Creating a Website

A week turned into a month, then two months, then I realized it's never done. Always tweaking, changing, testing, learning. Found out a padlock on a site really means something. To set up accepting credit cards on the site, the bank representative came to my studio to take photos to make sure I had legal produce and I had to provide financial records. A recent addition was adding music to the site. Statistics tell me it's a good thing--the bounce rate (indicates people who hit the site and immediately leave) dipped way down, but then recently someone said she hated the music. I took the music and the bounce rate went in again. I'm not totally happy with it; for instance, the program does not have the capability for the music to continue from one page to the next, rather it starts over. I'm thinking of just having the music on the home page. Plan to add slides later, too. What do you think? sharonjoymason.com

Timing is Everything

I perked up when a neighbor casually mentioned she was taking art lessons from a local artist. Art had finally found me. The first lesson was overwhelming. Pick a photo to paint and copy it as the instructor guided me through the process. This chapel door took several lessons to complete. It's laughable, but from the start you want to create a masterpiece and it doesn't work that way unless a person is a natural. Like music lessons, you have to do the "scales" first. I have more confidence and knowledge now, but the desire to learn more and get better is insatiable.