When an Artist Has No Time for Art

It's been a busy week around here. Katie came home for the summer after finishing her second year of college at Cal State Long Beach, I did some math tutoring, Richard was home sick with an awful flu, and on Friday, I spent the day at Strathmore Middle School participatomg om their Annual Career Day!

The kids were in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, and they were awesome--polite, respectful, and full of good questions! I talked about being an artist, but also told them about my other career as a math and English teacher, and about how they probably won't have just one type of job in their lives. I told them that right now every single door is open to them, since they have no mortgage, no car payments, no bills, and no financial commitments. I told them about Coursera.org, where there are tons of free courses available from universities all over the world. I told them that learning was all about passion and persistence.

It was a little sobering when I asked for a show of hands and only about fifty percent of the kids had access to a computer and the internet at home. It seems to me that the Internet is no longer a luxury, but a necessity, and that in a country as wealthy as ours (the Land of Opportunity!!!) kids should have access to all the information and learning that's out there. They do have computers and the internet at school, but that is not the same as having leisure time where you can pursue information and ideas and education...

I did find time to make a few rings using some new bronze and copper wire I recently bought. I really struggle with the business side of making art, so I am trying to force myself to post new work on Etsy on a regular basis.

Does anyone else like making art more than selling art? I am looking for ideas (and encouragement) for getting myself in business mode more often and more eagerly?