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We are on the eve of our summer Sign Magic Workshop. The shop is pretty much ready... everything laid out and shined up...
I sit quietly reviewing my notes and pictures, gathering my thoughts and composure for what will be four days of intensive teaching and learning on my part. Anyone who has done this type of thing will understand how intense it can be. I look forward to this workshop as I have all the others - with great anticipation.
While we do our best to share our methods and 'secrets' my greatest goal through the weekend is to share my passion, to hopefully light that same fire in others who come. Our workshops are certainly all about signs and how we make them but I also want to share the joy I have for life, family and all good things. The workshop is all about how we manage to live the 'dream' on a daily basis here in Yarrow.
The last weeks have been so great here, with literally years of hard work suddenly paying off. Some wonderful projects, long on hold have suddenly come alive again. New customers and some very cool jobs are arriving daily on our doorstep. It is happening faster than I dared dream possible.
I have always believed, no matter how thin the work was at times that it would pay to hold out for exactly the type of work I wanted to do, to fill the slow times with building skills, samples and readying the shop for the future. I had to build it before they would come. We still had to be flexible however. We radically changed gears and direction with the sudden downshift in the economy. Our long term goals (5-10 years) for the business became immediate ones. We switched from doing mostly theme park work and a few dimensional signs to doing largely dimensional signs and a little theme work. We had to scramble, tighten our belt and get skinny in a hurry while we built the new business. And it was a very tough time to start a high end business. We had to work harder than we had in a long time for much less pay than we were used to. While we talked to hundreds and hundreds of potential customers in the last years, only a few made the decision to proceed with our designs... most instead hanging back on account of financing or the reality of the marketplace. We smiled our best smile and simply kept our head down and worked on. It was a scary time for everything we had worked so hard for over the last decades,was at times on the line. Through it all we simply had to believe in ourselves, our abilities and each other.
Through all the hardship I 'preached' on adamantly about what I believed, how it was important to follow your heart and dreams in life. I encouraged others to do the same, to work towards today what they wanted to become tomorrow. At times (when our success was only a trickle) my words seemed a little hollow. I was even tempted at times to give in or compromise. I was tempted to perhaps lower my standards just a little and do less than I was capable of to just turn a buck... but I held on believing in my heart what I told others. It would only mean something if it worked for me too. I knew that if it were easy everyone would do it... and these things take time and don't come without some pain. Our dimensional sign work started as a trickle for a long, long while, then increased to a roar...
With our work dockets now full to overflowing once more (for the summer and beyond) my confidence of course has been given a boost. I can look back and truthfully say I was right to hold out for what I believed to be true. The shop is poised ready to jump to light speed once more. The walls and portfolio are full of current samples of the most imaginative work I can muster. Renewed confidence has given my creativity and energy a big boost as the new work pours in. I'll need it too!
I'll be sharing my renewed enthusiasm and passion with the new group that arrives tomorrow... all eager to learn and soak up all they can in the next days. I'll be the one sitting at the front of the class, listening as hard as I can to all they have to share too... and I'll learn the most of any in attendance through the weekend - as always.
As I sit here tonight reviewing my pictures and notes I am reminded of all the folks who have attended previous workshops... I appreciate each person and the things they contributed. I remember the good times, the laughter and fun. Tomorrow that tradition continues.
I believe in Yarrow...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Great post Dan, sometimes work can get you down, or lack of, it's realy difficult to "Keep Positive" at all times... but to stay true to yourself and what you believe, can and will pay off.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Good luck with the new router workshop, you are a wonderful inspiration, a great teacher and friend. You really light the fire in people.
I have been trying for months to change directions in my business to do things that I want to do rather than everything that comes in the door. Its a hard balance with overheads and salaries to meet each month.
When I get down and feel its all too much stress and pressure, I think about all the positive energy fun and enthusiasm we all shared each time we have got together in Yarrow.
Trying to recreate ome of that in my daily life here.
Great to see work is rolling in and as always a pleasure to read your posts and see your works in progress, thanks for sharing all of that.
I got skype on my Nokia N900 and was chatting with Rene a couple of times recently, can you hook several up at the same time on Skype?
Good luck at the weekend post some pics. Say hi to Janis, Bec and everybody
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