Dear Friends:
I have spent a lot of time around artists (“tell us something we don’t know,” you’re thinking). I have also spent significant time developing strategic plans of all kinds, and have noticed a pattern:
- Before the project begins = exuberance. It’s going to be so amazing!
- One-quarter of the way through = trepidation. Things are not as perfect as they were when all was still theoretical.
- Halfway through, there is optimistic determination. Things are shaping up, and the outcome can still be terrific—or at least acceptable—albeit not entirely as originally conceived.
- Three-quarters of the way through = despair. This is not looking like the plan. It may not come together at all. It will definitely not resemble the fantastic thing that was envisioned, and there is SO MUCH WORK left to do, possibly for naught.
- The end result is good! It’s different from the original concept, but that’s OK. It might even be better, and now it’s possible to see how to pursue the next project without falling into the pits of this one.
Well, we are two-thirds of the way through our 2017 Business Accelerator—abandoning optimism and diving into despair. What an interesting moment for a total eclipse of the sun!
As usual, we have been quite busy at CHF, and this month, I want you to help us by reviewing our podcast show, The Thriving Artist. It only takes a minute, and it really makes a big difference in our ability to support the show, so please do it.
As the summer winds down I wish you tremendous success with all of your own projects, and hope the sun shines warmly on your faces.
Elizabeth Hulings
Director, The Clark Hulings Foundation
What’s New On the Learning Portal
This month on the Thriving Artist Podcast we’re offered a view into one artist’s unique career trajectory. Stephanie Birdsall, a painter known for her work en plein air and delicate still life arrangements, tells us about moving states to join the Putney Painters group, fortuitous networking and living the painter’s dream: “I get to paint what I love and people get to enjoy what I paint.” Listen to the conversation between Stephanie and CHF Marketing Director Daniel DiGriz here.
Frank Juliano, the Executive Director of Reeves-Reed Arboretum, works with artists to express the organization’s mission. “We’re introducing the public to the business of art, so it has to be art that stands alone,” Frank explains. In this interview with CHF, he discusses developing exhibits with artists, the importance of collaboration, and public policy’s role in art. If you’re an artist interested in working in non-profits, Frank’s expertise will be invaluable. Read the full interview here.
Browse all interviews and opinion pieces on the Learning Portal, and check out the podcast library on our website. You can listen to The Thriving Artist Podcast on Stitcher or iTunes. Be sure to rate and review each episode to help us reach a wider audience.
Red-faced and Yelling
In this month’s Director’s View, CHF Director Elizabeth Hulings discusses identifying and pursuing our path, however circuitous the journey or difficult the work may be: “My father always said he felt sorry for people who naturally excelled at many things, because when the going got tough, they could just quit and move on to the next thing. On the other hand, if you only have one option, you have no decisions to make, and you can’t second-guess yourself.”
Read the full article here and receive the Director’s View as soon as it comes out by subscribing here.
Spotlight On…Kristin Levier, Blake Conroy & Belgin Yucelen
Kristin Levier, Interaction of Colour
Location: Newburgh, NY
Dates: August 19 – October 14, 2017
Description: A group show of drawing, painting, installation, and sculpture united by the participating artist’s impactful use of color.
Blake Conroy, Kindred: Celebrating Our Ancestors
Location: Dowell, MD
Dates: August 11, 2017 – January 28, 2018
Description: A national juried exhibition featuring artists exploring the theme of family connection.
Blake Conroy, Brand 45
Location: Glendale, CA
Dates: September 16 – November 3, 2017
Description: The Brand Library and Art Center’s 45th National Exhibition of Works on Paper. The juror for this exhibit is Leslie Jones, curator of Prints and Drawings at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Belgin Yucelen, 6th Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art
Location: Irving, TX
Dates: October 7 – November 12, 2017
Description: Part of the Islamic Art Revival Series, a program designed to foster cultural connection.
To see all upcoming shows featuring CHF Fellows, visit our events page.
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