Network your artwork

Last night, I was sitting at a board meeting of my local art guild that I serve as treasurer for and I was considering the value of networking.  After all, that is the main reason I joined the guild in the first place. One individual present who just so happens to teach classes on the social media site Facebook stated, "You should never post pictures of your entire artwork because the risk that you creation will be stolen and used without your permission.  Also the public won't want to come see your exhibitions because they have seen everything you have to offer on the internet."  As I glanced around the table at all my fellow artists, I knew that I was probably the only individual sitting there that happily shares each piece of art as I complete it on a regular basis.  

I have taken the approach to chronicle my creative journey that I am embarked on.  Partly as a method of journaling my progression and also hopefully by inspiring others to pick up a brush, a canvas and just go PAINT! Grab your camera and shoot pictures of the first thing that grabs your eye.  Pick up that sketch pad and a pencil and just start drawing.  The important thing is to get creative.  Your life and those around you will be greatly enriched.

There is freedom in letting that creative person emerge after years of ignoring him or her.  If my posting one piece of art, blog about something I have learned or sharing a problem that I am currently struggling with results in someone letting their buried passion be stirred, then I happily post my work, the ENTIRE painting.  After all, we have all heard that "Imitation is the highest form of flattery" and while I'm not hanging in galleries or supporting myself by the sales of my artwork just yet, both are on my goals list. Maybe my thoughts will change as I get closer to my goals but right now, I just want to share the things I learn and be transparent because I hope that others will learn along with me.

This is also my motivation with this blog.  I watch as people from all points of this planet, open my pages.  I would love to hear more from my readers if there is something that is helpful or if I made you chuckle because you can identify with what I am feeling.

I end this blog post with a photo taken of me enjoying a beautiful Utah afternoon trying to look as if I know how to be an artist plein air style