Tag: vision board

December 31, 2013

Vision for 2014 in a Word: Focus

For the past few years, I have marked the end of the year with a post envisioning my goals for the next year. I have created “vision boards” in past years, following a trend that claimed that visualizing goals with representative images will make it more likely that the goals will be realized.

I have had mixed results with my past vision boards. Some of the same goals have been posted and re-posted, yet, my progress on them has been haphazard.

I am a visual person, so bringing an image to a goal is more fun than exercise for me. I suspect that takes away from the impact of a vision board for me.

So this year, I am not posting any images other than the one that you see above. Instead, I am going to post a word -one word only- that, I hope, will characterize my desired direction for 2014.

FOCUS

A person can have great ideas and visualizations. But without focus, those ideas either fail to be implemented, or their implementation is scattered. For me, it has been the latter, especially in 2013.

I believe that I needed to take a scattered approach previously. Being new to the concept of entrepreneurship and the business of art, I needed to try new things and I needed to explore without being definitive of my purpose. But it is time to get serious now.

I know where I want to go. I know what elements of my repertoire that I want to emphasize. And I know what things may tempt me, but actually can end up becoming mission creep.

For 2014, I plan to focus on my pet portraiture as my main activity. I plan to establish 4 lines of work in this area:

Premiere Contemporary Custom Pet Portrait Paintings (formerly called Pop Art Style portraits)
Contemporary Folk Art Pet Portrait Paintings (formerly called Folk Art Style portraits)
Contemporary Pet Portrait Drawings (new)
Contemporary Digital Pet Portraits (new)

I will create other artworks as well, however, I am not going to pursue the market for these items as rigorously as I have in the past. If opportunities arise, I will consider them, but I am not going to beat the bushes for the opportunities. Less emphasized will be:

Paint-a-thon paintings and drawings
Public Art
Community and Social Awareness artworks

I will continue Okey’s Promise based artworks, however, these will likely be scaled back to smaller projects. I will also continue creating artworks that are part of my creative drive and simply call out to me to be created.

I have chosen my areas of focus for both business and artistic reasons. Pet Portraits are my most popular creative items from a profit perspective, but they also are my best work. I enjoy creating them. I enjoy the interaction with the pet lovers who commission portraits, and I feel artistically challenged with each new work. It makes sense on many levels to focus my creative and business energy in this direction.

On January 4, 2014, I will debut a completely restructured website with this new focus. New items will be announced and new pricing structures to accommodate various budgets will be established. I hope that you will like the new look and focus!

The new site will have a completely new URL, however, the current URL will be redirected to the new one. All previous blog posts will be migrated to the new site. I will post the new information for RSS feeds and posts to email here on January 4. This site will remain, however, eventually it will have all site info directing to the new site.

I am looking for 2014 to be a great year for BZTAT Studios. I hope that your year is grand as well.

Happy New Year!

December 31, 2012

2013 Vision Board – It’s gonna be a great year!

It has become my annual tradition to create a vision board as I welcome the new year in and say goodbye to the old one.

The purpose of creating a vision board is to define your outcomes and goals, allow them to manifest in your life, and share your vision with others to make your intentions more powerful.

I created vision boards for 2011 and 2012, and I shared them here on my blog. I accomplished some goals, and I am still working on others. (I still haven’t gotten off the Super Size Me Diet).

On my accomplished list: I did publish my book, and I did complete the second Okey’s Promise Project, which will begin touring this year. I did create and sell a lot of paintings and other artworks. I did put together a licensing portfolio.

On my not yet accomplished list: I have not yet developed any significant or lucrative licensing contracts, and I have not yet increased my wealth substantially. I have not done as much public speaking as I would like.I still have to plunk quarters in a washer and dryer that is in the dungeon of my apartment building.

On my always in progress list: Although I sometimes lament that change is a slow and crooked journey, I have continued to do my part to change my world for the better.

So here is my vision board for 2013. Some things from previous years have reappeared, and there are some new things. I hope to check back throughout the year to review and reflect on my progress!

Create my third Okey’s Promise project – a mural on a building in Barberton, OH, that educates and inspires people around the world to take action against animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence.

Okey’s Promise Art for a Cause mural sketch

.Write and publish another book, or two, or three..

Continue to develop Brewskie Butt into a character for licensing and merchandising various products.

Paint lots of portraits of cool dogs and develop enriching relationships with the people in their lives.

Paint lots of portraits of cool cats and develop enriching relationships with the people in their lives.

Do more public speaking and consultation.

Increase my wealth and manage it more effectively. REALLY. I mean it this time.

Have appliances that don’t require quarters INSIDE my residence. Seriously. This is #1 on my bucket list.

Try harder to get off the Super Size Me Diet. REALLY. I mean it this time.

Continue to do my part to make the world a better place.

I hope that you have creative visions for 2013 as well. Happy New Year to you. May all your visions and best imaginations come true!

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

January 1, 2012

2012 Vision Board – It's gonna be a great year!

I am not really one to ascribe to the law of attraction philosophy that is often attached to the creation of vision boards. I do think that making a visual representation of your goals is helpful in realizing them, though.

I created a vision board in 2010 and I shared it here on my blog. Some of the goals were accomplished and others remain in process. There were a couple that I pretty much failed at. Yeah, I am still on the Super Size Me Diet.

This year I am focusing on developing my artwork into a marketable creative product so that I can live comfortably while creatively enhancing the world that I live in. I am now a full time artist, so this is my most important priority.

As I will be turning 50 this year, I am also realizing the need to focus more on the people, creatures and things that I cherish most. Although I tend to be more private about such things, I would be remiss to ignore that here.

So here is my vision board. I hope to check back throughout the year to review and reflect on my progress!

In 2012 My Vision is to:

Create a traveling exhibit that educates and inspires people around the world to take action against animal abuse, child abuse and domestic violence.

Publish my first picture book and subsequent books as well.

Create and market a comprehensive art licensing portfolio to potential manufacturers.

Develop Brewskie Butt into a character for licensing and merchandising various products.

Paint lots of portraits of cool dogs and develop enriching relationships with the people in their lives.

Paint lots of portraits of cool cats and develop enriching relationships with the people in their lives.

Do more public speaking and consultation.

Increase my wealth and manage it more effectively.

Try harder to get off the Super Size Me Diet.

Enhance and enrich my relationships with family, friends and others whom I hold dear.

Love on my fabulous 5 felines as much as I possibly can.

Do my part to make the world a better place.

I hope that you have creative visions for 2012 as well. May you have the most pleasant and inspiring adventures in 2012! Happy New Year!