Studio Energy

This past Friday was our monthly 4th Friday Opening night.  Mike and I always have the studio open for those who wander over from their visit to Art Works next door or Art Space within Plant Zero.  We both went in exhausted and cranky from the week just ending, but it didn't take long for us to get into gear and enjoy the rest of the evening.

We both noted how much the studio along with our guests and other artists energize us.  I set up my easel and began a new painting and painted for most of the night.   It's fun to be able to share the birth of a piece with anyone who wants to watch.  I love the questions.  How do you decide the color?  Why do you paint in layers?  What makes you choose your subject matter?  Even though it is officially a "work night" for us, it's more of a social event.
A cocktail party where I get to wear jeans!  yahoo.

Mike greeted visitors and wandered around to see what else was happening.  Several times we were asked if we were married to one another.  I think we get along so well as studio-roomies (it's been a year now) and we mesh well as artists, it does lead some to wonder.  We like to give the emphatic "no way!" but really, I enjoy sharing the studio with Mike.  (shhhhh- don't tell him I said that).

At the end of the evening, when things wind down, we get to hang out with assorted friends and fellow artists.  I look forward to those moments.
If you haven't been out, we're there every 4th Friday night of every month, but December.

The Art Software

My friend and fellow artist Susan Singer has asked me to share my quest for a program to help me keep my records straight.

I'll start with my needs so it all makes sense.  I have over 130 images and counting.  I create notecards and have a monthly income from those sales.  I sell prints on request, due to the number of images available.  I paint on commission, so I have a large database of clients and a wait list to refer to.  I keep a mailing list that is organized into various categories.  In addition I have gallery and retail contacts.  Lastly, I keep track of when and where I met someone.  So I want a program to keep all of that information stored in one place and that has the ability to link most anything if needed.  (For example, if I do a show in another city, I would like to be able to organize a postcard campaign via zip codes.  Or if I sell a print, I'd like to link the image, the print and the client together, yet also keep the print edition and image in their own files)

I have used and liked Working Artist, which is on my old PC.  It is not MAC compatible, so I had to find another option.  First I went to Google and searched for programs for artists.  That led me to a variety of options, so I became more specific and looked for office management software for artists.  Then I found most were not MAC compatible, so I added in for MAC.  That led me to just a few.  I also had an article from a favorite art magazine that had a few listings.

I downloaded trial versions of eArtist  http://www.artscope.net/eArtist/
and Artist's Butler  http://www.lynnsoft.net/
and currently am also using a trial version of the made-for-MAC Bento http://www.filemaker.com/products/bento/features.html.

All are quite useful and none are perfect.  eArtist seemed the most complete for my needs, although not as easy to use or navigate as I would like.  Artist's Butler was the easiest to use and was no doubt designed for a MAC by and for an artist.  I came close to purchasing, but there was no way to keep track of prints that made sense for the number of images I have.  Combine that with the print size options  and attaching a sale to a client, then I would have had to create multiple, unlinked records.  Otherwise, it was just about the perfect program.  And Lynn at Lynnsoft answered my e-mailed questions within hours.  (nice!)

Then I discovered Bento.  It's a fun program and easy to use, with template options in the program and downloadable for free from other Bento users, but I'm seeing that I'd still have to create databases elsewhere and link them.  I like the ease of use in Bento, (oh, drag and drop, how I love my MAC!) and may just purchase it for other purposes at home, but for now eArtist is the program of choice.  I only wish it weren't quite so, I don't know, "officy."  If another program came along that met most of my needs and was simpler to use, I'd probably switch in a heartbeat. ( I'll keep my eye on you, Artist's Butler.)

Thanks, Susan, for the blog-sharing idea.  And thank you to Susan B. who is the one actually DOING all this data entry and organizing for me.

New Post

This is going to be short and sweet.  I've learned now you need to be careful what title you give a post.  Apparently the word "managing" has triggered those itchy little spammers from unnamed countries to bombard me with unintelligible, non-sensical English.   Which is why I moderate comments.  Not to block out the negative (which thankfully I have yet to receive) but to keep out the crazy and profane.

geesh.

Managing my Records

So, what I've been doing this afternoon between my morning and evening class is trying to figure out which artist record-keeping program I want to invest in.  I could spend anywhere from $30 - $700 +.  Which is astounding to me.

I just want a way to keep track of my inventory of art and my clients, and sometimes merge the two.  I need mailing list options and print edition records, plus a way to track where everything is.  It wasn't hard to narrow down my options.  I'm NOT paying $700 for a program really intended for gallery use.  And most programs do not work on a MAC.  So now Susan B. and I are each working the free-trial-options on the two most likely programs to do the trick.

This is exactly the kind of thing that eats into my studio time and annoys me beyond my tolerance level.
Yet, it must be done.  !

Was I whining?  hmphhh.  maybe so.  I'll go do some sketches.

New Year in - Old Year out

In 2010, I will hand over my day to day business to Susan B., my office manager. 

I have come to realize I can NOT do it all.  I can do it all well, just not at the same time.  And as Susan said the first day we met, if I keep spending my time doing business, I won't have a business to run.  She nailed it.  

Thankfully I saw where I was headed and unfortunately I waited as long as I did to remedy the situation. But, in waiting, I met the right match for me in Susan.  I can see us getting the day to day issues back under control so that I am freed up to paint more.  THAT excites me and I can't wait to be in the studio on a regular basis. 

In 2010 I will spend more time painting.  

I have commissions to work on and personal goals to achieve and projects I'm dying to undertake and new techniques to explore.  

 In 2010 I will take care of my body. 

My body fought me for a good part of the last decade.  It seems to think that as I age it's supposed to give up.  My brain disagrees, regardless of what the mirror and scales try to tell me every day.  So I'll continue with yoga to keep my spine healthy and I'll continue at the gym to keep my muscles strong and my goal this year is to remove some of the fat grams from my belly.  oh, I didn't say I was giving up chocolate, did I?  NO I did NOT. 

In 2010 I will take care of my inner peace. 

I have worked diligently to let go of yesterdays.  Not forget, because that is foolish. But let go of those things that like to wallow in the brain.  Live in the moment and make more of the moment I'm in.   I will nourish that which is positive and eliminate that which is negative in my life from my life, whether it be a person or a thing.  That person or thing may not be bad, just bad for me.  I will practice "moving on."


I am looking forward to what may come in 2010. 

From this in 2009

                                                                                       To this in 2010