A Whirlwind of a Week!

It has been the week of my very first show "Jan and Julie-Showing Their True Colors" and what a week it has been.  It started with the "First Friday" event on October 4th that sees as many as 800-1000 visitors to the gallery and ended with the reception this past Saturday where I celebrated with my friends and family.  There is something about seeing so many of my pieces displayed together on two walls that gave me a real sense of satisfaction.  It's like all my kids are home for a visit at the same time.  It might have been my first show but I certainly hope it's not my last.  I am already on the hunt for more venues. 

My friend and artist Jan Arduini and I standing in front of my display- We're ready for the First Friday crowd

A dear friend checking out my art

One of the pieces I sold this past week.  I look pretty happy here!

A view of my whole display on First Friday

I'm Now In Love With "RED DOTS"

      RED DOTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was reading this very helpful blog today by Stuart Wider and found that his emphasis on the importance of placing that "little red dot" indicating that your artwork has been sold very interesting.  He says that it visually sends a message to the prospective art collector that your work has been deemed worthy by others and therefore may aid in their desire to own your work too.  He suggests that you display your title cards after a sale prominently with the all important "RED DOT" so that others can see your success.

Don't laugh, but I had to figure out how to accomplish such a simple task in my Photoshop Elements program but once I realized how easy it is, I had great fun making the necessary edits to both of these Misty Forest paintings that I have sold this week. 

After all, the ultimate goal to an artist is the "Sale" of your work.  It doesn't take long in this business to realize that many people give verbal compliments about your work but few are willing to back it up with a purchase.  That is the ultimate compliment when a buyer is willing to part with their hard earned resources and purchase a piece of your work to hang in their beloved home or perhaps give as a gift to a loved one. 

So, while I am exhausted from the busyness of this past week I am energized by a record week of sales.  I can only close this blog with this thought for the future, "Bring on the RED DOTS!"

Selling Your Art – The Golden Rules of Art Sales Hand-to-Hand Combat

ENCHANTED-SOLD 10-4-13

OUT OF THE MIST SOLD 10-3-13

"Shrinking Violets Should Apply Elsewhere"

"Hi!  I'm Julie Townsend and I am the artist.  If you have any questions about my work just let me know."  I had a few opportunities to say that last night at the First Friday event down at the gallery in the Las Vegas Art District where I hang my art.  I rent a small wall there for the past year that I can maybe squeeze 15 paintings on and have been to a number of these First Friday events.  The difference with last night was that I shared the main gallery room with my artist friend, Jan Arduini and we were the featured October Artists.  Needless to say, this week has been a busy one for me. 

Unlike many might believe, being an artist isn't just about sitting in a well lit studio creating amazing artwork but rather there are many hats that must be worn along with that paint stained apron.  You are the CEO, CFO, Marketing Director, Accountant, Shipping, Inventory Manager, Sales....well actually, you're the whole enchiladas!  It all falls on your shoulders, unless you are so well known that you have a manager or your own gallery complete with paid staff.  Reality is that you will have to spend time dealing with these details if you want to be successful.

It was a week ago, that I said to myself, "NO MORE PAINTING" and I turned to getting all my pieces ready for the show.  That means varnishing, framing, adding hanging wires, completing the paperwork, writing a few creative and witty paragraphs about each piece, uploading images to blogs and websites and then finally packing up the whole chute load into the truck and then hanging it at the gallery.  Thankfully, this show is hung for a month but when I take it down at the end of October it will be just in time to start showing to perspective Christmas shopper crowds at the weekend Farmers Market. 

I was very happy to find this helpful blog title:

Selling Your Art – The Golden Rules of Art Sales Hand-to-Hand Combat

I loved how Mr. Wilder compared selling art to a battlefield.  His words, "Shrinking violets should apply elsewhere" really hit home.  Even last night, I tired to balance the "Let people look" to "Should I engage" question over and over.  A couple hours into the show, I noticed a couple that had fixed their attention onto one of my pieces.  I was trying to appear as if I wasn't ease dropping on their conversation, but certainly could hear them discussing details about where they would hang it and things like that.  It was obvious to me that they really liked my painting.  I was getting pretty excited inside but still I hesitated to go over and talk to them and then to my utter dismay, they walked out of the gallery and without my painting.

I was pretty upset with myself for not having gone over there and tried to talk to them.  Fortunately, for me about an hour later they came back and were overjoyed to talk to me about their decision to buy my painting.  It was definitely the highlight of the evening for me. They are happy with my work and I am happy to have created something someone unrelated to me likes enough to spend their hard earned money to procure.  That is what this business is all about.


What did I learn?  That the only VIOLETS in the room should be ones I have painted on a canvas!

Jan and I posing with our friend Jeff Oldham in front of some of our work

My main display as you walk in the gallery front door

I'M STRESSING!

THE CRUNCH IS ON!  This is my final week to get ready for my show called "Showing Their True Colors".  My artist friend Jan Aduini and I are having a joint show starting on October 3rd for Preview Thursday and October 4th is the really big event that is called "First Friday".  The little gallery that I belong to can have maybe as many as 1000 people walking through and this will be my chance to shine.  I've got some new pieces to show and I even painted a piece just specific for this show.

Every artist I talk to tells me that you don't want to show images of your work before a show because people will not come out to see it.  I guess there is logic to that statement, but boy is it hard.  I really like sharing my newest pieces on the social media hub.  Like a proud grandma showing photos of the new grand baby, I love talking about what I am working on.  Well, I have tried to practice restraint this past month and all I am going to say is there will be value in seeing all my works in person.

I did paint a piece just special for the show that I call "Showing Your True Colors" and I have used the image so far for any promotions I have done.  So I will include this piece in my blog today.

24 x 36 Oil "Show Your True Colors"

                                                           
I know that I'm going to learn a lot in the next week but this is all part of my journey to become an artist. Next hurdle- The lament of most artists that I know-"Sell"

Do Art With What You Got

This past weekend, I got the privilege of taking a road trip to Reno, Nevada to celebrate the first birthday of my beautiful granddaughter.  The drive takes a solid 7 hours and that is if you only stop once for a quick purge and fill up.  This trip was unusual because we were stuffed to the trunk hinges with all the necessities to stay a few days for the 5 of us.  The only thing is, when one of those five is only 10 months old, then the amount of luggage and baggage is multiplied exponentially.  That was the case this weekend, but I managed to squeeze amongst the diapers, toys and high chair a sketch pad and my sketch box.  It might not be oils and a canvas but you do art with what you got.

I found a few peaceful hours to complete this little sketch of a Navajo girl from an old photo.  I like how she has turned and I think the next thing for me to do is to head down to the Hobby Lobby for a mat and frame.

Navajo Girl (At' eed)-  8x10 Graphite and Pen sketch

Show Your True Colors

A first me as an artist is to have my own show where my art is featured among my peers.  Well on October 4th, my art and that of my dear friend Jan Arduini will be featured in the main gallery room of the City of the World Gallery in the heart of the Las Vegas Art District.  This is a big honor and boy am I busy here in my studio getting ready.  I already have a number of pieces framed but hope to have a few more painted by then. 

The name of the show is "Jan and Julie-Showing Their True Colors" and so I have been pulling out the stops when it comes of reeving up the painting brightness.  Jan and I both painted a special painting just specific for the show and I've included mine below.  Come down one of the dates listed below and check out our work.

October 3, 2013- Preview Thursday (6-8)
October 4, 2013- First Friday (6-11)
October 12, 2013- Reception (6:30-8)
October 2013- Art work will be hung in the main gallery room for the entire month

City of the World Gallery- map and information

"Show Your True Colors"- An original 12x36 Oil painting

Just One More Pan

I just finished another in my series "Seeking Color" and I'm excited how it turned out.  When I started my initial plans for the painting I envisioned an white haired prospector that even though his gold bag is full is stopping one more time along the mountain stream to try to find "Just One More Pan".  His bedroll, supplies and all important gold pouch are stacked near a fallen tree.  Next to him he has his rifle ready to grab if necessary.  He is intently working his pan and is excited to see a couple of gleaming specks have already washed up onto the pan.

This series is inspired by my love for the state of Nevada-One of the largest gold producing areas in the world.  Nevada mines 79% of all gold found in the United States and this rich history spans over 150 years.  The Nevada miner is a sturdy and adventurous lot. To the likely protest of his family in the east, he traded in his plow for a pic, shovel and a couple of gold pans to seek a dream only the streams of the Sierra Nevada's or the dry dust that covers the desert floor could satisfy.  Few actually saw that dream come to fruition, many died in pursuit of the dream and Nevada is one of handful of states that owe them much.

If you are interested in this painting or seeing others in this series, you can check out my gallery page or contact me at Julie@JulieTownsendStudio.com.  

"Just One More Pan"- 16 x 20 Original Oil Painting