ART or CRAFTS #6

The age old argument continues today. How can I determine which category the book I have just written should fit into? I suspect a portion of it should be assigned the craft label. The first section of the book is devoted to the step by step process of planning and building a unique vessel. There is a Construction Outline in the final pages of the book that covers the same ground with a less complicated project,

The intent of the book is twofold; one, to encourage and assist some of the reader in the construction of their own unique vessel, secondly, to expose all readers to the twenty-four images of my work. The discussion of the artistic principals at play in each of these vessels is compatible with treatment of the topic as found in an art book.

I am satisfied to have either descriptor applied to my book or if possible, the combination of both. I would be interested in your rational for placement of my book in one or both of these categories. A look at the book, Unique Vessels: How Are These Things Made? is made possible on an Amazon book page where the “look inside” feature is available.

Book Marketing #5

Maybe your just thinking about writing a book or on the other hand you may be putting the finishing touches to your masterpiece. In either case, if you plan to market your book there are many tools that you can use to get the job done. I'm currently at this point with my first book and my publishing company, Wheatmark, Inc. has provided me with a step-by-step workbook for creating a "book marketing plan". This 92 page workbook was downloaded to my computer by clicking on the following link:
http://www.wheatmark.com/assets/bookmarketecture.pdf

Wheatmark has encouraged me to share awareness of this tool with others. The statement in the front of the workbook reads as follows: "Please feel free to post this on your blog or email it to whomever you believe would benefit from reading it."

If you find this to be helpful please pass it on to other writers.

Best wishes, Ed

Wood you love to touch #4

I have always been interested in making art with wood. I love the texture and sheen of a well polished piece. It gives the impression that you can look into the wood's composition and it creates a strong urge to touch the surface. This is generally viewed as a no-no in galleries but there are some exceptions.

For several years I have had work in the Tohono Chul Park exhibit titled "Please Touch" which features art pieces with distinctive textural characteristics. The exhibit draws crowds of students from the near-by school for the blind. Each piece is labeled with Braille and a descriptive tape describing the art may be checked out for a tourer of the show. This exhibition has attracted significant attention around the state and beyond. The vessel shown above was one of my pieces shown this year. I uses segments of palo verde wood over a fiber-glass shell. Palo Verde is the state tree of Arizona.

Music to work by #3

I'm sure most people have heard about multitasking. It's like a juggler keeping a number of balls in the air, all at the same time. I'm not much of a juggler and when it comes to working on a number of tasks at the same time it's not that easy for me. I'm sitting at the computer and composing this blog while at the same time I'm "ripping" CD albums into the computer. I really like music, classic rock, soft rock, jazz and some classical.

Over the years my collection has grown to several hundred discs. They have been stored in boxes under my bed which isn't the most convenient way to keep them. To solve the problem of access I am putting them in the computer and then will be able to play them through my sound system. This ripping is taking a great deal of time so that brings me back to multitasking.

If I could listen to the music while working on it every thing would be perfect. Every thing goes better with music. Well, I'll keep working on it and maybe there will be a major breakthrough.

Put some music in your life. Ed

uniquevessels.com

Writing about Art #2

Use your blog! Read other's posts! All good suggestions from the folks at Wheatmark, Inc., my publisher. New experience for me. I found a gold mine of information and suggestions at emptyeasel.com.

Some of the articles focused on Writing about Art are:

*How to Write an Art Blog (So that Your Visitors Won't Leave )

*The Easiest SEO Tip for Online Artists: Using Bold and Italic Keywords

*How to Write Blog Post Titles (for Search Engines AND People)0

*How to Increase Traffic to your Art Blog by Describing your Artwork
for Google

*Using Meta Dscriptions for your Art Blog: Another SEO Tip for Artists

Another benifit from emptyeasel is the FREE newsletter which I signed up for. Take a look.

Apatchablue Studio: Ed
uniquevessels.com

Wow! first post #1

Well, this is quite a step for a retired educator. So was writing my first book but it is about the type of art work I have been teaching and doing for many years--I guess it has been over 75 years since I picked up my tools and started to create art pieces. Teaching the processes and use of the tools at the same time worked great for me. How could a guy be so Lucky as to find a job that didn't seem like work. I wish every one was as Lucky.

My book, which will be going to the printer shortly, is about unique vessels I make out of wood,fiber glass, resin and anything else that fits the design. They range in size from small table-top pieces to large vessels that stand over 7 feet tall.

I have been creating these unique vessels for the past 30 years as well as other forms of art. The reason for the book was to answer the common question that kept coming up; "HOW DO YOU MAKE THOSE THINGS?

My wife is an artist too and we are having the time of our life making art and writing books in our Apatchablue Studio, Inc. More info later on how to have the time of your life when retired.