Blogging for Dummies

As I mentioned previously, I've been taking an online Blog Triage class from Alyson Stanfield and Cynthia Morris. Not only have I found myself way over my head, but I realized the blog I wrote last summer about my mother-in-law's dementia could have been much more successful had I known some of what I'm learning in this class.

Having said that, I probably wouldn't ever have written it if I had to mess with all of this technical stuff. It would have been too intimidating and I most likely would have given up in frustration. As it was, I just started writing and it worked. The problem was that no one outside my friends, family and colleagues read it because I didn't know how to play the tech game - more to the point - I didn't even know it existed. I knew nothing of hyperlinks, RSS feed, links to Facebook or my website. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing and that's what I have currently when it comes to promoting a blog. The writing part comes easily.

Jump Start

During the winter, I worked on and completed my first commission. It consisted of 2 large paintings hung together. The project was all encompassing and the patron (a friend) and I found the intimate experience brought us closer together. Since completion, I've had difficulty getting as inspired to work on another painting as I was on "Linda's Trees". I expected some let down after I was finished, but now I'm wondering how to get myself back in the working artist mode. Many artists have periods of inactivity, just as writers get blocks. The eternal question remains, how do we get unstuck? What does it take to jump start the creative process? Thoughts?

Blog class homework

With a commitment to building a more vibrant blog, I signed up for a 4 week class. Today's assignment is to describe the people I want to visit and read my blog. They would be of no certain age or background, but I would assume they would share an interest in me, my work and in art in general. They would be people who are open to new technologies and therefor comfortable with the blog format. Many would be from the Portland area since I know more people here, but I would think that my blog would attract folks from other geographical regions as well since writing is universal. Their interests would include art obviously, but also a desire to share in the struggle of making art and living as an artist in today's world. Since I hope to share new finds and ideas, I would expect them to be open to new ideas and thought processes. I would want my blog to appeal to collectors who are interested in my work and therefor in me.

My past blog had many readers and comments, but the comments were almost all sent to my email address rather than responding on the blog itself. This could be that those folks were not comfortable with having their responses shared or they simply couldn't figure it out technically. These comments were almost exclusively from friends and/or acquaintances.

Although my blog is for readers, it is more for myself - as a way to document my thoughts and processes. I've always enjoyed writing and blogging is attractive because it's almost like instant publishing. People can read it immediately and response if they want to. I see blogging as a way to grow both my artistic process and my career. By articulating what I'm working on, what I'm influenced by and what I'm struggling with, I can better understand my work. How blogging will help my career, I'm not so sure. I have my doubts, frankly since there are so many blogs out there. I know I am overloaded with information and not enough time to process it all. Readers will have the same issue no matter how compelling the blog may be.

A Blog of my own

Nearly 6 months ago, I started writing a blog about some changes happening in my life. I was retiring from teaching after 16 years and my 92 yr. old mother-in-law was about to move in with us. I had never written a blog. While I envisioned the blog as being a way for me to process the changes, the subject matter was almost completely about my mother-in-law. To my surprise, the writing was well received and many friends and colleagues followed it. Now that my mother-in-law is in foster care, I don't post in it as often. See www.nakedmetamorphosis.blogspot.com

But I've discovered I want to keep writing about my experiences. Not for others to read necessarily, but for me. So here it is. The first post of Naked Chronicle. Stay tuned.