Gallery, Studio and Life Musings, 26: 10,000 hours of practice

Gallery, Studio and Life Musings, 26: 10,000 hours of practice. Have you spent 10,000 hours perfecting a skill?  Malcolm Gladwell says that is what it takes to get good at any one thing like:  tennis, basketball, painting, piano, or making pottery.  Who do you know that has stuck with something to get really good at it?

I have been thinking a lot over the past two years about how I spend my time.  Have you thought about what really makes you happy?  It can be hard to drill down and really decide.  While talking with Tony Clennell last week, he quoted author David Sedaris.

David says, “Life is like a four burner stove.  You can’t have all burners on high at once.  The four burners are: Career, Family, Health, Friends.”  You need to choose which one is on high at different periods of your life.  If you are really good at managing your life, maybe keeping them all on at 25% could be a healthy lifestyle.  Or like most of us, we have different periods where one is on at 70%.

With the help of my daughter, Camille Casemier, she added additional videos and images over Tony and my conversation.  It’s now a public YouTube and ready for you to watch.  Over the years, Bob Walma, has created these videos for me of artist talks.

I hope you will get comfortable and list to my conversation with Tony Clennell.  I think you will gain some insights into the life of a maker and teacher; plus add some book titles to a “to be read” list; and find out how to purchase Tony’s pots and/or take a class from him.  Click on the image below to watch the video:

Embrace Your Weirdness with Tony Clennell

What have you committed to doing for exercise this Spring?  We bought e-bikes last spring but I think mine is too large for me.  I have a Trek bicycle being held for me in Chicago.  Since, my last three bikes have been Trek, I feel confident that it will be the correct size.  My hands and feet are always cold.  Bruce got me these electric gloves.  I will be set for riding in the 40-50 degree weather.

Are you tired of your “go-to” recipes?   I have been looking for a new salmon dish:  Mediterranean Salmon Parcels.   This sounds easy and very good.  It’s from Joy the Baker.  I think I will try it either Sunday or mid-week next week.  Please let me know if you make it and what you think.  Joy likes to hear about your results, too.

What’s new in the gallery?  We have new paintings, pottery, and jewelry.  Our artists have been in their studios making wonderful work.  Consider sending a JoyDrop this week.

Did you see that we are donating 5% of all sales to the Momentum Center?  This non-profit helps so many individuals in West Michigan:  food, outings for disabled individuals, adult and teen groups, education, safe haven, and more.

Please take good care of yourself. Thank you for supporting the arts, Cyndi