“Look Out Here I Come!”

I spent the evening with the Executive Director – Chris Amundsen from Minneapolis, MN  – and others for the American Craft Council. This is the organization sponsoring the craft show where I will have a booth in March. (Booth 315!) The session was centered around the staff of the Council soliciting feedback from crafters, supporters and people who love craft. I was invited to attend as an artist and someone who creates craft in the Atlanta area. I was the only artist who is going to be in the show in March in attendance. We spent about two and a half hours discussing the challenges and needs of craft in Atlanta, how the ACC can support and help artists, and brainstorming ideas for promoting craft in the state.

I tell you this to help you understand that this was the first ‘public’ session where my opinion was being solicited as an artist. NOT as an MBA, or training expert, or leader, or management expert – as an artist. It was a whole new experience for me. Remember that I have a ‘day job’ that supports our lifestyle…art is what I do to create, and is something I want to eventually be our LIFE! In my art I pour my thoughts, ideas and soul into a tangible item then present it to the whole world for review, approval, criticism and hopefully to purchase. It was a new and invigorating experience for me to be seen as an artist instead of a business women, teacher, leader, or manager. It was exciting, and fresh and rejuvenating. And at the same time a bit daunting. Who am I to give my opinion on this topic? I am a peon compared to some of the people who were in that room. I have been creating calligraphy for twenty-two years, and selling it here and there. Now I am seen as an artist. Gulp! Wow! That is a reality change if there ever was one! What a great reward for my efforts…

With great reward comes great responsiblity. I thought about this on my hour drive home and realized that I am not only in my first national juried show, I am taking that big toe you dip into the shallow end of the swimming pool and exchanging it for a triple gainer off the high dive into the roaring ocean below. (Ya’ know the one where the people who care about you sit in the plastic lawn chairs on the side of the pool or on the beach and shout, ‘Plug Your Nose’ or ‘Take a deep breath’ or ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’)  Whew! This is not only a show, it is a whole new life adventure! It’s a REAL life change.

I told someone this week that it takes guts to change your life. It takes courage, and sacrifice and gumption and chutzpah…and (excuse me) balls! Big cahones! Tough ones! Ones made out of solid steel! And I also said, anyone can dream, imagine and talk and plan big. And I love to do that. I could dream about what I would do with millions of dollars…all day….all day…all day. But the people I REALLY want to spend my time with are the people who are DOING it. The ones who are scrapped up, bloody, tired, frustrated, getting dirty and dusty and spending their dime and their time making their dreams COME TRUE… and loving every minute of it. The people who have the guts to act and change their lives. Those are the people who are shouting at you from the plastic lawn chairs…’You can do it’ or ‘Go for it’ or ‘Woo Hoo’…and the ones you hear through muffled water, shouting, and cheering and whooping it up while you are gasping to get back to the surface. They are the ones who know how you feel when you face the fear, adversity, challenges, indecision, insecurity and again the fear. They are the true compadres of life, and if you don’t have a group of friends, family,, supporters like that then find them. Work hard to develop that group and cherish every hour you get spend in their presence.

The true artists of the world are the ones who are doing it, not just dreaming about it….stuffing their pictures into journals, or drawers or hanging them on walls for no one to see but themselves. The real heroes of the art world are the people who put their ‘stuff’ into the public realm for everyone to see, share, enjoy, criticize, admire and hopefully buy!

So as I stand on the edge of that high dive getting ready to make the big jump, you may see my lips moving as I plunge into the deep waters below. ‘What did she say?’ – those people in the plastic lawn chairs ask each other. ‘Did you understand what she said?’ ‘Did anyone get what she said?’ And they may not be able to hear what I am shouting, because the fear makes it more of a squeak than a shout, but the words I’m saying as I take that leap are, “Look out here I come!”