Rowan's Tree: A Year-Long Photo Project

On September 26, 2016 we lost a wonderful friend in the form of a Golden Retriever named Rowan.

He was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and died at the age of nine.

Anyone who ever met Tom Solinsky knew Rowan, and he brightened the days of many people as he smiled out of the side of Tom's Jeep.

Rowan Solinsky, friend to all
Photo by Tom Solinsky

On the day of his death, we gathered with the Solinskys and some close friends and performed a rogue burial and tree-planting in Rowan's favorite park.

After that day, I went to the tree on an almost weekly basis to document it's first year of growth.

Going so often to the site of Rowan's grave helped me process the grief I feel from losing him. Documenting the tree also gave me a physical reminder that, while Rowie is no longer with us, his body is helping create nutrients for this tree to grow, which means there's still a piece of him in the park, and will be for years to come.

I've selected the best examples of the seasons here:

I've created a slideshow (less than a minute long) of the entire project through the year. 

Original music by The One and Only Bill Davis

I have admiration for other artists and their bodies of work and ongoing projects, and I often overlook my own. While I regret the circumstances, this project was a positive and productive way to move forward through the sadness of losing such a great friend-dog.

Did you complete any self-appointed projects in 2017? Share your successes and challenges in the comments.

Attention Musicians (and all creatives): Your Success is Up to You

Hello there, readers!

I've had a good year with plenty of lessons learned and goals reached, and I want to touch on an important aspect of starting and running a business in any creative industry, with a particular focus on music: it takes hard work, and there are few, if any, shortcuts.

Don't get me wrong, there have been times when it felt like something has fallen into my lap, but the reason that sort of thing happens is because I work hard, I'm dedicated, I'm always researching and learning, and other people see it. I also network, talk about my work with joy, and follow up with potential clients to keep my name and brand in their minds.

I have a very good musician friend who is talented, smart, and extremely capable, but he expects things to happen with little to no effort on his part. While he's dedicated over fifteen years to music, he doesn't actively seek out new venues to play, or market his music across different platforms, or research and try different ways to get his music to new audiences.

I've offered him plenty of advice over the years about steps he can take to increase his online visibility, how to earn income via different revenue streams, and I've provided services and tools that will give him a leg up - if he does the work. Unfortunately, he's not doing any of it. There's always an excuse, never a solution.

If he'd been putting more effort into the business side of his music over even the past five years, he would undoubtedly be in a better financial position and could focus on building upon that. Instead, he's still in the same place and likely won't move forward unless he starts committing to himself by putting in the work.

Here's the thing: you cannot Tom Sawyer your way into success in creative fields. If you're a band leader, you can't expect your side guys to book gigs for you. Clubs and venues aren't going to call you (some won't even call you back), you need to be persistent. If one publication doesn't respond to your album review request or story pitch, you have to keep trying.

Booking agents, managers, and labels all want to work with artists who have proven dedicated to their craft, which means the artist has to do the hard work of running their music business for years before anyone will be willing to shoulder even a tiny part of the burden, and, even then, that burden will be lifted for a chunk of money.

Making money in music has become increasingly difficult over the decades. It takes time, savvy, and sacrifice to build a large enough following to support a solo artist, much less a full-scale band. A booking agent wants to book artists that will sell tickets, which is how they earn their percentage. If you're not willing to build your following, no one is going to do it for you. Even the most dedicated fan will lose interest if you're not regularly engaging and sharing your story with them.

On the other side of all of this, one of the great parts about creative marketing is that most fans are less interested in a constant onslaught of new work than they are in the story of the artist. Want to keep your fans engaged and build your audience with people who legitimately care? Start with the 80%/20% rule: make 80% of your content personal and 20% promotional or professional. Once you figure out your rhythm, you can experiment and adjust those numbers according to your experience.

It's never too late to start promoting yourself and your creative business. While it does take hard work, don't forget to take care of yourself while you're in the building process. Your fans and followers know you're human and will stand by you when you're feeling overwhelmed. In fact, the occasional display of vulnerability can solidify their dedication to you and your brand.

Want more tips and ideas about marketing and promotion? Sign up for my email list to keep up with my ideas, suggestions, and projects.

Weekend in Wisconsin

This past weekend, I went up to southeastern Wisconsin with Bill to visit his family and hometown. We usually end up in the Midwest in the dead of winter or late fall, so it was nice to explore Manitowoc with the sun shining and no coat on.

We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the Farmers Market, as well as the number of public murals that dot the downtown.

Lake Michigan is a huge part of Manitowoc's history and industry.

On a bridge going over the river.

This one is my favorite.

The classic, historic Budweiser mural. There are way better shots of this beauty. I was dancing in and out of traffic.

On the street side of the Maritime Museum.

Saw this gem a the Farmers Market and had to share it.

We walked around the marina for a while and ended up being right in time to see the SS Badger come in from across the lake.

This ferry crosses Lake Michigan twice a day between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI.

The SS Badger is the last coal-burning ship in the US.

Seeing one coal-burning ship is novel, and quite enough.

I opted out of walking down to the lighthouse. I wasn't wearing the right shoes.

It's a lovely view.

I love looking out over Lake Michigan. Nashville is my home, but I miss living near such a large body of water.

This was at the beginning of the trip in Milwaukee. Wisconsin does have some great delis with clever names!

This trip was the last of four in six weeks, and, though it was another road warrior whirlwind, Bill and I had a great time exploring his old stomping grounds.

Hot Topics: Self-care and Work-life Balance

Over the course of the last eight months, I've been part of a group called Music Biz Besties, which is a group of mostly Millennial women working in the music industry (or hoping to be). I am about ten years older than the average woman in the group, which has been a boon since Millennials are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to apps and self-promotion. I don't mean that as an insult; as a self-employed person with a husband who works in music, self-promotion is part of the job.

One of the things the group has touched on in several capacities is self-care, and taking time away from work for down-time. It can be so hard to do that (when I was starting MAW, I had a full-time job and would work another 30-40 hours per week in addition to that to build my business), but it's the only way to keep up the energy to meet the demands of running a business.

Every time someone talks about work-life balance, the founder of the group mentions taking evenings and weekends off, and I've always liked those posts and commented with my agreement. My evenings and weekends are free, right? I take those for myself!

Turns out, that's only partially true. Bill and I are in the throes of our seasonal gig at The Belle Meade Winery, which is a two-hour performance every first and third Saturday of every month from April through October. We also perform weekly at Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge for two hours.

It might not seem like much, but performing takes it out of me. Bill can go for hours and hours, but I'm pretty good after a two-hour set, and when we have other shows in the mix, we can be performing three or four times a week.

And did I mention I'm writing this on a Saturday morning? Not much of a weekend off.

Part of the reason I fell into this trap is because I like my work. The other part is because I see performing as such a huge shift from my job that I haven't viewed it as real work-but it is, as is all the promotion I've been dedicating myself to in efforts to help my husband.

The reason I'm sharing this is because I need some accountability for myself, and writing down what I need to change is a good first step. Sharing it with the people I respect (you) makes it real. So, whether you're a client, family member, friend, or a reader I've never met, you're helping me find the balance I've so effectively pretended to have for the better part of this year. Thank you!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading off for an afternoon on our sailboat.

Even though I may have been fooling myself about a significant percentage of my down-time, Omar is a true form of healthy, (mostly) relaxing recreation for our household.

MAW Studio - How It All Began

As soon as the door closed on 2015, 2016 was in full swing for MAW Studio. This is MAW's first year as a fully independent business. It's been an exciting (and sometimes harrowing) three years, and I am (mostly) ready for the next chapter.

Of course, there's nothing like the future stretching out in front of a person to make her want to look back, and I find myself reminiscing about Autumn of 2012. Bill and I had been married for about six months, and had spent most of the year financially treading water and trying to pick away at our debt. Then, I cracked a tooth. A molar fractured, and the pain was unbelievable.

Here you go, dentist and endodontics specialist

After a long period of forgoing maintenance, I had fortuitously made an appointment with a dentist, so I called and moved it to the next day. I went in, had a full-on assessment, and came away with a five-figure "get back to dental health" plan, one third of which was immediately due (go to the dentist regularly, friends!).

I panicked. We had so little in savings. Our job situation was steady, but not good. We already had plenty of debt. What was I supposed to do, invent a way to make money?

Well, I am an American, right? And what does America need more of? One of my favorite words: gumption.

So, I invented a way to make money. I started out by editing and laying out six months worth of photos in albums for a friend who had lived abroad. I added to that working with a fine art painter, photographing her art and maintaining her inventory, social media, and website. I started investing more time in my design skills and worked with several small businesses and local artists on advertising and marketing campaigns. I continued to work at a local gallery, photographing the art and updating the website and social media, which I molded into a higher-paying contract position.

One of the hand-written album layouts for the first MAW job

It took perseverance and hard work, and I'm happy to say all debts are paid (except the mortgage), mostly thanks to the income brought in by MAW Studio. It's a big step to become an independent entity, and I am nervous, excited, and trying to proceed as if I can't fail.
Here's what's on my plate so far for 2016:

• More photography than I've ever done (I have a studio that gets better by the day, and Horse Trails to Highways is calling me back for more) 
• Actively listening to and promoting more music
• Expanding my knowledge of marketing via social media and blogging 
• TRAVEL (mid-year is going to be a whirlwind) 
• Working with artists and makers of all kinds to expand my reach and test my limits 

A last tidbit: where did I come up with MAW? I love this acronym because the M and W create symmetry without repetition. Melanie At Work seemed to fit. Maw is also another word for mouth, which is how this whole adventure started, so it seemed right to give a nod to the catalyst.

I feel like I should have a platinum and diamond grill, but I'm happy with my pearly grill.