Biography or Statement

This week I have been struggling with writing an Artist's CV and an Artists Biography.  I've yet to tackle the 'summarise your art practice' part of a project application I want to make.  More about the project in months to come.

I have also been looking back through some of my textile pieces so thought I would share this one with you.

Florida Freedom

I borrowed the format for the CV from Susan Purney-Mark so I have managed to complete that.

But the artist's biography - oh my!

It's so hard to blow one's own trumpet or even talk about ourselves.  Or is that just a British thing!?!  Do people in other countries stuggle like we do?

I have written the biography but it still needs polishing before I unleash it on the world!

In the meantime I suggested to the writers group I facilitate that they might like to write a Writers Biography.  Not sure how popular I'll be with that suggestion!

But that led me to thinking about this blog.  Why do I write it and who for?

Which is probably describing my practice rather than my writer's biography!

Actually I write it for me.  I don't have a reader in mind - the equivalent of a 'client avatar'.  I also don't do it to build up numbers of readers. In fact lately I've had a few people unsubscribe - maybe they are reading this via a different route.

I write it as a sort of journal.  I can look back at my memories of travel and holidays.  I can look back at my textile and mixed media progress.  I can look at the various workshops I've done.

And I get to take a few of you along with me - which is great.

I love sharing my creative practice with whoever reads my blog - whether you have an email subscription orfollow me on Facebook.  

I believe everyone - ALL - are creative but not necessarily artists.  Creativity takes many forms - just feel encouraged to do what you do.

And if you get any inspiration here then that's great.

See you next time.  Thanks for being here today.
Bernice

Looking back, looking forward 2022

Thank you so much for reading this blog, making comments both here and on Facebook and generally staying with me throughout 2021. I really do appreciate that you spend time with me.

I have mostly posted twice a week throughout the year - on Tuesdays and Saturdays. I hope that wasn't too much for you. 

That said, I write my blog for me and only me. So if you find things of interest here, it's a bonus.

I don't usually look at the Stats but for the benefit of this post I thought I would. I wrote 96 posts last year. In checking the numbers I found a post that I’d written in July but never published. You’ll be able to see it next Tuesday. 

The most popular post in 2021 was Journal 2021 which received 166 views. And coming in second was Committed to Cloth with 153. It is astounding to me that so many people are interested in what I do. Especially, as I've said, I do this for me. 

So thank you again to those who find me by chance, those of you that follow by email or by blog readers or my Facebook page. I appreciate each and every one of you.

So what is to come in 2022? More of the same really.

Photo tutorials.
Recording my creative journey.
The occasional post on mental health.
Photos of my travels – if I get to do any!
Journaling my Word of the Year 

Sometimes I wonder if I should change it up a bit. But if it isn't broken - why fix it?  

If there are things you would like to see on my blog, please let me know in the comments below. 

Thank you again for sticking with me
Bernice

Taking Stock

Do you find that sometimes September is a time to look at the future?  More than at New Year?

I think it's to do with the school year starting in September in England.  Especially as the daughter of teachers, then as a pupil and as a teacher myself, and as a mother of a child at school, my year was regulated by term times and the new school year.  I haven't been ruled by that since Andy left school in 2005, but still September feels like the time to re-set.

I feel it's time to take stock of what I'm doing with this blog.  Obviously Covid has something to do with feeling unsettled.  I often blog about my holidays and workshops I've attended, and neither of these things are happening much just now.

I would really appreciate it if you would spend a few minutes replying to this blog in the comments when you've read my questions.

I write my blog for me.  It's a bonus that people read it - thank you.  However maybe now is the time to make it more focussed for your interests.

So what keeps you reading my blog?

Which of these topics would you like to see featured here?

Travel (when I can do it again!)
Days Out
Textiles
Mixed Media
Step by step photos of a piece of work
Challenges
Photos and photography
My faith
My Word of the Year and the journal that goes with it
How to make books
Other people's work
Posts about mental health issues

Is there anything else you would like to see not in the list?

And my last question. I post every week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Is that about right? Too many posts? 

I would really love you to reply in the comments below.  If you prefer to cntact me privately clik on Contact Me on the right of this page.

Thank you for joining me today.
Bernice

Looking back, looking forward

Thank you so much for reading this blog, making comments both here and on Facebook and generally staying with me throughout 2019.  I really do appreciate you.

I have posted twice a week throughout the year - on Tuesdays and Saturdays.  I hope that wasn't too much for you.

That said, I write my blog for me and only me.  So if you find things of interest here, it's a bonus.  I don't usually look at the Stats but for the benefit of this post I thought I would.

My most popular post of all time was this one Playing which to my astonishment has had over 11,000 views.  Most of this is down to the fact that someone shared it on Pinterest.

The most popular post in 2019 was Further work in my workbook which received 567 views.   It is astounding to me that so many people are interested in what I do.  Especially, as I've said, I do this for me.

So thank you again to those who find me by chance, those of  you that follow by email or by blog readers or my Facebook page.  I appreciate each and every one of you.

So what is to come in 2020?

More of the same really. 

Photo tutorials.
Recording my creative journey.
The occasional post on mental health.
Photos of my travels - currently only Australia planned for this year.
Living Your Word of the Year

Sometimes I wonder if I should change it up a bit.  But if it isn't broken - why fix it?

If there are things you would like to see on my blog, please let me know in the comments below.

Thank you again for sticking with me
Bernice

Living Your Word 2020

Valerie Sjodin, Mary Brack, and I share insights through blog posts for creatively living a word of the year. In our Facebook group, we encourage one another by posting questions and prompts to inspire living out a word focus, keeping a journal etc. It is a safe place to ask for prayer and support. If you would like to connect with others in creative ways about living your word, you can ask to join our Living Your Word of the Year 2020 by clicking on the link below.

Join our Facebook group: Living Your Word of the Year

On social media: #livingyourword2020

To ensure you get updates from Valerie, Mary & I why not subscribe to our blogs.
Mary:  www.foundonbrighton.com
Valerie: www.valeriesjodin.com/blog/
This one: www.newlycreative.com/

850 and counting!

This is my 850th blog post since I started in May 2008.  Mind you the next post wasn't until December.    Here are my Stats: 155458 pageviews and this munber of posts over the years: ►  2008 (2), ►  2009 (7), ►  2010 (32), ►  2011 (137), ►  2012 (164), ►  2013 (261), ►  2014 (193) and to date ►  2015 (53).

My most visited blog post was about Dyan Reaveley in my Celebrating UK Artists series.

And the next most visited one was Playing - which is about a Dyan Reaveley technique!

This is the same technique in an altered book

I have loved blogging my craft journey and I hope you have enjoyed it too.

So by way of a celebration let's have a giveaway.  Leave a comment below and include whether you are from the UK or International and I will choose 2 names at random and send the two prizewinners (one UK & one International) some Happy Mail.

If you've never received Happy Mail - it's an envelope full of crafting goodies - papers, embellishments - anything really that's useful for scrapbooking or mixed media of any kind.

Leave your comment by Saturday 4th July and I will pick the winners at noon UK time.

And lastly a big thank you to all who have followed me over the years and to those who have left me lovely comments.

Thank you

Here's to the next 850!

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice