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Smartivities Showcase has been my home base since shortly after it opened. Life changing to say the least. It's been the center of my sales the whole time. I was selling on consignment for a few years before recently taking on my studio and retail space. This space serves as my public studio, showcase, and office for all my endeavors.
Lately in the studio I have been trying to sort all my internet stuff out along with working on my art. No easy task as I work during the day. I work overtime at my day job too which makes it hard. But hey I alway's manage to make art and my business has been moving in the right direction. Slowly but surely.
I felt it would be essential to start documenting my work. I've always wrote from time to time but never really consistently. Aside from showcasing, and selling my art I'm planning on making this site a blog spot or diary. For my art and my life.
-Mark T. Wilson
Mental Health Awareness Month
So I didn't know it but I overheard recently this is Mental Health Awareness month. Well, from now on I won't forget it because the last two years of my life were the hardest on me mentally. I KNOW that depression and anxiety are a real thing. I made this design to help get the word out on the subject. They are for sale on Wilsonartgoods.etsy.com. All of this stuff will eventually be on this site.. my website. I have only one on display at Smartivities. But it is for sale. For next year I will have a full on arsenal for combatting this topic. I want it to be a whole line of clothes that hopefully people can appreciate. Obviously I am using the semi-colon. I've never gotten bad enough for any kind of delusional suicide or anything like that but I think it is important to look out for people and their mental health. I mean it effects all of us, with bad health or without it. Right now in the studio I need to move on to something else but I just wanted to touch on this subject.
-fini for now.
So I need to write a new list of things to do. Starting now.
- I need to get my stuff back online. (make ordering available)
- Etsy and Printify
- work with blurb or one of the other multi posting platforms.
- New camera setup for studio.
- Figure out my expenses from what I sold to buy new product.
- Spruce up existing frames. (on older pieces) hey gotta do it.
- Descript
- Finish up existing pieces.
- Start a conceptual piece and video from start to finish.
So I am writing this list to organize my thoughts. That is what I do here in my blog section. I will be adding my pieces back but before that I will add pages of my most recent sales.
...so I was trying to work on my site, well I guess I was working on my site. The edit is pending so I guess I gotta wait for a little bit., Well, this is how it goes. My work is never done. That is ok. I am feeling up to all this. I now need to figure some things out and add some more things to my to do list. I need to get back on track with my printify and my etsy business. That is definitely something I have been lacking on. Anyway let me get to it.
-Fini for now
One last Blog post
One last blog post for today I guess before I leave. I really like to write about my time in the studio. I mean I created this space to express myself and to do so much work I can't focus on my anxiety and depression. Well I mean I think about it but to not let myself feel it so much. I try and work so hard I can't give my anxiety enough time to be felt. Nothing about my life is easy and nothing is taken lightly. I remember everything about who tried to bring me down and chose to fight against that. I wasn't perfect in my past and yes I was very bitter and trolled a
lot of people. But this art venture is my redemption. Many things about my life hurt but I chose to make it better any way I can. The whole thing with people not believing in depression and anxiety has to go. Or the whole judging aspect of our culture. I have had people judge me things they were guilty of, and I was totally clueless when it came to narcissism but trust me I now know what it is and how it runs ramped in our culture. I am not one of those people that think bullying teaches people things aside from who the assholes are. The tough guy attitude is not ran by tough guys but by scared little weaklings who probably never had a creative thought in their life. it's unfortunate to grow up in a time of hate right after a supposed culture of love which wasn't more than a bunch of day dreamers. (yes, the hippie movement).
All I know right now is that art keeps me alive, more than having shitty community around me. Not to say I don't believe in community. I just don't like people who need you to be nothing with them in order to feel better about being nothing. I have suffered a lot if abuse from people with not a thought of their own, and I am glad it is over.
So yes I am in full support of mental health awareness.
-Fini
I had to bring my computer home away from my studio at Smartivitie's Showcase for a couple reasons. I needed to get more art done in the studio for one. It was taking me away from physical pieces. But also I wanted to do a lot of trouble shooting with my website that I could not do in the little bit of time I have in the studio. Also I wanted to get thing's rolling with my podcast in which I am using the program Descript to do. It is not going to be the kind of podcast most people think of but it will coincide with all my other art projects. Anyway.. I have yet to tackle these things. My new job has put me in a state of exhaustion I have not felt before. I have to walk into a huge autoclave which is basically an oven or at least the temp of one. Plus there is no air conditioning in this place so I am getting taken away from my art. Not to say I haven't done art I'm just having trouble on the market end. But I decided to blog about it today despite my exhaustion in an attempt to get back into the flow. Like I have mentioned countless times before this whole thing is a work in progress that never ends. Unfortunately my site is currently only being used as a blog spot so essentially it is a diary. Ok by me though for the moment because I always wanted a blog site of my own. I am currently so tired that it is hard to even type. But anyway I am just about to start my podcast from home in which will be done using A.I. technology. I chose to do it this way in order to work with my schedule and because it will be faster for my life style and agenda. I didn't want to go to long without blogging but some of the things I have been up to include finishing the guitar paint/sculpture project along with the new skateboard. I have an old school skateboard I want to finish up but I also want to do a conceptual piece. I will be ready to start planning this right around the time I START MY PODCAST. Probably by next week. I have a schedule yet I don't always stick to it in sequence. I am a functioning scatter brain. But that is the glory that is my work, finding a way to make it all happen and doing it. Even if it does sometimes take a while. I mean al the great artist were a bit wacky why should I be any different.
So I do these blogs to essentially center myself and try and form a game plan and my game plan right now is to start writing out a conceptual idea for a painting. I say write which means both text and thumbnail sketches. I want to get into writing more and more and even my podcast will be written as it will be an A.I. generated version of me. I tell you this for honesty sake. It is just like how Rage Against the Machine wanted you to know they didn't use samples though it sounded like a d.j. setup when in fact it was guitar. They thought you should know what you were listening to and that is why it was written in the album what the process was. Well I want you to know that more than half of my podcast will be A.I. in terms of my voice. Basically Descript allows you to type out text and say it back in your own voice. If I didn't do like five different things in my life I would probably be more inclined to speak in front of a mic every day. But I am in fact a new age working class artist and technology is my tool.
Anyway I need to stop blogging for now because I need to grind tomorrow and these bills won't pay themselves. Stay tuned for my podcast and other forms of creativity in the future.
-fini
I wanted to write a blog post today. I am having trouble staying on course but nothing has changed as far as my plans for the future. My new job isn't exactly what I would call a keeper. Meaning I don't know how much longer I can take it. I never quit my jobs but this one is very hot and very tiring and I know I need to get out as soon as possible. I am still finishing up some pieces. I will still be doing a conceptual piece and will still be getting my website up to par. I am 42 right now and I have been putting all this together for about five years now. I have my Space at Smartivities Showcase and I sell my art pretty frequently. I just need to get this whole internet thing figured out. But as I know I have mentioned before the new job is whooping my butt. I also need to get back focused on my Etsy sales. As of now I have been ordering product to sell in the store. They have been selling and I have had a few online sales but it is still something that is in the making. What I mean by that is it still needs to get into a better sales flow. Working during the day at the moment is kind of stunting that and it is frustrating. But my sales at Smartivities Showcase have increased with every year I have been there. These blogs are a way for me to stay focused though and now I am starting to incorporate it into podcast form. All of which will eventually be available on my site. I guess I am going to keep it short but sweet for tonight I still have to wake up for my working class gig tomorrow. Which may be painful.. I just didn't want to slack too much on these blogs. I'll never give up my art venture, I have come too far.
-Mark Wilson
So what I am doing with this podcast is basically just taking my blogs from Wilsonartstudio.com and making them listenable. Eventually I will have them available on a page on my site. I wanted to writSe about this before I went back home for the night. I have been blogging from my parents computer lately because I usually stop here after work and have been staying a while. My blogging has slowed down and I am trying to pick back up with it so I felt it necessary to do it again today. I wanted to talk just a little bit about my first conceptual piece I have been talking about. So I guess this would officially be the start of that, although I have been thinking about it. But this at least the first time I am making it public. I guess basically what the concept is gonna be is about how depression is something people are born with. Or at least how it is genetic. I want to incorporate the semi colon in it and a fetus. Those are a couple quick ideas but of course it will be much more in depth than that. These are just the first little notes on it. I am still finishing up a couple random pieces in which I will take pics. I still have to do a lot of editing on my site and add old pics as well as new ones.
So yea, I guess so far I have done more blogging than anything. This is a work in progress. I feel good about it and I feel good about the future of my art. When I finally start the actual conceptual piece I will start videoing for it using my headset camera. I have a name for the piece already as well. It will be called "From Birth".
I don't want to spend too much time blogging tonight although I do plan on writing longer blogs soon there is something I need to watch tonight on Netflix. Vikings Valhalla has a new season to be exact. Gotta make time for the little things. That's what I say.
Until next time.
Mark Wilson
So, it has been a minute since I have blogged. There is reason for that. I also haven't worked on my site for a while. There is reason for that as well. Rest assured nothing has changed in the world of Wilsonart. I mentioned a while back that there will be times like these where I go M.I.A. That is because of being a working class individual before I am an artist. That is ok.
I was working at this literal sweat shop for a moment which was very hot and was draining me of all energy. I no longer work there I work at another place where I am actually building things. I like doing those sort of things much better and I even have half day fridays at the moment which gives me a little bit more time on the weekends to figure out my art stuff. I started my podcast which is basically my blogs in audio form. They generally will be published when I publish my blogs and eventualy find their way on to my website. I have to make time to work on my site getting up to par as far as sales go. Right now I am only using it to blog. I have been trying to tie up some loose ends as far as finishing some random projects but then I want to start this conceptual piece I have been talking about.
It is taking a real long time no doubt and that is why I wish I could find someone to help market my stuff. That may take a while. I would have to find someone really dedicated to marketing things online. Also, of course they would have to get paid. Not an easy thing to get together but until then I am flying solo and have a bunch of trouble shooting to do. I blog about all of this to keep focused and to document my progress. No matter how slow that progress is. But as far as what I have available at Smartivities I will soon have a few new pieces. I'll have to take pics soon and of course when I get them on the site, there will be more than what I had before when I was trying to get them added. One day this will all be figured out and running smoothly.
/ Fini
Ok so to get things started I thought I would blog, I am in my art studio right now at smartivities showcase in Easton Pennsylvania. That is 60 centre square Easton Pa 18042. I often talk abou tall the things I need to do which is finish up some random run of the mill expressive type piece but what I really need to do is get on my first conceptual piece or rather first real one I should say. It will be well thought out with a story behind it. All I know right now is it will be name "From Birth". I go over this again and again but it's really all just to keep you all informed.
The way I am doing this podcast it is more or less you hearing my thoughts on my art world. I have mentioned it before but what I am trying to do is create a whole universe that can be expanded on. Slow process for sure but I eventually want to create my own books and everything. I would also like to get other people involved if possible. Who knows what will happen but this is what I am doing.
Unfortunately right now I need to put some pieces on etsy.
I am having some technical difficulties with meta and my web address. It is some how effecting me being able to list on to my website properly. I want to let people know about everything I am doing and some of the things going wrong too because years later I want my history to show my progress. Who knows maybe I could be an inspiration to someone thinking they can't do it or something.
So I wanted to get into blog mode quick before I start my studio session and I have to walk and get coffee. I will be posting this to spotify before I leave today. Just another friday in the world of Wilsonart.
-Fini for now
No easy task
So, I hope I have my site figured out I am waiting on something pending. I decided to skip my spotify post until tomorrow but I will be posting multiple blogs to one episode which will make for a long episode. In fact it is what you are listening to now. The random thoughts of Mark Wilson.
See I am blogging and creating a podcast episode all at once.
This is just my "The Non 24" Podcast I aslo plan on doing one called Mark's Mix Tape and Diary of a Mad Man. SeenI have alot of ideas floating around in this head just not enough time to implement all of them. Hence why I want other people involved. Hey everybody has to have a dream right?
Anyway, one of my many ideas is to publish a book of my art called "Ten years an artist" after I hit my ten year mark as an established selling artist. I am probably on year five right now. Pretty soon but I don't know how soon I will be putting out another magazine mostly to highlight my etsy sales.
Why not?
Which reminds me I told this fanzine I would submit some stuff. I guess I'll have to get to that later when I get to my parents house. Oh, the gears never stop turning. Anyway I think I gotta stop writing for now. Gotta make the trek back to good ol' Nazareth.
-Fini for today
Finally back in the studio. I was here on Wednesday for only an hour. On the weekend i wasn't able to make an apearance and I am not sure I can be here tomorrow August 3rd yet. This feels like a problem. I mean this art thing will never end for me however I think the concept piece I want to do might get pushed aside for just a short while. Ididn't want to do this but I need tostart workingonmy nutcrackers for the holiday seasons coming up. In any case I will eventually get to it. I will continue to troubleshoot my website address problem I am having with meta but I am pretyy sure I will need to use my etsy for a while which will all be linked to my website anyway but it is really frustrating. I try and get peopleto help but for whatever reason people do not. So for now I will probably only have my etsy page on my site available for buying these pieces which of course now will take a little time because I have to buy shipping products. I mean I guess I can at least get them up there for sale. Losine my job and getting a new one and then a new one after that really set me back but it is a struggle and a process. I signed up for it. What I really need is someone to help with my marketing and I think I'd be selling alot more. I try and think in my studio as much as possible in between doing my art. I also haven't videod much but when I do the concept piece I will definitely still be making it a full on youtube video with editing and probably some voice over. I never said all this wasn't hard. I only ever said I wouldn't stop doing it. I won't either but my guess is I won't peak until I am at a more relaxed point in my life where I don't have to do these day jobs anymore. That is cool with me as far as painting goes.
I couldn't do the Band thing my whole life but visual arts are much different. Also, I am having alot of fun doing it. Despite fighting fatigue.
-Fini for now
So I am having a hell of a time trying to figure things out with meta and I wont be able to post my website link to face book anytime soon but I set my website up to be more geared toward my Etsy sales. This is ok for now but I don't want to put any troubleshooting on the back burner. So, I will be putting my paintings on Etsy very soon and trying to push my art that way. It is what it is for now until I can figure things out with meta. I really want to disconnect the whole thing and start deleting my face book pages and just have one. I really just have too many and I think something got confused n the system or something with the whole Meta experience. But like I said I don't know. The way I have things set up now is ok for the time being and I encourage everyone to check out my Etsy shop. That is www.wilsonartgoods.etsy.com .
But also my website www.wilsonartstudio.com is still the place to go to view my portfolio and read my blogs and will contain many videos and podcast episodes coming up real soon. Also while designing my website I will also be working on pages on the site that will make it into the next magazine that I do which will also include Etsy advertisements from my Etsy page. Truth is I want my site to be an experience. But like I said I can't put meta on the back burner either. Well, that is all I have for today as far as blogging goes. See ya!
-Fini for now
So I know I repeat myself a lot in these blogs but I'm pretty sure I need to put the conceptual piece on hold for just a little while. The big thing for me is getting ready for the Indie made thing and get my nutcrackers rollin. I need toget all my pieces on Etsy, really soon. Right now all my sales happen at Smartivities. I of course want that to change. I wont sit here and pretend like any of this is easy. With working a day job anyway. But I'm gonna keep doing it. No matter how hard it gets this is what I am doing. So I came tothe studio directly from work and when I got here I realized how exhausted I am. So if anybody is into marketing art and wants tohelp out it'd be great. Not gonna count my chickens but that is where I am at. I will continue to blog but as far as how fast I get things done in the world of Wilsonart well all I can say is it gets done when it gets done. I finished two skateboards and I will soon have the guitar I painted done. The conceptual piece titled "From Birth" is something I plan on taking my time with an designing before Ieven paint it onto canvas. So my planright now is the nutcrackers and getting Etsy up to par. Today in the studio I really just wanted to take the time to sit and think about all this.
So the list so far in my head goes like this,
!. Nutcrackers
2.Etsy
3.Start of conceptual painting (Videod)
Let's see if it stays in that order.
-Fini
In the studio and just about done with the last three pieces before I start the concept piece. I will work on the nutcrackers at the same time. I decided to, why not. But today I did some work on those three and will work on my nutcrackers for the remainder of the time. Still have yet to put my stuff on etsy but will start with my skateboards and my nutcrackers.
-Fini for now
This was a blog I did the other day I just want to extend on it from September 1st. I do these blogs Simultaneously as I am working in the studio here at Smartivities Showcase. Sometimes I take my computer home and try and figure things out there but my studio is a much better place for it. Anyway I saw this blog was short and decided to extend it. I try and type off the top of my head and came up with a way to turn my blogs into audio without having to talk into what i refer to as "Dead Air". dead air would actually be when your mind draws a blank on a radio show and you are left in silence. "Dead Air". To me talking into dead air is just talking off the top of your head with nobody to return any conversation. I don't like doing it much to be completely honest with you so I decided to make my podcast into more of a production project than a live show. Maybe you can be into this maybe not. Truth is I have tried to get people to work on a podcast before and it didn't work so I decided to take matters into my own hands and do what I got to do, so to speak.
So that is that and this is what it is and the Non 24 is what ya get. I plan on incorporating music into all this more in the future but one thing is for sure is wilsonart universe will be an ongoing thing.
-Fini
It has been a minute since I have blogged on here but I have gotten a lot of my original pieces on to my etsy site and I am now in the process of getting my new nutcrackers up to par and I also need to start my conceptual piece in way of planning. but aside from that I have been debating on moving my operation over to Shopify as it was suggested and I am having a problem with my website link as it applies to meta. Anyway, These are things to tackle for me right now in my little art world. My site needs a lot of work I know this. It at times seems like I am getting nothing done but the other day I painted a skeleton on a skateboard out of nowhere and I have a lot of inventory. I want to do more necklaces and stuff like that but I have no time. I haven't been able to work on the podcast but like I was saying before it isn't much more than a place I am dumping tracks at the moment. I have them all listed as Bonus episodes too so I haven't even done a legit full episode yet. But when I do those one's will be listed as full episodes and include video. My conceptual piece is going to be videoed from start to finish and will probably find it's way on to either that episode or a future one. Either way it will definitely be on youtube. If they will be linked together I don't yet know. Everything I do is a trouble shooting experience but with these blogs in five year's I want to see my progress. That is the idea here. Everything I am doing right now is serving as a build up to future projects. I don't know if that make's sense in anyone elses mind but that is what I am doing. Watch it go!
-Fini