Successful Indy Artist Awarded Indiana Arts Commission Grant
Listening to NPR at the workbench the other day, I caught portions of a discussion regarding natural athletic talent versus talent gained by hard work, and the success rate of each. The premise is that anyone with the desire to work hard for a very long time can achieve great success at anything they put their minds to, even if their natural abilities do not seem to match up.
Forged Hairpiece by John Cogswell, Winter Workshop Instructor
To me, success is a ride. Select the destination and pay the ticket price. Travel on the train of doing what you love, be the “conductor” of it, and have that produce income along the way. I like the notion of being successful NOW. That’s why I went ahead and wrote “Successful Indy Artist Awarded Indiana Arts Commission Grant” as the title for this post. So, what the heck, I’ve decided to create my own success and the details of the journey are simply train-stops to be added to the itinerary.
Next stop? Grant News! Many of you followed my previous newsletter and blog post, as I wondered if I would get the Indiana Arts Commission grant. The grant announcement had been delayed due to State budget reasons. The workshop I was to take got canceled. But in the end, I got the grant – Woohoo!
Once the grant was officially awarded, I needed to find a replacement workshop that would be just the right thing: the right time, price, and content that would apply to my goal of learning more about small scale sculpture fabrication. I found it! A five-day Winter Workshop sponsored by the Florida Society of Goldsmiths that includes three days of hammering technique and two days of working with bi-metals (two metals laminated together). In January – perfect, because it will not hurt my selling season or teaching schedule. Location? Daytona Beach, Florida. Deserving to go to Daytona Beach, Florida, in January? Oh, now, that is definitely something I had to come to terms with. Worthiness. But that’s a whole other blog post…
What is your definition of success? talent? Do you just “have it” or don’t you? I’d love to know what you think, so please post a comment and let me know.
Hi Nancy, Congratulations on receiving an IAC grant. I will create a 30 foot high textile installation at Wonderlab. I worked hard for the past 5 years, dyeing my fabrics and making quilted wallhangings. The phone never stops ringing for exhibits, lectures, workshops, school appearances at art classes, etc. I started a series of 3 large quilts last May and finished them yesterday. We photograph today so I can enter an international show my husband has encouraged me to enter. I either get in or I don’t after sewing for 5-8 hours a day since last May. Except for Dec-March- when I had spine surgery- a ruptured disc.
Back to the hard work subject. I really babied my recovery and then slowly started walking and now I am back to lifting the same weights at the gym as last summer!!
Your blog post really hit home. I kept thinking (while I was sewing the 3 series for the show) of what Seth Aron said on Project Runway when his 2 teenage kids came onto the set to congratulate him for winning the season. He said something like this “see what happens with hard work”…
So after a year of hard work I am hoping to enter these quilts in shows. I will keep submitting for AQS and IQF shows across the country. Then maybe somebody will buy them!!
Keep up the hard work- it does pay off someday. Have a great trip to Florida and good luck in your workshop. Hey this reminds me – where did “nose to the grindstone” originate?? hmm – next blog post by you? Love your newsletter and blog. I hope to some day meet you in person.