Introducing the Lumbrella! The Lumbrella is a Rolf van Widenfelt creation. The parts come in a kit that may be assembled on your own or in a class taught by van Widenfelt. Unless you already have a soldering setup you may want to take the class. You’ll learn how to solder LED lights to a cord and add on a control switch with an on/off button. The soft light look is achieved with ping pong balls. The lights are then attached to your umbrella of choice. You’re bound to get noticed on a rainy day! Want to find out more about how to make your own Lumbrella?
Recently, I went to a presentation of “The Art of Bragging” by workplace communication and leadership expert Peggy Klaus, whose client list includes movie stars and mega-businesses. Klaus has been on Nightline, The Today Show, 20/20, and her advice has been seen in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Fortune, Business Week, and O Magazine.
According to Klaus, there is such a thing as “good bragging.” She defines it as “A way of talking about your accomplishments in a very conversational, fluid, story-like manner using a few (not a laundry list) brag nuggets or tidbits of information about you and your accomplishments, said with passion, a sense of urgency and delight to be in front of your audience.”
Like an elevator pitch with more pizzazz, a bragologue (Klaus’ term) is story-like and invites dialogue unlike the on-and-on monologue of a braggart that inevitably tries to one up you, drop names, exaggerate, steal credit, and repeatedly begins sentences with “I.”
Here’s some key ingredients of a bragologue. They include five to ten “brag bits,” which come from tidbits of information about you from:
1. What you love about what you do;
2. What you do with what you love;
3. Some of your career successes you’re most proud of;
4. New skills you’ve learned in the past year; and
Monotype by Mary GowIs having a website one of those essential things an artist needs in order to make a living as an artist? Sculpture Thomas Hill doesn’t rank it as the top five most essential things. However, it doesn’t mean their work cannot be seen on the web.
Recently I heard Hill speak on a panel of five artists speaking on the topic of making a living as an artist. (In an earlier post I had mentioned my favorite top five tips I garnered from the 25 shared). How do you find Hill on the web? Google him. He says he’s doing fine without a site.
Unlike some members of the panel, Hill advocates not thinking of the commercial application of your work – rather more important is the pursuit of whatever you are passionate about. Don’t think about whether something will sell, think about what makes you happy to create.
There’s roughly four branches for an artist to sell through:
1) commercial gallery shows;
2) craft shows (Hill says it’s one of the best ways to get out there because you’re in direct contact with potential buyers);
3) public and corporate commissions; and
4) museum shows.
Hill reemphasizes that it’s more important to find your artist’s voice than to think about selling.
His five tips for making a living as an artist:
1) Make a LOT of work;
2) Make things you care about that mean a lot to you;
3) Don’t be afraid to ask advice (he was in a critique group and many members were 15 years ahead of him
and he got excellent advice from them);
4) Be friendly with colleagues, suppliers, etc.; and
5) Have good images. For example if a publication calls and asks you for images of your work, you already have a stable of them ready to be published.
Maybe an artist doesn’t need a website so much as she needs to be happy and producing work and lots of it. Then, the World just might find you. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have helpful members of your critique group give you a heads up.
Image by Mary GowIf you have nine minutes to spare watch these two videos. The first is produced by BNET Video, with Carmine Gallo explaining how to present like Steve Jobs. The shorter video below features tech evangelist and author Guy Kawasaki. Here’s a highlight of their tips:
1) Set the theme with a single headline;
2) Provide an outline and verbally open and close each section with a transition;
3) Be big on visuals and short on bullet points;
4) Make your numbers meaningful (for example “75,555 iPhones are sold every day”);
5) Use video clips, surprise guests, memorable props (like he unveiled the mac air by pulling it out of an interoffice envelope;
6) Use Guy Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 presentation rule: use 10 slides, talk no longer than 20 minutes, and use 30 point type (or a point size that’s the age of the oldest member of the audience); and
7) Rehearse rehearse rehearse. Know your material (so you can captivate your audience as you talk through your compelling images).
