Apifera Farm - where art, story, animals & woman merge. Home to artist Katherine Dunn

Apifera Farm is a registered 501 [c][3]. #EIN# 82-2236486

All images

©Katherine Dunn.





Sunday, March 02, 2014

Emotional support for the artist



More art from "Donkey Dream" the upcoming illustrated book

Pledging to Kickstarter, to be clear, is not a handout to me. It is your choice-and you get a reward in return: a book, a piece of art, a visit to Apifera for a private pie party, or other items. In return for working on a book and art for over three years, I get money to pay for the printing-in so doing, I continue to make a living as a solo artist and writer, without a publisher backing me up.

It's that simple.

I certainly can't pledge to every Kickstarter that comes before me, or cause or event. It's the same when people want me to donate art, I can only do it so many times.

So I want to reiterate how important-emotionally-the support is that has come in so far, It makes me feel like people believe in my work and want to see more. The story of "Donkey Dream" is very special to me and Martyn-it is what Apifera is about-sharing the bounties that have come into my life because I picked myself up, dusted myself off and grew wings of my own, landing where I needed to be with whom I needed to be with. It is the sharing of it all through art, story and farm visits that give it even more meaning. The Misfits I help, it's all wrapped up into any piece of art I make, or an book I write. I don't separate the two.

Once the project funds [note the positivity again] anyone who donated at any Kickstarter level will be rewarded for their loyalty with a book at the price level they chose. I will also let them purchase more books at that price to reward my appreciation for their support. {Once the book is on the market, the price will go up to reflect shipping and other reasons, just a cautionary note.}

Can I say it again-running a Kickstarter-along with running the farm and writing and painting for the book-is a lot of work. Not complaining but I just really appreciate the tender letters I'm getting from people that have pledged, or adjusted their pledges upward. One person I hardly know wrote the sweetest note, with some tea, so I could sip it and relax. She explained she couldn't pledge but was telling people about it whenever she could.

The rains are here, I am doing my taxes and hoping the weather clears before one of the ewes lambs. So much more pleasant on everyone to have dry weather for lambing. I have a first time mom who already is giving me worries and think will be a handful come lambing. I have sent my prayers up the the Shepherdess Gods.