Around the bend, on a narrow road.
Comes the end, of all we have known
The colors glow, in the autumn twilight.
The brilliant yellows, pierce the night.
~Mark Schutter ©2014
Poem 22 of 31 for October Poetry Writing Month, #OctPoWriMo. A rainy gray day in the Pacific Northwest has me thinking of sunshine, warmth and color. Let your light shine! ~M
In the beginning the lines we draw around our lives serve to define and differentiate us, and then over time they come to limit and isolate us. To experience the relationships we were meant to experience with God or other human beings we must hug those lines and even be willing to cross over and color outside those very same lines.
~Mark Schutter ©2014
Poem 19 of 31 for October Poetry Writing Month, #OctPoWriMo. I hope these words capture my state of being today and I pray they express a profound sense of hope that can only be found in one place. God bless! ~M
What’cha gonna do? What’cha gonna do? What’cha gonna do?
When they come for you!
To lock you up in the human zoo!
Who dat? Who dat? Who dat?
We are locked in cages!
Stifled, chained and inside a box for ages!
What now? What now? What now?
Chickens hold tightly our chains!
We moan and cry, as we shower in the rain!
How’s this? How’s this? How’s this?
Slopping through the dark days!
Left alone and betrayed, what ever is left to say!
What the …? What the …? what the …?
Our lives incomplete and hopeless too!
We wake to find ourselves forever locked in a human zoo!
~Mark Schutter ©2014
(Poem #6 of 31, for #OctPoWriMo, just having some fun cause poetry doesn’t always have to be serious. Don’t let them catch you!)
From fearful to FEARLESS, is a shorter leap than most would think.
I recently read a post by Tara Reed on the ArtLicensingBlog.com entitled “Comfort or Courage?” A great post that it all comes down to a choice between being comfortable and or being uncomfortable for a while when you chose to be courageous.
“Most of the things you dream of, that you don’t already have, are just outside that comfort zone. Here’s to your creative success!” – Tara Reed
Tara helps artists succeed by bridging the gap between creativity and business. Check out her post “Comfort or Courage” and choose to be courageous. You never know what just may happen or is within your reach!
I am taking a leap of courage the next two months and participating in the OctPoWriMo and NaNaWriMo! Write a poem a day during October, 31 in all, and write a 50,000 word novel during November. Watch for updates!
Now what are you going to do?
These are photos I taken by me over the past few months using my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone and then auto enhanced by Google. Now, I am the first to admit that the images are often unique and striking, some even better than the originals. Others leave me wondering what the heck and why that one?
However, I am not sure how I feel about some large corporation that has access to my personal photos to edit, manipulate and change how they desire and see fit.
Especially those of family and friends. Why are certain photos chosen and not others? Not to mention the videos composed of several photos put together, which I did not share any of those. Does anyone know the why of this or is it some secret algorithms like Facebook uses? Makes me think that this may be too much of a good thing? Is big brother watching? Are we being manipulated?
Our every keystroke, every WordPress like and comment, every Google+ comment and plus, every Facebook like and comment, every Twitter tweet, all being captured, stored and categorized. The technology is a wonderful tool and can truly be used for positive and noble pursuits. I have met some wonderful people online that I otherwise would never have known. There is a power in being able to connect with people all over the world, but that power in the wrong hands…
Where are we headed? What do you think?
Great post by Alyson Stanfield of the Art Biz Blog on the artist statement. Whether you are a fine artist, poet, writer, dreamer or just a creative these are great ideas to think about to make your artist statement the best it can be. I know I need to work on mine! ~M
A strong artist statement is essential to the effective marketing of your art.
There’s no skating by on this one. You need at least one artist statement for each body of work you create.
Writing your statement is a process. Like any other type of writing or artmaking, you can’t expect to nail it in a single sitting. And, like all good things that take time, it will be time well spent. The process helps you gain clarity about your art.
If you can’t define your art in a statement, you will likely face difficulty marketing your work. Where else will you get language for wall labels, brochure and website text, informal presentations, and conversations?
Answering these three questions will help you write a better artist statement.
1. What, in particular, do you want people to see in your work? Is it . . .
What is important to you?
Discuss how you handle this aspect of your work. The words you choose for your statement should be clues that lead viewers to these discoveries.
Declaring “I love color” is weak language. Who doesn’t love color? Show us exactly how you respond to color and use it to transfer meaning from your head and heart to the viewer.
2. What is a distinguishing characteristic of your art?
A distinguishing characteristic might be one of the items in the list under #1 above or something else.
What makes your art different from artists working along the same lines? Emphasize this quality when you speak and write. Help us to see what makes you an original.
Part of your job is to educate others how to look at your work. Most people haven’t had a visual education. They need to be shown what to look for.
3. What do other people find delightful or surprising about your art?
If it captures one person’s attention, it will probably be fascinating to others as well. Listen to what people say about your art. Their discoveries might shock or confound you, but trying to understand where they’re coming from is part of the communication process.
You will learn a lot by listening to these insights, and I think you’ll be surprised that they pick up aspects of your work that you hadn’t consciously considered.
If you care to, please share your responses to these three questions in a comment.
Alyson Stanfield is an artist advocate and business mentor at ArtBizCoach.com. This article was originally published in her Art Biz Insider, which is sent weekly to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription now and get Alyson’s 6 free art-marketing video lessons at http://artbizcoach.com
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