A few ideas on the practice of treading lightly on our decendants earth.. Design Presentation In The New Millenium

Hello,

Simplify Life to Live. Personality is more important than looks. Quality is key. Focus, breathe, come back, focus, breathe, come back.

These are the kinds of things I tell my inner self, whilst attempting to create the life I want to live. 

When I set out to go to art college, my plan was pretty simple. Focus, be prepared to work hard, and you will succeed. What I hadn’t anticipated was the sense of competition and insecurity I would encounter in myself and others. The enormous pressures I would put on myself!

I was fortunate to have that time to put into my development, and I feel overall, it was time well spent. As I work in my studio now years later; lessons, concepts and ideas come back to me, all the time and I am grateful for this. 

All my life, as I’ve dedicated myself to Art and creative projects, the message from wise master teachers has been: “keep going, you’re on the right track.” the focus and flow that I felt when I was in the zone, was a powerful motivator in my younger years. It was more challenging to attain as a young adult, but equally powerful when I did, it urged me to continue, to challenge myself, even when it was difficult.

There are and were times where I am terrified of my failures. The discomfort is physical, mostly located in my stomach, and head. But when I allow myself to examine these fears, I’m often surprised to notice that they are not entirely unlike the “Christmas eve like butterflies” I have felt, alongside my most heartfelt successes. The seeds of wisdom lie therein, if we are brave enough to allow them to happen in the first place, face them and move on through, the knowledge we may gain is vast! 

My favourite memories, involve other people and working together, and yet working with others is often what I see as one of the most challenging things to do?! A strange dichotomy, I believe it has to do with trust. Put simply: trust yourself. More complexly put: trust yourself to go into those uncomfortable places, even if the result is not immediately apparent. By trusting yourself to ask questions, you will inevitably gain in some way. 

Therefore I have a few questions to ask here in search of valid practical ideas and wisdom, as well as a couple ideas to offer. My background and education has had nothing to do with business, its administration, sales or marketing. I struggle with numbers and am working through my aversions to technology. I see how these things hold me back now. Where as before I used to believe everyone would have their own strengths to offer to the table of the world, I now see how each one of us has a responsibility to learn as much as we can about as many things as possible. 

This doesn’t mean we become experts at everything, but helps us to relate to one another professionally. If I would have only recognised this when I was younger!  

Instead of avoiding things I didn’t enjoy, I could have chosen to look at it with curiosity instead, and I’d almost certainly be further ahead today.

It’s one thing to create. Quite another thing to market, yourself, your work, sell, make a fair profit and earn a living. 

Not everyone sets out to make a living with their art. Some do. We learn we grow. We express. It is challenging to make a living from fine art, no arguments here. I really would like to be able to continue doing what I’m doing, and for that to happen I realize there are a few things I may need to give up. Feel free to add to my list

• Expensive lattes
• Cruise trip vacations
• Trendy designer clothes
• $200+ Hairstyle appointments?
• Spa treatments. 

But I love these things too, if I could only hit the big time haha! Don’t get me wrong- sometimes it hurts, it really hurts! I mean Owie!

And yet… if I play my cards right, who knows, maybe someday I will be able to take my family on a tropical vacation? In any case my theory at this point, is that I should be able to make the same amount I could make at a retail job, or even waitressing , if I focus and not have to waste my time and instead spend that time on my most valuable activities.

It’s a temptation, to sign up for a social networking business. So I explore it, currently buying into essential oils monthly. Pretty much at my quota. 

So what am I doing, about all this? 

Well, I research through trial and error, for myself. Regarding packaging, it’s crazy how much packaging we can end up dealing with on a daily basis. Here are some of the ideas I’ve been trying out:

•  Produce bags. So I invested in these produce bags. They are great!…. As long as you remember to bring them with you! 
• Otherwise, I often won’t put my produce in a bag, just straight into my cart. This also works. 
• Buy large bulk items for less packaging, or simply buy things in bulk. This means knowing your repeat purchases and the amounts you go through
• Glass containers when on sale are a good alternative to plastic reusable containers. I like how you can put them directly into the oven too! 
• Love my Soda Stream! Way fewer cans to recycle! I find I personally drink more water when I can reach for the bubbly kind.
• Made a pact with myself awhile back ( a year or so) not to go out of my way to buy new clothes. 1. I’m really hard on clothes. 2. I end up with things I never wear. The answer? Buying 2nd hand from thrift stores or consignment. Good things about this have always been, for me, I don’t feel so bad when things get wrecked! I also can try out different styles that I might not want to spend big bucks on so it helps me to be brave and innovative. The challenge, finding things that fit right, but I find, if you approach it like a treasure hunt you often won’t be disappointed. This has curbed my online spending.
• I still buy new, sometimes you need something new to add to your wardrobe right? When I do I aim for quality materials, and fit. And things I KNOW I will wear. Bras, underwear and jeans are good examples. Considering I make jewellry, I notice I always come back to the idea of basic clothing dressed up with interesting jewellery pieces. For example consider keeping your winter coat another year and finding some interesting brooches? Mittens and scarves can always change up a look as well. 
• I spend less time at the drugstore these days. I take my prescriptions to the drive through. It keeps me from buying excess unnecessary plastic bottles of … you name it! At one point I could have bought stocks in Shoppers drug mart, but those days are over. I still end up getting more than enough soaps, lotions and curly-hair products from the grocer and salon as it is.
• in the process of simplifying my arsenal of cleaning products. I find the most challenging thing is finding good spray bottles that don’t fall apart! I’ve for the most part given up disposable wipes, besides the odd package of baby wipes, and plan to make the remainder of the bottle of bleach I have last for as long as possible. and I’m currently down to almost always using:
  • Vinegar and water,
  • Essential oil natural multipurpose cleaner, 
  • Baking soda .
  • And comet ( I know it contains bleach, so I use it sparingly)
• I still use paper towel, but I’m trying to use more rags, since I have to wash rags every week anyway. Less paper products makes sense. 
• I like the idea of hankies too, we do laundry regularily, so why not? But I haven’t quite gotten there yet.. I think it would be so nice if men carried 2 with them at all times, one for themselves and one to offer if someone needs, just one of my little romantic gentleman fantasies. I would like to be able to do the same myself, it’s just a habit right? 
• Here’s another good one, my dh happens to be a forager. He loves to pick berries, so we have lots of home made wine. It makes great sangria, come by and try some for yourself. 

So anyway… It seems to me that all of these ideas seem to be easier to commit to and accomplish since I’ve been settled down. 

Things that can get in the way such as disruption to routines are less likely. Having a family makes it more a  

I guess I’m a bit of a minimalist wannabe! I have the dilemma of being an artist. Every container acquired might be able to be used for something else! But seriously, on the one hand I want people to buy art, to have nice things and support local artists, myself included. On the other hand, I don’t want people to be going into debt.. Or buying too many things they don’t need.

I use chemicals. I use them responsibly and I try not to be wasteful, but it is a dilemma I come up against as an artist. Our creativity as humans sometimes requires the use of energy, man made materials and well to present it to someone, it also takes some kind of packaging or presentation. All of these things are resources. I am a walking carbon footprint, something we all have to come to terms with, we all are. 

So I have shared what I’m doing.  Here’s a couple more: playing and creating music, telling stories and writing like I am here. These are all things I enjoy, that don’t take much more than sharing what ‘s in my heart, brain and  consciousness. The energy to be on the computer is another story, but there we are now.. I do love to to see, hear, and feel you beautiful souls out there in the world! What are some ways and systems that you have in place? How do you help create less waste and leave less of a footprint and more of an elegant mark in this beautiful world we live in? I’d love to hear about it! 

Cheers,

 Holly