State of the Artist, State of the Studio
Apr. 21st, 2013 10:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madshutterbugRoof Metal and More
Roof metal delivered for the roof replacement on the Big house. Driver got stuck in our North Central Baja Jorja sugar sand, but not permanently. Offloaded about half the metal on his trailer, which lightened it enough to get unstuck, then reload our delivery to place it where we want it. Then I helped him reload the other portions (deliveries to two other locations), and he left. Got to play with heavy equipment, at least sort of in that I didn't operate the crane, did help guide the loads.
Light feeding after that, because we need our feed delivery. Actually, a light feeding for myself as well, because I needed it. Hogs fed fully, goats got light. Waiting for delivery now. That's more Ranch related, of course, however as this artist lives on the Ranch, it does touch on the State of the Artist.
Burned to disk backup the bundled software I received as the Wacom Bundle after purchasing my Intuos tablet, and also the PS Elements 11 on a separate DVD. I am still thinking seriously about installing that on Herself's PC and installing the full version upgrade on mine. Note: on the other hand, I've been working on learning Gimp with the thought that I might not purchase an upgrade to Photoshop. We'll see.
Feed delivery came in while Herself off on some errands. All available cow feed now stored (short four bags). Horse covered, along with bird, and four barrels of goat stored. Fifth is stacked on pallet in trailer. Two barrels of hog are stored. This constitutes moving around something like 900 kg of feed. Chicken Eggs collected. Dogs fed. Now to feed me, I guess.
Rain Saturday
So, a quiet morning. We notified our regular customers that we wouldn't be setting up the Booth, and Herself would be there for milk deliveries. Did manage to get the Horses and Hogs fed. Goats complained as they always do when it rains. Paused inside Studio 318 after starting out when the rain started just as the Bros and I got to Studio 318. Inventoried frames available and on hand, noted with and without glass, noted hangers if any, brief notes to type of frame with a very short description.
This is another interesting aspect about running a business to me. I am not counting these frames yet as inventory in terms of value on hand for income tax purposes, yet I suppose I should be since they do comprise Cost of Goods Sold for framed pieces. Some of these frames were purchased at various retail outlets over time, and may or may not still carry price tags. Some were gifted to us, by Mother Mary. Most I acquired from yard sale vendors, in a lump purchase so the price per frame is really vague. Some of the latter I could apply a price tag to based on my appreciation for the materials and workmanship in the frame. A few may be 'withdrawn for personal use', though I am more interested possibly in selling them to myself (actual transaction at this point, like really taking money out of my pocket to give to myself and record as a sale).
It's also interesting in that I felt a certain anxiety going through the recent push to increase framed pieces for show, asking myself do I have enough frames.? Asking how many frames do I have, what sizes? Turns out I do, yes, and probably don't need to go purchase more for a while. Except, of course, for those odd size pieces...
Still, now there is a quantifiable handle on the available frames. It can be sorted by size, by does it have glass already, does it have hanging hardware installed. Hardware can always be moved, but sometimes it is handy to know there is a frame ready to go (glass and hardware) in a good size and orientation for the piece I'm looking to frame.
Hospital
Worked a weekend shift yesterday evening, mostly a steady busy nearly all night though it started off slow shift. Being part-time these days, I don't normally ask for a day off during the week when I've a weekend shift scheduled. Used to do that, in part because Hospital wants to control how much overtime they are paying out, in part because I need the time off from Hospital to work these two other jobs (Ranch and Studio). With more days off on a regular basis by being part time, the overtime problem is non-existent. There is still some available time during the week, simply less on the weekends. Still, I'm finding myself to be feeling more ... jealous isn't really the word, probably protective is of all the time I usually no longer sell to Hospital for one or the other (mostly Studio) of those two other jobs.
As is often the case, I am somewhat tired even after sleeping a fairly consistent nearly eight full hours. First mug of coffee is into me, along with morning vitamins and a snack bar breakfast. It is Sunday, and I need to consider the weekly State of the Artist posting I committed to doing as part of developing myself as an artist and promoting my own work.
Self-promotion is one of my harder things to work on. Hardly that I feel shy, nor even particularly humble. It's more how my parents raised me, I think. We are supposed to simply focus on what we do, doing it well. Someone else will notice and sound off about it.
Ah well. About time to go deal with those goats this morning, the ones that didn't get their supplemental feed yesterday because of the rain (they won't come out of the barn anyway, because it's wet, and goats hate being wet). Mind you, I did see them out in the periods between active rainfall, munching on the hay we've provided...
Edited to Add @ 18:08 local time:
Really not much to add except some time in the past two hours the pressure switch on the well head failed, which we discovered in the past 15 minutes. And (oops or of course, take your pick) the box I thought to be my replacement backup? Actually holds the previously It's Dead Jim pressure switch. Apparently I never did go get the backup. And, of course, this is after all local to the Ranch hardware stores are closed. Home bottled water it is, for tonight, and no hot soak in the tub for the Artist.
Up early tomorrow, off to the Ace Hardware for replacement(s).
Roof metal delivered for the roof replacement on the Big house. Driver got stuck in our North Central Baja Jorja sugar sand, but not permanently. Offloaded about half the metal on his trailer, which lightened it enough to get unstuck, then reload our delivery to place it where we want it. Then I helped him reload the other portions (deliveries to two other locations), and he left. Got to play with heavy equipment, at least sort of in that I didn't operate the crane, did help guide the loads.
Light feeding after that, because we need our feed delivery. Actually, a light feeding for myself as well, because I needed it. Hogs fed fully, goats got light. Waiting for delivery now. That's more Ranch related, of course, however as this artist lives on the Ranch, it does touch on the State of the Artist.
Burned to disk backup the bundled software I received as the Wacom Bundle after purchasing my Intuos tablet, and also the PS Elements 11 on a separate DVD. I am still thinking seriously about installing that on Herself's PC and installing the full version upgrade on mine. Note: on the other hand, I've been working on learning Gimp with the thought that I might not purchase an upgrade to Photoshop. We'll see.
Feed delivery came in while Herself off on some errands. All available cow feed now stored (short four bags). Horse covered, along with bird, and four barrels of goat stored. Fifth is stacked on pallet in trailer. Two barrels of hog are stored. This constitutes moving around something like 900 kg of feed. Chicken Eggs collected. Dogs fed. Now to feed me, I guess.
Rain Saturday
So, a quiet morning. We notified our regular customers that we wouldn't be setting up the Booth, and Herself would be there for milk deliveries. Did manage to get the Horses and Hogs fed. Goats complained as they always do when it rains. Paused inside Studio 318 after starting out when the rain started just as the Bros and I got to Studio 318. Inventoried frames available and on hand, noted with and without glass, noted hangers if any, brief notes to type of frame with a very short description.
This is another interesting aspect about running a business to me. I am not counting these frames yet as inventory in terms of value on hand for income tax purposes, yet I suppose I should be since they do comprise Cost of Goods Sold for framed pieces. Some of these frames were purchased at various retail outlets over time, and may or may not still carry price tags. Some were gifted to us, by Mother Mary. Most I acquired from yard sale vendors, in a lump purchase so the price per frame is really vague. Some of the latter I could apply a price tag to based on my appreciation for the materials and workmanship in the frame. A few may be 'withdrawn for personal use', though I am more interested possibly in selling them to myself (actual transaction at this point, like really taking money out of my pocket to give to myself and record as a sale).
It's also interesting in that I felt a certain anxiety going through the recent push to increase framed pieces for show, asking myself do I have enough frames.? Asking how many frames do I have, what sizes? Turns out I do, yes, and probably don't need to go purchase more for a while. Except, of course, for those odd size pieces...
Still, now there is a quantifiable handle on the available frames. It can be sorted by size, by does it have glass already, does it have hanging hardware installed. Hardware can always be moved, but sometimes it is handy to know there is a frame ready to go (glass and hardware) in a good size and orientation for the piece I'm looking to frame.
Hospital
Worked a weekend shift yesterday evening, mostly a steady busy nearly all night though it started off slow shift. Being part-time these days, I don't normally ask for a day off during the week when I've a weekend shift scheduled. Used to do that, in part because Hospital wants to control how much overtime they are paying out, in part because I need the time off from Hospital to work these two other jobs (Ranch and Studio). With more days off on a regular basis by being part time, the overtime problem is non-existent. There is still some available time during the week, simply less on the weekends. Still, I'm finding myself to be feeling more ... jealous isn't really the word, probably protective is of all the time I usually no longer sell to Hospital for one or the other (mostly Studio) of those two other jobs.
As is often the case, I am somewhat tired even after sleeping a fairly consistent nearly eight full hours. First mug of coffee is into me, along with morning vitamins and a snack bar breakfast. It is Sunday, and I need to consider the weekly State of the Artist posting I committed to doing as part of developing myself as an artist and promoting my own work.
Self-promotion is one of my harder things to work on. Hardly that I feel shy, nor even particularly humble. It's more how my parents raised me, I think. We are supposed to simply focus on what we do, doing it well. Someone else will notice and sound off about it.
Ah well. About time to go deal with those goats this morning, the ones that didn't get their supplemental feed yesterday because of the rain (they won't come out of the barn anyway, because it's wet, and goats hate being wet). Mind you, I did see them out in the periods between active rainfall, munching on the hay we've provided...
Edited to Add @ 18:08 local time:
Really not much to add except some time in the past two hours the pressure switch on the well head failed, which we discovered in the past 15 minutes. And (oops or of course, take your pick) the box I thought to be my replacement backup? Actually holds the previously It's Dead Jim pressure switch. Apparently I never did go get the backup. And, of course, this is after all local to the Ranch hardware stores are closed. Home bottled water it is, for tonight, and no hot soak in the tub for the Artist.
Up early tomorrow, off to the Ace Hardware for replacement(s).
