If you read this blog much, you have already heard me sharing my thoughts on personal blogs, this blog, conversations on blogs, jealousy of blogs ad nauseum! I finally have a handle on what I need/should do and I hope this works for everyone!
The blog started as my dumping ground for all things collage. Galleries, artists, links, techniques, history ANYTHING that can relate to collage. As with any blog, I have spent a lot of time peppering the posts with my own work and a lot of my own comments. But truly, in the back of my mind, I really had wanted to start something that was more like an information clearinghouse, hence the blog title. Indeed, I think to some extent I ride the line internally about what I should post, how much personal stuff, do I need ads (since people actually write ME to ask me to post ads!) should I have others post, etc... After a bit of time and sorting I have decided what I should do.
I am going to keep this blog as a public service. Why not? It's taken a year and half to get to this point, and I think we need places like this to be able to hone in on our areas of concentration. Like a digital encyclopedia chapter, I hope that the Clearinghouse can be a place for artists to look and see the variety of fine art collage work being done out there, search for galleries that promote collage, and find the supplies and/or techniques that may be new to them. The blog format lends itself really well to a bit of information and some visuals. I tend to appreciate the visuals in blog posts a lot, and when I compare a dry, text filled newsgroup with a nicely designed blog that has photos, the blog is winnin'. Hands down.
I am also going to adapt things a little bit. I am going to stop posting so many personal pieces of own art and try to limit my own art exposure when it relates to the post. I think this would leave the blog more neutral and therefore, much more like a clearinghouse of information like I had envisioned. I am also planning on deleting the litte doingfine.org ad on the side. I am going to turn down any future ads, in the hopes of keeping things more informational, and not commercial.
I love the addition of Daniel Lee to the blog roster. It's been such a huge huge relief for me this past month as I had to go out of town for a week and I knew posting would be next to impossible. (thanks Daniel!) I think there is room for another poster, if someone is interested. I am going to get serious about dedicating myself to 2-3 posts a week. Along with Daniels contribution, this should keep enough content flowing that the blog is active, and interesting, and worth checking every few days. If anyone out there feels they have some little portion of themselves they can contribute, I would love to hear from you. Meanwhile, the clearinghouse will carry on.
Finally, I will be starting up my own personal blog where I can go nuts posting my own work and my own thoughts without the worry of tainting the audience. I haven't started it yet, I am still looking around to see what product I want to use...Typepad, Blogger again, or what...
I really have enjoyed a lot of typepad blogs, they are easy to follow and the features it has seem popular. However, I have a need to strike out on my own (individuality runs deep!) and so I will probably use blogger again. When I am ready, I will post the link here on the Clearinghouse.
This should be an end to the silly blog drama over this last month. I want to send out a HUGE thank you to the wondrous Clearinghouse readers that have sent me private emails expressing similar views regarding the blogosphere, art, jealousy, etc.... It's hard to believe that lines of text sent thru the wire from people that I barely know can brighten my soul so much and provide me with a bit of hope. I really felt kind of insignificant and foolish about the things I wrote. Little did I know, so many of us suffer from blog overload. Thanks so much, you all know who you are!!!
Now let's get on with this thing called collage, shall we?
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