Category Archives: Organization

Highs and Lows

If there is one word I feel best represents the month of January, it is “possibility”.
There’s much to be said for the mental high that comes with metaphorically flipping to a fresh page during the first weeks of each new year, don’t you agree?

In order to set that stage I’ve learned that, even though my to-do list in December is always overflowing, making time during the last month of the year to both reassess the past 12 months and to formulate a game plan for the next 12, pays off in spades come January. The resulting sense of a clear head is a treasured gift to myself.

Admittedly, it’s a bit of a regimented chore but, as one of my artistic heroes, painter Wayne Thiebaud, is quoted as saying: “Discipline is not a restriction but an aid to freedom”. I’ve come to realize that wisdom applies to all aspects of an art practice.

Hanger Diptych ©1986 Elizabeth Fram, Pastel on paper, 28 x 16.5 x 28 inches The images in this post reach pretty far back, which is obvious from the sketchy photos. In 1985-86 I began working with pastels, loving them as a source of saturated color. Having just moved out west, I soon discovered the work of Wayne Thiebaud and it became a huge inspiration, as is clearly evidenced in these ancient pieces.

Having put in the necessary work before the holidays, I can now move forward with a ready-made framework to lean upon that takes the guesswork out of where I’m headed in 2022. My mind is now freer and more receptive to the conceptual connections that are the meat of any creative practice…hence the feeling of possibility.

On a low note though, I was saddened to learn that Thiebaud died on December 25th at 101. It was his vibrant use of color that first grabbed me almost four decades ago, but my love affair with his work has remained constant ever since. As I’ve evolved as an artist, so have the lessons I’ve picked up from his work. Most recently I have been appreciating him for being, as his NYTimes obituary so aptly noted, “a virtuoso of the everyday and its deep, subtle symbolism”, — a subject that cuts close to my own artistic objectives.

I am envious of the students at UC Davis who had the opportunity to learn directly from him. Everything I’ve read and heard portrays him as a very generous teacher as well as a truly nice guy. It seems he worked through the highs and lows of his long career by always remaining true to himself and to his love of his work.
RIP Mr. Thiebaud, and thank you for your gifts which will continue to benefit us all.

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Two last notes before you go:

I’m so pleased to announce I now have a web shop up and running on my website. Please stop by and browse!
For now, the shop includes only the stitched-watercolor House & Garden series from this last summer, but I will be adding more pieces to it as the year progresses and time allows. That said, pretty much all my work is for sale if it hasn’t already sold, so please don’t hesitate to inquire if you’re interested in a piece you don’t see in the shop. Thank you!

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And finally, check out Glen Martin Taylor’s brilliant work. I know I’ll never look at a teacup or placesetting in quite the same way. @glenmartintaylor on Instagram.

Clearing The Decks

When I look back through the last 5 years of December posts, I can see a slow progression toward coming to grips with the fact that, due to all the extra chores surrounding the holidays, this has evolved into a month of reflection, reassessment, and planning ahead rather than business-as-usual production. And maybe that isn’t such a bad thing.
My 2017 post Don’t Forget to Check Your Rearview is a jumping-off point for how you might do the same.

Before

After weeks of juggling various projects, I finally devoted a full day last weekend to clearing the decks throughout my studio — a big job, but one that will help this coming January get off to an efficient start. It wasn’t until after I’d had my purge-and-organize session that I discovered Alyson Stanfield’s lastest Art Biz podcast with Fiona Valentine: 5 Simple Steps to an Organized Studio. If a studio clear-out is coming up on your calendar, give this a listen, keeping in mind Fiona’s counsel that a messy studio costs you time, money and productivity.

After

It may not look it, but this is an “after” shot too.

Are You Ready for 2017?

In preparing to turn the page from the old year to the new, I like to use this week between holidays to get myself organized. I think it’s a really healthy exercise to go back over the events of the past 12 months in order to take stock of both the accomplishments and the areas where I want/need to concentrate more effort in the year ahead. In addition, if I can get a leg up on some preparatory computer tasks, such as clearing out obsolete files, setting up new folders, and outlining my goals for 2017 in a somewhat organized way, it’s then possible to jump right into my routine on January 2 with a sense of control and purpose. It may be something of an illusion, but I like the feeling of getting a fresh start.

2016 brought with it the discovery of some wonderfully useful tools, many of which I have shared in this blog. As the year closes out, here is a short list of three more gems that I hope might add some value to your practice going forward. They have all helped me to feel more organized and better equipped, resulting in more time to make art…and isn’t that what we all want?

Amy Lynn Andrews’ Knowtbook: Last June, in my post A Worthwhile Plunge, I recommended Amy as a fabulous resource when starting a blog. She shares an amazing amount of information for free on her website, blog, and in her weekly Useletter, but this fall I decided it was time to invest in her $24 “Knowtbook”. It is essentially a reference manual comprised of her extensive notes on a ton of online information, including the finer details of creating a website, understanding traffic and SEO, social media, networking, time management and productivity. Straight talk delivered to you via Workflowy (see below), it really is her notebook, so you continue to receive her changes and updates in real time, at no extra cost to you.

WorkFlowy: If you are a list maker this is an unbelievably convenient and easy way to keep on top of all your lists, in one place and accessible online from any device. I guess the one downside is that you need to be connected in order to make any additions or changes, but everything can be easily printed if you choose. I’ve found it’s extremely handy for staying on top of tasks, especially when I’m already at the computer and ideas / items pop up.

Bullet Journal: Admittedly I use several different platforms (Asana, Evernote, Workflowy) to keep myself organized in a big-picture kind of way, but so far the Bullet Journal, “the analog system for the digital age”, has absolutely been the most successful way for me to stay on top of my daily/weekly tasks. You don’t have to buy anything — although you have that option. I started one last March with an old notebook filled with graph paper and it continues to work perfectly. Once you get a handle on the basic theory, you’ll see that it is completely customizable. It’s made a huge difference for me and, while I continue to juggle more than I probably should, it has kept me on the straight and narrow and I find less things fall through the cracks now.

And finally, a cherry on top for the avid reader:

Modern Mrs. Darcy: I was so happy to stumble upon this blog last week! It was the perfect discovery during the holidays, or anytime for that matter, when you’re in the mood for finding a good book. It’s kind of like the semi-annual NPR books shows that feature booksellers from all over the country. The reading lists and recommendations inspired me to map out a list for 2017. Can’t wait to get started!

Were there any systems that you adopted in 2016 that made your life easier/more productive? Personal experience is the best reference, so please share your feedback.

As always, thank you for joining me here at Eye of the Needle; I appreciate your time and ideas! Happy New Year…may it be one of your best.

Turning the Page on 2014

This past week I have begun to work on my “master plan” for the new year, welcoming the chance to look back over all that was accomplished in 2014, while taking time to re-evaluate and reorganize for the year ahead.

I even took a couple of hours to clean up the studio a bit. Organized chaos is probably a more accurate description.

I am making some tweaks here and there to my work schedule in my never-ending quest to become more efficient and productive, and to find ways to make room to read more, to draw more, and to take advantage of seeing more of the wide-ranging art that will be on exhibit in 2015. I’ve been giving it a bit of a test-run this week and I think I’m on the right track.

One of my goals is to re-prioritize and to bring more balance to the way I divide my work-day between art practice, volunteer commitments and household chores. I’m sure many of you can relate, and if you have any hints to share, I’m all ears.

Meanwhile, it’s good to take stock of what worked this past year as it comes to a close. By way of celebration, I’d like to share with you (and raise my glass to) a few of the resources that have made a real difference to me. Hopefully one or two of them will resonate with you as well.

• Smartest blog: Brain Pickings Maria Popova’s “subjective lens on what matters in the world and why”.
• Best blog on Work Habits: Study Hacks – Computer scientist Cal Newport shares his stellar and very inspiring ideas re: focusing on work.
• Most helpful Newsletter: The Useletter – Amy Lynn Andrews’ “hand-curated email for bloggers, authors, freelancers, online business owners and those who want to work from home”.
• Best Art-related Book read this year: Living and Sustaining a Creative Life by Sharon Louden
• Really enjoyable “Non-art” Book: The Art of Eating In by Cathy Erway — If you love to cook, as I do, try this book about “the joy of getting back in the kitchen and turning something seemingly ordinary into something completely extraordinary”
• And finally, the all-time Best Time-saver: Unroll.Me Take back control of your email…I can’t even begin to tell you how helpful this is to me! A huge thank you to my son for telling me about it!

Wishing you a productive and happy new year.
& thanks so much for reading…

View from my studio window Sunset, December 31, 2014