Open Studio at WPA every Tuesday!

Great news! The WPA studio will be open every Tuesday from 10am - 1pm through December. You can come by and print during that time for a little bit of cash ($25/3 hrs if a WPA member, $35 if not) and get press assistance from printmaker Ashley Salinas or myself--we can offer basic press setting, but won't be instructing, so it's for the individual with some printing experience. You're also welcome just to swing by and check out the shop. Ashley and I are swapping Tuesdays. I'll be there on Sept. 23, Oct. 7, 14, Nov, 4, 18, and Dec 9, 23. More info about WPA's shop here.

Greater news for me: The WPA studio is in the same complex as my own (Canopy, 916 Springdale Road, Bldg. 3, right next door to the place pictured below.) As for my own studio, I've made a stab at setting studio hours--Bldg. 1, studio 218.

I'll be in my studio on these days:
Mondays, Tuesdays (when I'm not at WPA), and Thursdays from 10am - 2pm.

I love studio visits, but I suggest a call or text before popping over in case I'm on a walk or enjoying a coffee at our new Canopy coffee shop (my cell is 512-680-6281). Hey! Let's grab some coffee together!

Yay! The long-awaited cafe!

Sa-Tén is a Japanese-influenced cafe from Komé partner Kayo Asazu and East Side King co-founderMoto Utsunomiya. In addition to espresso, coffee, and tea, the cafe will serve pastries like donuts from Red Rabbit Bakery and Japanese-inspired "light fare." Hours are 7:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 8 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Sundays.

Oops I did it Again

I had some advice today from my sis: I need a website with shopping cart abilities. My website needs some serious TLC. I've made that a 2014 priority, but keep in mind it was a 2013 priority at some point. It's time to get serious. Any suggestions out there on an easy but affordable way to start this endeavor? I've had plenty of false starts and would like to figure this out very soon. All advice welcome!

© 2010 Cathy Savage, Flatware, intaglio, 15 x 22"

My sis wanted to purchase this print but had no way of knowing the price/availability. (Luckily she texted me. Another potential buyer might have clicked away without trying to reach out.)

With this cyber-Monday being the biggest one yet, were you set up for sales? Did you offer a discount on your etsy site? Do tell!

Tea (and Scones)

This is fun. I sold this print at Russell's Bakery!

© 2009 Cathy Savage, Tea Party Etiquette, image size 8 x 8", intaglio with chine colle

I have work up at Russell's through the end of October, and I wasn't expecting any sales. These types of exhibition opportunities rarely have inventory flying off the walls--or in Russell's case, ledge, where you just lean the pieces on the ledge and against the wall. (I have to tell you, installation was a SNAP!) I also have inquires on 2 other pieces--the dang price list I left with my work keeps getting mislocated--and the folks have taken the time to shoot me an email inquiry. I never in a million years would have guessed it. Looks like I'm signing up for Russell's in 2016!

About this time last year I started to panic that I wasn't going to make my financial goal, and this year is no different despite the flurry of activity at my local bistro. Surely EAST (East Austin Studio Tour) will be a huge opportunity to show and sell work. If you do the EAST thing, be sure to stop by our studio! (Oh, and btw, my worry last year was for no reason--I made my goal, and I'll probably do the same this year too. I just need to keep reminding myself of that. Deep breaths...)

Back to Tea Party Etiquette. Have to have one? This print was part of a small edition of 8. I have another one framed at my studio in a warm, natural wood frame if you happen to be interested. The individual prints are also listed in my Etsy shop. 

Thinking--it's time consuming

No wonder I don't do it very often. I had a coaching session with Laura George earlier this week and she helped me see things a little clearer. I now have a schedule set for the next couple of months and I'm excited to finally see through the fog.

I had a cool thing happen. I had my artwork chosen for some PR materials for Uchi and Uchiko--two fancy pants restaurants in Austin! I went last night with a friend to use up a gift card (I was paid in cards--yay!)

Outside, back. Dimensions: 3.75 x 5.5"

Outside, front

Inside flap. Artist statement on left. 

Inside second flap. :)

Ups and Downs

King Henry partially carved.

This has been an absolute insane week and it's not quite over. I'll spare you the nitty-gritty emotional non art-related stuff.













1. Worked on King Henry. He looks a little like Genghis Khan, but I can fix that...hopefully.

Proof of King Henry. More carving I'm thinking...

2. I dropped work off at Georgetown's Art Hop on Saturday (the reception is this Sunday, September 8!) along with a friend's work and it seems like I keep getting lessons on how to professionally present work. This info is on the back of the piece--artist's name, title + if  you're fancy, email, website, phone number.

right way

wrong way

3. My bright light this week: PrintAustin is coming along! We have our Call for Entries posted here. We're going to have a Bin Sale Call too, that will be open to all, even students. Details are still coming on the Bin Sale and I'll post more as the details firm up. Being a co-chair of this event has been innnnnteresting. It's lots of work but it's been mostly fun--I admit the grant writing has been my least favorite task. Good experience though! Are you a PrintAustin Facebook follower yet?

4. I had a gallery give me the boot. My work wasn't selling there so really, it's for the best for both of us. At a minimum I've have this piece on my walls on Friday--yep, this Friday, 9/6/13)--for an open studio at Canopy. I'm studio 218 if you decide to come--and if you do you can see my own version of the Salon des Refuses

Canopy
916 Springdale Road
Austin, Texas 78702
Friday, September 6, 2013 6-10 pm

Better Late Than Never

Art Opening Tonight! My life is spiraling out of control with school starting, post-vacation adjusting, PrintAustin planning, exercise rebooting, and website retweaking. I did manage to fit in a recorded episode of Masterpiece Mystery last night, so I'm hanging in there. :)

This guy, Doodles in Math Class, with be hung at the JCC for the next month with an opening this evening.

Details:

8/29/2013

Opening reception, 7-8:30 PM

JCC

7300 Hart Lane

Austin, TX 

Curly Hair--might as well go with it

I was asked a few questions for a brochure that's being printed for an upcoming show and I thought I'd pass them along.

• Why did you become an artist? 

It's something that has always been part of who I am, just like my curly hair. I've just decided to go with it verses straightening it. 

• What is your inspiration for your artwork?

I'm fascinated by people that have made amazing discoveries, especially in the math and sciences, and that's probably due to the fact that my brain doesn't operate that way. I've never had a head for numbers but I love learning about Big Thinkers and the things that make them tick. 

• What are the materials that you use?

I'm been working on collages lately due to summer schedules and my need to be at home with my school-aged kids. I have a huge arsenal of paper scraps that I've collected over the years. Most of them are my hand-pulled prints that don't make it into the edition, but I'm also drawn to the ordinary receipt as well as decorative wrapping papers. I have them sorted by color in my studio! 

• What is the process for creating your art?

Typically I have an image in my mind and I start plugging away until I feel as though I've gotten there. Some pieces evolve, though I'd say most become what I thought they were going to become. (Turns out I'm not very spontaneous.)

• Do you have a favorite piece and why?

I do have a favorite piece. I have a collage made from an old print of a childhood memory of my family driving across the country in our Ford LTD station wagon pulling a camper trailer. The background is an actual map that I painted with the black and white print of the car and trailer on top, mixing a little modern (colorful) with traditional (black and white). It's whimsical I guess, but for me it evokes some happy memories of those days when being a kid seemed to take forever. Those memories of listening to John Denver on the 8-track tape, maybe playing the alphabet game with my sister, and sitting in the way back of the wagon (no seat belts of course), always make me smile. 

This is it! Favorite piece!
© 2009 Cathy Savage, Country Roads Revisited, 15 x 21", mixed media

Fully Immersed

Well Folks, I've been in deep vacation mode. I've had nothing much to report outside of beautiful NC weather and sweet moments between friends and family. I did get the pleasure of seeing my grackles in Red Wolf Gallery in Brevard, NC.

Savage Grackles with painting in background by Shellie Lewis-Dambax

My hope was to bring some larger work with me during my visit to drop off at the gallery, but truth be told I couldn't get my act together in advance. (I have another embarrassing story to tell in regards to a lapsed gallery lead, but I figure one at a time is enough.) Another sad marketing 101 failure? I didn't bring any business cards with me!

Pretty Dang Clever

Hi there! My studio mate and I are putting out an art subscription. It's like a magazine subscription, except you get art delivered to your door. This was Carolyn's brainstorm, and a pretty clever one that at. Check it out.

Studio News: Canopy Studio Subscription   Carolyn Kimball and Cathy Savage have teamed up! We've moved into our fabulous new studio together at the Canopy Art Complex--it's a big step, but one we're excited to take. Carolyn has had two successful years of offering an art subscription, and one way we're celebrating and supporting our new leap is to offer an exclusive collaborative art subscription to our fans and supporters. What is an art subscription, you ask? It's a unique art-by-mail offering from our new studio! Carolyn and Cathy will be collaborating on original artworks that will be mailed to your door--or sent as a gift to recipient of your choice--at below-market prices. Every month you'll receive something we've been working on in our studio. It could be a new print, screen printed tea towels, hand printed note cards, laser cut goodies, or something else fabulous we've dreamed up. At the top of the month, we'll send you a preview of what's on tap so you can redirect your item to a friend as a gift, order another one for a friend, or have us mount or frame your print for an additional cost. We can offer you our work at below-market prices because you are buying it sight unseen. Once finished, these same works would sell for up to double or triple the monthly subscription price. Because your subscription helps to cover our overhead costs, we're able to pass along the savings. It's just $15 a month--or as the Kentucky girls says, the price of a good bourbon on the rocks (that's four lattes for the rest of us). 100% of the proceeds from our studio subscription will go to keeping the studio afloat. You can join for 6 months and choose from one easy payment or monthly installments. Yes! This sounds cool and I want to sign up! 6 months, one easy payment 6 months, monthly installments  Thank you for your continued encouragement and support--whether it comes in the form of a subscription or an attagirl. :) Carolyn + Cathy Share Tweet Forward to Friend 40! We need for 40 people to reach our goal! Please help us spread the word and share with your art loving friends. Chicken tea towels from Carolyn's spring line One of Cathy's Grackle monoprints

I'm a Kentucky girl, a printmaker, painter, knitter, gardener and kitchen mess-maker. I create both fine art prints and modern home decor. My fine art work centers on layered landscapes that evoke the history and memory of place- currently I'm working a series based on travels in the Middle East-and bold, graphic, woodcuts inspired by food. My home decor line, Kimball Prints, draws its inspiration from the beauty of the natural world. In addition to my websiteand online store, you can find my work in the permanent collection of the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts and in private collections in the United States, England and Kuwait. www.carolynkimball.com One of Carolyn's fruit woodcuts I dabble in a little of everything, but when it comes down to it, I am most passionate about printmaking. I'm interested in textures and layers and enjoy combining printmaking techniques to achieve end results. My favorite part of printmaking is creating the matrix--I love trying to figure out how the image in my mind's eye can be created in print. Collagraphs are my favorite technique. Once I get started building a plate, I have a hard time walking away from my studio for necessities like food and sleep. It's like putting together a puzzle--it's very hard to step away when the pieces just seem to be fitting! My work is a reflection of my life and interests. I'm a mother of two and my experience as a parent is a common theme. I also have a thing for Central Texas' nastiest bird--the grackle, and they pop up everywhere. I've developed an affinity for mathematical and scientific subject matters as a by-product of my obsession with Nikola Tesla. One thing is for sure, my work is either a hand pulled print, or a collage using my hand pulled prints. www.savageartist.com  Cathy's laser-cut Tesla finger puppet Cathy's blog | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend

Email Signature--Do You Have One?

My tablet loaded up with I'd Rather Be in the Studio

I just traded several emails with an advertiser in my neighborhood newsletter--it's my bi-monthly graphic design gig--and I just found out she's an artist because after our 10th exchange I saw her ad and it mentioned an upcoming studio tour. I had no idea. Are you using this micro marketing tool? Currently mine reads (I do change it up from time to time):

Cathy Savage, Artist
blog  website  facebook

How to change your signature
Well in Google mail, which is what I use, you need to go to your Settings which is the little bicycle gear looking thingy in the upper right. Click on it and select Settings. Scroll down to Signature and type in what you want. You can add hyperlinks here too. Make sure you scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on Save Changes. I'm sure other email programs are set up with a similar format.

Gettin' Portable
I purchased Alyson B. Stanfield's ebook version of I'd Rather Be In The Studio and uploaded it to my tablet for easy transport. I have all the PDF docs from our marketing salon on there too, courtesy of www.artbizconnetion.com. I'm ready for a marketing discussion anytime, anywhere, and now I have references on me at all times. :)

Chickens are Coming Home to Roost

Cathy Savage, Contemplate, 7 x 8", drypoint on copper

Last week was delightful. There's nothing quite like getting away and unplugging and I had a chance to do that over Spring Break. My inbox looks like a runaway train since I have basically refused to respond to emails the last couple of days, wanting to eek every last ounce of peace. Cyber Monday, is going to be a long slog.

I have really been enjoying Evernote! I have the app installed on my PC as well as my tablet, and I have used it to create my list of To-Dos and Cyber Monday chores, as well as organize the info I pull off the web for project research. I also used it last weekend as a notebook during a workshop. It's worth a peek if you're like me and striving to improve your current level of organization. Apps exist for smart phones too, so your lists could be accessible anywhere at any time. My phone has average intelligence, so I'm not using Evernote to it's fullest potential, but one day...

Shoot for the Moon, because, why not?

My buddy Carolyn Kimball and I applied for studio space at Canopy and we were accepted! It's been a long 2-week wait for the thumbs up, but we've received it, and now I'm feeling a little queasy. This is a big step. This is the right step. Still, it's a little frightening. I'm not sure of the move in date yet, but I'm sure we'll be having a studio warming party and I'll let you know the When now that we secured the Where.

I put together another Etsy treasury. Here it is:

'By the Light of the Moon' by cathysavage

A lovely collection of moons.

NEW ITEM..The Moon ... panoTshirt $16.50	Moon Madness 8X6 Pr... DisorderedPhot... $20.00	Skinny Ring - I Lov... emerydrive $10.50	Full Moon Necklace,... Lizabettas $14.00
Rainbow Moonstone F... PhoenixFireDes... $50.00	Full Moon // Custom... LoveErica $130.00	Isle of the Floatin... andykehoe $50.00	Children's Oute... junksy $11.00
Antique Print Astro... missquitecontr... $30.00	Fly me to the moon.... MademoiselleCh... $149.00	Antique map of the ... mapsandposters $11.88	Steampunk Moon Neck... DubiousDesign $12.50
Earth and Moon Ring DownToTheWireD... $65.00	Felted Purse Handba... FeltedFantasie... $190.00	Moon in Tree Branch... marybird $70.50	Purple moon art qui... FabricandStitc... $450.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Time Flies, Plus Accountability Coaches

Time flies. I set up a date to show my work at a local bakery 3 years ago and it's happening this October! Time keeps on churning. I have a show in Chicago in 2015. I'm not kidding. That seems like a lifetime away but it'll be here sooner than I think. I remember wondering back when I set up the bakery gig if I had enough work. The answer is yes.

Accountability Coach
My best friend and I chat it up every Friday night via Skype--not only to say hi but to check in on some of the good habits we're hoping to cultivate. My art accountability is done through other avenues (my friend Carolyn Kimball and I touch base regularly, I attend a marketing group--see below, and I consider this blog to be a motivator too...). When my girlfriend suggested we work together on the other stuff, I was happy to oblige--besides, we also have an excuse to have a regular chat. I'm just working on domestic stuff--and my g'friend has other action items--but in just a few weeks I feel as though I'm on the right track and less stressed with my new and improved organization.

So, what is this art marketing group?

We meet monthly to discuss Allyson B. Stanfield's book I'd Rather be in the Studio, and it's so good we're starting from the beginning again next month. Allyson has a free guide to building your own salon. You should check it out. If you're local, contact me for when and where and you can join us.  

I also have a vision board to help stay focused on my goals. I give myself a wide berth when I fall short. Life happens and I embrace it, including the speed bumps. 

What kind of things do you do to stay motivated?

Etsy Treasury Building. Like Butter!!

I created my first Etsy treasury! Here it is.

'Science Gift Guide' by cathysavage

Periodic Table Gree... SouthernPestPr... $5.00	Popular Science Mag... OldBookSmell $16.00	Chemistry Men Perso... ShopGibberish $19.99	Tree of Life Specie... isotope $15.00
Science Wall Decor,... ara133photogra... $15.00	Mid size Science sy... Anatomology $22.00	Heroes of Science: ... eavesmade $9.00	Science Diagram Pil... dirtsastudio $65.00
Antique Ernst Haeck... AdamsAleArtPri... $9.99	NIKOLA TESLA button... pinstop $4.00	I heart Science -- ... fishcakesoboy $4.25	Human Anatomy Felt ... CakeInTheMorn $25.00
I love science Gayana $15.00	Airplane Wings Flyi... KristenVanPatt... $20.00	Red blood cells key... Outpost8 $17.00	Vintage Astronomy s... VintageAndNost... $24.95

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Basically a treasury is a collection of items being sold on Etsy that have been personally selected. The person building the treasury gets a choice of 16 different items per treasury--and there are gazillions of items to choose from so it's fun to pick a theme and get crackin'. I used Shmetsy's free treasury compiler and I was walked through the process by their youtube video. It was so easy! Why have I been dreading this? You can quickly send convos to the people you've selected with Shmetsy's compiler. So quick, so painless. Hey, I think my goal of doing one treasury per month is gonna be way easier than I thought. So, why create a treasury in the first place? You help advertise and promote other people and karma looks after you.  Plus you hopefully build an online Etsy community in the process.

How did I embed my treasury into my blog page? If you missed the tool link at the end of my treasury, click here for the link. It is super easy. Like magic I tell you, magic. (Or like butter, but less fattening.)