{"id":5153,"date":"2015-06-21T12:00:43","date_gmt":"2015-06-21T12:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.clarissarizal.com\/blogblog\/?p=5153"},"modified":"2015-06-22T19:55:04","modified_gmt":"2015-06-22T19:55:04","slug":"clarissas-studio-part-5-the-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clarissarizal.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/clarissas-studio-part-5-the-office\/","title":{"rendered":"Clarissa’s Studio Part 5: “The Office”"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Clarissa's<\/a>

Clarissa’s desk sports a 6-year-old Samsung “SyncMaster XL2370” monitor linked to her 6-year-old MacBook<\/p><\/div>\n

10 years ago, I didn’t even know how to turn on a computer. \u00a0I refused to spend any time in the world of technology; like why would I need it, right? \u00a0There’s only so much time in the day and I’d rather create than look at a computer screen for hours. \u00a0Even though I had an official website since 1998 when most artists did not (only because my friend Cecil insisted I had a website so he created it), for the first nearly 8 years whenever I received an email from someone commenting on my work on my website, I always had to\u00a0ask my kids to pull up my website to see what the inquirer was talking about and at that time it was a chore to do so! \u00a0Since then, my attitude has changed. \u00a0I had to surrender to the fact that every business interaction was all on line; there was no need for a hard copy of anything. \u00a0Not even what’s inside my wallet.<\/p>\n

\"Clarissa's<\/a>

Clarissa’s office in relationship to her living room<\/p><\/div>\n

My attitude changed too when I began taking control of how my website required many choices: the lay out, the choice of colors, the photographs, the text, etc. \u00a0I began to see the artistry of a website design. \u00a0I truly appreciate having a daughter in the family who enjoys creating websites. \u00a0She also encouraged me to blog nearly 5 years ago even though I initially resisted.<\/p>\n

\"Clarissa's<\/a>

Clarissa’s office in relationship to her sewing space<\/p><\/div>\n

In reality, I spend 1\/3 of my year creating actual product, 1\/3 doing administrative work, and 1\/3 doing marketing. \u00a0Creating actual artwork is the best\u00a0part; maintaining the business end of keeping one’s self from being a starving artist is 2\/3 the work which includes: drafting up proposals, applying for grants, responding to emails, attending to bookkeeping, keeping track of receipts, applying to do art markets or artist residencies, doing the taxes, packaging and shipping artwork, preparing for, traveling to, attending and setting up\/taking down an art market, researching and ordering supplies, updating the website, photographing the art, comparing insurance, posting blog entries, maintaining the vehicle, cleaning and maintaining the work space, and filing papers, etc.<\/p>\n

\"Clarissa's<\/a>

Clarissa’s office from the perspective of the kitchenette<\/p><\/div>\n

I spend at least half of my time as an artist in business on the computer. \u00a0I spend at least half my time sitting in this office. \u00a0Some artists have enough income to pay someone else to do the administrative\/marketing aspect. \u00a0I have yet to make that kind of income to afford even a rental with running water and sewer,\u00a0 let alone an administrative assistant. \u00a0Though some day you will know when I have an administrative assistant. \u00a0She will be the one who answers the call from you!<\/p>\n

\"Clarissa's<\/a>

Clarissa’s weaving area from the perspective of her office<\/p><\/div>\n

People wonder if I even have a home. \u00a0Folks want to know where I live and work because it seems I travel a lot (though I have yet to afford a vacation.). \u00a0“Clarissa’s Studio” is a 9-part series showing the 9 areas of Clarissa’s studio where I work full-time and live part of the year in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.\u00a0 As you know by now, I remodeled a 2-car garage about 10 years ago as a studio without running water or sewer system because I had no plans of using this space as a place of residence.\u00a0 I had no idea that years later, because of big changes in my personal life, I would not be able to afford paying rent anywhere else. so for nearly 4 years I have weathered insufficient heat during the winter and the inconveniences of not having a real kitchen and a bathroom, until someday I can afford a real home.<\/p>\n

Over the next three months (starting this past May),\u00a0 I will introduce you to various parts of my humble 700 sq.ft. sanctuary divided into sections. \u00a0Here are the parts of\u00a0\u201cClarissa\u2019s Studio Series\u201d:<\/p>\n