Delegation - the Word with
Heather René Dunaway
August 2025
I have a problem. I think I can do it all.
Honestly, normally I can. Alas, not without STRESS. Which is probably how I got myself into the situation I am currently in.
I recently had a health scare. Don’t worry, I’m fine now (mostly). However, it took a lot of time and energy for me to heal and recover. This all happened just before my finale of The Art of the Rings, the Return of the Art Show reception. So, I was forced to do something I wouldn’t normally do.
Delegate.
Having a particular way you like things done, a certain set of standards, can be a blessing and a curse. You know what it takes to get it right, but finding others who will do it to those standards can be rough. Luckily for me, I am surrounded by people who also share in my impossibly high Leo standards. It’s important, when you are doing a lot, to find other people who can help share the load. It will make your life a lot less stressful, which means less ER visits (at least in my case).
Huge shout out to Jeremy Cohen and Erica Pastecki for helping to make the Art of the Rings show a great note to end things on. I really couldn’t have done it without these two. Even though I found it hard to simply sit and watch the reception happen from the Mercantile table. It was nice to know I had folks I could lean on. I have big FOMO, what can I say.
So, take it from me. DELEGATE. Save yourself the trouble and woe and find some friends, family, staff etc to help you achieve your goals. We aren’t islands, as it turns out.
Some of those smaller tasks you can for sure let go. Set yourself some attainable goals that you would be comfortable letting someone else take over so you can focus on the bigger picture. For me, that’s getting local artists the acknowledgement they deserve in a space where they can share their love of creating and maybe make some money. For you it could mean throwing together a concert, organizing some arts workshops, or writing a book. It takes a village to raise a baby, and a small team of driven, like minded individuals to make art happen in Augusta.
That’s the word.
-Heather
