My Dad used to refer to this flower as a “fried egg” and it would annoy his Aunt Mary to no end! As a kid, I didn’t understand their low-key teasing; as an adult, I get it. (Isn’t that the case with much of life??) This is a sold piece, but I wanted to share it with you because these flowers are so doggone gorgeous!
Remember this word? It means “an order for something to be produced such as a work of art”. Indeed! A friend of a long-time customer contacted me with a request to draw a house. The photos came next-day type post and had to be signed for. There were three and they had obviously been peeled from an old album. None of the three had a complete view of the house; two were from the front and one from the side. There was snow, and changes had been made from the 70s photo to the more current one. Have I mentioned lately that I love to draw? I LOVE to draw, and this challenging puzzle was greatly satisfying!
This was a new experience in several ways:
1. Green apples are a brand new subject.
2. Instead of having a photo on paper, I worked from the photograph on my computer screen.
3. The real apple was present so I could check the accuracy of the color.
Kind of weird how that shadow made a slash through the beginning painting – yeah, I know it is ugly at this stage, but a slash??
If the nice lady with impeccable taste wants a green apple painting, perhaps others of similarly impeccable taste might want a green apple painting. Besides, if I’m going to paint one little green apple, might as well paint three. (and a grape cluster)
In a perfect world, an artist would make art with her favorite medium of her favorite subjects when she felt like it. When it was almost finished, people would be clamoring to buy it, and she would rejoice in a sure sale. Dream on, Toots! In reality, if an artist wants to earn a living, she has to make art with the medium that sells best, choose subjects that people love, and be in touch with those people. In addition to making art, an artist has to be able to do a zillion other things. Want cards? Better learn what the best sizes are, where to have them printed, how many to order in quantities that might sell, how to package and where to find the materials, and how to price both resale and retail. Want to teach? Better be able to find, connect with and keep students. (Plus have a place, materials, a plan, and the flexibility of a pre-teen gymnast!) Need more than some paintings, cards and a few students? Better research the world of art and retail to find out what people are buying, gather seeds of information to create something new, practice like crazy, actually make art, and at the same time, learn how to market it. Need places to sell your work? Better get out there and discover shows, shops, galleries and other venues for promoting your work. Want commissions? Better meet people, listen to their wishes, have a price list, know how long it might take and have some samples to show.
Have a look at a recent commissioned piece:
This was fun to paint – new subject, new colors to mix, neat-o square shape, and a happy customer awaits!
. . . is finished!
. . . is finished!
. . . is finished!
All summer I have been in conversation and planning for a drawing of a cabin. It has grown from a simple drawing to a collage, and the very trusting and polite customers have given me freedom to do it anyway I want. Often, the customers like to participate in the planning and be given a few choices and have a little input. These folks have taken a different approach, and it is a tad bit nervous-making, and quite a bit of fun! Here is what is completed as of today:
It just takes me back to my roots of pencil, commissioned work, and, well, cabinart!
I’m trying to be in the studio/workshop for a pair of minutes instead of always being in Mineral King or at the computer. There is work to be finished, lots of work to be started, and people are waiting eagerly (and politely, thank goodness!) Just a pair of minutes ought to do it, figuratively speaking. . .
The customer brought me a 16×20 photo that he took a number of years ago. We agreed that it would look nice in the panorama format, so I “cropped” it using kraft paper. The sky color of photos is grayish in many cases; one of the benefits of being in the mountains is having an incredibly blue blue blue sky; that is how I’ve chosen to represent this scene of Sawtooth and Mineral Peaks. Have a closer look:
After it dries a bit, I’ll tighten up a few details, paint the edges, sign, and photograph it more accurately.