affirmation!

Once in a while, and not often enough, we get something that tells us we're on the right path.  I guess that's life... testing us to the limit!  You plod along, start to doubt yourself, plod a little more, but eventually something will happen to keep you plodding!
My presence here has resulted in a call or two that have given me hope that I may be getting somewhere!  I don't want to be famous, but would like to share my work with as many people as possible.  My site is now up to over 1000 visits!  Keeping in mind that some are regulars, checking back, that's still a pretty awesome record.  My presence in other internet venues will also result in something in the long run, I'm sure now.
Even if it doesn't though, I'm still as happy as can be doing what I'm doing.  Isn't that what it's all about?

We've had a heat wave here the past few days.  The heat drives me to top gear, and I went on a blitz - a series of 4  poppy paintings. 2 done, 2 to go.  Plus a couple of other boards have been started.  I sometimes find great frames, but odd sizes, so these need to have masonite boards cut to fit.  Sometimes I look at the board, gessoed, and it tells me what it should have.  No, I'm not crazy!

I'm still here!

I'm sorry it's been a while... we went on a trip to Amsterdam, Normandy and Paris.  If you follow me on FB, you already know that.  The pictures and inspiration I brought home from that trip were a little overwhelming, to say the least.  But when we were home again, I had to get into gardening mode again to get the place ready for the local garden tour that was on Father's Day weekend.  For the tour I also put out some art.... so had to get that ready too!  Plus, I had to paint from time to time, naturally.
Now I'm in 'get ready for the August show' mode... will have the Waterford Old Town Hall all to myself!  My first solo show.  I'm really excited about it, and want to have some fresh, recent stuff for it.  I've done about 6 pieces since the trip, which is pretty good.  The garden tour sales were disappointing... not as good as my own "Art in the Garden" show last year.  I guess they were mostly gardeners, not art seekers.  So for this show I'm hoping for a little more in the way of sales.  I believe my prices are reasonable, and my work is good.  The 'bad times' don't help much either... but I continue to paint just because I love to.

My subject matter is all over the board!  I've done 4 from the trip, but then did a dog commission, and a waterfall in the winter.  Go figure... then I paint flowers during the winter!   Today I did some work outside in the shade of the trees.  I paint whatever moves me at the time...  which relates to the theme of my show - time.  I'm calling it "Spots in Time", and will add a quote or explanation with each piece to its meaning in my times.  I hope it's something different from other shows.

I've attached this one, in progress still I think.

what's next?

I've just returned from a 2 week holiday to Amsterdam, Normandy and Paris.  The purpose of the trip was to get closer to Rembrandt, and come back with more subject ideas for future paintings.  Well, I sure accomplished what I set out to!  In all, I took 3217 pictures (thank God for digital!!).  I have enough ideas to keep me busy for a few years.  I walked through Rembrandt's house, languished in his studio, examined his easel (probably a replica though), and went back in time.  The paintings at the Rijks Museum were  beyond words... the Rembrandts, Vermeers and other Dutch artists were so inspiring.  The Van Gogh Museum was pretty amazing too, showing his contemporaries who inspired him.  Then I saw Monet's huge water lilies at Orangerie - interesting from an artists perspective.  Pretty rough looking at them close up, but from a distance they sure have the effect his was working for.
So the big question is... what will I paint next?!!  I feel quite overwhelmed at the moment, and have gone over the pictures to organize them into folders to make it more manageable.  I don't want to just copy the photos though, but create the atmosphere I felt with each one, using techniques from the masters that I observed.  I guess you'll just have to wait to see what I present next!!  ;)

I also have gardening to do - lots of weeds got ahead while I was away, and I'm on the garden tour this year... just a month away.


This is how I feel right now, small and overwhelmed, dwarfed by a multitude of ideas... just like I'm dwarfed by this huge column at the Grand Palais of Paris.

pricing

Now that I have so many pieces listed (I just finished #200) I'm getting into quite a complicated web of "what price to put on this one?".  So after researching many artists' sites and policies, I've decided to adapt a common practise of pricing by size.  It seems the easiest, and fairest to buyers... not necessarily to artists.  It seems that many times I spend more time on the little detailed pieces than the larger ones, but after doing so many, I'm not as attached to those that took so long, and see how a buyer would find these prices more fair, when compared to the others.
When making such a change, I had to keep in mind what previous pieces have sold for.  It was important that those works at least maintain their value!  So in the final analysis, previous buyers will be happy, and future buyers will be able to see a clearer relationship between pieces and their value.

It's a dilemma... the worst part of making art... I'm not in it for the money, but need to do something with all the paintings I've collected!  You can't make yourself look too cheap, nor can you make the prices beyond reach of those who you think would love to have your work.  Maybe I've found a comfort zone now...??

technical difficulties

My apologies to anyone who looked at my site the last couple of days.  We had a little glitch, but I solved it.  The more I play with the site, the more I learn. 
I'm also getting into a time when I'm out the in garden quite a bit (there's a lot to do!!) so will be painting a little less... at least not all day like I do in the winter!  So be patient, more is coming, eventually. 
There's also the issue of sharing everything I do when I have a show coming up in August... but that's still a long way off.  I hate to spoil the surprise for those who take the time to come to the show, but know that a lot of you can't physically manage to come.   I may keep a few secrets, but will post them all for sure after the show.

Befores and Afters!

                              after   
     (to suit owner's decor and arrangement)


(after) -adjusted the beard shape

Sorry about the rotation!  I really worked on this one, changed a lot.  The feeling is a lot better in the final product (the one on the right), to me anyway!

Relief in the sharing of ideas

I subscribe to Robert Genn's letters, and find them very enlightening and reassuring.  The latest letter was all about style and subject exploration.  I always felt I was a little different in that I did so many different subjects, and that each piece was unique from all the others.  It seems I'm not alone!  There are many out there, like me, who do what they do because they do it for themselves.  I realized, after reading many letters reacting to Robert's, that it is a good thing to not be boring just to satisfy a market.  I see now that in my quest to keep my life interesting, I'm also keeping any viewers interested too!  You never know what you'll see next! 
Some artists are easily recognized for their subject (eg.Trish Romance or Robert Bateman), which is 'nice', but after a while I'm sure a collector of their work will be bored too, and seek some variety.  It's nice to be recognized, sure.  But with so many artists out there, it's not likely.  So I 'work' for me.
'Work' is the wrong word.... it's my favourtie thing to do for enjoyment, (other than gardening) and I'm very lucky that I don't rely on my art for income!  
So now I shall continue, in the way I have been, knowing I'm OK, and not as unique in my dilemas after all!