Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Sneak Preview

Moi, Dot Com


Coming soon to a browser near you.

Since I'm sure you haven't been able to sleep wondering what it will look like, here's a screen grab of my embryonic Web site. The design is final, but the page contents are not.

What remains is to prepare the images and build the pages. I am hoping for a launch some time next week. No, it don't look like much right now. Just you wait.

Point Well Taken

I've received so much encouragement from those of you who read my blog, and I've soaked up every word like a sponge. One recent comment really made me stop and think. This was from QueerJoe, in his characteristic tell-it-like-it-is tone:

"I'm convinced that success in the world of art is much more about marketing and balls than about talent. How many incredible artists do you know who have no exposure whatsoever?"

Joe's right. I've known this was true in the back of my mind for years. After all, for the length of recorded history (and possibly longer) art and commerce have been inseparably linked. The propagation of a good reputation was vital to survival for Rubens, Titian and Rembrandt and that's still the case today, unless one wants to be an "outsider artist." (I don't.)

And of course, the reverse is also true. I can think of dozens of artists in all media who have no talent or skill whatever,* yet who have been pumped into prominence through the power of aggressive marketing.

This comment reminded me why I'm busting my ass putting all this stuff together. I may not have the best camera or the best eye, but I'll be damned if I'm going to miss an opportunity because I don't have promotional materials that are the best they I can make them. Twelve years of work in marketing and PR has got to benefit me in some way sooner or later.

Sweater News

Last night, I finished sleeve two of the Rhinebeck sweater, and tonight the two sleeves and the body get joined together in preparation for the final march to the collar.

You won't see any more photos of the sweater until it's done. I'm doing some stuff with it that I have never seen done before, and I'd like to keep the design sub rosa until it's complete. Nothing is new in knitting, but this is weird enough that if it works, it may at least be fairly unusual.

Of course, if something goes wrong you can bet you'll read about it here.

*Sorry, Britney. It's not my fault you were put on this earth solely to demonstrate that P.T. Barnum was right. Although judging from your record sales, we're now up to two or three every minute.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Franklin,
What kind of knitter are you?
http://www.quizilla.com/users/Nyxael/quizzes/Are%20you%20a%20knitter%3F
I'm a granny.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the bday wishes, however late they were. And congrats on maintaining your integrity. For me, it boils down to you and your art. Stay true to it. Period. You DO get places by talent alone - and I happen to believe you will end up somewhere important and no doubt where you belong. As cliched as it is, To thine own self be true....

Calvin said...

I think your new web site is going to be terrific. I like the way it looks so far from the "sneak peak". Eagerly awaiting pictures of the finished sweater.

Anonymous said...

"I can think of dozens of artists in all media who have no talent or skill whatever,* yet who have been pumped into prominence through the power of aggressive marketing."

The French Salon at the time of the Impressionists immediately comes to mind.

Anonymous said...

Good people in so many fields don't get where they deserve to be because they worry about self-promotion. I'm glad you have accepted it as an important part of achieving your dream. Good work deserves recognition.

Unknown said...

Lily Chin, aka the Tiny Diva, comes to mind. Greatest self-promoter in the knitting "universe." Arguably one of the worst designers.

The web site design is clean, attractive and professionally done. Good on ya. And exactly what I would expect. Looking forward to seeing it go live.

Ann said...

I like your attitude about your work..the spunk of the post. There are lots of people cheering for you on the sidelines. Who wants to wake up in 20 years and say "if only, or what if"? Go for it and give it your best shot that's all any of us can truly do...you are very talented in many ways. It's time to shine...

birdfarm said...

It's not just art--success in any arena seems to be 90% balls and attitude. I learned this working for a Fortune 1000 corporation on Wall Street. My boss's boss's boss was not any smarter or better at his job than anyone under him--in fact considerably less so than many--but he had that attitude thing, a shameless self-promoter--I saw him around the people who were even further up the ladder than him--introducing himself, proferring his card, talking about what his department was doing. He exuded confidence and always sounded like he knew what he was talking about, even when he didn't have the slightest clue.

I used to be more like that (perhaps you may recall!). I've gotten less and less like that. What I've noticed is that people really do seem to believe that you are who you say you are.

All of which is, of course, beside the point because you are, in fact, fabulously talented and fully deserve all the success your self-promotion can generate for you! I'm glad you're believing what people are telling you about your work, because it should be out there--it will bring pleasure to a lot of people. We're all proud of you!

And oooohhh, I can't wait to see the knitting design!

muebles en cordoba said...

To my mind one and all ought to look at this.

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