Diane Clancy’s Art Blog

The Artists of Franklin County, a local group that I coordinate, have been having Artists Window Exhibits (AWE Project) since 2006.  Susan Elkin and I are putting our work into Wilson’s Department Store tomorrow morning.  I do think we are ready at last!!  I think it is going to look very lovely since our friend Cindy is helping us.

Opus, Photography © Susan Elkin

I also finished preparing for the TV Show that we need to record on Wednesday afternoon.  I have sent the images to the local access station, GCTV, so they can load them up for our piece.  Each person or group who received a grant from the  Greenfield Local Cultural Council has been asked to record a segment to help create an hour long show about the grants.  It is pretty exciting – so far I am not as scared as the last time I was on the TV to record a show.

The week still looks pretty hectic … now Wednesday morning has 3 things … all necessary in the same 3 hour time slot.  I have no clue how we are going to manage all this!!  And it all has to be done in time to go record at the TV station.  Tuesday morning there are only 2 things at the same time.  Somehow I have to keep cool and stay rested through this all!!  Thank you for your supportive comments … I have no idea how I am going to make it until Thursday night!

But I have a list in my AutoFocus notebook and at least have the new things down and I am being able to knock off (that means finish) some of the details that I have written down  – so whew!  I did manage to scan 4 of the new ACEOs today.  The People’s Voice (a magazine for which I am the editor and layout person) is going to have to fit in the cracks at the moment.  I did quite a bit on it and then had to wait for people to send things in. I have everything now but have to work it around the things that cannot change in the next 4 days …

I will check in tomorrow – I am so happy that I may be able to show you one of the new pastel Art Cards.  Have a great day! Thank you for stopping by!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: Diane Clancy, Susan Elkin, AWE, AWE Project, Artists Window Exhibit, Local Cultural Council, grant, GCTV, People’s Voice

Earlier in the week, I went to the board meeting of Fostering the Arts. This organization focuses on building the Creative Economy in Franklin County.  We are a fairly rural area with a very high (and unorganized) concentration of artists – of all kinds – and other creative people. We have lots of artists, writers, photographers, musicians, actors, craftspeople and lots of the technology support industries.  With online access, many local people work with businesses in New York and Hollywood.  I have even worked with a client from Paris, France.

There is a lot of mythology about artists not contributing very much to the economy .. but there has been a lot of research of what are the real facts – and they differ wildly from the established wisdom.   We had a Creative Summit here a couple of years ago (as part of this initiative).  There was a presentation from an expert (from outside the area) that showed lots of facts and figures.  It turns out investment in the creative arts has a much greater financial return than investment in most other industries. That was shocking to me!

But very reassuring and gave me that much more reason to focus on building art – both in my own career and in the county. So when I was asked to be on the Board of Directors, as an artist representative, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge.  I know I have good organizational skills so I decided this was important enough to go ahead and get involved.

We now have gotten a grant to develop a marketing plan – to bring up the whole creative economy in the region. A grand idea – but a necessary one to build the economy in this area.

At the board meeting this past week, the AWE Project (Artists Window Exhibit) was brought up as an example of a very successful artist initiative.  We are seen as a model of what artists can be doing to promote ourselves and the community.  I was amazed and gratified!!  They were even using us as THE visible example of the continuity of the whole initiative.

Sometimes I think about trying to get one of the jobs by doing some of these things … but I keep remembering that would divert my energy from my own work – and say, thanks, but no thanks – not that any of these jobs have come my way.  Having the grant for the AWE Project is a good addition to my art – mostly anyway – but anything approaching a more involved organizing job would not work for me. Tomorrow I will be working on my entry for the 2 Things Challenge, but Monday we will, at last, get to the grant. And thus to the press releases that I have been working on so hard. I am thrilled you are interested in hearing about my art life! Thanks for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

Technorati Tags: Butterfly, organizing, board meeting, Fostering the Arts, Creative Economy, mythology, Creative Summit, organizational skills, marketing plan, AWE