So as promised, I often get asked on what is in the life and headspace of a working artist. Most people think that this is a glamorous job where I am whirling in the glitter and glam of running my own gallery. Whenever asked this - my mind switches to overload mode as I get a flash memory of myself in a state of painting craziness and administrative discombobulation. Glamour, I think not, just a suitcase full of hard work, multitasking and determination to get things done in a semi-timely manner.
I have always wanted to have a running dialog of “my day in the life”. Needless to say this was a quite stressful and overwhelming project, but needed to get it done and share some of the “Glamour” with you. So here is the dialog as clear and concise as I can get it for you.
8:17am Got up, woke up (well…. for the fourth time in the last eight hours, not willingly of course) to start my day.
8:20am Hugged dog - very important
8:30am Got herbal tea situated and turned on the TV. Local news.
9:00am Turned on Regis and Kelly and checked email and Facebook, networked online.
9:20am Got an email from one of our retailers placing an order, responded accordingly. I am very grateful.
9:50am Cell phone rang, checked vmail and got primmed and ready to get to the gallery - what shall I wear you ask??? (Yes, yet another boring ensemble of dark pants and darker top with semi dark sweater).
10:10am Washed dishes and put breakfast stuff away, straighten out living room. before departing Yes, I hate coming home to a messy domain.
10:15am Put SAMi in the car and made calls while driving to the gallery (Yes, I was using my trusty Motorola ear piece!)
11:00am Got into the gallery but with my excitement of how the new artwork that I varnished last night looked today when completely dry, I truly forgot to unlock the front doors to the gallery until at least 11:25am…. sorry UPS man, my bad bad bad!
11:26am Unlocked the front gallery doors (yeah…..)
11:30am Turned on computer and checked emails and Facebook again, processed emails and gave SAMi a tasty for her doing a dookey on her paper potty place. (I will not disgust with a photo of that).
11:35am Made a cup of TAZO Lotus tea. Delightfully yummy. However too hot. Ouch.
I love Tazo Lotus Tea!
11:37am to 12:15pm Spend some time catching up on emails, scheduling meetings for next week, peeking at friends new photos on Facebook, laughing, assisting customers, greeting friends, talking shop, sold some coasters and a mini pop art and did some power networking online.
12:16pm .Took another large canvas out and started to draft out a large wine piece, as the more personal piece is done for now, a more streamline piece is necessary. My goal is one big painting a week. Yeah, sure - not too sure how that is going to fly.
12:23pm Customers arrive, four ladies from lunch, I greet them, they love the gallery, they have seen the art at the San Jose Airport, we chat about that. They were very nice!
12:30pm Feeling hungry… out of Salty snacks…. looks like I need a Trader Joe’s visit… hopefully today!
12:40pm Honorable son #2 stops in to visit me. SAMi our little Malese doggie loves him, she wiggled for 10 minutes straight greeting him. Son leaves to go get lunch, offered to get me something, but I declined. Thanks anyway. See ya Ryan.
12:45pm Customers come in and look around for artwork for their kitchen. Nice couple.
12:53pm Another couple comes into gallery looking for retail space in Downtown Campbell, we chat about the benefits of the local downtown scene vs. other towns in the local area. They were nice. They will be back to look at more retail space here locally :o)
1:00pm Took photos of my newest painting “In the Land of Lollipops and Lattes”. While photographing this quick snapshot outside, a woman drives right behind me and casts shadow on the artwork. I had to move my entire set up over 25 feet. She apologized. I accepted. She compliments the artwork, I thank her. We smile. It’s all good.
Sonya and newest Artwork: "In the Land of Lollipops and Lattes"
1:15am Downloaded photos and and crop and edited new artwork to post online.
1:22pm Posted images to Facebook in both personal and gallery pages. Very happy with the turnout.
1:40pm Had a walk in customer, showing their friend my gallery. We chat about random stuff, the spoke about smokers and people that smoke. I am not a fan of smoking. I do not smoke.
1:45pm I heat up my Chille Verde leftovers from yesterdays lunch - tummy, good stuff.
2:05pm Customers come in and we discuss gallery and weather in Michigan (where they are from).
2:25pm Started to do some hand embellished on the sculpture - way long overdue, necessary of course.
3:00pm MaryJo arrives for work, I can run errands now! I check some email and then I leave.
3:15pm Take packages to the post office, go to the bank, hit Home Depot for some supplies and wood moulding, (I love the tool corral… I can spend all day in there). Not quite impressed with their selection of metal polished there. Two kinds, not much choice. Bla.
3:50pm Arrive at Traders Joes. The meccaville of all things sweet and salty!. Hmmm I love snacks and can easily drop $35.00 at a shot there. Today was great, many items back in stock. Pub Cheese. YUM. Great for a quick cheesy snack in the afternoon. The frozen food section, another yum. This time I got some ice cream bon bons. Mango Greek yogurt and then the checkstand where the selection of black licorice and Ritter Sport candy bars are my weak spot. I love Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit. Tastes like Europe.
Trader Joe Snacks
4:12pm Drop off some Styrofoam to my pal Dana who needs some packaging stuff that I could not use.
4:19pm Arrive back at the gallery where I am greeted by Miss Wiggle Butt (SAMi) with full enthusiasm on board. Hoping to have time to take her for a quick walk later on.
4:22pm UPS arrived with supplies and frames, yeah - I love getting packages event if I am the one paying for them!
4:42pm to 5:15pm Called ATT to get new phone services and typically dreaded to be on hold, but I had the phone on speaker while I check email. Spoke to Chris from ATT and he’s very nice, local too - San Ramon That’s a bonus. He hooks me up with the services I need. Yeah!
5:25pm Open up the cartons from UPS. Oh darn. Two of the frames that I ordered got dings from the shipping. It seems no matter how well these babies are packed, the shipping company’s always seem to go “Rambo” on them. Need to notify manufacturer. Grrrrrrrr. Me = not happy.
5:30pm Mary Jo left at 5pm and there is an Shop and Dine Business expo happening at Villa Ragusa, will pop over there for a quick moment to network some.
6:10pm Attended the Shop and Dine Business Expo in Downtown Campbell for a tad, nice event - networked and then needed to get back to the gallery where SAMi was anxiously waiting and downloaded some photos from the days documentation event. I am telling you - I am exhausted from this blog entry and the task at hand.
6:17pm Mark calls to see if I want to have some dinner. Not wanting the same that I had for lunch quick;yt accepts. He comes over and we order from Aquis restaurant. Chicken Romano for me, Caesar salad for him. We sit and discuss a plethora of topics, from the weather to business and family stuff… I then of course start cleaning and getting things from the day back in order.
All in order for another day...
7:45pm I am about to lock the door and shut off the lights then a gentleman comes in to ask some questions about the Wagg’n Wednesday event we host here every Wednesday in Downtown. He is a reporter with one of the local papers, we chat for about 15 minutes and we chat about SAMi coming to work with me every day and he takes some photos of us. SAMi is very used to her photo taken and she likes it, for me… not so much. Hopefully we will see the result of our chat in the local Campbell paper in April!
7:56pm I close the gallery - lock the door and larger overhead light are off (If I am here I keep a couple of the showroom lights on). However, I work on this blog to get it finished while Mark and I are in the studio chatting about things and the events of the day. Multitasking is truly my thing.
8:45 - 10:00 pm Mark and SAMi leave at 8:45 and I am plugging away at finishing projects, emailing orders, placing the second varnish later on the newest painting, embellishing sculpture, sweeping the floors, taking out the garbage, wiping the glass displays in the gallery. Just think that this was actually a short day, normally I would be here until 12 midnight easy. But this blog has me wiped and I am pooped out. So, as the toys from a doggie day remain in their place for another day of play from their white fluffy master, I can only image how much sleep I will encounter this evening. Sigh.
SAMi's Toys... well, just a few of them.
Are you tired as well? I am going home. Good night.
Earthquake City #9
