All Signs Point To Noella Cotnam! ARTpreneur Conference – Cornwall Ontario – November 5th, 2009
/Cornwall Free News
Noella Cotnam is an Artist. All you have to do is look at her collection of work as you travel around Cornwall and the area to see that. She’s created a rich history in the area that gives Cornwall a shine that many communities could only be envious of. We got to chat last week about her history and the ARTpreneur Conference where she’ll be speaking about adding an Artistic Twist to your Business plan.
She told me about how she started out with her partner Nancy putting ads in local Cornwall newspapers offering to do mail box lettering for $20 back in 1982!
What is it about Williamstown? Diane Sullivan, Noella, the Quilt of Belonging; it’s a hotbed of artistry…
Ms Cotnam told me that what was key for her was connecting with other sign people and artists. How she wrote articles for sign magazines, taught workshops, and her community involvement.
Her work now is all over the world. “Art is a business. If you want to make a living at it you have to learn to sell.” She has learned that lesson well since leaving the Aerospace Industry. It takes a lot of guts and passion to take those kind of steps. Self-Confidence, self-knowledge, and you have to be a bit of a risk taker.
Thursday she’ll share why Artists need a business plan and about the not living on the right side of the brain. Artists she explained “tend to live on the right side of the brain” seeing things linearly and abstract, focusing on images which can help a good Business Plan, but you have to have structure; lines, and boxes too.
“Think balance” Noella told me, and her workshop should be just that. A lovely balance of artistry and skill to help any artist find their way to survival in tough economic times.
Catch Noella’s Workshop at 1:45 PM at the ARTpreneur Conference at the Ramada Inn & Conference Centre, Thursday November 5, 2009.