It's Red Dots and Red Ribbons For Me

I think this is about the 4th or 5th year that I have been involved in the Helldorado Art Show and Auction.  It is really one of my favorite local shows at this point.  The art is amazing and so winning a ribbon there is really special.

I entered 4 pieces total and won a second place ribbon in the acrylic category on my painting, "Rise and Shine".  That piece also happened to be bid on and so I only brought home 3 pieces and this ribbon.  This piece was nearly the last painting I have completed.  I really wanted to enter it in my solo library show but didn't quite make the deadline.

The whole time I was painting this piece I struggled with it.  I had initially tired to paint a mottled background in blue but I struggled with that and especially with the foreground. It just didn't seem to work out the way I had it in my mind.   I loved how the rooster was progressing,  but I felt as if he was floating in the middle of the canvas and I didn't know what to do with his feet.  I was pretty sure I wanted a fence post with morning glories but things just didn't seem to be lining up right.  

The current and final background was actually my 3rd attempt of painting it over.  I'm so pleased that I just kept at it even though I felt that I might just scrape the whole piece.  I love the bright colors and the combination of detail and pop art together.  This will not be the last time I combine these two styles I am sure.  

In April I had taken this piece and entered it into the Clark County Fair and Rodeo in Logandale and I received a very positive response with it.  I actually won 2nd place in the show with it.  Of course the competition wasn't as stiff as it is with Helldorado.

  

Ribbons are wonderful, but art sales are the true compliment paid to an artist.  Well unless you win BEST OF SHOW ribbon.  I'm guess that ranks up there pretty high.  I will miss this piece, but I am happy he found a new home where someone appreciates him enough to pay their hard earned money for the privilege of hanging him on their walls.

Now even though I have sold the original painting, there is still prints and merchandise available that can be ordered with this image.  I personally turn most of my artwork into small prints (4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10), 4 x 6 art magnets or stickers.  These are all available on my Etsy store.

Julie Townsend Studio on Etsy

I've included just a couple of images that shows just how great this image would look on products such as prints, book bags, sweatshirts, mugs, shower curtains or phone cases.  You can click this link and it will take you right to this image to place your order.  What a great gift for any "Rooster" lover on your list.

Julie Townsend Studio on Fine Art America

When the Ribbon is Bigger than the Artwork

I've reached a point this spring that I realize that some of these art shows I am able to participate in have actually become a distraction to what it is that I really need to be focusing on.  What is it about the month of April?  It appears to be the most popular month to host an art show and I must have 5 or more possible venues that I could paint special entries for.  The themed ones are even more distracting when you are trying to find a niche that your art fits into.  Right now I have 3 days that I could paint a piece that fits the theme of "Zeal".  That is not going to happen.  The Lake Las Vegas Gallery summer show whose deadline is coming up soon is themed "Casting Shadows".  There is a show for artists over 50 called "Celebrating Life" and a Western themed show that the Elks Club puts on every May that I really enjoy.

2nd & 3rd Best of Class

Frankly, it is quite stressful to keep up with it all.  Add that to the fact that I have 29 pieces tied up in a solo library show until May 30th and you can see as an artist you have to paint consistently to keep up with the demand.  These shows are great if you have time and you can win.  They are excellent additions on your art resume but I'm not so sure they are that helpful if you are strapped for time.  One of the hardest challenges I face as an artist is to stay focused on my goals. (Like painting more COWBELLS!)

Directors Choice 

One show I do enter every year and that is most likely a waste of my time and resources is to enter the art show portion of our county fair.  You have to consider that there is a 55 mile drive one way out to Logandale, Nevada that has to be be done two times.  Not to mention the day I actually attend the fair.The Clark County Fair and Rodeo has been for many years a family tradition.  We drive out with our camper for the day and enjoy visiting and seeing the exhibits.  The grandchildren love riding all the carnival rides.   I really look forward to when attending the fair as a family. Having my own artwork exhibited is like a cherry on top.  They do give out nice ribbons and the judges give you a little critique on each piece.  Beside there has been some really nice art displayed in past years.  Besides, my "Down Country Road" collection that I have been painting on for the past year and half is a perfect fit for that venue.

This year I was a bit disappointed because there just didn't seem to be very many adult entries.  That was a bit embarrassing because while my art I feel was very well done there just wasn't enough competition and I wound up winning most of the ribbons.-2nd best of class, 3rd best of class, directors choice, 5 judges choice ribbons, 5 blue ribbons.  It was a bit crazy but my grandson was really impressed!

The response I received from the public and from the volunteers for the show was very encouraging.  I think I have found my niche at this time as an artist because these pieces seem to bring a smile to many faces.

The fair can serve as a little trial run because several of these pieces will be soon entered into the Helldorado Days Public Art Show and Auction and I'm certain that the competition will prove to be a bit more challenging.  To win a ribbon at the Helldorado Art Show is something all together different.  I'm hoping also that I can also enjoy a sale or two!

ART SALES ARE MORE EXCITING THEN WINNING RIBBONS! UNLESS THE RIBBON YOU WIN IS FOR BEST OF SHOW!

The rule of NO KISSING

This past weekend I subjected three of my works to the public scrutiny of the Clark County Fair and Rodeo in Logandale, Nevada. Now, I realize that a county fair isn't known for being a haven for renown art critics, but being that I am such a new artist, any opportunity for public display of my work is a learning experience.

 I had dreams that my newest piece, a large 24x36 inch acrylic painting that I call "Utah Reflections" would WOW the judges and I would arrive to find a number of large colorful ribbons prominently hanging all over the edges of its beautiful old barn wood frame. I was quickly brought to reality, when I saw only one single red ribbon fluttering in the slight breezes that blew off the 4H livestock barn.  Under that ribbon, was the judges score sheet and comments. Not wanting to draw attention to myself, I quickly scanned the words printed there. A paraphrase of the comment I found reads something like this, "Really good painting but your focal point is the bridge and you have placed in the corner."

To my untrained artistic mind, having the focal point in the corner was what I thought made the painting interesting. I also noticed, in most of my other works the focal point is off in the corner too.  Now, I realize that I am a self-taught artist and being that I haven't had intense composition training that many scholarly artists have undoubtedly received in the higher halls of art education and so I can confess I really know nothing about the official rules of composition.  Even so, I still think I have a natural eye for design, so I thought I would do a quick study on the subject.

A quick Google search and I found plenty hits on the subject but found the article written by Marion Buddy-Evans called "Art Composition Rules" at www.about.com, proved to be pretty informational and condensed enough for my purpose of a really quick study.  There are several of the rules I know I now remember my high school art teacher, Mr. Easton telling us about.  One was the "Rule of Odds".  I always arrange things with odd numbers because Mr. Easton told us that made for a more interesting composition.  I didn't consider the why to that reasoning, but the article says it is because our brains can't pair things up on the composition and therefore it keeps our eyes moving across the canvas.  Well, I guess I'm good with this rule since my compositions has only ONE bridge.

I also found out about the "Rule of No Fried Eggs".  This rule is broken when you place your focal point right in the middle of the canvas surrounded by bland background.  Since my bridge is off the to far right corner, I'm assuming I didn't break this rule either and of course there is no bland background in any of my paintings.

There also is a "Rule of No Kissing".  This rule is broken when you allow edges of the objects to touch and not overlap or leave spaces between them.  The example was giving in the article of the horizon edge touching the edge of the sun rather than overlapping it.  There is depth and interest giving when objects overlap.  I think I'm good with this rule.

I think it is the "Rule of Thirds" that pertains more directly with my pieces and the placing of the focal point.  In this rule you divide the canvas space into thirds both vertically and horizontally.  The four intersecting points are hotspots and should be considered when you are placing focal point.  Rather than smack dab in the middle, or in my case the far bottom corner, your composition is suppose to be more interesting if you place it one third up or down or one third left or right. 

I know that all rules are there as guidelines and can easily be ignored, but I think it is important for me to consider these rule each time I rip open another canvas.  Rather than just painting and hoping for a great end result, a little more planning might be just the thing.  In reality, I only had one photo of that bridge to work with and I was really struggling with the perspective of the right side of the bridge and that is why I decided to simply paint the bridge right off the canvas.  As the artist, I have the creative license to do that.  The lesson here for me is that when I find an interesting subject matter, I need to take multiple shots, at all different angles so that I have the liberty to paint the focal point anywhere I want. What is really important here is that I learned something this weekend and that I'm still pleased with my piece even if there is only a single red ribbon hanging there.