The Biz Plan

When I was on a boat in Chatham Harbor, I got a phone call. I had a hunch that I should answer it, and I was right. It was WEDC (Women's Enterprise Development Corp)

calling me to tell me that if I wanted to get into their Fall Semester Class at Marist, I had to make an appointment to come in. The intro classes were starting in a few weeks, and I had to do all the paperwork and interview to see if I qualified for the program.

I knew it was a program to help women in business. I certainly was one. I knew a lot about business, after all, I had a home based business for years. But I figured that there is always something to be learned, and it was at a price I could afford. So why not? Little did I know...

The driving force behind the semester 60 hour+ program, was the Business Plan that I had to write for my new business in Rhinebeck. And the work that has ensued since August has been hmm....rather taxing, for lack of a better word. The presentation was to be delivered before a panel on December 3rd, with graduation on the 10th.

On the way to the presentation- a large buck hit my car doing 55 mph, in the snow and sleet. A traumatic evening, the car at this writing is still in the repair shop; $10,000 and counting work of repairs on my leased EOS. My husband rescued me and drove me to the presentation an hour and a half late, but I made it, albeit in a state of shock. The panel congratulated me on my very well thought out plan, and the only comment was: "well Patti, remember that there are only 24 hours in a day, and you will have to plan your days very well." My retort was: "it's all in the plan".

I never made it to graduation. Heavy rain and wind and a 45 minute drive in the dark was not appealing, and I was still recovering from the stress of the accident. I was satisfied with the work I did, and what I had learned. I didn't need a ceremony to give me another pat on the back, though it would have been a nice wrap up to what was a very difficult undertaking, and to hug my fellow classmates and mentor.

I am chomping at the bit, ready to hit 2015 with success and profit. My left brain is a finely tuned as the right, and I now have a guide map to my success.

Got questions about the program? Contact me. Need help with a vision or making a plan? Give me a call!
For those of you who are interested, click HERE and "like"  my Facebook business page, or go to my P.A. Gibbons Studio website!

Happy Holidays!  Patti

On Being Robbed

I promised you this blog, because, well, many of us creatives have found ourselves in the predicament of being robbed. Not of our money, or our purse, or our house. It's worse. Its the thievery of our brilliant original ideas, the raping of our muse.

I have had this happen one time too many for my likes, and they have always been in "my backyard".

The first time- I got a phone call from someone who had seen my work. She came over and bought some of my cards, asked about how I did them and where I got my ephemera, etc. Me, being the ever eager beaver, believing in honesty and transparency, told her the how, what, whys of my work.
 Shortly she and a few other artists went into business printing up cards made out of collages. Two artists were very different than me, but one of them, guess who, made cards similar to mine. I sulked about that for a while, then moved on. And, later on, after the business folded,  she and her daughter came back to buy from me, and all ended well.

The second time someone else saw my work and decided to make similar  to sell in her shop. At least she wasn't hitting the same stores that sold my one-of-a-kind pieces. I don't think she does it anymore - and because I liked her,  I just let it go. Besides, I liked her store and to this day continue to shop there.

Then the other day a friend calls me and tells me that she thought she saw my cards in a shop where I had been selling, but she noticed they were not my cards, rather the owner was creating similar cards.  WHAT? AGAIN? IN MY OWN BACKYARD? Why does she feel the need to do this...she has a successful business and art career blah blah blah. SHE DOESN'T NEED TO DO CARDS.
I thought of boycotting the business, but I like what they have, and I need to be able to be kind to this person as our paths cross, and again, I like her. 

We create our works of art/craft, whether card, collage, painting, etc., with our hearts and souls. As artists we are also doing the hustle, juggling a lot of balls to pay the bills.  So when your precious idea is stolen, and someone else making money on what you thought was your idea, in your own backyard, it is just a little bit annoying.

But wait, IS my work original, or did I piggyback off someone else's ideas? After all, I have the story of how I came to making cards on a sticker on the bag that holds the card, and it clearly states that I was inspired by the women of the 1800s who made Valentine cards with their families! Am I really that different, as I swiped their ideas! And didn't I get the idea for sewing some of my papers from another artist? And don't great designers and chefs get "ripped off" all the time? Do they sit and sniffle about it--- or do they go and create the next great thing?!

The reality is, we all borrow/steal/imitate in some form or another. It's what we do with it that determines how creative we can be.  It's been persistence,  the love of what I do, and my business savvy that has kept me in business for 20 years.  I figure if the competition's cards look too much like mine, I will shift gears and do something else.  Because in the end, no one is like me, no one can create or think like me! And maybe that is a good thing!

Art Along the Hudson

The weather has been stunning here in the Hudson Valley, prompting me to get outside to walk and make some art. Friday, after my student left his oil painting lesson, I took off to the Wilderstein Estate in the Rhinebeck/Rhinecliff area of Dutchess County, NY.  It was in the low 80's and the 2 pm sunlight was still pretty strong. It is not my favorite time of the day to paint because the light is so bright, but it is the most consistent light, I only had an hour to work. It was an exercise in observation and color.

Since I did not have to walk far, I just bought my paintbox, palette, a 5 x 7" canvas panel, and a large blanket.  I got a little sunburned in the strong midday light, but happily painted the Hudson River view.  Few trees here near the water had changed, and everything was lit in cool blues and greens. For one hour I was in heaven, undisturbed by any hikers or tourists. 

Yesterday, after my weekend visitors left, Larry and I had a few hours remaining of the beautiful afternoon, and we headed down to Rotary Park, in Kingston. It is the part of the river when the steamboats docked in the late 1800's, and thousands of visitors passed through the area. The steamship ran daily from New York to Albany.  Many who got off the boat took the train and headed into the mountains, on their way to one of the several mountain houses or another destination.  It was also an amusment park 100 years ago. Little remains of the original structures, save for a gazebo and some tracks, but it is a lovely place to picnic, observe the river activities, and make art. I did some watercolors, and above is one of my "painting photos" made with Snapseed on my iPhone 5c. It will be used as a reference for future work, but I love how painterly it is. 

I also met some of the female members of the Bruderhof, and we sat and  had a lovely chat for an hour before their dinner. I promised to visit them for one of their community dinners. They are a peaceful people, living in the true Christian tradition, and helping the poor and they work with the community in many ways. 

And today, I am in the Tibetan shop....It's been very quiet here, and looks like it is going to rain the next few days. We need the rain desperately, so I won't get to paint outside till later in the week. I have a commission to work on and a few dozen cards to make, to Patti won't be bored, or unproductive! Till next week! 

ART STUDIO VIEWS COMING!!!!

Calling all friends, locals, those who are interested in the arts! 

Next Saturday and Sunday, August 30-31st, from 11-5, visit art studios in Northern Dutchess County! The map of the studios as well as more information can be found here at ART STUDIO VIEWS.

In my studio at 18 Garden Street, in Rhinebeck, NY, above Hudson Valley Pottery (one of the sponsors) I will have greeting cards made with Victorian papers, some of my new photo cards made with my Smart Phone (I will be teaching a workshop on Smart Phone photography in the fall) as well as my collaged journals, paintings, mixed media works - at prices ranging from 40.00 and up! 

Or, just come by and see what  I've been doing for the past year now, and what lives inside of my head, and what classes/workshops I have to offer. 

Have a glass of wine or seltzer, much on some chocolate, or some cheese and crackers. 

There are many other talented folks opening their studios this weekend too, as well as stop up and see the Shahinian Fine Art gallery! 

You can shop in town  and get the best olive oil and vinegar at Pure Mountain, buy chocolate at Oliver Kita's or Krauses,  have a beer and a burger at the Beekman Arms, or eat fab French food at Le Petit Bistro.

There is lots in Rhinebeck, and it is a lovely town to shop/eat/take a walk in. Not far in between studios is Clermont, Olana, Montgomery Place, and Wilderstein.  I feel like a tour guide, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this area and encourage others to discover its beauty. 

And if you stop by, let me know if you read this for a special discout!  

The Beauty of a Golf Course

Who knew there was such magic and beauty to be found on a golf course? 

I am staying in a condo community in Brewster.  The houses are surrounded by a beautifully kept golf course. The irony is- I don't golf.  But I do enjoy the nearly 3 mile loop I can walk, and photographing the landscape from the path. Last year I made the awful faux pas of walking on the golf cart trails, and was promptly chided how dangerous that was- from both the cart and ball perspective.  So now I stick to the bike path, and explore from there.  

I am rapidly chilling out from 12 days in a row of work, and a very busy year of reinventing myself. It takes an incredible amount of work....and is emotionally taxing at times. So having a week of sleeping in, writing, reading, strolling, some sun and lots of ocean inspired cuisine, is much needed and cherished. 

Off to Truro to find some adventures.......

Time for Plein Air....

Two paintings of William's Lake, Kingston/Rosendale area of NY.

 Watercolor sketch at Montgomery Place, Red Hook, NY

Late afternoon on a hot and hazy day at Olana, Hudson NY

In between work, classes, storms and steamy weather, I have managed to get out and do a few paintings "en plein air", which is a fancy french word for "painting outside".  

Plein air painting became popular during the Impressionist movement. With the invention of the paint tube, artists now had a method to carry their paints with them out of the studio into the open air.  Since impressionism was about the observation and notation of light/color, painting outside was the perfect way to paint the effects of light on the landscape. 

Monet painted the same subject matter and different times of the day and during various times of the year, the Cathedral at Rouen, haystacks, waterlillies, and more. 

I have been a studio painter for most of the past 10 years that I have been using oils, working from photographs I have taken on my journeys.  I have done many watercolor/ink sketches plein air, as it all packs very neatly in my backpack   This year I decided to explore plein air painting with my students and on my own as I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

It is difficult as you have to have the correct set-up, and either be able to park nearby the painting site, or have a cart or strong arms to carry the equipment to the vista you are going to paint.  I work with what I have as new equipment just for painting outside is not in the budget.  Having done it a half a dozen times this summer, I have managed to narrow it down to bringing the following:

• a 12 x 16" plastic sealable palette box with a disposable palette inside that I bungee cord to:
• a wooden paintbox with a handle that functions as an easel and stores my paint/brushes/rags
• a small folding light-weight camping table
• a camping stool. 

I have bungee corded them to a luggage cart , or else I have carried them short distances. I have not hiked up any mountains, or done any long distance walking, because let's face it, I'm not into carrying a ton of stuff far distances. 

This summer I have plopped myself down in the shade of the cool woods by a lake, or at Olana where I did not have to walk terribly far to get a view of the Hudson River from the top of a hill.  What I have noticed is that by painting plein air, I have a sense of place that my photo paintings don't capture. I cannot use my wax method, in which I work in layers...as you have to capture a majority of the painting using a thicker paint in one layer of paint. I still end up taking back to the studio to touch up some areas, or do another layer of paint in some sections, but the paintings have a more fresh direct look.  

I am hooked...and will take my oils to the Cape this summer vacation. I am going to Barcelona in the fall, and though I would love to take my oils, it may be too complicated or expensive to pack/ship. I have been asked to give a class in Barcelona...the details not yet figured out. Stay tune for more info.

Open studio tour at my 18 Garden Street, Rhinebeck, NY studio is August 30 and 31st from 11-5. 

It will be a celebration all weekend of my being in business 8 months. If you are in the area, stop by and see what's been going on!  Paintings/sketches from 25- and up. Plenty of affordable art, handmade greeting cards, journals and more!

Weekend Update

This week was Rhinebeck's sidewalk sale. Friday it poured all day, so that was a wash out. Saturday and Sunday were lovely, but since I am off the main street, we had very few people wander over.

In conjunction with Rhinebeck Historical weekend,  I  ran a seminar on printmaking methods of the 19th century and you could make your own greeting cards using my antique paper. One excited person showed. My mistake was to make it from 5:30-7:30, a time when most people were eating. DUH. Of course, us artists don't eat, we live on air, and don't think about simple things when running workshops...like interfering with people's dinners. I laughed when I realized it later.

But I keep in the forefront of my mind that it's only been 4.5 months that I have been here, most of them terrible winter months. I just have to show up when I am not working my other jobs, and do the work. Eventually the money will follow.  And since we artists live on air, money isn't the objective of making art.
Kidding aside, I have learned to give up a lot of things, and I have wonderful friends who bring me food or make me dinner, and life is beautiful.

Sunday I set up my small easel and worked on a few paintings outside.  It was lovely to be sitting in the sun on a cool spring day in a beautiful little town.  Nearly done with my small landscape of the notch facing Hunter Mountain, and took a paintbrush to another painting which I was not fond of, and decided to do some markmaking/pattening on it. Not finished, but it was a lot of fun working on something that I no longer had interest in by giving it a make-over.

The peyote stitch bracelet with Susan Spivak is running this Wed, the 21st, from 3-5.  Contact me to reserve a seat. Painting class full on Thursday Evenings, but am looking to open a Saturday session. Since I have been working non-stop, I am taking this weekend off from the studio. Though we live on air, artists need the fuel of inspiration, and I hope that I have some adventures this weekend to revitalize and fill the creativity think tank.