February Report

This had been a head down, ploughing through sort of month. Pandora's Trunk is standing up; it's been really amazing to watch the group of artists that we brought together take initiative and leadership. The community feeling is pretty amazing. It's been shaky in a lot of ways too, since we are building an organization from the ground up in a pretty organic fashion... totally on the fly. I wish I had more time to spend at the library, and a bunch of money to spend on consultants. Heh. I suppose if I had that bunch of money I'd spend it on employees and contractors.

Amidst all of that trying to focus anew on myself as an artist. It's hard to be a businessperson also; it usually feels like one or the other. Business has been winning.

The photo above was included in a guide to San Francisco - go me!
Schmap Guide

Sampler Interview

Belatedly, oh dear reader. This interview happened to me as I was on my way out of town and I am now shocked to notice I never properly linked it. So much has happened since then, in Samplertown, Medium Reality, and Pandoraland, that it almost feels like finding a time capsule. The latest update from HGTV (remember when I filmed in November of 06?) looks like July. What a time capsule that will be!

Medium Reality visits Samplerland

Art, Business, and Marketing (the place where they meet)

I have been working a lot lately, hunkering down and shoveling out old messes, while also trying to strike a balance in my life between work and, well, anything else at all. Over New Year's I went camping in a place called Slab City; it wasn't really like anywhere I've ever been before.

Craft Con, the business networking conference for the craft community that I am hosting here in SF this april, is making slow but steady progress. We have a venue and that means we have dates... working on getting the money. I recently read this article in the new york times about the conference that happened last year, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that one of the unattributed quotes was me! I found a friend blogging about the article and left her the following response which, on further reflection, i thought was content-worthy enough for you, dear starved readers of this sporadic publication.

I have been making a living as an artist and craftsperson for two years now. There are some people who are able to simply click with their audience and the work that they produce sells like hotcakes regardless of price or setting - these people are mostly i think making work whose target demographic is themselves. There are people like me and (i suspect) your mom who aren't necessarily making work for themselves as a target customer - and then it becomes a little harder to a)find your audience b) gauge their price range c) make a community connection with them. The idea of building community works to sell any kind of art, as a great deal of the art- and craft-buying public really loves to feel a connection with the person who has made the work - this humanity, after all, is a lot of what they are paying that 'handmade' premium for.

The business sense of how to market your work, how to identify and find your audience, and how to become a sustainable commercial enterprise is usually not discussed in the craft circles of our generation - except for the internet! Everyone loves to market on the internet! Craft Con, the conference I am throwing here in SF this april, seeks to address these issues. Last year 50 crafters got together in pittsburgh and *didn't* talk about knitting - we talked about marketing and health insurance. It's hard to make a living making things outside of a factory setting, because that is not the prevailing mode of our culture. It's not impossible though, it just means there are fewer total opportunities. I sold two paintings out of my store just this weekend. I think success is about a)quality of goods b)access to market. Representation just means that you don't have to do any of that pesky marketing stuff.

Viajando

Our grand opening was a smashing success! I got interviewed and photographed for the guardian, and although none of that material made it in there yet we did get a kind mention in one of their blogs - before the cut!

I know, I know, pictures. I was hoping the newspaperman with his fancy camera would save me the trouble. Working on it.

Tomorrow morning I am leaving for a trip to Baja with some friends. The store is open and running but there's still some messes under her skirts; the conference I am planing for this spring in woefully behind. I could really use the break, though, and am looking forward to a trip that I've been planning for some time. They've been, I should say. Pretty much all I will do will be show up. I'm looking forward to abdicating decision-making for a while.

Doors Wide Open

Holy whew. The list of things still to be done never does shrink. The store has been standing on its own for a little over a week now. Stress levels are lowering even as problems don't stop (leak in the newly patched roof, anyone?) because by gum it's working. I sold some paintings, i think the first capital-A Art to sell out of the new space. I feel like some sort of mad scientist with a stitched-together frankenstein twitching to life on the table even as a toe or two falls off from rot. I hope she can be tamed!

This weekend brings a special opportunity to celebrate
the opening of a sustainable local art & design space,
Pandora's Trunk. This shop turns retail on its head
with a visual and interactive experience you won't
want to miss!

PANDORA'S TRUNK
grand opening party
Saturday, December 8th
6 -10pm
544 haight btw steiner/fillmore
www.pandorastrunk.com

Meet the Artists:
Alfonso Kellenberger * Architect G * Dida Jewelry *
Fati Beloved * Medium Reality * Miranda Caroligne *
Missing Piece * Nome Edonna * Onerary * Rachel Jordana
Jewelry * Swirlspace

Live Music:
BYOInstruments for an interactive jam at 7pm!
***
Circus Clownery featuring members of the Hobo
Gobbelins
accordion, ukulele and juggling feats!
www.myspace.com/hobogobbelins
***
Jesse Wilson on guitar
She is also our visiting artist this month, showing
paintings in the front window!
***
moman
www.asiwouldsay.com
***
TOTTER
"TT of Heavyweight Dub Champion & Cochrane Mcmillan"
www.myspace.com/tottermusic

Free drinks and edibles:
BYOCup to reduce waste!
Catered by Sterling
Interactive activities & antics galore!


Had fun at one of our events in the past but can't make it out for this one? Please forward this listing on to anyone who you think might be interested - we'd love to meet your friends!