The NYC gang- Ramomar Buckley, Greg Spalenka, Lynne Foster, Kari Christensen, Jerome Miller, Omari Cameron, Thomas Kowal, Matthew Wachnicki, (not shown Mel Odom, Charles Saputo, Nancy Hart).

AFTER

I just presented my AAB Workshop at the NYC Society of Illustrators with ten talented art professionals and college students. I want to thank Anelle Miller and Tom Stravinos at the Society for allowing the workshop to be held there. I am in gratitude to Mark Heflin at AI-AP for donating ten beautiful American Illustration Annuals for the participants. A thank you also to Karen Santry who is a true champion of the art spirit. It is always a pleasure to return to NYC even in freezing temperatures!

In my last post I shared someof these artist’s feelings BEFORE the workshop, now you will hear some AFTER workshop commentary. I will be adding comments to this post over the next week from the participants as they trickle in. Here are the first bunch...

"It was incredible Greg. I have been thinking about the workshop all week ."-Lynne Foster

"Just wanted to thank you again for this past weekend.  It was extremely helpful and your willingness and hard work really meant a lot to me. "-Matt Wachnicki

"The class was intriguing. Thanks for the insights."-Mel Odom

"I'm getting back on my creative track! Right now I'm drawing out sketches & designs. I designed a website I'm finishing up. It was definitely an honor to meet you & the group last week."-Jerome Miller

"It was a privilege to meet you and I truly enjoyed participating in your workshop."-Tom Kowal

"The workshop was great!  It was extremely inspirational... and gave me so many ideas and options to advance artistic opportunities.  The whole experience was much more than I had anticipated.  This workshop is definitely something that I would recommend to anyone who is aspiring to build their own career!  Greg is an excellent instructor with an immense amount of positive energy!  It was absolutely worth the time and energy."-Nancy Hart

"Wow. Thank you.You have finally put it all in perspective. I understand how to make my unique voice heard.  And even more importantly you have dug down and brought out my core. I see the power and goodness of where my heart is telling me to go. I see honesty and courage coming together to make something better than what society is comfortable with. I see that there are going to be people who don't understand, but for others I know they have been waiting for this- just like me. I can finally stop waiting and dive into a new blue sea.You are making the world better for artists and everyone that is seeking a fulfilling and loving life.Thank you for being so generous with your time.It was a sacred experience."-Kari Christensen

AFTER WORKSHOP QUESTIONS

1. Did the workshop prepare you to define your career in a new and empowered fashion?

Kari:Yes it did. I feel completely excited about my work. And I am also excited about helping other creatives with their work. I finally have a clear vision and a plan how to make it happen. I can let go of the creative frustration I had before the workshop and focus.

Matthew:I certainly have a sense of direction I didn't have before taking this class.  It was clear taking this workshop that the techniques we were learning are essential to getting ahead in today's market.

Tom:Yes, definitely. Discovering my core virtue has increased my confidence level, and the workshop in general helped me to think of myself as an entrepreneur.

Mel:It gave me some significant ideas on ways to broaden my scope.

Jerome: Yes, the techniques taught in the seminar pretty much put the pieces of the puzzle together.

2. Was it what you expected?Matthew:The workshop was more introspective than I anticipated but I found that to be very useful.  Beginning at the most basic level of who I see myself has helped to define not only what my niche markets can be but also the type of work I should be creating. Kari:I was hoping to find a creative focus and develop a business plan. It was that and more. It was an intense self discovery and a reprogramming of some cynicism I picked up from working in the illustration business.Tom:More.Mel:I really went with no expectations. Jerome:I wasn't really expecting anything much since the seminar was new to me, but I did like the results.3. Did you learn new ways to accomplish your creative and economic goals? Kari:There were great new ideas. And discussions about things I have been doing for awhile. The amazing thing is AAB puts everything in a manageable perspective that is based on the individual's personal vision. A five year plan no longer seems overwhelming.Matthew:I really appreciated the blueprint concept.  It's hard enough thinking a week a head, but I found it to be a very useful technique for setting realistic goals for myself and then working backwards to find ways to reach these goals. Tom:Yes. It gave me a blueprint to follow as well as practical advice, i.e. the nuts-and-bolts steps to take.Mel:Yes.Jerome: Yes, I'm more clear & organized on what I'm looking for & need to do.4. How was the teacher?Kari:Greg is an art guru and a great teacher. I don't know if there is anyone out there that can match his energy and heart for helping other artists.Matthew:Greg was fantastic.  He is deeply committed to this process and seemed to fully understand what each of us was looking to get out of this experience.  He really went the extra mile and it meant a lot. Tom:Excellent. I really felt Greg's sincerity in sharing his experience and information, as well as his commitment to every participant so he or she received the most value from the workshop. He gives 110% of himself.Mel:Committed.Jerome: Ridiculously Awesome! 5. Was the workshop worth the time, energy and investment? Kari:Obviously I am very happy with my experience. I could have used the information from the workshop years ago. For me, it tapped into the way I want to do my work and live my life. It was more than worth it.Matthew:This workshop was worth it for many different reasons.  I only wish I had taken this class sooner. These tips and techniques are beneficial regardless of career level or how much some of us had already accomplished.Tom:Yes. I'm making a list of friends to recommend it to.Mel: I think so.Jerome: I plowed through snow & slippery ice on a sloppy hill by foot to catch the metro north train a mile and a half away from my house to be on time for the last two classes in the city. But to give a direct answer, YES! Thank you everyone for your comments. As more responses to the questions arrive I will post them. I am humbled by the gratitude, and yet each of these individuals dove inside themselves to find their clarity and empowerment. They remembered their purpose, what was really important to them, and now can bring it to the world with an entrepreneurial art spirit.To your art prosperity,Greg

Mel Odom

BEFORE

I am presenting an AAB Workshop at the NYC Society of Illustrators this weekend with a group of talented art professionals and college students. I want to share someof the artist's BEFORE feelings about the workshop. The amazing Mel Odom, Matthew Wachnicki a recent graduate of SVA,  illustrator Kari Christensen, and FIT student, Ramomar answer some questions about what they expect from this weekend. Next week we will hear the AFTER workshop feedback.

Matthew Wachnicki

The art world is changing all around us at a rapid rate of speed. How do you see these changes affecting you?Mel: Clearly I have to function within the current art world.  Currently I’m dealing with a gallery in London and working on a toy project that I think would be huge in Japan.  One must now think in an international scope for one thing.  Also new media constantly expands the limits of how art can be used and misused.Matthew: I hear many scary things about the state of the illustration business today.  Our field is shrinking, paint and canvas are being replaced by a stylus and Cintiq tablet, stock illustration is the devil, and the current economy is making it harder for Art Directors to spend money on illustrations.  I've had a very hard time finding work up to this point and I can only assume that all of these factors are contributing to scarce opportunities. Kari:Digital tools have changed the way I create my work. These tools are helpful but they are also sometimes limited compared to traditional tools. Also there many outlets online for showing work. That is great until I find myself working on social media or fixing my website- when I would rather be painting and improving my work.Ramomar:The changes I see in the art World is similar to what I see happening to the music industry, you can't depend on the Record labels anymore, you have to go digital meaning CD sales are down. Most musicians make their money on tours now. It would be same for artists, you can no longer depend on a gallery, you have to put your self on tour to sell yourself. You have to have a online following as well as people you meet that support your work.

Kari Christensen

You are about to embark on the Artist As Brand Workshop this coming weekend. What do you feel the workshop is about and what do you expect from it?Mel: I’m hoping it’ll give me a better sense of how to function within this new, expanding (exploding) art world.  I’m very good at the creative, right brain part of it all, just not so good at the other side.Matthew:I learned about this workshop on the Society of Illustrators website and I'm very eager to experience it first hand.  I'm hoping to be able to set specific realistic goals for myself as far as which markets I should be targeting and the ways in which I should be approaching art directors.  Also any advice regarding my painting and the development of an individual look would be extremely helpful. Kari:I feel like the workshop is about focusing my vision and business plan and I hope to learn how to do that.Ramomar:I feel the workshop is a great way to listen to someone who had a long run in their art career with the ups and downs they experienced, and how they got out of it so you can prepare yourself for your own ups and downs too.

Ramomar

Do you have any specific goals you feel the workshop will help accomplish?Mel: Perhaps look at my body of work from a different, broader perspective.  Sometimes seeing one’s self and one’s strengths is difficult.Kari:Hopefully it will really help the struggle of focusing my vision. The workshop would be worth gold to me if I can discover a path that can bring these different artistic visions together or at least prioritize them in some way.  From there I want to map out a business plan for that vision.Matthew: I graduated from the School of Visual Arts last May.  Since then the majority of clients I've worked with have wanted me to emulate very specific styles and I've found myself trying to replicate specific looks (Edward Gorey, Frank Frazetta, etc.)  which don't necessarily look anything like my 'normal' work.  Like most young illustrators I'm very 'style conscious' and while I don't feel that my work has a definitive look or style to it yet I'm confident that I'll find my true voice eventually.  What I'm really hoping to get out of this workshop is a better idea of how to define myself to potential clients in the mean time.Were you familiar with Greg Spalenka before the workshop? Why do you believe he is qualified to teach anything?!Mel:I know of your name and work and I’m just taking a chance in an effort to expand myself.Matthew:I was first exposed to Greg's work my freshman year of college while flipping through one of the Spectrum books.  What immediately stood out to me was the vibrancy of the colors.  I also very much enjoy the subtle layering in the work which in some cases reminds me of collage.  I have absolutely no reason to think he wouldn't be qualified to teach, and the stellar reviews on the artist as brand website seem to back up that assumption.Kari: I have always enjoyed Spalenka's illustration work and I have heard from others that he is an inspiring teacher. He has made a career out of a unique mystical and personal vision and that by itself is inspiring to me.Ramomar:I really didn't know about Greg Spalenka until my mentor Karen Santry mentioned him and I check out his works and liked them, so it's good to listen to someone who has long experience selling their artwork.Did you face resistance from anyone about taking the workshop? Was it a tough decision? Did you confront any of your own fears before committing to it?Mel:No tough decision, snap decision.Matthew:There was absolutely no resistance in deciding to take this workshop.  After researching it a bit and reading the reviews on the website it seemed like it would be a great opportunity and I didn't hesitate.Kari: The workshop was recommended to me so I felt I would be missing out if I didn't take it. Now that I have read Greg's bio online, I realize he knows what I'm thinking about and I could have used this years ago. I am really excited.Ramomar:I was advised to take this workshop. This would be the first time I took one.Thank you Mel, Matthew, Kari and Ramomar for your responses! We will see you soon! I will return next week with the AFTER feedback.To peace, art, prosperity,Greg

The NYC Society of Illustrators has requested to keep the results of this survey confidential. The Society will contact their members directly about how to review the results. There will be many other survey opportunities here on AAB to learn how artist are faring in the world, and the tactics they are using to empower their prosperity.  Stay tuned!