Deb’s 2008 Goals...Daily love, Play, & Self Care

Spiritual/Personal Growth
- connect with God daily through sitting meditation b/f and a/f sleep (5 count bubble meditation)
- Listen and do the Tony Robbins Personal Power Tapes
- Listen and do the Tony Robbins Power of Influence
- Listen to the aura color Pamela Oslie videos
- Finishing listening to the E-Myth
- ?Course in Miracles, Marianne Williamson
- ?The Julia Cameron Course with the dragon on the cover in my studio
- Thought awareness – practice equanimity, even when it’s hard
- Work on being positive and happy by choice
- Inquire about doing Tthe Blessing in Fiji with Matt and Ruth
- Esalen personal retreat – hiking/art/ compassionate communication class – ask Mum to come and watch Ruth

Health and Vitality
- weekly hike, swim, yoga, jog (wth Shan), pilates
- join a martial arts club class to really push myself – create some habits! (I joined a club today, can't wait to start training again!)

Marriage and Romance
- Read David Deida Books on love and Sex
- Plan an overnight for just the two of us each month
- Learn to communicate in a more compassionate and loving way to have my needs met and nurture Matt
- Possibly do Raiki class together with Peggy
- Inquire about a sexual intimacy workshop to take together.

Career (I get to CREAte ARt for a job!!!)
- Paint daily.
- Paint a Body of work: Pure Abstraction 20-40 large pieces on canvas
- Daily play in studio – essential – have something setup for pure fun with no product in mind. – practice pieces.
- Complete marketing plan and submit by Jan 15th
- Complete Attracting Perfect Customers 4 parts and add to marketing plan,

- finalize Vision & Mission
- Artist Statement
- Artist Bio
- New CMS website – submit contract, work with team, get it up and running
- Blog articles weekly (use to submit to mags/newspaper/other ex. Toastmaster publication)
- Once art work, brochure, and application are ready, Apply to 5 galleries listed in journal

- Keep working with Kelly to support each other in business as artsits
- Teach a volunteer class monthly for a local non profit
- Guerilla Buz School
- Weekly Toastmasters meetings
- Learn about hosting teleseminars
- Learn about recording teleseminars into podcasts

Tech Goals - Back up all current files, Get idrive working, Start using Act for email, Get deb@debchaney.com for email working

Family/mothering/M&D
- Call M&D regularly on skype
- Compassion with Ruth, and patience (realize this will pass if it’s difficult)
- Plan one fun craft activity with Ruthie each week that we do together (get a book or ask for Shan M’s help with this) (this can include baking and stuff in the kitchen)
- Plan one fun outdoor outing with Ruthie each week ( bike in Goleta, picnic, SB Uni hills, pic nic up Rat canyon, waterfall near Solvang, others)
- Listening and supporting Matt – house clean & tidy, massages, dry cleaning and laundry, dinners (plan each week)
- trip to Van in new year with Ruth
- look into Waldorf School for Ruthie

Friends/Girlfriend connections
- connect with Sara (Macs mum) – possible friendship
- deepen friendship with Meg H.
- visit and walk with Jen WH in Van, touch base each Q
- explore the Seachelt area with Shan M., hike with K & S in Van, as well as the fiber festival (when is it?)
- get in touch with Heather V.
- do new years cards to everyone on my list I’d like to re-connect with including relatives (see journal)
- hike with Lisa while she’s still here in SB
- See Tanya Gee again in Van

Wealth and Prosperity
- Continue to learn how can we become better investors
- Continue to manage QK, personal and Deb Art finances weekly (Monday is Money Management Day)


Travel/Adventure
- Hike portion of Pacific Crest Trail in California (Ask Shan McL if she’d be interested in doing this with me)
- Hike near/around/Sierra Nevada Mountains
- Hike near/around/on Mt. Shasta area
- Do an overnight backpacking trip
- Look into Sierra Club of Santa Barbara
- Do regularly weekly day hikes
- Family trips: 1. Santa Fe, NM – with intention to check out art galleries. 2. Drive up to Oregon - van camping with beach fires, beach exploration, hiking, walks, family time.

Art Avoidance

We all do it. There is a project, a dream, an idea that we’ve been working on for a while and it’s lost that beginning glamour stage. What it needs is just another small step and then another. In my case 5-10 minutes in the studio, just another layer, or forget the body of work the series I’m working on, just go in and play.

And yet somehow the paperwork has taken over the day and now I’m picking up toys and there is a small voice in my head that is saying

“ I thought we were going to go and play in the studio…?” and

“what about those 8 x 10” canvas pads you were going to play around with, no product goal, just pure fun?”

and yet somehow I ignore it and think about the garbage that needs to be taken out and the fact that it’s more than my turn to wash the dishes…..Thank God all the netflix movies are in the mail box because those suck me right in and there goes the whole evenings where some art could have happened….

I’m sure you’ve been here. Resistance, avoidance, procrastination.

So, how do we get around these culprits that steal our creativity?

My solution tonight will be Kaizen, one small step. I will go into my studio and just look at my paintings and perhaps think about the next layer. I will go in my studio and set up those little canvas pads 8 x, 10 pieces I’ve been meaning to play around with and have them ready for when I am wiling to dive in a little. And there will be no other expectations – just a look and a small set up.

Anything bigger – a bigger to do list, plan, idea, will set up of my amygdala. The small pea sized thing in my brain responsible for fight or flight and the reason why so many of us stop short of taking the next step in our project, towards our dream. To by pass the fight or flight reaction the only way is to take such a teeny timy small step in the direction of your success that the amygdala will not even notice. The idea will go straight to your cortex, you’ll pass GO and collect $200. Yes, you will unfreeze and defeat the resistance, avoidance, and procrastination because the small idea is not so scary.

We must stop overwhelming ourselves and setting us up for failure.

I must stop overwhelming myself and setting myself to feel distraught and avoiding the studio – the one place where time disappears and I am one with God and where life makes sense.

So off I go now, just to take a look. Just to consider that next little step.

I send you Small steps…

good night

SMIGs

SMIGs is back due to incredible popularity with the acronym and concept. Thank you Vicky Nathan, KMCC Coach in training for your kind words and I'm so glad, dear reader, you find value in this. Shirley Anderson, thank you for refering Vicky this way. Love to you both and all the new KMCC Coaches!

SMIGs is s a ritual I do every evening, yes, even during this dreadful flu - the gratitude part made me feel a bit better (hence the previous blog). This is a ritual about paying attention, cultivating awareness in the moment, and honoring all the big and little pieces - successes- of our daily life.

Simply, SMIGs stands for: Success, Magic Moments, Intentions, & Gratitude. The little ‘s’ at the end reminds me to keep it small , simple and to take small steps ! This exercise brings you into the now and let’s us see what we’ve done as well as honoring the beauty in the little moments of our day that are worth remembering.

here's my SMIGs for today...

Success – Walked to the accupucturist and got herbs and a treatement for this flu - self care! Got in the studio this morning while Ruthie was sleeping and worked on several paintings - divine.

Magic moments – painting (as always), making a blanket and sofa cushion fort for Ruthie, meeting a new neighbour - Shane- and talking about making a short video about art, healing, feng shui and colour. Eating homemade soup and pesto pasta with Matt at the kitchen table.

Intentions for tommorow– Do financial paperwork for business and personal, process health insurance paperwork for my daughter. Make a point of playing in the studio - use the 8x10 canvas pads! Stay warm, light exersice.

Gratitude – Matt's homemade soup, Lui, childcare this evening, more nextflix movies, Jack's email :), 4 comments on a previous blog! Jill Badonsky's work to support creativity.

You could make this SMIGs ritual simpler and write just one thing for each section. I'm comfy with is so I tend to write a lot. But if I am presenting the idea to a creativity student I would suggest keeping things small, like a small success could be that I put out my paints, paper and brushes (a nice small step towards painting) and magic could be looking at a piece of art online that I admire and that motivates me to paint, and intentions could be that I'm going to get the brushes wet and put a small dot of paint on that paper, and gratitude could be that I'm thankful to have the resources, time, support and physical abilityi to even consider doing this creative task ahead of me.

Best, Deb

What I'm grateful for

Two weeks and counting down with the flu. My girl Ruthie, Angie (kitty) and I passed out at home on the bed. Here's what I'm grateful for....

• Angie baby kitty



• kitty purrs



• Ruthie sleeping...quiet house



• salmon dinner & salad with my favourite caeser dressing



• all the art at Artamo gallery that Jack brought out for me to see this week - especially the Michael Moon' s work on paper...ohhh la la (THank God for art galleries when you're not up to much else, they are like an elixir for the soul!)



• this flu ending (anytime pleassseee)



• my studio 'heaven on earth'



• Peter's phone call on xmas - gave me a big smile ear to ear
  
  
• Netflix movies!



• hot honey and lemon in a big ceramic mug (thanks mum!)



• mum and dad- I miss you guys



• Vancouver



• Jenn WH and walks in the rain



• unrestrained bawling after watching a sappy movie



• re-arranging furniture



• knowing that if I can never paint this good again I'll keep doing it and have fun in the process



• water colour crayons



• my journal



• sencha green tea from Trader Jo's



• sleep



• "time out"



• warm home

Why do art collectors buy art?

Why do we buy art? Until this week, I don’t think I would have fully been able to answer this question. I have been on the side of the fence of selling the art, and have not taken a moment and asked myself ; “Why are people buying my art?”. This is a good question to ask yourself as an artist, or if you are selling anything for that matter.

I now have my own answers to this question because on Wednesday December 12th I became an art collector! Do you remember the photo of Jack Mohr, owner of Artamo Gallery downtown Santa Barbara, and his wife standing in front of a Michelle William’s painting I posted a while back in a past blog? Well, this painting is now hanging beautifully in my home office/dining room! Yes, I bought the painting. Now I get to ask myself: Why did I buy this painting?

Enter the mind of an art collector…

Need I tell you I’m thrilled? I tried hanging it in three separate locations in the house until I found the exact perfect wall. It’s funny because after going through this process of picking the right place, I checked back with the Bagua (feng Shui) and it turns out the colours of this painting work perfectly for the location I ended up placing it. I feel like a kid re-arranging my room! So much fun! (Come to think of it, I remember a wonderful couple in Manhattan Beach - Keri and Zach Estrin - who commisioned me to paint a large 4' x 4' heart painting for their home and when I visited I would say they had a similar joyful excitement for this piece and finding the right place for it in their home)

So why did I buy this piece of art? Was it because it’s super fantastic and I love it? Yes, I love, love, love the piece. I stare at it when I eat – I come back to it and touch it during the day. I could meditate on it regularly. I love the textures, the colours, the composition, the design. I love the confidence I perceive that she paints with from her unique painting style. But it’s more than that. I feel a deep connection to the artist and I think that is what made me decide to buy a piece of her work.

Here is a photo my 4 year old took last night with me beside my 'untitled' Michelle Williams piece. Lucky me.

In Summary I bought this piece for the following reasons:

• The purchase bolstered a sense of identity as an art collector and an art supporter
• The purchase enabled me to support an artist living her dream
• This painting adds beauty to my home and energize me to look at
• I feel deeply connected to the gallery
• I feel deeply connected to the artist
• I am intrigued with the artist’s process and techniques and seeing her work up close and on a daily basis gives me new insights to apply and further develop my own work
• I am excited to be able to contribute to the success of the artist and gallery
• There is a tremendous rush and excitement in buying this piece– this was a first time event – the rush of making a big purchase
• I love, love, love the painting!!!!
  

As well as getting a deeper understanding of why collectors buy my art, this experience has made me think long and hard about why I am in the business of creating and selling my work and why I sell my work. Stay tuned for my thoughts on why I do sell my work.

Meanwhile, I would LOVE to hear from art collectors. Misty…I know you’re reading this and are a collector of mine (Thank you! For reading and collecting my work – actually as I write this I’m thinking we could show our readers the photo of your son Zach connecting with this little heart painting with your permission?) I’d love to hear from you why you bought that art piece in the first place.

Let’s hear from art collectors…why do you buy art?

Scottsdale Arizona trip

I had a great little four day trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to check out Scottsdale galleries and have some down time at the Desert Ridge Marriot Resort Spa – a recommended experience for those in search of an extravagant dose of self care. My husband was in Scottsdale concurrently participating in a support role for the Tony Robbins Date with Destiny program.

Most of the contemporary galleries are located on Marshall street downtown Scottsdale. I spent a day and went through each gallery with the intent to enjoy the art and also see where my work would make a good fit. Are the staff friendly? Is the gallery somewhere I would be proud to have my art displayed and sold? These are some things I asked myself during this day.

My favorite gallery by far was the Marshall gallery due to its beautiful wood floors, its open and welcoming display space, and its friendly staff, in particular Tyson Snow who as well as being a fine artist rep is also an exquisite realistic figure drawing artist. His works are inspired from the people and images he sees in Africa on his trips there and look like photographs but are hand drawn in while pencil on black paper, truly powerful work. Tyson has four kids, one of them the same age as my Ruthie (4 ½ ). Hence we resonated on many levels and I hope to see him again!

I also got a chance to meet up with award winning artist John Michael whom I met via the online class Promote your Art with Alyson Stanfield. John and I met at a Starbucks near to downtown Scottsdale and chatted about art, cats, and finding balance between promoting your art, doing your art and living your life. John is a passionate artist and a kind and loving man with a big heart. I know we will be keeping in touch to support each other as we evolve in ourselves and our art. The photo is of John and myself.

Acrylic and Collage Aqua Media Experimental and Energizing Workshop

Acrylic and Collage Aqua Media Experimental and Energizing Workshop
5 day workshop taught by Lana Grow March 3-7 2008 Goleta, CA

You will learn;
· How to layer acrylic paint as transparent, translucent and opaque water mediums,
· How to achieve line, depth, and texturing in your work using resist, lifting, staining, printing and scraping techniques,
· How to use collage transfers, stamping, gold leaf and other experimental techniques in conjunction with acrylic layering
· Color mixing and design elements
· Preparing collage papers and incorporating them to your work

Each participant will receive a binder complete with class notes, references, tid bits, quotes and more from Lana.

This class is geared for intermediate and advanced painters, experience water media & acrylics painters, or the open-minded non-intimidated beginner painter.

March 3-7, 2008, Monday - Friday 9-4
Goleta Valley Community Center
Workshop is only $489. Visa/MasterCard/Checks accepted
Registration contact Deb Chaney deb@debcreative.com phone (805) 403-9870.

Please note - We expect the event to fill up quickly. All of Lana’s workshops consistently overfill with a wait list – she teaches across the US. Space is extremely limited as each participant is required to have her own table.

For out of towners, group discount rates are currently being negotiated at a local hotel TBA.
Hot Coffee and Tea service as well as light snacks will be included.
Daily catered lunch by Silver Greens will be offered as a daily option for participants.

Lana L. Grow is a signature member of the American Watercolor Society (AWS), Red River Watercolor Society, Society of Layerists in Multi Media and the International Society of Experimental Artists. Her award winning work is included in Splash 8, Finding the Artist With In, The Art of Layering: Making Connections, and Creative Composition and Design. She is currently being interviewed for a feature on her painting techniques for Artist’s Magazine. She has won numerous awards in International and National juried shows.

“Essential to my painting process is combining layers of color, line, texture and collage.” – Lana Grow

Sands of Time

Sands of Time

Pure Abstration Series
© Deb Chaney 2007

Mixed Media, Acrylics on Canvas

16” x 16” ready to hang with 1” painted edges .

Feng Shui Recommendation: Health & Vitality. Place this piece in a center section of your home/office to support your health and vitality.

$380.00 USD MasterCard/Visa accepted(805) 403-9870 deb@debcreative.com

Art biz buddy

For the last three months I’ve been participating in an online blog class called Promote your Art, facilitated by Alyson Stanfield. The course was and excellent introduction to many ways and aspects artist can ‘make it happen’ for themselves out there in the world – whether in person or online. I also had a chance to virtually network with artists from all over the US and Canada. The biggest concept I got from this class was how everyone you know can be an ally to your success. That it’s imperative artist support each other. Nine times out of ten, we learned it’s who you know that gets you into that gallery, that show, or whatever you have your sights on.

[Talking about networking from this Promote your Art class, I’ll be in Scottsdale, Arizona next week to check out the art scene and also meet a fellow online class mate; John Michael Kearny! Looking forward to giving you the scoop on the contemporary abstract art in Scottsdale.]

To keep the momentum going after the 'Promote Your Art Class' I serindipisly hooked up a fellow artist whom I recently met via toastmasters and started meeting weekly to work together and support each other from an art business standpoint. We connectd immediatley at toastmasters because Kelly talked about how she'd recently attended the internationally acclaimed Sculptural Object and Functional Art Expo where she went to do some research on galleries who would be a good fit for her fine art jewelry and precious sculpture. I was intrigued and spoke to her after the meeting. The rest is history, we’ve been meeting weekly ever since.

A little bit about Kelly Johnson …After her leaving a technical job in 2006 which included engineering applications and manufacturing with precious metals used in the electronics industry, Kelly chose to apply her passion for metal and fire as a full time professional artist. (Photos of Kelly and her work). Painting in metal with fire is an exciting process, full of a directed kind of chaos with the beauty and science of the materials revealed, and reborn into personal adornment and object. Some of her material is derived from reclaimed unwanted mainstream jewelry and electronics waste, reducing the impact on the planet.

Kelly and I meet every week and discuss our art business and making art, support each other, and work on various aspects of our art businesses. .The last three weeks I’ve been working on a marketing plan and Kelly has been fine tuning a business plan she initially wrote working with women’s economic ventures. This week Kelly was doing a mail out to collectors, contacts and prospective future collectors with beautiful cards she recently had printed with her work on the front.

I can tell you that the benefits are unlimited in teaming up with someone that is in a similar place and supporting each other. Thank you to Kelly for being my art biz buddy.

What support do you have in place for your art and the business of your art? Do you know of any programs or people that help artists? Please do share in the comments section.