Yes, a BFA and MFA were good for me

Often, people come out of art school with a cold shock of reality, as there are little existing job prospects. What many have to do is be able to translate to employers why and how they would be a good worker. Specially, can you list skills and examples that prove your value as applied to jobs of today?

I'm working on a blog post listing 10 reasons why being educated as an artist/designer/craftsperson actually helped make me into a great worker. This applies to self-employment as well as hired employment. I believe medium as well as the subsector within the art world each produce different skills and tendencies, so my post will directly relate to what I gained through studying the medium of METAL as well as working within the realm of CRAFT.

Other creatives out there, I'd like you to think about what your medium and subsector have given you too.

Student work #1

For private students, I start with teaching basic skills, and then the projects and techniques are driven by the students interests and ambitions.

Congrats to Melissa-- she finished her first project (bracelet.) To get to this point we went through designing, stamp making and texturing, forming, soldering, cleaning/polishing, and oxidizing. Can't wait to see more finished projects, as you have many great ideas Melissa, and with each completed one will be further able to express your own signature style.

Ottawa Art Gallery Auction Piece

I'm doing the Ottawa Art Gallery auction/event again this year! Tickets sell out, so check out the link: to le pARTy

Event takes place Thursday June 2nd 2011, 6:00-8:30pm

Here's the piece up for bidding: Freeze/Melt Vase; pewter

Use What You Have: 2011

For many of my emerging artist years, I was fixated on acquiring the tools and materials I NEEDED in order to execute my designs. Perhaps this need to acquire was, at times, was more of a want than a true need. As 2011 approaches, I believe it is time for an overhaul of my inventory and goals....

Step 1) Inventory raw materials, with descriptions and monetary value
Step 2) Inventory tools, note how often they are used, depreciated value

I will no doubt find that I have a lot of cash sitting there as unused materials, which is not good for business and is not good for challenging my creativity, so:

Step 3) Use up what I have!

I can take this one step further and make a body of work that uses only what I have without buying anything new. This will not work for commissions, but I've limited my intake of those anyway, so it would be a nice experiment for 2011. This is a very simple approach. We'll see if the constraints produce anything interesting.

ARTpreneur presentation Ottawa

I'm working on a keynote presentation that I will deliver at the October ARTpreneur conference in Ottawa, working title "Motivation in the Life of an Artist Businessperson."

Details to come.

Maternal Health Story: Canada

I had little time to create a new piece for the University of Wisconsin art alumni show, so I used what was on my mind as my inspiration. Life milestones... that's kind of my shtick anyway.

So it's pretty obvious giving birth changes your life, but that single event isn't the thing that stuck to my mind. I was/am incredibly grateful for the total care I received including pre-natal, delivery, and post-partum. Maternal health.

My "onesie" (a word I just learned when I had a baby shower, that's how new baby things are to me) holds symbols that relate to my story: a maple leaf for Canada, a onesie for baby and for structure, metal for strength, longevity and importance. Inside the armorlike sculpture I scratched in the laundry list of services and programs I got, for free, relating to my experience in Ontario.

prenatal classes x 2; prenatal check-ups; blood and urine tests; obstetrician check-ups; cardiologist consultation; echocardiogram; ultrasound x 2; triple screen test; glucose test; external cephalic version attempt; anesthesiologist consultation; cesarean section; hospital stay x 3 nights; hospital meals x 10; hospital medication and sanitation products; a mini knit toque; maternal and parental leave x 52 weeks; universal childcare benefit; canada child tax benefit; baby talk program; ontario early years programs; anything else I forgot

Going to the doctor regularly was something I learned to do within the last few years, as my tactic when I was uninsured was avoidance. I still cannot get over how lucky I am to have received these things at no additional cost, just as part of the normal cost of tax in society.

For me, the taxes are worth it, as not only did my family emerge from the experience physically healthy, we are economically healthy, and my drive to create and learn got a boost as well. It didn't set us back, it positioned us forward, and this I see as invaluable in making people feel part of a nation. Pride arrives.

"Road Trip" jewellery line

A new design line featured at the Ontario Craft Council's gallery for the month of July 2010.

Stoplights, road signs and a bit of flash! The relective surface of silver works to light up the colours for these wearable works.

990 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M6J 1H1
Telephone: 416-925-4222
www.craft.on.ca