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Issue 1 - Willowrose Village Newsletter
Cochrane, AB - June 26, 2008
Welcome to the first Willowrose Village Newsletter.
This is turning out to be quite the adventure. Starting Willowrose is a passion and dream I’ve had for a lot of years, and I am excited to be finally getting it started.
Beginning to live the dream
For years I have wanted to create a “village” of resources especially for artists and business people. My dream has always been to have a physical location for this arts and business village, but finding the right place, and enough money for the right place – well, we’re still working on that. But at the end of 2007, right over Christmas in fact, something just said it was time to start doing something with this dream. I realized that I could begin it as an online village, and go from there.
So here I am. I started putting together the website in January and worked on it as I could. Then I quit my job at the end of April and am now working full time (and overtime!) on getting the basic programs put together. I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make them happen – because I have all the ideas in my head ready to go – but alas, it does take time!
I did sit down yesterday to do some planning and realized that I am actually fairly close to being done with the initial projects I had in mind. Mind you, there will be more added as we go, but there were some things I did want to start with.
The Willowrose Village Website
To fill you in about the website, you will notice that I have four sections on the home page. The first three – Arts, Business and Life - are the areas that I have been most involved with in my life and I wanted all three of them to be part of this village. I’m just in the process of revising the website, so please feel free to explore and see what’s there.
Berrywine Webdesign
I started with doing webdesigning, which is something I have been doing more as a hobby for a number of years. I’ve met some interesting people already and am enjoying the creative challenges of designing websites to fit the person and the art or business they do.
The latest Additions
I have just this past week added three galleries. One is the Arts Cochrane Gallery, especially for artists in Cochrane and the surrounding area. Then there is the Artists of Alberta Gallery, for artists outside of Cochrane. And finally, there is the Willowrose Gallery, which will highlight some of my favorite artists.
Part of my goal in creating the first two galleries was to make it possible for artists and craftspeople to get an online presence at a reasonable price. They have the option of just having their page in the gallery, or for a bit more, they can register a domain name and have it go directly to their gallery page. It’s a simple, easy and affordable way to get started on the internet.
So one of my goals in the next several weeks is to start adding artists to those websites.
In the works
I’ve also started work on a Cochrane Business Mall – a place where local businesses can highlight their business. Similar to the gallery pages, businesses can start with a simple page in this mall, register a domain name and have it go to that page. Again, a simple, easy and affordable way to get started online. I should have the sample page ready sometime in the next week or so.
Both the Arts Cochrane site and the Cochrane Business Mall site have Directories as well.
I’m also starting to plan for some classes and workshops this fall. I have always enjoyed teaching and sharing the things I have learned with others, so I am looking forward to that.
I don’t want to make these newsletters long and drawn out, so that’s it for this time. Please do head over to the website and explore. And if you know of an artist or business person who could use some help and encouragement, feel free to tell them about Willowrose Village.
Thanks, and here’s to our creative success!
Evelyn Grace, at Willowrose Village
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