Between Blogging, Twittering, Teaching, Working and Mothering...When do I paint?

Asheville no. 1 2005

My twitter friends and I seem to spend A LOT of time online. When exactly are we painting? It's always been a challenge for me to balance work, family and art. Likely it will be a challenge until I'm an old woman. The thing is, if all you do is paint...and you don't put it out there....what's the point? Sales (aka -dollars) allow most of us to be able to do what we love. And sales come from networking. So much of the art business revolves around who you "know". And even though through the web we only sort-of know each other - I can't help but think that one thing will lead to another and another and eventually through web-networking I will make the connections I need to be truly successful as an artist. Not only for what it might do for me financially in the future, social networking has become a very important part of my day. I don't feel so alone in my own little bubble. Making art in the past, was such a solitary adventure for the most part. I find that I'm a better artist when I'm inspired by others. Twitter has brought so many things on the web to my attention that I never knew existed. Instead of being on the outside... I gradually feel more and more a part of the art community. What an exciting world we live in! The people I'm connecting with now, would not even know my name ten years ago. I will just have to figure out: when to blog, when to tweet, when to paint and when to eat!