Friday, July 15, 2016

Join Us "Artists U" Making Your Life As An Artist OC


                  Artists U




WHAT WE DO

Artists U is a grassroots, artist-run platform for changing the working conditions of artists.
Make art. Don’t starve.
We want to change the conversations artists have in our heads, with each other, and with the world.
We push artists to build lives that are balanced, productive, and sustainable.
We are skills-based, not need-based: we work to empower artists to create their lives and their art.
We don’t give advice. We don’t do things for you.
Everything we do is artist-to-artist and free for all participants.
We started in Philadelphia and now we work in Baltimore and South Carolina too (and sometimes in other places).
We have two tools: group meetings and one-on-one planning sessions.
We offer those tools in three different programs:

CORE PROGRAM

12 artists are nominated and selected for a year-long program. Artist meet eight times as a group to look at specific topics: artist statement, grant writing, communications, etc. Each artist also meets monthly one-on-one with an artist facilitator to do her/his own planning work. Artists leave with: a two-year personal strategic plan; a new artist statement; a financial plan including annual income goals and hour, day, and week rates; and an administrative plan including schedule and resources.

INTRO COURSE: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE LIFE AS AN ARTIST 

Open enrollment. Three 2-hour workshops spread over three weeks. We look at: strategic planning, artist statement, and time and money management.

PLANNING MONDAYS

Free one-on-one planning sessions with an artist facilitator. You bring in an issue, the facilitator asks you a lot of questions. Our goal: turn challenges and dreams in to to-do lists.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:

I started Artists U in Philadelphia in 2006 because I was tired of seeing brilliant artists leading punishing lives, perpetually exhausted, broke, and discouraged.
The artists I saw were astonishingly competent and hard-working, but at every level of success, they struggled. Usually alone. It diminished their artistic practice and their impact on the world. Over time, many stopped making art.
And I was suspect of “professional development” for artists. I had attended many workshops over the years led by arts professionals, not artists, who showed little comprehension of the complicated struggles artists face.
I wanted something simpler, something grassroots. I wanted a barn-raising, artists coming together to take responsibility for our situation and changing our conditions.
I took a workshop from the Creative Capital Foundation, and there I heard something I knew to be true: we artists have the tools and skills we need to build sustainable lives.
I became a Creative Capital artist leader and traveled the country doing intensive weekend workshops. I wanted this work in my own community. And I wanted it to be long-term (more than a weekend) and local (led by artists from the community). I had this Big Thought: if we work with enough artists in Philadelphia, over time, we can shift the conversations in this community. I was thinking about “emergence” and “tipping points,” the ways ideas become infectious and take over:
Artists need to build lives that are balanced, productive, and sustainable.
Could we make this idea infectious? Could we tip our community of artists?
With Janera Solomon and Jenifer Childs, I started the Artists Core Program in 2006. We chose 12 Philadelphia artists for the first year. We met as a group once a month to look at big issues, and each artist met with an artist facilitator once or twice a month to do their own planning work.
We were funded by Leveraging Investments in Creativity, a Ford Foundation program in partnership with local funders. LINC introduced me to a lot of other folks doing this work around the country. We got together at conferences and exchanged ideas. And Janera, Jennifer and I met each month and talked about how to empower our artists.
We expanded our offerings to include Planning Mondays, free one-on-one planning sessions, and the Artists U Intro Course, three sessions introducing the fundamentals of Artists U, including: planning, artist statement, time, and money.
And we expanded to other places. In Baltimore, we started an Artists U program from the ground up. And in South Carolina, we partnered with the South Carolina Arts Council to train artist leaders and offer programming around the state. In all three communities, our goal is to train and empower local artist leaders to do this work in their own communities.

WE ARE A MOVEMENT, NOT A CORPORATION.

—Andrew Simonet

Come Shop with Us! Sewing, Quilting And DIY Projects Classes Free



  • Tuesday, July 19, 20167:00 PM

  • Santiago Canyon College

    8045 E Chapman Ave, OrangeCA (edit map)
  • WE ARE MEETING AT M & L Fabrics-Discount Store @ 6:00PM SPARP!
  •  1/2 yard #1
    To Prewash or Not
    WE ARE MEETING AT  M & L Fabrics-Discount Store @ 6:00PM SPARP! You will have 1 hour to pick out your fabrics. The flat fold fabric is on the tables you have the best pricing but you need to dig through it. I will arrive at 6:30pm because I have to make sure no one goes to the class room not knowing we are on a field trip. So start shopping so that when I arrive we can talk about your selections.
    Map

    3430 W Ball Rd
    Anaheim, CA 92804
     Phone number(714) 995-3178
    Please follow these tips:
    • Select Fabrics with Contrast
    • Select Colors you like 
    • Fabric Requirements 
    • 1/2 yard #1
    • 1/2 yard #2 
    • 1/2 yard #3 
    • 1/2 yard #4 
    • 3 1/2 yard #5 
    • 4 yards for back 
    • batting (to be purchased at a later date) 

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Tuesday, July 5, 2016 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM Santiago Canyon College 8045 E ...

Sewing, Quilting, Handstitching, DIY classes

Quilting-Each month we will feature a new technique or tool to create a new quilt or wall hanging. Come join the fun! Learn machine quilting, hand quilting, working with all fabrics and used clothing.

Sewing- Minimalist Style - items we will see are; warped spirit, vest, semi-flared gathered skirt, summer dresses with out zipper and wrap dress.

Hand Stitching, Sashiko, Embroidery, Needlework - We work to create decretive pillows, handbags, wearable art, etc

DIY - Gifts are great especially when they are created by you to a love one or friend. You can create an apron, set of coasters, table cloth or place mates in this class and much more.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

June is for Jeans!

As a mother I love wearing jeans because they are durable, comfortable, and cool. Lately my design inspiration has centered around jeans and recycling them into must-have items.  It's hard to find a pair of jean pants that fit you like a glove but feel like a robe. Magical jeans like that need updating from time to time. Or maybe your 3rd child has finally grown into their hand-me-downs. The jeans are gently used and a Sishiko stitching can revamps the hand-me-downs to a hand-me-up. This summer I see jeans everywhere. Mostly because I am designing for my family and clients. However, jeans are a staple for summer and this trend is some much fun and can be worn by babies, teen, and seasoned woman alike. Please show what creative pieces you are making out of jeans in the comment section. This blog is about sharing my inspiration and passions with others and getting inspiration from YOU. Let me know what you think. You can design your own Sishiko stitching pair of jeans or mail them to me and I'll design an original look just for you.