Nothing Ventured

There's that old saying "nothing ventured, nothing gained." Sounds so simple - simple to say and simple to do. But sometimes it's not.

Here's part of what I've been working on lately. The project is fairly large and one I've been mulling over for a year now, vacillating like clockwork between approach and avoidance. It's a possible gateway to doing something new that I'd really love. But that's part of the problem because new things - especially new big things - are scary.

A few years ago I became aware of an annual program by Tamara Laporte called "Lifebook." This was the Tam's tenth year. Lifebook is a subscription for a year's worth of art videos by Tam and her guest artists. It was a real treat getting a few new art videos each week. When I watched the "teaser sessions," which were part of last autumn's marketing for this year's program, and thought how fun it would be to be one of the guest artists. I even went so far as to get the application. But then I chickened out.

Last month I watched the teaser sessions for next year's program and was inspired all over again. Once more, I got the application. And this year, I'm determined to submit it.

I'm pretty well set with all the information asked for on the application except for the URL for one of my art videos. I have a few, but don't feel any of them represent my best work. So I'm making one especially for the application. It's going to be "Making Your Own Fanciful Postal Stamps for Mixed Media and Collage."

Part of my preparation is to make a few sets of examples, and the pic you see above is one of the stamps from my series from Sherwood Forest. There are four stamps in the series. By the way, the text says "Sherwood Forest" in Anglo-Saxon runes. I'm also working on a series from Huckleberry Hollow. And then I'll be doing a art journal spread using some of the stamps. All this for examples and inspiration for the beginning part of the video! The main part will be designing the stamps, doing the art work, and producing the properly sized stamps.

It's a lot to do, but I'm excited about it, and pretty sure I'll make my goal of finishing by the end of the year. Then I'll submit my application. I'd really love to be accepted, but if I'm not, I'll keep making art videos (though my books will still be my main priority) for my website. Then, I'll apply again next year.

I really went back and forth about doing this, but the old saying "nothing ventured, nothing gained," is what tipped the scales for me. I'm all in! Wish me luck!