Darlene the Artist

 by DARLENE – Changing the Design Game

I’ve been thinking about many things lately–about the economy, about the way things used to be done, about the game of graphics, about the lessons involved in suddenly losing everything due to a computer crash in mid-October.

Today, I want to share my thoughts regarding the last item I’ve listed above-lessons involved when something “unexpected” happens in life. There are no accidents-we just haven’t been listening. There is an incessant conversation going on between us humans and the unseen world of the universal mind. Communication happens through the language of symbols.

If we don’t understand the message behind the symbols, we cannot allow ourselves to be guided by its wisdom. If we don’t identify what we need to shift about our beliefs, attitudes, behaviors, or relationships, then the universal mind will repeat its warning. Only this time, the universal mind ups the ante. The thicker we are regarding the symbolic meaning of those things that happen to us, the more likely we are apt to pull towards ourselves more and worse happenings.

Losing my information has stopped me cold in my tracks. OK, Universal Mind, you’ve got my attention. I’m standing here, alone in a wide expanse, stripped of most of my work and feeling exposed. What is it that I need to figure out?

There are several ways to derive meaning from a situation like this. One way would be for me to recall the last thing I was working on before the computer crashed. Also, by determining what is easily retrievable and what is not recoverable, by locating what files and documents I have saved elsewhere, some type of meaningful pattern should emerge. During this process, I located some old computer disks I had not opened in years and found a plethora of logos and lettering projects I had almost forgotten about.

That’s why I decided to take advantage of the new features on Linked-In and prepare a Slide Presentation showcasing some of my favorite logo designs. I spent last weekend collecting whatever logo examples of my work I could find. The following Monday, an e-mail arrived requesting information on my rates for logo design and what to expect. Whenever the action of synchronicity gets recognized, it always provides valuable insights. And it is this synchronicity which provided me with another clue to take another look at logo design.

What does it mean to recover close to 100 different logos and lettering projects but lose all the associated business forms? The message I’m gleaning seems to be that I don’t need to regenerate my customary business schedules, contracts and pricing sheets. I simply need to figure out a different way to relate to the business of art-one more in tune with what feeds and satisfies me as an artist.

All clients really want to feel secure in the knowledge that they are in capable hands, that they can have what they want within their budget, on deadline, with no (bad) surprises. And artists mostly want to know if the time they spend on their client’s behalf will be valued and if they will be compensated fairly and without a hassle.

Thus I have taken on the challenge of developing a new LOGO-LETTERING WORKSHEET.