Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Supporters, (and Fans, too, of course):

I’ve compiled for you a brief account of the last twelve months of my life, highlighting my experiences as an Entrepreneur, Businesswoman, and Artist.  

…A MUD CRAZY RECAP of 08 & WHAT TO EXPECT in 09 …

February was the first month ...
when I really decided to dedicate my efforts to embellishing other people’s ears … I started designing and producing unique, high-style, handcrafted porcelain jewelry.  I restyled and
revamped  my business, Sweet Mud Clay Works, to exclusively produce and market my distinctive porcelain earrings.  The first collection of designs was created during this time, and I
quickly began researching various marketing methods and soliciting retail venues to carry my designs.

In April, I was invited ...
to sell my jewelry at a well-established art gallery. It was the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center in Kansas City that first allowed me to sell my wares in their glossy, glassy jewelry cases. I was now
an ongoing exhibiting artist in the Crossroads Arts District.













May presented me with the opportunity ...
to sell my jewelry in an alternate space - a sweet boutique called Spool - also in Kansas City - a mere 2 blocks north of the other retail location. Two glass jewelry cases, two vastly
different clienteles, two jewelry lines, and two opportunities to learn the delicate art of creating and maintaining business relationships - in the fashion realm, no less.

June/July was serious crunch time ...
for creating new artwork for an upcoming solo show and expanding my repertoire of earring designs. I also made my way, by MEGA BUS, to Chicago with the hopes of spreading my
jewelry all over the bustling metropolis. However, after meeting with a vaguely uninterested shop owner, I quickly realized that this whole jewelry business might be a little more
challenging that I had hoped. That’s also when I realized just how saturated the ‘handmade’ jewelry market is - and that many, many things are called ‘jewelry.’

August was a time for traveling and losing sleep.
I made my way through three states in 10 ½ hours to finally arrive in the teeny-tiny town of Smithville, Tennessee. It was here that I would install my solo exhibition, Suspension and
Pause, in Gallery Number 1 at the Appalachian Center for Craft. Installing my 13 translucent porcelain pieces and 4 paintings took about 1 ½ days with the diligent assistance of my
helper, Sarah, Resident Artist of Exhibitions at the Appalachian Center for Craft. Three days and 10 ½ hours later I ended up back in Kansas City to prepare for the next leg of my solo
exhibition, presented by J.Bird Studios Gallery, in Kansas City, Kansas.














After the exhaustion of 21 hours of driving ...
and months of preparation, September started with some much-needed sleep. I also kicked my jewelry production into high gear to prepare for another retail location to add to my roster.
The Appalachian Center for Craft presented me with the opportunity to display my jewelry in their gallery shop, alongside more than 100 other fine craft artists. I again made  that same
long drive down to the south to attend the closing reception of my solo show at ACC, which had been on display for six weeks, and to de-install whatever few pieces remained after the
show *surely* sold out. Unfortunately, I returned to Kansas City once again with a full carload of my artwork - exactly the same number of pieces I left with. But I had a great experience,
and I was so honored to be invited and hosted, and I met some wonderful Southerners along the way.

September bled into October ...
and I was quickly faced with the daunting task of re-installing all of my pieces that were in the Tennessee show, but now in a much smaller exhibition space. This was my first traveling
exhibition, so it was intriguing to see the same pieces in alternate spaces, with different viewers. My opening reception at J.Bird Studios was meager at best, and I was yet again reminded
of the challenges and disappointments of being an artist in Kansas City.














November offered me a few hours of rest ...
after those whirlwind months, and reminded me that I actually had no time to rest - for I had to now prepare for HOLIDAY SALES - not to mention the holidays themselves! I really
wished I had an Assistant during this busy time ... but I was so happy that I had submitted a request back in October to the Kansas City Art Institute, my alma mater, to get a student
Intern for the next semester. I was quickly contacted by Laura, a sweet ceramics student, who voiced a desire to assist me with my madness. I gladly took her up on her offer, quietly
fearing she didn’t truly know what she was getting herself into. Now I just had to wait 90 more days for my intern to arrive!














Little snowfall and mild temperatures in December ...
allowed me to work those extra long hours in my studio in preparation for holiday sales. I had generated enough jewelry to participate in three local holiday sales, in addition to the sale
I was running on my website, and the new inventory of jewelry I had dropped off at Spool.  Like most people’s Decembers, mine was busy, hectic, rewarding, and full of tasty food
(you didn’t think I could work those longs hours without food, did you?)


Now on to these early weeks of 2009 ...

While I anxiously await the arrival of sweet Laura, my new intern, I am busy working on making jewelry for my newest account, The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum
Gift Shop. I’ll be delivering my jewelry in just a few weeks, and will become their newest featured jewelry artist. It’s a thrill and I look forward to the response I get from the Museum-
goers.

In addition to producing, I have also designed and developed a new line of jewelry with dainty little icons and drawings. This is a new direction from my other collections which tended to
feature more graphic, bold, colorful, and textured designs.

I’ve also recently updated my website in a very *serious* way… I have a new PRESS page that features an art review of my 2008 solo exhibition, Suspension and Pause, as printed in
Review Magazine, a blurb about my jewelry from the Kansas City Star’s Star Magazine, and a great spread with a sassy brunette modeling a pair of my big, bold earrings in
Urban Times Magazine. I’ve also added more images of my jewelry to my website - so it’s even easier and more convenient to shop for really chic porcelain earrings from the comfort of
your swivel chair!

I have enjoyed my journey so far and am excited about the upcoming months.

I appreciate all the support I received during this last year!

THANK YOU !!!

p.s. 2008 was also a very exciting year for my little princess kitty, Ginger, who got to experience the joys of getting her first ever fur-cut! she was just so pleased as you can see in the  
pictures below.
. newsletter.
2008
February                                          Re-styled and Re-vamped SWEET MUD CLAY WORKS!
March                                              Began selling Sweet Mud Earrings at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center
May                                                 Began selling Sweet Mud Earrings at Spool, Kansas City, Missouri
June                                                 Sweet Mud Earrings in the 18th Street Fashion Show, Kansas City, MO
August  14 - September 26             Solo Exhibition at the Appalachian Center for Craft, Smithville, Tennessee
October 10 - November 7              Solo Exhibition at J.Bird Studios Gallery, Kansas City, Kansas
November - December                  Various Holiday Sales, Kansas City, Missouri
November 18                                  Holiday Sale and Exhibition at J.Bird Studios Gallery, Kansas City, Kansas
December 7 - January 24 2009       J.Birds in Flight Exhibition at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center
2007
January - February 2007:          Valentine Cake and Clay Sale, Kansas City Metro area, MO and KS.
1 June 2007:                             Moved Sweet Mud Clay Works  into new Studio Facility.
17 June 2007:                           New Website Launch.
14 July 2007:                           Grand Opening Exhibition at J.Bird Studios Gallery.
19 August 2007:                       39th Street Art Festival, Kansas City. Noon - 8 pm.
September - November:             Private Commission.
10 Nov - 14 Dec 2007:             Holiday Sale at J.Bird Studios Gallery.
2009
January                        Sweet Mud Jewelry available at Kemper Museum Gift Shop, Kansas City
February                     Sweet Mud Clay Works gets an intern!
March                         Exhibition of patterned paintings on canvas at Starbucks, Kansas City
April - August            Spring & Summer Art Fairs & Festivals, various locations
Sept - Dec                   Fall & Holiday Art Fairs & Festivals, various locations
copyright cara r. long, 2009. all rights reserved.
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