… Or how to find subjects for a blog post.

As I hit publish today, it’s awe-inspiring to think of how much genius has existed over the millenniums. Just the fact that we have language and have words to communicate our most complex thoughts and feelings is pretty cool. We can learn and we can teach, with words. Wow.

And as I type, another genius invention helps me by automatically highlighting my spelling errors. And as I look around this computer screen and see this page creator with the myriad of editing choices, all available with a click, well… I am duly awed by the technology behind our world. The internet. Wow, right?

And more and newer ways to communicate is about to be unleashed upon our society. However, many predict that we may not be fans of the next wave of “communicating”. I will be blogging about this new technology soon. Stay tuned! In fact, join my list right now if you aren’t already on it.

But, first, let’s get back to this important holiday. On this day, March 7th, 1876, a patent was granted to Alexander Graham Bell for “transmitting vocal or other sounds telegraphically.” A few days later, he uttered the words, “Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you”.

It’s noteworthy that the quickest way he could be sure that it worked was to summon his assistant. He hadn’t created a second device yet. Mr. Watson couldn’t yet reply to his boss.

Do you still make phone calls?

While the telephone has served us well, it also was not universally accepted. Bell refused to have a phone in his study. He relied on his staff to collect his messages. He felt it was an intrusion and too distracting to answer a phone and engage in conversation at the whim of the caller. He was right, of course.

And then someone invented the answering machine. Whew…no more running across the room to the phone that was connected to a cord and requiring us to linger at the phone to have conversations.

Oh, wait! Some of you never had to do that. (LOL…I am feeling old “again”.) It was not until the early 80’s that the first cordless phones were starting to enter households. Some of you reading this think I am talking about a mobile phone. No. Those were still being invented.

The first mobile phone was gigantic by today’s standards. We have come a long way, baby!

And nowadays, since I still have, not one, but two landlines, I have had to start telling people that my phone numbers cannot accept text messages. It’s a “landline” I say, and increasingly people cock their head to one side and then I see the light bulb go off. “Oh, right, landline. Don’t you have a cell phone?”

Until 2015, I didn’t have a cell phone. I still rarely use it for calls. I use it mostly to listen to podcasts. Expensive “free” podcasts. But I use my cell number it on all my websites. Living in the EARLY time zone on Maui sends any 3 am phone calls to my cell phone’s voicemail.

But back to Mr. Bell’s Holiday! And how to find subjects for a blog post.

As I thought about what to highlight in this article, I thought about several relationships to this non-official holiday including subjects like, “How to stay focused”, “What is still yet to be invented in the art world?”, or “The Value of Curiosity”.

See how this “blogging” works? See how you can just about take any subject, like a weird “holiday” and turn it into a blog. In my case a blog about running a small business, but if you want to turn this holiday into a post about art, I think it’s possible.

To prove it, I just googled (another great “invention!”) and found this very smart quote from the great man himself, “The only difference between success and failure is the ability to take action.” How’s that for a subject to share with your fans and collectors. What does it mean to you to take action? What stands in the way of you taking action? Put that in a blog post. It’s as good a subject as any out there.

It’s your turn

Come On! You're an Artist. Get going. Create a blog post about what inspires you to create. Just start writing. From your heart. Create connections to your art with the world! Click To Tweet

Consider this: A blog can happen for every piece of art you create. Simply answer these types of questions: What was it that sparked the use of a certain color. Where were you when you had a brainstorm and wanted to race to your studio to begin a new piece? What was the message you felt compelled to share? When did you know it was ready to find a home? Why do you want this piece to find a good home?

And then, share your post. Send out an email to everyone with a link to your post. Include (to start) friends, family, collectors and others who have an interest in your art and your life as an artist. If you have never sent (or it’s been a while since you last sent) an email to your list, then ask them to unsubscribe, but make this email the most compelling and curiosity-arousing email in their box.

For a few of you, this is simply confirming what you do all the time and do very well. You know who you are.

For the rest of you, it’s time for you to communicate with your collectors. They really want to know what is going on in your world. You have no excuses now that you have read this post. In fact, there is another unofficial holiday coming that will be the perfect one to celebrate. Friday, March 16th, is “Everything you do is right day.”

Go for it. Reach out and share the good news: everything you do is right!