The Art of Deadlines

This is what a deadline looks like:

If not for a group of friends who randomly agreed to take the gallery space for a show, when the original artist was no longer available, well, none of these would have happened. We learned about the opportunity in November and it was almost a no-brainer that we would say yes. Each of us already know that there’s nothing quite like a deadline to make sure we make stuff.

The Muse Guild’s ‘Muses and Mysteries’ show opens tomorrow night. And yes, all 12 of us made stuff.

I can’t count how many times I’ve coached a creative soul – performer or visual artist – and suggested, “What if you just book a show?” Initially they kind of freak out; “But I need a body of work!”

Well, no, you need a deadline.  You can be pretty sure the elusive-until-now, body of work, will happen.

Thinking about it, it might be the only way I’ve created: Announcing my home shows, booking an art show, off the cuff announcing what I would create when asked by a curator what I would make if I had a space in their gallery…. hmm.. yup, always a deadline.

My book? My client’s books? No, booking a Book Release Party before writing the book hasn’t happened. But, just a sec, those books, they take a long time to write. I wonder, would booking a Book Release Party before the book was done speed up the process?  Damn, I think I’ll try that!