Well, the paints, brushes, and canvases are packed and ready to go. I am really looking forward to getting down to our "second home" in sunny Mexico. Has it been a whole year already? So many changes this year; losing my job, working on my art full-time, having the joy of seeing my Lexi off to Kindergarten every morning. It's a wonderful life, to steal a phrase. When you look at the good with the bad, I have to say that the positives outweigh the negatives and I am feeling pretty good. Sales on RedBubble.com are increasing, and the word is getting out, which is the first step, right?
I am so psyched about this vacation. Have to remember to pack a sketchbook and pencils; forgot to put them in the suitcase. No phones, no schedules, no worries for 15 whole days. Woo-hoo! I could spend a month there; my dearly beloved gets antsy after about 6 days. Gotta keep him occupied ;)
Looks like Tropical Storm Matthew might detour around the Yucatan Peninsula. Thanks for the change in direction, Matthew. Things can get kinda dicey on the coast in a hurricane!
So all there is now to do is try and get a good night's sleep (never happens)and wake up before the sun to get to the airport. Aaaaaah. I just love vacation. See you all when we get back, and hasta luego, amigos!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Contest, commission, and Angels
Contest 2 has produced another winner. My business page on Facebook, Jean LeBaron Art, has concluded it's second contest in which a genuine artwork has been awarded to one of my fans. It's always so much fun to see the reaction of the winner, and I love to make people happy, so it's a win-win situation. Now I have to start working on the next installment, maybe I'll come up with something that actually makes me money. Now, that's a novel idea. :)
I am still working on an oil painting that my brother and sister-in-law commissioned. It's rather large; 24x48, and I haven't quite decided on all the details yet, but the main body of work is in place. So far, I'm pleased with how the laying-in is going. Progress is slow, but that is to be expected. I'm a pretty busy grandma these days.
I want to take the time to thank all my friends, my family and my angels for everything they do for me. Without you, I would be lost and lonely. With you, I am free to be me.
I am still working on an oil painting that my brother and sister-in-law commissioned. It's rather large; 24x48, and I haven't quite decided on all the details yet, but the main body of work is in place. So far, I'm pleased with how the laying-in is going. Progress is slow, but that is to be expected. I'm a pretty busy grandma these days.
I want to take the time to thank all my friends, my family and my angels for everything they do for me. Without you, I would be lost and lonely. With you, I am free to be me.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
The Art of Making Art
Okay, so obviously there was only ONE PERSON who actually got the message I was trying to throw out there. And she is an absolute master of marketing, so maybe I'll switch tracks here and talk about the art of making art. Wow, something completely different.
There is an inherent drive inside of me that dictates to me that I must create art. Okay, that's a little strong. I must ATTEMPT to create art, because we all know that not everything always turns out for the best. However, I just don't understand people who say, "Oh, I just didn't feel like it today" like you have a choice in the matter. I can understand being too tired, too sick, too busy with that major annoyance called Life. But really?? You didn't feel like it? If I had my way, I would spend every day in the studio, for 10-12 hours, because I have that much stuff on my Someday list. You know, Someday I'm going to try (insert new medium/technique/subject matter here). There are so many things I want to do concerning art, and I'm getting very afraid that I won't live long enough to do them all. Maybe it's due to the fact that I chose the wife/mother/artist way of life, and there are not enough hours to do everything the way I feel they should be done. Unrealistic? Probably, but that's what I deal with. So how to fix it? I try to schedule my time in the studio when I am least likely to be interrupted. The other times, I'm planning, networking, marketing (there's that Gorilla again) or mentally preparing to paint while I'm folding laundry, making dinner or (ugh) cleaning. So what is the perfect balance? I don't know, I'm still trying to find it. Do I have regrets about the life path I chose?? Not for a minute. I wouldn't change anything at all. I am just where I'm supposed to be, and any challenges are lessons that I need to learn. So what I'm saying is, there is an art to making art, and if it came too easily I suppose there would be no joy in it. When I do get a stretch of time in the studio, I can feel myself slipping into the zone, and I don't have to think about anything but the brush in my hand, and that is a beautiful thing. So, if you are an artist, you have this voice in your head that says "Go, paint, create, and make your world better just for today", and sometimes, in spite of dust bunnies and wet towels on the floor, you go and make art.
There is an inherent drive inside of me that dictates to me that I must create art. Okay, that's a little strong. I must ATTEMPT to create art, because we all know that not everything always turns out for the best. However, I just don't understand people who say, "Oh, I just didn't feel like it today" like you have a choice in the matter. I can understand being too tired, too sick, too busy with that major annoyance called Life. But really?? You didn't feel like it? If I had my way, I would spend every day in the studio, for 10-12 hours, because I have that much stuff on my Someday list. You know, Someday I'm going to try (insert new medium/technique/subject matter here). There are so many things I want to do concerning art, and I'm getting very afraid that I won't live long enough to do them all. Maybe it's due to the fact that I chose the wife/mother/artist way of life, and there are not enough hours to do everything the way I feel they should be done. Unrealistic? Probably, but that's what I deal with. So how to fix it? I try to schedule my time in the studio when I am least likely to be interrupted. The other times, I'm planning, networking, marketing (there's that Gorilla again) or mentally preparing to paint while I'm folding laundry, making dinner or (ugh) cleaning. So what is the perfect balance? I don't know, I'm still trying to find it. Do I have regrets about the life path I chose?? Not for a minute. I wouldn't change anything at all. I am just where I'm supposed to be, and any challenges are lessons that I need to learn. So what I'm saying is, there is an art to making art, and if it came too easily I suppose there would be no joy in it. When I do get a stretch of time in the studio, I can feel myself slipping into the zone, and I don't have to think about anything but the brush in my hand, and that is a beautiful thing. So, if you are an artist, you have this voice in your head that says "Go, paint, create, and make your world better just for today", and sometimes, in spite of dust bunnies and wet towels on the floor, you go and make art.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Ooops
Uh, oh, did I scare everybody with the mention of (gasp!) Marketing? The ol' blog got pretty quiet all of a sudden. Well, I sure didn't mean to scare you all off into corners, cowering and whimpering. But it is an important part of what we do, so I thought I'd spend some minutes discussing it. But if you don't want to hear it............then I suppose you are either raking in money hand over fist with your art and you don't need marketing, OR.......the subject scares you. And well it should. Marketing analysts get paid really good money to do what they do, and we could all take something home from that. Think of your favorite commercial. Is it funny, is it to the point, is it annoyingly stuck in your head for days? That's exactly what you have to do with your art branding. Get it stuck in everyone's head, but in a good way, so that when they need a gift, a print, a wedding present, Christmas cards, or a new full sized painting for that spot over the fireplace in their dream home, they think of you!! C'mon, let's hear from you, even if it's just to tell me that you don't want to hear about marketing anymore. :P
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
A 900-pound Gorilla named Marketing
The FaceBook Contest #2 is about to be finalized, with the winner announced on Saturday, Sept 18, at 6 pm. There seems to be some confusion as to why I would give an original painting away. Well, let me explain.
In order to create a brand for my art, it has to be known and recognized. Jean LeBaron Art is rarely known outside of NJ, so I decided to create a Facebook page so that my art could be viewed by many people in different areas of the country. And it's working. I even have fans that live overseas. So you see, the method in my madness is not quite so insane as some would believe. Still, others may argue that the artist is still as mad as ever, but really, that is all part of the plan, too. It makes people wonder what in the world I'll be up to next, and that's a good thing. Someone once told me to start a rumor that I can only paint in my studio, in the nude. I never started that rumor, because it hit too close to the truth. :D
Marketing your art is a full-time endeavor, and I can see why many artists hire someone to do all the mailings, inventory, marketing, research, and P.R. Some artists see marketing as the 900-pound gorilla in the room, ignoring him because it takes too much time away from Making Art. Let's face it; it takes almost as much creativity to promote as it does to make the actual artwork. And it makes my brain tired. But no one is going to beat a path to your studio door without you getting your name and work out there, so it becomes a necessary evil. There are a million books, workshops and seminars dedicated to marketing your art. Unless you are the 1/2 of 1 percent who are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time with the right artwork, you are going to have to market yourself if you want to sell your art. And I want to sell my art. So............there you have it.
Artists are creative types, and it always amazes me that artists spend so little time in coming up with creative ideas for marketing, name recognition and promotion. Spend an hour making a list of the different ways you can promote yourself. You'll be surprised at what you may come up with!
In order to create a brand for my art, it has to be known and recognized. Jean LeBaron Art is rarely known outside of NJ, so I decided to create a Facebook page so that my art could be viewed by many people in different areas of the country. And it's working. I even have fans that live overseas. So you see, the method in my madness is not quite so insane as some would believe. Still, others may argue that the artist is still as mad as ever, but really, that is all part of the plan, too. It makes people wonder what in the world I'll be up to next, and that's a good thing. Someone once told me to start a rumor that I can only paint in my studio, in the nude. I never started that rumor, because it hit too close to the truth. :D
Marketing your art is a full-time endeavor, and I can see why many artists hire someone to do all the mailings, inventory, marketing, research, and P.R. Some artists see marketing as the 900-pound gorilla in the room, ignoring him because it takes too much time away from Making Art. Let's face it; it takes almost as much creativity to promote as it does to make the actual artwork. And it makes my brain tired. But no one is going to beat a path to your studio door without you getting your name and work out there, so it becomes a necessary evil. There are a million books, workshops and seminars dedicated to marketing your art. Unless you are the 1/2 of 1 percent who are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time with the right artwork, you are going to have to market yourself if you want to sell your art. And I want to sell my art. So............there you have it.
Artists are creative types, and it always amazes me that artists spend so little time in coming up with creative ideas for marketing, name recognition and promotion. Spend an hour making a list of the different ways you can promote yourself. You'll be surprised at what you may come up with!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, Monday
The start of a brand new week. All of the possibilities, the plans, the good intentions are looming before me like a giant hot air balloon. I have received the go-ahead for the 24x48 inch commission and I'm anxious to begin laying it out on the canvas; it's going to be a complex piece, so I want to be sure I have all the bugs worked out before I actually begin painting. It's exciting to start a new piece, I always wonder if it will be a struggle or a breeze. We'll see!
The weather for the party on Saturday was picture perfect. I think everyone had a good time. The last guests left somewhere around 11 pm, and I started to clean up but didn't quite get everything done before I fell into bed!! Hubby was pleased and I think everyone had a good time. I know I did!
The responses about the rose painting have been good. I think I'm going to paint the pale rose.
The weather for the party on Saturday was picture perfect. I think everyone had a good time. The last guests left somewhere around 11 pm, and I started to clean up but didn't quite get everything done before I fell into bed!! Hubby was pleased and I think everyone had a good time. I know I did!
The responses about the rose painting have been good. I think I'm going to paint the pale rose.
You can see the other choices on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/pages/Jean-LeBaron-Art/110162672364467
The canvas is a circular 46 inch convex edge, and I don't even think Tara (Fredrix) makes them anymore. I've been saving it for over 15 years. I think it's time to use it! I'll post Work-in-Progress photos as the journey begins. I have to start working on the commission first, though. Good business practices and all that.
I sold a giclee over the weekend to my brother and sister-in-law. Thank you guys!! I really appreciate the support. I am blessed with a fantastic family and an awesome circle of friends, and they surround me with a huge blanket of love. I can only hope to keep sending the same love and positive energy right back to them!
Start your Monday off with good vibes and happy thoughts, and it will follow you all week. I'm going out to the studio now to pay homage to my Muse and give thanks to God, the Universe and my guardian angel for allowing me to do what I love. Peace and love to all of you, too!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Roses, roses, roses!
Wednesday was the 32nd anniversary of our first date. I recieved 32 roses, one for each year. Each Sept 8, I get a rose for every year we've been together. Yeah, I know. He is one in a million. :) Anyway, they are absolutely gorgeous, all different hues, and HUGE! I took a few pictures, (after my middle daughter saw them and took pictures first) and I have been saving a very large (46 inch diameter) canvas for years, waiting for the perfect painting for it. Well, I have my reference shots. It would be perfect, it doesn't need to be framed, because it's the Convexo line (tapered edges) and besides, where the hell am I going to find a 46 inch circular frame? But, I digress.
The problem now is which color rose to paint. The coral peach with golden edges? The deep red one that looks like velvet? The lavender one with traces of blue in the shadows? Oh, wait, the cream one with deep yellow towards the center? Or the pale yellow with golden orange streaks? There is a pink one that changed my mind about the color pink; I always thought pink was a wishy-washy color. Well, not on this rose! It sings, it blushes, it pulsates with energy. So, now you see. I have a dilemma about color again. With a 46 inch painting, you gotta be REEEEEALLY careful about which color you choose, considering the rose will be taking up the entire canvas. And that's a lot of color on the wall. So, if you're out there and you have an opinion, I'd really like to hear it, cuz I'm stumped!
The problem now is which color rose to paint. The coral peach with golden edges? The deep red one that looks like velvet? The lavender one with traces of blue in the shadows? Oh, wait, the cream one with deep yellow towards the center? Or the pale yellow with golden orange streaks? There is a pink one that changed my mind about the color pink; I always thought pink was a wishy-washy color. Well, not on this rose! It sings, it blushes, it pulsates with energy. So, now you see. I have a dilemma about color again. With a 46 inch painting, you gotta be REEEEEALLY careful about which color you choose, considering the rose will be taking up the entire canvas. And that's a lot of color on the wall. So, if you're out there and you have an opinion, I'd really like to hear it, cuz I'm stumped!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Ask not what art can do for you....
What are you doing to support the arts? I mean, not just creating your own work and marketing it, but what are you doing to promote art in general? Do you belong to a local art group? Do you attend Artist Receptions at galleries? Do you volunteer at a guild, a museum, at your local school? How many people a day do you meet that don't know you're an artist? Do you always carry business cards and at least photos of your work? Are you doing everything in your power to make friends, relatives, co-workers, and even complete strangers realize how precious art is? Take an informal survey among people you know. How many of them own even one piece of original art? A signed print? A sculpture? In times of economic difficulties, art has always been a refuge, a protest, a way to raise public morale, and an indicator of political involvement, either for good or bad.
Make a statement. Make a stand. Make a difference. Make Art!!
Make a statement. Make a stand. Make a difference. Make Art!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Images and Blessings
The images running around my head are getting desperate to be let out! I think that I will have to spend some time prepping a few canvases so I can start smearing some paint. I still have a few days until Spouse's birthday party, but things are coming along nicely in that department, so maybe (are you listening, Universe??) I can get in there tonight and put to rest the insistent images that prevent me from falling asleep at a decent hour!
I have some frames taking up valuable space in the studio; seems like I should put them to use, so I think I'll stretch some canvases to fit them. Nothing like putting the cart before the horse, huh?
I'm going to be very busy this next year, and not just creating and marketing art. My daughter just started a very intense concentrated study nursing course, and she'll be working full-time at night, to boot. I'll have our granddaughter pretty much all day, with the exception of 2 1/2 hours of Kindergarten, so I'm back to painting in small batches, or at night. But I wouldn't trade places for anything, my lovely little lady is a blessing in my life, and I'm privileged to be able to spend so much time with her. I really love my life, and the varied, unforeseen circumstances that have put me here are an amazing testimony to the premise of God putting you where you need to be, when you need to be there. Life is soooooooo good. :)
I have some frames taking up valuable space in the studio; seems like I should put them to use, so I think I'll stretch some canvases to fit them. Nothing like putting the cart before the horse, huh?
I'm going to be very busy this next year, and not just creating and marketing art. My daughter just started a very intense concentrated study nursing course, and she'll be working full-time at night, to boot. I'll have our granddaughter pretty much all day, with the exception of 2 1/2 hours of Kindergarten, so I'm back to painting in small batches, or at night. But I wouldn't trade places for anything, my lovely little lady is a blessing in my life, and I'm privileged to be able to spend so much time with her. I really love my life, and the varied, unforeseen circumstances that have put me here are an amazing testimony to the premise of God putting you where you need to be, when you need to be there. Life is soooooooo good. :)
Monday, September 6, 2010
Goodbye Summer, Hello Studio
Summer is officially over, and I'm feeling a little melancholy. It's time for moving indoors, looking inward and creating a new body of work. I'm going to try and integrate both my styles of painting in a new series, not exactly sure where this is going, but it should be interesting. I'd really like to start on this immediately, but this week I'll be concentrating on the upcoming milestone birthday party for my bestest honey. So, in the meantime, I'll have to settle for creating a spectacular birthday celebration for him!
I could cheerfully spend all my time flitting from one art reception to another, attending shows and scoping out galleries. I always get so inspired from seeing all the great art that is being made. I love that all my artist friends are so generous with advice, and the conversations are always lively and funny and interesting. Since creating art in the studio is such a solitary business, I am grateful that we can get together and discuss our creative blocks and breakthroughs, and how to ignore the voices that threaten our commitment to keep on going. I love what I do, most of the time, and I especially love the all wonderful people in my life who, in one way or another, drive me to continue on this crazy, beautiful and scary ride called Life.
I could cheerfully spend all my time flitting from one art reception to another, attending shows and scoping out galleries. I always get so inspired from seeing all the great art that is being made. I love that all my artist friends are so generous with advice, and the conversations are always lively and funny and interesting. Since creating art in the studio is such a solitary business, I am grateful that we can get together and discuss our creative blocks and breakthroughs, and how to ignore the voices that threaten our commitment to keep on going. I love what I do, most of the time, and I especially love the all wonderful people in my life who, in one way or another, drive me to continue on this crazy, beautiful and scary ride called Life.
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