ko au te kete

The way to learn is by doing.

Well it definitely is for a weaver!

If you’ve ever wanted to understand how to make a website, make one!

If you want to learn how to add a post on your website, write one!

That’s all there is to it.

It’s EASY!

If you can use all the other social media apps out there you can do this, and maybe you don’t even need a website!

The funny thing is, as I’ve been going through this process, I’ve begun to understand how the other tools I was already using are quite amazing!!

Like for instance, it you run an ad in Facebook, you receive the use of the Meta business suite. A quite amazing set of tools that allow you to track and record everything that you sell on a number of levels.

Now, you may find this scary, I do. There’s uncertainty around intellectual property and money and ownership of all that information you’re putting into the tool. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea and I understand.

But mate! It’s unreal what’s available. I’m kind of stunned at the possibility available to me in my phone that I carry around in my handbag all day. It’s astonishing. I can literally speak to the whole wide world!

Some of the unimagined benefits have been really cool too. For instance, I wanted my Meta business page to be the same as my Instagram and Website name. The very annoying thing is that I’ve set all those things up at different times using different email addresses. This is NOT the way to do things, however, that’s how I’ve done them and now there’s a big clean up happening.

I’ve discovered, aside from work and study, I’ve managed to open 8 email addresses, ten all told.

Mind you, this is over a 25 year period, so it doesn’t sound so bad put that way.

But heck! It’s a lot to manage, and I’m the least businessy person I know. The best way I can think of to understand it is like having a house with three rooms or a house with 10 rooms. One of those is going to be easier to manage.

So I’ve been downloading images and documents I’ve had on google drive for years. That’s also given me an opportunity to record all my passwords and delete them from google. This has honestly been something that’s been in the back of my mind giving me palpitations for awhile, all those pesky password leaks and breaches with their untold notifications, if I had an emoji here it would be 3 eye rolls! It’s also about keeping control over my data and information.

The next amazing thing that’s happened is that people have been contacting me, asking how much?

Well, um, how much for what?

Exactly.

I haven’t actually described what I’m selling and given them any options or a price range! It would be easy to feel stupid, but I know I’m not, I’m a weaver. So back to the drawing board.

Dear chatgpt, can you please create a form so that my clients can let me know what they are wanting?

What is the best online form I can use?

How do I use it and add it to my website?

Can you refine it so a 12 year old can fill it out?

I finally understand the practical use of AI. It’s in your pocket, on your desk, in your handbag. Use it! Save’s me looking for an expert and doing a course. Yes, everyone out there is using it, so learn about it and keep up, or get left behind. That’s all there is to it.

So I’m learning as I do. I’m absolutely loving this process. I’m not doing it purely for money. It’s difficult to describe. There’s a joy to it, it’s fun. I get to use my creativity and perspective and it continues to clarify my artistic practice.

Artists I’ve found are usually multi-disciplinary, they may become well known for one thread of what they do, but there are a lot more behind the scenes skills they need to develop and employ to able to share their gifts.