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twitter.jpgThis is a bad evening. I’m doing taxes. I just found out that — if you, as an artist, have hobby expenses over hobby income, then none of your hobby income is reported. However, if your hobby income is a dollar over hobby expenses — the ENTIRE AMOUNT of income is taxable — and it isn’t directly offset by hobby expenses. Hobby expenses are itemized deductions. I have a degree in accounting — and I am baffled by this. It is probably one of the most unfair things I have ever seen — although I always knew in tax class that the right answer was always the one that’s the most unfair to the taxpayer. I’m just so completely overwhelmed with what this says about our treatment of the arts in our society. I don’t make enough income to qualify as a business — but they’re going to penalize me for making anything. I feel like I’ve dropped into a hole — a doughnut — where I am penalized just for existing at all because I’m no longer in the red — but nor am I enough in the black.

That said, I give you my weekly Twitter summary — with little commentary. You can follow me in real time @vsgreaves — or check out the social media icons in the upper right above the menu.

RT @EliaLocardi: “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” – Pablo Picasso #inspiration http://t.co/8svISpMWNo

RT @ArtsyShark: Make Your Own Luck – http://t.co/JOQNJ2ThEK

RT @ArtsyShark: What Makes Art Remarkable? – http://t.co/Kaed3vUbCE

RT @FortheCreators: How to Find the Joy in Your Creative Work Every Single Day http://t.co/rE1IIIK7xB

RT @abstanfield: Who’s Buying What? 10 Surprising Facts survey of super-rich collectors http://t.co/Qu4h6j3eE7 via @artnet

@vsgreaves: “New Video Series Humorously Probes Art’s Corruption” Finding art in the art world — good questions. http://t.co/dEItBGcoVM

@vsgreaves: “Banksy Vandalism Drama Alert!” Banksy always begs the question — what is vandalism? #Banksy http://t.co/LBAjZvQO5J

@vsgreaves: “Woman of Mystery: Finding Vivian Maier” Who was this wonderful photographer — completely unknown until her death? http://t.co/35MgujxCoR

RT @abstanfield: “Hans Ulrich Obrist: the art of curation” Curation is it’s own skill set. http://t.co/Mokuo4RqfG

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgIt’s been a studio intense week — but given that I’ve recently burned myself making rice in the steamer for the first time (lesson learned — don’t check it without turning it off first), my eloquence on the keyboard will be limited tonight.

This is my weekly Twitter update. If you want to follow me in real time, I’m @vsgreaves. Check out the icons in the upper right above the menu to find me in different places.

This is another great book review by Brain Pickings — How Children Succeed — and offers a lot of insight into the mindset needed to achieve success.
“Grit and the Secret of Success” taking the long view — life is a marathon not a sprint http://feedly.com/e/hNDgFJdI 

This is an entertaining video about every cliche that you’ve ever seen in marketing. It even ends with references so that you can find the cliches to use in your own marketing.
“Every Advertising Cliché in One Video” The dark side of marketing — funny! @ATLFlipFlops http://feedly.com/e/3bCmMxcH 

This 99U article links to a much longer article at Grandland.com that discusses the talents of the world famous juggler Gatto — how he reached the heights of his craft — how the average person cannot begin to comprehend the skill required for him to perform — and how he eventually left his craft — his performance art — to run a concrete business in Florida.
“How Does a World-Famous Juggler End Up In the Concrete Business?” http://feedly.com/e/VY1vm7t_ 

The discussion of Droit de Suite is heating up in the United States as auction houses push back against the move to provide artists extra money for their work on secondary sales.
“Auction Houses Lobby Against Artist Resale Royalty Act” Will auction houses prevail? http://feedly.com/e/IdZdF52s 

Relationship is an important part of marketing any good — including your art.
RT @ArtsyShark: Want To Sell More Art? Sell Yourself First. http://buff.ly/1gBdlZ7  via @99u

Beautiful photographs in the latest National Geographic contest:
RT @mymodernmet: These are some truly outstanding entries in the National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest http://bit.ly/1mz3Fl5  pic.twitter.com/shHtCBghkf

 

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgMy youngest daughter went on a school trip to DC this last week with her dad as a chaperone — so it was just me and DD1. At her age, she doesn’t always acknowledge my existence so I spent a lot of extra time in the studio — almost twice as much as in a normal week. On my current piece, I’ve cut out everything but the roof — and after that, I’ll start sewing everything down in sections. I’ll write about it here on the blog so look for an update soon.

This is my weekly Twitter update about articles I found interesting during this past week. If you want to follow me in real time, you can find me @vsgreaves or hit the Twitter icon in the upper right hand corner above the menu. The FaceBook icon next to it takes you to my professional Page — I update pics on there a few times a week.

As part of the ongoing discussion about how a small elite set of investors churn the work of a small elite group of artists to increase the size of their investment portfolios, this article focuses on the fortunes of Oscar Murillo, a young 28 year old in the elite artist group. The concern is whether his early fame will lead to an early burn-out of interest in his work. Will his work endure or is it merely “trendy and derivative”?
Too much too fast — just let the artist be the artist. But is fame bad? http://tinyurl.com/km5a88j  @nytimesarts

Self identifying as an artist makes a difference. Interestingly, I sometimes do — sometimes don’t. It depends on the form and my current mood. The study covered in this article finds that a lot of artists don’t self identify as an artist.
“What Makes an Artist an Artist?” Sometimes I self-identify as an artist — sometimes I don’t. http://feedly.com/e/pZHrYdUZ 

Since the majority of artists don’t make anywhere near where the upper elite artist group does, it makes sense that they typically come from wealthy parents — not because they’re being funded by them but that they have different opinions about fulfillment and how it relates to money. (I did still find it depressing that Creatives typically make so little compared to everyone else. It’s a sad statement on our culture that it’s so undervalued.)
“How Wealthy Are Artists’ Parents?” Identifying as a prof artist enters you in an elite status group. Who knew? http://feedly.com/e/bxCdlmUp 

All Creatives need help working through artistic blocks from time to time.
“Artists Offer Their Escapes from Creative Block” Hoffman: “work every day like the manual laborer that I am” http://feedly.com/e/khBsDbjz 

So many businesses look at traditional metrics in hiring decisions. It’s nice to see at least one company that is assessing the success of candidates based on soft skills — learning ability, emergent leadership, humility, and ownership — and at the bottom of the list, expertise.
“How to Get a Job at Google” The importance of soft skills – Why can’t Google be headquartered in ATL? http://feedly.com/k/1p9fChk 

If we can figure out what the market wants to buy, should we change what we create — or at least reach a compromise?
“Thinking About Art Practice and the Role of Compromise” I’m not the only one asking what Is sellable. http://feedly.com/e/XgswtSHP 

The LA Times looks at the recently published TEFAF Art Market Report issued by the European Fine Arts Foundation. The news is sobering.
RT @abstanfield Report: Super-rich, favoring just a few artists, drive art market http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-art-market-prices-auctions-billionalires-20140316,0,6445724.story … <worth a read

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twitter.jpgIt’s been a very long week here. I spent double duty in the studio in the days I was home because Tuesday and Wednesday were lost. Tuesday I spent 12 hours waiting in jury duty — and Wednesday I spent volunteering at school. The rest of the week I worked like a mad woman trying to finish another appliqué section of the piece I’m currently working on (pics coming soon).

I did find time to share articles on Twitter — this is my weekly summary. If you’d rather follow me in real time — I’m @vsgreaves — or hit the Twitter icon in the upper right hand side above the menu. The FaceBook icon next to it takes you to my Page — I post daily studio pics there.

This is a book review, full of helpful information for Creatives and anyone else that wants to live a more fulfilling life. “So I suppose the best piece of advice I could give anyone is pretty simple: get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. . . . Turn off your cell phone . . . Keep still. Be present. Get a life in which you are not alone.”
“A Short Guide to a Happy Life: Anna Quindlen on Work, Joy, and How to Live Rather Than Exist” — Get a life! http://feedly.com/e/zfkJf5CW 

Julie Zhou reminds Creatives that when we fall into “the Pit of Discomfiture,” working through it to come out the other side is the only way to truly grow.
“The Pit: Where Creatives Fall Into Despair” — “Everything is hard before it is easy.” – Goethe http://feedly.com/e/yiHFDZnk 

This is another book review (very long) but an important “exploration of how ‘discoveries, innovations, and creative endeavors often, perhaps even only, come from uncommon ground’ and why this ‘improbable ground of creative endeavor’ is an enormous source of advantages on the path to self-actualization and fulfillment…”
“Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Crucial Difference Between Success and Mastery” – taking the long view http://feedly.com/e/gtQuGyKd 

One last book review — there were several really good ones this week on Brain Pickings — this one from the author of Steal Like an Artist — his new book:
Show Your Work: Austin Kleon on the Art of Getting Noticed” another great book review for creatives http://feedly.com/e/DbyfJTtz

Elizabeth Barton writes this week on her blog about the famous NYC art critics Jerry Saltz and Roberta Smith — and their feelings about how words change your interaction with art.
“Hearing Yourself Thinking, Hearing Yourself Seeing.” How words affect how we see art — good read. http://feedly.com/e/5oko1wBp 

I often find frustration with taking pictures of people. Many people presume that they own their image — but that isn’t entirely the case. It’s a gray area that a lot of photographers work in. Hungary has taken a stand and outlawed the practice completely — a controversial move that will generate a lot of lawsuits and create a lot of discussion about who owns the image — the person in the photograph or the person taking the photograph?
Taking Photos Without Permission is Now Illegal in Hungary, Photographers Outraged http://zite.to/1gAjaBD 

At one time, in my youth, I was certain I would be a writer. (There — I said it.) I still consider plot scenarios in my head from time to time and may one day start writing them — and although I’m not personally a Stephen King fan, it can’t be denied that he’s one of the most successful modern writers of this century. He regularly produces a large volume of work, and in this article, gives some guidance to the frustrated writers among us.
Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers — for my writing friends — “kill your darlings” http://zite.to/1iNVkFe 

 

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgI have been in a state of flow this week — creativity blinding me to the outside world. It’s one of my favorite places to be. My new photography stand came and I took new pics of some older work (which ironically ended up not coming out well at all) — and I started fusing and cutting my latest piece — my favorite part of the process — my zen.

This is my weekly update on my Twitter feed. Admittedly, most all of the Tweets were done today — as I didn’t do much reading until today.

If you would like to follow my Twitter in real time, my handle is @vsgreaves — or hit the Twitter icon in the upper right hand corner above the menu. The FaceBook icon next to it takes you to my FaceBook Page where I post about what I’m doing in the studio during the week.

I posted this week on a subject I’ve been thinking about a lot lately — how an artist should consider marketing and how it relates to choices in subject matter.
New blog post on Marketable Subject Matter — art marketing is invited into the studio: http://tinyurl.com/ltwr933  #art #marketing

I started many years ago making portraits — and I started the series with “faces in cloth I.” All of my monochromatic portraits had this title and at some point, although I dropped the serial naming, I continued working in portraits and have found that serial work has helped me grow a lot. Elizabeth Barton has a great post on her blog this week about why an artist should consider serial work.
“Serial Work” another good discussion from Elizabeth Barton http://feedly.com/e/UeCy7jpO 

Many people do not understand me — but this article does. It’s a great description of the kind of personality and temperament a lot of artists have.
Definitely describes me — risk & creative flow: 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently http://tinyurl.com/kovtud9 

A lot of people think that creatives sit around and don’t do much — but really, the best way to overcome a block is to move forward with something — really, anything. Movement creates inspiration.
“Content, Creativity, and the Role of Habit” — show up & do the work http://feedly.com/e/SkrJkunl 

My studio is at home. We have the perfect space for it and it works well in our situation. However, for those artists living in New York — studio space is shrinking.
“Rising Rents Leave New York Artists Out in the Cold” Not everyone has the luxury of studio space at home. http://feedly.com/k/1iqpEtV 

It’s always frustrating to find an iconic image and realize that it’s all tied up in Getty Images. They have gone from issuing nasty legal threats for the use of their images to realizing the fluidity of pics and replacing threats with social media sharing buttons and a simple request for attribution to the photographer.
“Easing up on Litigation, Getty Images Goes Free for Non-Commercial Use” – Getty recognizes fluidity of pics http://feedly.com/e/gCWTzC57 

I had not previously heard of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, an American that married Napoleon’s brother — but her journey looks like a fascinating view into a Renaissance woman who catapulted out of the restrictions on women in 1800’s American society into her own independent life.
“Wondrous Beauty: How Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte Pioneered the Ideal of the Independent Woman” http://feedly.com/e/oeHaEazn 

 

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twitter.jpgThis week has been spent at the computer in design mode. After I finally stepped up to the plate and fixed the bleeding red on the Cardinal — which I’ve just realized I still need to make a Page for — I stepped up and started working on a new pattern. My value study took several days — but it’s ready and with any luck, I’ll finish the drafting tomorrow.

As usual, I’ve kept an eye out for good articles on art and motivation and shared them on my Twitter feed. This is my weekly summary — but if you’d rather follow me in real time, you can find me @vsgreaves — or click the Twitter icon in the upper right hand corner above the menu. The Facebook icon next to it will take you to my Facebook Page where I share pics of work in progress from the studio.

If you didn’t see this article last week about a mother making paper dresses with her 4 year old daughter (nickname Mayhem) — it’s well worth seeing. After the Oscars tonight, I’m sure they’ll have new dresses coming out this week — check out #fashionbymayhem on Twitter. I was blown away by the inspiration of this young girl.
Future fashion designers — watch out! http://tinyurl.com/knwfjdz  @HuffPostParents @2sisters_angie #fashionbymayhem

It’s official — the US Congress is discussing Droit de Suite which would give artists a percentage of profit on the resale of their work (although it has to fall over $5k to be subject to these rules).
“Congressmen Propose National Resale Royalty Act for Artists” http://feedly.com/e/58Xsz6-I 

This discussion of success by astronaut Chris Hadfield doesn’t disappoint: “you need to honor the highs and the peaks in the moments . . . but recognize the fact that the preparation for those moments is your life and, in fact, that’s the richness of your life . . . ”
“Don’t Aim For the Finish Line: Astronaut Chris Hadfield on Success” http://feedly.com/e/Bovgdw3M 

As a textile artist, one of the blogs that I follow is by Terry Grant — and she wrote this amazing article about abstract versus representational art — a subject that my mother (an oil painter) and myself have discussed many times over the years — so I was interested to hear another point of view from an artist that successfully does both:
“Abstraction and Representation” #terrygrant http://feedly.com/e/BGzAEfw8 

This is another hot button issue. I believe a few weeks ago I highlighted an article (by Edward Winkleman I think) discussing how good art may never see the light of day if the artist doesn’t have an MFA — but an artist with an MFA may have a successful career with not very good art because he (or she) has the right contacts in the “art world.” This article doesn’t discuss whether or not the artist has an MFA but does discuss how popularity affects exposure. In this NPR article, Alix Spiegel follows an experiment in which teenagers are exposed to music songs in different virtual worlds to see how much social influence affects their reactions to the music.
Does art rise to the top because it’s good or because it’s popular? A case for the latter http://www.npr.org/2014/02/27/282939233/good-art-is-popular-because-its-good-right … via @MorningEdition RT @abstanfield

This is another self esteem builder — but good reminders for every one of us nonetheless:
15 Things That Emotionally Strong People Don’t Do http://elitedaily.com/life/15-things-that-emotionally-strong-people-dont-do/ … via @EliteDaily

I grew up watching Mr. Rogers on television but I don’t know that I’ve ever considered his positive influence. Reading this article of quotes published on the anniversary of his passing, I realize how truly inspiring he was:
“Discovering the truth about ourselves is a lifetime’s work, but it’s worth the effort.” http://tinyurl.com/l4rogn9  via @RELEVANT

And that’s a wrap!

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgThis has been a frustrating week. I washed my latest small piece — the Cardinal — and the red has crocked onto the background and isn’t coming off. (I’ll have to get brave and paint it.) Possibly because of that frustration, I’ve spent hours trying to find inspiration for my next piece — and I haven’t accomplished anything more than wasting time on the internet. And today we were met with news of the sudden death of an old family friend. Sometimes I’m just happy to still be here — and I let that be enough.

So while I want to be working, I don’t have direction and I’m having a hard time finding my way. It’s not uncommon — I’ve been here before. It’s just frustrating.

I did post some on Twitter this week. If you want to follow me in real time, you can find me @vsgreaves — or hit the Twitter icon in the upper right above the menu. You can also find my Facebook Page link next to it — I post about work in my studio there.

Artists are constantly being asked to donate their time — which only devalues our work:
Time and Skill Cost Money: Don’t Be Cheap Jerks: http://buff.ly/1gK2avF RT @ArtsyShark

This is not about art but it is about perseverance. A South Korean that was in his 30’s aged out of the Korean Olympic Team — so he moved to Russia to compete for them — and came out of last week with a gold medal. If they’re smart, the Koreans are reconsidering their ageism:
The Koreans learned the hard way that you can still win a gold medal even if you’re older. http://tinyurl.com/mzdqvyt  @nytimes

Luke Haynes is a fellow textile portraitist who has aligned with the watch company Fossil — which is a boon to the perception of art quilts in the eyes of the general public:
http://blog.fossil.com/luke-haynes-fossil-a-creative-collaboration/ … #lukehaynes #fossil

With the Ukraine in complete chaos, Orthodox priests have been donning their chasubles and providing prayer between the military and Ukrainian citizens. Stunning photographs.
Orthodox Priests Pray On Kiev Frontline http://huff.to/1eN7Hkg  via @HuffPostRelig

Visualization is important to moving your mind forward (definitely what I need to be doing):
“Stuck? Try Drawing Your Ideas” http://feedly.com/e/hdUzrht1 

In my search for inspiration, I found this artist who makes the most stunningly realistic paintings — in PASTELS no less:
Realistic Pastel Paintings By Spanish Artist Ruben Belloso http://fineartblogger.com/realistic-pastel-paintings-by-spanish-artist-ruben-belloso/ … via @eexploria

This is a little kick in the pants that I need to think about as I try to work myself back into the studio:
Check out my latest post on Lifehack ‘7 Basic Rules of Creativity You Should Know’ http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/7-basic-rules-creativity-you-should-know.html RT @FortheCreators

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twitter.jpgA frigid week but a good one for reading. Here are all of my tweets for the week.

If you’d rather follow my tweets in real time, I’m @vsgreaves or hit the Twitter icon in upper right above the menu. The Facebook icon is next to it & will take you to my Facebook Page where I post about my studio and what I’m working on.

I’m developing almost a study on what art is more likely to sell. There is not as much published on this subject as I would like:
The Most Popular Subjects For Art That Sells http://artyfax.squidoo.com/popular-art-that-sells 

Another artist had put this pic of a painting on her blog. It was painted by John Baldessari 1966-1968 and looks more like a modern day JPG — but it’s actually a painting — and it offers some suggestions for subject matter:
“Tips for Artists Who Want To Sell” by John Baldessari http://tinyurl.com/lzw53j6 

Is it OK to make work that is not that good? Of course! It takes time for your work to match your taste. You need to make a large volume of work to close the gap.
In Just 2 Minutes, This Video Will Make You Feel Silly For Ever Having Doubted Yourself http://huff.to/1exd3ki  via @HPGoodNews

I am beginning to contemplate my taxes and my successes of last year have some bearing on what I might need to do differently on my taxes. This list gives some helpful tax advice for artists.
Great tax info, checklists, and worksheets for #artists http://www.artstaxinfo.com/artists.shtml RT @abstanfield

It’s hard to miss the coverage of the Winter Olympics going on now in Sochi — and there was an incredible moment last week when Shaun White DIDN’T win a medal — and came out a real winner:
“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” RG Ingersoll http://tinyurl.com/laxwsa7

There was also an female snowboarder at the Olympics who used a board with an artist’s work on the back:
“Artist Judith Braun Finds Her Work Part of an Olympic Medal Win” http://feedly.com/e/v8qAvERD 

This was yet another example of a corporation taking an independent’s artist’s work and using it on their products without prior agreement — very similar to what happened to Lisa Congdon. The end of the story, however, is good news — JCPenney has given the artist a contract to pay her for license of her work:
Winnipeg artist’s work taken from website, sold at J.C. Penney http://tinyurl.com/pdvw4md  via @DaleAnnePotter

 

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgThere has been a lot going on this week — a lot of great articles for Creatives were written (or recently found) — all of which I shared on my Twitter feed — and I finished my latest piece Worry. Today, I bring you my weekly wrap-up of my Twitter feed.

Remember, if you want to catch my Tweets in real time, you can find me at @vsgreaves — or hit the Twitter icon above the menu in the upper right. Also, if you want to see what’s going on in the studio, check out my Facebook Page by clicking on the Facebook icon next to that Twitter icon.

According to the authors, and I would agree, “we live in a “permissions culture,” which values copyright permissions above all else” and that “permissions have become such an issue that they’re interfering with professionals’ work — the ability to educate, to undertake scholarly studies, to make art.” It’s a different point of view from the endless discussions regarding the protection of copyrights.
“Are Art Professionals Afraid of Fair Use?” http://feedly.com/e/848QPDRN 

“Creativity & Listening” — “What we learn from the creative process is that giving up control … is a necessary path to success.” http://feedly.com/k/1n8VHLD 

I live in Atlanta — I was shocked that it made #1 on this list:
Best cities for artists: http://tinyurl.com/p9zvstx 

This article on the ethics of altering photographs digitally is sure to inspire a lot of debate:
“Nature Photography: Objectivity, Manipulation, and Ethics” http://tinyurl.com/lewysue 

I was so struck by this life-like statue of a man sleep walking in his underwear across the Wellesley campus — and he’s garnered a lot of public discussion — which I appreciate in the same way Banksy brings the discussion of art to the masses:
Tighty whitey’s take a stroll — “Artist Responds to Wellesley College Students’ Concerns With Sculpture: http://tinyurl.com/m37zq5r 

This was just a grand idea — to replace huge sign boards in Paris with classical works of art. It made me realize how cluttered our modern lives are with constant marketing of inane things.
“Parisian Advertisements Replaced with Classical Works of Art” http://tinyurl.com/nykgu3f  @mymodernmet

Bringing to mind the discussion of altering photos, Annie Leibovitz’s photographs (and resulting digital alteration) create the most stunning photos. The fact that she finds inspiration in Disney characters makes the work all the more relatable:
“Annie Leibovitz’s Celebrity Disney Dream Portraits” http://tinyurl.com/k8yuasb  @mymodernmet

I made the point the other day on someone’s Facebook wall that one of the discriminations made in the art world today is towards abstract versus illustrative work — and although I was soundly flamed for such a ridiculous statement, the wonderful Winkleman, an art dealer in NY, wrote a post fairly exactly supporting my argument just this week:
“Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Abstract Paintings so Different, so Lucrative?” Winkleman wise words http://feedly.com/e/GaB3bl95

I didn’t know the the Olympics once had art competitions — did you?
“Back When the Olympics Had Art Competitions” http://feedly.com/e/yz3-cw31 

This is about the importance of visual language, which is not valued in our current education system, and its effect on our brains:
“Why Einstein, JFK, Edison, and Marie Curie All Doodled” http://feedly.com/e/HGcJkmE6 

I loved this article because he talks about making marketable art and going through the thought process of figuring out what will sell:
RT @ArtsyShark: Success for artists is not complicated … http://buff.ly/1dsUIQY  Thoughts from Jack White

I actually went looking for articles on marketing art — and found this helpful piece from July of last year.
Selling Art: Is your artwork marketable? http://tinyurl.com/lpp3odt

A friend of mine posted this article on Facebook and I found it fascinating. I had never heard the controversy over whether Van Gogh committed suicide or was murdered — and I didn’t know that he died two days after being shot:
Van Gogh: murder mystery or straightforward suicide?http://tinyurl.com/jwhg56d  via @maggieinsc

Tweek!

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twitter.jpgIn case you’ve been living without benefit of modern communication, Atlanta, where I live, was walloped with snow this last week. This is a hilly region where we are not used to snow — the government is unprepared to spread chemicals on the roads — and road icing caused gridlock. I was very lucky and was able to have my kids home before noon and cooking chili. I didn’t even lose power — but even though I had a lot of company this week, I still managed to pull off my goal of 15 hours in the studio.

I also did a lot of reading — and tweeted a lot of interesting articles.

If you wish to follow me in real time — I am @vsgreaves — or click the Twitter icon in the upper right hand corner above the menu. I also have a Facebook Page where I post daily pics from my in process work — that icon is next to the Twitter icon.

When I was young, my mom took me to a lot of art exhibits and museums — but this article argues the sanity of doing that after a couple was seen allowing their toddler to climb on a multi million dollar statue. I was certainly never allowed to touch anything at an exhibit — much less climb on anything.
“You Must Be This Tall to Enter This Exhibition” http://feedly.com/e/nZmgeTiX 

Elizabeth Barton is a fellow textile artist from Athens, GA. I loved this article she wrote on design and the use of color in composition:
“Some Thoughts on Color…” From Elizabeth Barton http://feedly.com/e/MVIwHAT9 

Cool article about the origins of the picture that my current piece is inspired by: http://tinyurl.com/mljmnk5 — if you look at my Facebook Page, you’ll see more pics of my in process work — and if you scroll down, there are a few blog posts about it as well.

This is a wonderful article about how creatives need to learn through practice and failure to continue forward in the pursuit of perfecting their craft:
Why You’ll Never Stop Learning the Art of Your Art http://forthecreators.com/2014/01/why-youll-never-stop-learning-the-art-of-your-art/ via @ForTheCreators

This post is more about architecture, but it poses an interesting question: if art is on a religious building, does it itself need to be religious? Is non-religious expression acceptable in a religious setting?
People Are Kind Of Upset About This Historic Boston Church http://huff.to/1fwdsTG  via @HuffPostRelig

“The simple truth about how ordinary people accomplish outrageous feats of success is that they do the hard things that smarter, wealthier, more qualified people don’t have the courage — or desperation — to do.” Great motivational post.
19 Hard Things You Need To Do To Be Successful http://tinyurl.com/kszct8p  #character #dothehardthings

This video isn’t about art — but it’s about character and going the extra mile for someone other than yourself. We need more of this. It’s short, less than a minute, and worth your time.
Did You See This Moving Olympics Ad Before It Was Pulled From The Internet? http://www.ijreview.com/2014/01/112064-see-awesome-olympics-ad-pulled-internet/ via @ATLFlipFlops

Setting boundaries can be hard for creatives — especially if your studio is in your home — so this is a great list of reminders on what you should be considering:
Shore up your boundaries for creatives http://www.originalimpulse.com/blog/boundaries-creatives/ … via @originalimpulse via @abstandfield

Life is not always about accolades. In fact, there is a lot of rejection out there — at least, there is if you’re putting yourself out there. If you’re not being rejected, you’re not trying hard enough. It can be hard for creatives to talk about it because it makes us vulnerable — but it’s something we all go through.
Conversation on #Artist Rejection http://buff.ly/1fGibkv via @ArtsyShark

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