26 April

Artful Home Summer Catalog Page 27



I just received the Artful Home Summer Preview Catalog in the mail and I'm in it! Even though I received an earlier courtesy shipment of catalogs from The Artful Home/Guild Sourcebooks, there is something satisfyingly magical about seeing yourself and your work in National PRINT! The company had asked me to submit hi-res images and detailed information on my "Leaf" series of outdoor sculptures a couple of years ago. Last year was the first time my work had been sold through Artful Home. I was asked to offer the "Summer" sculpture again this year. My experience working with them has been extremely positive. They have a professional, electronically automated internet site called the "Artist's Extranet" site that handles virtually every aspect of the order, inventory, sales and shipping information for their artists. The Artist Extranet also offers Artist Resources, Business Resources links and other helpful information such as packaging how-to's, shipping tips and even law resources for artists. Their monthly Guild Artist News the "Insider" has up to date industry trends, trade show reviews and other professional insights that help keep the business side of my creative brain fresh. Here is a link the their Artful Life Blog. (which I just learned they have.)

If your an artist and would like to learn about selling your work through the Artful Home -here is the link. This is their blurb: "For 25 years, we have successfully connected artists with customers who buy and commission artwork. Artful Home puts the work of our artists in the hands and homes of art lovers across North America, through our website, email marketing and print catalogs."

Here are a couple of pictures from Spring Carnival yesterday. This is the crowd of people hoping to get one of the 50 lucky slots to participate in the Slush Cup -competition is steep because the winner takes home a season's pass worth over a $1,000! The crazier the costume, (or the more skin showing for the 37 degree water) the better your chance was to be picked. The judges this year included Governor Sara Palin and other local notables. Well, the skis are waxed, 
goggles cleaned, Potato plumped, Hawaiian Lei's and bells donned must only mean today is RACE DAY. We're heading up to the Mountain to launch Gus' entry "Potato Head Racer" in the Dummy Race. When D was at the registration table, it seems we have been issued a challenge by the Mountain Learning Center's Race entry... uh oh, they said something about wanting a side of french fries!

8 comments:

ang design said...

hehehee ...poor spud he'd better get moving...fast..

cindy shake said...

Hi Ang! Well good news, bad news -Potato Head beat the Mountain Learning Center but we didn't place first this year, he did us proud and sped down the whole course, just didn't have a spectacular 360 flip like last year!! Post event had everyone planning next year's entries on the outdoor deck while enjoying mountainside beverages -of course!

Cynthia said...

Congratulations on being in the Artful Home! I know a couple of other people who are too - pretty cool...

So, every time, I read about an event in your home town, I immediately think of Northern Exposure - one of my all time fave tv shows. I'm sure you get that a lot from us non-Alaskans?

cindy shake said...

Hi Cynthia! Yes, the visitors industry capitalized on the show a few years ago -though I don't think episodes were even filmed here -ha! In fact years ago, we were visiting Roslind WA and our kids were shocked to see the Cafe from Northern Exposure so far from "home!" My husband uses various episodes as examples of Alaska's mystique & misperceptions in his Alaska Studies Class. All fun -at least folks are thinking about our beautiful state ;o)

Tracey Broome said...

Hey, thanks for your comment on my blog. I love your metal work. I am going to be teaching a raku class at Liberty Arts in Durham and the kiln is going to be located where the casting work is done. I'm really excited about this and am thinking of taking a metals class. I think combining Raku and metal work could be a bunch of fun! Have you ever combined the two?

Patricia Griffin Ceramics said...

Bravo on Artful Home!

cindy shake said...

Hi Patricia, thanks for reading :o)

Hi Tracey, yes, I've combined metal and Raku. The sculpture "What Lives in the Woods" (pictured on the right side of my Blog) is an example of when I made a few Raku heads for some outdoor sculptures -I was inspired by my son's book series "Spiderwick." My Raku friend, Gina Hollomon (www.red-door-studio.net) has a wonderful outdoor Raku set up. I'm currently indoor with 2 electric kilns. I'm not sure I can make the outdoor move to get hooked up with Raku -my studio/shop in Anchorage is near downtown in a city setting. It's frustrating because I'm totally hooked on Raku and my clay pieces lend themselves to Raku... I think metal and Raku are a natural pair. I like the physicalness of Raku firing -it is very similar to working in metal. I read your Blog and was happy you got your own kiln! Those bowls you did were WONDERFUL!

Linda Starr said...

Hi Cindy, congratulations on your work in artful home, that is a beautiful sculpture, i like the clean and smooth lines.