Pencil Shavings

On Being Grateful: #3 - Art Shows.

I got some really great news this week, My C3 Van Gogh digital painting is going to be in a digital art show at the Little Gallery (Little Gallery, 6th Floor, Art Parkade, University of Calgary) over the Christmas break   

My Media Arts instructor said that I have a bright future as an art forger wanted by INTERPOL .

I think that's a compliment.

I think the show starts on December 21st but I will post again when I have confirmation of the dates.

The University is really quiet during that time, but I would be really grateful if you could plan to stop by between rounds of gift shopping.

Is the Medium the Message?

Studio Update - A Plethora of Choices

Sometimes it's easy to get overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed with things to do, or more delightfully, with choices of things to do.

Today is one of those days, I have the opportunity to do a lot of things.  So many things that are all equally fun and creative that I'm actually stuck wondering how to make a choice. 

My decision was to update you, here on the blog, and then I'll get to work freeing the new postcards from the watercolour block and varnishing them.

Last week I asked a question on Twitter and Facebook about how many sketchbooks most artists have.  I had the most of the people who responded.  I'm not sure if that's bad or good!  I have different books for different things, some for watercolour, some for pastel, some for pencil and ink... but that still doesn't explain all the books I have (11 if you don't count the big ones I take on vacation with me)

I wonder if it's some kind of compulsion with me.  I'm currently wondering what I could do with a Japanese Accordion sketchbook from Moleskine... the idea of all those panels connected together to make a long narrative is really interesting to me.  Maybe that would be something to create that I could sell.

Speaking of selling.  I haven't listed anything for sale for a long time in my Artfire Studio.  I should go there this week and take out the less popular items and re-purpose them and go through what I have made recently and decide what to list.  I need to sell something to afford stamps for the Postcard Project.

I didn't update the 365 Days of Art yesterday.  A friend of mine needed some help and I was so focused on that (and spent a lot of time on the computer dealing with it) that by the time I would normally update the blog I was computered out and just wanted to watch TV.  But I will make it up with a couple of posts in a row later today, maybe while I'm waiting for my varnish to dry!

It Seems I Was Wrong - Steve Jobs Does Love Me!

Let's see, my birthday is at the end of April.... iPad release date is April 3.

Oh Honey....... ?

Social Media and The Artist

I was just featured in a class about using social media taught by Cathy Downey. Who knew that being a nerd/artist would gain me such academic presence?

Yes I do use Social Media to help market myself as an artist.  I have sold paintings through Twitter, through Facebook (a fan page... go figure!), as well as the other online marketing venues like eBay, Etsy and Artfire.  I have my website(that I am well aware needs some dusting off) and I use Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch with fellow artists, collectors, friends and potential buyers.

Here is my one and really only tip for using social media to connect with your prospective customer.

Be Sincere.

People know when you just want money out of them, treat your followers and your facebook friends like real, live people.  Treat them like friends.

Don't spam them with buy, buy, buy, buy (even if that's what you want them to do) but let them into a little piece of your life.  This is especially important to artists.  People love to know a little about the piece, what inspired it, how it moved you, why you were compelled to create it.  Share that with them, share a little piece of yourself with them.  Once they know you, they will be more likely to collect your work, because they are invested in you, your story and eventually your success.

Another tip that I have for the Twitter novice, let people find you organically.  Don't waste time with those auto-follow web-bots.  The people who you really want to follow you are people who will find you through their friends or because they are interested in you.  I don't automatically follow everyone who follows me.  I don't block people who I don't follow, but I also only follow people who interest me because their tweets are more than just the weather or what's for dinner. 

Finally.  Have something interesting to say.  You don't always have to be the soul of wit, but try to keep the conversation going between you and your followers.

So... there you go... my social media tips in a nut shell.  I have lots of opinions on this, so if you want more just ask, but I won't bore you unless you really want to know.

Now... for an even more riveting quesiton - can someone explain to me why my blog post about drawing my cat has had a half zillion hits over the last 24 hours?  I can't explain it...

365 Days of Art - Day 144 - The Appearing Frog

Technical difficulties always seem to occur when I am behind and really want to spend some time catching up.

My server that holds all my art photos decided that it really didn't want to talk to the computer this weekend.

After fiddling with it and resetting it 6 times it still wouldn't cough up the info.   I made an appointment with my local geeks and decided that I would simply beg them to get the photos off and the rest would be a loss. 

I put the stuff on the server because it would be safer there than on the lap top.  So much for the best laid plans.

Then this morning I flicked the server on and it magically appeared and started chatting with my computer again.  Technology baffles me sometimes.

The project for the new year is to burn disks of all the art photos by date and store them offsite just in case.

(I'll probably do that with the family photos too)

Meanwhile, this is the opposite side of the page from Day 143's frog.  It's another frog, full body this time, and I really like this one too.  The stippling technique is a long process, but the results are really great.  I may approach another large work in stippling with ink.  But not while the kids are home for winter break... that would be a little too stressful.

Like The Wind...

I've decided to shut down my Cafe Press shop in it's current incarnation.  The last day for shopping is November 30 after that all the stuff that is in there will be "gone with the wind"!

When the shop re-opens in the new year it will be in a whole different format.  It will feature one piece of artwork only (and I sincerely doubt that any of the old art will re-appear there).  The one piece will be something that I have made just for that month and it will only be up for sale for that month, then it will be gone.  If you don't like it, that's ok, wait for the next month and see if that strikes your fancy, but remember that each item will only be available for a month on what ever items it seems appropriate to print on.  (and no, I'm still not printing ANYTHING on a thong.)

So if you really have been coveting that t-shirt with the robot on it, go get it now. 

I'm looking forward to this new enterprise.  I think you may be surprised by what turns up in the new shop (I might be too!)

It Sounds Better Than It Is

So, I've spent the majority of the last few days in bed.  I have books piled up on the bedside table, I have my laptop, my cat at my feet and some drawing materials.  (note to self: pastels don't make a good bed companion... to dusty!)

The trouble is, of course that I have the demon cold from hell and, and am constantly coughing violently and tipping over my tea and scattering my pencils everywhere.

I thought I could update the 365 Days of Art while I was here with my pillows, but technical difficulties either with my camera, or my photo software is making all my pictures turn out stretched and weird looking.  And if I was to get up the energy to go downstairs to the office to scan the drawings and paintings I would have to take a cot so I could have a nap once I was down there.  Frankly the whole thing just seems a little too daunting.

However, the good news is that after seeing my doctor I don't have pneumonia again (whew) and I have an inhaler for the inflammation in my lungs, and some super strength cough syrup that let me get a whole 7 hours of sleep last night. So I'm on the mend, and hoping to sort out the technical difficulties soon.  Maybe after my nap.

Taking the Long View

I want to say that I'm really excited this week, but the word isn't quite the right one.  I'm energized, inspired, and nearly vibrating with all the exciting possibilities that seem to be blooming all around me. 

Times are tough right now.  Our family is suffering from the economic downturn like so many others.  The school year is ending and all the chaos that goes with the last few weeks of school is swirling around us too.  I'm feeling the stress of trying to be two places at the same time so I can do all my kids need me to do.

And still I'm smiling nearly constantly.  I'm happy.  I'm eager wake up in the morning and get to work, and I'm reluctant to go to bed at night because I'm so entranced with the work I'm doing.   Traffic is up to all my web places, and I'm beta testing the new version of TypePad.  I'm updating my information, and trying to get some work up for sale, between baking cookies, and going on school field trips.  I have some ideas for fresh pieces that I'm working on, and I have some demos that I need to put together.

In the middle of all this frantic activity I found myself standing at the kitchen window watching the sparrows and chickadees at the bird feeder.  And my joy just bubbled away in my chest.  I'm very happy and so content in my life right now.

There isn't enough money right now, there isn't enough time, there is stress, there is anxiety, there are places to go and things to do.  And there is this smile on my face that just won't go away.  I have a feeling, that even though there is the potential for so many things to go wrong, I am actually at a great point in my life right now.   I feel like things are really just getting started.

*Image "Celebration" copyright 2009 Kathleen Ralph, do not reproduce without permission from the artist.

Chaos, Panic, Disorder.... You Know, The Usual!

I know it sounds so elitist to say it, but I love my laptop and the fact that I can write my blog while lying in bed!

Why am I in bed on a beautiful sunny day?  Well this is the last few hours I'll have to myself for many days, and it's also some of the few hours that I have had for myself in weeks!  And I'm worn clean through.

I haven't updated this blog in a long time, mostly because I either have nothing to offer, or because I'm so tired at the end of the day that I can't string words together in any meaningful way.  Although a lot of interesting (and weird) things have happened recently, I really can't write about them without exposing my family.  I'm OK with exposing myself to critique, but my family and friends don't need that in their lives.

School is winding up and I've been busy helping out at the school, and winding up all the paper work that will set the kids up for next year.  I've been finding books, and socks, and papers.  I've been sorting and fussing about things, and going on a lot of “end of the year” field trips with my girls' classes.  I did get confirmation that the teachers do give me the more difficult kids on the trips “because we know you can handle it”.  Which makes it mighty tempting to “misplace” someone occasionally.  But of course I would not do that (as tempting as it might be).

So here are the highlights:

My buddy, who I paint with once a week, hasn't seen me for nearly a month.  At least she is understanding and is giving me 21 days to get my act together and get back to work with her!  Which is good, because I need the deadline right now.

I am working on a project, but I'm not sure how it's going to turn out, so you will just have to wait and see (I'm such a tease).

I discovered that two-bite brownies spread with peanut butter is an excellent treat (and may have saved my husbands life last week when I was feeling particularly stressed).

And finally, for those of you in the art world, I will be starting up a product review section of the blog over the summer, and let you know the results of some of the new things I've tried recently and how they worked for me. ( I'll even put in pictures, how's that for a deal)

But today.  Well today I'm going to put on some fresh coffee, lounge about, read a magazine and maybe work on a poem or two.  Tomorrow the chaos begins again!