Timetable

Need to produce detailed timeline from now until January when Connect photography is scheduled. Basics are:

1st Dec - no fair, Alec visit
4th Dec - Mum & Dad visit
7th Dec - bursary instalment no.1 - £1000
8th-10th Dec - no fair, Dorset silversmithing
11th Dec - finalise sketches for initial exhibition pieces, get silver/copper/stones/tools ordered
14th(ish) onwards - start on copper 'prototypes'
21st Dec - finish at work for Christmas
4th Jan - back to work....

...then have two weeks to finish some pieces for photography.

Also need to chase Jo Pond and Maggie for replies to emails re. first meeting and display plinths.

Exhibition

Have decided on principle at least what my theme will be for the exhibition - 'regular patterns in irregular places'. Has come from the sketching and doodling I've done following our Ireland trip, and the wonderful patterns and shapes in and of the landscape...also ties in nicely with the geological thinking I was having after seeing the rock cores at The Collection....didn't get any pictures of the peat bogs in Ireland unfortunately, but the patterns provided there by excavations will contrast nicely with the wave forms I'd like to use from the Connemara beaches...

In terms of developing my work, I think as a principle it's flexible enough, and will give me a great starting point...I could even turn it on its head to work on languages, codes and scripts - irregular patterns in regular places - like far eastern scripts, really ornate characters in neat little rows :)

Can't wait to get cracking in my big silver pieces now...very exciting!

Fairs/Markets

Been at an all-weekend fair run by Studio 61 near Matlock.... just about broke even despite organiser assuring us that the fair was well-advertised in prestigious publications. As always, attendance by potential customers depends on may variables, from marketing to the weather, location to number and quality of stalls on offer.

Customers were few and far between, but the main issue is that I've wasted a whole weekend on not making any money. Domestically speaking, it means I've spent no time with my family whatsoever, home affairs are no more organised than they were on Friday, and the working week starts again tomorrow.

I think I need to make the decision that arts & craft fairs are not going to be a good way for me to make the business a success, for various reasons:

• not selling enough pieces to make it profitable
• eating into time that could be better spent pursuing other opportunities/activities that wil benefit the business
• affecting my home & family life dramatically

I've tried enough fairs now to make some kind of judgement - part of that judgement is to aim higher.

Devise my marketing package, i.e. images, leaflets/flyers to distribute to higher end studios and galleries, get added to mailing/invitation lists etc. and wait for the contacts - meanwhile using my time more effectively to establish myself in stores instead. I think this will be more effective in the longer term, and will allow me time in the new year to focus on the exhibition.

New photos, new work

I've found some quick Photoshop tutorials that have enabled me to sharpen up my product images - exactly what I was looking for and takes about 2 minutes a shot. Results as shown...

Before and after shots, quite a difference and will look great on a white web background :)

So, hopefully (at least in the short term) some shots for publicity material for fairs etc. will be easier and cheaper to come by!

Episode 2 - CVs

WHAT HAPPENED/WHAT DID I DO?
Looked at CVs for various purposes and at initial elements of career/business planning.

HOW DID I GO ABOUT IT?
Examined other artists' CVs written to pursue different opportunities and for different practices
Discussed what us typically looked for on an artist's CV
Devised draft list of objectives related to business/career plan

WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME? WHAT HAVE I LEARNT?
Extremely useful - discussing the potential different approaches to CVs within the group was very interesting. I've only ever looked at CVs in one way before now, from a bog-standard HR viewpoint, looking for people to fill office positions, so looking at it from a creative practitioner's standpoint was completely different - presenting myself as a 'package', a discrete service, is a whole other approach, but ultimately much more satisfying to read! It's much more about conveying a particular message about me and my work - challenging :)

The objective setting and determining whether I want to write a career or a business plan I found pretty straightforward - I know I'm trying to create a means of earning a living, so a business plan is what I need, and I've been looking at this, however cursorily, for a wee while. In the initial session we looked at our draft (for draft read vague!) objectives for the period covered by the business plan, so as a means of making them firmer, setting specifics (SMART!) and timescales etc. was extremlely useful and goes a long way to getting my head in the right place to start tackling the plan, in conjunction with Assignment 1, the statement of intent.

ACTIONS?
Assignment 1 - due 23rd November - first written intentions for business plan. Keep objectives tight, SMART.
CV - start drafting 2 versions - one for approaching stockists/galleries, one for exhibitions/shows. To include with assignment.