2009 Setting Intentions Progress Report

Being an artist is marvelous -- it just doesn't always lend itself to a lot of personal interaction. I get so absorbed in my work that I begin to suffer from Human Interaction Deficit Disorder (I'm sure this will appear as a drug company commercial on television soon!). In other words, sometimes I manage to make my rather solitary life rival a Jesuit monastery!

Because I recognized the need for greater connection and community with other artists, I included images and word associations to address this in 2009 when I created a Vision Board. Have you ever tried this? Making a Vision Board is a powerful tool to attract what you desire into your life; I learned it decades ago but let it slide away from being a practice.

So for 2009, among the many intentions I am setting in motion, I included images and words on my board to represent attracting new associations with other artists.

How is my intention-setting working out so far? Amazingly well. The Law of Attraction is definitely at work. Here are a few examples:

One of the new artists I've met in my building is Connie Mauro, who has a monoprinting studio and gallery on the second floor. She is putting up our cut and paste ideas at this recent meeting where we were brainstorming possible names for our artists' collective.

1. I've had a studio in the Hungerford Building, an old factory in the city for at least seven, maybe eight years, and once or twice a few of us have held small exhibits here, but nothing building-wide. Shortly after I set my intention to increase my connections with other artists, I received an invitation from the amazing potters at Crocus Clay to a building-wide meeting to discuss and plan a proposed joint open house.

As a result, we coordinated a first -- and very successful -- Hidden Hungerford Artists open studio night in March in conjunction with the already popular First Fridays in Rochester.

Our committee continues to meet and work to help plan future open houses and build a group identity. Yes, it feels as though our building and artists are putting ourselves "on the art map" in Rochester, but even better, we're getting to know and enjoy each other.

2. Fiber Art Alliance

Shortly after I set my intentions for 2009, I received an invitation to become a member of a new online exhibition group of 11 fiber artists. Our founders are Karen-Stiehl Osborn, Rosemary Claus-Gray and Jacque Davis. This year the artists in the group are making three small works each that relate to the theme "Natural Lines", and will have a collection of 33 pieces available for exhibition and sale by the end of the year. I will get to meet three of the members in the group at the Surface Design Association Conference in just a few weeks!

3. Rochester Area Fiber Artists (RAFA). I agreed to serve on a steering committee to help this loose knit and rapidly growing group develop an organizational structure. It's been wonderful to be part of this committee and get to know some of the newer members of RAFA better.

4. Responding to blog comments. Because it takes so long to write a blog post, I have always held back on responding to any posts from readers. But -- light bulb! -- that's part of connecting with the people who read and care enough to respond to what I'm doing. Writing this blog has already brought some great new e-mail art friends into my life and I'm now responding to those of you who take time to post comments on my blog.

A variety of other fortuitous connections and encounters are strengthening the ties that already exist with some artist friends and helping to build some new ones with others. I am appreciative both that I've recognized my need for more time with other artists and that the new artists I am getting to know better are such interesting, talented people.

Choosing a Word for 2009

Statue in Siena, Tuscany of Romulus and Remus being fed by a she-wolf

We can thank Christine Kane for spurring thousands of us who read her wonderful blog posts to set aside making New Year's Resolutions and instead choose a theme word for attracting desired outcomes in the New Year.

In 2008, I chose the word "fruition" and the images it generated were excellent tools to help me focus and identify specific desires. As the year ended, I listed my accomplishments and am proud of them.

With new opportunities already presenting themselves for 2009, I wanted to choose a theme word that encompasses my clearest intentions.

Confidence is one choice, the desire to feel at my very core that I am worthy and wonderful. Feeling confident about the quality and merit of my work will shine through my applications for new exhibition opportunities. Being confident and self-assured will assist me in meeting new people and networking professionally.

Being confident will increase my commitment to taking care of myself with exercise and healthy, nourishing foods. Possessing confidence will erase the fears that surface when a new work isn't going well that my work isn't "good enough."

In the past I've been able to move forward with bravado and tons of hard work, but now I desire genuine self-esteem to help attract wonderful outcomes. So "confidence" is indeed an important quality, one I wish to make an integral part of my being in 2009.

However, confidence alone doesn't seem quite encompassing enough for what I desire for 2009. Being confident is an attitude, an emotional preparation and mindset but not an outcome. Alone, it doesn't generate images of my desired results.

So I am also choosing a second word to pair with it -- "flourish". The dictionary descriptions of this word are heady and exactly what I desire to actualize in the coming year --"a luxuriant growth or profusion" ..."to reach a height of development or influence"..."to achieve success." The two words bridge my inner and outer worlds; they're a perfect fit, like a pair of comfortable new walking shoes.

So I am entering 2009 holding "confidence" and "flourish" in my heart; like Romulus and Remus,the legendary twins who founded Rome, I envision these two words growing up to build a shining new city for my artistic life in 2009 (minus all the slewing and slaying that go along with Roman myths, of course!).

Interestingly, one of the definitions of "flourish" also is "an ornamental stroke in writing or printing", so the word even relates to my body of work that is evolving through my fascination with letterforms and language imagery.

I love the layers of meaning and intention in choosing these two words, in linking them visually with the twins Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf (my wild woman self?!)and how strong and powerful the images are that these two words generate together inside me. The New Year is underway; may the power of "confidence" and "flourish" manifest in wonderful ways as 2009 unfolds!