04 November

Final Push

Well my carefully planned production schedule wasn’t so well planned. This is the final week before one of my largest Shows of the year, Bad Girls of the North, which opens Friday (tomorrow) from 4-9 and is also on Saturday from 10-5 at the Millennium Hotel in Anchorage. I had counted on having 5 final days of production this week but tomorrow (my fifth day) is needed for set-up –DOH! I scrambled a bit and am working evenings but I think I’ll be able to fit all of my want-to-dos in. Mainly, I wanted to be able to have enough of the special request items at the show that customers have asked for including “Steel Wool” garden sheep. I managed to make two babies, and oh and are they cute! After they’re done I always want to keep these guys for myself. I also wanted to make up enough of the Raven Garden Flags to at least fill the requests I’ve had. The sewing

task had my studio looking like a full-fledged northern sweat shop. I’ve learned I’m not very good at repetitive tasks…not a good trait when you have multiples of things to make. I do try and bend my mind around doing the same thing over and over by surrounding myself with my favorite mug of tea, listening to good music and saying this work suits me much better than a cubicle job. Doing the repetitive task thing also had me a bit worried this week as I’ve been (over) thinking that I will never be employable in a traditional day job ever again and I’d better quit feeling sorry for myself living the up and down life as a full-time artist.

With the heavy production load I desperately needed to make a run to the metal recyclers. The shot of the truck is at the tail end of my load. Thank goodness Daddy-O helped me stuff all of my scrap in the back on a tarp. I use Alaska Metal Recyclers on King Street. That’s also where I buy my copper wire by the pound –a good resource for other artists living in Anchorage. Speaking of Daddy-O, he is taking a personal day tomorrow and helping me set-up Bad Girls! I dread set-up and take down of ANY show and with Willie in Vegas celebrating his big-boy birthday I was short on muscle. Now, with my sweetie helping me I’m going to pretend we’re on a daytime date and it should actually be fun to set-up!

7 comments:

Linda Starr said...

have a great opening and good luck with salex, you have so many projects I don't see how you keep them all going; thank goodness for helping hubbies!.

Linda Starr said...

should be sales

Tracey Broome said...

Gerry and Wes are almost always around to help set up the shows I do and I love having their help. They always feel part ownership in my sales because they were there helping.
I do love those sheep! Good luck with the sale, bot time is flying I swear it seems like I was just reading your post about that show last year.

ang design said...

ahhh stay focussed sometimes its those repetitive tasks that just make your both space look great and peeps do love your ravens.. hey sheepies 'wave' enjoy the show cindy..

Christine--RHP said...

dud--you have more energy in your little finger than I do in my whole body!!!! How do you do it all??????
Hope your opening is awesome!

Judy Shreve said...

Your pictures really capture that flurry of activity -- I can hear the whirr of the sewing machine! Love the sheep.
Hope all goes well - and that your sales are HOT!

cindy shake said...

Thanks guys!! I'm feeling pretty good this morning... we're going to start loading up but not before I treat Daddy-O to his favorite coffee AND treat at Fire Island Bakery...mmmmm! xo