Today I%92d like to pass on a few links that I have found to be extremely useful. You might enjoy them too.

For help and information on %92the business side of art%92, check out %92ArtBizCoach.com%92 . Alyson Stanfield publishes a weekly newsletter chockful of useful information and advice. She wants to help artists promote themselves and sell their art. She also publishes a blog at %92ArtBizBlog.com%92. I recommend you sign up for her newsletter.

If you%92d like to explore an artist community, try %92WetCanvas.com%92. There are numerous articles on just about every subject related to art making. It is a huge site. But one of the best features is the %92discussion forums%92. You%92ll find those at %92WetCanvas/Forums%92. There, artists talk to one another by posting questions or comments, to which other artists reply. The forums are organized by subject, from general discussions about art, to the business of art, to specific discussions by medium, or genre. It%92s an incredible resource and a nice way to make online friends.

Another one you might want to try is %92EmptyEasel.com%92. It also has a large number of articles, painting tips, reviews, etc. This one is a little harder to navigate, so I suggest you sign up for the weekly newsletter which tells you what articles will be published during the week, and it also points you to last week%92s articles. With each article, you get links to previous related articles. Some nice information there.

Of course, I%92m sure I don%92t have to mention Robert Genn%92s twice-weekly newsletter which is received by thousands and thousands of artists worldwide. Twice a week, Robert writes on a variety of topics and publishes a selection of replies received from viewers. There%92s also the opportunity to add your own comments directly on the site. Makes for very interesting reading. Well worth signing up for at %92PaintersKeys.com%92.

Rest not! Life is sweeping by;
Go dare before you die.
Something mighty and sublime,
Leave behind to conquer time. (Johann W. von Goethe)

Suzette

I recently purchased a couple of pairs of socks made from bamboo fibre. I didn%92t realize there was such a thing. I found them to be really soft and comfy, like a fine wool, except they don%92t shrink in the wash; better than wool.

This left me thinking about bamboo. According to Wikipedia, bamboo is very strong, extremely versatile, and a wonderful renewable resource. Bamboo grows very quickly; some of the larger varieties can grow as much as a meter per day.

Bamboo can be used in construction; when treated, it forms a very hard wood which is both lightweight and exceptionally durable. It can be used for floors, furniture, canoes, musical instruments; its uses are almost unlimited. It can be carved for decorative work. The fiber can be used to make paper, yarns and fabric. Bamboo fabric is notable for its soft feel and claims of natural antibacterial properties. And let%92s not forget, bamboo is a staple in Asian cuisine. How much more versatile could it be?

Consider the state of our environment and the onset of global warming; consider the role that trees play in keeping our air clean and how many millions of trees are cut down each year for construction and the making of paper and other goods; it%92s an easy conclusion that bamboo represents the solution to the cutting down of trees. We must grow and use bamboo as our main source of wood and stop cutting down our forests.

And on the subject of conservation, we all need to make recycling a priority. Reduce, reuse and recycle. That%92s the motto we need to live by. We must all do our part. Every little bit counts.

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker." (Helen Keller)

Regards,

Suzette

January 1st. A time to rethink, reorganize, regroup; a time to take care of business, make changes, make plans, resolutions. After getting through the Christmas holidays and too much eating & drinking, and too little physical activity, it%92s time to open the windows and let the fresh air blow through, metaphorically speaking.

In the past couple of months, I%92ve complained of being blocked, of lacking inspiration and direction in my work. I%92m going to get over that block by making changes. I%92m going to start working in series, picking a theme and exploring that theme with several paintings, thereby developing more continuity in the work. I%92m also going to change my work habits. I believe that change is achieved by changing our actions. If we keep doing the same thing, we keep getting the same results, therefore: change actions, get different (hopefully better) results.

Sometimes, too much time is spent thinking about what we want to do, what we should do, looking for %92THE%92 best thing to do, and often, there is no best thing to do. Just make a decision and go for it. Some action is better than no action. If it doesn%92t turn out to be the best action, then make changes when that becomes apparent, but at least you will have gotten started.

The thing is, nothing ever gets accomplished by just thinking about it. Planning is great, but you actually have to get off your bum and do it. So this is a great time to make that choice.

Stop thinking about it; JUST DO IT!

My wish for you this year is that when you come to the end of the year and look back, you can say %92I did it%92.

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." (Annie Dillard)

Suzette

PS: I%92ve added the text of my 2007 blog entries as well as my 2008 printable art calendar (see right sidebar). Since the calendar takes up a lot of my available space, I will only leave it up for the month of January. After that, you can email me and I%92ll be happy to send it to you by email.