Gaia: The Affluent Artist

Re: Thread #1: Introduction

http://jestefeste.gaia.com — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 06:01:46 GMT

hello,

my name is dennis and i am new to this. still trying to learn how to navigate myself through all the links and hoping that i am not violating any community guidelines.

i am passionate about dance. i have been a non-profit volunteer for the last 14 years for numerous groups of "marginalized" and "disempowered" communities. and i got disillusioned from doing it. just came back from india and i think i've finally found something meaningful that i can do for myself and for them. so i am really passionate in helping them uplift 5000 internally displaced indigenous families.

i was a professional dancer but then i realized that by doing my own pieces i get to express myself better. somehow my craft does not bring me joy if i don't use it to make the world a better place.

i am so lucky that my financial situation is good because i have multiple jobs in different industries and despite the slowdown, i am still getting work.

20 years from now, i just want to see the community i am trying my best to help self-sustain. maybe i also hope to make some peace building/making initiative through my dance more concrete and possibly also to start another initiative to use dance to help them live to their fullest potential.

personally, i don't really care about what my life would look like or where i'll live. if i can see my dreams come true (or at least a big part of it), i'll possibly be the happiest camper around.

looking forward to knowing all of you.

dennis

p/s. do let me know if i am violating any community guidelines. still getting use to it but i learn fast, i think. haha! 8-)

Re: Thread #1: Introduction!

http://cynthiaborelle.gaia.com — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:59:28 GMT

loving the inspiration - more passionate than I've felt in many years...

I'm Cynthia Borelle, a single and stay at home mother for my 4 yr old daughter, Claire. She is my creativity and my passion and my inspiration to remember what I need to be doing in my life. Her father and I both have been singing and acting since gradeschool --- neither of us have yet had financial success as artists, and he is more experienced than I have ever been.

A month ago, I posted an ad on a local online classified website "female vocalist seeks guitarist or pianist for ???" --- and I met Shawn Madden. No, this wasn't a personal's ad in disguise... lol... I have just been led by Spirit to sing more and see where it might lead, and very nicely surprised by the Friend I have found in Shawn.

Overwhelmed and silenced by an unidentified fear... I related to one of the introductions in which a lady described herself as many different ages, and her favorite being age 6. I would love to be as free as my sweet Claire is... when I am just with her, I sing and dance freely... and feel completely certain that I could become a successful musician or actor.

My passion is as a Mother, nurturer, and while in romantic relationship, my love provides a strong and stable support for dreams to materialize. I am hoping to find someone other than my 4 year old child to support my aspirations, and I see this happening in time... networking is quite magical!

My current financial situation is ugly, but I have recently renewed my license for massage therapy and see this as supporting my creative endeavors. Part time work earning more than I ever have... Massage is an art in itself --- a healing art. Spirit definitely has led me back to this career, and I intend to earn more income in the time I am not providing massage therapy --- as an actor or musician. Whatever is enjoyable and allows me free expression and time for both Claire and my older daughter Audrey, now 15. I am interested in storytelling, children's theater, children's music, voice over work, documentary film making, traveling to assist with a ministry, visiting hospital patients in order to spread the Love and Joy and Inspiration I have found.

I currently am a live-in assistant to a special needs young woman, who is much the same age as Claire, developmentally. I am exactly where I'm supposed to be... eventhough I'm surprised daily at the reasons for this. I have decided that I will be moving on from this position in 5 months to pursue my various goals full time. I'm trying not to become overly distracted... but I think Spirit provides distraction for reasons of It's own... John Lennon was the one who said Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans... We must listen to the nuances of the Now... Spirits will guide us if we listen closely.

In 20 years, I will have realized my priority of traveling the world, with a group of beautiful, welcoming, loving artists who freely support one another in every way. I will be enjoying the company of a Soulful and Truly Gentle Man, my children, my grandchildren, and my extended family of choice. We may have discovered by then a new form of currency which allows every dream to be realized, the Internal Revenue Service will be just a page in the history books. We will be free and elevated in the light and love and celebrate creativity with humanity in all regions.

Namaste'

PROJECT DIVINE INTERVENTION

http://ravendancing.gaia.com — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 13:05:38 GMT

PROJECT DIVINE INTERVETION is an art project, a plan and a vision that will contribute greatly to the HEALING and AWAKENING of GAIA. Those who would like to learn more may visit my site and go to "my goals". Peace, Love, and Abundance of Gaia to all. RAVEN DANCING.

Re: Thread #1: Introduction!

http://ch3shyr3c4t.gaia.com — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 02:24:48 GMT

Hi !!

I'm Ashley Pace,
born and raised in Florida.

I'm currently attending college. Majoring in art.

I enjoy noticing the simple things in life. Feeling the wind on my face. Watching the sky at night. Things like that. I like turning up the music and drawing random pictures and spending time with people that make the world more interesting.

There is alot in the world that I'm passionate about. love, life, earth,people, animals, music, art.

I believe that art is a window to the soul and music is the soundtrack.

I'm going to school to be an art teacher. I catch alot of heat from my family, because teaching doesn't pay that well. But I want to be the positive influence that I never had.
All of my art teachers in school were rigid and passion-less.

I want to instill in young adults the same love I had. And show them that their ideas and thoughts, as well as their entire being is beautiful. I want to make a positive difference in the youth of america.

I'm currently and unfortunatly un employed and my financial status is non exsistant. If that makes any sense at all! I have a love hate relationship with money. Love it when i have it, hate it when its gone. :P

I want to one day own my own gallery for aspiring artists and myself of course. I want to host parties and let artists have a chance at getting their visual voices heard.

I realize that I'm still really young and the world doesn't exactly make alot of sense. But thats the best part. Theres still so much to discover about myself, its a bit overwelming. But also so very exciting. I can't wait to see what I can do with myself, now that I'm ready to try to accomplish my dreams.

I hope this gives you a bit of an idea about me.. I can't wait to have some lovely discussions with you!

I also wanted to add something about the founder Shawns introduction. That feeling you have when everything is kind of spinning around you. The catalyst thats come knocking to bring a change in your life. You feel it coming and as crazy as the world seems, your the calm center to the much needed rain storm thats come to water the stale foundation of your world.
I love that feeling... :)

Artist - Michael Colavito

http://horsetosource.gaia.com — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:04:46 GMT

I am writing on behalf of my soul mate - Artist Michael Colavito.

www.michaelcolavito.com

I have known Michael for over 17 years. For the first 11 years we were mates - karmically we are inseperable in this lifetime (all reasons yet to be revealed).

The reason that I want to promote Colavito's work is because I truly believe (and always have, even when he wasnt "about to bust out and make it to the big time" I believed that his work is a true gift to the world. There are some artists that are sent to this dimension to change views, reshape the world and inspire others. Colavito is one of these prolific talents whom God works through to communicate.

In the past 5 years (of the 30 years in the making) Colavito is gaining the recognition from leaders, critics, and visionaries who are beginning to give this type of credit and respect to the work. I know that it will only be a short time now that the struggle to be seen continues. Colavito has recently completed very telling "aura" based art portraits for:
Jeff Koons, Chuck Close, Robert DeNiro, Joey Reynolds, and many more - it is these historical portraits that are starting to wake up the art world and the political gatekeepers whom can no longer ignore the originality and horizon of what is next on the scene.

Colavito is committed to making a difference with art in the world today and is already donating 50-70% of his proceeds to charities; and it is not that he is making soooo much money that he can afford to donate that much to human and animal rights causes; however he strongly believes that this will set a precedent that ART can change the world with cold hard cash - since that is the language that most understand these days. Many artists have been generous and given to causes in the past - but not to this extreme!
I want to see it happen, for him, for art, for all people who will benefit!

MICHAEL COLAVITO
Uniting and Changing the World Through Art

Visionary Musicians Unite!

http://shawn-madden.gaia.com — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 20:16:35 GMT

I just posted to the Affluent Artist Alliance about the current state and the future of the music business.

Here's a snippet:

I say that the successful artists of the future are going to be those who figure out how to collaborate, cooperate, and co-mingle our creative efforts to actually create CULTURE together - communities that work in tandem to create beauty, harmony, honor, vision, love, and wealth for all who participate.
There is strength in numbers, and I intend to be one of the ones who . . .

Check it out, and if you're in the game, I want to connect with you!

FEB POETRY RETREAT IN THE WOODS--UPDATED

http://wiselittleraccoon.gaia.com — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:15:29 GMT

This is me:

wiselittleraccoon.gaia.com
Presents a

POETRY RETREAT IN THE WOODS

Feb 23-24, 2008
Heathcote Community Conference Center
Nestled between Baltimore, MD & York, PA

Feb 23 10 am to 6 pm
Feb 24 10 am to 6 pm

**FREE READING & OPEN MIC Feb 22, 7:30 pm**

This weekend workshop will explore economy in poetry, and the art of “show, don’t tell,” giving the reader or audience our thoughts through imagery.

Join us in Heathcote Community’s historic mill for a weekend of reading, writing, playing and performing. Bring your old favorites and works in progress for our critique sessions!

Join us for two days of experiential intensive, with critique sessions, writing periods and visceral workshops on finding fresh images, economy of language, show/don’t tell, writing from instinct and rewriting with detachment.

This weekend is for any writer who wants to take her/his poetry to the next level, especially for publication or performance. Who is your audience? What are your goals--Are you trying to communicate specific ideas or hone poetic craft? Do you get quagmired in or avoid rewrites? Come to the woods and dance poetically outside of your comfort zone!

I minimize lectures and work more as facilitator. Poetry is like film--There are endless genres and audiences. Your own approach is not wrong. But let me take you on a challenging ride to the unexpected image that guards the core of your poem!

Rustic, communal lodging for participants will be provided in the workshop space. Bring your own bedding. Meals are vegan/vegetarian and organic, provided in Heathcote Community’s popular kitchen and dining room.

Registration will be limited to 10 participants.

Please mail this form to:
Poetry Retreat in the Woods
Heathcote Community
21300 Heathcote Road Freeland, MD 21053

Optionally, include up to 3 samples of your poetry.

FEES

workshop                    $100        $100
lodging
Fri nite                    $10        _____
Sat nite                    $10        _____
Sun nite                    $10        _____
meals
Fri dinner                    $5        _____
Sat breakfast                $2        _____
Sat lunch                    $3        _____
Sat dinner                    $5        _____
Sun breakfast                $2        _____
Sun lunch                    $3        _____
Sun dinner                $5        _____
airport transportation
arriving                    $20        _____
departing                    $20        _____

                    YOUR TOTAL    _____

Please make checks payable to

CURIO COAST PRODUCTIONS,
or pay via paypal, to
curiocoastREMOVE@comcast.net.

Work exchange & potluck available. Email any questions.

About the Facilitator:

    Wren is Artist-in-Residence at Heathcote Center. Her poems have appeared in The Baltimore Review, Digges’ Choice, The Baltimore Women’s TImes, The Green Revolution and the anthology Blood and Tears. She received a Young Authors Award in Poetry from The Courier Journal. She is a founding member of Baltimore’s Sunday Salon critique group. She wrote a stage play from her poetry, This Is How She Steps on Snakes, which she performed in Baltimore and at Towson University. The journal Grub Street awarded her first prize for slam poetry.
    Wren Tuatha is principally a screenwriter, under the banner Curio Coast Productions. She wrote the feature scripts Bacca Blooms, Strands of Emily, This Is How She Steps on Snakes and My Second Simone. She is currently developing feature film scripts for collaboration with Rattle the Cage and others. She studied poetry, as well as Electronic Media and Film at Towson University and education at the University of Louisville. Her short films, “Totems of a Road-Colored Goat” and “Sparrow, Like Everyone,” are poem treatments.

    Her poems and projects can be viewed at:

http://wiselittleraccoon.gaia.com/

Re: Thread #1: Introduction!

http://shirleytwofeathers.gaia.com — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:25:40 GMT

Hello,

My name is Shirley Gibson.

My passion - currently my passion is ...This is a really hard question to answer! I love to create.. I love to get involved in an impossible or unusual creative idea and get in there, get my hands dirty and my feet wet, and watch what it becomes. I am an artist and have created a body of work that contains a wide variety of media and subject matter. Currently I have been putting a lot of energy into blogging and website design. My original idea was that I wanted to put my art someplace besides the closet. And then I discovered that I really enjoy creating little web spaces for myself and others... Aside from art - I am passionate about living a spiritual life, passionate about figuring out how to walk my talk... and constantly working to know what my talk even is...

When I was growing up, I set 3 intentions for my life. At the time I had no idea I was even doing this, and it is only in retrospect that I can see how profoundly it has impacted the way I "do" life. I wanted to be Daniel Boone - constantly on the move for more "elbow room", always looking for something new to explore. When I was 7 years old, I learned about Spartans... and decided that was what I wanted to be - a Spartan. Strong, stoic, fearless, invulnerable, succeed or die trying... that sort of thing. And then from middle school up through high school, when people would ask me what did I want to "do" or "be" when I grew up, I would say that all I wanted was to know every thing there was to know about everything there is.

I guess you could say that I am ambitious... driven... intense... passionate... spiritual... and creative. And I am in my "dharma" when I am in the midst of something that makes good and generous use of those qualities.

My current financial situation is... precarious at best. My basic bills and expenses exceed my expected income by $300 a month. I do somehow manage to NOT end up living under a bridge in a box. I have enough really good abstract art stashed in my closet that if I could just figure out how to sell it, I could be debt free. I have enough really cool digital art stashed in my computer, that if I could just figure out how to sell it, I could feel good about quitting my "day job" and concentrating on some of the projects that are clamoring to get out of my head. I have a book full of art that if it was published, might give me a big enough monthly income that I wouldn't have to worry about how to pay my water bill anymore... and maybe even the electric bill too. And the list goes on.... and on...

It drives me nuts knowing that I have great marketable art... really cool and interesting blogs... a wealth of knowledge about dog behavior and training... inspired ideas... and I can't seem to figure out how to "cash" in on them, how to share them in a way that supports my ability to do even more.

Twenty years from now, I want to be living in my beach house, hanging out with my friends, enjoying life to the fullest, free to create what I want to create, to go where I want to go, to do what I want to do, and to invest in whoever I want to invest in. The beach and freedom... that's my dream ..

Re: ArtBizCoach: My favorite resource for Art Business

http://shirleytwofeathers.gaia.com — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:03:46 GMT

I'll go check it out too. Thanks for the tip!

Re: ArtBizCoach: My favorite resource for Art Business

http://shirleytwofeathers.gaia.com — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:03:45 GMT

I'll go check it out too. Thanks for the tip!

Re: Empowerment

http://shirleytwofeathers.gaia.com — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:02:20 GMT

I would love to be a part of this... Art - I'm pretty good at... Marketing - well, I suck!

book...7 essential steps to financial success..

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:28:49 GMT

http://alternativefinancial.zaadz.com/

I am reading her book and can't put it down. I can see from the intro that she has found the solution for all artists on finance.

Kath

Re: WebChat: Sunday morning Brunch!

http://kathysmith.gaia.com — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 03:39:04 GMT

Thanks for the acknowledgement Tony. This is Shawn's first intro webchat. My first webchat and I recommended we have the talks on skype so we can all talk and type. My skype address is kathrynlsmith and we all just need to coordinate a time to be on that at the same times as we did the webchat.

I would like to have everyone on here attend one of the webchats. What came out of this first one for me is that I will be posting within the week how to start on conditions with your art (whatever form) and help on creating a statistic on all of the artistic products each wants to get out to the world.

To the degree we confront our work and issues surrounding getting our art out, is to the same degree we won't be the adverse effect. Being organized is obvious but essential to start.

Someone in this pod is helping on marketing. That is key. I am helping on conditions by implementing management by statistics, and I can assist on some of the marketing tips as far as what questions to ask on your surveys you will be doing covering your art.

Thanks for having this pod Shawn. I will help out and go for products that can be turned to affluence and power.

Re: Empowerment

http://carlasanders.gaia.com — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 01:45:19 GMT

Hi Mari-lyn,

Welcome. you are brand new to Zaadz. Please say more about your village of art idea.

I am with you, as far as finding the market and then tell them and showing them what we do. Knowing what we want to achieve and having goals can help choose the right path to take. For some, a gallery is right, For others direct selling on line or out of the studio is a better fit.

Looking forward to reading more of your thoughts.
Carla

Empowerment

http://heartatworkonline.gaia.com — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 19:22:12 GMT

Artists can make money, we all have to become better marketers. I know, i know, the typical answer is we don't have any money. You know what, if you keep saying that ,you won't. I would LOVE to help artists - to teach them 'how to' except I get the usual - I don't have any money??

This is our time, the creative, talented, artists are being called. Who is paying attention? There is a market for every concievable product (art), first you have to be willing to learn and discover who your audience is.

If you aren't marketing your art - it won't sell. I have one gallery selling my work, my challenge is having the time.

If we all got together we could create a village of art to empower and outreach to artists and create a sustainable local economy. This is just one of my own projects. Any one interested in joining me?

Mari-Lyn

Re: WebChat: Sunday morning Brunch!

http://anandaguy.gaia.com — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:52:07 GMT

Thanks Shawn for opening up this pod and our web discussions. I look forward to our first splash in the first-ever Affluent Artist Webchat (which we just had at the time of writing this) to its blossoming into fertile and fun results for all of us. I enjoyed chatting with you and Kathy in our birthing. Creative partnerships are important –– as not only ideas and tangible help can happen –– but as well, the mutual co-contributive energy of support, encouragement, validation and inspiration give wind to our sails! Fans the fires.... As one of the things we discussed in our first chat this morning, there's a difference to discern between clients (and to extrapolate to include friends as well) who are committed and participating in win-win collaborative efforts versus those who are not. As Kathy pointed out, others can sometimes also be a source of some unwanted results which can affect us, the creatiives, downline. Finding people as you and Kathy (to date in our webchats) who are mutually giving and reciprocating is very helpful and welcome. A little bit of "I've got your back," is very conducive to the creative process and the sustainable spirit that aids the creative kind of people we are in forging ahead. (Again too –– your music rocks!) I find Kathy too, to be a really on point (and charming!) kind of gal, who has an awful lot to offer. Thank you, and Kathy, for facilitating a spring board for all of our creative and prosperous growth! Much love back at you guys, Tony

Re: ArtBizCoach: My favorite resource for Art Business

http://anandaguy.gaia.com — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 17:24:31 GMT

Hi Carla ~ Thanks for your suggestion –– I'll check Alyson and her material out. Tony

WebChat: Sunday morning Brunch!

http://shawn-madden.gaia.com — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:19:07 GMT

. . . at least if you're on the east coast of the US. If you're on the west coast, it'll be morning coffee; if you're in South Africa, it'll be . . . dinner?

Regardless, it'll be grand.

What the heck am I talking about? Why, it's the first-ever Affluent Artist WEBCHAT!

When: Sunday morning 11am EST. Point your browser to http://webchat.zaadz.com/theaffluentartist, and get ready to play.

The purpose of this chat is to introduce ourselves to one another and to introduce ourselves as a group to the conversation that IS The Affluent Artist.

No matter what level you're playing at now - whether your creative pursuits are mere hobbies, or you're a full-fledged professional, your input is incredibly valuable AND I'm committed that you'll come away with a new perspective on some aspect of bridging the gap between pursuing your passion and paying the phone bill (I know, it's not quite alliterate, but it's close!)

If you know you are going to make it, please let me know. I look forward to meeting you in "real-time" and kicking off the conversation!

If you cannot make it, do not fret - one of the things we'll be doing on Sunday is scheduling more chats, so there'll be other opportunities to jump in!

Much love,

Shawn

The Affluent Artist Awakens: WebChats!

http://shawn-madden.gaia.com — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 01:37:32 GMT

Hi there -

I planted the seed of this pod a while back, put some energy into gathering folks who are inspired by a conversation about pursuing a creative, created life of artistic expression and affluent lifestyle - and then disappeared for a while, hacking my way through the financial weeds that were choking my garden.

All of this time, I've been thinking about this pod, and how to really bring it to life, how to energize it and make it live and breathe; I want these boards to be a place where people can really work things out for themselves, hear others' stories, and contribute what we've learned about bridging the gap between creativity and financial and material prosperity.

The thing that keeps coming up over and over is: it won't happen on my steam alone. A conversation has at least two players in it, and each brings his or her own experience and perspective to the table, making it possible for each to contribute and to learn.

So let's get together and create something!

This Sunday, June 24th from 10am - 11:30am EST, I am hosting a WebChat where we will gather and introduce ourselves to the world of the Affluent Artist and to set up structures that will allow us to create a vibrant, dynamic conversation that brings each of us into that world for ourselves and the people who look to us for inspiration and leadership.

Possible topics:

1. Who - or what - is the Affluent Artist, and why is s/he following me?
2. How to turn your life into a work of art - and get paid handsomely to do it!
3. Money? We don' need no steenkeen money!
4. The exquisite lightness of being creatively wealthy

I'm just riffin' here, and I admit to a little bit of cheekiness. I'll definitely be prepared to moderate the conversation, but the reality is that YOU will be the ones who breathe life into the conversation, and what it looks like will be a surprise to all of us, I am sure.

While I do not know the details of what we will create, I can be certain of one thing - if you come to the conversation ready to participate fully and open yourself to the possibility of being *wildly successful* in your creative pursuits, and creating true affluence in the process, you will be charged by the conversation, ready to take new action.

If you are planning to attend, please RSVP to this email, and let me know if there are any particular topics you would like to make sure get covered in the chat.

Much love and respect,

Shawn

P.s. If you cannot make Sunday morning, do not worry; there will be weekly chat-times set up moving forward. This is only the beginning!

ArtBizCoach: My favorite resource for Art Business

http://carlasanders.gaia.com — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:23:37 GMT

Hi Affluent Artists,

Have you heard of Alyson Stanfield, the ArtBizCoach? I have been getting Alyson's free newsletter "Art Marketing Action" for about 3 years now. She has helped me get on the path to be an artist entrepreneur, building a career and getting paid, for doing art my way! She gives away tons of information in the ezine, website and blog. You can find it all at http://artbizcoach.com, or for fun go directly to http://artbizblog.com.

Every artist needs to listen to Alyson. Do tell her that Carla in Maine sent you. She gives great warm fuzzy thank yous. She is very cool, generous, and knowledgable.

Oh, and after you start reading her newsletter, lets come back here and talk about what she said!

Let it in!
Carla