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I am not an entrepreneur, in fact, having spent the last seven years pretty much failing to make any money at my art, I'm kind of the opposite of an entrepreneur! Yet I loved Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk.

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I'll say upfront that I'm a fan of Vaynerchuk - I find his enthusiasm completely infectious - and I liked this book. He is someone who tends to divide opinion but even if you normally find him a bit 'over the top', I'd recommend giving this book a go because his natural exuberance is somewhat restrained in print format. You could also read this without having a clue who he is and still get lots from it because it's a punchy, concise, funny and inspiring book that's packed full of great stuff.

Basically the book is about how he used social media to successfully build a huge business. He briefly tells his own story and then explains how he did it and how you could use the same methods. I liked that he's very upfront about the need for you to take your own journey, rather than trying to slavishly follow him. He explains several times that this is just what worked for him and that you could decide to follow a different route and still be successful. He's also very clear that his method a) won't suit everyone and b) is dependant on vast amounts of sheer hard work.

There's also a strong moral core to the book that I found very admirable - this isn't a book about marketing sleaze and manipulation; his central message is one of caring about others and doing what you love with integrity and passion.

I found this an inspiring book that left me hugely excited about the vast potential of the internet to revolutionise many aspects of our lives, including our businesses. That said, I struggled to see how some of the 'monetizing' methods mentioned in Chapter 11 could be applied to the art world because the economy of the arts is so deeply weird. Normal business rules often don't apply in the arts - in particular, open 'monetizing' is hugely frowned on in many art circles, so artists may need to approach things like accepting external advertising with extreme caution. However, artists could certainly use his techniques to help build their online profiles, which I believe is vital for artists to do.

This is a book that could be read by someone at any level of internet experience. I've been online since Usenet and dial-up modems, so I'm very comfortable with the net and its culture. Yet I still got masses of ideas from this book. I've read the book through twice (it's short!) and both times I made tons of notes, many of which I've already acted upon. However, I'm sure an internet newbie could also read this book and wind up with a coherent understanding of how to successfully market themselves online. Even if you're not running your own business and have no desire to do so, it's still a useful read because he delves into the way the world is changing and talks about things like how the traditional resume is becoming increasingly irrelevant to a lot of businesses.

This book won't be for everyone - no book ever is - but if you're interested in the business side of art or you're ready to learn more about the power of social media, then I'd strongly recommend it. Even if you think you know it all, I think this book will spark new ideas or expose an angle that you hadn't considered before.

If you want to find out more about it, the book has a FAQ. If you're in the UK, Amazon.co.uk doesn't have it yet but The Book Depository seem to have it in stock.

And now for something completely new. Following Vaynerchuk's example, I decided to give video blogging a go and bought a Flip Cam. I've have been having a blast taping stuff, including this short review of the book, which is worth watching just for the last few seconds!

Disclaimer: I got this book as a free review copy after I rather cheekily emailed Gary and asked him for one! Gary Vaynerchuk and HarperCollins had no influence on the contents of this review, all opinions are my own.

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It's very definitely autumn now, as evidenced by the first proper mist of the season on Tuesday.

Morning Mist
Kirsty Hall, Morning Mist, October 2009

This was the sight that made me run back inside for my camera! Isn't this leaf just incredible - it looks as though it's been gilded or sprayed with gold paint but it's completely natural.

Leaf 01
Kirsty Hall, Leaf Turning Gold, October 2009

The spiders really pull out all the stops at this time of year. I am always astounded when I go out in the morning to find metres of silk spanning entire corners of the garden - how do they even do that?

Web 02
Kirsty Hall, Spider Web, October 2009

Web 01
Kirsty Hall, Spider Web, October 2009

Web 03
Kirsty Hall, Spider Web, October 2009

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I'm currently doing Alyson Stanfield's Blast Off course. It's challenging and intense but I'm finding it incredibly revealing and useful. One of the daily lessons was about reconnecting with what made us want to be artists in the first place. Here's what I wrote on the subject:

.................

I've been thinking back to some of the ecstatic points in my life that made me an artist.

1. I would have been about 16 - 17. I was still in secondary school and we were taken on a visit to Glasgow university. I had some free time and went into the Hunterian art gallery, where I was utterly transfixed by a full size Victorian/Edwardian painting of a woman. I can't remember who it was by - I think it was possibly John Singer Sargent - but I sat there for about an hour, totally engrossed in it, with tears running down my face.

2. Standing in the Sacré-Cœur in Paris with clear December sunlight streaming through the Rose Window while the choir sang in Latin.

3. Seeing Eva Hesse's drawings for the first time - I'd always loved her sculpture but the subtlety of her grey-toned drawings blew me away when I saw them in real life.

4. Walked round a corner in the Pompidou Centre and being confronted with Cubist paintings by Picasso. I was in my early 20's and had only been seriously drawing for about three years. I had seen them previously about two years before and been singularly unimpressed - at the time I liked the Impressionists and I thought Cubism was 'modern rubbish'. However, when I saw them for the second time I'd done a lot more art history reading and I suddenly got it. It was a surprisingly visceral moment, like a punch to the stomach! It's a moment that's stuck with me because it reminds me that even if I don't initially like or understand a piece of art, it's always worth taking a second look because my understanding of the visual world is constantly evolving.

But my defining moment was when I was 18 years old, sitting in an English lecture at college and getting absolutely FURIOUS at the way the lecturer was completely pulling this book apart and remaking it in his own image. I found it so disrespectful, I was sat there thinking, "write your own damn book, mate!" and it suddenly hit me, "I don't WANT to do this, I want to be the person MAKING things, not the person analysing other people's things!"

Now I look back and I think, yes, THAT was the moment when I stepped through the looking glass!

..................

I've had many other meaningful encounters with art in my life but those are a few that stand out. Was there a defining moment in your life that took you down the path you're on now? Have you ever experienced a piece of art that overwhelmed you with emotion? Please leave a comment, I'd love to hear about it...

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Chickens were first mentioned on this blog back in May 2008 when I was in the midst of an art lull and had started edging into Mad Project Stage.

Here's what I originally wrote:

So… last night I decided that I wanted to own chickens. I’m doing up the garden, I want to grow more vegetables and our family is interested in environmental things like micro generation of power (we have solar panels that heat our hot water) and getting off-grid as much as possible. So a couple of urban chickens producing lovely fresh eggs wasn’t that out of left field – food yards instead of miles, it would be great!

Actually, I originally thought that both chickens and a beehive would be the way to go but apparently I’m learning because I recognised that bee-keeping was probably a bit beyond me and discarded the idea before enthusiastically announcing it to my bemused family. But I honestly thought that the chickens were perfectly reasonable. One little chicken ark and two chickens – how hard could it be? My family kept chickens when I was a teenager so I know how to look after them – in theory. What could possibly go wrong?

Yes, well… apparently, my family did not share my wild enthusiasm for this wonderful idea and I was told in no uncertain terms that there would be no chickens unless egg prices went through the roof or the fall of civilisation seemed imminent.

Somewhat to my surprise, my family came round on the chicken idea without any further pleading from me. So back in January, 'get chickens' became one of my ten goals for 2009.

After a spring and summer spent concentrating on the garden, it was time to decide whether I was up to challenge of chickens. I borrowed several books from the library and immersed myself in the details of chicken-keeping. Hours were spent online pricing up chicken coops, feed and accessories and weighing up the various options. Finally I decided that I could probably manage it as long as I bought a plastic Eglu. Apparently chicken purists often frown on these but I love the funky design and more importantly, because of my health I needed something that was lower maintenance and easier to clean than a wooden coop.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I placed an order online for a green Eglu, two chickens and a bag of Layer's Mash. The chickens were supposed to arrive on the 6th October but earlier this week, we got a phone call from Omlet (yes, that's really the name of the company) saying they were delivering in our area this week and would we like our chickens this Friday?

Why yes, yes we would!

The friendly and helpful man from Omlet arrived promptly and installed the Eglu and run in about 15 minutes. While he was doing this we read the handy chicken instruction manual. He told us all about feeding and watering them using the 'glug' and 'grub' containers - they actually have this embossed on them; it really is Chicken Keeping for Dummies!

Finally it was time to meet the girls and they were brought from the van in a cat carrier. He showed us how to hold them and how to clip their wing feathers (you do this once a year, so that they can't fly away). We practised picking them up and marvelled at how incredibly soft their feathers are. After further instruction on their care and plenty of reassurance that we could call their chicken expert or ask on their online forum if we had any problems, we were alone with two somewhat bemused chickens.

We spent the rest of the day totally engrossed by them.

Chickens 01
Kirsty Hall: Pepper And Ginger, September 2009

Here's Pepper. She's a Mrs Pepperpot breed and is the older of our two hens, although she's not quite fully grown yet. She should be laying in a week or two. She's the more wary of the two but she'll come close to humans if there's a treat involved!

Pepper 01
Kirsty Hall: Pepper, September 2009

Ginger is a Ginger Nut Ranger. Hmm, are you seeing the theme with the names here? I'd just like to point out that I was not responsible for the somewhat literal naming. I had planned to give them old-fashioned Victorian style names but was over-ruled. I don't mind though, Pepper and Ginger are good chicken names.

Ginger 01
Kirsty Hall: Ginger, September 2009

Ginger is a couple of weeks younger than Pepper, so she looks a lot more like a dinosaur! Her comb is still quite tiny and she's a fair bit smaller than Pepper. She's got at least three weeks of filling out to do before she'll be giving us eggs. Despite being smaller, she's often the more assertive and braver of the two and she's more likely to come close to be petted.

I'm finding there's a lot to be learnt from chickens. They are sort of Zen - they're very 'in the moment' and their movements are often so slow and deliberate that they remind me of Buddhist monks doing Walking Meditation. When I'm near them, I often slow down too. This afternoon I sat on the lawn feeding them bits of cooked rice from my hand and I felt deeply and completely at peace.

But they can also be amusing. I especially like when they put their heads on one side and give me a quizzical look. They have definite characters and opinions about things (slugs good, cats baaad!) They've already learnt that if I come up to the run, it can mean that treats are in the offing: slugs proffered on a garden trowel were squabbled over enthusiastically and quickly devoured. I just love the idea of turning the bane of my garden into delicious eggs!

They fit in well with our rather ramshackle garden. And I love looking out of the kitchen or library window and seeing them placidly going about their chicken-y business.

Eglu in garden
Kirsty Hall: Eglu in garden, Sept 2009

Having bought them for practical reasons - fresh, organic, ethically produced eggs with low food miles, droppings to accelerate our compost bin and a handy slug-disposal method - we were all quite surprised to be so enchanted by their actual presence. But they are lovely and my family, originally so resistant to my Grand Chicken Plan, are utterly charmed by them and go out to visit them often. Even the teenager has been observed inspecting them.

And Chiana thinks we've bought her The Best Present In The Worldtm Because, as we all know, everything is for the benefit of the cat!

The Chicken Menacer
Kirsty Hall: The Chicken Menacer

The chickens aren't quite so enthusiastic about her!

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As an artist, I get strange obsessions. Something about a material or an image will seduce me. I have an artist friend who uses the word 'authentic' to describe this attraction but I use 'particular'. I'll say, 'that's very particular' and I mean that there's something about that object that is compelling and unique to me, something that draws me. I don't always know what it is but I do know that these visual or tactile obsessions are what fuel my work.

At the moment, greaseproof paper is one of these things.

Greaseproof Paper 01

Greaseproof Paper 02

Greaseproof Paper 03

There's something about the combination of translucency and opaqueness that I find utterly irresistible.

Greaseproof Paper 04

Greaseproof Paper 05

Greaseproof Paper 06

And when I finally got to it, the little plum & almond cake was delicious too!

Greaseproof Paper 07

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I've just done the prize draw and the free Creating A Blog Audience e-book by Diane Gilleland goes to Linda from the Tortagialla blog. Congratulations, Linda, I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter. There were some great comments on the review; I found it fascinating hearing all your thoughts on the complex subject of marketing. Wow, my readers are so smart - you all blow me away with the insight and intelligence you regularly bring to my blog and I do appreciate it.

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I've got one free copy of this e-book to give away - scroll down to the bottom of the review to find out more!

Creating A Blog Audience is the newest e-book by Diane Gilleland, familiar to many of us as Sister Diane from Craftypod.

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Very reasonably priced at $13.50, this 62 page booklet and accompanying 8 page worksheet is aimed at craft bloggers wishing to develop their blog audience through 'engagement marketing'. Although the guide is targeted specifically at craft bloggers, don't let this put you off: while there are a couple of parts that specifically mention craft resources, most of the information in this book is applicable to any kind of blogging.

Diane is well aware that many creative people run screaming at the thought of traditional marketing and her solution is to stay well away from old-fashioned aggressive techniques and 'marketing speak' like 'Unique Selling Points'. Instead she offers a more gentle, organic and community-based way to build up a fan base. This is marketing without marketing - what Seth Goldin calls 'permission marketing'. In essence, the idea is that instead of talking AT people, you talk WITH them. But of course there's more to it than that and Diane guides you through the ins and outs with humour and skill.

If you're au fait with Web 2.0 then much of this will be familiar but even an old hand like myself learnt some new tips and tricks. I found Chapter 4: Putting It All Together to be the most useful in this regard but I also had little 'ah-ha' moments throughout the whole book.

Where this e-book really stands out though, is in how useful it would be for beginners. If you've just started your blog or your visitor numbers are languishing and you don't know why, then I think you'll find this an excellent resource. A lot of people come to my blog looking for advice on blogging - my articles on that subject are perennially popular - I would absolutely recommend this book to them and the next time I update my recommended resources list, I'll be adding this book to it.

The book is well written, in a relaxed, accessible style that will appeal to even the most intimidated new blogger. Diane is a confident writer who explains the issues with ease and the book is split into easily digested sections with occasional diagrams and photographs to break things up a little. There are also clickable links to useful resources, including a dedicated page on her blog. Frankly, I enjoyed the writing so much that even though I've been blogging successfully for years, as soon as I'd finished this book, I was immediately seized with a desire to read her earlier guide, Making a Great Blog.

If you'd like to know more, visit the book's webpage or read these reviews from PlanetJune and Dude Craft.

To conclude: if you're new to blogging or not quite on board with Web 2.0, then this book is an absolute must-have but even if you're more experienced, you'll probably find it valuable.

Diane has very kindly agreed to do a giveaway. In proof that her techniques work, I simply emailed her to say I was doing a review and asked if she'd consider giving away a copy and she kindly said yes. So I have one free, personalised e-book available (I'm dying to know how you personalise an e-book btw!)

If you'd like a chance at winning the book, please leave a comment on this post telling me what you hate about marketing, either doing it or being on the receiving end of it. If you've not commented here before, your comment will be held in moderation but I'll approve it as soon as I can.

I'll do a blind draw on Tuesday 15th September and announce the winner next Wednesday.

Standard disclaimer: I consider Diane to be an online friend - we comment on each other's blogs & tweets and she interviewed me for Craftypod - however, I bought my copy of her e-book and she hasn't influenced this review in any way.

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Hi everyone. Unfortunately I've gone down with a milder version of my partner's flu. I don't feel too bad unless I try to do anything but posting may be a bit on the fluffy side this week.

With that in mind, here are the last of the Dewstow images. It looks like I've messed around with filters in Photoshop but I promise these are straight from the camera - isn't physics wonderful!

Dewstow Reflection 01
Kirsty Hall, Dewstow Reflections, Aug 2009

Dewstow Reflection 03
Kirsty Hall, Dewstow Reflections, Aug 2009

Dewstow Reflection 02
Kirsty Hall, Dewstow Reflections, Aug 2009

Dewstow Reflection 04
Kirsty Hall, Dewstow Reflections, Aug 2009

I was captivated by the skylights in the tunnels - there's something about shafts of light cutting through darkness that I've always been drawn to.
Dewstow Skylight 02

This is my favourite shot from the whole day.
Dewstow Skylight 01

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I'm in the midst of writing a series of posts about artists getting paid and the economy of the arts but that's a bit heavy for a Friday, isn't it! So instead, here's one of my occasional link posts.

Art
My web designer, Steve, had a moving encounter with some art.

This Andre Jordan cartoon made me laugh with comedy of recognition.

The Museum of Forgotten Art Supplies - many of these were intimately familiar to me but perhaps they won't be to younger artists.

This spoof Damien Hirst blog made me howl with laughter (although some of the 'works' are more Martin Creed in style).

If you're a jeweller then the Cookson's Forums may be worth checking out. I've not tried their forums but I'm a big fan of them as a supplier of materials - they're always very quick and efficient at despatching stuff.

Artists are buying up cheap houses in Detroit - some interesting discussion in the comments about the familiar artist gentrification cycle.

I'm A Photographer, Not A Terrorist is a UK based campaign objecting to increased police interference in street photography.

Unique and clever matchboxes, which naturally I adore because I have a bit of a thing for matches.

Me, Me, Me!

Lisa Pressman recently interviewed me about my art influences. I like her encaustic work very much, you should check it out.

Thanks also to Kayte from the Love Forever blog, who featured my work last week.

There's loads of excellent comments on my recent 'art wank' post. Apparently the subject resonated with a lot of people. Apparently there's even an entire blog devoted to examples of art wank!

I had my work accepted to culturehall. I haven't quite finished uploading works to my profile yet but I'll let you know if I get any interest or opportunities from it. The site is curated by an artist and frankly, it shows - when I researched it I was very impressed by the high quality of work shown.

I also joined Textile Forum South West. If you're a British artist interested in textiles, you may want to check this out, you don't actually have to be based in the South West of England to join.

Podcasts
I've been listening to a lot of podcasts whilst sewing sequins on my apron. Here are a few of my recent favourites.

Jennifer at Craftsanity interviews the Beerhorst Family and discovers how they live a creative lifestyle with very little money. This interview with X got me all excited about my chickenkeeping plan again (it's moving slowly onward btw, I've just taken out a load of library books on chickens and I'm researching coops).

I discovered The Electric Sheep podcast on Twitter and I've happily chewed my way through all 20 of them in the last month. It's knitting based but she delves into other stuff too. Very British.

Craftcast with Alison Lee is always a good listen but I was particularly fascinated by her exploration of Maggie Taylor's highly involved creative process.

if you're struggling with your blogging motivation, this podcast from Sister Diane at Craftypod should get your juices flowing again.

Random

Lexicographer, Erin McKean suggests that if it works like a word, we should just use it.

Because nothing says 'I love you' like handknitting someone a periodic table jumper (that's a sweater if you're American)

Ever wondered where the dark thread of horror in British comedy originates? Welcome to the wonderful world of British Public Safety films! Includes one of my all-time favourites - the Spirit Of Dark Water but thankfully not the one about children dying horribly on farms that gave me nightmares for months after I was shown it in primary school. Definitely NOT for the faint of heart.