Comments on: Beating the Slump, Part 1 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/ Musings on the Nature of Art from An Artist in Nature Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:06:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: psvita http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-170840 psvita Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:15:17 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-170840 Good post, I've saved as a favorite this website so hopefully I will see a lot more on this subject in the future! Good post, I’ve saved as a favorite this website so hopefully I will see a lot more on this subject in the future!

]]> By: detective privado argentina http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-115045 detective privado argentina Thu, 10 Nov 2011 22:42:42 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-115045 Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and all. Nevertheless imagine if you added some great pictures or videos to give your posts more, "pop"! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips, this site could undeniably be one of the greatest in its niche. Terrific blog! Have you ever considered about adding a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is valuable and all. Nevertheless imagine if you added some great pictures or videos to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and video clips, this site could undeniably be one of the greatest in its niche. Terrific blog!

]]> By: Julie Chapman http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1805 Julie Chapman Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:19:30 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1805 Ann - change is indeed a great re-motivator. A former manager of mine at HP always used to say "A change is as good as a rest", for recharging oneself; it took me a while to do so, but I totally agree with him now. Personally, I think encaustic is really cool and allows for layered and textural effects that I find fascinating. I wish I had the patience to do it...but I already have so dang much art supplies that I can't really justify more. If you really are experiencing any sort of snobbery - tell yourself they're just jealous, and forget about them. Ann - change is indeed a great re-motivator. A former manager of mine at HP always used to say “A change is as good as a rest”, for recharging oneself; it took me a while to do so, but I totally agree with him now.

Personally, I think encaustic is really cool and allows for layered and textural effects that I find fascinating. I wish I had the patience to do it…but I already have so dang much art supplies that I can’t really justify more. If you really are experiencing any sort of snobbery - tell yourself they’re just jealous, and forget about them.

]]> By: Ann Snow http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1781 Ann Snow Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:02:53 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1781 I seem to be in the midst of a slump. Part of it is because I do encaustic painting and the fine art artists look down on what I do even tho I have won awards and works have been accepted in Art Galleries in CT. Sometimes I feel like this "snobbery" is uncalled for. But what really stirs up my imagination is to use different sorts of papers........I use pastel paper or watercolor paper and even canvas or boards instead of the shiny paper that makes the wax glide so much better. Some of the time, I am really surprised at the results. Lately I have been trying Interference pigments with the wax. So I guess that you need to change things a bit to get that imagination and passion back. I seem to be in the midst of a slump. Part of it is because I do encaustic painting and the fine art artists look down on what I do even tho I have won awards and works have been accepted in Art Galleries in CT. Sometimes I feel like this “snobbery” is uncalled for. But what really stirs up my imagination is to use different sorts of papers……..I use pastel paper or watercolor paper and even canvas or boards instead of the shiny paper that makes the wax glide so much better. Some of the time, I am really surprised at the results. Lately I have been trying Interference pigments with the wax. So I guess that you need to change things a bit to get that imagination and passion back.

]]> By: Julie Chapman http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1711 Julie Chapman Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:48:59 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1711 Susan - yes, there's an annual 'dead zone' between 12/25 and 1/1, and we often do 'deep time' things, like repaint a room in the house, remodel, work on goals for the next year, etc. And yes, I remember The Beach. I also remember that - being California - there are loads of other people there and fees are charged (which ALWAYS irritates me!). Now, this being Montana, there are no fees to go anywhere except national parks, and this time of year it's all about SNOW, which turns out to be The World's Biggest Dog Toy. Don, getting out into the field is ALWAYS a good answer to 'but I'm not motivated!'. I had a quick trip to Triple D 2 days after Thanksgiving, and I'll have to post some photos on here because it got the juices going again. Amazing how that works. Susan - yes, there’s an annual ‘dead zone’ between 12/25 and 1/1, and we often do ‘deep time’ things, like repaint a room in the house, remodel, work on goals for the next year, etc. And yes, I remember The Beach. I also remember that - being California - there are loads of other people there and fees are charged (which ALWAYS irritates me!). Now, this being Montana, there are no fees to go anywhere except national parks, and this time of year it’s all about SNOW, which turns out to be The World’s Biggest Dog Toy.

Don, getting out into the field is ALWAYS a good answer to ‘but I’m not motivated!’. I had a quick trip to Triple D 2 days after Thanksgiving, and I’ll have to post some photos on here because it got the juices going again. Amazing how that works.

]]> By: Don Barnes http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1694 Don Barnes Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:25:07 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1694 For me, the easiest cause of a slump is failure to start. I think we've already discussed my lack of motivation and discipline. The only way I can get out of a slump is to get back into the studio or out into the field and just get to work. One difficulty for me is to say "no" when people ask for my time. There are some things I have to do, but most of the time I have the option. Once I give a little of my time away, it's easy to let more slip away until it's been another week or more. For me, the easiest cause of a slump is failure to start. I think we’ve already discussed my lack of motivation and discipline. The only way I can get out of a slump is to get back into the studio or out into the field and just get to work.

One difficulty for me is to say “no” when people ask for my time. There are some things I have to do, but most of the time I have the option. Once I give a little of my time away, it’s easy to let more slip away until it’s been another week or more.

]]> By: Susan Fox http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1683 Susan Fox Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:55:45 +0000 http://julietchapman.com/blog/2008/12/04/beating-the-slump-part-1/#comment-1683 My husband and I have found that things slow down for both of us between Christmas and New Year's, so we have a tradition of setting that period aside for unstructured time, which is exactly what we don't usually have. (On normal weekdays he has one to five conference calls a day. Talk about structured time.) I'll probably be in the studio on and off, but will just dink and dunk around doing whatever I feel like. We usually do some projects around the house that we haven't gotten to, take much longer walks with the dog, weather permitting and just generally enter a mildly vegetative state for ten days or so. "So what do you want to do today?" "I don't know. What do you want to do?" "Take the dog to the beach?" "Sure." Hey, Julie, you remember The Beach, don't you? ;-) And, of course, I'm trying to figure out how to create "revenue streams" for 2009. Sold two of my first four listings on EBay, so that's hopeful. But I'll be happily back in the saddle the first Monday after New Year's Day, starting to work on juried show entries, of which the first is due at the end of the month. No art festivals in 2009. Too much overhead for a highly questionable return. So I'm looking for what will provide the maximum chance for income with minimum money invested. I think the internet will be a big part of the answer. LOVE to hear some other ideas! My husband and I have found that things slow down for both of us between Christmas and New Year’s, so we have a tradition of setting that period aside for unstructured time, which is exactly what we don’t usually have. (On normal weekdays he has one to five conference calls a day. Talk about structured time.)

I’ll probably be in the studio on and off, but will just dink and dunk around doing whatever I feel like. We usually do some projects around the house that we haven’t gotten to, take much longer walks with the dog, weather permitting and just generally enter a mildly vegetative state for ten days or so. “So what do you want to do today?” “I don’t know. What do you want to do?” “Take the dog to the beach?” “Sure.” Hey, Julie, you remember The Beach, don’t you? ;-)

And, of course, I’m trying to figure out how to create “revenue streams” for 2009. Sold two of my first four listings on EBay, so that’s hopeful.

But I’ll be happily back in the saddle the first Monday after New Year’s Day, starting to work on juried show entries, of which the first is due at the end of the month. No art festivals in 2009. Too much overhead for a highly questionable return. So I’m looking for what will provide the maximum chance for income with minimum money invested. I think the internet will be a big part of the answer. LOVE to hear some other ideas!

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