Make what sells so you can make what matters?

Recently I had a conversation with my neighbor, whose wife, Blanca, paints these amazing, whimsical paintings. He told me that Blanca sometimes sells abstract paintings, even though she paints other paintings that are way better than abstract art, because they sell. For some reason, people who can't connect to art that tells a story, can connect to random "open to various interpretations" art, which doesn't make sense to me but okay. The moral of this story was, you have to make what sells in order to make what you really love to make. Not that abstract paintings suck. It's just that sometimes, what matters to the artist is painting something else (like a fairy riding a stag beetle, what beats that?)

For me, journals are the things that matter. I recently did an art show of Valentine's Day art. I went away from my usual themes and color schemes to make some red, pink, purple, glittery, heart-adorned journals. I sold one.

What I did sell- like, immediately- were these little magnets I made sort of as an afterthought. I love magnets and they are darn cute, but I didn't set out to sell magnets. However, I am thinking now that I will do more magnets, because why not? I like them, and they are both lovely and trinkets, which fits well with my mission statement.

Two questions for artists: have you ever "expanded" your repertoire to do something because it sold? And if not, why not? Was it a moral thing, or an emotional thing, or a practical thing?  OR If so, was it fun, and did you surprise yourself with what you made?

News update: One Billion Rising, lip balm, and more

After my experience marching, dancing, eating, and learning with One Billion Rising PDX, I was astonished to see hardly a whisper of news coverage. The largest global movement, with 203 countries signed up to participate, many of which included Risings in several cities, was barely a blip on the radar screen of major news outlets.  I do believe that with or without these news outlets, women are being empowered on the ground, on a massive scale. Watching videos of Risings in other parts of the world is so encouraging. With all that said, I have decided that lumos will now donate 5% of all earnings to charities that support women and the first of those is Portland's Raphael House, which is committed to ending domestic violence and supporting survivors of domestic violence.  I would like to make this commitment for all time, that lumos will always give 5% to a worthy cause. I will also offer a donation deal where if you would like to contribute to that cause, you can add any amount onto the price, and notify me that it is for Raphael House. If you add money and I don't know why, I will assume it is for this. All the funds that are earmarked to Raphael House will be added to the pot, which I will hand over quarterly. I will provide 100% accountability. Basically I want to provide a way for customers to donate whatever little bit they can. You can also just go to their website and donate there.

Lip balm is coming soon! I am perfecting the recipe for a unique lip balm made of all-natural ingredients. Lip balm will be sold in a .5 oz size, and will include plain and tinted options. Along with lip balm, perfume solids and all-over balm will be ready soon... as soon as I get off my butt and do it! So feel free to pre-order.

Don't forget that custom journals are the perfect gift for artists, graduates, listmakers, and everyone you know! Our journals are refillable for a flat rate of $5... so, use the journal up, cut & compost the binding, and send back the cover for a paper refill! Don't forget to recycle the used paper, either!

De existere et facere (On Being and Doing)

The difference between being and doing, and the lucky juncture where they collide, is the subject of this post. To be more specific, being an artist and making art are not always the same. I was making art long before I called myself an artist. By art I simply mean, things made for pleasure. Creating is second nature to me, and it's only now that I've begun to seriously attempt to market the things I make and hope there is an audience that wants them.

I have begun to ask that my being and my doing intersect, so I can love what I am being as much as I love what I am doing. I believe that real satisfaction comes when we are being how we want to be (more so than doing what we love to do). I also believe that what we require for our satisfaction will change over time. Right now, for me, it's lumos.

My dream for lumos is that it will become an artists' collective, and a space for people who make art to make money and be inspired. I hope that it will become a place where trinkets are valued, and where we offset the piling of things into the landfill through clever solutions which are sustainable to consumer and artist alike. One such example is the refillable journal. Any journal refilled with paper for $5 plus s&h. Simply remove the binding, compost it, and send back the cover boards.

This is a call for smalltime artists with clever ideas. Be how you love to be, do what you love to do.