The title you have

If you’re a racist chances are your mind isn’t fully developed. We need diversity even if you don’t think it’s important. If everyone was the same colour and had the same culture life would be boring.

Different ways of producing ideas to.solve problems to move forward as independent civilizations proves intelligence in all people no matter colour or nationalism.

I personally haven’t encountered any racism only from my own black people who discriminate which in my opinion is a form of racism.

The” N” word doesn’t quite do it for me, sorry for all you racist folks. Maybe cause I haven’t encountered full whiff of racism. Sticks and stones people. That word does not affect the way I perform my job, it doesn’t stop me from sleeping at night, it doesn’t prevent a wonderful and bright future no matter the circumstances.

Its plain unintelligent to think another man is beneath you because of a simple thing like colour. Something no one had control over.

When you’re working hard don’t forget to take care of yourself.

All you need is a full stomach and a few good laughs and you’ll be fine.

The craft

In another fifteen to twenty years our crafts industry will be dead or on life support. From my observation a great percentage of the young generation cares for fast dollars.Many pieces takes patience to produce and with each passing piece skill is improved.  It takes years to master an art and even after its been mastered there’s always something new to be learnt.

Craft in Barbados sounds cheap. The word itself sounds cheap. It’s interpreted as a bargin. I stopped going to craft shows for the mere fact that I don’t want to bargin my pieces which in some cases probably took more time to make than a Cartier bracelet. They’re other reasons why I stopped going to shows but that’s besides my point here.

When I made the decision not to continue craft fairs it was a little scary. That’s what  helped me to make some capital but I knew I didn’t want continue doing them. Now a new strategic journey has begun,one that ensures value to my art.

Adapting to change

In business your first plan may not work, the second or third either. Working for a company becomes a delightful thought. Listing the pros becomes easy, not worrying about rent or restocking materials, paying off debts, dealing with some of the most unsatisfying people and all the other perks. All the pluses of being an employee seems favorable but some of us are trapped in our profession. …….like me. There’s nothing else I know how to do better.

Ten years in a single field of work fills your mind with a wealth of knowledge and it’s an investment, one which sadly may not pay off until generations later. When current plans fail you have to analyze and try to maybe adapt the business in order to remain competitive or in business for a matter a fact.

My plans failed and left me dismal for while but a phone call to an art consultant in California  breathed a new strategy into play. It took a few months for his expertise to digest. It was just one question he asked that stuck in my mind.

I would make a great employee but I’ll be a better artist.

Short lines people say which stuck with me

You need to fail a few times before you get it right.
Never settle
If your going do it, do it right
Refine, refine,refine
Keep at it
Don’t give up

What my art means

The art which took months to a year to finish, those are pieces I rather keep than to sell for couple thousand dollars. They’re of special value which I hold close to my heart. Its like you a special car in the garage and work on it for years, you don’t just sell it, it has a piece of soul you’ve imbedded into it. I wouldn’t say I’m a starving artist but I do hope for that one opportunity. In the meanwhile I’ve structured subsidies which can keep me afloat.

Take a break

So I go to visit my teacher, I expected this guy to be working away on a project or something. What’s he doing? Practicing with a blow dart gun he made. Shooting at different distances, I joined him,it was fun. I interpreted that experience as” its ok to take a break” .

Thanks teach.

big city artist……. small economy artist

 

The cost will affect your output. Living in the small economy depending on where you are can get expensive. I’ve done airbrushing and I’m currently occupied as a glass artist. I can say right now in my current field that I import close to everything and I don’t waste anything. That’s an art in itself. My last teacher smiled at me and said “glass is cheap”…… I probably had a stupid surprised look on my face cause my mind was like HELL NO! it ain’t cheap for me.

I’ve ordered material from California in my earlier days, the shipping costs are usually higher than the cost of the material. I don’t even know how I still have a business after those hits. I found a distributor closer so the cost came down to some extent. When it arrives at final destination it’s like gold to a miner.

So I’ve seen these guys working with large torches which throws a really big flame and it can work the material extremely well. Problem for my back home is the fuel costs are doubled so when I light that puppy up I need to be making something off of it other than good looking glass, $$$. I’ve seen artist come and go. It’s almost always cost related.

The small economy  forces you to be more creative because you have less to work with. Over the years I’ve been sculpted into a conservative artist. It’s not a high paying job, my obsession for my work is what keeps me afloat and my discerning clients bring the rewards. I am proud to say that my work has traveled more extensively than me, from New York to Russia, Israel, Australia, London and many more places.

People are not happy with themselves

That’s what this lamp says. No it’s not just lines symmetrically crossed hatched. When closely examined you’ll notice the “imperfections” and that’s fine. It interprets my point perfectly, people aren’t happy with themselves. To often we pick and point out our flaws. It’s become a trend to alter our appearance as well with cosmetic surgery, but what if your “imperfection” whatever you think that may be is actually what makes you uniquely perfect. Think about it.