My Somerset Studio Gallery Magazine Experience
This time last year, I was thinking about my annual goals.
I always set some realistic goals, and for good measure,
I throw some in that seem completely...
OUT THERE.
There isn't a Goal Police, after all.
If you achieve, great.
If you don't, you don't,
but as you know,
we wont achieve them if we don't try.
One of my goals, was rather open ended...meaning...
it could happen in a number of ways, but the basis was,
SUBMIT my art to publications.
SUBMIT.
That is a lot different than BE PUBLISHED.
One of them I had control over, the other I didn't.
I had learned, that publications, have schedules in their pages,
for concepts that they want submitted and due dates.
I started thumbing through my stock of Somerset Magazines
and one day, saw a request for a Gothic Themed Mixed Media piece.
I SUBMITTED, and was ecstatic to learn that it was accepted for the
Readers Submissions section, of the Somerset Studio magazine!
Yay!
After that,
I met a wonderful new Managing Editor of Somerset Studio Gallery,
named, Brianne Martin.
I sent her pictures of some Mixed Media Finial Birds
and was again....sooooo delighted
that she liked them and wanted to publish them.
What????
How could this be happening?
Yes, you see artist after artist on FB talking about
how they have been published...
but now,
it was my turn.
Soooo Thrilled !
I couldn't believe it when I saw on the cover...
Introducing
The Finial Birds !!!
My little flock, had an Introduction on the Cover!
Brianne made everything SO easy.
It's Time to emphasize, that we don't need to know how
to accomplish every step of our goals.
There are people out there that already know the wheel and how to turn it.
We don't have to reinvent it every time!
I've learned more about asking for help,
and how generous people are through my art.
Most people WANT to help us !
I sent in pictures...
boy, I have learned sooo much more about photography since then,
(and wont ever stop climbing that learning curve)
but it doesn't matter.
You can Send In your art for the magazine to photograph and return,
or you can submit your own photos.
They have TALENTED photographers/editors,
that can do Wonders with our photos.
*Lesson Number One Million*
Don't wait until you are Annie Liebovitz, photographer extraordinaire, to try.
That MIGHT take longer than you want.
Just SUBMIT.
I wanted to give it a try,
and do my own writing about the creation of my Finial Birds.
I suggested Brianne go to the Where Women Cook article that I had just written,
and again...I am not a professional writer, but she liked it.
Brianne the Angel,
came through again.
While constructing the birds,
I took photos of the creation process...Always Do That.
You never know when you can use them in a blog,
a workshop or an article.
It helps also to refer back to, when you are describing your steps.
I sent in the required number of words,
and what was needed for their format and it was approved !
It was such fun, to see my OWN words on the page!
I thought that you might enjoy seeing some of the following images,
that I Didn't send in.
Yes, I took them.
Retook them.
Retook.
Retook.
Retook.
Is Retook even a word?;)
This photograph of the French Bird,
helped me sell this shelf at Hastypearl Etsy.
I think that little bird in a beret,
would have sold an old shoe sole, it was so cute :)
This little Finial Bird was based on Mr. Carson,
the wonderful head butler on Downton's Abbey.
I found the most amazing vintage keys to use for their wings.
Can you believe, that these tiny keys were actually original Model A car keys ?
The etching on each key was BEAUTIFUL !
I'm always looking for Beautiful.
Anyone can use just a key,
but Hastypearl isn't just Anyone :)
This bird was meant to be a ode to Amelia Earhart.
First woman to fly.
Thus, Amelia Birdheart seemed right !
Again, I try very hard, to go the extra mile.
I didn't just form a bird head,
I formed it over and over,
because when I pressed a beautiful stamp to bring
texture and embossing into the clay,
it would distort the head.
So, I would do it again,
until I could get the embossing AND the head shape that I wanted.
Its all about the details.
This was the Clown Bird.
If there is a Clown Fish, I saw no reason not to have a Clown Bird.
But, because there are people out there, that have Clown issues, ;),
I tried really hard to make mine a Sweet Clown...
not a Scary Clown.
Don't you just want to squeeze that little red nose and see if it honks?:)
Mr. Carson looking very Dapper !
His collar is freshly Starched.
An "ariel"view of the group.
Finally, it seemed appropriate to have a pirate in the group.
But not just Any pirate.
How about Johnny Depp's, Jack Sparrow?
Geeeeeeeet it?
Spaaaaaaarow?
;)
OK.
It takes a long time to make one of these little creatures,
so I had lots of time to form their characters,
personalities and names !
The above image as used on the second page of the article.
I cant explain the thrill of privately and dorkily,
going to the bookstore,
and searching for these magazines.
When you find them...you wonder if its crossing the line,
to tap innocent people on the shoulder and say,
"Do you want to see my Finial Birds",
but sanity requires that you DON'T !
But, you do Have to get up the courage to geek out
and ask an employee to take your goofy picture,
with a smile that almost won't fit in the frame.
It's Just Plain Fun!!
Moral of the story...
If I can do it...YOU can do it :)
If its not being published, its something else, wonderful.
YOU can do it!!
The icing on the cake,
is that a friend from Florida,
who came to an art workshop that I hosted in my home,
bought the WHOLE series/FLOCK from Hastypearl !
I could have been happy with all or part of the above happening,
but when I posted an image of one of the birds on my FB page
and she said she wanted them...
YES!!!
Such a Happy Ending!
So, I have some very achievable goals for 2016.
We all should.
But, I have some OTHERS, that seem SOOOO unattainable.
It doesn't matter.
I'm Going for it.
If I don't make it,
I'll either reevaluate or I'll roll them over to Next Year.
Hear that?
Yeah. Its silence.
Its the absence of the siren sound of the Goal Police !
Whats YOUR craziest 2016 goal? :)
*
Thanks for stopping by to my Hastypearl blog.
As I mentioned in my last posting, I am working
on starting a new blog.
While I am doing that,
it will give you time to decide if you want to follow me over.
You can do that by signing up to get an email
about the switch over time and new location.
Its over on the right side of this page.--->
I Hope you are enjoying your days, warm or cool,
depending on which side of the equator you live!
Best to you...Laura aka hastypearl
P.S.
If you have a favorite fictional character or an occupation in mind,
that you would like for me to custom make for you, let me know.
You can find me on Etsy and contact me there!
I've collaborated with customers,
to create just the thing that is in their imaginations!
It's fun to do together :)
Hmmm....how about a fireman, teacher, movie star?
The list is ENDLESS!
