Sian Designs Offer to Votre Vray Creative Women

Sian Lindemann, of Sian Designs in Monument, Colorado, is an accomplished artist and visionary, and brings to the arts and entertainment community, 29 years experience in arts promotion, marketing, and career development for artists. An accomplished artist, in a variety of mediums, Sian is equally responsible for contributing to the success of hundreds of artists during her career, to date. Notably, as VP, Dolphin Galleries, Inc, Maui, Hawaii, Sian provided practical and financial expertise to an industry which is known to lack the ability to generate consistent revenues. Her capacity to promote, produce and launch successful showings of the artists in her care, Sian, contributed to the growth of Dolphin Galleries over a 10 year period, taking the company from 200K per year, to annual sales in the millions of dollars. Additionally, she contributes innumerable skills as they relate to all aspects of arts cultivation and artistic career development. A master mentor of the creative spirit, there is nothing short of wizardry she imparts to support the artist in the creation of new ideas, new works, while simultaneously encouraging growth, depth, and scope in the artist with whom she chooses to focus. And finally, Sian, is considered visionary in recognizing the most practical applications by which these works can then be sold or placed.

Adept in purchasing, gallery design, show design, professional and creative display, sales and sales training, creative framing, creative placement of public works, stage design, costume design, image design, vocal coaching, and, finally, an extremely refined skill in accessing the people for whom these works would hold the greatest value.

An award winning designer of environment, landscaping and floral design, Sian is masterful in her ability to create an awe inspiring, sensory rich experience for the viewer, the artists, and the company.
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Sian has been featured earlier in this blog but since then she has sent gift certificates for the attendees of Shout: Kiss My Art on the November 11th date. This information is provided again in her company's branded information and in thanks from me, creator of Votre Vray. Together, each and every one of us as a team, we can stand tall for creative women everywhere.
-Mel.

Shout: Kiss My Art's Big Debut!

Tuesday, November 11th at 7 p.m. at Greenville (South Carolina)'s Hughes Branch (Downtown) of the County Library will host Shout: Kiss My Art!

Pre-register:
The first 30 women who pre-register via e-mail will receive a gift bag complete with a Shout! T-shirt, books from creative women (so generously donated by the authors) and gift certificates from creativity coaches -- all for FREE!

This show is made possible thank you to all the interviews of the Votre Vray Creative Women and Friends of Votre Vray, with the support of the Metropolitan Arts Council.

Ladies, this will be your first night to shine! You are the inspiration so many other women need. Cheers and kudos to you all!

-Mel.

Creative Ways to Love Your Body?

October 15th, yesterday, was NOW campaign's Love Your Body day.

One of the T-shirts they designed said "I LOVE  MY THIGHS" and it got me wondering, how can we as creative people combat the messages some fashion folks stoke that we must look a certain way to be beautiful? What art or craft do you make that honors what women ARE instead of what we are not?

I know Carla Sanders does a lot of work honoring the feminine form...but her work is not for everyone (perhaps too spiritual/sexual/New Age for some).

Unessalyn Sweet's My Junky Trunk honors women with rounded backsides by having thier images as inspiration instead of hiding them.

I admit I've addressed child-rearing as a "must do" attitude but not my body....hmm....perhaps today that will be my inspiration.

Best wishes, Creative People. May you love how your maker/mama made  you!

-Mel.

Reunion. com Invite Apologies -- Computer Glitch Spam

Dear Friends of Votre Vray,

It seems that Reunion.com has sent spam to everyone in my address list without my permission. I received an invite from my dear friend that I'd known since I was four years old, so I "joined" the Reunion list. Then, the list manager asked if I wanted to automatically invite everyone in my address book. I clicked the choice that said no, I'd invite people manually, but alas, it started to do its thing anyway. I tried to stop it, and thought I did so successfully until I received a barrage of messages and calls from friends, family, business contacts and former colleagues stating they'd been invited.

Please know this will never happen again. It was absolutely unintentional and I know that we're all too busy to mess with all of this social media all of the time. I do not have a paid membership with Reunion.com and at this point do not intend to. 

If you want to follow me and what I'm doing, the blog is the best way or ask to be put on my monthly Constant Contact newsletter list. I did just join Facebook at the invitation of a fellow local poet that I admire and am a member there if you're interested in being on my "friends" list. Honest, though, I am not sure I'll use Facebook much at all. The Votre Vray project eats up all of my spare time (in a good way).

Again, I'm sorry you were spammed and it will not occur again.

-Mel.

Arts in South Carolina

Even if you live in one of the other 49 states, or another nation, if you're a savvy artists you're always learning about what the art would is up to, from the solo artist to the huge endowment/granting institutions. Here's a link to Arts Daily, a website that lists all the arts going on in South Carolina, and other states. Arts Daily is provided by the Carolina Arts Commission, and allows artists to list their events for free, and has a regular spot on National Public Radio in SC.

New Writers Join Friends of Votre Vray

Recently, I posted a gift bag request to Peter Shankman's Help a Reporter Out and had several authors volunteer to send books for the audience of Shout: Kiss My Art on November 11th. In the near future I'll be blogging about their work in detail, but until then, I wanted to post their names and book titles along with a really large

THANK YOU, LADIES!!!!

1. Erin Weed, author of Girls Fight Back (Erin was not only able to send enough copies for every participant, but she sent me a DVD to learn self-defense, and stickers for every participant!)

2. Dr. Karen H. Sherman, author of Mindfulness and the Art of Choice - Transform Your Life, not only sent books and has agreed to be interviewed for the blog at a later date, but her publisher sent a few from another woman Irene Watson, author of The Sitting Swing -Finding Wisdom to Know the Difference. 

3. Cynthia Clampitt author of Waltzing Australia also joined with her supreme generosity to inspire others by sending her story as well. If you ever wanted to chuck it all and live life by your own terms, Cynthia has walked that walk!

Every day I am humbled by the generosity of the people who support women wanting to follow their dreams. Never stop reaching out to each other. We are our own best resource.

Blog Action Day - Oct 15th

Blog Action Day is coming on October 15th.

Topic? Poverty.

I invite all Votre Vray creativity-minded folks to create art that addresses poverty on October 15th. If you send an image to my e-mail of what you create, I'll post it and give you full credit, as credit to our work is our livelihood.

What will you do?

-Mel.

(MelEdwardsConnect [at] Yahoo [dot] com)

Dream a BIG Dream

What is your BIG creative dream? 

Not the one create full-time and make enough to pay the bills. That should be a must-do, not your no-holds-barred BIG dream. I like to say BIG stands for Best Ingenious Goal.

Ask yourself:

If money were no object, and no one would stop me, what is the largest impact I can imagine my creativity could have upon the world? 

Then, expand that vision. That's right. Don't settle for the first vision that pops into your head. Stretch it to its limits. Make it so outrageously large that you giggle when you think about it. If you can't giggle over it, it is too small. From now on I'll call this the giggle test.

Example:

My first big dream was for the Votre Vray Creative Women project to be so big that I'd get to do it for an HBO special.

Expansion: 

• We would have a national "Shout: Kiss My Art Day" with everyone in sky blue -- the color associated with the campaign -- with communities everywhere staging SKMA shows, where all artists could display their works and tell their stories.
  
• Then, we could have celebrities and politicians and other world leaders also shouting Kiss My Art.
  
• There would be a whole series of books, like the Chicken Soup series, where you could Kiss the Art of painters, sculptors, novelists, poets, actors, metal smiths, and so on. 
  

This is a pretty big expansion, but let's go up another notch because I'm not giggling yet:

• Have Shout: Kiss My Art action figures of heroines of the art world
  
• A cartoon show of art figures as action heroines
  
• Kid could dress up as art heroines for Halloween
  
• Lunch boxes and other collateral material could be marketed to promote art across America!
  

Artists, how does that sound to you? Not giggling? Okay, now imagine YOU are the person the action heroine looks like! Kids in your neighborhood run up to you and shout your name because you're an art celebrity! I can tell you that makes me giggle with delight. 

So, now you try it. What is your BIG dream? 

Until Next Time, 

Keep Creating!

-Mel.

Shout: Kiss My Art Preview Night TONIGHT!

Tonight, dear Votre Vray Creative Women, your name will be spoken in Simpsonville, SC!

Barefoot Annie's Coffee House and Tapas Restaurant 

7 p.m. doors open

8p.m. Show

Admission is free, donations encouraged

What is a preview night?

It is a dress-rehearsal open to the public and press. Hopefully, tonight's work will spur several to join you in living a creative life. 

When will the show be up "for real"?

November 11th is Community Night in Greenville, SC

This night is also free admission, but reservations are required by e-mailing Mel at

MelEdwardsConnect [at] Yahoo [dot] com

The first 30 women who register will be given a gift bag of goodies, including some amazing donations (to be discussed later this month) and a free Shout: Kiss My Art T-shirt!

Talks are in progress to bring Shout: Kiss My Art to a Greenville, SC theatre.

Do you want Shout: KMA to come to your area?

E-mail Mel and get the ball rolling now! The show will begin touring Spring '09!

Where is Your Head Today? With the Government, Your Art or Both?

For the past several days, many people I love and admire have only been talking about the "bailout bill" and if it will pass, should it pass, who is responsible, etc.

Dawn Clare of Spise Bliss said she believed one line said by most CEOs who are part of the economic chaos would help, "As CEO of X, I vow to take a $1 salary until...." 

Chris Nandell of Boshevo sent out letters to the press that she had heard the Orphan Works Act was being pinned onto the bailout bill, and she was angry. Chris has been ripped off once by someone mis-using her work without consent (a.k.a. copyright infringement) and fears the Orphan Works Act will make it easier for people to rip her and other artists off.

I state here, for transparency, that my parents and sister have the last name Leahy. My dad was born in Vermont. That means we're distantly related to Senator Leahy. I've never met the man but worked with several who not only know him, but know him well. He is closely linked with the Orphan Works bill and my take is that the bill is more for those of us who have done due diligence and cannot find the creator of the work...especially old work as found in archives. I will never be for privatizing of all copyright databases, and the wording of the bill is not for it either, from what I have seen. As an artist, I believe we all need to make sure we list our names and claim ownership of our work. Then, we can address issues of infringement legally. (This bill still allows us to continue to do so, but not claim outrageous/disproportionate sums in court.)

Please look at both of these bills for yourself. Links to their full text appears below. I know it is easy for your heart to override your head and react with fear. To that, I leave this quote: 

"Fear is the path to the dark side. 

Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, 

hate leads to suffering." 

- Yoda

May your life NOT be filled with fear, anger, hate or suffering. My you do your art and share it endlessly (with full credit noted and given when due). It is my wish in the Jewish New Year to wish that we are reap blessings today, tomorrow and always. L'Shana Tova.

Until Next Time,

Keep Creating!

-Mel.

Bailout Bill Full Text

(Courtesy of the Huffington Post)

Orphan Works Act Full Text

Copyright office's Take on the Orphan Works Act

Peter Pamela Rose is a Friend of Votre Vray!

Dear Friends,

It is my extreme delight to say that I just had the pleasure of interviewing the creative woman, actress, film maker and gem of a woman, Peter Pamela Rose about her work as a life coach and "chiropractor of the mind." The interview will appear in its entirety in a few weeks. Until then, please visit Peter's site and see what she has to offer. You won't be disappointed.

-Mel.

Artstock 11th Annual Open Studio Tour

Opening Reception at Connie Logan's Studio (the largest home studio in Greensboro).

October 11th 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

October 12th 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

1206 W Cornwallis Drive,

Greensboro, NC

Music to be provided by Kristy Jackson.

For for information and a look at Connie's work visit:

www.cplogan.com

(Connie was the FIRST Votre Vray creative woman interviewed for the project!)

KSVY Sonoma, CA, 91.3 FM to Stream Mel Edwards' Tale

It is with humble pride that I announce that Jackie Baldwin, radio host of Story Lovers World radio program has selected my porquois (French for "why") tale, "Ian in Arabia" to be featured this Sunday, Sept. 28th at 5 p.m. PDT. My work will appear alongside U.K. teller Jamie Crawford, Irish teller Richard Marsh, and Missouri teller Mary Garrett. 

How to access the streaming

• Go to KSVY
  
• Click on high or low speed in the upper right corner.
  
• You should immediately be switched to the program in progress.
  

Jackie Baldwin has earned a lifetime achievement award for her contribution to storytelling and the promotion of the arts. To be included, yet again, in any work that she touches is an honor that cannot be equalled.

(FYI, Mel has appeared in two Story Bones publications that Jackie has created. For more details of Jackie's work visit www.story-lovers.com)

Creative Women Honored and Call for Submissions

http://www,free-press-release.com/news/200809/1222548725.html

Attention all media outlets, a press release about Votre Vray and the Creative Women project has been posted on the above link. 

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All Votre Vray Creative Women will be honored by having their names, art modality and websites listed on this blog, in the programs for "Shout: Kiss My Art" and in the book, whose working title is Votre Vray Creative Women. 

It isn't too late to share your story. 

Yes, the interview portion is over, and your story won't be part of the play, but much like the Chicken Soup books, you can still write your story and submit it for consideration in the book and in this blog. Tell your friends and colleagues.

Guidelines: 

Submissions should not be longer than 2000 words.

Send as inline text or as an rtf document to: MelEdwardConnect [at] Yahoo [dot] com by deadline, November 14, 2008.

Your personal story should include (but is not limited to):

• What is your art?
  
• When did you realize you were a creative person?
  
• Who supported your art/creativity?
  
• What advice have you been given or can you give to someone who is trying to live a creative life?
• Also submit your contact information (address, phone, e-mail) in case there are editing questions.
• You may submit your website and business name for inclusion in the final product if your work is chosen.

What you write should be something that does not appear in any other media format (online or in print). If it is found to be a duplicate story it cannot be used in publication as you cannot give first rights to Votre Vray.

No submission of stories about other people, please. This must be original work sent directly from the woman who wrote it.

Thank you for supporting each other and the Votre Vray project. With you, the whole world can know that your truth is your way!

Metropolitan Arts Council Grants Votre Vray!

The Metropolitan Arts Council of greater Greenville County, SC, has quite generously granted the Votre Vray Creative Women project funds to put "Shout: Kiss My Art!" in front of three local audiences the final quarter of the year.

This is a dream come true, as every woman who has been interviewed, and each woman who has answered questions or shared her story in her own words outside the interview process is receiving validation. Your story is important and others need to see your, hear of your success and know they can follow in your footsteps. 

Thank you most certainly to the grant committee, the board and most of all, to all the Votre Vray Creative Women who have been part of the project thus far. You each give me another reason to count my blessings every day. 

-Mel.

Raising Money by the Storm, What Other Options Do We Have?

This week I received the following quote in one of my Foundation Center e-mails:

"I would like to live in a world where we're not fundraising episodically with each storm Our mission is so much bigger than these epic storms. Our mission is to be there for the American people every day." - Gail J. McGovern, president and CEO, American Red Cross (in the Washington Post, 9-12-18)

This quote seems to reach far beyond the plight of storm victims to the way many of us tend to live. We don't have a store of funds to go to when we have a storm or major life event that hits us somewhat unexpectedly. Sure, we realize that life is full of surprises, yet we fail to plan for them. Then, we bemoan our fate and shake our heads in despair when we're unprepared.

What Other Options Do We Have?

I had a friend named Joe who worked for the Forest Service in Eureka, Montana, where we used to live. He knew every few years he would need a new vehicle because of his lifestyle in living in near wilderness and understood he often had much more available funding during the summer when fire season was busy. So, instead of living it up each summer, he put away the equivalent to one car or truck payment per pay period. When the time came to buy a new vehicle, he had it in CASH. How many of us have paid in cash, upfront for a new car or pickup? 

Don't have a job like Joe's?

You still have other options. Creative people usually have a season when marketing their work traditionally goes much more easily than the rest of the year. This could be during a season or a shopping period such as the holidays. Instead of using the money you've made ahead as funds to pay the bills the rest of the months you're filling your creative well, find an additional way to passively market during the lean times or to recycle the work you're already created. Visual artists who traditionally use flat surfaces can license their work to be in a variety of product from checks to screen savers. Performance artists can still sell recordings of their work.  There is always an option and if you have the guts to follow the creative path, you've also got it brains to invest in learning how to make money at what you do every day of the year.

Until next time,

keep creating!

-Mel.

Lily Pottery and others at Art in the Park Greenville

Art in the Park, Greenville, SC was a success at Flour Field this past weekend. I'm happy to say I picked up some business cards from some wonderful creative women and two fabulous creative men. I'll be blogging about them in upcoming entries, but one I wanted to mention now since I'll be heading to the South Carolina Arts Alliance in Education conference on Wednesday and won't have time to write much beforehand.

Lily Pottery will be moving to her new location this Friday, Sept. 26th and having an open house from 5-9 p.m. at 1203 Pendleton Street. If you can't make it to the launch of her new fall line, visit her on the web at www.lilypottery.com!

Votre Vray Creative Woman Launches Blog

Votre Vray Creative Woman Bailey Earith, of Bailey Fiber Art, has launched her blog. Please visit her at: www.baileyfiberart.blogspot.com!

Women Express Selves in Baghdad

Most of the world has an erroneous image of how other cultures live based upon old news footage, inexact or incomplete coverage and sensationalism about the actions of a few. I'm willing to bet most women in other countries feel we live like the celebrities they hear about or the hurricane survivors across the southern coast because those are the only images they see of our nation. It is quite easy to have such a misconception. In fact, when I was a teenager, a youth exchange group from Florida came to northern New York state for winter break. When they arrived, they quickly looked relieved to see we were a lot like they were. Then we all laughed when their group leaders said, "The only images they see of New York are of violence in NYCity." The teens thought we wore leather jackets, carried knives and were street-tough kids. In reality, we were living in a former mill-town on the Hudson River and none of us lived a life remotely close to the media image.

So, imagine my joy this morning when I listened to Morning Edition on NPR and heard author Dexter Filkins, NY Times reporter, promoting his latest book The Forever War. Filkins, who has spent four years in and out of Iraq, said that when he was there recently he visited a park in Baghdad that a few years ago was a dark, dismal place with razor-wire, gun carrying men all around. This time he saw hundreds of Iraqis enjoying the park including women without head coverings, showing their sense of style by wearing jeans! I cheered for the women and said a silent prayer that this is becoming the norm.

My question for the rest of us is this, "What misconceptions do you have about yourself (or others) that may be holding you back from expressing yourself creatively?" I think it may be time to stop holding on to falsehoods and embrace our truth individually and collectively. Don't hold back if it can make the world a better place for even one person -- yourself.

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See more about Filkin's book by clicking the title link below:
The Forever War by Dexter Filkins, Hardcover, 384 pages Alfred A. Knopf List Price: $25

Community to "Shout: Kiss My Art!"

On Tuesday, November 11th, regardless of who the new president-elect may be, Greenville, South Carolina women will have a chance to "Shout: Kiss My Art!" The Votre Vray Creative Women show is based upon the answers of the 75 interviewees and surveys from over 80 local women taken at the Upstate Women's Show. "Shout: Kiss My Art" will begin at 7 p.m. at the Hughes Branch of the Greenville County Library. Admission is free. (Please note this show is about adult women's lives, and is not suitable for children.)

I'm so excited to be able to offer this event free to the public. I truly want to reach out to populations that normally would not be able to afford or interested in attending a regular theatre event. To encourage women to come, the first thirty women who e-mail me at MelEdwardsConnect [at] Yahoo [dot] com will get a gift bag of goodies from sponsors and a "Shout: Kiss My Art" T-shirt with the blog address on the back. The goody bag will also have a listing of all the women who have been part of Votre Vray as well as their websites, even if they didn't get to do a full-blown interview. Basically, if you signed a release, gave your input on the launch questions, and got it to me in time, you're in! This is win for all involved!

Thank you, Votre Vray women! This is your chance to be seen as creative mentor for others who dare to dream!