Which brings me to this point I've been thinking for a while. You know there is this big movement, most vocally in the Julia Cameron/New Age/Oprah universe, to free ourselves from constraints and let the Artist do as s/he pleases. Gazillion writers have called it by gazillion different names, but you know what I mean. Follow the muse; that kind of thing.
Well, my muse hasn't got much of fairy wings. I swear he buzzes around in circles in stale-smelling pin-stripe suits from time to time; I swear he has cheap-cigarette-stained fingers, and is definitely at the end of middle age. He most definitely doesn't dance around in vibrant Nelson colors... And he's a he most of the time. I gotta get me a new muse, or a guardian angel, or whatever one of those...
I've been thinking we (women in particular) probably never had it as easy as we do in many parts of the Western world compared to most of what we know of our history. The society is comparatively affluent, there is much less dire poverty and child mortality, (though I realize we must never forget these exist far more than we think, and surprisingly close by,) and though the middle class is shrinking, I would hazard to guess many of us who weave and blog use an electric washing machine inside our house, for example, rather than trotting off to a nearby river and beating the heck out of our jammies and blankets next to a neighbor washing his/her veggies. You get the gist. Housework have become easy. Gender expectation is less rigid on both the societal and personal levels. There are fewer rituals to observe. We have more options.
I realize I'm extremely privileged. I'm married to a husband with a day job who doesn't mind my art-ing, and though our bank balance has been going south ever since I started, we've not had to default on any payment or do without basics thus far. I just can't buy books (not really a problem) and no holidays or even trips to Wellington (problem!!). We live far away from our family so we are less involved in the day-to-day obligations. And though we have niggles more often than we care, all our limbs and vital body parts are functioning most of the time.
Even my sister (who today goes to her in-laws' to prepare for their New Year's celebrations), let alone Mom and my grandmothers, would seriously question what "constraints" I'm trying to escape from, and could tell me to stop yammering and whining and get on with the job. And they would be fully justified.
I'm not negating the need for us all to free the artistic monsters within. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I've been mentally/psychologically very well, because I see all the things I feel appreciative of, and things that don't go my way, well, I can live with them, or better yet, forget them. I'm also understanding I was sicker than I had thought in the last six or so years, so I'll be learning about that next year. But I've never felt as carefree or optimistic as I do now in a long, long time.
This post was supposed to be a tad more serious about how lucky we are historically, but never mind. I'm going to microwave the last of the Christmas pudding now.
2008/12/30
I'm Trying Not to Think About It...
Included in the last Arts Council newsletter of 2008, as regards the Awards 2009:
Italics in dire red is mine, and there lie my problems... I don't like the mishmashy, indiscriminate layers-for-the-sake-of-layers thing. And I'm so not big on felting, unless there is a good reason. And I don't have a concept. All my thinking thus far has been at the just-using-textile-I-make-so-it's-not-a-shawl level. I know enough to spot the obvious difference, that I'm working backward, but I don't know enough to switch my direction...
What's the difference between conceptual and installation? Do I even want to do conceptual ("not good" in my book) just for the sake of challenging (generally good) myself?
And considering Nelson is known nationally as the birth place of WOW, artists would definitely be starting at the art end and work back to textile. I feel like a minnow in the Pacific. Nah, a cell trying to split from one to two in the Pacific.
* * * * *
And an email I got from Claudia the fashion designer while putting together this post:
"Good luck to you!!
I think I’d start by thinking of what I could do with the coloured cotton wool balls that one uses for make up removal…"
I can't tell if she was being flippant, but this is the kind of "different" I need in my thinking, I guess. Instead of thinking how to show my cloth beautifully. Good Gravy....
Changing Threads
...
Supported by establishment assistance from the Creative Communities Scheme, Arts Council Nelson is pleased to announce that entries are now open for ‘Changing Threads’ a locally based National Fibre Art Award event. The aim of this event is to showcase the use of fibre and textiles in a challenging and more conceptual way from their more general usage.
Background:
The impetus for ‘Changing Threads’ grew out of the communities’ embracement of the Wearable Art Awards concept and the high number of fibre art practitioners in our region. It is hoped that this event will provide our talented local practitioners the opportunity to showcase works in conjunction with the most innovative fibre artists from other parts of New Zealand.
...
The vision is for ’Changing Threads’ to become a highly respected annual event, by aspiring to excellence in the field and providing participatory opportunities and inspiration to practitioners and audiences alike. In so doing it is anticipated to become a vehicle to focus national, and potentially International attention on the region and add value to our creative reputation for residents and visitors alike.
Italics in dire red is mine, and there lie my problems... I don't like the mishmashy, indiscriminate layers-for-the-sake-of-layers thing. And I'm so not big on felting, unless there is a good reason. And I don't have a concept. All my thinking thus far has been at the just-using-textile-I-make-so-it's-not-a-shawl level. I know enough to spot the obvious difference, that I'm working backward, but I don't know enough to switch my direction...
What's the difference between conceptual and installation? Do I even want to do conceptual ("not good" in my book) just for the sake of challenging (generally good) myself?
And considering Nelson is known nationally as the birth place of WOW, artists would definitely be starting at the art end and work back to textile. I feel like a minnow in the Pacific. Nah, a cell trying to split from one to two in the Pacific.
* * * * *
And an email I got from Claudia the fashion designer while putting together this post:
"Good luck to you!!
I think I’d start by thinking of what I could do with the coloured cotton wool balls that one uses for make up removal…"
I can't tell if she was being flippant, but this is the kind of "different" I need in my thinking, I guess. Instead of thinking how to show my cloth beautifully. Good Gravy....
2008/12/29
This is So Nice!
There is one good things about having a Hub who works for an educational institution in NZ - he gets from midday Dec 24 to Jan 2 off without having to use his annual leave. (He also gets the Tuesday after Easter off, but he often works on Good Friday and Easter Sunday so that's not as great. And contrary to popular belief, if you're not on the teaching staff, you don't get all the school holidays off. Polytech tutors never understand that!) Anyhoo, even though I had hoped to finish the many 2008-and-prior unfinished projects, and the garden tidied, and the house cleaned, clearly I was dreaming and not much has been accomplished. Still, we've been having slow days where we make extravagant breakfasts, drink champaign, and in my case, watch hours and hours of my Christmas present.
Ben got me the classic 1968 BBC, Kenneth Clarke's "Civilisation - a Personal View" DVD. I can't remember if I saw this in the US or in Japan, but I do remember being in absolute awe as a bright-eyed student. This long predates the home VCR machines, and I think I caught four or five episodes. TV documentaries have changed quite a bit since 1968 so it's a little awkward and difficult to follow, but the series is like a superb lecture with good visuals, and I'm doubly thrilled as I never thought I'd be able to see it again. Even as a kid I felt television had come of age, and I could look forward to a lifetime of worthwhile programs to enrich my life. I may have been misinformed, but it's wonderful they they've issued the series in a DVD. And here are some trivia: it was the first BBC program in color, and the David Attenborough was a BBC executive who planned the series.
* * * * *
Once in a great while I hear from people who bought my scarves. Nearly a year ago, I heard one of my scarves spent Christmas in Italy, but most often these correspondences occur immediately after the pieces are delivered, not after they've been worn. So it's especially nice to hear, out the blue, that someone loves my scarf, that she loves wearing it! Here's an email I got from Mainz, Germany today. And if you haven't heard lately from someone who appreciates your work, consider this email as intended for all of us who make lovely things:
My house really needs serious cleaning; I started counting the days before Ben goes back to work. Because I had planed the big cleaning for months, I've not been putting things away properly. Now, I can't find stuff, I have to walk around my stuff in practically every room, and I am so grumpy about my mess.
We had a semi-circle in the middle of the living room from the 24th to the 26th; I spent Christmas inside this semi-circle observing the color scheme for my next warp; Ben sat outside it while we watched the doco together. This is why we can't have dogs, or kids...
(There's my sellable pieces wrapped in Tyvak builder's screening material; all picture frames are Ben's; I bought three cardboard cases for my three terms of drawing, but the cases are bursting at the "seams" (folds) and I have to reinforce them before I can lift them off the floor; borrowed cookbooks, my notebooks and sketchbooks, and bubble wrap; finally, my lunch plate...)
Summer Blog-Lite will continue for another week; it's too sunny and summery to pretend to be serious, folks! I hope you are well.
Ben got me the classic 1968 BBC, Kenneth Clarke's "Civilisation - a Personal View" DVD. I can't remember if I saw this in the US or in Japan, but I do remember being in absolute awe as a bright-eyed student. This long predates the home VCR machines, and I think I caught four or five episodes. TV documentaries have changed quite a bit since 1968 so it's a little awkward and difficult to follow, but the series is like a superb lecture with good visuals, and I'm doubly thrilled as I never thought I'd be able to see it again. Even as a kid I felt television had come of age, and I could look forward to a lifetime of worthwhile programs to enrich my life. I may have been misinformed, but it's wonderful they they've issued the series in a DVD. And here are some trivia: it was the first BBC program in color, and the David Attenborough was a BBC executive who planned the series.
* * * * *
Once in a great while I hear from people who bought my scarves. Nearly a year ago, I heard one of my scarves spent Christmas in Italy, but most often these correspondences occur immediately after the pieces are delivered, not after they've been worn. So it's especially nice to hear, out the blue, that someone loves my scarf, that she loves wearing it! Here's an email I got from Mainz, Germany today. And if you haven't heard lately from someone who appreciates your work, consider this email as intended for all of us who make lovely things:
Good morning Meg,* * * * *
Hope you had a peaceful Christmas.
I am still in bed and looking on to a bright blue sky: the temperature is
-4.1 degrees and hasn't gone much above 0 for the last couple of days. Yet it is ever so much better than what we had before and over xmas: damp and + 5!!!!!!!!
Your scarf has come in very handy, I've worn it a lot and it keeps me warm.
Quite unbelievable when you consider the size of it.
Regards
Anneliese
My house really needs serious cleaning; I started counting the days before Ben goes back to work. Because I had planed the big cleaning for months, I've not been putting things away properly. Now, I can't find stuff, I have to walk around my stuff in practically every room, and I am so grumpy about my mess.
We had a semi-circle in the middle of the living room from the 24th to the 26th; I spent Christmas inside this semi-circle observing the color scheme for my next warp; Ben sat outside it while we watched the doco together. This is why we can't have dogs, or kids...
(There's my sellable pieces wrapped in Tyvak builder's screening material; all picture frames are Ben's; I bought three cardboard cases for my three terms of drawing, but the cases are bursting at the "seams" (folds) and I have to reinforce them before I can lift them off the floor; borrowed cookbooks, my notebooks and sketchbooks, and bubble wrap; finally, my lunch plate...)Summer Blog-Lite will continue for another week; it's too sunny and summery to pretend to be serious, folks! I hope you are well.
2008/12/27
Sixth of the Sixth
I hope you're still enjoying the aftermath of the holidays. We've been eating bad food at irregular intervals and not exercising much, and watching endless Christmas specials and DVDs but we're having a really good holiday this year. This is the only time Ben gets a build of time off of work. I love my family when they visit, and they 're never hear too long, but it's so bloody wonderful not to have anyone at this time of the year, or a visit pending for a change.
This year we're trying to clean the house and the garden because come January builders will come to knock out a wall, remove an no-longer-permitted old wood burner and a concrete chimney, and build a pantry in its place. Then the wood burner guys will follow and install a deceptively-quaint-looking (we call it "twee", I think, in New Zealand) but eco-friendly monster with a souped up chimney. Don't ask; I just read the brochures. The mood in our living room is going to be decidedly hand-made doilies and ruffled skirts for the furniture, but that was the only one that fit out specs.
So it's ironic that the Six photo in the Six folder in My Pictures is of a window in the kitchen. (Tagged by Susan B!) We had all of our windows changed from beautifully-stained-by-Ben-wood-frame-with-brass-fittings-single-glaze windows to aluminum-framed-double-tinted-glaze in 2003 to save on heat and shut out noise. Long story short, the company was a fraud and the manager up and left the country, (turns out it was his second time), after having had a baby with his receptionist. Luckily we had done something we never do, arranged a finance plan, so the finance company had to put in the windows come hail or high water. A former employees of Vision Aluminum, Wayne, where our windows were, so thirteen months after we signed up, Wayne and the hubby of the finance company lady, (he happened to be a glazier in Christchurch) installed the last two windows. Lordy...
Anyhoo, it reminds me, we'd better get started on this cleaning the kitchen thing. We got a microwave oven yesterday, something Ben's wanted for a few years. But I've always felt uneasy about idea of nuking our food, plus we have a tiny pantry and almost no counter space. But with the cost of electricity, and time, and the forthcoming BIG(-ish) pantry, we decided to go for it. The food is all over the place now and the microwave is sitting pretty in the tiny pantry.
This year we're trying to clean the house and the garden because come January builders will come to knock out a wall, remove an no-longer-permitted old wood burner and a concrete chimney, and build a pantry in its place. Then the wood burner guys will follow and install a deceptively-quaint-looking (we call it "twee", I think, in New Zealand) but eco-friendly monster with a souped up chimney. Don't ask; I just read the brochures. The mood in our living room is going to be decidedly hand-made doilies and ruffled skirts for the furniture, but that was the only one that fit out specs.
So it's ironic that the Six photo in the Six folder in My Pictures is of a window in the kitchen. (Tagged by Susan B!) We had all of our windows changed from beautifully-stained-by-Ben-wood-frame-with-brass-fittings-single-glaze windows to aluminum-framed-double-tinted-glaze in 2003 to save on heat and shut out noise. Long story short, the company was a fraud and the manager up and left the country, (turns out it was his second time), after having had a baby with his receptionist. Luckily we had done something we never do, arranged a finance plan, so the finance company had to put in the windows come hail or high water. A former employees of Vision Aluminum, Wayne, where our windows were, so thirteen months after we signed up, Wayne and the hubby of the finance company lady, (he happened to be a glazier in Christchurch) installed the last two windows. Lordy...Anyhoo, it reminds me, we'd better get started on this cleaning the kitchen thing. We got a microwave oven yesterday, something Ben's wanted for a few years. But I've always felt uneasy about idea of nuking our food, plus we have a tiny pantry and almost no counter space. But with the cost of electricity, and time, and the forthcoming BIG(-ish) pantry, we decided to go for it. The food is all over the place now and the microwave is sitting pretty in the tiny pantry.
2008/12/20
Rushing Like Everybody Else!
Thank you for your emails concerning my health. I've actually been pretty good, just feeling old and harassed by my own body; mental-health wise I've not felt this good in over six years. But I've been preoccupied with the textile awards project. I ran into Ronnie Martin, one of the organizers of the Awards, and she told me that, in short, they are looking for, "Oh my! Is this still textile?" style art. Which is so not me as we know, and yet I would like to put something in.
In terms of blogging, I've got a dozen draft posts again waiting for me to sit long enough to reread and post, but I've not had the head space for it. Something to do with the pre-Christmas rush, too. We've no reason to feel rushed; in fact, with no exhibitions, market stalls, or visitors from Japan pending, this is going to be the most relaxed holiday season in three or four years, except of course the Awards project. Still, everybody else seem rushed off their feet and their stress feels a wee bit contagious. And I feel extra good because I know Ben already loves his present; I've already told him I'm buying him a few Moo.com products so he can spend his two week holiday selecting his photos and ordering them. My present-buying has been hit-and-miss, with more misses in the last few years, so this is wonderful.
My cotton yarns have gone up in price, but I got my two huge boxes and am waiting for my last tiny box, (Dear Vendor forgot to put two cones and the paperwork in the last box!) sitting pretty, all over the house. Boy, I have good taste in selecting colors!
Heather, to whom I loaned my beloved rigid heddle loom in July, rang to tell me that since then she bought a foldable rigid heddle loom and a four-shaft table loom, and she blames me! Our mutual friend Marj told me Heather gave someone a handwoven scarf, so she's been busy. She'll come over to return my RH after Christmas and we'll talk about the variety of things she can do with the four-shaft, but I'm pretty pleased that this year, if nothing else, I've increased the number of weavers in this world by one!
As I said, we're looking forward to a relaxing holiday season, so I hope I'll be able to post my pending thoughts, but if I don't see you in the meanwhile, or more probably, if you're too busy to be seen, I do wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy start to the new year.
In terms of blogging, I've got a dozen draft posts again waiting for me to sit long enough to reread and post, but I've not had the head space for it. Something to do with the pre-Christmas rush, too. We've no reason to feel rushed; in fact, with no exhibitions, market stalls, or visitors from Japan pending, this is going to be the most relaxed holiday season in three or four years, except of course the Awards project. Still, everybody else seem rushed off their feet and their stress feels a wee bit contagious. And I feel extra good because I know Ben already loves his present; I've already told him I'm buying him a few Moo.com products so he can spend his two week holiday selecting his photos and ordering them. My present-buying has been hit-and-miss, with more misses in the last few years, so this is wonderful.
My cotton yarns have gone up in price, but I got my two huge boxes and am waiting for my last tiny box, (Dear Vendor forgot to put two cones and the paperwork in the last box!) sitting pretty, all over the house. Boy, I have good taste in selecting colors!
Heather, to whom I loaned my beloved rigid heddle loom in July, rang to tell me that since then she bought a foldable rigid heddle loom and a four-shaft table loom, and she blames me! Our mutual friend Marj told me Heather gave someone a handwoven scarf, so she's been busy. She'll come over to return my RH after Christmas and we'll talk about the variety of things she can do with the four-shaft, but I'm pretty pleased that this year, if nothing else, I've increased the number of weavers in this world by one!
As I said, we're looking forward to a relaxing holiday season, so I hope I'll be able to post my pending thoughts, but if I don't see you in the meanwhile, or more probably, if you're too busy to be seen, I do wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a happy start to the new year.
2008/12/16
Endlessly Staring at the TV Screen
So, I couldn't really even watch the telly on Saturday, but I did so about half the day on Sunday and all day Monday. Instead of getting frustrated I wasn't getting anything done. But I decided this was a message from the Universe to not do things just now, as in hastily changing my logo or colors or fonts. Did I learn anything from the last two days?
Well, I watched "Powerpuff Girls, the Movie" (2002) and wondered if there were little crime and relative equality and peace and quiet in a society, would art flourish, and then I came across the first episode of Simon Schama's "Power of Art" Episode One on Caravaggio and concluded, probably not. It's differences and desires and struggles and such human emotions that motivate a lot of artists, it seems, and of course these can be an internal struggle, just a pure desire to create something that's in one's head, but then there are others who want to depict other things...
I had a few more of these enlightening thoughts, but I can't remember any more. But when I had a fever of 38C, I was amazed that all I wanted to do was just to stay still, not moving, and sometimes I woke up from sleep not having moved one bit in four hours or more. Other than occasionally hearing Kath Bee's new songs (and only two of the 13 on the new CD), my mind was completely wiped clean and white and ... boy, if I have such a hard time cutting out the noises and living in the moment, a high fever for a couple of days might be a cure. Though I didn't like it. I shivered so much the first night my entire body's muscles were sore the second day. So, no, just joking...
Well, I watched "Powerpuff Girls, the Movie" (2002) and wondered if there were little crime and relative equality and peace and quiet in a society, would art flourish, and then I came across the first episode of Simon Schama's "Power of Art" Episode One on Caravaggio and concluded, probably not. It's differences and desires and struggles and such human emotions that motivate a lot of artists, it seems, and of course these can be an internal struggle, just a pure desire to create something that's in one's head, but then there are others who want to depict other things...
I had a few more of these enlightening thoughts, but I can't remember any more. But when I had a fever of 38C, I was amazed that all I wanted to do was just to stay still, not moving, and sometimes I woke up from sleep not having moved one bit in four hours or more. Other than occasionally hearing Kath Bee's new songs (and only two of the 13 on the new CD), my mind was completely wiped clean and white and ... boy, if I have such a hard time cutting out the noises and living in the moment, a high fever for a couple of days might be a cure. Though I didn't like it. I shivered so much the first night my entire body's muscles were sore the second day. So, no, just joking...
Well, Well...
I've been sick, again, or rather, still. This summer cold keeps morphing into different forms I can't catch up with it; I swear, my body is trying to go one-up on my hypochondria. Never mind, I have to go to work this afternoon, and a bit of catching up to do here later.
Meanwhile, I do hope you're all enjoying the festive season. Islamic New Year is coming up real soon, Hanukkah follows, then Christmas and New Years. (Growing up in Japan, I always thought the Mahayana ["Greater Vehicle" which I always remember as "Big Wheel"] Buddhism lacked in colorful festivities, so I was grateful for the hoo-hah of the Catholic holidays.) If you've children or are welcoming friends and relatives over the holidays, I hope you're not stressing out. Deal with the preparation as you would a stray warp end; take command!
OK, later.
Meanwhile, I do hope you're all enjoying the festive season. Islamic New Year is coming up real soon, Hanukkah follows, then Christmas and New Years. (Growing up in Japan, I always thought the Mahayana ["Greater Vehicle" which I always remember as "Big Wheel"] Buddhism lacked in colorful festivities, so I was grateful for the hoo-hah of the Catholic holidays.) If you've children or are welcoming friends and relatives over the holidays, I hope you're not stressing out. Deal with the preparation as you would a stray warp end; take command!OK, later.
2008/12/11
My Logo
When I met Bonnie Inouye in 2002, she had business cards with her fabulous drafts. There were several versions, and I thought they were the most beautiful cards and I wanted to collect them like baseball cards. After her workshop, I bought Fiberworks PCW, and while making a whole bunch of drafts I wanted to weave, I was also on the lookout for a draft that would look good as a logo.
In late 2005 I had to issue a couple of invoices, so I hastily looked for candidates and selected this, which was my second choice. (The draft was never fine-tuned beyond this stage; it was my attempt at making a tulip-like picture.) I tried grays, blues and finally settled on pale yellows because I wanted either the background or the text, in Monotype Corsiva, in grays and I've always, always loved the grays/yellows combination. But because of the difference in the colors on the screen and what comes out of our ink jet, yellow grew darker, and finally, in order to produce enough contrast to see what's there, it became orange, formerly the one color I loathed! Text was in mid-neutral gray initially, and overall it had a soft, elegant image, or so I thought.
Martin didn't like the logo; he said drafts don't mean anything to non-weavers, and suggested to at least take out the threading, tie-up and treadling to clean it up. He disapproved the pale text because they looked weak and were difficult to read to some (older?) potential clients. So I compromised and made the text black, but I kept my logo.
I'm not so attached to this I'm adamant I'm keeping it; it's more like I'm used to this and can't be bothered thinking about a new one. I also have a digital camera now and know how to manipulate and use image files; these things I didn't have access to in 2005. I also know other ways to present the same draft within PCW, so I could try cleaning it up that way.
I realize logos, typefaces, and colors shouldn't be changed flippantly. But I guess I'm opening up to vibrant colors and perhaps I'm looking to add a bit of spunk in my image as well as in my work.
I bought a Bonnie scarf for Mom, and held on to it for about six months studying it, but around Christmas that year tag, label and card were sent with the scarf. And I can't remember much, though a picture of the scarf has survived in my head. Perhaps I should ask Mom to photograph them.
Sorry, I keep mixing logo, text, and color and there must be proper marketing lingo for all these components, but I don't know them. Right, future towels beckon me. It's going to be a hot sunny day and my cool basement is going to be heavenly.
In late 2005 I had to issue a couple of invoices, so I hastily looked for candidates and selected this, which was my second choice. (The draft was never fine-tuned beyond this stage; it was my attempt at making a tulip-like picture.) I tried grays, blues and finally settled on pale yellows because I wanted either the background or the text, in Monotype Corsiva, in grays and I've always, always loved the grays/yellows combination. But because of the difference in the colors on the screen and what comes out of our ink jet, yellow grew darker, and finally, in order to produce enough contrast to see what's there, it became orange, formerly the one color I loathed! Text was in mid-neutral gray initially, and overall it had a soft, elegant image, or so I thought.Martin didn't like the logo; he said drafts don't mean anything to non-weavers, and suggested to at least take out the threading, tie-up and treadling to clean it up. He disapproved the pale text because they looked weak and were difficult to read to some (older?) potential clients. So I compromised and made the text black, but I kept my logo.
I'm not so attached to this I'm adamant I'm keeping it; it's more like I'm used to this and can't be bothered thinking about a new one. I also have a digital camera now and know how to manipulate and use image files; these things I didn't have access to in 2005. I also know other ways to present the same draft within PCW, so I could try cleaning it up that way.
I realize logos, typefaces, and colors shouldn't be changed flippantly. But I guess I'm opening up to vibrant colors and perhaps I'm looking to add a bit of spunk in my image as well as in my work.
I bought a Bonnie scarf for Mom, and held on to it for about six months studying it, but around Christmas that year tag, label and card were sent with the scarf. And I can't remember much, though a picture of the scarf has survived in my head. Perhaps I should ask Mom to photograph them.
Sorry, I keep mixing logo, text, and color and there must be proper marketing lingo for all these components, but I don't know them. Right, future towels beckon me. It's going to be a hot sunny day and my cool basement is going to be heavenly.
Note to Self about Paper Marketing Tools
On paper, I've used mainly the yellow draft logo and the Monotype Corsiva font. This is true for:
I made the black bags with my name in silver for the Red Gallery.
Most importantly, I have two sizes of woven labels in Monotype Corsiva in gray.
The one I've spent the most money on and have close to unlimited supply of are the cloth labels, so even if I change logos, it is wiser to stick with Monotype Corsiva and gray in some way.
In the beginning, I put in as little personal information as possible. My cloth labels haven't got my name, but my "business" name, "MegWeaves", which was originally going to be just my url.
When my web site was up, I added my url and email address. Then I added my PO Box address. My phone number still does not appear anywhere.
Sometime somewhere I began to use my name as well, and lately I do without "MegWeaves" but only with my name. On the Internet, I probably use "Meg in Nelson" more than anything.
I need to rethink about consistency, including whether everything has to look the same all the time.
Sometimes weaving is the easiest part... Eh...
PS. On the other hand, for a simpleton like myself, having fewer choices in the marketing department would make life soooooo much easier...
PPS. Of course anyone can leave comments here, Dana; the lot of you are inside my head cheering me on most days anyway!!
- business card & care instruction cards,
- two sizes of envelopes
- letterhead, invoices, receipts
- three sizes/types of stickers
- price list
- and everything else I print out
I made the black bags with my name in silver for the Red Gallery.
Most importantly, I have two sizes of woven labels in Monotype Corsiva in gray.
The one I've spent the most money on and have close to unlimited supply of are the cloth labels, so even if I change logos, it is wiser to stick with Monotype Corsiva and gray in some way.
In the beginning, I put in as little personal information as possible. My cloth labels haven't got my name, but my "business" name, "MegWeaves", which was originally going to be just my url.
When my web site was up, I added my url and email address. Then I added my PO Box address. My phone number still does not appear anywhere.
Sometime somewhere I began to use my name as well, and lately I do without "MegWeaves" but only with my name. On the Internet, I probably use "Meg in Nelson" more than anything.
I need to rethink about consistency, including whether everything has to look the same all the time.
Sometimes weaving is the easiest part... Eh...
PS. On the other hand, for a simpleton like myself, having fewer choices in the marketing department would make life soooooo much easier...
PPS. Of course anyone can leave comments here, Dana; the lot of you are inside my head cheering me on most days anyway!!
2008/12/10
The August One's Care Instruction Booklet
Randy Darwall's "swing tag" is the realm of a souvenir booklet. I don't know if his business card relates to the booklet and I don't know the bookbinding lingo, either; sorry.
Textured paper.
Photo and bio on lavender-gray paper.
Piece-specific info in the middle page, in His own handwriting.
I cant' remember if the booklet was attached to the scarf, and if so how, but the string is a fancy yarn unrelated to the ones used in the scarf. I'd imagine someone makes up multiple booklets at once, and then the piece-specific info is entered as the scarves are finished.
Exhibition and collection info.
Care and maintenance instructions. (Maintenance?)
Cover when opened up. The photograph, I believe, is from one of the quilts.
The booklet, when folded, is 5.5 cm (<2>4 in.) tall.
Textured paper.
Photo and bio on lavender-gray paper.
Piece-specific info in the middle page, in His own handwriting.
I cant' remember if the booklet was attached to the scarf, and if so how, but the string is a fancy yarn unrelated to the ones used in the scarf. I'd imagine someone makes up multiple booklets at once, and then the piece-specific info is entered as the scarves are finished.
Exhibition and collection info.
Care and maintenance instructions. (Maintenance?)
Cover when opened up. The photograph, I believe, is from one of the quilts.The booklet, when folded, is 5.5 cm (<2>4 in.) tall.
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