Eye on the Prize: PAD #4

Well, for me it's day #4 in the Painting a Day challenge because, as usual, I'm running behind.  Maybe I'll catch up tomorrow...in the meantime, this painting, titled "Eye on the Prize" is in acrylics, on a 3" x 3" canvas. I started out trying to fit the entire horse's head on the canvas, but again, I gradually made the image bigger, focusing more on the horse's eye. I made several attempts to correct the size, but kept making the image bigger, until I finally quit struggling and let the painting go where "it" wanted to.  I actually like this composition, and as I painted, I realized that my recent discovery of Zentangles (R) was playing a role here because I was focusing more on the shapes rather than the horse itself.  Next time, I might even make the shapes more defined, creating a real abstraction.  That, for me, would be wonderful as I have always had difficulty painting abstracts.  I always try to make them look like something.  So we'll see how it goes!  Check back tomorrow!

The Business of Art? Not So Scary After All!

"Windstalker"
by Stephanie Allison
18 x 24 Oil

I've been spending a LOT of time lately on the Internet, reading all sorts of material on the art of marketing.  Some of it I sort of knew, but chose to ignore because it meant stepping out of my comfort zone and actually communicating with people! Not that I haven't talked to people about my art, I have...but I'm not good at it. At all.  My sales pitch most often goes something like: "Would you be interested in buying one of my paintings?  No?  Okay, thank you for your time." And then I would slink away feeling miserable. Or when someone asked "what do you do?" I would hesitate before saying "I'm an artist," as if I were ashamed.

CHANGE IS GOOD

Some of the changes I'm making are out of necessity (my recent retirement) and some are because I started thinking about the fact that I've been painting for years, selling more often than I realized, and, most importantly, I love it!  So why not focus on doing something I love and maybe actually make money at it? Like so many other artists, I thought art was something to do in my spare time; the real money came from having a real job. And maybe I can do this now because I am an empty nester (although my dogs and cats and husband might have a different opinion on that)--but one thing I'm learning is that you really can make a living from your art if you know how to do it--and you don't have to be famous! The key is finding out what you love to do, do it, and, most importantly, share it with others!

STEPPING OUT INTO THE SOCIAL WORLD

The Internet has made it so easy to connect with people and get your art out there.  It seemed scary, at first, and  overwhelming.  But I found a wonderful site, The Abundant Artist, that has been instrumental in helping me become more business savvy in terms of my art.  What did I learn? It's not that difficult!  Social media seems to be the key:  a website, a blog, and as many other social spots you can find: Facebook, Etsy, Pinterest.  So I've been ramping up my presence on those sites, and surprise! it's working.  No sales yet that I can link directly to my new efforts, but something even better:  I'm finding so many other artists out there who share my interests and some whose work is completely different, but fascinating to look at!  And by connecting with them, my own work is being seen more and I'm making like-minded friends.  That alone is worth the effort!

I'm still wading through a ton of information on art marketing, and I'll be glad to share in future posts.  Meanwhile, I'd love to know what the rest of you are doing to promote your art and whether or not it's working.  Feel free to comment  below!

Gearing Up for the Holidays!

I can't believe it's October already!  Where did the summer go?  The cooler temps here have driven home the fact that summer is gone and the holidays are fast approaching.  With that in mind, things have shifted into high gear at Wit's End Studio.  I am working on several commissions simultaneously.  The one on the left is a work in progress, as is the one on the right.  On the right are Prescott and Fallon (love the names!!) and to the left is Kirby.  Still lots of work to do on both of these portraits, but I think it's interesting for other artists and non-artists as well to see how the process goes.  Both of these are just the first pass on the canvas, to block in the shapes and get a little color going and they are both in oils.  I know some artists draw first in charcoal or pencil and get everything laid out before they ever touch the canvas with paint.  I like to be more spontaneous--I just dive right in and adjust as I go along.  I think it gives the work a fresh feel.

 

The piece on the left here is one I started for fun--it began as a pallet knife painting, but I didn't like it so I switched back to brushes, and then I got busy with other things, so it's been sitting for awhile.  I look at it every now and then and each time I see adjustments that need to be made.  The horses need shaping--a couple of them look a little weird, but then they are wild horses!  Once I get the commissions finished, I'll get back to this one....

AND, it's nearly time for Shelbyville's Trims and Whims 2-day event, so I'll be working on some new jewelry pieces in the coming weeks as well, so keep a look-out for those!

 

Finally, my little "I'm Adopted" poster will be available online or at the Shelby Artists on Main Gallery, starting Monday October 8.  Stop by the gallery  or email me if you'd like to purchase one of these. They are signed and numbered and, because October is Adopt a Shelter Dog month, 25% of the purchase price will be donated to one of the 6 Shelbyville animal shelters/rescues of your choice.  Makes a nice Christmas gift and helps our local shelters as well!

 

Sometimes, You Just Need a Break

Well, it's been quite a while since I posted on here last. I guess I needed a break. After our beautiful Great Dane, Max, died back in August I had some difficulty getting back to painting--especially animals. But I got to thinking about it, and realized the best way to honor him would be to get involved again in animal rescue--and paint.  So that's what I'm doing, and I have several new projects in the works.  The painting on the left is one I started (I hate to say this) a couple of years ago. I don't know why I couldn't finish it, but I have--finally. I also have several new commissions in various stages of completion--pet portraits-- and one very interesting project which will definitely test my imagination as well as my painting skills!  Curious?  Well, you'll have to wait. I need to finish the pet portraits first, and then I'll start "the big one" and post progress reports!  I'm excited about it--and here's a hint:  it involves a dragon!  Stay tuned!