Painting is hard - particularly at the end of the process. Two steps forward, nine steps back. A great deal more time staring at the easel than actively painting.
Read More
I asked William Coppage, my old friend and forner director of the Washington County Economic Alliance, to help flesh out a fun weekend in and around Greenville. Here are some of his suggestions, along with my comments.
Read More
We often don’t know what we don’t know, which can be paralyzing when starting something new. This POW will prompt you to have necessary conversations with yourself, your collaborators, and your community, such as: “What are we really trying to do here? Why does it matter? What is our timeline/budget/materials? Who’s doing what by when? How do we know if this has been a successful effort?”
Read More
Last week, I invited folks to share how to speak Iowegian.
To be completely transparent, I was pleasantly surprised with the level of response, even the arguments between was what authentically Iowan versus Minnesotan. Enjoy.
Read More
Being a Mississippian, I was raised among and around the best of the best storytellers, and didn’t appreciate it until I left. Looking back, my brother and I probably should have followed both our parents around with tape recorders to capture their offhanded bits and pieces.
So I made an informal poll and asked fellow ‘Sippians about the weird stuff we say. Their replies are below. I’ll try my best to translate for the rest of y’all. Here goes.
Read More
A small town of 1800 residents in Quitman County in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Marks played a big role in the histories of Civil Rights and American music. In June 2019 (which seems like a lifetime ago), I spent time with Mrs. Velma Benson-Wilson, the former Quitman County Administrator and current Director of Tourism and Economic Development for Quitman County, to hear her stories and the history of the area. She also gave me a wonderful list of what to see and do while in Quitman County for a weekend.
Read More
“On May 13, 2021, history was made once again in Marks, Mississippi. After three years of planning and hard work… the Civil Rights Marks Mule Train Interpretive Trail was unveiled to commemorate the 53rd Anniversary of the 1968 Mule Train & Martin Luther King, Jr’s Poor People’s Campaign.
This historic trail showcased eleven markers, displaying the history and activities, which took place fifty-three years ago of Dr. King’s visit to Marks/Quitman County, and earned Marks the duly distinction of being known as the ‘Home of the Mule Train.’ ” Text by Velma Benson-Wilson and Cynthia Goodloe Palmer
Read More
Wait. What day is it? I don't know about you, but this pops into my head everyday before New Year's Eve.
In the spirit of providing you with entertainment options while you too are wondering what day it is, I created a short list of things I enjoyed reading, watching, and listening to in 2022.
Say what?
Artist who?
In a sentence, Artist Relocation Programs attempt to lure artists to live and work in their communities, knowing full well that artists can transform places.
Read More
If you’re a civic leader, or part of a community organization, you may consider the benefit of inviting a local artist to be a part of what you’re doing. Or you could invite a non-local artist to live in your community for bit. We creatives thrive on transforming a set of challenges into a new possibility. Our brains are wired to see potential, to see something better.
Read More
I heart road trips times infinity. In the summer of ‘98, nineteen-year-old me drove from Mississippi to southwest Virginia. Hopping in a car for a dozen hours has been an impulse ever since. With road trips on my brain, I tapped my online community to see what sage wisdom they had. Gather round, folks.
Read More
A big part of The What’s Good Project involves traveling around to different communities and convincing folks - many of whom have never met or heard of me - to tell me stories about inspiring aspects of where they live.
My mother is a journalist. My father is a trial lawyer. I majored in cultural anthropology. I’m also a Southerner. I come by asking strangers personal questions pretty naturally.
Read More
Greetings! In this final installation (see what I did there) of how to hang art on your walls, we’ll be going over the nuts and bolts (ha) of the hanging part, i.e. what tools you need, measuring formulas, and best practices for showcasing your work in the best light possible (it’s just too easy).
Read More
My awesome intern Paige created this short video about the evolution of Deep Roots, the final painting inspired a conversation I had in 2019 with Drick Rodgers and Julia Rodgers Clark in Rolling Fork, Mississippi.
Read More
Placing art within a space can be intimidating, particularly if you’re a newbie. Where should it go? How do you create a meaningful visual experience in your home? Do you need all new furniture to match new work? And finally, how do you hang art, particularly if you’re allergic to power tools?
Let’s walk through some of these questions one by one.
Read More
I am cheap. I come from a long line of proud cheapskates. My mother had us bring home Ziploc bags from our lunchboxes so she could wash and reuse them. I am incapable of throwing cardboard boxes away and I make my own damn chicken broth. I try to trick myself into believing I’m some kind of misplaced pioneer or a diehard environmentalist, but really, I am cheap. So no surprise that when I absolutely must frame something, you better believe I am going to find a “vintage” option. Here’s a list of tips that I use to find perfectly good frames to upcycle.
Read More
Last week, I wrote a little about discerning whether you need a frame or not.
And you may have thought “I just spent a bunch of money, so it’d be great NOT to frame” or decided “I want to display my cool postcard or print collection and I do NOT want to wait until I can afford frames for all 78 of them.”
Congrats! You’re not alone! And you have lots of options!
Read More
I once taught a class at Iowa State University on how to run a gallery and how to use the gallery to engage the local community. One of the first classes each semester was on how to install an art exhibition. This involved spreadsheets, cleaning supplies, post-it notes, levels, drills, and lots of math. I get a lot of questions from friends and family on the reg about where and how to frame and hang their art, so I thought I would share some insight.
Read More
Welcome back! For the past two weeks, we’ve discussed why you should begin an art collection, and how to start an art collection. This final segment is a best-practices-approach to buying art: connecting with artists, supporting their practice, and purchasing their work.
Read More
Maybe you definitely would like to support more artists and buy more art, and you have no idea where to begin. You’re in luck! Here are a couple steps to get you clear on the art and artists you’d like to support, plus a few ideas on how to find these wonderful folks.
Read More