Studio Update.

It's been a while since I've made a proper update.  Just remember that just because things are quiet, that does not mean nothing is happening. Actually, things have been slow-but steady for me.  Regrettably, I have not had as much time in the studio in the past month or so as I would have liked.  It was for a good cause, though:  My boyfriend's mom and sister came to visit for a week in April.  It was lots of fun, and I'm always glad to see them. We will probably go visit them up in MA at Thanksgiving.

Though I have not had a lot of studio time, here are some highlights:

-You may recall that, back in early April, I went to a film lecture and won a class.  I'm happy to say that I have chosen my subject (Photoshop) and scheduled the class.  It will take place in early August.  I have not yet put in for the time off at work, but I have plenty of time to do so.  I will probably make the request the week after next.  The class is three days of full immersion in Photoshop.  I do not remember the name of the package, but what I do know is that I will come away from it a better photographer and editor.  I'm very excited about it!

-The writing projects I've been asked to do by a friend are moving forward very slowly.  I have now read the book he wants to adapt and am about halfway through the short story, and the gears are turning.  In fact, we discussed the projects briefly last night.  The short story will be extremely challenging to adapt, because it is completely internal monologue.  Figuring out how to adapt that to film will be really interesting, I think.  The novel is more straightforward, but that will probably be a really expensive project, so even if I get down to writing it, it will not manifest for a while. (It goes without saying, of course, that we cannot do anything if we do not have the rights.)  So, beginning stages there, but it feels good to be moving forward.  Even if we secure funding and get the rights, it will be a very interesting journey, to say the least.  It is my hope to get into at least one screenwriting workshop over the summer or in the fall.  Exciting!

-I had intended, this past week, to print out one of my chapbooks and prepare it for submission to a chapbook contest.  The deadline is September, which is much closer than it seems.  I know exactly which of the two chapbooks I want to submit, but it needs a bit of arranging.  I have about half of the poems in the order I wish them to appear.  The rest are giving me quite a headache!  My plan is to print them out soon and spend about a week or so playing with their placement.  Ugh.  I then get to do that with the other one.  Yay!  (Since I have nowhere to submit that one yet, it can wait.)  I know that all of this teeth-gnashing work will be worth it, ultimately, but it's pretty painful right now.  I like to write them.  I don't mind editing them.  Arranging them is...meh!  LOL!

-I sold a print at a print at a recent charity auction.  I was very proud to be a part of this event, and I'm thrilled that it sold for about twice its retail value!  Naturally, I'm very curious about the buyer, but more importantly, I'm glad to have been able to help this organization raise funds.  I will probably participate again next year.  Unfortunately, because of our company, I was unable to attend.  (Each contributor got one free ticket, but I could not afford to take my family, so I had to bow out.)  It certainly sounded like it would be a lot of fun, and I always find auctions so exciting.

-Back in April, I had my very first assignment as an event photographer, and I think it went really well.  I volunteered, but it yielded me several good photos for my portfolio.  I would not normally take on a job like this at no cost, but I know the coordinator of the event in question really well.  He's been a friend for many years, and the event was for a cause I support. I have attended it several times in the past.  I was happy to do it.  I also got a few happy portrait customers out of it, along with permission to use their photos for my portfolio.  I realize that photographing one event does not make me an expert; however, having been through it and knowing what to expect, I feel confident in taking on new projects.  I was happy with the arrangements.  You can see a few examples via my Facebook page.

-Finally, I have decided to do away with The Dragon Nthly v2 and instead have set myself up on Tumblr.  I think it will just work better for me.  While I do like WordPress, I was just finding it too hard to work with.  The Tumblr will be the same idea--an extension of/snapshot of this blog, with maybe some extra things shared.  Feel free to follow that blog, if you'd like.  I'm still in the process of learning how to get it completely set up, so you may see the design change a bit, but I like the feel of the site and the ease of sharing anything from article links to photos to video.

This week, I still have not been able to return to the studio.  I was away over the weekend, and I haven't been feeling that great, so it's been a few days of early bed times.  I will be doing my first show of the season this Saturday, May 8.  If you're a local, feel free to stop by and say "hello!"  I was hoping to finish my current projects in time (I am working on 3 boxes,) but that is not going to happen.  I will work on them if I get any time between now and then, but I'm largely letting go of that goal.  (That just means there will be more for you online shoppers to enjoy!)

I hope you all are having a happy Spring! I know that 2010 is looking very good for me right now, and not just in terms of my business.  There is a lot more movement to things this year, and I have healed a lot from some past pain.  I'm feeling very optimistic right now, and I am recognizing that I have many choices, and I am pretty sure I am not going to make the wrong ones.

Cheers!