Here is an image …. summer busting out … fire, water, earth and greenery …. flowing, expanding, contracting … horizontal, vertical, and diagonal ….
Beyond I, Digital © Diane Clancy
~ Diane Clancy
Monthly Archives: June 2007
Light in Art
This is the last of this Gold Leaf series. I had a lot of fun making them. I think they should be rugs or wall hangings. But they look so rich and sumptuous to me – very luxurious.
Gold Leaf III, Digital © Diane Clancy
In the post yesterday, Sue O’Kieffe of Sacred Circles Mandalas said “My art, at its core, is about the Light piercing the darkness. My intent is to find new ways to let the Light shine through !” I love her mandalas and to me her art is about piercing light – the light piercing in many different styles and feelings and outcomes … but all about light and energy.
Even though our work is very different, that is what I want my work to be about too. “Enhance Your Spirit” is my slogan – it is the effect that I want my art to have on people. To me, the uplifting comes from light or love or energy.
Some of my work has specific aspects of light (Conundrum I, the Luminous Angles series) and others I think are more light-filled by the content. Sue’s work is more an emphasis of physical light which then translates into the light of power, love and healing – to me.
Perhaps my work is more about other things shining through – but to me in the same realm of light, power and healing – at least some of my images. One of the Luminous Angles is Heart of Fire if you would like to see that use of light. When I just peeked at the painting again, it does look like Sue’s – light coming through.
Thank you for stopping by and allowing me to share my thoughts ~ I would love to hear what you are thinking about.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: Sue O’Kieffe, light, Enhance Your Spirit, Luminous Angles, Sacred Circles Mandalas
Promises Extended for Another Day
My promises for today are going to be moved until tomorrow or Saturday … I will get to the blogs soon. I worked with a couple of clients today and our house is now summerized.
Gold Leaf II, Digital © Diane Clancy
So there are lots of things that need to be followed up on … but they will be.
I think of Neda when I see this series … I don’t know if she would agree … but that is what I think of.
I am mainly saying “hi” and talk with you soon … I am delighted to read what you have to say. Thank you!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: Neda
Depending on Perspective
Today is a hot, sticky day where I live. Yet as I sit here thinking about that, I also think of our Neda who is in a place where safety is uncertain. As always, people here are thinking and caring about you!! Then there are the other people who may not have posted, but are living in other places too. I hope you are all safe.
Gold Leaf I, Digital © Diane Clancy
And some of our readers are in the southern hemisphere … so might welcome a little weather of the mid-90’s right now. After all, in the southern hemisphere it is just turning from the shortest day of the year – just as here in the northern hemisphere we are turning from the longest days … So much depends on one’s perspective!
The powerbook cord came today and it works!! So that is done. I am back in business and can get more work done again. Tomorrow I am going to work toward finalizing and preparing for printing the …. I bet you can guess … business cards.
 I appreciate you are here and reading today … I will work to catch up on reading others’ blogs and replying tomorrow … now is time for rest. But, then again, that is another perspective thing. It is kind of cool. Some people are just getting up … or coming home from work. It is actually amazing how different (and yet how alike) each life is.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: Neda, powerbook cord, business card
Art Biz Card Revisited
One of my images was featured in Alyson Stanfield’s newsletter yesterday. You can see the newsletter here and also sign up for this free resource. I am very excited to have one of my pieces featured!!
I had planned to upload these new versions onto the other versions but apparently my server is having problems this afternoon. Like the rest of us. So eventually I got that I could just upload them in WordPress. So I did.
Art Biz Card © Diane Clancy
So here are the latest versions taking into account what others have said. At least to my brain. It has been a discouraging day waiting forpowerbook cord and trying to get things done without my tools.
Art Biz Card Back © Diane Clancy
I sure hope the cord comes tomorrow – this is all very wearing on me. Hope you are surviving the heat well for those who are in the heat wave. I appreciate greatly all your feedback!! Please let me know if you think this is it!! Thank you again!!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: WordPress, powerbook cord
Susan has Emerged!
The illusive, almost mythical, Susan has posted on her blog, Susan Elkin Photography. She has a much smaller request than I have been making of you – Susan has only her own business card. So she is hoping that you will take a hop, jump and a skip over to her blog to welcome her back and to give your input. She has been touched by people’s concern here … Thank you so much!
Reflections Below I, Digital © Diane Clancy
Thank you for your help in working on my business cards. At some point today I will have lightened up the middle image on the Art Business Card to see if that speaks to Sue O’Kieffe’s concerns. (By the way, thank you so much Sue for a birthday mandala at Sacred Circle Mandalas!) I tried several other paintings in that spot, but I think that will be the best … I think it shows a different style that is very popular. But I am hoping that my lightening it will make it work for you.
And Soul Fish, thank you for your comment about the little text. I am not sure if you mean the list of types of art I have or if you mean the address and such … or what. Perhaps you can be more specific. I have enlargened the text in the list on the back of the card. But, again, that will be uploaded some time today. I welcome more specifics of what you mean.
Sue and Soul Fish, I have made the changes and uploaded them.
You see, my powerbook cord went totally caput! So I do not have access to a lot of my things and files and such. It is mostly backed up so I can deal with it later today … technical issues … like which version software is on which computer and such. Some of these computer programs are foolish enough that they have no backward compatibility with older versions. For Adobe InDesign, you cannot save backward to even one version older. It is a real problem! I think they are very foolish to be so rigid – whatever they may gain financially, they more than lose in goodwill. At least Adobe has allowed Photoshop to stay extremely flexible.
They perioidically have problems and I think the problems are theirs, not our cookies. Again, I still welcome others’ feedback on the posts of the last 2 days. I take it that people are happy with the first version of the “Fanciful Animal Images”? I will be checking back through a borrowed computer to see what you have to say. And, thank you again for your birthday wishes!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: Susan, business card, Sue O’Kieffe, powerbook cord, computer programs, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Fanciful Animal Images
Business Card for Paintings
I am posting early today in hopes that you will have time to look at the posts from today and also from yesterday. I hope you are up for one more round of feedback on these business cards – please, please! I think this one might be pretty nice and unusual in a way that works. But I want to hear from you! People have been incredibly helpful in this process so far. Thank you again!!
Art Biz Card, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am wondering if this works or if it is a little too odd. I feel so much better about the card since taking out the Fanciful Animal Images. So much better. This one you have given me a fair amount of feedback on wording – though I am very open to hearing more about what you think now.
Art Biz Card Back, Digital © Diane Clancy
The business cards for the Fanciful Animals I am not so certain about. So, if you are willing, please take a close look. Of course, the resolution and such will be correct when I send them off to be printed. I just took screen shots to get these images so they are not as sharp as they will be.
If I seem edgy, I am pretty nervous about the computer issue right now. If I hold the powerbook cord in a certain way (and that way keeps changing), then the computer has power. It is under warranty, so it should be covered. But those things always are a hassle and I have no idea how long … etc, etc. And I have work I have to do right now. So please forgive any lack of graciousness! Thank you in advance for any help you can give me!!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: business card, Fanciful Animal Images, powerbook cord
Fanciful Animal Images Business Card
It’s that time again … Today is my birthday and it gave me time to work on the business cards that I haven’t had time to get to. So here are some results. I started with trying to do the card that you have seen before with “Conundrum I,” this image and an animal design. But it never really worked for me.
Biz Card for Animals I, Digital © Diane Clancy
After a bunch of struggling, it seemed to make sense that I should make 2 cards instead of the one. So I have done a “Fanciful Animal Images” card. Today I also registered the name www.fancifulanimals. It seems to me to be the best name for a mini-site for just the animals. And here is another version that the mythical Susan came up with – is this enough evidence she exists? (joke by the way).
Biz Card for Animals II, Digital © Diane Clancy
And … surprise … here is the back. I would love input on the design and the words. This has not gone to press yet (except the domain name). I would love feedback on what works and what doesn’t.
Biz Card for Animals Back, Digital © Diane Clancy
And as a teaser for tomorrow, I have also finished a design for my art business card. I am pretty psyched to be this far along … it has been dragging on me. I will show the other one tomorrow and see if you like Susan’s creative (I think) solution. We also came up with an almost finished card for her photography business. But she needs to work more on her USP (unique selling proposition).
And for frosting on the non-existent cake … my powerbook cord started acting finicky today … and not relating the the power supply at times. Makes me realize how much of my work is on this little baby. I had a friend fry a backup hard drive the other day – I sure don’t want to lose all this work!! Thank you for stopping by.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: business card, Fanciful Animal Images, Susan, domain name, unique selling proposition, powerbook cord
Learning More … Unexpectedly
Doing some work for a client, I have learned a lot of new technical things today about working on the web. WordPress feels pretty familiar to me and regular website work is something I have done for years. I think I am in the process of learning about content management systems. But I am not sure yet what it is I am dealing with!
Emanate I, Digital © Diane Clancy
I am backing up some files for someone, and the whole system is very different from what I have ever seen before. So, something to learn! I have been wanting to know more about this content management thing, and I think I am on that journey.
Thank goodness I know something about Blogger and WordPress! It is amazing how every hosting system seems to be so so different. Just like most of life I suppose. Once again I have jumped in and I am not sure exactly what I am dealing with … it seemed a simple request. Even the ftp is weird!
But I feel sure that I know enough that I will be able to figure it all out. Hope you enjoy this weekend. Oh, oh, oh – I got an Etsy order today – I am thrilled!
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: client, WordPress, content management systems, Blogger, Etsy
Which Direction to Go …
Let’s get honest here … I don’t know what to do and which direction to go. Part of the problem is that I have been tired again the last few weeks – not as energized as I often am. That makes it harder to make decisions about where to focus.
Morning Reflections II, Digital © Diane Clancy
To rest some I have been reading some great blogs and other info – and feeling both excited about all the ideas and overwhelmed at how much there is to do. I am lucky enough to have a couple of clients. That is an easy and clear priority – clients come first before any other business projects.
I want and need to get back to finalizing the other business card. I am delighted at the quality of the first card (printed at www.gotprint.com) – great quality, decent price. I guess mostly I need to rest some and let the reserves fill back up.
I hope you don’t mind if I talk out loud with you over the next couple of days to try to sort things out. You also probably figured out that my birthday is soon. And the days are starting to get shorter tomorrow – I know it is silly … but there you are. Thank you for being here.
~ Diane Clancy
Technorati Tags: direction, decisions, focus, overwhelmed, clients, business card
Reassessing Time and Costs
Today Lisa Call writes a post called “What am I doing?” on her interesting blog, New Work and Inspiration. I second what Lisa says – What Am I Doing?? I have been very busy today going out locally to my stores that sell my cards and marketing these cards. A lot of my cards have sold at these stores and I am getting some more reorders from these places. Morning Reflections I, Digital © Diane Clancy But then there are a few more parts to this equation – one being costs of production. A few days ago Sue O’Kieffe wrote a post called “Considering Production Costs” on her inspiring blog, Sacred Circle Mandalas. Sue and I both sell a similar product – beautiful (if I do say so myself), inspiring cards. Selling them wholesale is great – but the costs are high for the materials (and that isn’t thinking of the time). Tying both of these blogs together – I need to keep figuring out what direction I should be going on some of these things … All this takes inordinate amounts of time … with some good paybacks. I get some income from the cards and I LOVE having people see my work and be able to buy it. But I am grappling with issues involving both costs and time … and Sue and Lisa each discuss one of these issues – which is why I am pointing you to their posts. Of course, all this is an argument … [CLICK TO READ MORE]
Absorbing the Energy of Joy and Fullness
Today is full of life and energy in the northern hemisphere. We are close to the longest day of the year. (Of course, in the southern hemisphere – and we do have some readers in the southern hemisphere – you are almost at the shortest day and soon the days will be getting longer.) I love the fullness of energy and life this time of year. Terrain, Digital © Diane Clancy Last night I couldn’t sleep until very late as I was absorbing and integrating the fullness of the life force that was pouring into me from the night. I had been dragging for a couple of weeks, and I think the summer energy has turned that around for me. The spring energy of “allowing” has transformed into the fullness and joy of summer energy. In this country, June 21 is when we celebrate the Solstice as the longest day of the year (of course meaning the day with the longest daylight of the year.) And June 23 is my favorite day of the year – and this year it is Midsummer Night in Denmark where they celebrate the Solstice with bonfires and festivities. We had 2 Danish families in our neighborhood as children and so they told us how June 23 was Midsummer Night. I think the date changes year to year – but this year it is June 23. I hope you will join me in absorbing all the joy and life into your body and soul. And … [CLICK TO READ MORE]
You Can Search Everything
How are you doing today – and what is on your mind? I am getting ready to get back into marketing mode. I want to go to CafePress and start a store and buy a few things (of mine) to see what the quality is like. I think that is one of the next steps for me. Expansion, Digital © Diane Clancy Also, I want to develop this mini-business of my “Fanciful Animal Images.” I think I might do a website just for these images. I have been reading Chris O’Byrne’s book that he has been telling us about over on Online Arts Marketing. A lot of what he says makes sense … and I have been thinking about developing this aspect of my business a little separately since he posted some comments on this blog. By the way, the search function searches everything if you ever want to find out what I (and others) wrote about different topics. It searches tags and comments besides the posts. Hopefully, tomorrow I will get back to the other business card also. Thank you again to everyone for being part of this community we all have together! ~ Diane Clancy Technorati Tags: CafePress, Fanciful Animal Images, Chris O’Byrne, search, business card, onlineartsmarketing … [CLICK TO READ MORE]
The Blog Not Taken
With a tip of the hat to Robert Frost, I wanted to share with you “The Blog Not Taken” – in case you didn’t visit when it was up and running. So I have a simpler interface, one I am happy enough with, and I hope you like it too. I tried to get the titles more vertically centered in the sidebars, but nothing worked that I tried .. so I made the bars narrower. So good – this piece is done – and thank you for all your help and patience. The Blog Not Taken, © Diane Clancy I do like the “About Me” on the top of the left bar on this “blog not taken,” but I spent (wasted?) a couple of hours trying to figure out how to do it. I couldn’t find simple code for it. That may be a future upgrade. But a simple one. I would like to get the last line higher up in the header, but I think that is not going to happen. So, let’s enjoy this evening and I hope everyone had a great weekend! Thank you, ~ Diane Clancy Technorati Tags: blog, theme … [CLICK TO READ MORE]
More Progress
Today I made a lot of progress on redoing the theme for the blog. I am fairly pleased with how it looks now. Clearly, yesterday my question was not clear – Today’s question is “How do you like the way this blog looks now?” Peeking Through, Digital © Diane Clancy Two things remain that bug me – 1) trying to get rid of the underline on the links under “Diane” (on Firefox anyway) and 2) that yellow-green that loads up under the header. I have wasted a lot of time trying to get rid of that. I might ask the person who made this theme how to do it. Susan has run into problems looking at the blog at work – it is too wide for their screen. I tried to use a “theme-switcher” so you could choose 2 or 3 columns, but I couldn’t get it to work. It is a WordPress plugin that did not work for me. Thank you again for all your patience. So, it this good? Too bright? I am much happier with the header now. ~ Diane Clancy Technorati Tags: theme, blog, WordPress … [CLICK TO READ MORE]
Changing Direction Yet Again
At least eventually I know when to stop and reassess. This is what I had decided to go do – keep a lot of the feel from my original blog theme (see post below). I thought it would look great to have a smaller header and have my links that I like so so much at the top. I struggled technically – but that is not why I stopped. Diane’s Direction Now Abandoned, Digital © Diane Clancy All of a sudden, I realized that the changes in the colors that I had made in the sidebar headers were not there. I had originally changed to that fluorescent blue, but then changed them to this blue. I guess I forgot to upload the more subdued blue – so that was part of what was bothering me so much – and I think it was what bothered Chris too – but I am eager to hear from him what he says. Once I changed the header bars to the color I like, then all of a sudden I liked this look for the blog. Original Theme, Digital © Diane Clancy This is the theme (template) that I am working from. I like it, but it too busy for my taste. So I have been trying to undo and change. I know some but not enough to confidently change someone else’s complex code. And great!, I just went to check out something and found out that what I fixed on one browser went … [CLICK TO READ MORE]