What's on the easel ?

One of the most often questions I get asked, as an artist, is
"What are you working on now"?
I now invite you into my studio to see what's on the easel.

Most artists are funny about showing work that is not completed. Looking at an unfinished piece you get to see the mistakes, the re-works and you have to remember that the painting may change before it is completed. It's like an author writing a story. The story may change several times before it is finished.

This painting is 30 x 40 on stretched canvas and depicts a trio of hunting wolves. I have been working on this painting for quite some time. My painting time has been greatly reduced due to the Parkinson's disease. When I have a day with no or just minor tremors I have to take advantage of it and work as long as I can.

These three wolves have picked up the scent of a rabbit. The rabbit is hiding in the hollow log in the foreground of the painting. Over to the left, two wolves are standing, watching for some movement.

What is interesting about these two wolves is that wherever you move in the room, not only do their eyes follow you, their entire heads turn and follow your movements. I hope you can move your head from side to side and see that ,indeed, their heads do turn.

I hope you don't get caught moving back and forth at your computer . . . your sanity might be questioned.




The larger wolf in the middle ground has picked up the scent of the rabbit but has been interrupted by the presence of YOU the viewer.


The eyes of this wolf follow you as you move about the room, although the head remains straight forward.





There is alot of work to complete on this painting and many problems to solve. Do you show the rabbit in the hollow log? or not and let it be part of the viewer's imagination? Do you add any more wolves? Many questions to be answered and many problems to be worked out.


This next painting is just about finished. On a stretched 24 x 36 canvas it shows seventeen pelicans and is appropriately titled; "Seventeen Pelicans". I need to finish the pelicans in the foreground and add a little more detail to some of the other pelicans.

Have you found yourself "counting" the pelicans ?
The viewer is automatically drawn into the painting by counting pelicans.

What?

There are only 15 ?


I guess two flew away.







This 30 x 40 stretched gallery canvas shows
Iris . . . . . this was going to be my entry for the
ESMarts team September challenge.



Tremors kept me from getting it done in time.

Oh well, maybe next time.











This 30 x 40 painting of a frog diving below the water is a "toughie". It is painted from a view below the subject, looking up.




Above the frog will be seen the shadow of a Heron.




"The Great Escape" as a title will tell the story for the viewer in just a few words.


I don't know if it is that enjoy a tough challenge or that I am a glutton for punishment.



Besides all the visual problems in completing this painting . . . who wants a painting of an expensive frog hanging on their wall ?

I do have to admit I am enjoying working on this one. Doing all the little air bubbles under the water, caused by the splash of the frog, should really be fun.






The last painting I have on the easel is a 18x24
stretched canvas entitled



"Spirit of the Eagle Dancer "











I love doing pieces like this, it's just in my blood.
This will be posted on my Etsy store . . . .
http://kickingbear.etsy.com/





Well, so much for what I have on the easel. When these will be completed, I have no idea.
At least you can see that I am not just sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I welcome your comments about what I have on the easel and any thoughts you have.
Be sure to take a look at my Etsy store . . . http://coastalartist.etsy.com/

Selling Yourself

This old man has been selling artwork since he was 10 years old (no, it wasn't during the Civil War).
Here is what I do for repeat business:

1. To the back of each painting I attach bio information. People want to know you as a person not just by your work.

2. I include with the sale a thank you card which shows a different piece of artwork but in the same genre. One side shows the artwork and on the other side is a hand-written thank you note, also asking them what they think of it (always leave them with a question, then it is up to them to answer).

3. This is followed up about two weeks later, again thanking them for their purchase and asking them how they are enjoying it (again leaving them with a question to answer). This is usually a postcard showing a different piece of artwork in the same genre that they collect. Using a postcard allows others to also see the artwork too. Believe it or not this has resulted in new sales. In this day of E-mail, people DO enjoy finding things in their mailbox besides bills and ads for Wal-Mart.

4. I then add them to my mailing list and when I complete a new painting I send them a notecard with the artwork on the card, I also include an insert showing an entirely different piece of artwork. (Usually once a month) A lot of times these notecards end up being framed themselves.

5. I keep them on this mailing list for six months. If I don't get another purchase within that time, I move them to another mailing list. Mailing them a card twice a year making sure that one of those mailings goes out in November and wishing them a Merry Christmas. (Perhaps a new painting as a Christmas gift?)

6. I use a picture of my most recent artwork on my business cards and change them every month (I print my own, frugal, not cheap). When someone asks what I've done lately I whip out the new business card. I leave business cards everywhere. With a tip after dinner out, at frame shops, even at Michaels or Hobby Lobby, casually placed over in the frame section. (I'm sure the stores love me for this LOL)

A lot of work you say .... perhaps, but 95% of the people who buy my artwork buy again and become avid collectors. When you sell high priced items as I do, it is worth the extra work. Let your customer know you care. I won't go into the fact that their friends and neighbors see their new artwork and ask where they got it.

As for galleries, if I see a gallery that I would be interested in having them represent me, I send them a notecard with artwork on the front. I do this with all new completed artwork for two months. If after that time they have not called to see my portfolio I remove them from my gallery mailing list.
When you are selling a high priced product (mine run from 500-1200 dollars in galleries) then you have to go way beyond that extra mile to keep continued sales and repeat business.

Of course the product you sell has to be "top notch" but selling yourself always means repeat business. And the printing on your cards and inserts has to be of the best quality. But then everything you do in this life should be the best quality you have to offer.

I love to quote Cicero, (Marcus Tullius Cicero is generally perceived to be one of the most versatile minds of ancient Rome. 106BC - 43BC, yes, before my time) "As I approve of a youth that has something of the old man in him, so I am no less pleased with an old man that has something of the youth. He that follows this rule, may be old in body, but can never be so in mind."

If there is anything special you do to promote your business or product I would like to hear about it.