April Showers and Flowers

Looking out the window today, I see rain, hail, sun and the splat of snowflakes. Then the sky clears and blue appears overhead like a reminder that bad weather, like life troubles, are temporary. And eventually the sun does shine again. 

This week, I took pictures of new vases and sold a leaf plate on Etsy. I’m grateful that I get to work with clay and see my creations find their way into someone else’s home. 

Taking my best shot. 

In the beginning, I paid a professional photographer to take pictures of my work. He set up the lights, backdrop and decided on the camera angle. So taking pictures of my own work took work to figure it out. It’s still not my comfort zone. I always doubt myself and my ability to do it right. 

But what I’ve found through trial and error is, it’s more important to use natural light. I want to show the piece at every angle. And capture the true colors and textures of each piece. When someone looks at my pieces online, I want them to see the real piece. Not dramatic lighting or special effects. I want them to really see how a piece would look in their own home. 

Time to rise above. 

This week, another big challenge for me was to rise above my fears about how my life is changing. My husband and I have been forced into a new life chapter. Like the camera I was using, I needed to focus on what is real, good and true. I am here. I am healthy. I am working in clay that I love. 

I can fill my vases with bright spring flowers. And make silly clay animals. 

Life might throw us unexpected changes. 

Like rain, hail and snow, seasons come and go. 

All we can do is breathe 

And wait for the sky to change and the flowers to bloom again. 

Turtle Steps

I made lists. I had plans. Then, last year happened. And maybe like you, all those lists and plans and goals fell apart. So with this new year, I decided to start out slow. 

Last week, I repaired sculptures that were broken in last year’s final months. I faced the overwhelming task by taking only one piece down at a time. Fixing that one piece. Then and only then, moving on to the next. Even though I went slowly, one at a time, it surprised me how quickly they were all fixed. 

Think tiny. 

I didn’t come up with the idea. One of my favorite writers, Martha Beck did. What is it? She says, “A turtle step, as I define it, is a step that takes you toward your ultimate goal, but is so tiny you could do it easily on your worst day.” 

And in addition to suggesting this as a new goal for the new year, she shared that it was the only way she was able to write her books. Her goal everyday was one paragraph. That’s all. But, of course what she learned was that a paragraph a day(or maybe 1 more on a good day) does become a book. 

After reading this, I took a long look at my big ideas from last year. And my lack of big ideas for this year. And I sighed with relief. 

One snap at a time. 

This week, I needed to revamp my Etsy shop. Although I’ve had an Etsy shop for years, I really never got the hang of it. Last year, I decided it was time for me to take it more seriously. And it worked. My work sold on Etsy. 

With Valentine’s Day approaching, it was time to re-stock my shop with new ceramic pieces. As I started to get overwhelmed, I remembered ‘turtle steps’. One day, I just chose the pieces.

 The next day, I set up my photo booth. 

Then one by one, I took pictures. Next I wrote descriptions, prices, sizes, colors and tags. Another day, I uploaded them onto Etsy

At first, it all seemed overwhelming but doing it little by little, day by day, it was a snap. 

So, if you’re feeling you just can’t face this new year: try turtle steps.

Today, one step. Tomorrow take another. Then day after day, one more.

Maybe we all need to remember the old story of the tortoise and the hare. 

Slow and steady wins.   

. 

One by one. Day by day. Vaccinations can happen. People get well. Smiles return.  

Sculpting is Fun. Doing My Own Photography is NOT.

I held my breath as I opened the kiln. Then, I let it out with a smile and a thank you to the clay gods, goddesses and the universe. I’ve been working so hard on this new body of sculptural work. It’s taken months and with some pieces years to get to this point. There is no going back. It’s over for better or worse. 

This time, I am blessed. Every piece came out in one piece, colors bright and the new pearl glaze shimmering nicely. But I wasn’t done, yet. 

It’s time for your close up. 

I am not a professional photographer. I had a wonderful, talented pro who took pictures of my work for years and I admired his excellence and expertise every time. He patiently assessed every piece I’d brought, decided on background, set up and snapped away. He retired. Now I am on my own. 

In this age of cell phone photography, it’s easy to think that shooting pictures is as easy as a click of a button. It’s not. 

Good photography is a complex dance between light and shadow, foreground and background, composition and editing. These days you need a digital camera with double digit megapixels, zoom, computer downloadable and a good editing app or software. Add a tripod, seamless background, table set up and lights. Whew.

Let there be light. 

Lighting is the key to good art photography. My photographer did a wonderful job and I now try to emulate his technique as best I can. I use this set up in my garage which is the only place I can have the kind of complete darkness which is necessary to get good lighting. 

I know it sounds crazy but starting in complete darkness is the key to good lighting. When I first attempted my photos, I had too much light and the background was too light, too flat and dulled the colors in my pieces. This time I really tried to get more contrast between the background and my work. I was aiming for gradation from top to bottom of dark to light in each picture. I think I did better this time. But I know I need to learn more. 

Learning is lifelong. 

Yes it is. It’s not always easy and I’m not the most patient student. Technology overwhelms me sometimes. Playing with lights and camera makes me act a little crazy. I’ll admit, my dog heard a lot of bad words that day. Sorry, pup. 

But all in all, I love learning. Even when I get frustrated, I never want to stop. I truly believe that the key to a long, healthy life is learning. Maybe one of these times taking pictures of my work will become as easy as building with clay on a good day.

Creating an Image.

At first glance, you might think I'm going to write about hair, makeup and clothes or resumes, social media and contacts. As an artist, some would feel the above isn't important, but of course, it is. No matter what you do or who you really are, image matters. 

Think of all the images that fly by you everyday online, news, social media. And of course, the ultimate image, the selfie or glamour shot. Images abound because they speak to us in wordless wonder. They touch our hearts, minds and pocket books in good ways and bad. 

How do I create a good image of my work?

When I'm creating, sometimes I have an image in mind. A sketch. A concept. A color. But I don't follow it step by step. In fact, most of the time, these images fade away as my hands work. Sometimes, it's only years later, that I stumble on an old sketch and realize where those pieces came from. Studio work is magic to me. 

But after the piece is done, I also have to create an image of my work that goes out into the world. For years, I had a professional photographer who took wonderful pictures of my work. He was truly talented with lighting, which by the way is key to good photography, not digital editing. If the lighting is not right, the image looks all wrong. 

I know because now I struggle with getting the lighting right. If the lighting is flat, the colors are dull. The red, blue or black colors look dark or gray. If the lighting is too bright, the colors look faded or pale. Then there's hot spots where the light hits the piece and creates glare. 

Googling doesn't always help. But, maybe, Crate and Barrel can. 

No matter how many articles I google, I am not a professional product photographer, which is what we used to call them in advertising. Traditional art photography is all about the 'glamour shot' using a seamless background, professional lighting and solitary pieces. That's what my wonderful photographer did for so many years and that's what got me into gallery shows, art publications, online sites and studio tours. Jurors expect good, professional photography. 

I loved that my old photographer was an artist himself and understood the importance of being true to the pieces I created. He didn't photoshop my work and I've always been ok with that. 

So how can I stay true while creating a good image?

I've always been a big fan of Crate and Barrel catalogs and their online site is just a lovely. I still open every email and savor every page. Why? Because the design, staging, vignettes of the  photos were just wonderful. 

What if I take a clue from Crate and Barrel? Take pictures of my work in normal settings? Group my work in a way that real people with real homes would use them? 

I love to create vignettes in my own home, so why not use that idea for my ceramic pieces? I tried it and it just felt right. I know it's not what jurors will expect to see. And it may keep me out of galleries and some shows. 

But suddenly, it feels like what I'm creating is being seen in its own image. And I like that.

Shooting My Work.

I needed help.  My professional photographer retired and I needed new photos of my work. I've always felt that professional pictures, like a professional resume are needed basics.  I also realize that times have changed.  Social media doesn't necessarily require pro photos so taking them on my phone works just fine.  But they're not the high quality needed for shows or websites.  I knew it was time to learn to do this on my own, but I didn't know how or where to start.  

Thanks to artist friend, Michelle Gallagher, I learned. 

First, I found out how to set up a portable photo studio.  You can order these online in several sizes.  Michelle's is a 16" cube.  I ordered the 24" cube.  These come with lights, background inserts and it all folds up into a black bag for storage.  Once you get the background and lights set up, it's time to shoot.

Shooting isn't hard.

Having a tripod, digital camera with a timer and zoom is necessary.  Michelle has a Nikon.  Hers is simple and easy to use.  Michelle showed me how important it is to use a timer, something I wouldn't have figured out.  Using a timer helps her keep the picture sharp and focused.  She can set it all up, hit the timer button and step away, letting the camera do the work.  The tripod allows you to change the angle of the shot, tilting and panning as necessary without moving your work around. 

Lighting is key.

Having the lights set up to produce the right shadows, keep the hot spots to a minimum and give an accurate picture of your piece is essential.  Personally, I think lighting is 95% of the job and the only thing that done poorly results in photography that looks unprofessional.  So I was particularly worried about this step in the process.  

Again, Michelle had figured out a space and a way to set up her lights in her basement studio that really worked.  And it's a simple set up that she can use without too much hassle.  She uses an existing fluorescent fixture behind her photo box and has several incandescent lights nearby giving her nice, ambient lighting.  The key here is her clip light covered with a theater diffuser that angles down onto the photo set up.   This overhead light really does a great job of lighting the pieces and casting the 'right' shadows.

Instead of competition, camaraderie. Or how I got by with a little help from my friend.

We all want to do our best, get into shows, sell and exhibit.  But in the rush to succeed, we can, sometimes, let competition get in the way of community and camaraderie.  I believe that the best art comes from the heart and to be true to that on all levels can be challenging. Artists begin to look at each other and their work as players on an opposing team instead of a community of like-minded souls. 

Spending the morning with Michelle in her studio, learning about photography and sharing our work, showed me not only the art of photography, but the art of friendship as well.

Art, photography and progress.

It's been an out of studio experience for me this week.  Time to pack up my newest masks, sculptural and functional pieces and take them to the photographer's studio.  

​

I firmly believe if you want to be seen as a professional artist, then good quality, professional photographs are very important.  I look at it this way, applying for a professional job requires a professional presentation, so, as an artist, I want to present my work as professionally as possible.  I also feel this is another way to respect and honor the arts as career choice.

I have an artist resume, an artist statement, a website, business cards, and a portfolio on cd.  I make an effort the keep it all up to date.  So all of these elements can be put together into a professional snail mail or email artist packet anytime I need it. 

Art work is an inside out job.

The inside work is about concepts, concentration and dedication.  Developing a new body of ceramic work meant lots of time in the studio throwing, under glazing, glazing.  Using my new kiln.  Learning which glazes work and which don't.  

The outside work is about connections, collecting information and communications. Getting involved in new art groups.  Gathering information to problem solve from more experienced artists and venders.  Listening to art lovers and buyers about what excites them.  Watching and participating in social media in and around art and my community all helps me learn how to market my new work.   And getting professional photos to put on my website, facebook page, Pinterest and here on my blog, too.

It's been a busy few years for me and time to catch the inside up with the outside.

When I set out to create a whole new body of ceramic work a few years back, I had dreams and ideas and hopes.  I had no idea how, when or even if it would work out at all.  

So the most important thing about getting these new photos of my work was realizing that some of my dreams and ideas have come true.  Professional photos helps me see not only how much work I've done but how far I've come.