Dear Artist, Say "Yes" to Life

When Winter turns to Spring

Say "yes" to life.

The life of an artist can be long and arduous. Are you prepared? It can be discouraging at times, because the odds are often stacked against you. But for a moment, let's not think rationally. Let's be wild and dream the "impossible."

So you live. You breathe. You eat. You go to work. But what sustains you on the inside when all else falls away? Although we live, most of us had not said "yes" to life. With all it's pain, struggles, heartaches, and triumphs.

It seems that at every craft show, Seal encounters an artist, who had "given up on being an artist." "Isn't it hard?" they would ask, "isn't it painful?" Deep in my heart, I want to ask them, "Isn't it painful NOT to make art?" Who would be happy throwing away their dreams? I see their eyes full of past regrets and potential for what could be. "It's never too late," I counter, searching their eyes. For a moment, they glimmer with hope and they look twenty times younger. This is the moment between life and death. I watch quietly. They are tormented on the balance. They weigh the odds. Unfortunately, most people resign and the tiny flame I saw was quickly self-extinguished. But thankfully for some, although it is hard . . . they say "yes" to life.

I don't think anyone could ever forget their dreams. Even the people I met, they were there at the craft show for a reason. Their love of art pulled them towards other artists, even though they claimed to have abandon their dreams.

Dear Artist, Although you have lost so much, as long as you never abandon your dreams, it is never too late. Though it is hard and at times discouraging, though it is painful, you can still reach out for them, even now. Though it should already be enough, and you have done so much, and though you are tired, say "yes!" To live. To create.

The answer is to concentrate on what you can do in front of you.

The Myth of Multitasking

First off, happy belated V-day everyone! Sorry we missed Monday's post. To be perfectly honest, we have no good excuse for missing the post besides the two of us decided to let ourselves recover a bit (we're both fighting off colds, or the flu, or something) and to rest and spend some quality time together. We have to practice what we preach (ie. sustainability) sometimes. Sorry again!

And now to your regularly scheduled blog post:

As much as our society might seem to value people who can multitask well, it actually turns out that multitasking isn't really all what it's cracked up to be. As told by Jon Hamilton on NPR, researchers from the University of Michigan have found that humans cannot truly multitask - that is, we cannot actually focus on more than one thing at a time.

What? But you listen to music and drive a car and drink your coffee all at the same time, right? Well, sort of. It turns out that we actually have to switch our attention at super-quick speeds back and forth and back and forth again. We're not actually listening to music and driving and talking all at the same time.

Would you like an experiment? Go put on a radio program like Radiolab, or Snap Judgment, and then try to read a book for 10 minutes or so.

How'd it go? Chances are you probably are either on the same sentence (or at least the same page) that you started on, and you remember all the awesomeness that are Radiolab and Snap Judgment, or you aren't sure what was said on the radio and you're a few pages in.

You've just shown yourself what these researchers have figured out - that we can't actually devote our attention to more than one thing. If we do, we are actually switching our attention back and forth and back and forth rapidly. That's why when we're painting and listening to music, sometimes the music will stop and we won't even notice it because we're so focused on painting and not the music.

So what does this have to do with making art? Well, it comes down to focus. If you've ever talked to Monkey, he seems about the most unfocused person in history. Besides juggling multiple projects (running a gallery, a screenprinting business, his own personal gallery art, school, a part-time job, etc.), he's constantly brainstorming new ideas to innovate current projects and coming up with new projects. And yes, Monkey admits that his biggest problem is his lack of focus on a single thing.

And here we come to the moral of the story - practice focusing. It's fine to be busy and to juggle multiple things, but as our little experiment (and the big one that the University of Michigan researchers did) shows, to really multitask we're constantly jumping back and forth from one thing to another. As good as we might be at this, we're actually being less effective than if we just sat down and tackled each task in turn.

So while learning painting, woodworking, opera singing, and dancing is great (and even encouraged!), we don't advocate trying to handle this all at once. You'll do both of them poorly, and you'll learn much slower than if you took a set amount of time and focused on one skill intensely for a small amount of time.

When we're trying to work, we're constantly jumping back and forth between blogs, and facebook, and emails, and news articles, etc. etc. You'll work much more efficiently and effectively if you just read all the news articles and get it out of your system. Then read your blogs, check FB, write your emails, and then get down to work. Really, if you have to get all that out of the way first, then do so, but handle one task at a time and you'll be better off for it.

Keeping Things Fresh

In-progress painting, ~5 hours

Before we get on with our usual blog fare, we just wanted to remind you about some of the many events coming up in the next week or so.

This Friday, Feb. 11th, both Monkey + Seal will be in Wonderland SF's group show "Just Because.." along with 16 other talented artists. The opening night reception is from 6-10pm at Wonderland SF in the Mission, 2929 24th Street to be exact.

This weekend at Big Umbrella Studios, we'll be having a super duper trunk show! There will be vegan fare and baked goods, along with other awesome vendors on Sunday, from 12-5pm at 906.5 Divisadero St (x McAllister). You should also stop on by on Saturday to see an entirely different slate of vendors and show your support. Same time, same place, different food options.

Monkey here.

I recently started taking classes at City College of San Francisco (CCSF, for those in the know). As you probably know, I already have a (expensive) degree from Academy of Art University. Why would I go back to school?

Three reasons. The first, which is NOT what this post is about, is so that my student loans might be deferred just a little bit longer.

The second, more interesting reason (but still not what this post is about) is that I wanted to get back into printmaking (other than silkscreen), and by taking printmaking classes I'd have access to some presses.

The third, most important reason is that I wanted to keep things fresh. While at the Academy, because I was pressured to paint in the style of classical realism (ie realistic paintings, rendering form, strong light sources, etc.), I ended up feeling confined and frustrated and that's how I ended up going into my current style of looser, outlined, messy-background paintings that I do now, even going so far as to sometimes including text.

However, after painting in this loose manner for the past year, I started to get a bit bored with my current style. Fortunately I had been changing up subject matter over the past year or so, but I still saw things getting a bit stale. Because I had been fortunate to have a fairly filled schedule of shows, most paintings were paintings done under a deadline, and I didn't have a lot of time to experiment.

By taking painting classes at CCSF, I've given myself the permission (and time) to paint in other styles. Instead of drawing sketches on canvas with pencil (or completely making something out of random brush strokes) like I usually do for my current body of work, I've gone back to my Academy training of painting from reference, doing quick underpaintings with paint, and (albeit stylistically) rending form instead of using line to create the image.

Painting in this way helps me to keep my speed up and is just a great way of practicing my skill set. Regardless of the finished product, I'm practicing more, which is one of the keys to success. After all, practice makes perfect with art, and it's really all about mileage. While it might not be obvious how painting in different styles helps, there are a lot of things that I can practice regardless of the style. How to get my paint to the consistency I want. Brush control. Color mixing. No matter the task, creating with paint on a daily basis is super helpful if you want to improve your craft.

All in all, I think that it is really important to keep things fresh here and there, in order to make sure that you're not getting tired of the same thing. Experimentation and trying new (or older) styles or themes can be really helpful as even if you don't learn something new that directly applies to your current style, you'll be rehearsing the basics, which will just make you stronger.

Whether taking classes at a community college or going to art school (if you haven't yet), by changing stuff up and making time for a change of pace, you'll be able to keep things fresh and, most importantly, keep art fun. After all, when art stops being fun, then it's just a job.

The Secret to Surviving a Crazy Deadline

Chronos, King of Deadlines and Missed Buses

As professional artist, you will have deadlines. That is a truth that cannot really be escaped, unless you are so famous that people are willing to wait however long it takes (ala one of Seal's heroes, Yuri Norstein and his wife). But for most of us, we face deadlines, either by having to get work delivered by a certain date for a gallery show, or overnight deadlines for newspaper illustrations, etc. etc. How to survive?

Well, let's rule out avoiding the crazy deadline in the first place. Whether you procrastinated too much, or life happened, or your client is sorta nuts and expects miracles, you're in this situation and that's that.

So, what do we do? First things first is to figure out a plan. While it may seem counter-intuitive to take a quick breather and map out a game plan, this step is crucial. Seal is great at this, which makes Monkey very grateful to have her, since he tends to take action before thinking at times. Planning your course of action is very important, since time is not on your side, you want to be as efficient as possible.

By figuring out all the steps you have to take, you can figure out your priorities, and create a flowchart of action items. For something like silkscreen, figuring out a proper flowchart can save you hours of time. Since the bottlenecks in the printing process usually revolve around waiting for the screens to dry, you have to constantly jump back and forth in the process to maximize your time. If there is a part of the process that can't be sped up (ie. paint drying, etc.) try to do other things that might take you a long time that can be done in any order while that's happening (ie. going out and buying a frame, or writing up price sheets, etc.).

At the top of your priority list should be any extra materials you might need. If you can make sure that you won't run out of some crucial supply ("Nooooo, I'm out of cyan ink and it's 3am!!"), you'll save yourself crazy amounts of stress. Also, it'll help you overall as you won't get distracted with a sudden stop due to lack of materials. You want to make getting the work done as streamlined as possible.

Now that you've got your plan of action, Monkey + Seal recommend grabbing a quick snack. Monkey prefers Cliff Bars (the Blueberry ones are pretty awesome). Carbs or sugars are generally a great way to go, as you want to make sure that your blood sugar is high. You're going to probably be working harder and faster than usual, so you want to make sure that you have some readily accessible energy. Nothing is worse than going at it and then suddenly have your energy just tank on you. Also, in order to keep from crashing, it's a good idea to snack here and there if time permits to keep that blood sugar as stable as possible. Make sure you're staying hydrated - it'll help to prevent headaches and will aid in digestion.

Next - make sure that you can get rid of as many distractions as possible. If you can, turn off the phone. Close all the extraneous blog windows and social media sites. Get off twitter and facebook. Turn on some music (if you work well with music) or turn it off (if you need silence) and get some earplugs. The least amount of stuff you have vying for your attention the easier it'll be to stay focused and work more efficiently.

Finally, (here comes the hard part,) you get down to work.

There. You've somehow managed to survive another crazy deadline, and it's time for some well-deserved rest (hopefully). Now you can use the knowledge gained from this experience to make next time a bit easier. The more knowledge you have about your working habits (how long it takes to paint a 16x20 landscape, or how much ink you need to make 50 prints, etc.) the better you can plan for the future. Congratulations!

5 Qualities of Successful Artists

Today we wanted to share with you the qualities that we have seen repeated over and over again in successful artists. We've seen these qualities again and again in successful people, actually, so it doesn't just apply to artists. No matter what you want to do in life, if you develop these traits, you'll definitely achieve all your goals.

Ready for the secret formula? Here it is:

1. Be true to your Inner Artist
First off, if you aren't being true to your Inner Artist, you're never going to fully reach your goals, because if you aren't going for the goals that the Inner Artist inside you really wants with laser-accuracy, you aren't really following your dreams at all. You're getting distracted, and the fastest path to a goal is going in a direct line, right? So listen to your heart and what you really want and pursue that dream with all your heart. In the end, you really gotta do what you love.

2. Work Really, Really Hard
Pursuing that dream with all your heart is tough, because it requires a lot of work. It's drawing or painting every single day. It's staying up late at night to make sure that your project is done on time. It's doing that tenth revision even though you got bored on the second. It's relentlessly and doggedly following your goal. It's not easy, but by doing the best you can at any given time, you'll get that work done.

3. Don't Be a Jerk
At the same time, while you're chasing your dream, we don't recommend being a jerk. People with bad attitudes are just as memorable as those who are super cool, only while we're anxious to help friendly, respectful, kind, wonderful people, we're just as anxious to do our best to not work at all with the jerks.

4. Be As Generous As You Can
Going along with inspiring others to help you, be generous in return. No person makes it all on their own - we're social beings that thrive with the help from others. By being generous and giving what you can (it's also important to note that you should never give more than you realistically can), the rewards, in whatever form that they might take, will always outweigh any benefits you could have gotten by being selfish and hording information or resources.

5. Never Give Up
This one is pretty self-explanatory. While one might assume that every great is this perfect, unfailing person, the opposite is actually true. The most successful people you've met have failed many times. The difference is that these successful people have learned that failure isn't fatal, and that each failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. They've then taken those learned experiences and knowledge to come back bigger and better, and that's what's gotten them where they are.

Kinda boring, right? Not the most world-shaking revelations. Sadly, there is no magical formula for success overnight. Sometimes the road to success is longer than you might want it to be, but there are really no shortcuts. If you do discover any shortcuts, just figure out what that trade-off is, as there are always trade-offs (you just might not realize there are, depending on where your values and moral compass lie). Now that you know what you have to do, what will you do now?

Go get 'em!

Last-Minute Handmade Love

Hi everyone!

We just wanted to give you a head's up on our next show! We'll be taking part in the "Last-Minute Handmade Love" trunk show!

We'll be showing along with some other pretty fabulous vendors the weekend right before Valentine's Day! Woot!

We know you've probably been looking for that special gift for that special someone, whether it's your partner, friend, parent, or child, there's something for everyone!

Looking for that last-minute Valentine's day gift for your sweetie? Look no further than Big Umbrella Studios' trunk show "Last-Minute Handmade Love!"
Featuring some of the most awesome handmade artisans from around the Bay, don't miss your chance to find the perfect gift that you've been holding out for at this two-day show.

Saturday, browse the magical wares of Nerd Jerk, Heathered, Compass Rose Design, and Etta + Billie.
On Sunday, find joy in the majesty of Twinkie Chan, Mangosteen, Crooked Sister, and Monkey + Seal.

Saturday, Feb.12 & Sunday, Feb. 13 from 12-5pm
Big Umbrella Studios, 906 1/2 Divisadero St., SF, 94115
www.bigumbrellastudios.com

Nerd Jerk: http://www.etsy.com/shop/NerdJerk
Heathered: http://heathered.weebly.com/
Compass Rose Design: http://www.compassrosedesignjewelry.com/
Etta + Billie: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ettaandbillie
Twinkie Chan: http://www.twinkiechan.com/
Mangosteen: http://www.mangosteenoakland.com/
Crooked Sister: http://www.etsy.com/shop/crookedsister
Monkey + Seal: http://www.monkeyandseal.com/

So we hope you'll stop by and grab a bite to eat (there will be food carts) and don't forget to say hi!

Your Pace

In our society, there is definitely a big push to do bigger, better, be greater, faster, stronger, etc. There is a sense of urgency - we need to do it yesterday, and if not then, now now now.

However, this fear of losing something - an opportunity - is based out of a mentality of lack. We think we won't have another chance, or that perhaps that you'll never be as good as you are now.

While there is definitely times when you do need to go all-out, those times are probably less frequent than you might believe. As weighed-down as we are with commitments, duties, responsibilities, and a bunch of other stuff, it's good to really evaluate how much time you really have.

Sometimes it might seem like you're going back downhill when you're trying to desperately to climb uphill. Well, maybe that's for the best, as if you were going to fast previously, perhaps you need to take a break - don't burn yourself out too quickly.

When you are climbing a mountain (literally), if you ascend too quickly you can get altitude sickness. Monkey has experienced this firsthand, with extreme headaches, nausea and/or vomiting..it is not fun. Guess what the only cure for altitude sickness is? Going back down the mountain and lowering your elevation. You can stay where you are and painfully tough it out, but climbing only makes it worse.

Same goes for any challenges in your life. Go at YOUR Pace. Some people might have trained longer than you have. Some people might be riding yaks up the mountain. Whatever. Don't compare yourself to the rates that other people are going because you don't know their story, their backgrounds, their support teams, or their advantages. You can only go at Your Pace, and that's the fastest you can go. Go any faster, and you risk burning yourself out and hurting yourself in the long run.

Sure, Monkey + Seal preach sustainability over destroying a bit of yourself to reach the goal faster, but that's because we're in this for the long haul. There are numerous times where we could have taken shortcuts, or done things like other people, or worked ourselves sick. But every time we've even considered doing this, we realize that it's just not how we work. If we push ourselves too hard, we get sick or burnt out. If we do things unethically, we feel guilty and terrible and self-sabotage ourselves. If we copy others, we feel cheap and like we've lost our identity. All in all, you just have to be yourself and go at Your Pace.

The fastest way up the mountain - where you can enjoy the view at the top - is Your Pace. Embrace it.