to be cliche' about the whole thing....
2008 was interesting to say the least, and there are moments when I wonder if I have been cursed: May you live in interesting times.
We've gone from knowing nearly nothing about David's back problems a little over a year ago to having a grip on the problem within the last couple of months. That's progress. And despite the 'back' he managed to rebuild a car this summer and fall, took longer than he wanted because he got laid up with the 'back' a lot more than planned, but he proved it to me and more importantly, to himself, that it could still be done.
I mentioned in an earlier post about "recycling problems", people and issues that keep coming round, well, had my share of those this year. Here's two: One problem taught me what I didn't want in a business, which also solved another part of the problem, how I really feel about the person involved. Another one, which I thought I had tucked neatly into a box, nicely tied with a ribbon, hidden in the nether regions of my closet (figuratively speaking of course) managed to untie the box from the inside and turn the entire place upside down. I'm still coming to terms with this, but just know that some people will keep coming back, and that's OK when you really like them, and the key seems to be finding a way to let them back into your life even when you didn't really think there was a hope in hell of having them fit in. Not easy, but potentially rewarding.
I realized that I am not ready to go back into a structured wholesale marketplace with a product line specifically for that purpose. I bristle. I learned that I really really enjoy working with shops that want to select from already created one-off items. Now that's rewarding.
I discovered that I am knowledgeable enough about what I do to be able to teach it and make it enjoyable and successful for 99% of the participants and that there is always going to one person who is such a perfectionist that not being able to learn a complex concept in less than 10 minutes is really going to cheese them off, and it won't matter what I do, they will already have decided that it isn't worth doing. Their loss, and there is a reason why the classes are more than 2 hours long.
Also, overcame my hesitation for public speaking too. Rather beneficial when you start to teach really.
I learned that political discussions, in which I have strong opinions, that I can nearly come to blows with post-retirement age Canadian ladies who spend 6 months of their year in California. This clue to some of my hot buttons was intriguing and for goodness sake don't get me started on Afghanistan vs. The Iraq War.
I have finally, with a modicum of grace, accepted and adopted the title of artist, and am happily tagging the word instructor along behind it. It fits and it more easily defines what my objectives really are. Which reminds me, I have a rejection call to make to a business association, they don't fit me.
Also figured out a way to make custom work enjoyable. Bring your camera and document the discussion with photographs of the items they like. Make specific statements: so what you really want is this stone in that setting! When someone says "well, you know what I want based on my description", say "NO" and then make them draw it until it becomes clear what is wanted. That puts some of the excitement back into the work and takes some of the fear and ego out of it.
The good news of the year is that David is just about ready to return to the studio, I am looking forward to that because his work was evolving nicely and he seemed to be finding his niche until the 'back' took him on another track for awhile. After 18 months, he's a bit rusty, but a bit of sandpaper and a new coat of paint :D he'll be fine.
Cheers & hope that your 2008 was happy and that 2009 is brighter than the national papers predict.
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