Thursday, Dec. 11 - It was a drizzly, icy day. Nothing horrible, just not a day to enjoy the great outdoors. I worked in my studio all day and headed up to the house to make dinner around 5:30. The ground was crunchy with the ice and it was beginning to rain harder. I turned on the TV to watch the evening news as I folded the last bit of laundry. That was when the first hint of trouble struck. The satellite dish wasn't working because of the ice. By 7:30 the power had gone out. It came back briefly but went out again at 11:00. Still, with New England weather, such things are not unexpected. The wood stove was going nicely and we went to bed anticipating that the power would be back on in the morning. That was 6 days ago and we are still waiting.
Day 1
The morning views were of downed trees and branches and a thorough coating of ice everywhere. It was too dangerous to go outside because of the regular crashing down of limbs and whole trees. I stood staring out the slider doors watching. First you would hear a crack and then the thud of whatever had succumbed to the weight of the ice, hitting the ground. Unfortunately my camera was in my studio.
Later in the afternoon when it seemed to have quieted down some, we went down to the studio so I could begin taking pictures. After looking at all the trees that had fallen in the yard we headed to the road to see what that was like. We had thought of going for a ride to get some things, seeing all the trees hanging off the wires and branches in the road we weren't so sure about that idea. We did venture out to find no one had power anywhere and the end of our road was blocked off. We turned around and headed down a dirt road to get to the highway. The devastation was everywhere.
Day 2
It was beginning to sink in that power would be out for a while so you start to make plans for the long haul. Since the wood stove was keeping us all set with heat, food was the next concern. The fridge was no longer very cold, but it was cold outside! I packed everything up, and threw out all those things that had mysteriously passed their expiration dates. The meat in the freezer went into a box, a plastic bag and a plastic bin and out into the yard. The rest went into a cooler that we brought up from the flooded basement. Yea, the sump pump that was suppose to prevent that was out along with everything else.
While I was dealing with the domestic front Rick went to Keene, where they had power and Home Depot. He looked for items like a generator, knowing that would be hard to find, and something to get the water out of the basement. No luck, a few items purchased but a big no go on clearing the water out. He did however get a case of wine.
Day 3
It was sunny and cold on Sunday, but the sun room helped heat the house as it was designed to do. The wood stove wouldn't have to do all the work today. It was cold enough to keep the ice clinging to the trees, despite the sunshine.
Another call to Home Depot proved fruitful. Come in and get a number, a shipment of 200 will be here in the afternoon. A friend in Keene went and got us number 34! Rick left around 12:30 to wait for the truck to deliver the generators to Home Depot. At 6, when the truck had not yet arrived, all 200 customers were sent home with the promise that it would be there tomorrow.
Day 4
It was unseasonably warm, up into the 50's. We set out early on the 30 minute drive to go get our generator. After getting it, we headed home after breakfast and a download at Panera Bread. Too many days without checking email is dangerous.
The first order of business was to get the water out of the basement. Rick hooked the sump pump up to the generator and the water started pouring out. The warm weather melted the ice on the trees and made the yard look a lot less threatening. Rick continued to work at getting the rest of the essentials hooked up to the generator. After a call to a friend at work, he received some further instructions on the best way to get power into the house. It was getting dark and there were still a few more step to complete the hook-up. The basement was free of water though. Finishing the generator was put off until morning.
Day 5
A couple more parts at the hardware store, which today had electricity, another 5 gallons of gas, and we would be all set. Indeed, it was up and running on Tuesday. Figuring out which circuits to put on and which to shut down was part of that process as well.
With so much progress made on the power front, it was time to look at the damage a little more closely. It was also time to turn the fallen spruce into a Christmas tree. Clearing the branches off the roof of the studio revealed a hole that a branch had punctured through the shingles.
By now the dinner menu was determined by what needed to cooked because it had begun to thaw. The garage had become my walk-in refrigerator, the problem being that nice warm Day 3. Absent that nothing would have thawed. This night it was chicken, I breaded and fried it and popped it in the oven. The stove was gas so that was always available. I breaded it to use the eggs. The other item that needed using were mushrooms, so I sauteed them in some lemon and a little Emmerills Orange Poppy marinade and had a lovely sauce for the chicken. The California blend vegetables were a nice touch too. A little Savingon Blanc and candlelight completed the meal.
That evening we even ran the dish washer, which had been waiting to run since the power had gone off.
Day 6
Rick resumed working from his home office. He had thought about going into his office in MA, but because snow was in the forecast, and because I was a little tentative about being alone in the dark with the generator as my only friend. Things actually approached normal today. I said approached. I got caught up on some cleaning and setup my laptop with my camera, since my other computer draws too much current.
With Internet access restored I've been checking Public Service of NH's web site for updates. They still don't have an estimated date for Peterborough to be completed. Most other places do. So we'll see what tomorrow brings. If there's no power still by this time tomorrow, it will be a week without power. I have had better weeks, but to be sure I've had worse!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hunkerin' Down
With the summer shows and Autumn Open Studio Tour behind me, and the wood all stacked for winter, its now time to devote all my time to painting. I have a stack of pictures I've taken that
I plan to work from, but current pictures are always the most exciting.
The Open Studio Tour was successful but rather slow. If nothing else it forces me to do a major cleaning. It also keeps me thinking about the pros and cons of having my own gallery. That is something I need to research, instead of just dream about. It always seems most attractive after a summer of schlepping all my things around to the numerous summer shows. Next year I am going to limit the shows to the larger venues.
This is the time of year it is time to slow down and hunker down to studio work. It feels good to have all the wood stacked in anticipation of winter. There are still leaves to rake, but most importantly its time to paint. I want to continue to work on shadows and light. Last fall and especially winter I focused on looking for strong shadows. That works well in winter against the
white snow. But I now see shadows and light much more clearly, in all seasons. Of course there is the need for a healthy supply of sunlight, which is sometimes hard to do in November. Artificial light is always an option, although that means painting subjects other than landscapes. I recently completed a still life which brought my studies of shadows and light into another realm.
I sometimes look at the still life painting like playing scales on the piano. It was my least favorite thing to practice when I took piano lessons as a child. I am now beginning to appreciate the discipline involved. Not being a well disciplined creature, I do try, another one of those New Year's resolutions which I think about - try and be more disciplined - yea, anyhow! For myself I find going back and forth between different types of subjects improves my focus, even if it pushes mastery further away.
If we aren't learning and going in new directions creating art becomes like any other job, not a passion and a joy.
As the year comes to a close, there is also the business end of things. I have my pile of receipts and a new copy of Quicken for Home and Business. Do you think I need another accountant, mine tends to do a lot of snoozing.
I plan to work from, but current pictures are always the most exciting.The Open Studio Tour was successful but rather slow. If nothing else it forces me to do a major cleaning. It also keeps me thinking about the pros and cons of having my own gallery. That is something I need to research, instead of just dream about. It always seems most attractive after a summer of schlepping all my things around to the numerous summer shows. Next year I am going to limit the shows to the larger venues.
This is the time of year it is time to slow down and hunker down to studio work. It feels good to have all the wood stacked in anticipation of winter. There are still leaves to rake, but most importantly its time to paint. I want to continue to work on shadows and light. Last fall and especially winter I focused on looking for strong shadows. That works well in winter against the
white snow. But I now see shadows and light much more clearly, in all seasons. Of course there is the need for a healthy supply of sunlight, which is sometimes hard to do in November. Artificial light is always an option, although that means painting subjects other than landscapes. I recently completed a still life which brought my studies of shadows and light into another realm.I sometimes look at the still life painting like playing scales on the piano. It was my least favorite thing to practice when I took piano lessons as a child. I am now beginning to appreciate the discipline involved. Not being a well disciplined creature, I do try, another one of those New Year's resolutions which I think about - try and be more disciplined - yea, anyhow! For myself I find going back and forth between different types of subjects improves my focus, even if it pushes mastery further away.
If we aren't learning and going in new directions creating art becomes like any other job, not a passion and a joy.As the year comes to a close, there is also the business end of things. I have my pile of receipts and a new copy of Quicken for Home and Business. Do you think I need another accountant, mine tends to do a lot of snoozing.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
What's to Understand?
"I don't understand art". Every once in a while I hear that. Sometimes its when I say I'm an artist or when the spouse of someone, who has clearly been dragged to a show under duress, feels compelled to say something to me as that someone looks at my pictures. I guess I don't quite know what's to understand. You look at a picture and either it appeals to you or you think it's hideous and you have no idea why someone would hang it on their walls. It can be that simple.
Of course there are always those who want to make everything complex. Several things come to mind when I think about this. A number of years ago I spent a lot of time working with teachers on using computers. Like most people approaching something new, they thought they needed to know everything about the computer before they could use it successfully. Most people using the phone don't know how it works but they are perfectly comfortable using one, putting aside for a moment cell phones with more features than a space shuttle. I think the same analogy works for art. You look at it, if you like it, what more do you need to know?
I also am reminded of what my Uncle Jimmy told me when I first started painting when I was in high school. "Art is a very selfish business, if you like it, it's good, you can't listen to what everyone else says." Now, of course there are instructors who can help you refine and improve, but his basic premise has held true. I really learned that after I had painted a barn with a tree and a tire swing in front. It was a snow scene. I had one person tell me they liked the barn but not the tire swing. I had another person tell me they liked the tire swing but not the barn. Yup, that was proof Uncle Jimmy was right. If I listened to both of them I would have had a painting of snow. What a keeper that would be, especially here in New England!
Going to museums as frequently as I can, I enjoy reading about the artists and their paintings. There is always more to learn about Art. That should not effect the enjoyment gained from simply looking at a picture. I have had sales of my work because the landscapes have reminded people of different places. I had a little watercolor of a stream I had painted that a man purchased because it reminded him of where they use to vacation as a child. Was that what I had in mind when I painted it? Of course not, but it evoked an emotion in someone, that made it a successful painting. How much do you think he cared about what paper I used, or what technique I used?
So, once again I ask, what's to understand? The next time you look at a piece of art, you be the judge, forget about the art critic who can name more artists, styles, techniques, etc., than you. Moreover, think about what Uncle Jimmy said - "if you like it, it's good".
Of course there are always those who want to make everything complex. Several things come to mind when I think about this. A number of years ago I spent a lot of time working with teachers on using computers. Like most people approaching something new, they thought they needed to know everything about the computer before they could use it successfully. Most people using the phone don't know how it works but they are perfectly comfortable using one, putting aside for a moment cell phones with more features than a space shuttle. I think the same analogy works for art. You look at it, if you like it, what more do you need to know?
I also am reminded of what my Uncle Jimmy told me when I first started painting when I was in high school. "Art is a very selfish business, if you like it, it's good, you can't listen to what everyone else says." Now, of course there are instructors who can help you refine and improve, but his basic premise has held true. I really learned that after I had painted a barn with a tree and a tire swing in front. It was a snow scene. I had one person tell me they liked the barn but not the tire swing. I had another person tell me they liked the tire swing but not the barn. Yup, that was proof Uncle Jimmy was right. If I listened to both of them I would have had a painting of snow. What a keeper that would be, especially here in New England!
Going to museums as frequently as I can, I enjoy reading about the artists and their paintings. There is always more to learn about Art. That should not effect the enjoyment gained from simply looking at a picture. I have had sales of my work because the landscapes have reminded people of different places. I had a little watercolor of a stream I had painted that a man purchased because it reminded him of where they use to vacation as a child. Was that what I had in mind when I painted it? Of course not, but it evoked an emotion in someone, that made it a successful painting. How much do you think he cared about what paper I used, or what technique I used?
So, once again I ask, what's to understand? The next time you look at a piece of art, you be the judge, forget about the art critic who can name more artists, styles, techniques, etc., than you. Moreover, think about what Uncle Jimmy said - "if you like it, it's good".
Monday, August 25, 2008
Summer Shows - Weather, Well-Wishers and Awards
With the season of summer art shows well underway, the weather continues to be a big factor. The Greeley Park Show in Nashua, N.H. was hit with a huge downpours, thunder and lightning included on Saturday, August 16 - but - Sunday the 17 was great! The sun was shining and it was the busiest I'd ever seen that show. With all the rain we've had this summer it was wonderful to have such a glorious day. Sales were good and everyone was friendly and nice.
The following Saturday was Portland, Maine. I had heard very positive things about this show and so I was anxious to try it out this year. It did not disappoint. There were tons of people and once again the weather cooperated fully. The area where we were was shaded and comfortable, apparently that's where we lucked out. Some exhibitors were in full sun and a little warmer than they'd like to be. Several streets in downtown Portland were blocked off for tents to be set up as well as having city plazas for tents. It's a great city, Maine's largest, with a lot of interesting architecture.
Perhaps the most encouraging part was that people at this show come to buy art, as oppose to just looking. At least from the standpoint from the business end of things. Even without purchases though, it's very important to get feedback from people. I really enjoy seeing what people like. I have found that I am not that good of a judge of what people will like. It really is an unpredictable thing. I think its where art becomes very personal. People are just drawn to certain paintings, for whatever reasons, maybe the painting itself or maybe it reminds them of something. Having people staring at your work and smiling, or watching them being drawn into a painting when it catches their eye across a crowded walkway is quite moving. So these shows give you that interaction that you wouldn't otherwise get.
This coming weekend it's Keene, N.H. Art in the Park. This is as close to home turf as I get besides the Open Studio Tour on Columbus Day weekend. I have folks that have come to be regular visitors at my booth, so its fun to look forward to seeing them. I also usually see someone I know who has never seen my paintings before. The city of Keene really seems to look forward to the show so its usually well attended. I have to work on the finishing touches to the program as well as get myself ready for this show. Now begins also the worrying about the weather!
The following Saturday was Portland, Maine. I had heard very positive things about this show and so I was anxious to try it out this year. It did not disappoint. There were tons of people and once again the weather cooperated fully. The area where we were was shaded and comfortable, apparently that's where we lucked out. Some exhibitors were in full sun and a little warmer than they'd like to be. Several streets in downtown Portland were blocked off for tents to be set up as well as having city plazas for tents. It's a great city, Maine's largest, with a lot of interesting architecture.Perhaps the most encouraging part was that people at this show come to buy art, as oppose to just looking. At least from the standpoint from the business end of things. Even without purchases though, it's very important to get feedback from people. I really enjoy seeing what people like. I have found that I am not that good of a judge of what people will like. It really is an unpredictable thing. I think its where art becomes very personal. People are just drawn to certain paintings, for whatever reasons, maybe the painting itself or maybe it reminds them of something. Having people staring at your work and smiling, or watching them being drawn into a painting when it catches their eye across a crowded walkway is quite moving. So these shows give you that interaction that you wouldn't otherwise get.
This coming weekend it's Keene, N.H. Art in the Park. This is as close to home turf as I get besides the Open Studio Tour on Columbus Day weekend. I have folks that have come to be regular visitors at my booth, so its fun to look forward to seeing them. I also usually see someone I know who has never seen my paintings before. The city of Keene really seems to look forward to the show so its usually well attended. I have to work on the finishing touches to the program as well as get myself ready for this show. Now begins also the worrying about the weather!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pricing Paintings
I have my own little theory about pricing art. It is two fold, one side being practical and the other being philosophical. The practical side says art should be affordable. Both because no one will buy it if they can't afford it, thus I make no money, but also because art is a wonderful thing to share. I want other people to enjoy my work. It's an odd feeling though, someone purchasing your work and knowing its hanging in some one's house. No matter what, I always consider my paintings mine, whether they are hanging on some stranger's wall or in my living room. It's a part of me regardless. So, how does this assist me with pricing? Its why I try to keep things "reasonably priced".
I did attend a workshop a couple of years ago about pricing artwork. I paid close attention, took some notes and returned home prepared to objectively look at pricing. The formula was based on the cost of materials and the amount of time it took to create a given piece. The woman who gave that workshop was a potter and she had timed how long it took her to do particular pieces and she had weighed the clay before beginning. It seemed like a reasonable approach. Especially where she had worked on this problem for years and had come up with a solution. I hadn't been painting very long and so, why not use her method?
The Hoolahoop Method
I discussed this workshop, and the methodology with several people. Since the whole question of pricing artwork is a constant source of frustration to many artists I wanted to get some feedback to my new found knowledge. Among those I spoke to was my father, a man who'd been in the business world for many, many years. When I finished explaining the pricing schema, he said it was a bunch of nonsense. Great, and why was that? He said "the hoolahoop". Pricing has got nothing to do with what it cost to make something. It's all about what people are willing to spend.
When my son Richard jumped into the fray, he came up with a formula as well. It was based on what I thought was a "reasonable" price for some of my pieces and he came up with how much it was per square inch. I could then use that to price larger pieces I had begun painting. My whole notion of affordability started getting more difficult when I painted the larger pieces and I was hesitant to charge equally large prices for them. Of course his idea made perfect sense, and in fact I'd read a few articles which said the same thing about going by the square inch as a pricing method.
My Little Basket Method
Still, I come back to my father's hoolahoop. It's all about what people are willing to spend. I have been testing this at the outdoor shows I do all summer. My "bread and butter", that I mentioned in my first entry is my little 5x7 paintings which I put in a basket on a table in front of my tent. My favorite I'll put on a little decorative easel to draw attention to the basket. I started out pricing these at $25, with a little sign hanging off the basket. My son scolded me for charging so little so I raised price to closer to $50 as he suggested. At this point the small paintings were primarily watercolors. When I upped the price to $50 I had no sales. Now, like it or not, sales of these little paintings tended to cover my entrance fee. Also they were as close as you can get to a sure thing at one of these shows. Selling a painting for a couple hundred dollars happens, but not with any regularity. It is the nature of these shows. So, my basket of paintings became even more important as both my pricing test as well as some kind of hint at a steady income.
My next step in this process was to vary the pricing in the basket. Base the pricing on the quality of the painting. The more detail (thus the more time it took) the higher the price. I also had begun painting small oils. Oil painting by its nature takes longer and so they needed to cost a little more. So, now the little basket paintings range in price from $25 to $50. The oil paintings are $45-$50 and the watercolor paintings are about $35. At these prices they have continued to sell with some regularity and have helped me understand the idea of a price point. Also, running out of these little paintings too quickly is problematic, so a slow but steady pace of sales is best.
The complication now is the economy. The South Portland, Maine, show this past Saturday was well attended but purchases were more sporadic than usual. I am wrestling with dropping my prices on larger paintings to increase affordability while people are struggling with gas prices. The other option is to just wait it out and plan on a rough, unprofitable - not even cover expenses year. Maybe I just need to stop blogging and get working on some more of those little paintings!
more on pricing later....that is after my son and friend Anne-Marie scold me yet again, for my pricing!
I did attend a workshop a couple of years ago about pricing artwork. I paid close attention, took some notes and returned home prepared to objectively look at pricing. The formula was based on the cost of materials and the amount of time it took to create a given piece. The woman who gave that workshop was a potter and she had timed how long it took her to do particular pieces and she had weighed the clay before beginning. It seemed like a reasonable approach. Especially where she had worked on this problem for years and had come up with a solution. I hadn't been painting very long and so, why not use her method?
The Hoolahoop Method
I discussed this workshop, and the methodology with several people. Since the whole question of pricing artwork is a constant source of frustration to many artists I wanted to get some feedback to my new found knowledge. Among those I spoke to was my father, a man who'd been in the business world for many, many years. When I finished explaining the pricing schema, he said it was a bunch of nonsense. Great, and why was that? He said "the hoolahoop". Pricing has got nothing to do with what it cost to make something. It's all about what people are willing to spend.
When my son Richard jumped into the fray, he came up with a formula as well. It was based on what I thought was a "reasonable" price for some of my pieces and he came up with how much it was per square inch. I could then use that to price larger pieces I had begun painting. My whole notion of affordability started getting more difficult when I painted the larger pieces and I was hesitant to charge equally large prices for them. Of course his idea made perfect sense, and in fact I'd read a few articles which said the same thing about going by the square inch as a pricing method.
My Little Basket Method
Still, I come back to my father's hoolahoop. It's all about what people are willing to spend. I have been testing this at the outdoor shows I do all summer. My "bread and butter", that I mentioned in my first entry is my little 5x7 paintings which I put in a basket on a table in front of my tent. My favorite I'll put on a little decorative easel to draw attention to the basket. I started out pricing these at $25, with a little sign hanging off the basket. My son scolded me for charging so little so I raised price to closer to $50 as he suggested. At this point the small paintings were primarily watercolors. When I upped the price to $50 I had no sales. Now, like it or not, sales of these little paintings tended to cover my entrance fee. Also they were as close as you can get to a sure thing at one of these shows. Selling a painting for a couple hundred dollars happens, but not with any regularity. It is the nature of these shows. So, my basket of paintings became even more important as both my pricing test as well as some kind of hint at a steady income.
My next step in this process was to vary the pricing in the basket. Base the pricing on the quality of the painting. The more detail (thus the more time it took) the higher the price. I also had begun painting small oils. Oil painting by its nature takes longer and so they needed to cost a little more. So, now the little basket paintings range in price from $25 to $50. The oil paintings are $45-$50 and the watercolor paintings are about $35. At these prices they have continued to sell with some regularity and have helped me understand the idea of a price point. Also, running out of these little paintings too quickly is problematic, so a slow but steady pace of sales is best.
The complication now is the economy. The South Portland, Maine, show this past Saturday was well attended but purchases were more sporadic than usual. I am wrestling with dropping my prices on larger paintings to increase affordability while people are struggling with gas prices. The other option is to just wait it out and plan on a rough, unprofitable - not even cover expenses year. Maybe I just need to stop blogging and get working on some more of those little paintings!
more on pricing later....that is after my son and friend Anne-Marie scold me yet again, for my pricing!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
No Painting Today
I have two tasks today in anticipation of this weekend's show and in fact the run of shows through August. The first is to get my new paintings framed and matted and framed in the case of the watercolors. The other item which I like to do before shows is to make sure my web site is current. Like the framing, the new paints also need to be photographed and uploaded to my web site PaintBrushGraphics .
The beginning of this week I painted some small watercolors. The sale of these will hopefully cover my show expenses allowing any sales of larger pieces to be profit. Originally I did not post smaller work on my web site. But as of this past year I began doing so. There is a different quality about them so I decided they should be included. However, that leads to more work on the web site. The other bit is that I don't want the index pages, filled with thumbnails, so it takes too long to load the page for visitors to my site. I'm thinking of having a separate index page for them. I'm also thinking of having a separate page for my plein air work for the same reason.
The framing includes cutting mat board for the six small watercolors, one large watercolor and three oil paintings. Being that its a rainy day, I'll throw on a sweatshirt (NY Mets) and head to my framing room in the basement; getting the laundry done at the same time.
The beginning of this week I painted some small watercolors. The sale of these will hopefully cover my show expenses allowing any sales of larger pieces to be profit. Originally I did not post smaller work on my web site. But as of this past year I began doing so. There is a different quality about them so I decided they should be included. However, that leads to more work on the web site. The other bit is that I don't want the index pages, filled with thumbnails, so it takes too long to load the page for visitors to my site. I'm thinking of having a separate index page for them. I'm also thinking of having a separate page for my plein air work for the same reason.
The framing includes cutting mat board for the six small watercolors, one large watercolor and three oil paintings. Being that its a rainy day, I'll throw on a sweatshirt (NY Mets) and head to my framing room in the basement; getting the laundry done at the same time.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
And Why Do I Need A Blog?
My goal was to start a blog at the beginning of the year. It was to be a new addition to my online promotion of my artwork (in addition to my web site) as well as a way to chronicle my activities. I thought it could both help keep me organized and draw more attention to my web site. Of course if all that would add up to more sales, that would work for me too - a little transparent don't you think? Well, even though I'm a little late on my time line, I decided to push on and not wait until the next first of the year. While I may often be tardy, I don't usually blow off things entirely.
Because I am not a morning person, my mornings are usually tied up with the more mundane issues of life, not painting. By starting this blog I plan on laying out my to do list for upcoming blocks of time. I'm not big on "To Do" lists either, so in writing a blog I can pretend it's not a to do list. Also, being an artist is a very solitary business, and personal initiative is key. There is no boss. I am my own slave driver - sometimes I'm not too bad at it either, but always. This diary of sorts brings some accountability to my work.
Currently I have 2 goals, an immediate and a mid-term goal. The mid-term goal is to put together 4 paintings so that I can be juried into the New Hampshire Artist Association. The first decision on what paintings to have juried is to decide what medium, watercolor or oil paintings, since I use both. Also, according to what I've read, paintings in a series have the best chance of getting accepted. My idea for a series is to have my paintings be of stone bridges. I currently have 1 painting in both watercolor and oil. I need to decide soon which medium to complete the series in. The painting on the left is the watercolor and the one on the right is the oil. To see larger images, click on the and you will be brought to my web site with larger images with brief descriptions. When I complete my next stone bridge painting I will post it. We'll see what medium comes up.
My next, and more immediate goal is to get ready for the busiest time in my show schedule which starts next weekend. This is my time to make some sales, get input from people and perhaps win an award. The season started with a small show in Milford, New Hampshire which was in the middle of a heat wave with a limited number of participants and even fewer visitors. The venue for this show has changed for the last few years and that seems to have negatively impacted it. However the following weekend, on June 1, I participated in the Beacon Hill Art Walk in Boston. I had some sales but also I won a 3rd Place - I couldn't have been more thrilled. It was a warm sunny day, in contrast to the show last year which had spotty drizzle most of the day. This is definitely a show I will continue to participate in.
As I prepare for the next shows - South Portland, Maine on August 9; Greeley Park, Nashua, N.H., August 16-17; Portland, Maine August 23; and Art in the Park, Keene, N.H., August 30-31, I will post information on the preparation process and ask for input on my selections for judging.
Because I am not a morning person, my mornings are usually tied up with the more mundane issues of life, not painting. By starting this blog I plan on laying out my to do list for upcoming blocks of time. I'm not big on "To Do" lists either, so in writing a blog I can pretend it's not a to do list. Also, being an artist is a very solitary business, and personal initiative is key. There is no boss. I am my own slave driver - sometimes I'm not too bad at it either, but always. This diary of sorts brings some accountability to my work.
Currently I have 2 goals, an immediate and a mid-term goal. The mid-term goal is to put together 4 paintings so that I can be juried into the New Hampshire Artist Association. The first decision on what paintings to have juried is to decide what medium, watercolor or oil paintings, since I use both. Also, according to what I've read, paintings in a series have the best chance of getting accepted. My idea for a series is to have my paintings be of stone bridges. I currently have 1 painting in both watercolor and oil. I need to decide soon which medium to complete the series in. The painting on the left is the watercolor and the one on the right is the oil. To see larger images, click on the and you will be brought to my web site with larger images with brief descriptions. When I complete my next stone bridge painting I will post it. We'll see what medium comes up.
My next, and more immediate goal is to get ready for the busiest time in my show schedule which starts next weekend. This is my time to make some sales, get input from people and perhaps win an award. The season started with a small show in Milford, New Hampshire which was in the middle of a heat wave with a limited number of participants and even fewer visitors. The venue for this show has changed for the last few years and that seems to have negatively impacted it. However the following weekend, on June 1, I participated in the Beacon Hill Art Walk in Boston. I had some sales but also I won a 3rd Place - I couldn't have been more thrilled. It was a warm sunny day, in contrast to the show last year which had spotty drizzle most of the day. This is definitely a show I will continue to participate in.As I prepare for the next shows - South Portland, Maine on August 9; Greeley Park, Nashua, N.H., August 16-17; Portland, Maine August 23; and Art in the Park, Keene, N.H., August 30-31, I will post information on the preparation process and ask for input on my selections for judging.
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