CherylAnnHillsArtist

Love what you do. Sounds contrite, like some bumper sticker on the car in front of you that you stare at mindlessly during 5pm rush hour traffic on the 403 highways system in Ontario. But really, it’s an important 4 words that many of us ignore for most and sometimes all of our lives. are we happy? As we sit in the midst of the Covid pandemic considering our lives, what we’ve done, what we’re doing and what we want to do; perhaps some of our thoughts should consider; For many of us happiness is actually very simple. A few good friends, the basic necessities of life and doing work that we feel is meaningful and that we love to do. After being forced to self-isolate over the past several months these things should be fairly clear to us. Yet many of us will slide back into our previous unsatisfying lives when this is all over because we cannot nor will not see the alternatives we can build for ourselves. It doesn’t have to be that way. Artists can fall into the same tra...

Here’s some stuff I’m working on for this coming season and year. It will blow your mind!!! Look at me!! Its only been a few weeks since my last post!!!! (pats back lightly….) I have made a list! Yes indeed. Lists are good. They make your brain see the thoughts on a paper and then feel guilty if you don’t follow thru later. No but seriously it’s been proven that if you write with pen on paper your thoughts, ideas and plans you are more likely to not only remember them but also commit to doing them. Plus the act of checking off or crossing out the item when it’s completed is really quite satisfying (apparently your brain sends a little endorphin “feel good” packet )   So write stuff down. Or at least try it if you’re not already doing it. Alright so my list includes a whole gamut of art projects I want to start and complete over the next 4 months as well as things I want to learn. First off; my list included updating my website and linking this blog to it. Check mark ...

First; I hope this blog finds you well, and if not; I wish you a speedy recovery. Our Prime Minister speaks of us living in an unprecedented time .   That’s a statement that could be exciting or terrifying. What we do as a species right now will forever be examined by future generations. I’ve been trying my best to remain non-judgemental as things unfold. We are human. We will make mistakes. Everyone experiences stress and cataclysmic events in different ways. This often depends on our past life experiences and how we process strong emotions. Some will lash out, some will hide in fear, some will reach out to help others, and some will pretend nothing has changed. I was struggling with my creative process prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Now I feel all creative energy drained from me. The damn weather has been cloudy and moody for the past week now too; which really doesn’t help. Being stuck inside isn’t a huge big deal for me. I prefer my own company on most days...

What I’ve learned over the past 18 months, and a few things I already knew… Hard work, determination and never giving up : Three things I preached to my daughters and had to accept and hold to over the years especially the last decade. 5 years ago I was in the hospital for 16 days because I once again failed to take care of myself, my mind, my soul, my needs, my life’s path. I put myself last, as is my pattern that I learned early in childhood and have carried through. My brain works different than many and I can struggle with situations that are very clear to others. I know how I “need to think and react” yet decades of feeling and reacting the “wrong way” have created a deep groove that is difficult to navigate through and above. Not one to believe in limitations or disabilities I’ve found my own way to manage my feelings and while it may not be the “right way” it works for me if I let it. I have been told many times there are no coincidences . Each experience I’ve had over...

Since deciding to take this particular path and dedicate most of my energy to my art I have discovered and experienced a lot of varying opinions and ideas about art, artists and the “art world”. Some of these ideas I feel are outdated and old world while some are truly forward thinking and applicable to current societal applications. Let’s look at some outdated ideas first.   You can NEVER earn a livable income as an artist creating art. I was told this from the very beginning by very well meaning family members. Of course, I was a child and believed it so I chose to pursue graphic design as a career because there were more opportunities to earn a reliable income. While there are many graphic design opportunities these days it was not the case when I first started in the industry. Even so, there is never a guarantee in ANY industry that there will be a job opening available at all times. Many college and university graduates can attest to this.   Art is for th...

Ok so first, I apologise for the week delay on this last part. I’ve been prepping for my upcoming solo art exhibit in Hamilton . Tomorrow I will be at the gallery installing the exhibit. I will cover this adventure in a future post. Stay tuned! Now on to Craft Show tips . Marketing tools; brochures, bus cards, booth display Your decision to include or not various marketing tools before, during and after the show depends greatly on your overall vision of your craft making activities. If you are a hobbyist who has simply run out of room at home for all your wonderful crafty creations and your friends and family are finding it hard to be surprised with your gifting; then maybe it’s time to sell some of your inventory. As a hobbyist your risk is minimal because your crafty activities are not your main source of income. Printing off a few basic business cards on your own ink jet printer at home is the most you probably need. You can also make a basic sign to insert into a d...

So last week we covered how to find vendor calls, fees, advertising and general expectations. Today we will look at additional budget purchases and vendor culture at art & craft shows. Purchasing your show materials As a newbie, I bought only very basic display materials for my first few shows. I also recommend this to you. While it may be tempting to go out and get the state-of-the-art display gizmo for your wares so you look and feel like you know what you are doing; don’t do it. Start small. You have a shorter distance to fall if you fall (I said fall, not fail) AND you won’t break the bank and wallow in regret. Since I make and sell original oil paintings, I went to my trusty dollar store and picked up about 10 of the mini wooden easels they have in the craft aisle. My first show was a fall show. So I also picked up a few fall themed decorations to adorn the table so it would be all cutesy and attractive to buyers. In total I spent about $40. I already had ta...