This week we are starting a series of interviews with the instructors at ArtBizJam, which is a creative/art business retreat being held in Destin, FL September 18-22, 2013. The instructors along with myself are Anne Brown, Director of Product Development at Magnet Works and Studio M and artists Lori Siebert and Paula Joerling. My name was drawn out of the proverbial “hat” to be the first interviewee!
Why did you want to be involved with ArtBizJam?
Conducting a retreat has been in my mind for quite a while. I love attending retreats and enjoy teaching so it was natural to want to host one. This one came together almost as a product of a magic wand being waved with some fairy dust – the four of just all wanted the same thing and were so excited about it. As a teacher at ArtBizJam, I feel that I will get as much out of it as will the students. Any time you meet someone and network, you automatically gain from it, whether you are the teacher or the student.
What will people get out of attending this particular workshop?
The attendees will benefit on several levels. They will have fun and create cherished new friendships and an experience that they will treasure. They will learn how to improve their business to get it to the level that they want as well as work smarter with their business side. Working smarter makes us more productive while giving us more time to enjoy the benefits of being creative. And the attendees will also relax and rejuvenate by being being creative in new areas, taking these techniques and incorporating them into their creations. Taking time to creatively play will give you the energy and spark to create new ideas. We have some fun surprises that will delight everyone there – you will love every minute in this beautiful gulf coast area.
What makes this workshop/retreat special and different from other workshops?
Most workshops focus on only one area of your business, mostly taking creative classes. This one also focuses on the business side as well as the creative. You can have a creative business but if you don’t know how to promote and grow it, you will not get as much as you can from it.
We are also keeping ArtBizJam small so that its a more intimate retreat where individual business or creative needs can be addressed.
How do you reconcile your passion of creating art with the business side of art?
All our art and creativeness comes from the right side of our brain. We tend to really love that area and want to stay there. But when our art is our business, we need to venture into the left side of brains. I know its not as much fun, that left side, but there are ways to make it that way. We can be just as creative with the business side and that’s what I strive to do to make my business side as interesting as the creative part. Its all the same coin, just different sides, and I find it fun to flip it back and forth, well at least some of the time!
What are you looking forward to fun-wise with ArtBizJam?
Laughter and camaraderie! When ever a group of women get together, no matter what the reason from serious business to just relaxing, it always turns into laughter at some point. And that’s especially true with artists. We become close knit as we get to know each other and that forms into friendships. We always enjoy getting together any time that we can. The laughter is the perk that always happens!
Phyllis
