wordless Wednesday

new website!

You can find me at my new website ---

www.kristinemays.com

portfolio review

Yesterday I went to see about a live/work loft space here in SF. If I get it, it will be a dream come true. It’s over 1500 square feet and divided into a living space and a workspace. When I left the house yesterday I thought I was one of 25 being called back for a portfolio review. Turns out, I was one of 43 people! The competition was STIFF! It reminded me of the competitive high school I attended where people treated everyone as a threat, as their competitor, and something as simple as getting into the classroom became a race. This feeling from high school came to mind as I walked from the bus stop to the studio yesterday. I had plenty of time – in fact, I was 20 minutes early. As I strolled down the street only a block away from the building, I happened to glance back and I saw a woman who I’d seen at the open house. She was carrying a portfolio and a big bag (looked like a framed photo). Suddenly a look of recognition came over her face and she started walking faster and faster and suddenly she practically broke out in a run – just to get into the building before me. The interviews were lined up according to first come, first serve so I guess it seemed important for her to interview before me. Whatever!

Once inside the building, a dozen people lined the halls, sitting on folding chairs. I said hello to anyone I made eye contact with but most people did not reciprocate. Everyone had their game face on. At one point two guys started talking. One guy went on and on, name dropping about the people he knew in the building. I laughed to myself thinking how my friend predicted that there would be at least one person trying to use friends as leverage for entrance. The other guy talked about the two galleries he was represented by. He talked in this really arrogant way and went on to say that he’d had many galleries interested in him. At this point I knew this process was a game of endurance as well as anything else I’d expected it to be and I put on my iPod to drown out the head games and smack talking. While we were only ‘allowed’ five minutes of time per applicant, things fell behind schedule quickly and people were in that room for longer than expected. I ended up waiting over an hour before I was seen.

The process was fast and the big question of the interview- “ What could I bring to the table that would further this group's ability to thrive as a non-profit organization?”
As I talked, I felt like a candidate on the tv Show 'The Apprentice' fighting to stay in the boardroom. All I really had time to do was to offer a laundry list of organizations I’d worked with and to list my credentials. I basically had to get to the point and fast! I walked away thinking, “Hopefully my education will come into play after all.” I liked how the panel looked excited when I said I has a Bachelor Degree in Arts Administration.

So, now – I wait. They gave no directions or information about the next steps in the process. I’ll just wait and see if I’ve been eliminated.
If not, we will take it from there.

possibilities

I was contacted by an art dealer from Los Angeles this week. There is a possibility of representation with her gallery. The conversation is still in progress. Oh the possibilities!

When I did the storefront project with the SF Arts Commission last October, I was interviewed for a podcast. That was just released this past week. Listen to it by clicking here.

I just created a small piece for a show in Manhattan this fall! A curator I met here in SF a few years ago just recently moved to New York and is putting together a show and offered me a chance to be in it!

Today I went to look at a live/work loft! It’s huge and the space is divided into two areas, side by side– one for living and one for work. It is a really raw space and would need some work but it has all we’d want and more. I just know that Derek and I could make over this space like nobody’s business! I was one of about 50 people vying for that one space so we shall see what happens… Today we checked it out and filled out applications and they are doing call backs for next weekend. Let’s pray that I get a call back!

work it...

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” ― Theodore Roosevelt

My room looks like an office that happens to have a bed. The table with the computer on it takes up most of the room and on each side of the monitor are stacks of stuff needed for art making and business. Today I am once again back to the grindstone making wire letters to be shipped out today. While I am often moody and discontent with the present state of my life, if I step back and breathe, I can’t help but thank God for the chance to work on my terms, to be able to pay for my next open studios show ( registration is due on Friday), to be able to share my work with the world (I’ve shipped etsy orders to 44 of the 50 US states and 4 countries). This is my reality at the moment.
I can chose to look at what I don’t have and feel crappy today or I can just go with what is before me and keep it moving. I think I’ll make the most of what’s in front of me.