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Some artist’s are making a big splash. They are non-conformists doing things their way. Not afraid of criticism or worried about “staying in line,” they follow their gut instincts; and in the process, they’re making money. Wish that were you?

Self taught artists probably have more daring. What have they got to lose? But there are artists who get bored by the tried and true methods of the past and just want to make waves. They want their art to sizzle and sing. They manage to push the envelope to the outer limits.

Don’t get me wrong. These artists have already proved themselves in traditional ways. They are color and value experts who wave the brush expertly and intelligently. They also follow trends. They understand that what’s popular today may not be hot tomorrow. They have found a way to capitalize on the here and now in hopes of making some money and it seems to be working.

I watched a street artist use nothing but spray paint and window scrapers as a brush. The work was not as crude as I’d expected. He layered colors from light to dark, and while still wet, expertly scraped off top layers to expose the light. Shapes formed. Buildings appeared. Different sized palette knives and scrapers exposed a cityscape and a sunset. The end result was breathtaking.

His “street art” was produced quickly and expertly. The wrapped canvas paintings sold like hotcakes! People were intrigued. They were in awe as landscapes and city streets appeared in living color. The canvases were affordable and inspiring. This artist had found a way to tap into the pulse of the buyers who lived and worked in the city.

Who is your audience? Does your work appeal to the culture and clime of potential buyers or are you focused on your own drumbeat drowning out the sounds of the marketplace? Do you live in a seaside community or a rural farm area? Do your buyers hail from suburbia or Harlem? Who do you want to reach? How do you want to touch them or influence them? Does you work have universal appeal or is it specific?

These are questions every artist needs to ask before proceeding with a work. If you paint only to please yourself, you may have only an audience of one.

Some time ago, Public Broadcasting aired a delightful British Comedy called “Last Tango in Halifax.” I enjoyed the feature immensely. The story revolved around an older couple who met, fell in love, and planned to be married. The catch? They each had their own complex past, their own children and spouses and grandchildren each with their own unique problems, quirks, differences, and weaknesses.

What impressed me at stories end was that Halifax was a lonely and harsh environment that isolated people from each other. The characters, in spite of all their flaws, were loveable, sometimes desperate, and always unpredictable yet supportive of each other, at least in the beginning.

I wept along with the characters. I felt their pain and their weaknesses as they bungled their lives simply by being human. As a person of faith, I couldn’t help wondering if the absence of faith was a character flaw and the reason for their downfall. They struggled against life without any spiritual structure or foundation to guide them or hold them together. And yet they survived. In the end, they even triumphed as they overcame their shallow self absorbed inclinations to reach out and embrace those they loved. Rising above their petty and sometimes jarring differences, they brought their bouquets of forgiveness to the simple table that life had dealt them
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What matters most in life usually triumphs, if we let it. We can rise above the cheap and tawdry leavings of this clumsy imperfect existence and replace our shallowness with humility, hard fought forgiveness, and hope. People in the end are worth the effort. There is dignity and hidden gold even in the worst of us, and surely in the best of us. Pure evil does exist, but at what point is the soul condemned or the door closed? The eleventh hour? The twelth?

What binds us is our humanity; our need for love and companionship. This alone is the Godly part of our nature and must be nurtured and acted upon if humanity is to survive. Without it, we will all incinerate ourselves in a global frenzy. Keep the candle burning, friends. If the light of love and goodness goes out, our world will be very dark, indeed.

If you're a creative person, it's inevitable that at some point in your career you're going to bump up against a blank wall. That feeling can be frightening, even devastating, but it doesn't have to keep you down.

Over the years I've discovered a few things that may trigger these events. I'll share some of my thoughts with you, knowing that your trigger's may also be different from mine. For whatever it's worth, here are my top four:

1. Fatigue and lack of sleep. I know, it sounds simplistic, but you can't create in a sleepless fog. When your tail is draggin' so is your mind. Your perspective gets out of whack, and life seems sadder, badder, and meaner. When you wake up refreshed, you're ready to tackle almost anything. Get your Zzzzzs.

2. Depression. This is a real deep-down feeling of helplessness and worthlessness. This baby will pull you into a downward spiral that has no end. Mild depression is a part of life's ups and downs, but clinical depression can drag you into a dark abyss where life has no meaning. Get help! If the cause is a bad marriage or an abusive relationship, get out!

3. Low self-esteem. A few negative words or harsh criticism can throw you for a loop. We can say "sticks and stones," and believe that words can never hurt us, but they do. Bullies can knock the wind out of your creative sails. Personal failure can push you flat on your back. The only answer is to grab hold of a power bigger than yourself and get up again. Quit worrying about what other people think. Your opinion of yourself is the only one that counts.

4. Lack of exposure. Sometimes we need to shake things up a little. Get out and experience life. Change the scene. Surprise yourself -- do something new. Try something you've never done before. I'm not suggesting going overboard and getting yourself into trouble. I'm only saying get out of the house. Go somewhere different. Try to see the world with a new perspective. Get some fresh air!

I remember my first art show after letting my skills and brushes lie dormant for many years. I was terrified. How would people react to my work? How would they view my lame attempts to restore those lost years when my own self-esteem was dragging?

I muttered a prayer, something like "Oh, Lord what am I doing? What if I look like a fool?" A warm feeling and an encouraging thought came to me: "Give it a try--you might be surprised."

On that simple note, I displayed my paintings. I know some of them were pretty awful, but not all. Two women, I swear they were angels in disguise, bought one of my paintings right off. That sale gave me the confidence and the courage I needed to keep on keeping on.

And there you have it: my secret formulae for getting out of a "funk." Next time you can't think and your mind's a blank, start writing, start painting anyway; anything--anything at all. Pretty soon the blood will get moving and you'll push right past that blank wall. Of course, a little prayer never hurts!

I haven’t checked out a library book since I purchased my Kindle a few years back. I must say, my experience was a refreshing change. I’m more at home in a library than anywhere else in the world next to a paint store or an Office Depot.

I love the smell of books, the excitement of having the world at your fingertips and the thrall of people with the same sense of drama. Today was no exception. Our library is adjacent to the local high school, and is home to a poor but diverse community. On this Saturday, every computer, every chair, every table was filled with students and adults reading magazines or searching for books, and with parents helping their children find books for themselves.

Movies were being checked out in abundance. Non-fiction books and films seemed more popular than fiction. I was struck by how vital a library is to a community; especially one with few resources. I sensed that this weekly or monthly trip to the library was an exciting part of each family’s agenda. Eager smiling faces added to the vibrancy that filled the building.

I waited in line with my books: two on pastel techniques, and two on general basics; my way of taking a refresher course in between regular painting sessions and classes. A woman next to me said, “Oh, you’re an artist, too!” Then she proceeded to tell me all about the class she was taking and how she picked up some books to reinforce what she was learning.

I hope the public library will always be with us. It meant so much to me as a child. I’d walk a few streets on my own and spend the whole afternoon in its warm embrace reading books, sniffing their wonderful pages, and settling into an imaginative world that took me from my small town roots into an adventure with other worlds and cultures.

In some regions, they are already phasing out the library as we know it. Books are being replaced by computers and digital books. You can download books and never have to return them. It seems to be catching on. I’m sad for the children who will never experience what it feels like to curl up with a real book and smell the wonder of its pages. As a child, I’d sneak a flashlight into bed after my mother left the room. I’d read under the covers for as long as I could. When she discovered my secret, the magic ended, but not my love for books.

That day in the library, I was happy to see parents and children who still had the excitement of books written on their faces. They renewed my hope in America and in the world. Hunger and thirst for knowledge is a good thing. I hope we never lose it! The freedom to ask questions and search for answers is what keeps us alive and thriving. Without it, we would become puppets of the state and emotional zombies unable to appreciate a world of wonder and beauty.

Veils have been with us almost since the beginning of time. Certainly they had religious significance. For example, in the Biblical story of Salome, Jezebel’s daughter, Salome danced with seven veils to seduce her father so she could ask for the head of John the Baptist. John had criticized her mother’s marriage to wicked King Ahab who had unlawfully taken his brother’s wife.

In the Book of Genesis within the Hebrew Bible, the story goes that Jacob was tricked into marrying the homely Leah instead of his beloved Rachel, because Leah had hidden her flaws behind a veil. Tradition had it that the groom could not lift the veil and look upon his bride until after they were married. When Jacob found out it was Leah, he honored her, but continued to love Rachel. He worked for her another seven years before she became his 2nd wife.

The Bridal veil has always provided a sense of mystery. A veil declared that the woman was spoken for; she was forbidden to any but her betrothed. It was also believed to be a holy covering.

A veil separated the Holy of Holy’s in the temple where only the High Priest could go to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. The veil in the temple signified it was forbidden to go beyond that point. The veil protected what was within and anyone without authority could be killed for crossing the forbidden barrier.

One of the most celebrated paintings of the Italian Renaissance by Raphael is “The Woman with the Veil (La Donna Velata),” This irresistibly beautiful portrait was once considered the most famous painting in the world. Completed circa 1516 – four years before Raphael died at age 37. The painting has had a profound influence on artists and writers both of his day and since. Not only is it beautifully painted, but a myth of intrigue envelops the work: there is a long-held belief that the sitter was Raphael's lover and muse.

Raphael developed in this portrait his own idea of female beauty and deportment. The sitter’s veil indicates that she is married, while the sleeve conveys both opulence and, in abstract terms, the sitter’s hidden but complex psychology. She appears as a model in many of Raphael's most important works.

“The Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer uses a veil to portray the young girl’s modesty and innocence.

The painting of fabric has always intrigued me. If done well, the illusion is so perfect that the viewer must touch it to see if it’s real. The creation of folds is a result of the undulating movement of the cloth as it rises and falls. Highlights are placed on the highest points, and shadows on the most recessed. Pulling the brush in the direction of the fold rather than vertically creates roundness.

Many cultures and religions use veils and coverings to protect them from harsh weather, provide concealment and modesty, and to create mystery and beauty.

December art show: “The Human Spirit – a Celebration of People and Places.” In my paintings, I choose to emphasize the goodness and light that exists in small and simple things, in ordinary people, in the lives they live and the choices they make.

If you’re in Fort Myers, Florida in December, I hope you can come. A reception will be held Friday evening, Dec. 6 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Arts for Act Arcade Gallery on First Street, between Jackson and Hendry. I’ll be there with other displaying artists.

Arts for Act holds auctions and uses the commission from the sale of art to fund services for abused women and their children. Many local artists support this gallery and also participate as volunteers. Please call 239-337-5050 for information or check out their web site at http://www.artsforactgallery.com

A few days ago, I received a pocket calendar for 2014. I flipped through its blank pages like a “deer panting for water.” The days were glistening white; unmarked by crowded schedules, important appointments, or family birthdays and anniversaries.

My current calendar looks like Graffiti on steroids. Black ink saturates each page with notes, people’s names, important events, telephone numbers, commitments and activities. In addition, medical problems and emergency appointments have filled its pages during this past year. Critical junctures like weddings, flight plans, vacation dates and art shows have recorded important information adding to the chaos.

The white calendar pages remind me of blank pages yet to be written. It’s always gratifying to catch a glimpse of the future, unmarred by what is to what may be.

In the past as a writer/consultant, I did write with a pen; the transition to keyboard was difficult. I also typed manuscripts on an old Smith Corona using carbon paper between the sheets; six copies, to be exact, which had to be erased one by one if I made an error.

Now the spell check on my laptop does the work for me. I have learned to create at the keyboard; the wonders of modern technology. What next? I’ll probably speak my mind into my ipad or droid and the text will appear magically on the screen. Others are doing it, why not me?

Next to a blank calendar, a new white canvas excites me just as much. Having a clean virginal surface, spotless and free from brush strokes, gives me “a tingle up my leg,” as Chris Matthews would say.

Each new day should give us that same exhilarating feeling. Yesterday’s mistakes and stresses can give way to hope and the opportunity for a fresh start. As Scarlet O’Hara said in “Gone with the Wind,” “Tomorrow is another day!”

Things always look better on the other side of a good night’s sleep. Once refreshed, we gain objectivity and perspective. We can distance ourselves from yesterday’s pain. Of course, some things take time. But each new day brings us closer to closure. If bitterness doesn’t take off our edge, we become wiser and stronger.

Is it possible to create our future by having a positive vision of ourselves? Can we mold the possibilities and our potential for success by controlling what we write on those blank pages?

Forget about yesterday. Who and what do you want to be? As the saying goes: “Today is the first day of the rest of your life;” shape it as you would a fine sculpture. Mold it, smooth it, work it with your hands, and explore its possibilities. Let go of yesterday and live in the exquisiteness of today.

One of the Newsletter’s I subscribe to comes from the artist, Robert Genn. He suggests that we shouldn’t wait around for “inspiration.” We should just dive into our work and see what happens. Sometimes waiting for the “muse” or that perfect idea is another form of putting off the actual work.

Some people think if they pay enough money for “the perfect web site;” the one that generates “thousands of viewers,” their careers will take off and they will begin to sell.

In actuality, it isn’t how much money you spend, it's how much actual time you spend on marketing and promoting your work. If one site fails, just beginning another won’t necessarily cut it if you’re not putting in the time. Marketing and promoting take as much work as the actual creating and implementing stage. Without promotion your creative work sits around with only one viewer: you!

I’ve discussed fear before. Fear is paralyzing. Fear can also be another form of procrastination. The news caster Robin Roberts recently dealt with a severe form of cancer. How did she beat it? Robin said: “When fear knocks, let faith answer the door.”

She believed in herself, she believed in the power of God, and she faced her fears courageously and beat them down with faith and the “sword of God’s word.” Fear can be overcome. Human will is powerful, but there is a higher power than ourselves that can help us overcome fear, weakness, and the frailties of human nature.

When fear knocks, we need to rally all the support systems available to us. We need to jump into the pool of the unknown and beat off the sharks with every ounce of strength we can muster. Waiting for Godot or some magical super hero, who can save us from our work, just doesn’t cut it. However, if we do our part and “put in the time,” eventually the powers that be will reward our efforts.

Being successful isn’t for the “faint hearted.” We must struggle with our adversaries; some of which are self-inflicted. We battle with physical limitations, spiritual weaknesses and with time.

As an employee, as a wife and mother, I used a “To Do” list every day. I noticed that now that the children are gone and I’m retired, I’ve stopped using one. My days have become loose and unstructured. I think about what needs to be done, but somehow I don’t quite get to them.

I purchased a tablet with bold red letters: “To Do.” The page is divided into two columns; each line ending in a check box. The first column says: “Do it Now.” The second column says: “Do it Later.”

Since I started using this organized way of using my time wisely, I’ve accomplished at least three times as many projects as before. A warning should come with the check list: too many items on the Do it Now column will cause exhaustion by day’s end. I need a warning like that. I’m a Type A personality who keeps going so I can check off every box.

As a result, I divided the page in half. One page actually lasted me all week as the interruptions of meetings, appointments, and phone calls kept me from doing my tasks on schedule. Being a slave to your list is almost as bad as not doing your tasks at all. Flexibility is mandatory.

Once the jobs were checked off, I was exhilarated. I circled those chores that remained or were more difficult so I wouldn’t forget them. This process turned out to be a great way to define my goals more clearly. It gave me an overview of my week and helped me to hone in on my priorities.
Magically, my To Do list eliminated my fears and procrastinations. I had a clear picture of what needed to be done and I methodically did them without wasting time on “how” or “why” or “when?” I was so focused on checking off those boxes, I followed my list’s directions without even thinking.

Who said I couldn’t set goals? Who told me I didn’t have time? Where did that voice come from that said I didn’t have enough talent or skill? Oh, I remember. It was the person I was before I started my To Do list. Try it! See if it smacks your fears and self-defeating behavior right out of the park!

In my last blog; I discussed the positives and negatives of different leadership styles. I’m going to continue that discussion. When running a business no matter how large or small, leadership is key to success. Whether your employees are relatives or part time helpers, your leadership provides direction, policy, and consistency.

Small business owners and entrepreneurs develop their own leadership styles. Several years ago, the term “Seagull management” became jargon for a boss who rarely made an appearance, but when he or she did, they “flew in, shit all over everyone, and then flew out.”

I’m sure we’ve all had bosses who fit that description. Rather than being helpful and open to suggestions, they dominate, make an appearance, and criticize and complain about what’s going on, even though they are never around to supervise and keep things on track.

We can laugh at this and appreciate the humor, but we must make sure that this isn’t us. The people we work with deserve to know that they are appreciated and needed for their efforts. It is far better to create a team that works together for the good of the business than an isolated group of people who feel at odds with one another.

Several years ago, I had a boss who was abrasive, domineering, and critical. No matter how hard I tried to be a good employee, he found fault with everything I did. He’d bark if I walked into his office while he was on the telephone, even though the message I quietly laid on his desk was important. He’d question my decisions and my work. I was constantly berated in front of others.

I must admit, I wasn’t singled out by any means. He barked and grumbled at everyone. He was absolutely the most disagreeable and bombastic person for which I had ever worked. After a year, I found another more suitable job. The poor man couldn’t keep employees, and he couldn’t seem to change.

Creative professionals require isolation in order to produce. Since networking is paramount to their success, creative people learn to cooperate with others mainly to further their own self interests. Even though artists and writers compete on some level, they also need each other to stay abreast of changing trends, to research information and interview people, to learn about new venues and opportunities, and to retain objectivity in their introverted profession.

We are all leaders. Whenever you represent your business, your product or your style, you become a leader. The traits of good leadership will build lasting relationships, increase sales, and validate your professionalism. Good leaders are also good followers. Flowing easily between the two roles is vital in building a network of friends, clients, and mentors.

Parasites prey upon other living things. They feed upon the life-giving properties of their host in order to sustain their own life. Some people imitate this behavior by sponging off their friends and relatives or by eating up their precious time.

This can be done overtly through wireless media or in subtle ways that may subvert our efforts to succeed. In either case, we may find our plans sabotaged, our designated time devoured, and our energy sapped.

In my neighborhood, a parasitic plant called a strangler fig can destroy grown trees if allowed to grow unattended. One of their favorite victims is the palm tree, especially cabbage palms. Of course, palms are not really trees at all, but members of the grass family. They are hollow inside, and flexible. When hurricane winds blow, the palms bend and sway. I’ve seen a few palm tops lopped off in a gale, but this rarely happens.

The danger in strangler figs is that they wrap tightly around the trunk and steal nutrients from the host. At the top, they grow a thicket of leaves around the trunk that hinders the palms flexibility. Instead of weathering hurricane winds, they end up snapping or being uprooted from the weight of the fig leaves.

Negative thinking is a lot like this. It wraps its pitiful arms around us; makes us feel sorry for ourselves, and then breaks us when we’re most vulnerable. Like strangler figs, negative thinking chokes off optimism and confidence. If we allow it to get a stronghold on us, we become weak and needy. Not a good position for success.

Sometimes we allow others to do our negative thinking for us in the form of criticism or by allowing them to take over our creative thought processes. Our own ideas are belittled, crushed and blown away by their bombastic arrogance.

Recognizing our friends from our enemies is vital for survival. Having positive influences in our lives can curtail the strangling effects of people who use their power to put others down. Positive criticism, on the other hand, focuses on our strengths and encourages growth while minimizing error. It motivates rather than negates.

Recognizing the difference between the two styles of leadership can help us overcome any negative effects, whether we’re on the giving or receiving side of the equation.