What I Learned in the Art Biz Bootcamp

30 April 2013 by fatladysings

Thoughts wrangled for a previous solo exhibition. Sketchbook pages, 2010 by Sarah Atlee.

Earlier this year, I took a journey into the world of art marketing with Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield, though her No Excuses Art Biz Bootcamp. In this online course, students learn and implement all kinds of great stuff about the business of being an independent artist.

I can’t say enough good things about this 12-week program, but here are some highlights:

Because of the Art Biz Bootcamp

I feel more in control of my art business than ever before.

I clarified my career goals, especially pertaining to exhibition and sales. As a result, I’ve booked a solo show in a new venue and planned for several group shows during the next year.

I took control of my contact list and established an email newsletter for the first time (you can sign up using the form on your right).

I have an increased network of support through the Bootcamp’s group on Facebook and through other interactions with my friends and colleagues.

I had an Aha! Moment.

I now understand that I am a specific artist, with specific needs and career goals. I need to do what is right for me, which may not be what is right for someone else. I can push myself to overcome challenges and achieve goals while still treating myself with compassion.

Are you interested in the Art Biz Bootcamp?

Go to the Bootcamp section of the Art Biz Coach website to learn more.

Thank you, Alyson!

Collage Sketch for Sick at Xmas

10 April 2013 by fatladysings

Sketchbook: Collage Sketch for Sick at Xmas. Mixed media on paper, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.

The finished painting:

Sick at Xmas. Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 17 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.

 
I tend to feel poorly during holidays and vacations. It’s as though my body notices that I’m relaxing and concludes that I have time to focus on my sinuses or whatever. My mother and I think it’s a family trait.

Much of the preparatory work for my 2011 show Figure and Ground was done during and shortly after Christmas 2010. While I was sick. Take that, sickness! Oh, snap.

Sketchbook: Turnoff Vessel

31 March 2013 by fatladysings

Sketch for Turnoff Vessel (unrealized painting). Colored pencil on paper, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.

Sketch for Kitty Kitty Cowboyed Up

2 March 2013 by fatladysings

Sketch for Kitty Kitty Cowboyed Up, ink on paper, 11 x 8.5 inches, 2010 by Sarah Atlee.

I worked on this sketch while my mother was in the hospital with a broken leg. Nothing like the solitude and boredom of waiting in the ER all day to drive my mind to creative distraction.

The finished piece:

Kitty Kitty Cowboyed Up, acrylic on canvas, 16 x 14 inches, 2011 by Sarah Atlee.

Forms of Inquiry Notebook Cover Collage, 2004

18 July 2012 by fatladysings

This is the cover from a notebook I used in a graduate seminar at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Can a notebook cover be a work of art? Heck, why not? Decorating mundane objects from daily life differentiates them from one another, plus it’s something to do.

I’m no Lisa Frank, but seeing this collage does bring back fond memories of my time at RIT.