Ok … I promised that today I would assess how I did on my goals for 2008.  You can see my goals on Goals for 2008.  On the day before that day, you can see my assessment what I did in 2007. Below I look at some of my goals and give my assessment of how I did. I may change some of how I am using this blog, but I definitely want to finish up talking about goals as I said I would.

Sphere Dance, Digital © Diane Clancy

Continue my work with the Creative Economy

• I stayed on the board of Fostering the Arts and feel like I am being effective at being a bridge between artists and those who are organizing around the creative economy – I get good feedback about my participation.
• Artists of Franklin County – I have chaired and taken minutes as I committed to.  The group has really gelled this year and more people are taking true ownership of the group.  The group is finding itself and now can decide what to do … it is at a different stage of evolution.
• We did the AWE Project (Artists Window Exhibit) three times last year.  For the Holiday AWE we even did an Art Fair and Art Stroll also. I received a grant which helped me carve out the time to do this.
• I would say my work with the Creative Economy was a success this year and I fulfilled and surpassed my goals.
• A hint toward my goals for this year – this work has taken up way too much of my time … let me rephrase that … I have allowed this organizing work to be done in an excellent way – somewhat at the cost of my creative time.

Build my Online Sales

• I have expanded my Etsy and CafePress Shops with items and images. That part has been fairly successful.  I still need to keep expanding at CafePress with my bubblescapes and putting my vibrant, colorful paintings on more merchandise.
• I have opened shops at lots of other online stores … I feel really good about that!  I think that has been very successful. Now I need to add more items to these various shops.
• I have made some sales this last year for sure – obviously I want to increase them.

Networking

• Networking – I have networked a really lot!! I am a leader in several artists teams and have become active in social media. Again – this is taking a lot of time and I need to reassess how much time it does take. There is so much opportunity out there!! I certainly have been effective at getting connected in 2008!!!

Licensing

• I did license Conundrum I to be used on a book cover this year.  I listened to a phone class to help artists know about licensing.
• On seriously pursuing licensing, I did a very poor job.

Graphic Design & Web Design Clients

• I had several and we did some good work.  I enjoy this work (the way I do it working closely with clients) and it brings in a stream of income. So this was successful.

Rework My Website

• I have reworked the front page a little to add a link to CafePress (with an image of one of my mugs) and a link to purchase an ACEO.
• I did not add the bubblescape galleries as I had planned … and I have someone asking where they can see them all together – so obviously I need to make some decisions about this.

Pursue Design Work for Hire

• I tried one or two potential opportunities – and I am not at all sure that is worth pursuing right now.

Develop Resources for Artists

• We set up the Artists Marketing Forum. I spent a lot of time writing and getting articles ready for that.  Initially it generated a lot of interest, but it was not sustained. I had been hoping to perhaps get some coaching work from that. I have chosen not pursue it more for awhile .. but perhaps I can use some of the writing in a useful way.

Create Lots of Art

• I have created lots of vibrant, colorful digital paintings.  Several have sold in my Etsy shop.  People have expressed a lot of delight in them – so that has been highly successful.
• Getting back into the studio to work with traditional mediums has been less so … obviously part of my goals for 2009.

Health, Harmony & Well-Being

• In certain ways this year has been wildly successful – and that is probably the most important thing.  I have made some very important changes.
• In other ways, I still have lots of room for improvement – but then again, who doesn’t?

How about you?  Have you been assessing how your last year went?  I would love to hear about it. Did you fill your goals?  Did you do things important to you that were not on your list of goals?  I would love to hear how others are thinking about this for themselves and for their work and passions. Love and blessings to all life! Thanks for coming by!

~ Diane Clancy

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