YAY!
We are finally online, guys! How exciting. After about two months of planning and frantic designing, our humble little collaborative abode is finally on the interwebs.
Say hello to the Quirklust blog! Affectionately known as “The Daily Diatribe”, it is here that you can find updates on Quirklust, art industry/design industry news, and…most importantly…the artist of the week!
I thought it might be nice to give a little run-down of what Quirklust is, how you can use the site, and what I hope to see from this little development. I’ve included a breakdown below. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can contact Quirklust @ Artpool@Quirklust.com. [The Artpool…isn’t that sexy? I thought so.]
Yep. So. Quirklust started as a relatively small idea [and I suppose that it is still just that], but I felt too strongly about the need for more friendly artistic collaboration sources. On the web and otherwise. Aside from mentally dwelling over how cool it would be to have a place for artists from all over to come together, I really needed to tap into my web design/graphic design skills and was desperately seeking a way to consume all of my valueless free time [Yea. Right]. Quirklust hasn’t taken too long to develop. It’s only been about 8 weeks since I began this little venture, and as you browse the site you will notice its inherent simplicity. I wanted a site that was simple to navigate and clear in its purpose. Nothing too fancy. I certainly don’t want to overshadow the talent that we will be incorporating into these pages.
I guess I had been thinking about other sites that helps us, as creative types, showcase our work. There’s Etsy: the wonderful site that has redefined the artisan’s online store as we know it. The problem is–if you’re anything like me, then you don’t really have all that much time to setup a store (graphically or logistically). Taking pictures of products, uploading, editing, calculating shipping, etc. etc…it all takes so much time. It’s been my experience that artists and designers would rather be off creating the next greatest thing the world has ever seen–not setting up their point of sale.
Then there’s LinkedIN. Again, awesome site. Really well done. A nice place to get your name out there as a professional. But…it’s a bit too much of that. Professional. Artists and designers are professionals, no doubt. However…we are beautifully unique individuals in our intuition, sensory understanding, and…well, Quirk. I haven’t really felt that social media or professional sites allow for a more creative expression.
And then there’s Facebook. Arguably the most stellar ass-kicking networking device EVER. Facebook makes yearbook signing look like a prehistoric pastime, and with the site’s growth rate, I’m sure there will never be anything that will quite catch up. As an artist, I love Facebook. It’s really helped me get the ball rolling. Actually, you’re probably reading this right now as a result of my frenzied Facebook postings encouraging you to check QL out. However, how do you really make a dent in the Facebook populous–how do you showcase your work amongst 250 million people? It’s possible–and having a 250 million person network to tap into ain’t so shabby. But it also allows us to get a bit lost. Our little artistic voices can be quickly drowned out.
So here we are.
So I was thinking about other things…like engagement with peers. Sites like Facebook have gotten so huge that there is no way to REALLY, truly, directly contact the developers or people behind the scenes. I suppose that’s great for a site like FB, where the whole thing is focused around your own development. Your own personality. What you ate for dinner last night. Who you know who is dating this other person who used to date that person. Good stuff. But…I got excited about the idea of creating a network large enough to help each other, but not so huge that you can’t contact me. I’ve offered up several ways on the website and this blog alone that you can get in touch with me. And I promise…it will always be me. Not someone speaking on my behalf, and certainly not a robot with programmed responses. [Though I love robots and I wish I had a little bot buddy, honestly.]
So, it works like this: artists, designers, musicians, and other craftyfolk can contact Quirklust if they are interested in joining the collaborative. We’ll get in touch right away and get information from you: stuff like information about your work, images, websites, etc. After we’ve gotten this, we’ll create your own page under the appropriate Artpool category. You don’t have to do anything but provide us with a good sense of who you are [don’t be afraid to show your personality, please].
Also, I know there are many of you who might be interested in selling your projects + wares in the Quirklust Shoppe. We’d be SO stoked to have you. Again, Quirklust controls all of this development, so you don’t have to worry about it. Less time to work…more time to play, you dig? You can contact QL to let us know you are interested in selling–we can get images and prices for an unlimited number of products and put them into the store for you. We ask for $15.00/month to cover the cost of the work involved to keep the community shoppe up-to-date, but we will never take any portion of the money you make on your items.
The Daily Diatribe will be a super awesome resource for all of the Quirklusters and other fabulous readers. Here you can find industry news, art updates, random thoughts, competition postings, and the Artist-Of-The-Week. AOTW is a weekly posting with details of a selected Quirklust member. We’ll talk here about how incredible they are, include an interview with them about their work and life in general–you can see photos, link to all their critical sites, and more. The more interaction and communication on the Daily Diatribe, the better! Share ideas, comment on work, suggest sites, and more. You are as important in the development and growth of Quirklust, if not more, than the developer.
Important side note: I am SO very much, extremely, without-a-doubt, human. And I make lots of mistakes. In fact, I’m sort of one big walking mistake. I’m sure there are errors, things that could be better, you name it. So let me know! I’d love your feedback.
Most importantly…thank you so much for stopping by. Your interest, engagement, and word of mouth means more to QL and its community than you could ever know!
Lust on!
http://www.Quirklust.com
Quirklust: The Daily Diatribe 