Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's Fall 2009 Grant Cycle
Free Information Session
Tomorrow, Tuesday September 15, at 5:30 pm

There are still a few seats available for tomorrow's free information session. Please call 508-362-0066 to reserve your space!

The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod's Grants Program provides cash awards to cultural organizations and local artists that are engaged in projects that help create a strong, stable, and diverse arts and culture industry on Cape Cod, and contribute positively to the quality of life and economic vitality of the region.

Preference is given to proposals that enhance the arts education of learners of all ages on Cape Cod, and to collaborative efforts within the arts community. The AFCC does not award grants for general operating expenses. The Board of Directors will consider a limited number of awards up to $5,000, but because the AFCC is interested in supporting as many worthwhile endeavors as possible, grant size is generally limited to within a range of $500 to $2,500.

Arts Foundation of Cape Cod grants are awarded twice a year. The next deadline for applications is October 9 at 5:00 pm. Complete guidelines for grant applications are available atwww.artsfoundation.org/grants-program or by calling the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod at 508-362-0066.

Celebrate Arts and Culture at the Second Annual FALL FOR THE ARTS

Three-Day Regional Festival Will Feature More Than 450 Venues Across Cape Cod

The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod and Cape Cod VIEW Magazine are delighted to announce that the Second Annual Fall for the Arts Festival will be celebrated on the weekend of Friday, October 2 - Sunday, October 4.

Fall for the Arts promotes and celebrates the vibrant arts and culture of Cape Cod. Cape residents and visitors will enjoy free, family-friendly performances by local musicians; arts and crafts workshops and demonstrations; guided tours; delicious food; and a spectrum of activities at hundreds of venues, including artist studios, museums, galleries, restaurants, libraries and parks.

All fifteen Cape towns are participating and showcasing the unique artistic flavor and flair of their communities. Please visit www.artsfoundation.org/fall-for-the-arts for a town-by-town list of the festival happenings.

Members of the Cape's creative community are encouraged to get involved with the Festival and take advantage of the great promotional opportunities offered by the AFCC to Fall for the Arts participants.

Museums, Galleries, Theaters, Libraries and Artists - contact the AFCC NOW to be featured in our Fall for the Arts webpages. To list your event call 508-362-0066 or emailinfo@artsfoundation.org.

What's your Internet persona?

Check this out to see what your Internet persona looks like in a digital art project created by an artist from MIT.

Just in time...

Mira Bartok of Mira's List gives us the nuts and bolts of grantwriting here.

Just in time for the MCC deadline below.

Artist Fellowship Guidelines Now Available - New Deadlines This Cycle

Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowships program guidelines are now available. This cycle, the program offers fellowships of $7,500 and finalist awards of $500, as direct support to individual artists in recognition of artistic excellence.

Deadlines for the 2010 Artist Fellowships cycle have changed from previous years. Please note:

Applications are currently being accepted in the categories of Drawing, Painting, and Traditional Arts (deadline: October 13, 2009).

Applications in the categories of Choreography, Fiction/Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry will be accepted beginning December 1, 2009 (deadline: January 25, 2010).

Since the program was initiated in 1974, grant support has been provided to hundreds of Massachusetts artists. These highly competitive awards provide artists crucial recognition and pave the way for creative innovation of enduring cultural value. To see the work of past Artist Fellows and Finalists, visit Gallery@MCC.

Read the program guidelines:

http://www.massculturalcouncil.org/applications/fellows_guidelines.html

To apply on line:

https://www.culturegrants-ma.org/index_artists.php

Slideshow from WOMR Show

Mary Ince was kind enough to document the WOMR show and send the pictures to me.

Cis Rossey Curates An Artist’s Reaction to War and War Memorial: Iraq and Afghanistan

HI Cecilia,

Dennis and I hung War Memorial – it looks awesome! People are really enjoying it, I have already been told how moving it is. We just went with the flow- the warping of the panels actually gives it a bit of a 3D appearance, the color is beautiful. I finished putting Artist’s Reaction together today- I think the show looks great. Here is a copy of the updated press release. I look forward to your artist talk. Sincerely,

Alexandra

An Artist’s Reaction to War and War Memorial: Iraq and Afghanistan

The Dadian Gallery at Wesley Theological Seminary announces An Artist’s Reaction to War, artists Cynthia Aldrich, Tom Ferguson, Nelida Otero Flatow, David Reed, Daniel Marchwinski, Cecilia Rossey, Kim Varnadoe, Dan Welden, Will Willner and Cyndi Wish react to the tragedies of war in drawing, painting, prints and sculpture.

An Artist’s Reaction to War and War Memorial: Iraq and Afghanistan will open on August 31, and run through October 9, 2009. A gallery talk on both exhibitions will be held by artist and organizer of the exhibitions Cecilia Rossey at noon on Thursday, September 10, 2009. The exhibitions have traveled from Salem College, North Carolina where they were shown in February 2009.

An Artist’s Reaction to War presents a wide range of reactions on the general subject of war past and present rather than focusing on a particular war or conflict. Artist Cynthia Aldrich was inspired by “the events in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in particular Kosovo in the 1990's.” Aldrich’s Arm-oire, a clever shrine like ceramic sculpture, calls the viewer’s attention to the plight of women in war, those who contribute to the violence by bearing arms and those who are the victims of war violence. On the other end of the spectrum Dan Welden’s abstract monotype The Thrust of Mars employs layers of color and violent, frenetic mark-making to evoke a dark mood. Welden states “Its ominous presence may be representational of the underlying concern we have in our hearts and minds....wondering, sometimes worrying as the world continuously has the conflicts of war.”

War Memorial: Iraq and Afghanistan

Artist Cecilia Rossey created a 28 panel memorial constructed from 4000+ woodcuts of a repeated shrouded figure. The memorial will be on exhibit in the board room adjacent to the gallery. Each of the 4000+ prints represents a death in the Iraq- Afghanistan conflict. It is only when all of the prints are exhibited together that the viewer begins to understand the magnitude of so many deaths in this context rather than in the abstract.

“I, personally, have been frustrated by human suffering and have no voice other than putting it on paper. Hopefully, the next generation will wake up and take action against violence and know that we tried to voice our disdain without being unpatriotic.” – Cecilia Rossey

This exhibition is free and open to the public. The gallery is located at 4500 Massachusetts Avenue NW, in the Kresge Academic Building on the campus of Wesley Theological Seminary. Regular hours are Monday - Friday, 10am – 4:00pm, Closed weekends and holidays. The Dadian Gallery is a non-profit, educational exhibition space that is part of The Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary. The Center sponsors a variety of cultural events which explore the intersection between art and religion and promote dialogue between artists and theologians.

Our First Show

Tomorrow night--6-8pm at WOMR in Provincetown!

Anne Flash

Anne Garton

Maura Ghedini

Mary Ince

Lorraine Kujawa

Cis Rossey

Bob Sabin

Dee Shippelhute

Come join us and celebrate!

Deadline: September 18

Call for Artists' Entries: remade/use of recycled/reused/reclaimed materials

Deadline September 18th (Mashpee, MA)

remade call for entries

Are you an artist who creates using recycled, reclaimed, reused materials? Then this Juried Art Show may be for you. Questions- Call 508-477-7988 or info@ggreendesign.com

There is an Online application for the show and/or to learn more:

The Green Design Center

http://www.ggreendesigncenter.com/callforentries?14b07e80

Please take the survey!

Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC), a decade-long national initiative to improve conditions for artists (which includes efforts to connect artists to greater health insurance options and maintain spaces for art and artists in community development projects, among others) is conducting an online survey on artists and economic recession. They’re inviting artists to share their experiences under the current economic climate. It’s all completely anonymous, of course, and the survey is being overseen by by Princeton Survey Research Associates International. More on the survey, from LINC’s website:

Is the recession over for you, or still going strong? LINC wants to make sure the conditions artists are facing in the current economic climate are being heard and addressed.

LINC, in partnership with Helicon Collaborative, has developed the Artists and the Economic Recession Survey to invite artists to share their current experience. This survey will provide hard data for all of us who believe that arts and culture are important so that we can achieve the changes in policy, funding, and information dissemination necessary to improve the working lives of artists nationwide.

If you have 15 minutes or so, think about participating–you don’t even have to leave your chair (if there’s a computer in front of it, anyway). The wider the range of artists’ voices, the more meaningful the survey’s results (and the analysis that follows) will be. The survey closes on September 4th, 2009, so there’s not much time left.

my cut and paste from the CAA

Changes to Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship Application Schedule

We are pleased to announce that, despite a 23.4% reduction to the Massachusetts Cultural Council state appropriation in the 2010 fiscal year, the MCC will continue to provide direct support to individual artists through the Artist Fellowships Program.

We are announcing changes to the Artist Fellowships Program application schedule. Beginning in September 2009, there will be two different application periods, with deadlines divided by funding categories.

Program guidelines for all categories will be available on September 1.

Deadlines:

The online application for the Drawing, Painting, and Traditional Arts categories will be available September 1. Applications for these categories will be accepted September 1 through October 12, 2009.

The online application for the Choreography, Fiction/Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry categories will be available December 1. Applications for these categories will be accepted December 1, 2009 through January 25, 2010.

This new schedule will mean a faster turnaround time between application and award announcements, while preserving the program's focus on a fair and anonymously judged review. As always, the program aims to foster the creation of new work by Massachusetts artists, the individuals at the center of our state's vibrant creative life.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dan Blask, Program Coordinator for Artists, at (617) 727-3668 x329 or dan.blask@art.state.ma.us.

Millay Residency/Fruitlands Artist-in-Residence

Millay Colony for the Arts in Austerlitz, New York: Residencies provide work space, meals, and sleeping accommodations for qualified writers, composers, and visual artists for a period of one month. The Colony can accommodate six artists monthly; its main building is fully accessible and includes two work/living spaces. Samples of work must accompany applications. See the website for further information. There is a $35 application fee. E-Mail Address: apply@millaycolony.org
Website: www.millaycolony.org/apply. Application Deadline: October 1, 2009.
***By the way, this is a great residency in particular for disabled artists, as they have a state of the art accessible building.

The Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) at Fruitlands Museum in Harvard, Massacusetts seeks contemporary artists whose work compliments the collections and landscape. The resident artist participates in a season long study of the museum as reflected in their artwork. Any artist may apply, including those who work includes poetry, painting, fabric, pottery, sculpture, music & sound, new media and site specific installations. The goal of the program is to bring fresh perspectives to explore the major themes of the institution heritage, art and nature. The artist-in-residence program brings contemporary interpretations to aspects of our collections and landscape, solely at the discretion and inspiration of the artist through their medium. Artists do not live on site and the program seeks artists who live within the greater Boston metro area.
* The Museum provides the artist with: access to the site and collections
* an honorarium
* publicity for public events, programs and exhibit opening event
* exhibition space
* The artist provides the museum with: the artist is on-site on a flexible but regular basis doing their work
* the artist participates in a series of public programs
* previous works and selected works created by the artist during the residency are available for exhibit
* a piece of art created during the program will become a part of the museum collection
For more information, please visit the website: http://www.fruitlands.org/artist-in-residence
Deadline: November 15th, 2009.

The artist bio

Edward Winkleman gives some excellent advice on the artist bio here.

Alyson Stanfield's first 4 steps towards...

selling your art starts here

and then goes here

and here.

Number 4 is here.

artbizblog.com

Who's Showing Where...

Joan Caefer, Anne Garton, and Mary Ince submitted 12 x 12s to PAAM's Silent Auction.

(did I miss anyone?)

The show is the strongest one yet and worth that long trip to Provincetown.

Compilation of Marketing Resources

Look over to the left.

See my start of a library of art marketing links?

Please send me any that you use regularly.

With a thank you to Bernadette Waystack who suggested Alyson Stanfield's artbiz blog and email newsletter.

More Practical Professional Advice

How to Be an Art Professional as the Economy Crumbles

Jackie Battenfield Video from NYFA

Jackie Battenfield discusses her new book The Artist's Guide in this video

Jackie Battenfield - The Artist's Guide from NYFA on Vimeo.

Mary Ince Wins Honorable Mention!

Here is Mary's winning photograph in the Women in Photography International's Summer '09 Juried Competition.

Beautiful photo.

Anyone interested?

Subject: The Sketchbook Project: Library

Be one of the founding contributors to The Sketchbook Library by signing up to receive a sketchbook, filling it up with art, and sending it back. Sketchbooks offers a glimpse into an artist's life, which is why we want to make a publicly accessible library of sketchbooks that people can browse, peruse, and check out.

We think that this sketchbook collection has the potential to open a new line of communication between the artist and the viewer, since the experience of making and viewing are both so personal. Anyone can sign up to receive a sketchbook.

Before joining our permanent collection, sketchbooks will be exhibited at select galleries across the US. Each sketchbook will be barcoded and cataloged, allowing visitors to choose what they want to look at via theme, medium, geographic location, name of the artist, etc.

Sketchbooks will be shown in LA, Brooklyn, Chicago, Atlanta, and St. Louis.

To sign up to receive a Sketchbook please visit: http://www.thesketchbookproject.com

For more info on Art House, please visit: http://www.arthousecoop.com

Sourcebook Update

Seeking Artists/Artisans for New Publication

The deadline for applications has been extended to August 31st.

Artists interested in having their work in the Sourcebook should apply using the criteria listed below. After a brief review, selected artists and artisans will arrange for our photographer to take pictures of their work. The pages of the book will then be laid out by a professional designer. Our goal is to have the Sourcebook printed by the end of the year.

Coastal Community Capital and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Cape Cod Homebuilders Association, the Cotuit Center for the Arts, and the Cultural Center of Cape Cod, have received a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to create an innovative, systemic link between the artists and artisans on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket and people in the architectural, design and building trades:

A Sourcebook of Handmade Items with Architectural Elements.

This high-end publication will be promoted and sold to people in the building and design communities, and will also be available to the general public.

The types of handmade architectural items to be featured in the Sourcebook include, but are not limited to furniture, hand-produced flooring, cabinetry, ceramic tile, sinks, lighting, stained glass windows, metal work, textiles, garden sculpture, masonry and decorative painting (defined as wall murals and wall treatments, not individual paintings).

For the following criteria and submission guidelines in downloadable form, off of http://www.cotuitcenterforthearts.org/

Application Criteria

All items presented must be locally made on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, or Nantucket by professional artists who meet the following requirements:

* They must have experience working with architects, builders, or designers as evidenced by installed work;

* They must provide high-resolution digital photos to show examples of their work, including photos that show their work installed, (Professional photographs will be taken for artists selected);

* They must assist in gaining access to installed work for photographs;

* They must be able to attend a required one-day seminar on working with the building and design trades (note: This seminar will be offered twice to accommodate different schedules);

* They must prove their reliability and ability to meet deadlines, through references from builders, designers, or private clients, (Please include list of references);

* They must demonstrate that their work can meet the rigors of architectural use in homes and/or businesses

* They must be willing to pay a $300 fee for a full page front and back pictorial display of your work, along with contact and bio information.

Application Process

The deadline for applications has been extended to August 31st.

Artists and artisans are asked to submit the following for review:

* High-resolution digital photos of work that has an architectural application (Please limit the number to 6 and present them on a CD).

* Photos of installed work (Note: These photos do have to be taken professionally. The quality of this shot is not critical at this time)

* Resume or artist statement (3 copies, please)

References and/or testimonials (3 copies, please

* A $25 application fee sent with your application, made out to the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, which is managing the project.

For artists on Nantucket, and from Barnstable Village to Provincetown, applications should be sent or delivered to:

Robert Nash, Executive Director

Cultural Center of Cape Cod.

307 Old Main St., South Yarmouth 02664.

508-394-7100

For artists on Martha's Vineyard and from Hyannis west, applications should be sent or delivered to:

Christine Duren, Executive Director

Cotuit Center for the Arts.

4404 Falmouth Road

Cotuit, MA 02635

508-428-0669

If you have any questions about the Sourcebook or the application process please contact Robert or Christine, who are more than willing to help you through the process. If you need to contact the project director, you can email Clare@capecodchamber.org, or call her at 508-362-8910.

Cultural Center of Cape Cod | 307 Old Main Street | South Yarmouth | MA | 02664

Mira's List: Grant FAQs

Someone (Anne G?) at the meeting mentioned Mira's List as a great source for grant information.

Today, Mira has posted answers to her readers' grant FAQs.

The problem of pricing

How has the economy affected your pricing?

Some points of view to ponder on pricing...

artbistro offers How to Price Your Artwork , and

Lisa Call comments on Psychological Pricing.

I think pricing now should be about fostering a collector relationship with a buyer.

What do you think?

BCA Drawing Show--August 12 deadline

Drawings That Work is the organizing idea behind the 21st Annual Drawing Show at the Boston Center of the Arts.

More information is available here.

Be bold!
(what's the worst that could happen?)

Call for Mothers in the Arts

3rd Annual ARM/Mamapalooza conference
May 27-29, 2010

"Representing Motherhood: Mothers in the Arts, Literature, Media and Popular Culture" in New York City.

Association for Research on Mothering (ARM)

Demeter Press

726 Atkinson, York University

4700 Keele Street

Toronto, ON,

Canada, M3J 1P3

416-736-2100 x60366 (fax) 416-736-5766

arm@yorku.ca

www.yorku.ca/arm

They are looking for committee members to organize the conference content. Go to the website above if you want more information.

From the Arts Foundation this morning

CALL TO ARTISTS (Cape Cod, MA)

Robert John Cook hosts "The Art Of Spiritual Gifts"

An exciting art show titled 'The Art Of Spiritual Gifts, will be held on February 4, 2010, 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the Cape Cod Museum of Art. Selected artists will answer the question "What Spiritual Gifts have you received and what/how have those Spiritual Gifts been used in your art?" Each artist will respond with a chapter for a collaborative book that will be published and available during the show. The artist's respective chapter will be 'illustrated', with the art chosen by the artist to represent their Spiritual Gift. The representation will be displayed on the artist's easel during the show. A ten minute film showcasing the collaborative process of this project will be shown the night of the show in the museum's screening room.

For further info contact Cook at MayflowerStudio@aol.com, or call (508) 367-5571.

MiniCards

Check out moo.com for those tiny business cards with highly colored images on both sides.

They do stickers too!

Who wants to read Jackie Battenfield with me?

Jackie Battenfield's The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love has just been published to great reviews. She is a working artist who teaches at Columbia and works with Creative Capital.

Any interest in forming a reading group to discuss it? Let me know if so.

Please note that Jackie gets extra royalties if you buy the book online by going though the title link above and clicking on Buy the Book on the left side of the web page.

Want to be BRA certified and get invites to participate in esoteric Boston venues?

If so, I urge you to do what Heidi Burbridge advises you to do.

Please note that there is no application fee.

Walton Ford to speak at PAAM on August 16

On Sunday, August 16, 2009 at 11am, Walton Ford will offer a two-hour public presentation at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Attendees will have the opportunity to converse with the artist, ask questions, and view original artworks. Tickets: $25.00

Both events are sponsored by TASCHEN Books

Please reserve your tickets for by contacting PAAM at 508-487-1750, cmccarthy@paam.org

What did you think?

Twelve of us met on Tuesday morning for the first time.

Lots of questions and good ideas...

Any comments?

Manet or Monet? deKooning or Pollack? Luminists or Hudson River School?

Smarthistory will answer all those pesky art history questions you have.

Like blogs?

Here's a list of the 100 Best Scholarly Art Blogs as determined by Online University Reviews.

Worth wasting a little bit of time checking them out!

CALL FOR ENTRY: CRAFTBOSTON Spring 2010 & CRAFTBOSTON Holiday 2010

CALL FOR ENTRY: CRAFTBOSTON Spring 2010 & CRAFTBOSTON Holiday 2010
Application Deadline to apply to either or both 2010 shows is September 25th, 2009.

The Society of Arts and Crafts is pleased to announce that applications for CRAFTBOSTON 2010 and CRAFTBOSTON Holiday 2010 are now being accepted. CRAFTBOSTON and CRAFTBOSTON Holiday are New England's premiere exhibitions and sales of contemporary craft. Both shows showcase one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces in baskets, ceramics, decorative fiber, wearables, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, paper and wood.

CRAFTBOSTON, April 9-11, 2010, includes 200 artists and is located at the Seaport World Trade Center on Boston’s historic waterfront every Spring. CRAFTBOSTON Holiday, December 10-12, 2010, includes 90 artists and is located at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts in Boston’s culturally rich South End neighborhood.

To apply, please visit www.juriedartservices.com and complete an online application. Paper applications are available for those that do not feel comfortable with the online application process. There will only be one application to apply to either 2010 show. The deadline for applications is September 25, 2009.

Application Fee: $40 for one or both shows.
For more information, visit www.craftboston.org or email show@craftboston.org.

17 Responses: 3 most significant issues for artists on Lower and Outer Cape

This is a pretty bad cut and paste (ack!--formatting begone!) from the survey results asking what you considered to be the three most significant issues for artists here.

I am posting it here in advance of the meeting next Tuesday so that we can have an opportunity to review it. If you can't attend the meeting but want to comment, please send me an email, or comment here. I will post a summary of the meeting shortly after Tuesday.


1. ability to work as a group--change of consumer spending which affects sales

2.- current state of the economy / budget cuts/lack of discretionary money
-seasonal aspects of the area
-relatively small year-round population of the Cape as a whole
-finding outlets for artwork

3.-obtaining steady work that pays
-fostering series of events, like concert series or art series
-promoting respect and acknowledgement for the vast pool of artists on Cape Cod and what we offer to the community.

4. -Where to exhibit
-Knowing your customer
-Networking strategies

5. Earning a living. Earning a living. Earning a living.

6. sales reps, how to find them on the cape or closest area.

7. new markets, continuing old markets, more advertising

8. Accessability to information re: exhibit possibilities.
Low cost/free exhibit space.

9. I think supporting different artists work and style.
I think having venues where many styles of work can be shown in a professional setting.

10. getting noticed, seasonal, lack of money for advertising

11 .isolation
knowing how to price your work
finding ways to analyze,identify,profile who values your work.

12. 1. Exposure
2. Cape Associations that are marketing and advertising Cape Cod willing to pay for usage of artwork rather than bartering
3. Improve business skills

13. Marketing, Pricing, Organization/Presentation

14. opportunities for showing
studio space
marketing know-how

15. 1. Exposure
2. Cape Associations that are marketing and advertising Cape Cod willing to pay for usage of artwork rather than bartering
3. Improve business skills

16. Marketing, Pricing, Organization/Presentation

17. opportunities for showing
studio space
marketing know-how

Tuesday morning links

What is a giclee?

Is Twitter for you as a marketing device?

When do you change the title of a piece?

What Joanne Mattera thinks artists should know about running a gallery.

Bedroom, kitchen, art gallery

Hello, Everyone!

And thank you, Moira, for the e-blast reminder of this blog, and...

our meeting a week from today!

We will have food and artists to discuss what this group can do. Please come with your list of what you see as the most pressing issues for artists working/living on the Lower and Outer Cape today.

How has your summer been so far?

Looking forward to seeing you all.

The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies

*cough*

I'm old...I still use some of these....

The good news is that we'll have a supply swap at the September meeting and you can rid yourself of unwanted and forgotten art supplies and acquire some more!

FARM Call--June 30 deadline for discounted entry fee

* Painters, sculptors, photographers and printmakers may register for ART at the FARM (Meetinghouse Farm outdoor Show and Sale in West Barnstable on August 15 during the Village Festival) by June 30 to receive the discounted entry fee. After June 30, artists may still register, but without discount. We have over 20 local artists on board, and two demos scheduled to date. The event is rain or shine. For more information, or to register, contact Jean Carbonell at 508-362-1339 or email carbonel@cape.com or Pat Nickerson at patnickersonart@yahoo.com

from Voice of the Arts

Transartistic Meditation by Robert Genn

Many years ago I took a course in Transcendental Meditation (TM), and since then I've painted a few paintings (FP). The idea of combining the two has been sitting cross-legged between my ears ever since.

One of my early problems with TM was forgetting my mantra. Sorry to say I often had to phone my guru Ralph. One day I decided to customize what Ralph taught so it was more "me." It seemed that any mantra worked as long as it had lots of "m's" in it. About the same time, I was discovering that humming while painting seemed to help. Humming is loaded with "m's."

Studies of "flow" and "the zone" have been done using all stripes of artists. This is where the artist gets into a relaxed, intuitive state somewhere deep down in the lizard brain and the good stuff rains down like ripe pomegranates. Tired of rotten apples, I was curious about these concepts as well.

So here's what I figure you have to do. Try to set aside several hours in a quiet, restful and uncluttered environment. You don't have to sit on the floor. Squeeze out the sacred colours in advance so you can get right into the mind-set. Relax. Get centered. Think pleasant thoughts. Size up the job. Get started. The idea is to start seeing and feeling your work not as a product of effort but as an exercise in languid play. The brush slows down and feelings of contentment pervade. You need to trust your instincts and allow the automatic stuff to happen. Feel like a deep-forest green? Dip into it.

TM claims twenty minutes twice a day gets you "a silent reservoir of energy, creativity and intelligence." If you do what I suggest you'll also dip into that reservoir. Part of TM involves attention to your breathing. In my system, you pay attention to your brush. Follow its movement from palette to canvas and back again. Be mesmerized by the energy emanating from its tip. Let your brush put down those strokes directly and then watch it leave those strokes alone.

Feelings of discontent and misery float away. Time flies. Things go best if you have a fair amount of technique under your belt. Memories and motifs simply reconstruct, purify and manifest themselves. A blithe, spiritual confidence penetrates the artist's soul and all becomes right with the world. Like a lot of TM, the system is really quite practical.

Robert Genn, June 26, 2009

and don't forget to look at The Painter's Post

Great new website

MakeBigArt.com is Lisa Call's just launched website for (in her very big words!)

Empowering artists…

…to think big about their art

…to think big about their marketing

…to think big about their lives

Check out her take on why artists need a Facebook fan page.

People Showing

Mary Ince and Anne Garton are in the Juried Members' Show at PAAM.
If you go, make sure you see Pat DeGroot's retrospective too.

Anne Flash in a group show now at the Hutson Gallery in Provincetown with a solo show scheduled from July 3-16. Opening Friday, July 3, 6-9pm.

Sue Pellowe is showing at Eastham's Hands on the Arts Festival on Windmill Green this weekend.

Tuesday Links and a Call Reminder

Robert Genn's The Art Lotto

Constance Humphries' The critique - getting feedback

Sylvia White's Advice on Art archives

Joanne Mattera's Marketing Monday on Jackie Battenfield's new book


The drop off for PAAM's Juried Exhibition for members is today from 12-4pm.
Information can be found here. If you go, don't forget to pick up your 12 x 12.

Protecting Your Art With Paper

NYFA presents a video of Jonathan Melber's talk on invoices and consignments forms.

A Studio Work System

Advice from a textile artist who works full-time as a software engineer and has a family...

How to Get Stuff Done from Lisa Call's blog Contemporary Textile Art.

Explore her archives for more practical advice.

Do you know about the Sourcebook?

The Cape Cod Chamber, Coastal Community Capital, Homebuilders and Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, Cotuit Center for the Arts, and Cultural Center of Cape Cod are creating a "Sourcebook of Handcrafted Items with Architectural Elements," designed for architects, designers and builders.

We have put out a call to artists and photographers for the publication!

Artists must live or have their main place of business on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, or Nantucket and be able to supply photographs of work installed in homes or businesses.

The photographer selected needs extensive experience in "interior" shots, with particular skills in lighting and staging. For full requests for proposal, email Clare@capecodchamber.org.

They have very specific requirements. Please contact Clare for more information.

Check this out at the Arts Foundation!

Do you teach arts-related classes? Does your arts organization offer classes?

Our new website features a unique searchable database that includes listings for arts classes and educational programs offered across Cape Cod. Narrow down your search by town, topic, category, medium, skill level and age - so you can quickly find exactly what you're looking for!

Use this searchable class database to your advantage by listing your classes and workshops! Promote your offerings to a wide audience across the Cape. Expand the market for your classes!

For AFCC members, the new website allows you to create a profile page to promote your organization, yourself and your work. Upload photographs and create an online gallery to show off your talents!

Do you know about the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod?

"The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod is the regional arts agency for Barnstable County, committed to strengthening and promoting Cape Cod's arts and cultural industry throughout the year. We serve individual artists, cultural organizations, fine and performing arts groups and businesses, and cultural and historical establishments such as museums and archives."

Artist membership is a wonderful opportunity to share the resources of the Foundation.

ARTIST $30

• Free round-trip airline ticket from Hyannis to Nantucket courtesy of Cape Air
• Complimentary listing on CapeCodArts.org with an image of your work
• Opportunity to be highlighted as Artist of the Month on the Arts Foundation website
• Opportunity to submit event announcements for the Arts Foundation online calendar
• Discounted price on Making Art, Making a Living programs
• Free Passport to the Arts
• Member recognition in the Pops by the Sea Program Book
• Advance notice of Arts Foundation of Cape Cod grants and other grant opportunities

The posting below is an example of the opportunities published in their weekly newsletter.

Postings from the Current Voice of the Arts

* Call to artists to help support veterans: in search of artists, professional and otherwise, whether it's with a paint brush, cooking spatula, a guitar with a few chords, or a poet writing a poem. Those with a creative skill are asked to volunteer and share their skills with veterans. Robert John Cook is inviting creative folks across Cape Cod to join in a weekly series of television interviews of Cape Cod artists. For more information or to participate contact Robert John Cook at 508-367-5571 or email MayflowerStudio@aol.com

* The Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District presents the Cape Cod Fine Arts Festival on August 29-30 on the Hyannis Village Green. Paragon Arts is performing a nationwide search of artists and juries for inclusion, with a set of spots reserved for the best local artists. Applications are due June 15. Applications can be found online at www.zapplication.org/shows.phtml

* The Falmouth Cultural Council's Art Market is up and ready for its third summer. It will run June 18 - September 3, every Thursday from 3:00 - 8:00 pm, at Town Hall Square in Falmouth. There are about 30 local artists showing and selling their artworks. And there are musicians performing and the occasional surprise performers. Everyone is invited to come, show or sell art, publicize upcoming events or classes, etc. There is no charge if nothing is sold and only a 15% commission on what is sold. Proceeds go towards the Falmouth Cultural Council's grants pool to be given to local artists and arts organizations. For more information email martket@verizon.net

* The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) is seeking small group session proposals for the Fall National Forum on October 2-3 in Cambridge, MA. AEP Forums are the major convening point for the field to address important issues, themes, and trends affecting arts education and to share information and resources among national, state, and local constituencies. The Fall 2009 Forum theme will consider the ways the principles of 21st century learning, particularly imagination, creativity and innovation, are incorporated, articulated and supported throughout the education system from pre-K to higher education. Proposals are due June 19. Forms are available online or contact Laura Smyth, Senior Associate for Communications and Partnerships, at lauras@ccsso.org

* Call to all artists for any which way at Guyer Barn, an eclectic exhibition that will run September 19 - October 12. Artists use one or several 12 x 6 panels to create any which way their heart desires in any media. Panels will be available for pick up beginning June 19. Panels can be picked up in Growth Management Department, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm and on Tuesday evenings at the Guyer Barn from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. For more information contact Sarah Holl at 508-364-7949 or sarahhollart@yahoo.com or Melissa Hersh at 508-862-4767 or Melissa.hersh@town.barnstable.ma.us

* Call for artists and photographers. The Cape Cod Art Association will present the seventh annual Art in the Village festival on June 27-28 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm in Barnstable. Artists tents will be set up throughout the entire village. Take a tent space or volunteer. All space is on a first come first served basis and available until June 20. Fee is non-refundable and there is no rain date for this event. For tent spaces call 508-362-2909 and to volunteer email susan.cahoon@verizon.net

* The Cape Cod Conservatory is looking for unusual images from scenes beyond the shores of Cape Cod. Submissions must relate to the theme of USA People and Places. Included can be images of people, building interiors and exteriors, machinery, constructed objects, citiscapes and landscapes. Submission dates are June 22 - 26, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Falmouth campus, 60 Highfield Hall in Falmouth. For more information call 508-540-0611 or visit www.capecodconservatory.org

* The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) is seeking submissions of art to be featured as the program cover design of the AEP Fall 2009 National Forum, "Charting a Course for the Arts and 21st Century Learning" to be held on October 2-3 in Cambridge, MA. The winner will have his/her work displayed on the cover along with a brief biography in the program, and receive a small monetary prize. Submissions are due June 25. Details about the contest, submission requirements, and submission forms are available online. Questions about the contest should be directed to Teka Phan, Program Assistant at tekap@ccsso.org

* The Harwich Summer Arts and Craft Festivals, on July 11-12 and August 8-9, are accepting applications from artists and craftspeople. Information and applications for exhibit space are available from Harwich Cranberry Festival Summer, Crafts Registrar, P.O. 555, Harwich Port, MA 02646, by telephone at 508-527-7620 or by email at mcmanused@msn.com

A Reminder

The first Lower/Outer Cape Artists Group Meeting will be July 14 from 9:30-11am.

A ways away yes....but please be thinking of what you want the group to achieve for artists here as well as what you bring to the group.

I'll send out the survey results to my question asking for the 3 most important issues for artists before the meeting so that we can discuss them and possible solutions.

Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions before then.

Thank you!