COOL MEDITATION n°1 - Survey of the interior decoration trends for 2008 and 2009Happy New Year to all my blogfriends, your comments are always so inspiring and motivating,thanks for being there!
This is the first page of my personal, brandnew TRENDBOOK.
Just back from the textile fashion fair, this is the first thing I/we need. Cool Meditation.
Conclusion: A total of about 2900 exhibitors , about 200 of it textile designers.
I have worked with and for friends who have been exhibiting their designs on a stand there each year for 4 years, they did not sell this time, and neither did I. NOT ONE DESIGN ! but I am lucky cause my investment was not very important, as I did not have to pay the stand.
My little pile of 45 designs was often looked at and admired but people apparently were looking for "something else". So I shut out any feeling of frustration, which came up the first and second day and instead opened my eyes and my senses and tried to get in as much ideas about new trends and what is "wanted".
I listened to and watched trend conferences and walked miles and miles through the halls in order to get a glimpse at what is going on in the interior decoration business. For 2 years I have been observing the textile design business and I guess, I wasn't ready to really jump into it because it looked to me so hermetically closed. Now I'm back with so many ideas and very motivated to really go for it, to try to make a new collection, very well researched and adapted to the 2008/2009 trends, which are really inspiring. This means that I'll have to plan my designs carefully, follow my personal trendbook which I'm creating at the moment. This is the fun part. The other thing is that I'll have to be my own commercial agent - I have to make appointments and go and see the buyers at least 2, better 3 times a year.
In the meantime I was informed that the show in Germany for my ancestor spirit masks is postponed to September. Many pieces are ready and I can also exhibit works from "before" there is no hurry.
So I'll jump onto the design-business-train right now. Here and now. I feel like I watched and learned long enough. Now it is time to act. Learn more while doing. I'll make my own trend book, my own colourways, a real design "strategy". Make handpainted and CAD design and then take them directly to the interior decoration companies. Find a way in.
I'll take you along on my journey, without showing the final "product", I'll still share my research-sketches with you and my daily thoughts and feelings about art, design and the world we are living in. Have a wonderful day,
Andrea
![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=cestandreatex&police=bill&background=FFFFFF&foreground=000000&option=transparence+link&lng=fr&width=6)
17 comments:
Success, my friend, can be a long and arduous journey. And it sounds to me (by your post) that you have "journeyed" very far both professionally AND spiritually on this trip to Germany and back. Your reflections are thoughtful and powerful and you WILL succeed -I just know it.
Welcome home.
Cathie, what a motivating comment this is! I love it. I get so much help from you and my other blogfriends, it really keeps me going further both artistically and spiritually and I am more and more aware of the fact that things need time, practice, perseverance and love!
Andrea. It is good to have you back. And it sounds like you are very inspired and focused. That is a lot!! The whole things sounds like an incredible experience, learning, seeing, trying to understand a business that works via "trends." Good luck with all that you plan to do. Your show being set back to Sept leaves you free perhaps to pursue your new path. Best, suki
Good to see you back in blog land. You will succeed Andrea! It is just a matter of time. Stay strong, positive and enthusiastic and it will happen, I know it!
I saw a TV show a couple years ago on what you just went to picking colors and trends. They followed one guy to the end and he did get one or two things picked and others didn't and it was really a let down to them. I didnt realize this is what you were doing. Wow. Truthfully I like your stuff better then the cool pallet you showed. If that is the way it's going. Aways good to have a plan and work towards it and I will be very interested in your progress and ideas and drawings. This will be fun being in on it with you.
Lots of work ahead. but you're already ahead by really seeing & listening to what was going on. Thats a big one in Art work of any kind. Welcome back.
I am curious. How far ahead are these new colors and designs picked? Like the ones that were picked for this show. Will these show up this year or next year. and Do these infuence other things we buy like kitchen ware and paint etc. and WHO does the picking. Who are the buyers? sorry if these are to many questions but I find it facinating. These are people deciding what we are going to be buying in future.
I'm so glad you're back! I'm sorry you didn't sell anything, but it sounds as though you learned a lot and are inspired--always a good combination.
Your talent and intelligence and determination will help you succeed--
I, too, am fascinated by how this whole process works.
Good for you for not taking things too seriously...it's like that old "we'll see...." story. Every time something happens that people get excited or upset about the wise old man or woman just says "We'll see...." and in the end the way things work out is just right....unpredictable but just right....or as another wise friend told me many years ago...it's all grist for the mill, sweetheart! Hang in there!
It seems to me you went to a "school or training/(vacation)" for what is yet to come. A way of learning what to do next. I personally loved your black and white meditation piece Andrea. It is indeed both bold and calming.
I too feel your fire here, and know you will put your all into this project. Wishing you tons of good luck and just know you will make this happen for yourself!
Welcome back,Andrea.
Nice to hear people loved your designs... The few ones we saw here were really "something else".
And you have gained a lot of knowledge regaring the business... it's cool... Bet you are already full of new designs!
Wish you the best.
Oh Andrea how absolutely wonderful and focused of you... Can I be proud of you without sounding patronizing please?
There is absolutely nothing 'wrong' with your designs they just are not what the buyers are 'looking for' at the moment. The designs will have their own day of glory but meanwhile you are approaching the matter in a very professional way and creating a new series of work.
Your post inspires me to keep trying, to study the market, the way to present myself, to get 'out there' and to learn as I act. Thank you for your brave and inspiring words. Bless you!
Hugs
Andrea - so great to have your voice back! Wow - sounds like an interesting adventure into design land - Iknow nothing about that world, and am starting to figure out how little I even know about my own world - the larer one - for sales. I'll be watching closely because it seems we are close to the same journey in different artistic areas - and I DO have an investment in the big show! But have chalked it up to no more than I'd pay for a course or two at graduate school (tho I can't get student loans for it! =]). I've just bought supplies for 3 glass torsos - will be doing the fusing for one next week and we'll see how it goes. Have calendared all the things I need to do (not counting make more work)...and am staying busy. So GOOD to have you back!
Andrea,
I love your designs, they are absolutely gorgeous. From the looks of all the comments you inspire there many people feel this way about you. Your designs have charisma and they make me feel very good. Give yourself a pat on the back for what you did. When the time is right it will happen. Just as Cleavlandgirlie said. You WILL succeed.
Chris
You're back!
It's great to hear that you will be sharing your adventures in pursuing your career in design.
I love your positive attitude -some people curl up and die at rejection whereas you see it as an opportunity for growth. That's really commendable and inspiring.
Liebe Andrea,
schön, daß Du wieder gepostet hast! Und die Gedanken, Erwartungen und Ideen, die Du äußerst, die sind so positiv und souverän, ich bin überzeugt davon, daß sich alles so erfüllt, wie Du es Dir ausmalst. Ich wünsche Dir, daß Du alles so umsetzen kannst wie erträumt. Die Power in Deinem Post sagt mir, daß Du Erfolg haben wirst.
Liebe Grüße vom Wurzerl
Thanks for your wonderful comments on my adventures. I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend with lots of time to write a new posts, to go and visit your blogs and see what you are up to, have a good evening/weekend,
good night:)Andrea
(I must really be tire, I left this comment on the previous note, sigh, good night everybody, sweet dreams to all of you)
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