Accept or Refuse -- No Middle Ground

We are rich only through what we give, and poor only through what we refuse."
-- Anne-Sophie Swetchine, Russian-French writer

Every day I begin with an "absolutely must do" list. It is only one to three items but anything listed there is critical for me and my work. The items I accept and accomplish propel my work forward exponentially. The items I put off, I'm really refusing to do, perhaps forever. I had someone say to me recently, "I am amazed by how much you accomplish." I laughed and thought, I only do on to three things per day. How hard is that? Then, I started to think of all those other goals I have in life that are on the back burner -- like get into great physical condition -- that I do almost nothing to achieve each day.

I honestly admit that really, I'm refusing to do those things. Why? I loathe working out for exercise sake, but I do love yoga (since I am a certified Ashtanga primary series teacher) and walking. So, if there are healthy things I enjoy that also allow me to be in the moment and focus on what is truly important in the world, why don't I do it? Incidentally, this is the same question I ask artists and creative people of all ilk: Why, if you enjoy it, do you not make time for it?

The answer lies in our values. If I valued being healthy more than I value moving Votre Vray forward, I'd make it more of a priority. Like many, I take my health for granted -- a foolish mistake. If artists and creatives value their work more than their societal roles and day jobs, they'd put their art/craft first.

We're coming upon a the last few days of a year filled with changes we could have never fully anticipated. It isn't too late to make a move in a positive direction. What are you going to do to make something more valued in your life? I think I'll take a walk.

-Until next time,
keep creating.
-Mel.

Mumbai Spirit

One of the best parts of Votre Vray is that I get to meet wonderful people who are an inspiration to me and others no matter what may be happening in the world. One such woman is Dawn Clare of SPISE BLISS. Please read her message below and respond as you feel appropriate.
Remember, we create the world we elect to live in. Today, I join Dawn to elect to create a world of love.
-Mel.

******

People light candles in the memory of Mumbai terror attack victims. (PTI)

I have a client, Saurabh, who lost a very good friend in the Mumbai attacks. Saurabh has had a tough year including losing his job at AIG and his father becoming ill. Luckily, he has a very loving family who is supporting him during this time; they also fully encourage him to pursue his dreams. Saurabh is a kind person. On his own, he remembered my birthday and ordered me a gift all the way from India. He wants to make the world a better place. I was invited to be in Mumbai last month. It could have been me sitting, laughing, enjoying a mango drink. That is true of every situation. We are all connected so it can be anyone ... and what we do to others, we are doing to ourselves.

In the spirit of Saurabh, his friend who passed, and the overall generous feeling of the holiday, I would like to reposition the Mumbai attacks into the MUMBAI SPIRIT. Please do something kind this holiday season; an act which supports the bliss, love and abundance of someone else. A friend in need is a friend for that time but a friend who supports another in love, bliss, peace, harmony, abundance, success and wealth is a friend for eternity; the more we support the latter, the less that times of need happen for people. Saurabh is able to cope with this challenging situation because he has those in his life who reaffirm him and help him a carve a path to his dreams on a daily basis. Let these values be those of the MUMBAI SPIRIT. If you are not sure what to do, then ask a friend or loved one how you can help him/her.

To start you off with an idea - today, unsolicited, I gave a person a recommendation/direct connection for clients for their business. With my support this person may be able to get through serious red tape. However, it is me and all of us who get so much back in return. When we help someone be on their bliss line/lfe's purpose, then of course, we spread the energy of love and happiness, and the whole world is a wonderful place.

A special meditation for those souls who every day sacrifice their human lives so that the rest of us can understand that the primary sustainable path is peace, and not violence.

Please pass this email to interested parties. Let's spread love around the world!

Have a blissful day,

Dawn

The Bliss Guide

SPISE BLISS

dawn@spisebliss.com

www.spisebliss.com

"Do what you love, be with those you love, and your whole life falls into Bliss." D. T. Clare

Do it for Love -- Or, What Does $ Have to do with Art ?

The news is official -- as a nation, we've over-spent, over-consumed and are all under-paid for what our appetites allow. Big banks thought they could get away with it. Some mortgage brokers smiled and nodded their way past it. People who had stocks have watched them do the loop-de-loop one too many times. Then, there are the regular folks who said, "We know that is our gross income and no, we cannot afford that payment. I'll keep driving my AMC Gremlin, thank you." Or something like that.

Keep Doing Art -- for Love
Art does not have to be expensive. Writers and sketch artists only need paper and a pencil or pen. Potters, painters and sculptors all can work smaller not harder to continue to afford their supplies and meet the needs of customers. Document your reaction to the world around us, and find ways your art can educator, provoke or bring beauty and truth to the world.

What Customers?
Don't have any these days?
Maybe your art doesn't meet a basic need. If so, you're not alone, but that is no reason to lock up the studio and contemplate your toenails. Step #1 -- Create the Need!

What Can You Do?
Take pictures of the work you've done and use those images to place on items customers do want. Approach a corporation and ask how they decide to license images for their product line. Call PR people and see if any of their clients need art for their space -- and if they do, work a deal where you provide the art, the customer pays the PR folks and you get some great press. Send a piece that is just collecting dust to someone who is in a position to write, talk or shout about it. Honestly. I know art is a labor of love, but ten cent packages of noodles only taste good in your college years.

Don't stop now!
Keep creating.
-Mel.

LinkedIn

Thank you to Sue Thurman of Emerald City Imagineers for inviting me to join LinkedIn. It is a step I've put off for quite some time because I'm having far too much fun getting to know the women artists around...but my focus in business is to get as many of these women artists known by the rest of the world. Therefore, joining LinkedIn is a wise move.

Are you LinkedIn? If so, please visit my page and Link to Votre Vray!
(I'm not thrilled with the categories of business let you select from...being a narrative story facilitator isn't anything like most of the businesses listed. If you think of a category I'm better suited for, let me know...and be nice, please.)

Until next time,
keep creating.
-Mel.

Hamiltonian Visual Artist Fellowships

Who should apply

Hamiltonian Artists encourages all interested artists who have not been represented by a gallery to apply for this competitive, two-year fellowship program. Learn more about the So Hamiltonian Fellowship Program.

How to apply

We will be opening up our application process for the 2009-2010 season soon. Please check back on this website for more information after December 15, 2008.

Selection process

Applications will be reviewed by an Advisory Panel composed of gallery owners, art educators, art collectors, curators, and professional artists. The selection process will be based on the applicant's artistic vision, the quality of his/her art work, his/her potential to excel, and his/her desire to contribute to the community of artists at Hamiltonian Artists. Selection of the So Hamiltonian Fellows will be made on or around March 2009.

For more information, please email: info@hamiltonianartists.org

Votre Vray now on Facebook!

Happy Thanksgiving! As a special thank you to all friends of Votre Vray, you now can join the Votre Vray Group on Facebook and post anything you'd like to promote about your art/craft/performances/creative work! This is free advertisement and networking and can be only as strong as the members who join.
Please come, post photos or links to your work, tell about special deals you've got going on for the holidays and make some new friends!
Have a safe, fun, and loving holiday!
-Mel.

Slam Poet Gayle Danley

from:
The Poetry of Pain: Slam Poet Gayle Danley Teaches Children How Words can Soothe their Wounds
By Christina Ianzito

Sunday, November 23, 2008; Page W16
(an excerpt from Washington Post)

She starts off with a poem titled "Round Like Bubbles": "Round like a big fat green birthday balloon kissing the sky," Gayle Danley begins, then turns her backside to the audience of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders at Deerfield Run Elementary School in Laurel and adds, "Why can't I have a round one like J. Lo?"

The 275 students giggle nervously, immediately certain that this rather loud 43-year-old woman, a nationally renowned slam poet in jeans and a green maternity blouse, isn't going to be teaching them any kind of poetry they've ever heard before. This stuff doesn't rhyme. And, what? Did she just mention Jennifer Lopez in a poem?

"How come I don't look like J. Lo?" the poet nearly shouts, plaintively stressing the word "I," with a Southern accent, as the children titter. "You ever look in the mirror and go, 'How come I don't have hair that sings down my spine? How come?' " A few lines later, she switches gears: "I don't need to be Halle Berry, I don't need to be Alicia Keys, I don't need to be bald-headed Britney" -- they really crack up at that one -- "I have it going on, because I have you."

(Article truncated. Rest of article can be found here)

MOCA Financial Crisis and You

"Los Angeles' prestigious but chronically under-funded Museum of Contemporary Art has fallen into crisis and is seeking large cash infusions from donors, the Los Angeles Times reports. Museum director Jeremy Strick also said he is not ruling out the possibility of merging with another institution or sharing MOCA's collection of almost six thousand works."

Boehm, Mike. "MOCA Faces Serious Financial Problems." Los Angeles Times 11/19/08.

What could this possibly mean to you, as a creative person, or as an artist?
What I see as the relationship is that to have the artistic and creative essentials in our lives sometimes, when life throws a curve ball, people regroup, reassess and make choices to help perpetuate what they feel is most significant during a crisis.

If you're not able to sell enough of your original works, what are you doing to sell lower-price point, mass marketable items with your art connected to it? Who have you partnered with to achieve mutual goals, cut costs and create long-term bonds that may benefit the both of you well beyond the lean times?

• You can live your dreams --- but sometimes hard work is required to make it happen.
• You can make a living as a creative person if you're willing to be creative about the business aspect as well.
• You can find ways to partner with others to keep your dream alive. (In fact, I'd consider that to be essential because community is what creates a demand and buzz around any creative venture.)

Until next time,
keep creating.

Plan for Success

"Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.
Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." - Gloria Steinem

Today, I was delighted to receive a message from a woman I met at the yW's Empowerment event last Tuesday. She is planning on walking away from a business not because of a slow economy but because she is ready to live her dream. We'll be meeting for coffee on Friday so she can bounce some ideas off me and ask me about my storytelling background, because it is related to her new vision of her future.

This may not seem like a significant event, but your mind can only create what it envisions and plans for. She is already successful on one level because she can see where she wants to go and is asking others for input that may be beneficial for her future business. Even if the information I give her cannot help at this time, she's gained an ally who wants to see her succeed, and having a team you can share your dream with is another essential step to a long-term vision that will allow you to live your truth.

• Who is in your inner circle of allies?
• How often do you get to share your ideas with them?
• Which experts have you taken out to lunch?
• Do you have experts who are not creative chime in (as a board of directors of sorts)?

As a creative person, it may be easy to hole yourself up in your work area and not come out until you've seen a project through, but know to see the success you desire, you need to take your dream out, show it the sunshine and parade it around a while. You just may be amazed what energy you get in return for sharing your vision and dream.

Until next time,
keep creating.
-Mel.

Temperament Guide to Truth

Do you know your learning style? Your temperament? If you've never taken the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, you can do so here.

I've taken it several times in my life and get a sliding view of answers. When I first was in college (back in the late 80s) I tested as an "artisan." By the time I earned my BA degree in 1991, I was a "rational." Did I change or did my overview of the world change?



Here's a bit about the Rational Temperament that I feel Resonates with Me:

• In working with problems, Rationals try to find solutions that have application in the real world, but they are even more interested in the abstract concepts involved, the fundamental principles or natural laws that underlie the particular case.
• Rationals have an insatiable hunger to accomplish their goals and will work tirelessly on any project they have set their mind to.
• Seek to acquire and apply expertise.
• In your ideal job, you independently analyze systems and make recommendations about how objectives will best be reached; someone else does the work of delegating work, motivating people, or enforcing work duties.

If you've been following my blog, I'm sure you can see how the Votre Vray project relates to who I am in my thought processes.

• I want to help people find solutions so they can live their truth, not just dream about it.
• I am constantly trying to open my mind to new solutions and never stop thinking about how I can help others find their truth.
• I do not pretend to be an expert, but seek out others who have expertise and get permission to use their ideas in sharing with others.
• I coach others in finding their truth, but ultimately it is up to them.

So what happened to the artisan within?

Did she die off? I think not. Instead, my artistic views are one system I use to relate to the world and connect with others.

Until next time, keep creating.
-Mel.

p.s. The image above is my first official self-portrait created in kindergarten.

Good Artist Have Great Perception

Through the Votre Vray Creative Women interview process I had the opportunity to ask women how they felt when someone called them an artist and most women didn't pick up the title and claim it. In fact, that the time I wasn't willing to claim it. Why?

I believe this stems from our perception of what makes a creation art. Is it connecting with the zeitgeist of our times? Is it beauty? Is it truth? Does it require a degree? If so, what about folk artists? Are only "fine" arts legit? Shouldn't performance and literary artists be given the same props for years of training, practice and production? 

Who are you excluding from your definition of art? How does this exclusion limit your vision and create blind spots that may be also curbing your ability to work?

These are all questions people have debated endlessly, much like the old comfortable arguments between political factions, religious groups and so on. Stop fighting. Start looking and question YOUR perception. Attitude and openness can alter your entire experience on this earth. It does not diminish you to give credit to others where it is due. Be a better artist by opening your horizons, stealing energy (but not work) from each other, and question your artistic authority over the efforts of others. Elitism is more than unbecoming.

Until next time,

keep creating.

-Mel.

Most Popular Artist Searches

If you've never been to Artcyclopedia, you might be interested to know that they regularly compile a list of most popular searches for artisits.

Take a minute and guess...who is number one?
(No, the picture I've posted isn't by number one, but he's close.)
Who would you expect to be in the top ten?
Then check your answers.

Are you surprised?
Unfortunately, I was not the least bit shocked but instead, deeply saddened to see that only ONE woman made it in their list of the top 30 searches in August 2008.
What does that say for women? Does it mean you cannot be famous no matter what you do?
Or does it free you from expectations? If I were a male artists, would I want the other top 29 shadows over all that I do and attempt? I think not.

What you can do...
Perhaps there is nothing you can do while you're alive but amass a mighty heap of work, show it to anyone who will look and listen, and then, never look back. It is very likely your work will earn far more for those who gain the rights to it when you're gone than in the years you created it unless you embrace modern marketing techniques that will make you a household name...someday, if not this month, year or decade.

What should you do?
Create. Don't worry about being famous. If that really matters, hire a PR firm and /or publicist. Blog your heart out. In the end, though, what will matter is that you created a body of work and shared it continually. Don't expect to be a shooting star in the starry night. Expect to work until you cannot work anymore. That is the life of a creative. You'll be compelled to create and when you're restricted you'll become unable to manage well in your own skin. Your art is your mental processing until and your communication with the world. Don't second-guess your purpose in each stroke, step, bauble, or piece of ephemera. Keep moving and know, creating will offer you more avenues to live a healthy, sane, well-adjusted life than giving it up and forcing yourself to be whatever society claims you should.

Until next time,
keep creating.
-Mel.

Even Librarians Do Performance Art!

AP Story from Wisconsin

Librarians shook out their buns and dusted off their dancing shoes to compete in the Wisconsin Book Cart Drill Team competition.

The Baraboo Bookers took first prize Friday at the Wisconsin Library Association's annual conference. Teams of librarians created short choreographed dances and rocked out with their book carts.

The Baraboo Public Library team danced to the rock 'n' roll classic "Born to be Wild" with four carts and a dolly.

They competed against the Mad City truckers, graduate students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who used an Indiana Jones-themed routine.

The Baraboo team advances to the national competition in Chicago next summer and also gets a $250 gift certificate.

Running an Art Business and Bartering for Services

Many artists I know are always fearful where their next paycheck will come from and want to barter for services because arts is their most valuable commodity and readily available for trade.
On their behalf, I did some online research and came across some very interesting information from Alan Bamberger.

Bartering: Know the tax laws
Did you know there are TWO types of bartering?

• One is called retail exchange.
• The other is corporate barter.

Visit this article for a detailed explanation.

Sell Your Art Like a Gallery Would*

• Have regular hours for buyers or set appointments
• Accept credit card payments
  (Did you know you can accept credit cards via PayPal for on-site transactions instead of going through a bank?)

*See more details on this subject.

Alan Bamberger is a consultant for artist with very low fees. If you've used his services and are satisfied, please chime in here on the comments section. Otherwise, visit his site for his plethora of free articles on the business end of being an artist.

As always, please do you own due diligence when taking anyone's word, including mine. If it is financial advice you need, confirm your findings with an expert. If it is a referral you need, as the service provider for referrals that you can follow up on.

Until next time,
keep creating!
-Mel.

P.S. All rights to Alan Bamberger's work and services belong solely to him and not to Votre Vray. Listing his links and information about his is solely based upon my research and hopefully will connect artists to resources they need and I'm not fully qualified to offer based upon my experiences as a literary and performance artist who networks with artists of all media and modes. Mel Edwards or Votre Vray is not affiliated with Alan Bamberger or ArtBusiness.com in any way.

Feeling Odd and Different? Maybe You're a Flamingo, too!

Remember your favorite treasured story from childhood? Maybe We Are Flamingos, by Arizona author “Safari” Sue Thurman, has those magical elements, wrapped in humor, love, and beautiful illustrations, by Kevin Collier. For a sneak preview, watch the book trailer.

This story is a great way to add some Pink to your holidays and makes the perfect gift for every child on your list at only $10.95. It is gaining popularity at zoo gift shops across the country.

Flora and Fernando Flamingo hatch into a family of very tall, very pink birds. Soon the siblings worry about their white color . . . until the day they each discover a dark gray feather.

When mum explains flamingos are white, gray, then pink, the little flamingos dance on their tiptoes with happiness. Adult flamingos stay pink because of the foods they eat. Amid giggles the birds wonder what the flock would look like if they ate a diet of only broccoli or tacos? Using their vivid imaginations, the young flamingos draw funny pictures. That night their mum explains, “The color of your feathers is not important, but what is in your heart.”

Inspired by producing programs for millions of children and their families, Thurman is now focused on producing and directing a television pilot based on igniting children’s creative thinking with the best key to unlock the imagination . . . books.

Maybe We Are Flamingos is available now online at: Guardian Angel Publishing, Amazon, Borders, Barnes & Noble, and other locations worldwide.

You can visit Safari Sue here. Tell her Mel Edwards' Votre Vray sent you!
(Sue is one of the original 75 women who interviewed for the Votre Vray Creative Women project.)

Trash as Art!

The other day I was informed about the work of Adrian Kondratowicz and his TRASH: anycoloryoulike NYCitywide project from 2008 (that is extending into 2009). I immediately jumped up and yelled, YES! This is fantastic! I knew that his work made a statement, got people's attention, was accessible for many, and met the beauty standard that so many art fans and artists require to consider something to be artistic. I immediately contacted him if it was okay to copy some of his images for Votre Vray exposure and he gave overwhelmingly positive approval.

If you don't know how to market your art, take come cues from this project!

What is the Mission of the Project?

• Art accessibility
• Environmental Awareness
• Color Therapy in Public Places
• Exercises in Perception

How Can You Participate?

Buy bags like the one featured at the top of this post. Visit AK's site for pricing and details.

Commission Your Own Project!

If you have a custom TRASH installation, you can order bags with tags that detail your mission/focus. Bags are 100% biodegradable!

Far Rockaway

October 4th, 2008

Far Rockaway, originally uploaded by TRASH : cameraphone.

Gratitude, Joy and Success

As a former student of the Pacific Institute and of Lou Tice's work, I'm often reminded of our blind spots or things we do not see that are perfectly perceptible if we know how to open your eyes to them. One way to open your eyes is to take time to look and listen. Then, be thankful for what you see and hear. In other words, learn the skill of gratitude.

Today, I was introduced by storyteller Connie Regan-Blake to the work of Damaris Pierce of Asheville, NC, by way of Connie forwarding  my newsletter to Damaris. Damaris sent me a message to tell me a bit about her work. Check it out and note that one of Damaris' websites is all about gratitude and offers gratitude postcards you can send for this purpose. This networking of e-mails is one simple example of marketing. Connie and I are not close friends, but we're both tellers and know some of the same people and travel in the same circles. She thought my work might speak to Damaris, who immediately reached out to me and introduced herself. Now you, friends of Votre Vray, have a chance to meet Damaris and send her work to each other. A simple set of events that any artist or creative person can do to reach out to others.

So, in your day, spread some joy by reaching out to new people, thank them for what they do that speaks to you and your truth, and be thankful for what you have, see and hear. Each time you make this choice, the windows of opportunity can only open further, making success a future certainty.

Fortune's Smile

John Dryden, poet, literary critic and playwright said,

"Fortune befriends the bold."

I say, "Those who show up, and keep showing up, get the gig." It is almost a certainty that you will not be star material when you begin your journey of following your truth, but if you do the work, and keep at it, regardless of critics, one day, you'll get the gig of your dreams. The odds are in your favor. Those who do not have the conviction of their dreams give up and people who are in a position to select you and your work will do so if they continually hear of your efforts. One way to hear of your efforts is by telling them. Sounds simple but most creative folks seems shy about sharing their successes.

The other day I sent out the monthly Votre Vray newsletter and the key question I asked was what issues keep the recipients up at night. The number one response was marketing and an interesting note upon that is many artists stated they felt they didn't have a budget to do it at all and wanted to barter with marketing professionals to receive help with promotion of their work.

What should marketing cost?
That depends upon how much you value the service. One of the coaches I interviewed charges $5000 for 90 days of one-on-one assistance to bring an artist into global notice. If you told a CEO of a business company that was your fee they'd laugh because it is too low for what their market realizes is an essential step. However, when artists hear the figure they hang their heads, say, "I cannot afford that," and give up. Why? Because they don't value the service and haven't learned to look at the possible ROI (Return on Investment) for the money.

Guerrilla Marketing (or What can you do with little to no budget?)

• Get magnetic signs for your vehicle that promote your art
• Hang a banner that promotes your show or event.
• Give away T-shirts or gift bags that promote your work.
• Align yourself with someone more high-profile who will talk about you and your work.
• Join a networking organization.
• Print post cards of your work -- much like a business card -- and send them to people you wish were buying from you as an introduction.
• Do what Ariel Gore, author of Become a Famous Writer Before You're Dead, did when she found out an out-of-town event had not promoted her appearance: stand on a street corner in a gorilla mask with a sign waving at people the day of your show!
• Show up at open mics, mixers and other social events and meet the person in charge. Tell them who you are, what you do and ASK, "What can I do to help promote your work?" If people know you're willing to be a team player, you may wind up with a new promoter via good karma.

These are just the beginnings. The possibilities are endless. If you haven't read Gore's book (listed above), do so. Also read, Self-Promotion for the Creative Person by Lee Silber (who incidentally has a fantastic website that you can't afford NOT to browse and learn from). Then there are PR heroes who can help, like Peter Shankman, author of Can We Do That? and founder of Help a Reporter Out. (If you don't know HARO, the world doesn't know you -- and you probably weren't interviewed for Votre Vray Creative Women either. Seriously, Peter rocks!)

What does Mel do?
Well, more marketing, PR and networking that I do creating, until I have all my ducks in a row. Here are my top ten items that I do on a regular (daily or weekly) basis:

1. My primary business focus is helping others follow their dreams (because in doing so, I get to follow mine and make good karma).
2. I have several websites and this blog that are updated regularly because each update is one more thing someone who Googles my name will find out about my work and the work of those I aim to help.
3. I am a member of several social media groups including Help a Reporter Out and I answer my own e-mail daily.
   
4. I have a e-newsletter that goes out to friends of Votre Vray each month and always ask those I meet if I can add them to my newsletter list.
5. I am a member of a local networking group and am always learning what they do to promote themselves, then coming home and implementing what I can from what they taught me.
6. I am associated with other local high profile organizations including the Metropolitan Arts Council and the yW Empowerment Center, both who are supporting Shout: Kiss My Art! and are willing to e-mail, write and promote our co-ventures for free.
   
7. I ask everyone I speak with, "Who do you know who can benefit from what I do because I really want to help promote living the creative life?"
   
8. I give away T-shirts and gift bags in conjunction with other creative people who are marketing their services.
9. I ask questions like, "May I promote your work for free on my blog?" and then do it.
10. I am planning at least six to eight months in advance what my project deadlines are and share these with those who can most benefit from those details.

In other words, I don't create my art 40 hours a week and spend one marketing. One artist told me it should be at least a 60/40 split, with the higher concentration on marketing until you're reached your goals.

I will continue writing about marketing in future weeks, but until then, I've got some networking to do of my own.

Until then, keep creating!
-Mel.

Mel Edwards Featured on KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM (Again!)

Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008
Time: 5-6 p.m. Pacific time
Station: KSVY Sonoma 91.3 FM
Online: http://www.ksvy.org/home.htm

Theme: Worlds of Imagination
Each teller creates a magic space where the stories take place, a world of imagination where anything can happen!

Featured Artists:

Jill Laméde (U.K.) - The Blue Feather
Jamie Crawford (U.K.) - Dauntless Little Joan
Mel Edwards (South Carolina) - The Mouse, the Bird and the Sausage
Olive Hackett-Shaughnessy (California) - The Queen Bee
Dr. Mike Lockett (Illinois) - The Leprechaun's Gold

Here's how you do it (for now)
Go to
http://www.ksvy.org/home.htm
Click on
High or Low speed in the upper right-hand corner

You should be switched immediately into the program in progress.

Have a good listen!
Best...
Jackie B.
Story Lovers World (Program Host and Selector of Content)
http://www.story-lovers.com

One Step with Your Dream, Leaps for Your Future

Synergy seems to be the key to a creative life. If you follow your creative dreams you'll be continually handed opportunities to share that dream with others. Because I elected to attend a business lecture, I met several more women who I can share the Votre Vray mission with. Today's Women's Empowerment (at the yW) lunchtime lecture/workshop given Mike Cannon of PWC Group in Greenville, SC. The best part for me was that Mike gave all attendees a copy of his co-authored book The Selling Machine so the information he taught us can be referred to after we get home and new questions begin to arise. As an creative woman and entrepreneur, I found the information he provided to be exactly what I need to be able to take the next serious steps in bringing the work of Votre Vray and Shout: Kiss My Art to a larger audience. (That means more people will know the creative women I've had the pleasure of meeting this year, and hopefully, that name recognition will result in more business for everyone.)

One of the ladies who sat at my table is a woman who sells "uplifting note cards and large prints" of original photography. Her name is Kathryn A. Preston and her business is in Taylors, SC. If you're looking for a unique little way to share your love, admiration or respect, I believe you should be able to find something at RK Originals that meets your needs, and since she's a woman living the creative life, you know her heart is in what she does!

Another attendee invited me to a bi-monthly networking group that allows guests to give a one minute introductory "pitch" about who we are, what we do and what we desire for business opportunites. I'll be attending that luncheon this Friday.

A third woman shared that she is closing her business after 16 years in the industry and 10 years of owning her own company because she is ready for a new, exciting, creative adventure that allows her to follow her dreams. She's excited and surprised by the amount of energy that she has since she's made the choice to close the doors on her company.

Who have you met today because you were following your dream?

Or, if you haven't started your personal journey to living a life of your dreams, what opportunities did you miss out upon today because you haven't made that step?

Until next time,
keep creating!
-Mel.