And the Winner is.....Melrb2!! Please email me at artzyone@cox.net to claim your prize!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Pricing Art Work, and Where to Sell it?
As I am on this journey, making up for lost time and learning all the things about art I should know, but didn't begin learning till now, the question comes up...What do I do with all these paintings?
In the beginning, my goal was to create art and hopefully my family would enjoy it and treasure it with the knowledge that Linda put her heart and soul into this. I have one painting that my Great Aunt Jessie painted over 55 years ago, and I would never part with it. Now as I begin the third year of this journey, I realize I have to sell art to be able to continue the process. Otherwise they are growing out of my house and into the garage. They don't call artist poor and starving for no reason. This is no light weight hobby or profession by any means.
Recently we purchased new home insurance and they asked us to list our most valuable items, such as jewelry, golf clubs, antiques etc. After we left we were having a conversation in the car about what to save in the case of a fire. We all pondered what we should grab, other than the obvious family momentos and photographs. My husband said he had a lot invested in golf clubs but then quickly said, "Everyone grab Mom's art supplies! That's where the real money is!" He may have been off handedly joking, but actually it is nothing but true. Our money is highly invested in turning me into an artist.
So, with that in mind, I know I have to figure out a way to sell my work. This is not easy for me at all. I cannot stand to ask money from people. Even at my garage sales, I feel guilty taking money. Now don't get me wrong, at the end of the day, no one is happier than I with the cash we earn, but I hide out in the house while my husband runs the sale. With art it is more personal and you never really know what will appeal to the masses, let alone just one art buyer. Otherwise, my home turns into a one woman museum.
The internet is great to strategize pricing of art. Seems like a lot of pros price their work by the square inch. One said $6.00 a square inch. That person had more fame and years under their belt, so I have come to the conclusion I will set my price at $1.50 a square inch. That would make a 10 X10 for example $150 unframed. It is a starting point for now.
Now, comes the hard part....Where to sell? There are a couple of shows coming up that I can put work in, and there are a few auction sites on the internet I may give a try. Times are tough and no one has money. Well, no one has money for art like they used to. Say a prayer for me as I venture into this and pray most of all I can sell! Cause this artist is in need of supplies! Sigh...
In the beginning, my goal was to create art and hopefully my family would enjoy it and treasure it with the knowledge that Linda put her heart and soul into this. I have one painting that my Great Aunt Jessie painted over 55 years ago, and I would never part with it. Now as I begin the third year of this journey, I realize I have to sell art to be able to continue the process. Otherwise they are growing out of my house and into the garage. They don't call artist poor and starving for no reason. This is no light weight hobby or profession by any means.
Recently we purchased new home insurance and they asked us to list our most valuable items, such as jewelry, golf clubs, antiques etc. After we left we were having a conversation in the car about what to save in the case of a fire. We all pondered what we should grab, other than the obvious family momentos and photographs. My husband said he had a lot invested in golf clubs but then quickly said, "Everyone grab Mom's art supplies! That's where the real money is!" He may have been off handedly joking, but actually it is nothing but true. Our money is highly invested in turning me into an artist.
So, with that in mind, I know I have to figure out a way to sell my work. This is not easy for me at all. I cannot stand to ask money from people. Even at my garage sales, I feel guilty taking money. Now don't get me wrong, at the end of the day, no one is happier than I with the cash we earn, but I hide out in the house while my husband runs the sale. With art it is more personal and you never really know what will appeal to the masses, let alone just one art buyer. Otherwise, my home turns into a one woman museum.
The internet is great to strategize pricing of art. Seems like a lot of pros price their work by the square inch. One said $6.00 a square inch. That person had more fame and years under their belt, so I have come to the conclusion I will set my price at $1.50 a square inch. That would make a 10 X10 for example $150 unframed. It is a starting point for now.
Now, comes the hard part....Where to sell? There are a couple of shows coming up that I can put work in, and there are a few auction sites on the internet I may give a try. Times are tough and no one has money. Well, no one has money for art like they used to. Say a prayer for me as I venture into this and pray most of all I can sell! Cause this artist is in need of supplies! Sigh...
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Painting Give Away!
Don't miss out on the chance to win an original oil painting by me, Linda Dunbar.
Guess I am ready for fall, because I was inspired to paint a beautiful fall leaf. This painting a small one, so you can put it anywhere or even place it in an easel on a table top. The painting itself measures
5 X 7 and the frame measures a little more than 8 X 10.
To enter, you must follow my blog, either by a Google Circle, or by email. To the right of the blog is an option to follow by email. Once your email is submitted, you must check your email and follow the link to confirm you are subscribing. Painting will be shipped to the winner next week, frame included.
All names will be entered into a drawing and one winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by email or Facebook.
We will have more painting giveaways coming up, so be sure to enter and enter soon!
Good luck!
Guess I am ready for fall, because I was inspired to paint a beautiful fall leaf. This painting a small one, so you can put it anywhere or even place it in an easel on a table top. The painting itself measures
5 X 7 and the frame measures a little more than 8 X 10.
To enter, you must follow my blog, either by a Google Circle, or by email. To the right of the blog is an option to follow by email. Once your email is submitted, you must check your email and follow the link to confirm you are subscribing. Painting will be shipped to the winner next week, frame included.
All names will be entered into a drawing and one winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by email or Facebook.
We will have more painting giveaways coming up, so be sure to enter and enter soon!
Good luck!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Back to School Days!
When September rolls around, it is time for back to school. Mothers and Dads line up in the school supply aisles at chain stores searching for the must have items as if they were participating in a million dollar prize scavenger hunt and their child will be taken from them by the government if they don't find the exact item on the much revered list. Kids get drug to the hair stylist to make the best of those summer sun bleached heads and masses of tangles that did not seem to matter much until now. And for those fortunate enough to go to art classes, even a new tube of paint and a fresh canvas or two surfaces on the scene. I fit into the last category. My days of scouring for the just right notebook, pens and markers have passed me by and no one really cares what my hair looks like.
The beginning of the new semester offers hope of creating the painting that will one day make you famous or infamous, either will do. The likelihood of that is far less greater than the odds of winning a multi million dollar jackpot. Yet, we are driven as artist to improve, so off we go to classes and schools with hope and angst on our side to drive us to create our newest masterpiece. One that will probably end up in someone's closet or even worse in someone's garage sale. Sigh...
However, back to class we go and we are happy to be there. Tuition is paid, art boxes full and ideas are flowing amongst us. As for me, I have been taking now for two years and only beginning to feel I have a beginning understanding of the basics. My father in law, who cannot be called a supporter of the arts, but more finds the whole process extremely curious, once asked me, "You are still going to art classes? When do you think you will graduate?" How could I answer that, but laugh? It didn't take me long to learn, NEVER. There are artist in my classes that have studied for 18 years and some that just started today.
We are all excited to renew friendships and begin a new project. Easels ready for the weight of fresh paint and not so steady hands.
A stack of unclaimed and unfinished canvas' line floor waiting to be found by their rightful owner or covered in gesso and repainted with a fresh start by an artist not willing or able to buy a new one.
The beginning of the new semester offers hope of creating the painting that will one day make you famous or infamous, either will do. The likelihood of that is far less greater than the odds of winning a multi million dollar jackpot. Yet, we are driven as artist to improve, so off we go to classes and schools with hope and angst on our side to drive us to create our newest masterpiece. One that will probably end up in someone's closet or even worse in someone's garage sale. Sigh...
However, back to class we go and we are happy to be there. Tuition is paid, art boxes full and ideas are flowing amongst us. As for me, I have been taking now for two years and only beginning to feel I have a beginning understanding of the basics. My father in law, who cannot be called a supporter of the arts, but more finds the whole process extremely curious, once asked me, "You are still going to art classes? When do you think you will graduate?" How could I answer that, but laugh? It didn't take me long to learn, NEVER. There are artist in my classes that have studied for 18 years and some that just started today.
We are all excited to renew friendships and begin a new project. Easels ready for the weight of fresh paint and not so steady hands.
A stack of unclaimed and unfinished canvas' line floor waiting to be found by their rightful owner or covered in gesso and repainted with a fresh start by an artist not willing or able to buy a new one.
New wet projects line the walls waiting for the next class period where they will be slaved over and hopefully admired by others. Maybe if you are really lucky, even sold.
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Her Mission is Ghana - Mine is Painting...
She is the founder and president of EveryDay Ministry, Inc.
She inspires me so much and I want to capture her spirit in a painting. The people are so loving and their faces so beautiful. Here is my beginning.
Friday, August 30, 2013
Perhaps I Owe Having Become a Painter to Flowers....
This past spring I spotted trays of beautiful annuals outside a local grocery store and couldn't resist snapping a few photos to paint.
Here are the results of the first day or two of blocking in....
Buying someone flowers is kind of a weird idea. Like: Hey, these are for you, now watch them slowly die, because I love you.
Once I got out the photos and tried to think thru my painting, here we go with that hard composition lesson that I so need to work on. How do you know when to edit? We all love flowers and they smell really beautiful, but they can be so messed up in a painting. Believe me I have samples where it looks as if I tried to cram every flower known to man into the painting.
Okay, here 'my children of the paintings,' I have a HUGE tip for you that worked for me. You know how you can take your fingers and zoom in on a photo on your Ipod or iPad? Well, I guess you don't know that if you don't have one. It is the same as laying paper over a section of a photo and cutting it down to a reasonable interesting view. My IPad just made it easier for me to do it and somehow this summer, it all clicked in my head when I did it! Eureka! Or maybe I should shout out...Petunia!!
I took the above photo and scaled it down to a more interesting crop below. It was admittedly a kind of mistake, but it finally broke thru this old girl's head.
Here are the results of the first day or two of blocking in....
And here is the final painting. Amazing how much better it looks with an edited version of the photo! Flowers can say all kinds of things...I'm sorry, I love you, Feel better...But for me, they say LESSON LEARNED!
Can we conceive what humanity would be it it did not know the flowers of paintings?
Buying someone flowers is kind of a weird idea. Like: Hey, these are for you, now watch them slowly die, because I love you.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Have Brush Will Ravel?
What do you do when you procrastinate or even just forget to clean your brushes for several days?
Recently we lost an uncle and somehow it just did not seem appropriate to paint and even more not to blog. Giving myself a few days did not mean it was a good idea to walk away from my brushes and leave them to their own drying in my very warm studio. Today, when I ventured out to return to work, I was thinking what a dork to not clean up last week.
Once you fill the brush with soap it quickly begins to melt the oil paint. This can take several attempts to get them clean....felt like about a hundred, but I am sure I exaggerate.
Recently we lost an uncle and somehow it just did not seem appropriate to paint and even more not to blog. Giving myself a few days did not mean it was a good idea to walk away from my brushes and leave them to their own drying in my very warm studio. Today, when I ventured out to return to work, I was thinking what a dork to not clean up last week.
Saturated in dried paint, I got the brilliant idea to soak them in my turp bucket, knowing this isn't going to be pretty!
In the bottom of the turpentine bucket is a little scrubbing rack and I really have learned it is not the best thing for my brush bristles. When others have cleaned up for me, (others being my sweet husband,) they over use this scrubber and it leaves the bristles all ragged and raveled, and usually hard to repair.
They make wonderful brush soaps than can do a better job cleaning and help the bristles form back their original shapes too.
Hard to understand that some of the best clean up for oils is soap and water, but it really works. Works well on people too, but bath soap is much cheaper in case you are inclined to feel the urge to take a bath.
My brushes were in an awful mess and every time this has happened to me, I vow never again, but then I guess I will never learn. I never learned my multiplication tables either, therefore I am an artist instead of all those real jobs that make money. I digress...
Once you fill the brush with soap it quickly begins to melt the oil paint. This can take several attempts to get them clean....felt like about a hundred, but I am sure I exaggerate.
All clean and back in their place in my studio. Whew! Onward and upward, back to hiding behind the canvas. This photo doesn't really show how clean the brushes turned out, but it does show the pretty view from my studio window is, so that seemed more important right now. Life goes on....
RIP Uncle Clive, your smile was infectious and you were never anything but kind to me.
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