I made some Google Sheets to help me out with a few things. They're pretty basic – feel free to save a copy to your account and run with it.

Artwork Inventory Sheet

I use mine to list dates, titles, medium, and all the basic stats for catalogued work. I'm not always the best at keeping it up to date, but since I've bookmarked it, at least I always know where I'm going to go to write my stuff down. Then I've got all my data in one place and can use it for tracking inventory, purchase information, my website, exhibitions, applications, and wherever else comes along.

https://brianwetjen.com/download-artist-inventory-sheet

Artwork Pricing Calculator Sheet

Pricing is always a challenge to figure out. I was pretty vibe-priced for a while, but I'd obsess about wanting to be organized and consistent about things. This Google Sheet is a basic price-per-square-inch calculator. Whether you want to price per square inch or not, it's kinda nice to know what your price per square inch is for your work. Measuring things like that has helped me a lot in decision-making when it comes to both pricing and production.

https://brianwetjen.com/download-artwork-pricing-calculator

You know the old saying about the Cobbler's kids' shoes? Well, it applies to the web developer's personal site(s) as well. I can't tell you how many versions of this site I've worked on over the past several years, but despite all of the false starts and what-if-I-did-it-this-way-instead attempts, I've finally just chosen the direct and simple path of publishing something. Now I have it out there and can improve upon it instead of holding off until that imaginary point arrives of everything being exactly how I want it. It seems that imaginary “coming soon” date always lingers just out of reach.

It's also kind of nice, fun, and exciting because it took some of my own advice, some of what I advise my website clients, and some of what I've been learning about myself to finally launch an updated version of my artist website. A large chunk of that was certainly realizing how much I get in my own way or make my path more complicated than it needs to be.

Now I have an updated site with refreshed examples of my artwork on it that's ready for moving forward. I have simplified everything and made it much easier for me to post and keep up to date. I've also incorporated a healthy amount of what I've learned since reviving my studio practice, opening and managing an art gallery, and then paring down to focus on my own studio work again.

Join the email list to be the first to receive notifications about new work that's available and other stuff that's going on. I promise you won't get too many emails.

Thanks for following along. I'm glad you're here.

Twenty years ago, I'd just arrived in Antwerp, Belgium to begin my independent study semester abroad. I was a senior printmaking student at the University of Nebraska Omaha. I didn't speak Flemish. I'd never been outside the US before. I had no idea how much I'd learn about the world and myself over the next few months.

When I look back at this experience, it really does stand out as one of the defining moments in my life. Living on my own in a country I'd never been to where I couldn't read or speak the language was just the kick in the butt I needed at that time. It forced me out of my comfort zone and taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

I think I'm going to spend a bit of time over the next couple months posting images and memories of my experience over the time I was there. It's a good incentive to digitize photos and other things I collected during my trip. It's also fun to think about sharing my memories and experiences with others, including the friends I made during my time in Belgium. I still keep in touch with many of those friends today. Thank goodness for the Internet!

It's also just crazy to think that this was twenty years ago. It seems like it could have just as easily been three years ago. At a certain point, the past just kind of blurs together and all becomes a mashed up highlight reel.

I was fortunate to have two roommates in our studentkamer when the semester started. Marieke was just finishing up her work and would be heading back to South Africa. Her husband Janna was able to able to join her on the trip, too. Having English-speaking friends to help me learn the lay of the land was a huge benefit. They introduced me to another student, Sandro, and the four of us spent a lot of time together over the first two weeks.  Fortunately, thanks again to the Internet, I've been able to reconnect with all three of them recently!

Janna, Marieke, and I shared a flat in a nice neighborhood where it was about a 20 minute walk to our school. It was also well-positioned between train stations and near tram routes. We had a third-floor apartment that was designated student housing with two big bedrooms and a kitchen. Bare bones, but clean and spacious. An added bonus was that the shower was in the kitchen, so we'd have to warn each other when it was shower time.

I felt very lucky to be able and do the semester abroad in the first place. Veerle Rooms, my teacher from Belgium, had come to UNO as a visiting artist and I helped in the studio during her visit. Thomas Majeski, my printmaking professor at UNO, recommended me to study with her in Antwerp, which was quite an honor. I'll post more about my experiences as a student at another time.

Just this morning I was chatting online with Sandro. That conversation inspired me to fire up the scanner and get out these old photos. As I think about the stories I can tell, I'll post more updates and images from my semester abroad and travels, with some of the things I learned along the way.

Just looking at these photos makes me very thankful for the time I got to spend with these people and all that I learned from them in the short time we had together. Mighty fine folks and incredible artists!