Passionately Blogging About My Passion To Blog

When I first considered the possibility that painting might actually be something that I could become successful with, I knew that I would have to become proficient in self marketing.  I started by networking with artists that I found on Facebook that appeared to be successful and that inspired me.  Tim Gagnon and Nancy Medina were artists on the top of my list.  After all, it was Tim Gagnon and his online 12 week painting lessons that I give credit to for allowing me to regain my confidence, lost after so many years of idle brushes.  His style is unique and no one can paint a tree or a cloud like he does.  Check his website out at Tim Gagnon Studio .  I would recommend his lessons if you are wanting to learn painting and not be intimidated by having an instructor looking over your shoulder.  With today's technology Tim allows you the ability to replay, rewind, pause and fast forward your way to a beautiful painting created by your own two hands.

From nearly the beginning of getting on Facebook, I found an adorable artist that can paint flowers like none other and let me tell you she sells paintings before she even has time to clean her brushes.  Nancy Medina from (If you can believe this coincidence) Flower Mound, Texas must keep her local florist very happy because she is a proficient daily painter that produces beautiful still lifes that are shipped around the world.  Right away I fell in love with both her website and blog.  Take a minute to be impressed at Nancy Medina and her online presence.

So viewing the success of these two artists I realized that both had  (1) a professional looking website and (2) kept a consistent blog presence.  Nancy has also set herself apart with her constant references to her two little pug dogs that are her studio companions.  This makes her seem real and personal and that is very important as an artist.  People not only purchase art because they like the way it looks but also because in many cases they feel a connection to the artist. 

In my short experience, I find that I spend as much time talking to the public about all the places I have visited in this very interesting state of Nevada as I do about the painting itself.  Because I paint so many desert or Nevada scenes, I have referred to myself as a "Nevada Artist".  I live in the hottest (I'm not talking about temperature even though it often applies) tourist destination in the country so why not associate myself with that fact.  If anything they might remember that I'm that artist from Las Vegas.  So find something that sets you apart from the rest and really work it!

So my advise to you if you are seriously considering following your passion is:
     1. start a blog using either Blogger or WordPress.  Both are free and in the beginning FREE is GOOD!  Blog at least once a week.  Even if you think no one is reading, KEEP with it.  Also check out as many blogs as you can and make notes of things you like about these blogs.  I also read a couple of books on the subject too.   
     2. Build a website to showcase your passion. I found Weebly to be a perfect fit for my zero website design abilities and again Weebly is FREE!  I really only update my website if I have a new painting to add or if I'm showing at a new location. So once you have found the template you like and have built each page the time spent maintaining the website can be minimal.  I do like to check out my statistics each day to see how many unique visitors I have had.  In this past month I have had 265 visitors and on Jan 23, 2013 I had a record 36 visits.  For some reason on that day it was like having a mob visit my little world!
     3.  Take advantage of finding Facebook friends that have your same passion and let their energy keep you inspired and focused.  Each morning when I log onto my Facebook account it is as if I am being treated to a personal tour at the finest art gallery on the planet.  The talent and work being done by these amazing artists keep me running to my little studio.  Now they don't buy your work but you can certainly learn a great deal from just listening, watching and imitating them.  I love Facebook for that reason so I have created my own page so that my personal world and my professional world can have a separate face.

Obviously, you have found my blog or you wouldn't be reading this, but I encourage you to check out my website at Julie Townsend Studio.com and take a peek around.  I'll leave the "OPEN" sign in the window just for you.

Small World

I was just thinking today about when you are almost 50, as I am soon approaching...you have an interesting perspective on the world.  I have clear memories of my youth when technology hadn't yet expanded our neighborhood to include the entire planet.  Yet, I'm young enough to be somewhat comfortable with today's technology.  For example.. I love my smart phone, my social media connections like Facebook and twitter and of course, as you can see here, I am trying to be a blogger.

What a contrast to the the days of my youth when I traveled to school in a horse drawn wagon...(Just kidding) but in the minds of today's youth it might as well have been because they just can't imagine a time when the main communication consisted of mailing letters and waiting weeks for a reply.  And who can forget the telephone party line.  In Eldon, Missouri we didn't just share the phone line but we also shared phone rings.  At my house we answered the phone if it was a long and a short ring, but we could also hear the neighbors phone ring.   Maybe it would be two long rings or two short rings.  Believe me when I say, there were no hour long teenage phone conversation allowed.  The world at that time was small and the ability most of us had to impact that world was equally small.  

Today, I'm at lunch, when I received an IM from my Facebook account from a young girl in Saudi Arabia that likes my paintings and is anxious for me to see her newest piece.  Can you believe it... I'm actually encouraging a young artist in a completely foreign culture to my own, with thousands of miles separating us and many years between us and yet... there she is talking to me excitedly telling me about her new painting...Yasmeen, you did a beautiful job on your painting and without knowing it you have greatly inspired a middle-aged, American woman learning to fire that passion for art in her own life.