GreenKangaroo and YOU on Flickr

Are you looking for a way to have photos of your work readily accessible to your audience? Maybe you can't afford to have a web designer upload all of your work each time you get a new image. Perhaps you're just a DIY kind of person anyway or you know the value of being seen in a variety of forums. (The whole "I have one website, why do I need a blog, to post my images of work elsewhere and take time for social networking?" just doesn't hold up in to marketing standards. It is nearly as narrow of a market as saying, "I have a business card. Why aren't the customers running to me?")

Rachelle Matherne, artist in charge at GreenKangaroo, of New Orleans not only maintains a website, but makes sure her Facebook friends can see what she's up to when she posts her work on Flickr. Check it out, and if you're in her area, follow her on Facebook and see her at the numerous shows she does regularly. By the way, she has a pretty big following of friends. Why? Because she takes time to be a friend and not just do her art! (Three cheers for Rachelle! You're Votre Vray's inspiration today.)

Hurricane Season Interrupts Creativity

If you haven't noticed her comment below, Votre Vray Creative Woman, Rachelle Matherne of GreenKangaroo.com is alive and well and just barely returned home after evacuating for Gustav. Now, she and millions of others wait to hear if Ike is on the way.

The question that comes to mind is, how many of us not directly in the path of the storms this season fitter away time as we watch the storm path again and again on the Internet, the news and listen to it on the radio. So often, the craziness of an event grabs at our consciousness and won't let go...unless we do something drastic about it.

Timothy Ferriss, famed author of The Four-Hour Workweek advocates keeping business e-mail to one hour per week, not multitasking (so we can pay attention and appreciate the moments in our days), stopping repetitive tasks (like checking the aforementioned e-mail countless times per day...or in the case of the hurricanes, looking for hourly updates on a storm's progress) and having a brief list of must-do activities per day. [If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend it, especially if you say you have no time to live your creative dreams.]

Even with a hurricane streaking toward your town, you can do ONE thing per day that is creative, even if that means packing a notebook or sketch pad for something to put your ideas and observations in once the storm knocks out your electricity.

May you all be safe, well and peaceful and at ease today, and in doing so, find some space to make your creative sanctuary in times when we have no control but must wait to endure the process and results.

-Mel.

Gustav Impacting Votre Vray Artist

Dear friends of Votre Vray,

I know of at least one Votre Vray Creative Woman, Rachelle Matherne of GreenKangaroo.com that is directly impacted by the potential threats of Gustav. Her home was flooded and she lost her entire business during Katrina. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, as well as all others in the storms path (days past, and present). 

I have personally messaged Rachelle that if she needs anything after the storm to let us know. I believe this community would reach out to her. Creative women are the kindest, most empathic women I know.

-Mel.

Remembering Artists Hit by Floods from Levee Breaks and Katrina

It has been three years since Katrina ravaged the south and the weakness of the levees became a nightmare for those in New Orleans. Votre Vray artist Rachelle Matherne, of www.greenkangaroo.com, lost much to flooding. Still, when the flooding hit the mid-west this year she was certain to do what she could knowing the experience all too well. Rachelle told Mel Edwards' Votre Vray that some sent her basic art supplies though various organizations. She could have received more, including funds, but she had not been in business long enough. 

With this post, I've included a link about how the Getty Foundation is helping the world of arts post-Katrina. Knowing most of us do not have these same resources to help, perhaps you should buy a little something from Rachelle, or any other artist you know in the area. (See www.neworleanscraftmafia.com for ideas.) The struggle isn't over yet, as the road is long indeed.