Already Blowing My Resolutions

"First Light"
Oil on Canvas
18x24"
2007




Warning - this is really just a rant!

I am so cranky right now. One of my goals for the New Year was to enter paintings in a select number of shows that I pick specifically because I feel that they provide good exposure for my work, and lines on my resume. The first deadline was for the OPA National Show, due today.

I wanted to do a new painting for the show, so I had my mom watch Aspen while I painted a few afternoons, and managed to rush through finishing the painting above. It's actually a larger version of a painting I did last year, that I wished I had done a bit larger to start with.

Anyhow, I finished the painting two weeks ago, photographed it, had slides overnighted to me, and put together my entry last weekend. Because it was due today and had to be mailed to Illinois, and because Monday was a holiday, I was uneasy about sending it regular mail. Unfortunately, OPA uses a PO box so you can't send your entry by Fedex or UPS, and they require that it be sent in a business size envelope, so I couldn't send it USPS express mail. I settled for the best I could do and paid to send it by priority mail. I figured if I sent it priority mail on Tuesday it would be there by today no problem, right??

WRONG.

I just checked the tracking code they gave me and found out my envelope has been MISROUTED, and that they will try to deliver it as soon as possible. I paid extra to send the thing priority mail, and the freaking USPS managed to misroute it!!

So now it won't get there today, and OPA will return it to me unopened, and I'll be out $50 from paying for slides, paying overnight shipping, and paying for priority mail. Grrr....

So, that's one show I won't be entering this year - guess I'd better find another. I'm so mad at the U.S. postal service right now!

Here We Go Again - 2007...

"Before the Snow Flies"
16x20"
2007





Since I went to the effort at tracking my goals for 2006, and it seemed to do a decent job of keeping me on track, I think it's worth the effort to outline my goals for 2007. I wouldn't necessarily call these New Year's Resolutions, since that brings to mind images of the hundreds of people who inundate the treadmills at the gym for the first few weeks of January every year. They're goals that I intend to track and stick with, even if they don't get completed within the 2007 calendar year.

Art Goals:

1. Expand gallery representation for my landscapes outside of the Denver area. Specifically, obtain representation in at least 3 of the following art markets: Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Jackson, Aspen, Breckenridge.

2. Double my 2006 revenue from painting sales.

3. Enter at least two of the following juried shows: OPA National Exhibition, OPA Central Regional Exhibition, Arts for the Parks, Salon International.

4. Enter and participate in at least one plein air event.

Personal Goals:

1. Get back into shape post-pregnancy - specifically, be fit enough to complete either the Steamboat Springs 1/2 Marathon or 5430 Sprint Triathlon in June.

2. Have fun and enjoy being a mom!

My art goals are mostly focused on expanding the market for my artwork. The first is going to be my biggest focus this year - the bottom line is that I need more than one gallery selling my work. To that end, I need to continue to enter respectable juried shows to build on my resume, and I need to spend consistent time in the studio to be able to support more than one gallery selling my paintings. The second goal is aimed at growing my business from a hobby to a career. I'm focusing on revenue rather than profit this year because growing my revenue means getting my name out there, which might require more resources initially (advertising, etc.). The last goal of participating in a plein air event is just a means of expanding my experience. I'd like to see if the plein air scene is something I'd enjoy participating in, and use it as a means to meet more artists.

As for the personal goals, I'd like to get my fitness back in the first half of the year. In 2005, I was in the best shape of my life and completed a bunch of triathlons and road races. I pretty much lost all that while being pregnant in 2006. I'd like to get it back mainly so that I can be fit enough to enjoy the things I love to do - I want to be able to climb a few 14ers this summer, which wouldn't happen at my current level of fitness. Not to mention that being in shape gives me more energy to tackle everything else. The second is kind of general, but it's just a reminder to enjoy my first year as a mom and spend some time having fun. Not everything that's worth something in life can be measured!