In the field of art class and workshop teaching the months of November and December are rather quiet. Peoples minds are occupied with thoughts of gift giving, home decorating and holiday entertaining.
My mind is filled with thoughts of how I can be the most prodctive in my art field during this time. I have accepted that there are low and high seasons in the art teaching biz. I have realized I can look at this quiet time as a gift of the time to work on my painting and plan for my European workshops and domestic classes.
Doesn't the previous paragraph sound mature and serene? Written by an artist who meditates, does yoga 5x a day and eats only the purest diet devoid of sugars and alcohol?
Tat calm artist is not really me. I like chocolate, red wine and only think about doing yoga 5 x a day. The part about doing more painting and planning is true, just the serene part isn't. I spend part of my time trying to come up with marketing ideas for my artwork and writing, and part of the time reassuring myself that a career in art teaching was the right choice for me and that it is to late to consider a career in landscape architecture or be a forensic medical examiner ( my new favorite tv series that I am currently bing watching is Body of Proof on Hulu).
Here are some of my marketing ideas that I desparately need your feedback on:
1. I could make paintings out of your travel photos to hang on your walls or grace the pages of your journals.
2. I could make travel journals out of old books with deckle edge watercolor paper inside like I take on my trips.
3. I could start a vineyard in my postage stamp size backyard, produce the wine and bottle it with my own hand painted labels like the fabulous Umbria artist, Annabale Parisi does. However Rick vetoed this idea, but at least I could paint wine bottle labels...
4. I could print up copies of the 3 almost published children's books I wrote and illustrated (3 finished paintings and the rest is illustrated in ink), and try to sell them from my website.
5. I could paint the large horizontal format pictures of my dogs I have always wanted to hang over my couch.
6. I could get a job at a very quiet used bookstore coffee house and paint and sketch because people will rarely come in.
7. I could change into a model home maker and clean and cook at an exceptional daily level. This one I veto.
8. I could write some travel articles, but I have a feeling those are quite difficult to get published, doesn't everyone want to write these?
9. I could rent an an apartment in a little French or Umbria village and bring a student or two with me to paint for a while.
10. Please send me your ideas or tell me what you do during quiet periods in your chosen field?
I could learn to cook chocolate mousse like this version I had for dessert in Hotel Dei Duchi in Spoleto.