Carol Larson - textile artist

Truth be known, I spend far more time promoting my art than actually designing it. All the experts say the successful artist should spend at least 50% of her time on the business aspect of her art. For me it is more like 80% of my time.

For example, I recently decided to coordinate all my promotional materials with the same logo. This of course is a no-brainer, and yet it has taken me awhile to get around to it. I designed a new business card last year in PhotoShop, and I still love it, as opposed to seeing everyone else with the same copyright-free image on their cards. So I decided it was time to create a new banner for my website that is identical to that of my business card. Also my middle initial on my website was different than than on my card and book so that needed refreshing.

Once I got the banner re-designed and sized appropriate for the location, I decided to upgrade the fonts on my website, while I was at it. Website design is famous for that…the while I am here, let me just tweak this, and hours disappear into a vacuum.

When I first learned web design, one of the first points I heard was do not put colors in the background or in the fonts that are difficult to read; as well as don’t use fancy fonts! Well Tempus Sans is not particularly fancy, but it is fancier than Verdana which is which I had before.

So I created a new font family with Tempus Sans as the lead dog. And once satisfied I uploaded the new file to my website and then all hell broke loose. The fonts shifted not to the new family but to some old long-lost family. The fonts changed to the size of those large print Reader’s Digest books for seniors and were fuchsia highlighted by periwinkle. Oh that looks really professional! I could not begin to figure out where this old file was coming from because on my design screen it was showing the new family.

Panic set in as I hurriedly moves files hither and yon, with no improvement. I then began to realize I had no idea how to fix this so I emailed a guru who had taken over a website from me when I resigned that group. Well, he said, you might want to do this, that and the other thing. He also suggested I remove the ‘…’ when all I was seeing was a “…” . Frustrated, I went in and took out the “…” anyway and uploaded the page. The background disappeared (are you snoring yet?!) so I put it back in and uploaded and voila! everything worked. Now, if that is not just psycho, I don’t know what is…

Yesterday I was relishing the warm spring day by sitting outside reading my marketing book. And the first thing I come across about web design, is don’t use cutesy fonts unless you make cutesy art. So I went to the computer and studied my fonts for a good long while and eventually decided I will never again ever in the lifetime of this website change the fonts, no matter what! What do you mean never say never?

Since then I have re-designed several of the pages that did not line up with the others, corrected links that did not link properly, re-sized links that somehow had shrunk. And now today, I get to re-enter prices on 12 pieces of work that I am retrieving tomorrow from the day spa in San Francisco. Oh and have I mentioned I am still plugging away on the PowerPoint for the Tall Girl Series?

Make art? Who has time to make art?!! It is probably just as well right now as two of my machines are having emergency surgery anyway.

The FiberArts for a Cause Reverse Auction is over and unfortunately for the cause, my work was not acquired, but I am not taking it personally. All of us involved were stunned that the fundraiser did so well, in this very poor economy. Meanwhile, here is the blog-post I felt compelled to write a few days ago.

Processing for the Tall Girl story, Series and book opened me up in so many ways, larger and more powerful than just the repressed memory itself. I continue to have epiphanies about seemingly unrelated issues, and old memories returning. It is all very exciting and would make for an exciting E-ticket ride at Disneyland. Do they still have E tickets???!

Many of the challenges over my life-time have been about setting boundaries, something at which I have never been particularly good. In the past year or two, the boundary issues have been coming at me, left and right, not unlike a video game! It is exhausting, constantly employing my garbage can lid and spear to protect my space. My sense is many women in my generation are not great at boundary setting. My daughter doesn’t seem to have this issue, though!

I have always felt it was my obligation to share my knowledge with anyone who asked; something to do with kindness and karma, but in reality it has more to do with resentment. It is alot like answering those nosy body questions, really. With boundaries intact, I no longer answer each prying question about my stature.

Over the years since I became a textile artist, many have asked me to teach them my surface design techniques, observe me working, or to come to my home studio and see ALL of my work. They walk away with my hard-earned knowledge and experience for which I paid mega-bucks and countless hours, and I an left with nothing more than resentment. After years of harboring resentment, I have finally had the epiphany to set stronger boundaries (or in this case SOME boundaries!) and act like the professional artist I am.

What’s in it for me? When I first heard that statement, I thought…how selfish?! But now I get it,loud and clear.

Because I am a working studio artist, and all of these kindnesses take me away from my studio or business time, I have decided to start charging for my time. This clearly should weed out the curious and cultivate only those who truly wish to mentor with me. Seriously, would your attorney or tax guy give two hours of his time without charging? I think not!

Another recent challenge was also successfully met. I received an e-mail asking me to take on another thankless, time-sucking, full-time volunteer task for a nameless group to which I belong. My inner workaholic jumped with joy at the prospect of the new project while almost simultaneously my intuitive mind said uh, NO THANKS!

Last fall I made a promise to myself that I would not take on any more volunteer opportunities with this group, as they all come packaged in exasperation and stress. Why would anyone choose to bring that into their life? So I graciously declined! I felt a bit of a let-down and recognized that as the deflation of the workaholic’s high. It is exhilarating to know that the wise woman within now speaks louder than the needy workaholic.

The piece at the top of this post is my latest. It is called Splatter II, as it was inspired by a paintbrush stroke. Splatter III is on the design wall now. It is great to be back at work making ART, instead of TallGirl Series!

Today is the last day of the FiberArts for a Cause fundraiser. .

This Invitational Reverse Auction which benefits the American Cancer Society concludes today, March 26, with minimum donations dropping by one-third at 10 a.m. CST:

There are still artworks available from:Natalya Aikens and Carol Larson

So far big bucks has been raised for the fight against cancer. Donations are made directly to the American Cancer Society with an immediate electronic receipt sent to donors. You too can own this beautiful art for a donation to the American Cancer Society.

Virginia Spiegel the founder of FFAC and all of us who donated artwork thank you for your support of Fiberart For A Cause, fundraising for the American Cancer Society.

Today is the 2nd of the 3-day FiberArts for a Cause fundraiser. This image is of Leandra Spangler’s donated work Cricket in the Thorn Tree .

This Invitational Reverse Auction which benefits the American Cancer Society continues today, March 25, with minimum donations dropping by one-third at 10 a.m. CST:

There are still artworks available from:
Natalya Aikens
Gerrie Congdon
Carol Larson
Susie Monday
Leandra Spangler
Roxane Stoner

So far $4650 has been raised for the fight against cancer. Work by Linda Teddlie Minton raised $1800, Judy Coates Perez’s artwork raised $450, Marjorie DeQuincy’s work raised $800 and Rayna Gillman’s raised $1600. That’s a great start to this fundraiser, especially in this economy!

Tomorrow is the last day of the Reverse Auction and the minimum donation will drop by another one-half. Will the artwork you desire still be there???

Donations are made directly to the American Cancer Society with an immediate electronic receipt sent to donors.

Virginia Spiegel the founder of FFAC and all of us who donated artwork thank you for your support of Fiberart For A Cause, fundraising for the American Cancer Society.

Some of my favorite artist friends are participating in the fifth and final FiberArts for a Cause fundraiser. The Fifth (and Final!)FFAC Reverse Auction opens today, March 24, at 10 a.m. CST with 100% of the proceeds donated directly to the American Cancer Society.

Rayna Gillman donated the spectacular Whose Woods while
Gerrie Congdon contributed the delightful Noshi Ribbons

Marjorie DeQuincy dazzles with the multi-hued A Good Time for Change

And Susie Monday’s complex surface design layering truly shines in Pomegranate Cross.

Virginia Spiegel is retiring her organization “FiberArts For A Cause” to return to her art studio full-time, after raising more than $165,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society. Way to go, Virginia, and best wishes for a well-deserved rest, followed by lots more of your wonderful fiber art for the rest of us to admire and enjoy.

This is only a 3-day auction, and the minimum donation will drop dramatically each day through Thursday, March 26. Wait too long, though, and your favorite piece of fiber art will be gone!

And have I sufficiently mentioned my contribution?! Carol Larson contributed this piece Red Door Feng Shui II.

The other generous artists are:Natalya Aikens, Linda Teddlie Minton, Judy Coates Perez, Leandra Spangler and Roxane Stoner

You can find the instructions on how to bid on your favorite work of art on the main page . Happy Bidding!

Fiber artist Virginia Spiegel is at it again! Over the past decade she has coordinated five invitational reverse auctions with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. I am most honored to have my work selected for the final reverse auction, which happens next week!
Here is the dirt…

Great Art for a Great Cause! That’s the Invitational Reverse Auction of Fabulous Fiberart with 100% of the proceeds donated directly to the American Cancer Society.

The PREVIEW opens TODAY with all of the artwork and all the minimum donations listed for each day for each artwork:

http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/ReverseAuctionArtwork2009.html
The invited, and generous, artists are:

Natalya Aikens
Gerrie Congdon
Marjorie DeQuincy
Rayna Gillman
Carol Larson
Linda Teddlie Minton
Susie Monday
Judy Coates Perez
Leandra Spangler
Roxane Stoner

On the Reverse Auction artists’ pages, read about the artists’ materials, techniques and inspiration and see full and detail views of the artwork.

The Reverse Auction will be held March 24 - 26, 2009.

This is the fifth and final Invitational Reverse Auction of Fabulous
Fiberart. Fiberart For A Cause has donated over $165,000 to the American
Cancer Society to date.

The piece I have donated is shown above. It is called Red Door, Feng Shui II and was inspired by the starter castles on the hill. Many of these monstrous homes have red doors, which in the Chinese practice of feng shui is supposed to bring good fortune. I figure most of these homeowners will need good fortune to pay the heating bills!

When the SAQA call came for their new exhibit Sense of Humor, I was close to the end of creating pieces for the Tall Girl Series. One day on the acupressure table, the idea came to me to create a piece about the aging tall girl and all the chemical concoctions she must apply to her aging body.

This piece Anti-Aging: Chemical Warfare was the result. Since I used half of the tall girl body template for this piece, I decided to tuck her into the last page of the book! Simultaneously, I entered this work into SAQA’s latest call for entries, an exhibit called Sense of Humor. Today I heard this work was chosen amongst 26 others for the traveling exhibit.

This piece examines the interaction on my body of all the chemical formulas I apply to keep it functioning. It is far more beautiful in person than in image, and so that is why I had it professional photographed to make certain the detail was showing. Otherwise, it would appear to just be a beautiful piece of batik with some words on it!

It is extremely gratifying to me that this piece was chosen for this particular exhibit. The juror, Pam Rubert has a wicked sense of humor which she uses in her own work, so I really like it that she got mine.

Sense of Humor is scheduled to exhibit in 2009 in Houston and 2010 in Chicago and Long Beach through the International Quilt Festival. Since those venues are already on my resume, I am hoping for a vigorous travel schedule for this work. Sometimes my work gets out more than I do!

While the world economy grinds to a halt, the energy around my artwork and art career is rapidly changing. Within the past two weeks I have self-published the TallGirl Series: A Body of Work, written an exhibit proposal for the series and submitted to two venues with more under consideration. I have been to the CPA regarding our 2008 tax return, had a good cry and gotten over it! I have been to the North Coast for the opening reception of Fiber Art Four at The Sea Ranch.

The other three are Anita Kaplan, Leslie Rego and Cathy Kleeman. It is such an honor to display my work with these fabulous artists.

I have packed up and shipped out unused quilt-related books sold on Amazon. I have packed up and shipped out surface design treasure from my dye-print space. And I have reluctantly resigned from the Art Cloth Network.

It was such a distinct honor to be asked to join this group back in 2002. I gave it a lot of thought as it required an annual expense plus cross-country travel to meetings. Way back then I recognized what I had to gain from membership far exceeded what it would cost me financially. I knew that I would learn so much more about surface design from my affiliation with this group.

I had the great opportunity to show my artcloth in three exhibits. My work made the postcard for one of those. Each meeting I attended I came home enthused and inspired both by the cloth and the people. So why, you might ask, would I ever give up such a plum affiliation?

Rules! The by-laws of the group require several things, of which I was no longer participating. I do not actively make art cloth. I design cloth as a means to an end, to include in my artwork. I like to do all variety of sizes and not be restrained to the requisite 2.5 yds or more. And I have not made every single meeting, due to conflicts or physical issues. The writing has been on the wall for me for two years and I bide my time with active volunteerism.

Today, it became abundantly clear to me that I need to resign. I had planned to do it this year, sometime before my required attendance at the fall meeting in Houston. I am feeling very sad that I have finally made my exit, and yet I know it is the right decision for me. My hope is with the internet and my own travels, I still will have contact with some of these wonderful people who inspire me both artistically and spiritually. If not, then perhaps it is time to form an art cloth network for slackers…no by-laws, no meeting requirements, no cloth length requirements. no accountability! Just like minds with a passion for surface design…

As someone profound would say, I am making room in my life for new doors to open…