#58 Put Art in Your Life!!

I'm a HUGE Tom Peter's fan. In fact, when it comes to business progressive thought...this is the guy I turn to for information. He's a business-info guru! And at the same time, he's not touting rhetoric that we've all heard over and over and over. He understands staying "ahead of the pack" in how one runs they're business, department and even themselves.
So...every now and then, I go to his website to see what the latest greatest mind-blowing thoughts are...low and behold I found a .pdf titled "Tom Peter's 100 Ways to Succeed/Make Money" -item #51-75. So I clicked there and low and behold I smiled when I read #58!!!! Here's a guy who studies all facets of business everyday. Talks to hundreds of fortune 500 CEO's and Execs...travels all over the world speaking to thousands upon thousands weekly...and yet...READ what he rights as NUMBER FIFTY EIGHT!!
Click here to download the .pdf and see for yourself. (scroll down to see #58) I love it when I find business people whom I respect...and they validate my own ideas. LOVE THAT!!!
So I'll go ahead and say it here...if you don't have art in your place of work, where you live, and where you play...you're missing the boat. We ALL need inspiration around us to keep us pushing towards that person we're working to become!! Let it be ART!
happy inspiration! ...oh and check out www.tompeters.com and be prepared to be inspired!
Rachel

The next big thing!

Yep...it's time...for our second annual pottery show!
The opening reception for this super cool "all things stoneware" show and sale is Friday evening, January 25th from 7p-9p. Promise you won't want to miss this. I'm excited to say...I was able to hand pluck (right out of the artist's studio) some of the pottery that will be available to purchase at this show...and I also promise...if you love pottery...or just like it...you'll NOT be disappointed.
I was speaking with someone recently who I knew really loves pottery...and he said, "why is it that potters think we want the same color and design in all of our pottery? Isn't that the fun of having pottery? That each piece is unique and different?" Of course, I had to agree! I LOVE LOVE LOVE earthy pottery...so guess what we got for this show...just for YOU? Yep, you guessed it...earthy pottery. Hence the name: "From the Earth." So put it on your calendar...and I'll meet you here, in our very own downtown Jackson Tennessee. Friday night, January 25th at 7p. Don't be late...cause they're gonna go fast! need more info see www.dicksongallery.com/events.htm
Happiness, Rachel Dickson

Hurray for the arts!!

I just found out something of interest to me...and if you're an art lover...you'll likely be interested in this too. December 26, President George W. Bush signed an omnibus appropriations bill for FY 2008 that includes $144.7 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This represents an increase of $20.1 million over the 2007 funding level of $124.562 million.
Who KNEW??!! Haven't seen this one in the mainstream media...but...there it is!
Check out what the NEA had to say about it by click here:
http://www.nea.gov/news/news07/Budget2008.html
In owning and operating the Dickson Gallery of Fine Art...I've come to learn the value of the arts in our everyday lives...at work, at home and at play.
Onward for the Arts!

Marketing Miracle Phrases...how I use them!

One of the very important things I do here at the Dickson Gallery is marketing and promotion of our gallery artists, their artwork and of course gallery events. Writing press releases and coming up with "marketing jargon" for each and every one of these can be very challenging and time consuming. Until...I found this neat little tool I'd spend countless hours toiling over how to get across what I was attempting to promote. WOW! What a lifesaver/timesaver this little gem has proven to be over and over again.
Marketing Miracle Phrases was originally an e-book that one of my artists put together years ago when she was faced with the very same challenges...recreating sales lingo for items she creates. But now it's spiral bound! Jai is one of the most marketing minded artists I know...so who better to have compiled this book. The best part? It's only $19.95 and it's now spiral bound so you can refer to it over and over and over.
SOooooooooooo well worth EVERY penny!! I promise you that. This isn't one of those scam things...that you throw your money at...and you toss in it your trash can the next day. Oh no...this one's a keeper!! So if you recognize the value of having every word count in your marketing efforts...you'll purchase this book.
go see for yourself...I promise THIS is worth your taking a second to check it out.
www.MarketingMiraclePhrases.com
I have used this invaluable resource over and over an over in writing radio commercial ad scripts to post card mailers promoting gallery events to website copy. I'm very pleased with the built in value of this little gem...and I'm confident you will be too. Thank you Jai Johnson for seeing the need for this tool and putting it together and making it available for the rest of us!

Jazzin' it up!

I can't explain it...so I'm just gonna roll with it. I'm a jazz lover...but not just any jazz. I like the upbeat, tap your toe sorta jazz. I'm also an npr radio lover...and I discovered the COOLEST thing yesterday on www.npr.org. NPR Music! Oh my goodness!!! It's a plethara of online listening enjoyment. Interviews with well-known and unknown musicians, an ENTIRE Jazz section, a Folk Section and everything in between. Oh and there's even streaming concerts. And oh WOW...I can't speak enough about the Piano Jazz section.
Yes, music moves me...especially good music! I've fallen in love AGAIN with National Public Radio!! So check it out: www.npr.org/music/

Help us improve in 2008.

We're testing an online polling service...to better ourselves.
Please take a moment and cast your vote.
Cheers!
Rachel

Out with a bang? or In with a bang?

2008 ended on a solid note for the Dickson Gallery and for me personally. Naturally I have a personally attachment to the Dickson Gallery....I've been working to develop it for 3 years now. Friday night at the "New Year's Eve, Eve, Eve, Eve" celebration it was with utter pleasure I read the quote (found here in this blog) by Nelson Mandela that inspired me so in 2007.
I love writing...and of course, don't do near as much of it as I feel I should. It's my creative outlet...and yet...I love to write about my life experiences. So, on this first day back to work, I found myself at www.npr.org seeking to find the essay contribution section of npr. "This I Believe" has been airing since the 50's. Essays written by people about what they believe...things they hold dear...their core self. And so...as I scanned through recent submissions I came across one that reminded me of what I want 2008 to be for me, Rachel Dickson.
This essay written by Judith Jameson, from New York City reminded me of something that I've let slip over the past few years. Click here to read Judith's essay
In her essay she quotes Shakespeare in his brilliant statement, "This above all, to thine own self be true."
Judith is a dancer...and I found myself considering the similarities between expression in dance to expression in art, to expression in life itself. I've learned that the depths of despair awaits those who betray themselves and their own core beliefs. Nothing but misery resides there. Life presents us with many choices, but only the best results can come from "to thine own self be true." This is what I want my 2008 to be FULL of...Rachel, to thine own self be true. Settling is for wimps.
Onward to a stellar year. It's only day two...just imagine what the future holds!