog post Create your own handwriting font which highlights the site in question which is Your Fonts. I'm going to have to try it when I get a minute or 30!
Websites and Blogging
Here are 10 Blogger Best Practices for the social web. These 10 best practices guide me as I write and meet new people on the social web. They help me stay focused on my quest and explain it when people ask. When I remember them, they serve me well. I hope they’ll serve you too.
  • Feedblitz News has an interesting and critical comment - Support Forums: Just Say No - about the use of Support Forums by a number of companies who are generating enough income to do rather better than they do in terms of customer support. I have to say I tend to agree.
And finally......

For all those who made a New Year's Resolution to try and shift some weight, I'd just like to record that as at the Saturday night weigh-in last night I've lost twelve and half pounds since New Year's Day!!! Which I think means I'm losing weight at around two and little bit pounds per week which seems like a sensible sort of weight loss rate.

I just hope it continues!

Is anybody else having similar success?

6 comments:

  1. Adebanji's post was definitely, for me, the highlight of the week - what an inspiration he is! He never wastes an opportunity to make art!

    Point 3 on the list from the Successful Blog made no sense to me I'm afraid.

    Congratulations on the weight loss Katherine, I know it's not easy!

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  2. Not only have I not lost an ounce, I'm just baking a Date & Walnut Loaf. Now you've set such a wonderful example, I will limit myself to one slice! Congratulations, Katherine that really is a fantastic effort!

    I'm really touched by the mention you've given me this week. Thank you. It's a lovely and generous act of encouragement for me to carry into the printmaking studio next week.

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  3. I havn't lost any of the pounds I wanted to, but I believe I found some of yours. Congratulations on the weight loss.

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  4. Katherine losing those 12+ pounds may be the most important thing you do, ever, good for you, the health ramifications are wonderful. Go into a grocery store and pick up a 10 pound bag of sugar, your heart is no longer supporting that sucker, your heart loves you for this.

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  5. congrats on the weight loss! Want to write more ut physically incapacitated at the moment............

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  6. I am only just seeing this now (I've been out all day and came back late) and really want to thank you for the HIGHlight!!!!

    Also, there are a number of bits and pieces of information HERE that make me feel I have visited a gold mine!

    Keep it up Katherine, ever faithful, ever sure!!!

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