A Deadline Too Many

I am so glad to be back after more than a year of absence. “Life got in the way” is a simplified generalization of a long list of life complications like seasonal and chronic illnesses, emergent care of loved ones young and old, the passing of an elder and the half dozen things that have to be done to close out someone’s life. These are not unusual in themselves but when they come one after another the burden can be overwhelming.

I have found that our art practice can be similar. When the requirements of entry into a show that is important to us takes our full attention and another show’s deadline is too soon after, we may have to make some important decisions. Other complications can make these decisions more difficult like shipping deadlines, the purchase and shipping of additional supplies, the time necessary to have gallery cards, invitations and posters printed for two shows and the time to distribute these collateral pieces just to name a few can make both of the shows impossible to achieve. Wouldn’t it be better to concentrate on one show and have a good show than to have two mediocre shows?

These considerations help to demonstrate the importance of S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) planning. While my wife and I were raising our family I worked in a trade industry and I was the go-to-guy whenever a project was too big for the company to complete alone. The company didn’t turn anybody away which made me a very busy guy. I took for granted at the time that all those projects would not get done if there were not hundreds of men and women in dozens of businesses around Los Angeles that made sure that my projects got done on time. There were times when I handled as many as two dozen projects at a time but I spread the work out between several other shops. Dividing work between many helpers gets work done quickly. My late brother-in-law who was an artist often called me to help him matte prints that he sold in a twice a year street fair. Family and friends who have the skills to help you may be able to increase your productivity.