Tuesday, January 22, 2013

How it is... sometimes

Now the deep cold is settling in here. Too cold to work outside unless one has to. Great time to catch up on computer work I've been avoiding. The image is here to illustrate the moment... indirectly.

Over the many years of sculpture making and doing all the other things required to try and earn a living from my art, one thing has been constantly overlooked: my computer. I have a lovely workhorse of a beauty but "he" (and I call him a "he" because it just fits) is getting on in years. As are we all! The past year he's really slowed down and now it is time to unburden the workhorse from all the tangled clutter and weight of unnecessary files, folders and programs.  Over the years the system has become like like ice lace: a functional network of individual, crystallized moments, connected by a webwork of organizing thoughts that at the time may have made sense, but now have extended beyond what can be expected to survive any additional turbulence.
The system needs an overhaul. So, it has begun. Untangling all the projects, images, writings and details is a bit like trying to undo this ice sculpture. It feels like at any minute the whole thing might collapse. The fact that this is ALL my work of the past 7 years makes the stakes feel very high. Yet there is such beauty here...and as long as I proceed slowly, I am hopeful for success.


This work needed to be done now for a couple of reasons, the biggest one being that I've been working on my big Kickstarter book again and things were just going too slowly in terms of processing all the images. So...reluctantly, I realized I had to take two steps to the side, and two backwards in order to be able to go forwards once more.  I know that no one knows what I'm taking about but trust me...it happens this way sometimes!  ;-)

There are many other things on the horizon for me and I'll just share a few briefly here:
- I'm creating a new framework for blog postings which I'll talk more about soon. 
- thanks to my wonderful (and incredibly patient) web-mistress, Jennifer Star, we will be updating Greenspirit Arts website soon with some improvements. 
- I have a new and very different product line that I am working on and hope to introduce in the next few months
- a new calendar project is just finished up (yay!)
- the Kickstarter book is being worked on again...more YAY!
- a new line of Faerie House books is also being envisioned (but will not be worked on till the Kickstater book is complete)
- some new features for the blog are being worked out...more on that when I'm ready to launch them
- construction continues on several Faerie house commissions which I very much want and need to get out to their new owners
- open studio days are being contemplated for the warm months 

So yes, life is full and focused right now. Much to do and, knowing how this planet likes to keep dancing around the sun, it won't be long till the days lengthen, the buds fatten and the last place I'll want to be is stuck at my computer! So the moment to organize and re-configure is upon me and I need to tackle it with enthusiasm...which I do!

And if anyone wants to put in a "good word" with the Universe on my behalf, I'd be very grateful. I applied to the NY Fellowship for the Arts grant this year. It would be really wonderful to have my application be selected as a winner. The award is significant and it would help me set me back on course in so many ways...so all prayers of support for a positive outcome are gratefully appreciated!

Stay warm!

And... since you've read this far, a seasonal Haiku that shaped itself today just for you:

Bitter winter gales
flutter the wind-chimes. Eyes closed
Summer sounds again 

Cheers!
 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

All my best wishes to you Sally!
I am a big fan of yours :-)

Marili from Italy

Sally J Smith, Environmental Artist said...

Thank you Marili !!
Big hugs to you from a very cold North America!

:-)

Bonnie Klatt said...

Sending you light, Sally!

MJ said...

Sending good thoughts your way!

Sally J Smith, Environmental Artist said...

Thank you Bonnie and MJ !! I very much appreciate your cheers, thank you!!!!!

Bright Blessings all around you and yours

Welcome to the enchanted world of Environmental art and Faerie Houses sculptures created by Sally J Smith. Here you will find photos of the artist's unique art-forms and hear some of the stories from behind the scenes as she shares with you her creative process.