"What do you do?"
What do you do? How many times I have been asked that and just stood dumb founded. I feel caught off guard an unable to express myself. I also feel that others can’t really understand what I do, so what’s the use and I don’t believe that they would even want to take the time to hear what I have to say. It’s about time I take a different approach.
So, today when I have been asked to respond to the question from a workshop I am taking, by Alyson B. Stanfield, “What do you do?” and limit it to a ten second reply as well, that makes it even more difficult. “I have a son with Down syndrome”, I reply and “I stay home to take care of him”. As, I said time to reply differently. My son is now 25 and it’s about time I let people know that I am not just a mother, housewife, or caretaker and that I am an Artist.
“I am an Artist that interprets your thoughts, visions and dreams into Technicolor.” What does this mean? I love to do commissions. I love to take your vision for your home or office, take your lifestyle, your tastes, colors, surroundings, environment, location of piece, create the size for the scale in your room or rooms and co-create with you a unique piece of art. My art is always vivid and colorful and will be a dramatic piece and focal point in your room, thus the word Technicolor. I’m a colorist and whatever I paint must have rich, luscious color. My goal is for you to see the intensity and brilliance that I see in color. It doesn’t matter what I paint, but it does matter if I paint with color. My neutrals are pearlescent and are a springboard for color. Color is my passion.
It’s important to be able to tell people what you do and if you can say it in 10 seconds that is even better. This is a great marketing tool. If you are prepared with an answer, it will allow further conversation to develop. You can offer more detail and perhaps develop a future customer. It might not be a bad idea to hand out a business card, as well. Even though, this is one aspect of who you are and not to be attached to the identification, it still is nice to validate and acknowledge. Be confident, be open, let them know just enough to be interested to ask you questions, but be proud of what you do.
