Big Talk Betty Crock

My original business cards and tags I used to use that has the "flaming heart" which I loved but was always difficult to reproduce.

My latest business cards I ordered from Vistaprint. I'm using these mainly for handing out when I do art teacher sub work for the school district. They have my contact info and sub ID number on them (which I've blurred out).

More (older) business cards and tags I still sometimes use but will need to get switched out.

More (older) business cards and tags I also sometimes use that will get switched out.

My current package design for the Art Quilt Patterns

My current logo for my web site and gold foil labels I just ordered.
I think this is the logo will start appearing on everything, hopefully reflecting
more of my fabric and illustrative work. The typeface
is much easier to read than the older logo.

My (older) current printed banner for shows.
It has been visually effective but got a bit tired
and tattered from the Market usage this summer.
Time for a fresh look.

As many of my friends and family members know, it’s easy for me to hand out advice. Especially advice on graphic design, marketing and advertising. I preach the importance of branding, having a clear message about your work or services and more importantly to have a well designed logo. As the volunteer vendor coordinator for the Spenard Farmer's Market, all summer I encouraged vendors at the market for increased sales to have “professional looking, creative signage and business cards that clearly communicates to the customer who you are, what you are selling and how they can contact you.” I provided vendors with effective booth and business marketing ideas using my 20+ years of expertise as a marketing and design professional. With all of these “opinions” how can my own branding and design message be so convoluted?! While needing to create another wholesale price list for my sales rep for my new Alaska souvenir items, I realized that I do not have a consistent logo. I have several variations of my logo or graphics that I like to use. From artful tags that I use on my metal sculptures (that sometimes double as my business cards), graphic and bold postcard mailers, to a typeface that I use on the line of Art Quilt Pattern’s packaging and even another look that I’ve been using for my digital social media communications and web site. I recently added to this convoluted mix by ordering some “cute” business cards from Vistaprint!! What was I thinking?! My goal is to pull all of these “looks” together, honestly evaluate what works best for the broad spectrum of art making that I do and have one logo, and one look that best “brands” my artistic message. Taking a bit of my own advice, in my opinion, I’ve got a lot of work to do. A daily horoscope recently put it best, “Dear Virgo, try and have a day without an opinion and focus on the task at hand.”

These were postcards I handed out at the Market. I used a more graphic look to tie in with the Market logo.  At the time I was also trying to advertise for the Market but this look didn't tie into any of my "logos." I even had print ads that ran using this format.

Meet Wendy Gingell

Meet my friend Wendy Gingell of Gingell Ceramics. Wendy recently moved to Alaska from Washington and we have become fast friends, nudging one another out of our studios for weekly, girly-artist breakfasts, Farmer Market meet-ups or a quick morning of coffee fun! I'm fascinated by Wendy and her work -she's even attended the BIG east coast shows and her work is collected by loyal customers across the country. While unassuming she is also fearless. I want this to rub off on me. Wendy creates "hand built and functionally made ceramics, with love and heart especially for you." My favorite are her "little emotional monsters" pieces. The photo at left is of Wendy at the Spenard Farmer's Market this summer. If you are not able to attend a SOFA show or can't make it to Boston or Chicago -come see her on Saturdays at the Spenard Farmer's Market here in Anchorage! Wendy recently interviewed me for her series of artist interviews. Meet Wendy and maybe get to know a little more about me too, right here.

Viva L'Artista!

Katie Sevigny, myself and Marieke Heatwole sampling Marieke's Mojito's!

Look what happens when you give a bunch of artists a theme of Viva L'Artista and a place to party! Last night we held our second annual Art Coffee Soiree at Katie Sevigny's Gallery. The crazy

good time probably had to do with sticking "Private Party" signs on Katie's front doors, or the venue, maybe even the good food or the huge thirst quenching area (bar!), the live music OR even the

Chinese Gift Exchange?! Each artist could bring a friend, spouse or partner and was asked to bring a Latin, Cuban or Hispanic-style, dish and beverage to share as well as a handmade, wrapped gift to exchange. We had a wonderful mix of artists who shared their various mediums, met new friends and talked art and music all night long. Even the partners of the artists seemed to have a good time and I overheard spouses swapping stories of how "it's tough being married to an artist isn't it?!" "Art Coffee" started a couple of years ago between Mary H., Marieke, both Linda's and myself as a way to get us all out of the studio and get together and share our art experiences. Depending on the time of year, we'd share everything from tax issues, to gallery groans or cheers, upcoming shows, or yak about the lack-o-inspiration that has plagued us all. When I'd send out the e-mail announcing the next Art Coffee, I'd ask that everyone forward the e-mail to other artists who might want to join our little gatherings. And look how it's grown -Viva L'Artista!

Good friends, food and coffee

Art Coffee was this morning. I’m feeling refreshed and inspired after a morning with other like-minded creative types. Several of us independent artists regularly get together for a morning of casual conversation about upcoming shows, art trends, studio troubles, new projects, gallery business news and of course coffee (I also had eggs benedict...mmm). New people come and go, and there can be as few as three, to as many as 10. I usually get to meet someone new whom I may have heard their name, and get a chance to put a face to the name/medium at Art Coffee. Mary and I usually feel the need for Art Coffee about the same time, every 2 weeks or so. Working on your own can feel isolating at times so we pick a morning at our favorite coffee shop cafe, send out an e-mail and ask to forward it to other like-minded creative types. Today we had a couple of fiber artists, a bead artist, painter, fused glass artist, encaustic artist, ATC artist, metal artist and ceramicist.

Unloaded the glaze load and had nice results for a beginner! The hardest part was that it took a lot of patience for me NOT to open the lid and peak before the kiln had properly cooled!

It was an electric ^05 firing. I tried out several new glazes, Amaco matt, as well as some new Speedball (not sure I like the Speedball but LOVE the Amaco matt). I also used some ancient Raku Crackle white and Copper Lustre...all not too bad. My scrifitto fish turned out way too shiny/glossy for my taste so I ordered some new clear matt glaze.

The picture on the right is of a small wall sculpture layout I want to make using the combination of steel and clay. I'm going to rust patina the metal and use copper wire to connect the clay components. The shell is a giant Alaska scallop I got in Homer this summer, along with the starfish (from my treasure box), using press molds Bill and I made this summer. I think I will be dong a similar sculpture for the fish and a few of the tiles. I like the combination of the steel and clay.