W-Women Globally

Looking back on 2008, what were the milestones for your business?
Linda Plaisted: To me, the New Year can be turned into something profound. It represents a benchmark in the history of the world and also in the personal history of an individual. It is a time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going next. Our journey is not random. We can influence that journey and this is a good time to do it.
My greatest success in 2008 has been bringing my work to a wider audience. By getting my images up on sites like Trunkt.com and keeping a limited presence on etsy.com and other websites, I have had numerous influential individuals and companies come to me, seeking to promote and disseminate my work.

Concrete Results?
LP: The concrete result of those contacts was that 2008 was the year when I signed contracts with four art consultancy groups, all of whom sought me out to connect corporate collectors with my work. I am now represented by consultants in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Washington, DC. My work was acquired for the corporate collections of Mastercard International, McGraw-Hill, Standard and Poor’s, Bookhill Partners and several other top DC law firms as well as smaller firms around the country. Just last month I signed a contract to have my work installed around the world in major luxury hotel chains such as The Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Weston and others.
As I keep my work updated on the mentioned sites and I participate in local and regional organizations such as Washington Project for the Arts and Maryland Arts Place, my work was chosen to be featured on Daily Candy Washington DC in September and seen by millions of new eyes. This generated a massive influx of new business, and also a new gallery representation opportunity with a popular Washington gallery space and interior design firm- Vastu.
My work was also curated by Molly Ruppert of Warehouse DC and featured in DC Fotoweek’s Pixtour 2008 in November. The culmination of all this exposure was then being nominated as one of only 3 nominees for Daily Candy’s Best of 2008 award in the “Best Nest” home decor category. I also was courted by and signed with a fine art publisher and am in negotiations with two others to print large format editions of several of my series as offset lithographs for distribution all over the world. Several of those series are in production even as we speak and should be available soon.

The Biggest Challenge?
LP: My biggest challenge is always and forever TIME. As the mother of two small children, it is a constant juggling act between my responsibilities as the primary caregiver, lunch-maker, laundress, playmate, teacher, booboo-kisser and role model to two very important humans and my own very real need for self-expression, self-reliance and sanity. I have tried for five years to do it all by myself, but this year I had so many business opportunities that I had to hire a part-time babysitter to help me out while I worked from my home studio. After two rather unreliable nannies came and went, I have hired a third person whom I hope can stick around and make all of this work. The success of this arrangement has yet to be determined. Cross fingers.

Inspiration?
LP: At the beginning of 2008, I had the inspiration to move my work in the direction of things that are important to me. Women and their untold stories are very important to me, so I made a commitment to tell those stories this past year. I am pleased to say that as the year closed I had completednot less than ten separate series of, by and about women and girls. If you look back in my archives, you will see their lives and hear their stories. Though I still shoot my popular landscapes, trees and birds, those “pay the way” for the work that offers a voice for women. That brings me joy.

2009?
LP: 2009 is the “Year of Business” and communications for me. My business has grown to the point that I can no longer just sit back and wait for things to come to me as they have in the past. I have to be proactive about bringing my work to the attention of others and investing time and energy and money back into Me, Inc. To that end, I have invested in a new snazzy camera, (still on order-ack!) new tools and even new business software to make the behind-the-scenes processes run more smoothly so that I can just get out and do what I love best – CREATE!
Since I am concentrating on improving communications, all are welcome to sign for my newsletter list on my website, or follow me on Facebook and Twitter to get all the latest news and developments!

Other?
LP: I would also like to add that each year I donate all the proceeds from my annual Holiday Limited Edition Print to Heartly House - a women’s domestic violence shelter that does amazing work in my community. Giving back to women, particularly women in need is a huge motivating current for me and my work.

W-WomenGlobally: Thank you for sharing your thoughts and Happy 2009!!

Visit Linda Plaisted website:  lindaplaisted.com