Tuesday, July 21, 2009

The Ironstone Book, finally

The Ironstone Book, 3 months in process

Taking it out of it's box

Opening the book, photographic pages of most of my collected ironstone

Miniature antique ironstone dollhouse pieces, inside and on top of box, and yup, I knitted the little rug, painted the wee china cabinet and distressed the glass box.
The goblets are actually glass, antique dollhouse stuff.

Antique ironstone watercolor pans used as book covers

My life as an open book- now I can get rid of the actual ironstone!

I learned so much doing this book. First of all I was chained to the keyboard until I learned Photoshop once and for all. Second, I learned how to sew the signatures together and attach them to a cover that wouldn't glue and wouldn't 'give'. And I learned about bad photography and promise to step up my game, especially with the new camera on the way (as of tonight it's in Brooklyn, should be here tomorrow). I've learned about detaching from my stuff, all this is unimportant. It was fun to collect, fun to use, fun to display but I'm over it now. The Ironstone Book will be all I need to remember my stuff long after it's gone. If I could only get it gone!



From Robert Genn's Painter's Keys newsletter, notes on marketing art:

While selling is not the Holy Grail to many artists, the greatest thing that sells art is art. An artist can be a mute, knock-kneed nerd, incompetent in the selection and even pouring of wine, but if his work is exciting, he's already partying on down to the bank. Sorry, but all this stuff about aggressive marketing is not worth a prayer if the work is substandard.

Artists' sales are made in their studios--that is, when they make the art. My observation of artists, whether gallery-represented or private sellers, shows them doing best when they are simply on top of their craft. Quality is always in style. There's no such thing as an undiscovered genius.

Long ago I learned a valuable lesson: Putting work in front of the general public and appearing eager to sell it can be the kiss of death. Better to be in the background, maybe even a mysterious figure, and let yourself be discovered. Artists need to be in their studios or furtively moving around outside with their paintboxes. The idea is to get good, rather than get commercial.

This does not mean that artists should avoid listing potential connections, having discreet and tasteful websites, or, if the opportunity arises, giving well-controlled interviews. Potential connections need only to be alerted when fresh bread comes out of the oven.

Simply put, creative folks need to succumb to the love of process. This spiritual transformation softens poverty and eventually buys success
.


(Who is all about process and pretty indifferent to marketing!)

2 comments :

jane dávila said...

Holy crap! That book is freaking amazing!! I'm completely blown away by it.

There's a gallery in Colorado that specializes in artist books, I'll find the contact info for you. A couple of years ago they had a show of fiber art books that I (and Laura Cater Woods and at least one other art quilter I know) was in - they were a class act and good to work with.

Linda Branch Dunn said...

Absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations.