Still improvising

I'm taking a big leap in my own perception of my work this month. I've decided to apply for a Minnesota State Arts Board artist initiative grant...due June 2! They say that Minnesota is the land of lakes (and treatment centers...we're famous for our recovery facilities), but really it's the land of artists. I went to an informational session on the grant last week and the room was nearly full up of artists all interested in applying for the grant. The top award is $6,000....just enough to encourage you, but not enough to pick up and move to Italy, for example. The moderator said 1 in 5 visual artists generally receive a grant, so I'm not overly optimistic. I'm mostly doing it for the discipline of writing about my work and my goals. A process like this often crystallizes previously cloudy concepts and benefits other work, often without even being aware of it.
I'll need to give them 9 samples (or pictures) of my work. Since the January experiment in documenting my work, I haven't progressed much. A friend suggested that I try again, but go outside on a hazy day when the light is somewhat filtered by the clouds. So I gathered up a white sheet, a few display fixtures to hold my books and boxes and went outside this overcast morning to experiment.

It's too bad that my neighbors aren't blog readers, as I know they're watching out their window and wondering what I'm doing. And Bella has been in and out checking on me as well. (I wonder if a friendly dog nose in a picture would help my case in front of the grant panel?) But even as the sun was still in the east, I started to get some decent pix. I'll keep experimenting all day...you have to love the digital camera...but my first efforts have definitely been rewarding. Many thanks, friend!