Working Artist – Page 3 – One Life Fine Art Blog

20Jan 2020 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

10 Places To Look For Arts Opportunities in Calgary.

This piece was commissioned for one Call I responded to, and was also used for another later unrelated Call I responded to! I was talking to another artist at a gallery opening one day (ironically an artist who has gallery representation, something I have yet to find) about the 100 Rejections project, its inspiration, and how it has helped me to not take rejection so personally, make my rejections constructive, and look at my response rate analytically. If you want to learn about the original project you can read about it on my blog by clicking here. So this other artist, whom I presume relies on her dealer to direct opportunities her way (oh in a perfect world), asked me where I find the opportunities to apply for. None of…

17Jan 2020 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

One Life Fine Art Studio Channel UP NOW:

100 Rejections, Events & Announcements, The Story Behind the Painting, The Sunflower Project, What's the Big Idea?, Working Artist, Youtube Channel

https://youtu.be/g0RPwdQIA2o My Youtube Channel is up and I have a favour to ask: I have polls on each of my first 3 video's to ask what you would like to see in future videos? Please go to the channel, watch a video and answer the poll when it pops up. If you don't have a youtube account that's Ok, you can leave your comments here for me instead. Thanks a bunch for helping! Here is a "time lapse" from the Sunflower Project:

13Jan 2020 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

The One Life Fine Art Studio Youtube Channel is Finally a Thing!

Events & Announcements, Introduction, What's the Big Idea?, Working Artist, Youtube Channel

So January 17th I will be going live with my first public video uploads on the all new One Life Fine Art Studio Channel. Why do I say finally? Well I actually created the channel several years ago to share videos for another project. That project never went anywhere (after much work and investment) so I let the channel lapse while I focused on new projects. However I have wanted to create and share videos about my work and the work of being an artist for a while now. I just haven't had time to plan, schedule, record, edit and upload videos on a regular basis; or so I thought. Turns out I already have a fair bit of footage recorded that I would like to get out there. After…

06Jan 2020 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Happy New Year! Looking Back and Forward:

100 Rejections, Introduction, The Sunflower Project, Working Artist

I have been setting up my shiny new bullet journal for the new year. Taking time to reflect on the last year and what one would like to do more of in the new year is something everyone should do, regardless of their stance on resolutions. So before setting up calendars and collections pages for the new journal I flipped through the pages of last year's journal looking at what worked and didn't, what I would like to do more of or do differently. Below is a summary of my progress and my art goals for 2020. Transitioning journals for the new year is a perfect time to revisit my art goals. 100 rejections: 2018 was such a busy year that I just needed a bit of a slowdown in…

08May 2019 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Did I Mention? New Painted City Utility Box.

Commissions, The Story Behind the Painting, The Sunflower Project, What's the Big Idea?

Hi, It appears I am so behind on keeping the blog up to date! SO last spring I was given the opportunity to participate in a program bringing a suite of new painted utility boxes to the Marlborough Community in Calgary. I jumped at the chance, having spent nearly a decade of my formative years in the neighbourhood. Each artist created a design concept responding to the overall theme of home, and to information gathered during an extensive phase of community engagement. Here was my contribution to the Curb appeal in the Marlborough Community: [caption id="attachment_355" align="aligncenter" width="161"] HomePainted Utility BoxCity of CalgaryMarlborough CommunityDebbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_356" align="aligncenter" width="127"] HomePainted Utility BoxCity of CalgaryMarlborough CommunityDebbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_357" align="aligncenter" width="169"] HomePainted Utility BoxCity of CalgaryMarlborough CommunityDebbie.lee Miszaniec[/caption] [caption id="attachment_358" align="aligncenter"…

01May 2019 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Art In Transit: Installed! (plus bonus Inglewood art)

Commissions, The Story Behind the Painting, Uncategorized

You may recall I posted last spring that the City of Calgary was interested in reproducing my little painting, Pancake Breakfast, in the large, on glass for the 17th Avenue BRT project. Well here is the finished project! [caption id="attachment_348" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Pancake Breakfast, Reproduction of glass, Installed[/caption] I really like where it was situated, close to the Blackfoot Diner in Inglewood. When the former owner, Edna, was alive, she was known to give free meals to the homeless on occasion, so the placement of this symbol of Calgary hospitality seems appropriate. What do you think? Speaking of Inglewood and the Blackfoot Diner, (two, or rather one in another, places which meant a lot to me growing up in Calgary,) here are a couple paintings I did a few years…

05Jan 2018 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

2018: School’s out Party’s over.

Art Lessons, Art Parties, Working Artist

Hi again. I know, I know, 2 posts in one week? Madness! On New Years Day I like to look back over the past year and think about what has worked, what has not, where things seem to be going and what new things I would like to explore in the coming year. Sometimes sacrifices must be made to allow other things to grow. So, in order to put more energy into the studio, including some interesting projects that showed great potential for growth in the last year, for 2018 I am discontinuing offering Art Parties, Art Lessons and Artist's on a Mission programs. I guess I'll have to get new business cards made soon then.

25Sep 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Public Art

Working Artist

Why is public art such an easy target for outrage? Everyone seems to feel they have the right to sound off on it without knowing anything about the art, the artist, the selection process, budgetary considerations, or even anything about art in general. Case in point, Bowfort Towers. So here I am sounding off on it too. Well, not on the art, or its cultural associations or significance, or its author, or the budget, or the selection process. No, I am going to sound off on the uproar that went out, by those who know nothing about it as well as those who should know better (namely other artists who compete for public art contracts). First of all, If you were not interested enough to participate when the call went…

08Sep 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Reading: Extreme You – Part 4: Break Yourself to Make Yourself

Working Artist

IN Part 1 I explored drive, In Part 2 I looked at standing out, in Part 3 I looked at specialization, and finally in Part 4 I am exploring starting over. Or more accurately I am looking at Sarah Robb O'Hagan's chapter Break Yourself to Make Yourself from her book Extreme You. Essentially she talks about that point in time in your career where objectively speaking everything is going well, and will for the foreseeable future, but there is no growth. It is time to move on. It is time to try something different. I think that this can be very relevant to an artist career. There is a lot of pressure, if you have managed against the odds to find something that works in the market place, to stick…

04Sep 2017 by DebbieleeMiszaniec

Reading: Extreme You – Part 3: Play Your Specialist Game

Working Artist

In Part 1 I covered personal drive, and in Part 2 I covered my thoughts (and worries) about standing out. Today we will look at Sarah Robb O'Hagans perspective on playing your specialist game. So, I do take a little issue with this. She talks quite a bit about knowing yourself and what you bring to the table better than anyone else, and sticking to that. BUT From my experience as a visual artist and a creative entrepreneur, sometimes you have to be flexible, open to new ideas, confident in your ability to learn and adapt quickly, and embrace being a generalist in order to find your path to making your living. Amoung the many things I do or have done to retain my independence and keep my studio going:…

Category: Working Artist