It's not procastination - it's research

Had the pleasure of speaking recently with Lisa Bayne, CEO of The Artful Home, a very cool website that sells original art and fine crafts by North American artists. I think the company, which was founded a decade ago, and survived the infamous dot.com crash, is a really interesting example of how the internet has helped develop a new kind of market for artists, many of whom find that the practice of selling their wares at regional art shows costs too much – in terms of both time and money.

Sometimes, when I’m ignoring a deadline, doing in-depth research, I troll the site, just so I can look at interesting pieces like the "BroadWay Armchair" (see above), made of recycled metal by Boris Bally. My virtual visits are like a leisurely stroll through a beautifully curated gallery. That’s not surprising, given that the offering is overseen by Michael Monroe. Currently Executive Director and Chief Curator for the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington, Monroe also directed the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery  — a treasure trove of 20th-century American craft — for over two decades. Working with Hillary Clinton when she was First Lady, he  also curated the White House Collection of American Craft.

And for years now,  I've sometimes ignored deadlines done research by browsing the virtual aisles of the Guild Shop, part of  the Ontario Crafts Council. Lovely, lovely things to look at. I’m predicting that with the growing interest in unique decor and authentic materials, traffic on both sites will really pick up this year. Which is a good thing, since I’ve resolved to pay more attention to business and less attention to, uhm, research.