That’s me – three-in-one, three for the price of one, me in triplicate, a human triptych.
Sometimes it is so fun just to show you what I am doing, to write, to be a goofball, to philosophize, and to ramble. Then, I remember that I am trying to earn a living here, and that perhaps I should tell you some of the products and services I offer.
I’ve said for years that I am a business woman and my product is art. That remains true, but now I am beginning to feel like a photographer who writes, or a writer who photographs and sells art on the side.
Easily confused, I guess. . .
Anyway, here is the list.
Drawing lessons, both private and group
Pencil drawings, both originals and reproductions
Commissioned pencil drawings, mostly of homes and cabins
Oil paintings
Commissioned oil paintings
Notecards
Indoor murals
Outdoor murals
There will be more, but you will have to attend one of the shows I will be participating in during November, or visit my studio on the first Saturday of December.
Cowboy Bert and Trail Guy aren’t confused about their careers. They are just enjoying a nice walk on a beautiful fall day in Mineral King.
If you are over 50, you probably are experiencing the rush of time. I don’t mean “rush” as in thrill, but rush as in hurry, fast, speedy-gonzalez. Didn’t I just particpate in First Saturday about 2 months ago? Nope, it was in May. Or was it in February?
See? I sound like an old person, which over 50 used to be.
In addition to the change in how time passes, there are always those questioning conversations, plus the ever-shifting definition of “old age”.
But that’s not why I am blogging today. (See? all those conversational diversions also go with middle-age!)
Sorry for shouting. I get a little carried away sometimes with the enthusiasm of actually having folks come to my place of normally solitary and silent work.
You’ll have to go to Anne Lang’s Emporium to get a map to find me. I’m not posting directions or my address on the World Wide Web for all those weirdo spammers to see!
The theme is Oak. Or is it Oak Leaves? Maybe it is Oak Trees.
If you come, you’ll have the best selection of my new blank journals with my paintings on the cover ($14 inc. tax) or my first ever calendar with paintings for each month of 2013 ($15 inc. tax, special deal for you only this Saturday.)
Tell us, California Artist, what would you be doing if you weren’t an artist?
If I knew then what I know now, perhaps I would have been a business or marketing major and an art minor.
Wonder if I could have made it as a Washington artist? I think it would be great to paint tulips in bright colors other than orange. Everything in California is orange (or brown, including the Governor!)
This is a no-spin zone – I asked what you’d be doing, not what you would have studied!
Soooorrrrrrr-EEE. I love what I do. But, with what I know about myself now, I think I could have been an editor and proofreader. Or a professional organizer. Or maybe a landscaper. Or maybe just a gardener. Farming had and still has some appeal, although the regulations and paperwork definitely steal much of the joy of producing food.
Do you ever wish you were doing one of those things?
Only when I am wishing for a larger paycheck. Or a paycheck. Or when I am washing brushes or doing bookkeeping or wondering if I will get a bid or where new students will come from or when I want to rid the world of typos or wish I could be outside more or when sales are low and I wonder if this is just a glorified hobby instead of a business.
You sound a little insecure!
I said you sound a little insecure.
I heard you. I was waiting for a question.
Are you insecure?
Nope. Are you finished?
Nope. I’d like to know if the blog readers have any questions about choosing a career path as a self-employed artist.
Me too. I will answer any question that will help someone find his way. (or hers, but you knew that, right?)
Why did you decide to become a self-employed artist?
Because most jobs are repetitive, boring, and full of sanctioned incompetence. Because I had to pretend as if I was busy when there was nothing to do, because too many bosses were dumb, petty, moody and inconsistent in their instructions. Because making and selling art and teaching drawing makes me HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! And self-employed was the only way I could design a job that made me HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. I like to be happy. 😎 See?
Some jobs made me see red. This is the 3rd panel of the tulip field triptych, 6×18″
Hmmm, sounds like you might have been a difficult employee.
Nope. I was a dang good worker.
What were some of the good jobs or helpful jobs you had?
1. Working for an architect, a terrific guy (who was also my architectural drafting teacher) in the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego. Just being there was an education!
2. Working in a picture frame shop – helping customers choose, learning the basics of framing. The work was great; the manager was a drug addict. He fired me. He used a flimsy excuse. It was humiliating.
3. Working in print shops – type-setting, graphic design, learning about papers, helping customers make decisions, bookkeeping, learning about standard sizes, understanding the printing process, meeting people with whom I am still in contact.
4. Working in a gift shop – this is where I learned some marketing, display and selling techniques. For example, did you know that Presentation Really Is Everything? It is! Truly! (Thanks, Shirley Goodness!)
What were some of the non-helpful jobs you had?
All jobs were helpful in some fashion, even if it showed me how to NEVER run a business or treat an employee or a customer. Generally I met great people, both the co-workers and the public. If you put your mind to it, you can learn from almost any situation. . . isn’t that why people refer to “The School of Hard Knocks”? (My very wise Dad used to say that. I thought it was dumb. It was smart; I was dumb.)
Tell me, Gentle Blog Reader, what is the best job you’ve ever had?
If you call my studio during work hours on a work day, often you will get the answering machine. You might be thinking, “That flaky artist doesn’t work much!”
Au contraire!
Sometimes I just can’t get to the phone.
The phone is on the far left of the photo, atop the filing cabinet, and requires that I put down my paintbrush from my left hand, take the one out of my mouth, put down the one I am using, and climb over the cords to the speakers and to the laptop. Ain’t happenin’. Sorry.
When it is hot, I can’t even hear the phone over the swamp cooler on high and the music coming from the laptop. Sorry.
This is what it looks like while I am painting a large commission. I’ll show you more about it tomorrow.
Being an artist at a private home studio can be a silent and solitary profession. Sometimes I embrace the solitude. (Ever notice how the word “embrace” gets overused these days??) Sometimes I trap the UPS driver into seeing my work and hearing about it, because I haven’t talked to a soul all day long. I’ve tried making phone calls using the speaker-phone so I can paint while talking. The recipient of the call says “What?” so much that I’ve decided that is just not a viable way to multi-task.
This oil painting of tulip fields (still unnamed) heard a lot of music, podcasts and sermons.
Lots of times I use the painting time to listen to good stuff using my laptop and Bose speakers. (What a wonderful addition to a laptop for $100 – GREAT sound!!)
Here are a few of my favorite listening sites:
Artists Helping Artists is very very interesting, especially if you are an artist. (Thank you, Captain Obvious!) Leslie Saeta from Pasadena, California, is a working artist who used to be in marketing. She has a weekly podcast on Blogtalk Radio in which she interviews working artists and shares marketing tips. She is very upbeat, high energy, giggly and encouraging.
my pastor, Alex Garcia from the Three Rivers First Baptist Church. I listen because I miss a lot of Sundays in the summer, and I listen because I learn so much from Alex.
Michael Hyatt is one of my favorite bloggers. He is an “a-may-zing” guy, and I have learned so much from him about business, writing, getting published, blogging, leadership (as if anyone is actually following me!), marketing, and personal development. He has a great podcast once a week.
Chris LoCurto is another of my favorite bloggers. (I’ve guest posted for him 3 times.) He does a podcast about every 2 weeks, interviewing some very great business people like the head of Zappo’s, Tony Dungy, the head of Tractor Supply Co. and a number of business authors.
I Heart Radio is a new website that my sister. Melinda, told me about. (She has always been ahead of me when it comes to cool stuff.) You type in a favorite song or singer or group, and it creates a personal radio station for you based on your choice. First I put in Toto (remember them from the late ’70s or early ’80s?) and now I can listen to “Toto Radio” – it really surprised me how many groups from that time sang with very tight harmonies (like Little River Band, or even the Eagles.) Then I put in Casting Crowns, and got to hear new songs by old favorites and old songs by new singers. Then I had them make Steve Wariner Radio for me – he is my Absolute Favorite Male Voice of All Time. (Yes, he is Country – so what??)
There are other things I listen to, but this post is just getting too long. Besides, I probably disgusted half of you by admitting that I listen to Country music, and annoyed the other half by saying I like to listen to my pastor’s sermons!
If you are still here after all that annoyance, will you tell me what you like to listen to?
This summer I have been contemplating the fact that there are thousands of people passing through Three Rivers each year. Most of them come through during the summer, either on their way to or from Sequoia National Park. They come to see the big trees (sequoia gigantea), bears, and vast views of mountains. They come to escape the heat. They come for camping, river rafting, and to see deer and wildflowers.
I know they come; I see their cars!
The big question is WHERE ARE THEY? We don’t have many restaurants, not too many stores, and very few galleries. Where are these People Who Visit Three Rivers hanging out??
They aren’t hanging out in Three Rivers during the day, but they are hanging out in the evening at the motels.
One of my favorite motels in the Buckeye Tree Lodge. It is the closest one to the Park entrance, owned, operated and staffed by friendly people, many of whom I am fortunate enough to have as friends.
I want these People Who Visit to take home an original oil painting as a permanent reminder of their trip to Sequoia, to have something of value rather than an unnecessary plastic item stamped “Sequoia National Park” or “Mineral King” or “Kings Canyon”.
Now, the lobby of the Buckeye Tree Lodge has original oil paintings and cards for sale. Gotta take it to The People Who Visit, because they don’t know where to find me.
Time will tell if this is a good move or if I am just storing art in a motel lobby. This business of art sure is a blurry route at times.
Mineral King is the second most popular subject that I paint. Oranges are first, pomegranates are third. Thanks for asking – does me good to know you care.
Farewell Gap, 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $50, available at the Silver City ResortSunset on Vandever, 6×6″ oil on wrapped canvas, $50, available at the Silver City Resort (should have titled it “Alpenglow”)Sawtooth #8, 6×6 oil on wrapped canvas, $50, available at the Silver City ResortOak Grove Bridge VIII, 6×6″, oil on wrapped canvas, $50, available at the Silver City Resort (This is my favorite bridge, but you already knew that.)
Many of the artists I know have taken to creating small paintings in this crummy economy. Since Tulare County’s economy is usually crummy anyway, I was already doing that. It is very seldom that I am on the cutting edge of anything, so this has just been a real thrill, I tell you, a real thrill.
Stop yawning.
I’ve been really working hard on these little jewels this summer, because the Silver City Resort is doing a great job of selling them. They’re selling well for 3 reasons (just my opinion):
1. $50 is dirt cheap for an original oil painting (especially if you are from a big city)
2. People on vacation in the area would like a real souvenir of their trip that isn’t an unnecessary plastic item stamped with Mineral King.
3. (Ahem). They are sort of good. Not as tight with the detail as many of my other paintings, but whaddya expect for $50, hmmmm?
Just try to be polite, ‘kay? And might want to duck, in case there is a lightning strike for excessive braggadocio.
P.S. These might have sold – I haven’t checked since delivering them to Silver City a few weeks ago. BUT, do not lose heart – I can repaint anything for you. Just ask!
Usually I begin a blog post with a relevant photo. There must be a reason it seems relevant, so I ponder why you might want to see it.
Attention to detail not only makes better blog posts, it makes for good pencil drawings. This is one of the cabins of Wilsonia from my upcoming book “The Cabins of Wilsonia”.
The thoughts begin flowing, and boy of boy, I LOVE to type because the words can keep up with my thoughts. I type fast, I make mistakes, but they are easily corrected. (Got fired from a typing job once – still smarts.)
After the thoughts are recorded, I reread them for flow and understanding. If anything makes me hesitate or wonder what I meant, or if it could mean two things, then it gets changed.
Next, I remove unnecessary words, such as beginning a sentence with “So”, which is a current speaking trend that I hope to avoid. (Has anyone else noticed this?) I also remove sentences after asking myself, “Does anyone care?” (if the answer is NO!)
Sometimes I think about SEO. That means Search Engine Optimization, which means using certain words in certain ways so that Mr. Google can find me (for certain).
Then I check for typographical and grammatical errors. Typos make me twitch. They jump out of other people’s blogs, out of menus, library books, the newspaper, signs, and anything with the written word. Websites with typos do not look trustworthy . . . nosirree, if that company can’t even make their website correct, then they won’t care about my order.
Finally, I do all the technical stuff like putting in key words and tags (geeky stuff), filling in the SEO all-in-one-pack (more geeky stuff) checking categories, and finally, I schedule the post.
Now that you know my routine, you can join me in wondering “Does anyone care about this blog post?”
