A Class

 I’ve been thinking about the class I used to teach before Covid at the Michaels store in Gainesville.  They have a beautiful classroom at the store and an art department full of supplies for artists. 

 

It was really fun. We did a step by step painting together from a photo. I always printed out a photo for each artist with a list of the colors I would be using, to keep at their painting station. It was a landscape class for beginners, but surprisingly I had several experienced painters who came regularly. I always provided a snack for each artist and made coffee for all. I gave a prize in a drawing of names each time. We really had a great time together. 

 

I’ve been thinking about doing it again if the store approves. I am wondering if people would still be interested? It would be one class a month, easy for most artists. I’m thinking a week day morning, 10-noon. 

 

Country painters think about fun……

Neighborhood Farms

 I love driving through the farms in my neighborhood on a country road. How lovely the fields look in the new greens of Spring, before the dust and heat turn them into the flat greens of summer. The wildflowers are in all their Spring prom dresses, showing off blue, purple, pink and butter yellow. The fields have left their browns, tans and smokey grays behind. In a few weeks, dreaded summer heat will arrive. We will endure the long hot, endless heat and humidity. The schools will empty out and I will hole up in my AC studio for about 5 months. 

 

Country painters have the best views….

Let others Toot your Horn

 

Let others toot your horn! 
I see artists’ self aggrandizement constantly.  That is an instant turn off to me and perhaps to collectors as well. In my view, the artist is trying to convince everyone else that their work is legitimate and worthy. If you have to do that to get attention, are you trying to convince your collectors or yourself?

Good work speaks for itself. You can’t fake it. You might convince a few, but discerning art collectors know good work. You don’t have to brag to sell your work. There is a market for every artist. I have a long resume, but no one cares. No one cares about the ribbons I won when I was a competitive artist. They care about me because my collectors are so important to me. They are my friends. You either like my work or you don’t. There is no way I will convince you with bragging. 

Commissions Part Two

 

 

This is another small commission of a skyscape. It is framed in a warm gold frame. I enjoy doing commissions for most of my collectors. They are generous and patient. I have learned only to do commissions of landscapes or birds. I have had nightmares trying to paint humans.  I paint what I love, and pass subjects I don’t love to other artists.

 

Country painters stay busy……

Commissions

  

 

I’m preparing to work on a new 30x40 commission for a collector. I thought it might be helpful to art collectors to read my methods for development. 

I advise my collector to tape craft or newspaper to the wall for the painting to visually see the size before deciding. The paper should include the inches for the frame.

 Then I ask the collector to send me a variety of photos, taken at different times of the day of the desired scene. I give them my favorites and they send me theirs. After we decide on a scene, they choose the palette from my paintings they like the best, and the frame they like.

 I then do a mock up painting, in a small size to let them see my vision of their choices. I sell that painting later. We decide on any changes, then I begin their painting. I show them three stages of the painting during the process.

 The project is about six weeks in total. That is how I do commissions. I always understand that their wishes count, mine do not! Their dream always comes first. 

 Country painters have a wonderful life……..

Giving

 There have been endless numbers of people who have helped me through my long career. Now more than ever I must do what I can for others. I grew up with parents who believed in community support. There was never a holiday without extra places around the table for people who had no place to go. My grandfather almost went broke fixing cars for people who couldn’t pay during the great depression. He owned a garage.

 

 I was taught to be grateful for everything. If I didn’t learn it enough as a child, I sure did through the hard, broke years of single parenting. Despite the hardship, I raised my daughters to be givers too. We raised money to buy shoes for children in elementary school. In high school my girls learned from me to pitch in for other kids’ band uniform rentals, weightlifting, cross country track trips, and providing rides for kids. Now, as adults they continue the family tradition in their own causes. 

 

A wise friend advised me some years ago that the world is made of givers and takers. He tends to be quite cynical, but I believe he is right, especially during a crisis. I’m quite lucky in that most of the people I know are true givers, whether they are high or low on the food chain. 

Country painters are givers…..

Help an Artist to Thrive

 

 

How can you help an artist survive and thrive?

First by purchasing their work. Some friends cannot afford to financially support their favorite artists, but there are other ways to lend support.

Share an artist’s work with your friends, co-workers, family and with those who can afford to own original art. These days it is so easy to share via social media, texting, and email. 

 

Most professional artists have web sites. The more you share with others who respect your opinion, the better chances the artist has to sell.

 

Purchase a small gift card for art supplies to give to your artist friend. 

Host an art opening party for your favorite artist at your home or business. Offer to hang their work for the party in your home or office. Once a friend hosted my first cake party at her home. 

 

Send the artist a glowing testimonial for their web site.

Putting the word out consistently and often about how much you love an artist’s work does more good than anything they could do for business.

 

Country painters love their friends…….

The Battle of the Birds Continues

  

 

The bird feeder battles continue. The crows are definitely the top of the food chain with the jays close behind. They are related, so that makes sense.

 The woodpeckers hang on to the pole underneath the feeder, catching seeds as they fall from mouths above. After the crows and jays get their fill, the cardinals arrive for the smaller seeds. The mockingbirds love the mealworms. After that crew departs, the sparrows and Carolina wrens arrive for the tiny seeds. The cardinals get a double dose of seed, as they and the gray catbirds get safflower seed on the sill of my studio in the backyard. That is fun to watch from the kitchen window. 

 If you don’t have a feeder, get one. They are so much fun to watch. I use the following: meal worms, mixed seed with sunflower seed, safflower seed, and unsalted, roasted peanuts. Squirrels won’t eat safflower seed.

 It’s all good fun for country painters…..

 I must say this feeder provides endless entertainment for me as I sit at my design table. It is a wonderful distraction from the art I am supposed to be doing.

Hard Times

  

 

Hard times can bring out the best in us. It is all about our attitude. If you find yourself obsessing about COVID, politics, the economy, you might want to step back. If you are angry every day, you might want to step back.

 Our citizens have lived through terrible adversity many times in our history. I have been through many economic downturns. One of my gallery dealers once told me that hard economic times weeds out artists who are not prepared and not professional. I don’t know if that is true. I would not wish for failure for any artist. 

 There are organizations who are putting in place aid to artists, for supplies and other needs. I am working on these projects with kind souls who wish to improve lives for creatives. There are wonderful people who want to donate to these plans. Blessings for them. Don’t give up your dreams.

 Life is generous for country painters....

A Break

 February was way too busy for this old lady. I used to take two months a year away from all events, spending that time in my studio or out painting for myself. It was good for me. 

Somehow, I let that time go. It is time to take a month off from busyness and get back to painting only. I’m going to take May off this year. No appointments, no tea parties, no volunteer hours, just time in my studio. I am looking forward to it, it will be a time of discovery, having some fun developing color palettes I like and catching up on a few small commissions for a friend who has been patiently waiting. 
I’ve been working too much this year and I need a break. You all know how much I love my job, but I have become off balance with too much work and not enough play.
Country painters need to play…….