Aisling | Aisling's Diary

Rocking chair – reseating

rchair This rocking chair is called a Lincoln rocker by some, and a Kennedy rocker by others. It’s the same design that Jack Kennedy had in the White House. He felt that it helped his back.

The restored chair is shown at right.

This particular chair came from a yard sale on Boston’s North Shore (an area by the ocean, north of Boston) and it cost $60 many years ago when my younger daughter and I found it. She could “see” me rocking in it, and so we brought it home, propped in the trunk of my car, and held in place with nylon camping rope.

rcb The chair was well-used and well-loved for several years, until — as shown at left — the dry woven seat finally began to sag and then collapse.

I was dismayed, and knew that I wanted to do something wonderful with the chair, and make a present of it to my older daughter. It seemed naturally to belong to her, after awhile. I don’t know why, but certain things are very organic and clearly “belong” to certain people.

When we were in a bookstore in Stratford-upon-Avon (England) in 1996, I saw an inspiring book, Country Rag Crafts, which I bought and shipped back to the States.

The book included instructions for a woven footstool. As soon as I saw the color photos, I knew that was what I wanted to do with the rocking chair… with different colors, of course.

First, I wrapped fabric strips around (and around, and around) 3/8″ sisal rope (“seagrass” in the UK). As I wrapped, I secured the fabric with hot glue.

Then I wove the seat, in a fairly intricate design that gives maximum coverage with minimal bulk. The design starts at the corners and works in.

The entire project took about three days, working about three hours a day. I worked on it while watching favorite old movies.

The fabrics include glittery pieces and plush black velvets, but mostly cottons. One of the fabrics is a blue calico that I used in the first quilt that I made for my older daughter when she was born.

Some of the fabric is part of a seat covering fabric collage, which used to be on the back seat of our art car, called the “Glittermobile.”

There is also a Disney fabric woven in, with a yellow background and Mickey Mouse faces here and there.

These are the things that are a personal “signature” in fabric art, and while I know what they mean (and my family does), they’re our secret when we look at what I have woven.

The rocker is comfortable, and it’s in my older daughter’s home. I’m very pleased with the results. And I hope this chair lasts a long, long time before it needs a new seat again.

Interested in Fabric Art? Start Here.

If you’re interested in fabric art but don’t know where to start, here are a few basics.

First, decide the kind of fabric art that you’d like to start with.

You’ll have lots to choose from. Here are a few.

Cloth dolls and figures

If you’ve always loved dolls, stuffed animals, or art figures, you may enjoy making cloth dolls and figures. You can make them entirely of fabric, or mix different materials, such as a polymer clay face, or wooden chopsticks for legs.

Cloth dolls can be as realistic or stylized as you like. You can make sewing figures or no-sew dolls. Materials can include cloth and stuffing plus needle & thread, or alternative materials.

If you’re a beginner, your doll can be two pieces of fabric sewn, fused, or glued together. If you’re already a fabric artist, the sky’s the limit in terms of materials and techniques.

Years ago, at Yahoo!Groups, I started a group called Wild Art Dolls. It was wild and it was fun.

Quilts and wallhangings

Many people start their fabric art careers by making quilts. You can start simply, sewing together squares of fabric.

Or, you can use a commercial pattern–or your own design–for a more unique statement. You can work with traditional designs, or wildly contemporary concepts.

For an overview of your options as a quiltmaker, see these two magazines: Quilters Newsletter magazine, and Quilting Arts magazine.

For mixed media art that includes fabric – a fine way to mix your other favorite techniques and materials with quilting & fabric – check Cloth, Paper, Scissors. They have LOTS of fun ideas!

I started with traditional quilts in the mid-1970s. (Yes, really. I started young!)

At first, I hand-pieced baby quilts. As I became more comfortable with quiltmaking, I made larger quilts with my sewing machine.

Next, I learned “quilt in a day” techniques using strip piecing, and modified these designs to make quilts for shops and galleries.

Finally, I started incorporating fine arts and crafts techniques and mixed media approaches to art quilts and wallhangings.

That’s what I’m working on again, now.

Cloth jewelry and accessories

Many people enjoy making fabric jewelry, such as cloth beads, bracelets and cuffs, and necklaces. These are a fine starting point for beginners.

Also, you may enjoy making fabric art accessories for your wardrobe and as gifts for others. These can include belts and sashes, purses, hats, and more.

A quick search for the topic that interest you

Wearable art – clothing

Pieced and/or embellished garments are among the most fabulous and complex fabric art projects. Belle Armoire magazine is very popular among paper and mixed media artists making the transition to wearables.

Special issues of Threads, Ornament, and Quilters Newsletter magazines also feature wearable art and related topics.

Where to start…?

My best advice is to start with whichever area seems most exciting to you. There are simple and complex approaches to every kind of fabric art.

Pick one and get started today. You’ll soon find a niche whether you’re a beginner or an experienced tailor/designer/artist.

Delve in and have fun!

Cotton v. Polyester fabrics

fabric-illus1 Before rushing out to buy supplies for your fabric art projects, consider a these important points.

Many fabric artists (including me) prefer 100% cotton for most
projects. The benefits are clear:

Cottons are durable.

Cottons tear on a straight line.

Stains are easier to remove from cottons, partly because of the fiber, but also because you can safely launder cotton in very hot water. And, you can bleach white cottons; you should not use chlorine bleach on most polyester fabrics.

Colors are richer in many cottons, compared with their polyester counterparts.

Cotton is cooler in summer and warmer in winter, than polyester fabrics.

But, there are compelling reasons not to use 100% cotton in some cases, too:

You must preshrink cottons

Cotton wrinkles.

Cotton can fade. If you accidentally add bleach to a laundry load that included colors, the results can be disastrous. Likewise, if you leave a dark cotton in the sun, it will fade. Finally,
if you work with black or very dark cottons, use detergents designed for dark fabrics, to prevent fading.

Some image transfer processes work best on polyester blend fabrics.

In general, I use cottons unless there are compelling reasons to use polyesters. In practical use, I’d guess that I use polyester fabrics less than 1/10 as often as I use 100% cottons.

On my fabric art shelves, I store the cottons separately from blends and polyster fabrics. It’s important never to confuse the two.

Choose the best fabric for each project, individually. The purpose of each project will help you decide whether to use cotton or another fabric for your art.

Crafts Fair Marketing – On-site ideas

soap75 Years ago, when I worked in fashion in Los Angeles, a co-worker at the May Company told a great story about a desperate ad campaign.

He’d had just a few hours to write a newspaper ad for the ugliest argyle socks ever made.

He wrote this headline: “You’ve never seen socks like these!”

The socks sold out the first day.

Obviously, one should never underestimate the power of a good headline… and the way that curiosity will attract people.

What’s among biggest hurdles at a large art show or crafts fair? Getting people to your booth… before they’ve spent all their money at other booths.

Bring a friend or hire someone to mingle in the crowd with half-sheet flyers that have a clever headline. It could be a direct steal from the argyle headline such as, “You’ve never seen yarn like this!”

That might be enough to bring customers to your booth. Or, you might want to add an extra incentive, offering them an extra freebie. Maybe you have a free, vintage knitting pattern for them. Or you offer free gift wrapping. Or… well, anything free is a good idea.

If you know a food vendor who’ll be working at that fair, maybe you can offer your shoppers a “10% off ” coupon for a large beverage from that vendor. Though that will send shoppers away from your booth, it may be enough to get them to your booth in the first place. Then, your challenge is to sell them something before they leave.

You might also ask the food vendor to give his or her customers a coupon good for something free or discounted at your booth, as well.

Curiosity is a powerful sales tool. Adding a freebie may not be necessary, but it can help.

The game at any art fair or crafts show is to attract shoppers to your booth before they’ve spent their money elsewhere, or bought from a competitor.

Advertise at the show, as well as before it. Be creative. After all, that’s what you do best!

Collage Art and Assemblage – What’s the Difference?

Collage art and assemblages are just two of the most fun, varied art forms. Even beginners can achieve success with collage and assemblage.

The biggest difference between them…? Collages tend to be flat. Or flat-ish. Assemblages can be three-dimensional, and can be small or really, really huge.

a collaged card in the
Inspiration Deck exchange

WHAT IS COLLAGE ART?

Collage is usually (but not always) two-dimensional art you’ll create by combining various elements, typically including paper, but sometimes other flat (or nearly flat) items – in a finished art/statement.

For my own collages, I cut and tear collage elements. They usually include:

my own photos,
antique papers, and
modern magazine pages.

Sometimes I include paper decorated with rubber stamps, handwritten notes, or sketches.

If you’re like me, you may add other items, too. For example, you might use:

bits of foil,
ribbons,
coins or medals, or
bits of fabric or lace.

The possibilities are endless!

Then, you might arrange them on a prepared background before gluing them in place.

My favorite collage glue is Yes! Paste. In fact, it’s the ONLY adhesive I use now. Yes, it’s pricey, but worth every cent. Really. It rarely buckles, and you can reposition the items for several minutes after applying the adhesive.

Or, you might glue them in place as you work, making it a very spontaneous and organic art process.

Either way, I usually use a block printing brayer to make sure it sticks evenly and remains flat… if it’s supposed to be flat, that is.

The finished work may be like the collage shown above.

I keep some of them, and exhibit – and sometimes sell – others.

If you’re like me, you might photograph and print small copies as ATCs (artist’s trading cards), or other fun printed items to share with others.

However, collage isn’t limited to cards and framed art.

For example, I regularly taught a workshop on collaged tote bags, at the original Artfest. (It’s the annual gathering that was organized by Teesha Moore and her team, in Port Townsend, WA).

Here’s what one of these tote bags looked like:

collaged tote bag
made with images from Maine tourist brochures

WHAT IS ASSEMBLAGE ART?

Assemblage is combining three-dimensional elements to create a finished work of art.

In some cases, this may be a sculpture, or perhaps a shrine.

Here’s my Superman shrine, using original and comic-book elements, in a Pringle’s potato chip lid.

Superman shrine, by Aisling(To read more about the shrine, including how-to directions to make your own, visit this Superman Art Shrine page. Check out the Tammy Faye shrine , too.)

Also, I create found-art dolls. Here’s one of my favorite art/fetish dolls, Teal Magick, Click the image to learn more about her.

Teal Magic, a handmade assemblage art doll

Other assemblages are more difficult to label. For example, I was part of the Capolan exchange. (To see what’s inside that box, click here.)

a box for The Relic Room,
the June 2000 Capolan exchange

How to Collage in Your Art Journals – 2008 Art Journaling Update

art journal collage

Collage is an easy way to add art to your diary or journal.

For years, I started each day with a quick torn-paper collage, the same as I used to create my handwritten “morning pages,” taught in The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

Collages are a visual version of “morning pages.”

I wrote about my collage process in 2002, when I was the owner of the ArtistsJournals (and AJ2) Yahoo!Groups.

What follows is my 2008 update, as my art journaling process changed (slightly).

Most days, I allow an hour for each collage, and I try to create them in the morning, soon after I get up. That seems to be when my right-brain (creative side) is most active and open to imagery.

Sometimes – but not often – I go back several times throughout the day to add things.

Preparing the journal

Usually, I work on pages in a spiral-bound sketchbook, just as they are.

Sometimes I’ll gesso a few pages my journal, ahead of time. Then they’re strong enough to support heavily embellished collages.

That’s all gesso does: Make the page stronger, for embellishment, and – if you’re going to use paint – gesso prevents the paper from soaking up too much paint.

Most of the time, I don’t use gesso. I work directly on the paper.

Gesso

Remember that gesso is entirely optional. In fact, most people don’t use it at all.

I just like the option of adding paint or heavy embellishments to my art journaling pages. For that, gesso creates an ideal working surface in your sketchbook or other paper support.

I use any acrylic gesso that’s cheap, from any store that carries gesso. Michael’s can have some great deals, especially their house brand or as a student-grade product.

I buy the largest container they’re selling, for the best price.

Yes, you can buy gesso in colors, but if you start with white, you can add color to it, using dye, food coloring, or watercolors, or mixing in acrylic paint.

Now and then, I use black gesso for art journal pages on which I’ll stamp text in white, or use a white gel pen. Here’s an example.

art journal collage

For more information about gesso, see my other article, Gesso – What it is, how to use it

Photos, pictures, and other images

I store a variety of images – ad flyers, tickets, programmes, handwritten notes, vintage paper and photos (etc.) – in folders. For now, they’re kept in a heavy cardboard portfolio, to use when I want to create a collage.

In plastic bins, I store stack of magazines & newspapers, too.

(In addition, I keep a separate “junk bin” for junk mail flyers. I put those beneath my images as I’m applying glue to the back of the collage elements.)

I’ll grab whatever images, words, and phrases strike my fancy at that very moment.

If they connect somehow, great.

If they’re completely disrelated, that’s okay too. It usually makes sense to me after I put it all together, in the context of my thoughts at the time.

My favorite magazines for collage include the fashion magazine, W, because it includes great images, heavy paper, and very large words and phrases that show up nicely on my pages.

I also like glossy magazines such as National Geographic, because the colors are great, the images are unusual, and – since the pages are clay-based – I can use the magazine for image transfers.

(I’ll talk about that at another time. It’s a more complicated collage and embellishment technique.)

Gel medium

[As of 2021, some of the following information is outdated. I’ve stopped using gel medium for most of my art journaling collages. I’m getting far better results with Yes! Paste.]

I love layers in my work. For this reason, I’m very big on using colored tissue paper. I use Golden Gel Medium (soft/gloss) for the adhesive, and when the tissue paper is saturated with the gel medium, it remains translucent after it dries.

However, the gel medium will make the paper buckle sometimes. I like that, because I’m very process-oriented. I’m not interested in a collage that looks pre-printed.

The buckling and extra glops of gel medium work for me, but I know that not everyone likes the buckled-paper look.

I apply the gel with a sponge brush. I often forget to rinse them, so they’ll be used just once or twice, and I stock up on the cheapo ones (10 – 15 cents each during Michael’s store sales) regularly.

Wax paper keeps the pages from sticking

While the page dries, I’ll place a piece of waxed paper over it so I can turn the page and work on another page in my journal.

If the damp collage is facing another gel’d page, I’ll keep waxed paper between the pages for a week or two until the gel is fully cured.

Otherwise, the gel remains tacky enough to stick to the facing page.

For more about using wax paper when creating art, see my article,
Wax paper and art journals.

Other art journaling embellishments

I highlight some of my collages with leafing… gold, copper, etc. I adhere it with gel medium, too. Don’t get caught up in using the most/only perfect adhesive for the job; gel medium works well for almost anything.

When it won’t hold, I use Household Goop!

art journal collage
On a “hurting” day, a band-aid may hold an image in place. And there are grommets, paper clips, straight pins, safety pins, and so on. Look around you and see what might work for your collages. Give them texture. It can enhance the originality!

Most completed journals won’t fully close

5" x 8" journal entitled "Hogwarts Journal." I never fret because an item means that the journal won’t close nice & flat.

Frankly, by the time I complete lots of pages, my journal may be so thick – or so buckled – that it hasn’t a chance of closing flat, ever again!

I may sew a button to the front cover of the journal, and a piece of string (I like hemp twine) or ribbon attached with a grommet to the back cover, so I can tie the journal closed when I carry it around or shelve it.

Art journaling as self-discovery

These collages are exciting to me, because I never know how they’ll turn out until I start putting the random bits of paper together and realize what the internal message is. It’s sort of like bringing what’s deep inside me, forward.

But I love collage and I love journaling, and what I learn about myself and others in the process.

More? You’ll find additional notes on collage techniques in my Insight Shrines class handouts and in my letter to Erin about art/journaling.

Planning for your future

artist-monalisaval-j This morning, I read Seth Godin’s blog in which he posted a joke set of predictions for 2008. (He claimed to have written them in 2002. Obviously, he’d written them this week.)

But, as he concluded his post, he stated his point very well:

“…just think about how impossible it is for your to predict what your life is going to be like in four or six years… being ready for anything is the only rational strategy. So, why exactly are you planning on the future being just like it is now, but with better uniforms?”

THE FIVE YEAR PLAN

Many of us have accepted traditional goal-setting strategies. They include looking ahead five years to what you can reasonably achieve, but perhaps with a slightly starry-eyed vision.

That’s where I recommend a shift to the Getting Things Done view, mixed with a little of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits…

Think in terms of wild success. I mean success beyond your wildest expectations. How would that look? How would your life be different? What would your workday be like?

And then, plan for that. Take the steps to integrate those changes into your life right now.

Remember what you’re doing this for.

LIVE YOUR GOALS… NOW

Is it to be a successful, well-paid artist? Well, do you dress like one? What about your car… is it as immaculate inside (and out) as it would be if you had a chauffeur to maintain it for you? Do you always have nice, upscale business cards with you, to hand out to fans (or people you’d like to have as fans or clients)?

Are you doing this to be famous for future generations? Okay, what are you doing to create a name for yourself, right now? Do your PR strategies include getting your paintings into highly visible locations, such as your town offices, state offices, the offices of your Congressional reps, every local museum… and then work up from there? Have you contributed (or contributed to) a very visible mural in a public space?

Are you working on your art so you can be a full-time artist? That’s great; how much time are you dedicating to your art. I don’t mean the commercially successful art that can be the first step into the marketplace. I mean strange, deeply expressive and authentic art that may never match the colors in anyone’s sofa, and may only make sense to you.

The fact is, no one can predict the future with certainty. The five-year plan was fine when five-year intervals could be predicted. Today, life moves and changes at a vastly faster pace.

Don’t plan for the forseeable future. Plan for a wildly successful future. That’s what’s within your reach, and perhaps sooner than you think.

Start now. Plan with the end in mind: Success beyond your wildest dreams.

The importance of leverage

Today, I was reading a blog entry by Rick Sheffren, Leverage: Maximize your income in minimum time.

It reminded me of the potential leverage of past accomplishments.

As artists, we don’t always pause to update our resumes (CVs). We participate in swaps, group shows, and see our works published in zines and magazines… and all we do is tell our friends.

Everything that you do as an artist holds the potential to move your career forward.

No matter how small the project, or how many other artists were involved, your participation is still news.

It doesn’t matter if you were part of the project because it was open to the public and you simply signed up for it. Frankly, art collectors don’t always know which are invitational projects and which aren’t… and many don’t care.

It’s the quality of your work that matters, as well as the audience that see it.

Then, be sure to add your participation — and a photo or scan of the art — to your website and your CV.

Some of your most powerful leverage is what you create for fun. That’s where the best energy can be, and it’s the energy — not necessarily the technical expertise — that separates mediocre art from art that soars!

Art Consignment for Beginners

Every year, new art galleries and crafts shops open. Often, they’re launched on a shoestring.

They need consigned items to sell.

Every year, new artists and crafters decide that this is the year they’re going to launch their careers.

They need places to show their artwork.

It could be a perfect partnership for your artwork or crafts.

But… is it?

Is Consignment Right for Your Art and Craft Items?

First, can you afford to consign your work? If you need income this week, you’ll do better if you can find a shop to buy your work, outright.

On the other hand, it can be brilliant business strategy to consign your art in a shop that becomes a local (or tourist) favorite.

Consignment works like this: You provide artwork for the gallery or shop. When it sells, you get part of the selling price, and the shop gets the rest. It’s not unusual to see a 30-70 split (the shop keeps 30%) or a 70-30 split (the shop keeps 70%).

The latter should probably be avoided.

In a perfect world, the split is about 50/50. After all, you’ve put time, materials, skill, and originality into your work. The shop is showcasing your work, providing valuable wall, floor or counter space for it.

Consignment can be great, ho-hum, or a nightmare. There are many factors.

Do Your Art and the Shop’s Style Actually Match?

Does the shop or gallery have a style, and – if so – is it a match for your work?

Just as important: Are the shop’s standards high enough?

Your art can shine in a setting with a good mix. However, if visitors take one look at most of the art and say, “Ick,” they may never even see your work.

Or, if the shop can’t find enough good artists and it’s obviously half-empty, that can disappoint visitors. They won’t stay, browse, and buy.

However, if the shop owner does business with a collection of great artists, you can be in fabulous company.

That can help you build your reputation while you increase your income.

Visit your markets regularly and be sure that your work is shown in the best possible light.

Consigning Your Art: Prices and Paydays

How soon will you be paid? If you aren’t paid within 30 days after the work sells, you may want to look for better opportunities.

Who is setting the prices, and are they in the correct range? If you’re new and the shop owner is as well, consider getting a second opinion about the prices. Items won’t sell if they’re priced too high or too low. (From my experience, items are generally underpriced. If your art isn’t selling, try a higher price for two weeks and see if that helps.)

Supply and Demand Can Vary Widely

In the past, I’ve worked with multiple consignment shops and galleries each summer. Some of them will succeed and some will fail. However, a few will sell my work so rapidly, I may have to phase out the less successful shops, just to meet demand.

Even though I’ve supplied galleries and shops for many years, I still can’t predict which items and which shops will be successful.

It’s important to be on good terms with the shops you deal with. Open communications — and flexibility — are vital.

Ask about Insurance

Discuss risks with the shop owner.

If there’s a fire, or the sprinkler system dumps water on everything in the shop, or if your work is stolen, what happens? Either you or the shop owner (or both) should have insurance, or be willing to cover the risks.

The shop owner may want you to carry insurance, as well. For example, if you’re making children’s toys, be sure you have liability coverage. It could be a shock — and a huge expense — if you have to recall 200 wibbly-wobbly toys because the manufacturer recalled the plastic eyes that you used.

(That said, those kinds of disasters are rare. Insurance can turn disasters into speed bumps instead of career stoppers.)

Consigning: Flexibility is a BIG Plus

Although I wholesale some of my crafts to shops, I like to work with at least 50% consignment galleries each summer. (That’s my favorite tourist season in New England.)

The reason is simple: I love the flexibility of working on consignment.

If I get tired of making a particular item, I can simply discuss alternative products with the shop owner.

If a line of products doesn’t sell, I can take it back and place it in another market where it will sell. And, I can put different items in the shop where they collected dust. Everyone wins!

If I’ve committed to a shop and delivering the art is more trouble (or expense) than I expected, I can renegotiate terms.

Mix It Up!

Generally, I wholesale (to shops that buy from me, outright) enough crafts to cover my basic expenses.

After that, I focus on consignment shops and galleries.

I negotiate good commissions, I work closely with new shop owners, and we all have fun.

I work primarily with seasonal shops and galleries… stores that open in June and close when the tourists go home.

I work all winter, building my inventory, and then I can take most of the summer off. Most of my ‘work’ in the summer involves visiting my favorite tourist areas, checking on shops, and delivering products.

Then, I go to the beach. Or the mountains.

Contracts Can Be Essential

Consignment shops and galleries can be a great way to launch your arts and crafts career. You can reduce the stress on both sides, by having a clear agreement with each shop owner.

Start with a standard contract, and modify it to suit your needs.

Here are some sample contracts, online:

Sample Artist-Gallery Consignment Agreement, from Michael Dunn

Sample Consignment Agreement for Artists, from Mark Henson

Consignment Agreement Contract – free sample

Some “worst case” advice, from attorney Richard Stim: Consigning Your Arts and Crafts

Learn More at Your Public Library

It’s smart to consult books about consignment art sales and artist-gallery consignment contracts. Here are a couple worth asking for at your public library.

Business and Legal Forms for Crafts

Legal Guide for the Visual Artist

Recommended: Annual meetings

Party balloons If you want to meet other artists and talk with them about local resources and outlets for your own art, here’s one great approach: Join art associations and clubs, and — here’s the important part — go to their annual meetings.

Unlike some corporate annual meetings, art associations’ meetings can be very sociable and fun. Frequently, the associations’ important issues are discussed and voted on, board members are elected, and then everyone stays to chat.

Often, refreshments are served. (Volunteer to help the refreshment committee, for extra networking opportunities.)

Invariably, everyone discusses his or her art career. Here’s the most important thing that you can do: Listen!

You’re there to learn from others, and — given a chance — they will tell share valuable information. They’ll talk about where they’re showing their art. They’ll talk about the gallery or shop or fair that was a bad experience. They may say where they found a great deal on frames, canvases, bulk orders for batting or fabric… and so on.

Oh, it’s fine to ask questions about how you can get into a specific gallery or shop. You can inquire about a store or show that you’re not sure about.

Start by listening to everything others say. Don’t interrupt with your questions or comments. Let them talk. Agree when your experiences have been similar.

Then, when they’ve said everything that they wanted to, ask a few — just a few — of your own questions.

You can form many wonderful, genuine friendships at these kinds of meetings.

In conversations like these, I’ve learned about other, useful groups. I’ve connected with other artists working with similar media to mine, and we’ve put together orders to buy our supplies in wholesale volume. That cut my production expenses by nearly 50%. I’ve met members who were opening their own shops or galleries, and were looking for consigned artwork to sell.

Attending meetings has been incredibly beneficial.

Many art associations and groups hold their big, annual meeting around May or June. Others schedule them near the end of the calendar year.

Those meetings are one way to meet a large number of active artists, and find ways that you can help each other.

And, in some groups, the annual meeting is when members sign up for major upcoming shows or other opportunities.

Join local art groups, no matter how humble or lofty. Go to their meetings, especially the annual meeting.

You’ll learn a lot and share what you know with others. Meetings are usually a wonderful, relaxed opportunity to meet other artists and network with them.