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Health & Fitness

How Artists Can Show Gratitiude This Holiday Season

         During the holiday months of November, December and January, our attention turns towards gathering with friends and family to share in the year’s abundance, brightening our homes with holiday decorations and lights, enjoying parties, sharing gifts, and finally opening to a new year with renewed intentions. It’s a time for gratitude, reflection, and renewing.

 

         For us creatives, these next three months can be a time to share our artwork through gift giving, and donating to auctions, and charities. What better way to show our appreciation to art organizations that promote the arts and artists then by donating art? Most non-profit art organizations depend on donations from the private sector so this is a great way for artists to help. Many groups host holiday fairs and bazaars, taking a percentage of the sales to support their cause. Here is an opportunity to sell your work as well as donate some of the proceeds. Again, artists help by providing the art and in return benefit through the new connections made in sales as well as building their art following.

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         Maybe you’ll choose another way to give. Donate by renewing a membership to a local museum or a public broadcasting television station. Perhaps you’ll choose to give your hand knitted items to a worthy organization or help out at the local homeless shelter on Thanksgiving.

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         As the holidays approach you can give a gift of your art to a friend or loved one who has shown an interest in one of your works. Not up to giving your artwork as a gift?  Then get creative in other ways with baked gifts from the kitchen, to hand made wreaths or a potted plant from your garden.  Print a book of your photographs, hand illustrate cards, record your music on a cd or frame a poem.  What better way to share your creativity, your time and say 'thank you' with a hand made gift.

 

         For artists who want to give a thoughtful gift to the galleries they have worked with all year, a small giclee given as thank you is always appreciated. Likewise a gift to their collectors either in the form of a print, or a simple thank you note is appropriate. Ways in which you thank friends, family and business or art clients can also include store bought gifts such as an invitation to lunch or dinner, a bottle of wine, a bouquet of flowers, or a box of candy.  Whatever you feel comfortable giving, taking into account the client, friend or gallery’s tastes.

 

         At the New Year, renew your commitment to art by continuing to build, honor and sustain your creative life. Build by developing new ways to enrich and improve your art. Take a class to learn a new skill or hone an existing one. Honor your creativity by sharing your art with others through exhibits, fairs and workshops. Sustain your creativity with peer support and community involvement. Join an art organization, volunteer at a community center or coach young artists.

 

         These next three months are full of activity. This is a wonderful time to share with others your creative gifts, appreciate the gifts that others have to offer and acknowledge the support of friends and family. Enjoy!

 

Pam Fingado © 2013

Fingado Art Services

Coaching and Consulting for a Creative Life

510 593-9081 
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