Paintings and words by a true Maine-iac
I've come up with what I think is the perfect title for my blog.... "Diary of a Maine-iac Painter." I'm sure some think of me as a maniac anyway but the truth is, I am a Maine-iac...born and raised. So be it. It's done.
As I was pondering titles, Maine-iac Painter really struck a chord. So I did a Google search and found a pdf about Masrden Hartley. It was all about his decision to embrace his Maine heritage. The article is from the Colby Library Quarterly (Colby College, dated 1965) and entitled, "A MAINE-IAC IN SEARCH OF TRADITION" by Robert Merideth.
I've struggled with this, too, even though I've referred to myself online as a "Maine artist" for years. I have because I am; "branding" was never part of it. But I liked Hartley's words...
"He who finds will
to come home
will surely find old faith
made new again
and lavish welcome."
− Marsden Hartley, "Return of the Native" (1940)
This wasn't an easy decision to make. I've been thinking about it for quite a while and renaming a blog isn't easy. In my case it's not as difficult as it might be for some since the url and rss feed will remain the same. RSS subscribers should have no problems and my blog link is still http://kliewerstudio.com/blog.
Coming up with something that uniquely fits what I'm doing or want to do is/was difficult, however. But the more I kept seeing "I Wish to Speak to You," the staler it became. And the blog and my work in general have been going more in a "Maine" direction all the time...it's just been a natural progression. So this feels right to me.
A Maine-iac defined:
Maineiacs live in Maine and were born in Maine, preferably of Maineiac parents. There is an old saying, "If a cat had kittens in the oven, you wouldn't call them biscuits." Others are known as being from away, or worse, as summer complaints. These are NOT my words. People "from away" and "summer complaints" are more than welcome. :)
Google be damned, SEO has nothing to do with this change. I really don't care. It's about who I am and what I do...as it should be.
4 Responses to A New Name for my Blog
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Your blog link is in place,too.
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I should be posting the Blogroll announcement next week. Still tweaking things. I plan to send it in a newsletter, too.
I've figured out a way that it can be done here, but it will be different.
I really want to make this blog about "community" and will be linking out. That's a promise! :)
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I named my business Cabinart 25 years ago, then never gave it another thought. When search engines and keywords became important to me, I added the line "A California Artist's Show and Tell".
After thinking it over, I really don't expect to be sought out by strangers. I know almost everyone who has ever commented or bought my art. Suits me just fine!
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Blog entries? There's only this one since the change. Anyway, they don't at the moment...but they are about to. I just received a shipment of about $900 worth of paint!
But I do have a problem with daily painters or the concept. I think it hurts to "rush" things out for the web. I've done it myself and the web breeds that kind of mentality...
I remember an artist friend one time asking me if I'd 'lived' with a certain piece long enough before taking it to the gallery. I didn't get what he meant at the time, as I was still quite young and new to showing my work, but the Internet has certainly brought that to the fore!
As it is, I have things that I don't intend to show online, or at least not anytime soon. I think taking time to write and ponder is a good thing.
It seems we are losing the concept of meditating upon what we as artists do. I'm hoping to get back to my poetry, too.
The web can be a great tool and a vicious machine all at the same time.
Well, time for bed. I've had enough of the vicious machine for one day. :)