The Making of an Artist: Part I – Talking to the Inner Critic

Shadow Tree

Shadow Tree © 2011 Bo Mackison

A lot can happen in a year. A whole lot!

Exactly a year ago, Sherpa and I went to the Tubac Festival of Art with a couple we knew from Phoenix. The woman had been an artist on the art fair circuit for 15+ years, and we asked them if they would come with us to the art fair. I wanted to walk the show, ask questions, learn the ins and outs of being an art show artist from an experienced show artist, from a pro.

I was at the earliest of stages of considering whether or not I might exhibit my photography at outside art fairs. I remember how overwhelmed I’d felt after walking the art fair for several hours. My friend had provided informal lessons on topics such as tent and canopy quality, and on weighting tents for the worst kinds of weather. I’d taken snapshots of canopies and attached awnings for sun or rain protection, of staking systems that held a tent firmly in place. I’d learned about different ways of showing my art — panel systems, grid systems, mesh systems.

I also remember looking at the many kinds of art that were at the festival. I kept looking…and looking…and looking.

Finally I gave myself permission to allow the tiniest thought to spring to life. It said: “I think I can do that!”

It didn’t take long before all the gremlins in my head joined forces and started spitting out their thoughts on the subject: “Ha, ha, ha! YOU aren’t an artist!” “You can’t make art that someone would pay REAL money for.” “You’re an introvert–you could never be a show artist. Why, you would have to TALK to people. Ha ha ha!”

“You can’t…”  “You aren’t…” You don’t…” Oh, those crazy voices in my head were so loud, so persistent.

I did want to share my art. I did want to see if I could sell my photography on more than just an occasional basis. But I had so many concerns, questions, fears, uncertainties. So many questions flooded my head!

Was my art good enough? Did I have what it takes to work the art show circuit? How would I manage the traveling, the overnights away from home, the packing and unpacking, the physical stamina required to set up and take down a booth, and work in the booth for two, three, even five day shows?

The last questions I asked were the hardest. Did I have what it takes to be an artist? Did I have any talent? Could I really be successful?

I returned to Wisconsin knowing I needed to give these questions some soul-searching thought. It would take me several months before I began to answer any of them.

Part 2: The Making of An Artist: Start Up

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is living in Tucson for the next eight weeks, exhibiting her photography in art fairs, taking photographs in deserts and desert gardens, and blogging about learning to live on her own. Her mantra is “Bo goes solo!”

Clydesdales at Tubac

Clydesdales at Tubac Festival of the Arts

Clydesdales at Tubac

Today was the opening day of the Tubac Festival of Arts in Tubac, Arizona. After yesterday’s windy day during set-up for the show, the weather for the first day of the five day art festival was mild and warm, and of course, sunny.

One hundred and seventy artists from throughout the country set up their art booths along the streets of Tubac, amidst the artist colony’s galleries, shops, restaurants, and studios.  Clydesdales pull trolleys throughout the town since no cars are allowed on the streets during the fair.

I was lucky enough to get a booth placement near one of the trolley stops (at the corner of Hesselbarth Lane and Tubac Road).  What  magnificent animals they are! (You can see my booth to the left of the horses, look for the the white and green sign.)

Seeded Earth Studio will be at the Tubac Festival of Art for the remainder of the show, February 10 through 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Stop and say hello!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is living in Tucson for the next eight weeks, exhibiting her photography in art fairs, taking photographs in deserts and desert gardens, and blogging about learning to live on her own. Visit as she writes about living and working in Tucson. Her mantra is “Bo goes solo!”

Three Cars and Yucca

Three Cars and Yucca

Three Cars and Yucca © 2011 Bo Mackison

I’m barely into my Grand Adventure and I already ran into a snafu. Not a bad snafu, just a time sucking one. And there are times when you can’t do much of anything about time drains, except admit you aren’t going to get everything done you’d planned to get done.

One can only go so fast hauling a trailer, and we lost travel time due to traveling in storms, so we drove fifteen hours straight to get to Tucson as scheduled.

The place I’ve rented for a couple of months is perfect for what I need – small, but not too small; in a quiet area, but not too quiet; plenty of open space and desert surroundings. Unfortunately, the promised computer hook-up was not available, so I couldn’t download any of the travel photographs or do much computer work last night or most of today.

Today was set-up day for the Tubac Festival of the Arts which runs from Wednesday through Sunday. (More info in tomorrow’s post.) I managed to set up part of my art booth, but then the Spring winds kicked in. And they packed a mighty wallop. I was just too darn exhausted to wrestle together my art booth while being battered by high, gusty winds. I’ll return early tomorrow morning to finish the booth and hang my photography canvases and prints. The show starts at 10, so I’ll have a little extra time if I get an early start.

I do want to mention the very best part of my day however. (Even days that aren’t going as planned can have great, unexpected moments!)

I was sitting on my patio this morning, only a few minutes after the sun rose into view above the mountains, sipping a cup of coffee. And a road runner strutted right through my back yard.

Now that may not be too exciting for anyone who has lived in the West, but I have to tell you, I have never seen a road runner close up – cartoon “beep-beep” road runners do not count. And I have surely never, ever visited with a road runner over early morning coffee – until today!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is living in Tucson for the next eight weeks, exhibiting her photography in art fairs, taking photographs in deserts and desert gardens, and blogging about learning to live on her own. Visit as she writes about living and working in Tucson. Her mantra is “Bo goes solo!”

The Agonies and the Ecstasy

Ranch Entrance

Snowy Ranch

Yesterday was full of challenges and joys. Perhaps it was an indication of what is to come in the next eight weeks – days full of challenges and joys, intermingled with everyday activities such as laundry and cooking.

First, the challenges: We were traveling along I-40 in the Texas Panhandle when the storm began – first a few icy plops on the windshield, then sheets of sleet, then finally wet, sloppy snow. Since we are Wisconsinites, we didn’t have an inordinate amount of difficulty driving in the messy, white stuff.

However, there were plenty of other drivers who refused to slow down so they could drive safely on the road.  And there were many, many more semi-truck drivers whose sole ambition in life was perhaps to prove that no matter what the weather, they could still drive 85 mph on any Interstate constructed by man.

Many of these drivers were wrong, as was quickly proven when two semi-drivers had rollovers and effectively blocked the west-bound lanes of I-40 heading into Albuquerque. Dozens of cars and jack-knifed semis also stopped in various states of distress along the roads, as reported by the New Mexico DOT. (We were a few hours behind these numerous accidents, on I-40 West, heading towards a Super Bowl party in Albuquerque.)

Considering that first of all, the roads weren’t much fun (or safe) to drive on, and second of all, there was no scenery to see in the white-out conditions, and third, the road ahead of us was closed for no telling how long, we did the sane thing. We stopped at the first town we came to, Tucumcari, and got a hotel room.

The weather and the driving was the agonies part. (Some of the other drivers were down right scary, and Sherpa drove in silence, with his teeth clenched, for at least 30  miles.)

The ecstasy part came next. The hotel provide plenty of activity: we caught up on our laundry that we’d hauled, wet and dirty, from Madison; we luxuriated in the hot tub; we ordered out Chinese food; we walked across the street to a gas station for beer and tequila; and then we turned on the television just as the Super Bowl game–not the hype–was about to kick-off.

We enjoyed a most marvelous game between our beloved Green Bay Packers and their worthy opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers. And the ecstasy part: Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25. Yes, the Green Bay Packers won — they are the Super Bowl Champions!

So Sunday was a great introduction to my adventure–a bit of agony, a bit of ecstasy. Oh, and I took 322 photographs, many of which I deleted, but there were a few fun ones I kept to document the snowy weather in Texas and New Mexico.

And tonight? If all goes well, we arrive in Tucson tonight, a few hours behind schedule, but we’ll arrive at the condo tonight. Hurrah!

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Bo Mackison is a photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She is living in Tucson for the next eight weeks, exhibiting her photography in art fairs, taking photographs in deserts and desert gardens, and blogging about learning to live on her own. Visit as she writes about living and working in Tucson. Her mantra is “Bo goes solo!”

Snow: It’s Everywhere, It’s Everywhere!

Wisconsin Minimalism

 Blue Landscape at Sunset © 2011 Bo Mackison

Today is the third day of our four day road trip to Tucson.

So far, we’ve traveled through five states–Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma–and we have three more to visit–Texas, New Mexico and Arizona–before we arrive at our final destination. I’ve traveled in these southern tier states during winter, but I’ve never seen so much snow this far south and west in February.

Heavy snow and peaked drifts on the sides of the roads in Kansas, snow piles five feet deep in Oklahoma. Then we hit a rainstorm in Oklahoma City which turned the roads into slushy puddles. And west of Oklahoma City, there is more bitter cold weather, snow and then sleet predicted for later today. Weather has been a challenge for people in all parts of the country this year!

Today is also Super Bowl Sunday – Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. I’ve been a Packer fan since moving to Wisconsin more than three decades ago. It’s hard NOT to be a Packer Backer when you live in Wisconsin! (Though I do not own a Cheesehead hat.)

Depending on how our travels go, we’ll either watch the game with wonderful blogging friends in the Albuquerque area, or we’ll stop at the first hotel we see along I-40 when kick-off time approaches. After all, the Packers haven’t played in a Super Bowl in 14 years. Can’t miss kick-off! Nor do I think it’s safe to drive the car while listening to the Super Bowl on the radio. Just saying’!

I’m hoping for good weather today and light traffic because I would love to cheer for my Packers in the company of friends!

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Bo Mackison is the photographer and owner of Seeded Earth Studio LLC. She will be living in Tucson for the next eight weeks, exhibiting her photography in art fairs, taking photographs in deserts and desert gardens, and blogging about learning to live on her own. Visit as she writes about living and working in Tucson. Her mantra is “Bo goes solo!”