2016- The Art Year

I have several times spoken about the influence that artist Tim Gagnon had on me in regards to starting my art journey. I thought, on this last day of 2015,  I would just remind everyone of his contribution and how his online lessons helped restore my confidence and enabled me to pick up a paint brush after nearly 30 years.

It was back in 2010 and I had just taken a drawing 101 course at the local community college with my youngest son.  I wanted to keep that momentum going by taking a painting course.  I stumbled upon Tim's 12-week online painting lesson while searching for alternative options to taking a painting class at the college.  My interest has always been with landscape painting and I figured that in a traditional college setting I might not be able to learn techniques needed to paint in the style I was interested in.  Not to mention the travel and time involved with attending classes.  Tim's online landscape lessons were perfect and I have been a fan of his work ever since.

Today, I saw that he was declaring 2016 The Art Year and was starting a new blog just for that purpose. He was saying exactly what I have been thinking in my own pursuit of art.  I have been doing a lot of questioning about where I want to be and how am I going to get there.  I've been doing a great of thinking about co-op galleries, art licensing and self-promotion.  What is been effective in advancing my art and what are actually distracting me from pushing myself towards my goals?

 I believe that I too am going to take up Tim's challenge to make this year MY ART YEAR and spend more time pursuing creativity and personal change in my life.  This blog that I have been contributing to since early 2011 will also be getting a complete makeover.  I encourage you comment about what 2016 is going to bring for you and to follow this blog.  Be sure to check out Tim's new blog at Tim Gagnon.

What....You Want Me To Talk About My ART?

I had no idea that the month of August is considered American Artist Appreciation Month but I do now.

This week, at the invite of artist Patience Brewster I decided to participate in a fun self interview.  Her goal is to get as many artists bloggers as she can involved and answer questions about their own work and motivations.  I thought about it for a few minutes and I came to the conclusion that  I love to Blog, I love Art and I love to Blog about MY ART, so I'M IN!

Of course the first thing I did was research Ms. Brewster and found a well organized website full of beautiful artwork on cards and ornaments.   Her work is whimsical and fun and I was immediately a fan.  Check out the ornaments of Patience Brewster yourself.

Here are the questions she asked of me:

1. As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist?

I can't recall a specific moment but rather my earliest memories are of me spending hours sewing, drawing and coloring.  I grew up rather poor in the hills of the Missouri Ozarks.  As a matter of fact, most of my childhood we lived in a 12' x 50' single wide mobile home that barely fit the 5 of us crammed like sardines in a can.  Barely one square inch of free wall space could be found to expose the shabby wood paneling behind all the piles.   I think my parents were more concerned about keeping food on the table then making sure we had exposure to art and culture.  That was pretty much non-existent until I got into high school. 

 I think it was this lack of beauty that drove me to my solace in art because even as a young child I tried to fill my world with color.  Since we couldn't afford all the the pretty room decorations and fancy school supplies I took to making my own.  I painted my school folders with acrylic paints, created my own stationary using watercolors and cut out giant flowers to decorate my little corner of the bedroom I shared with my younger brother and sister.  

2. As an artist, what do you hope to convey with your work?

 When I returned to painting a few years ago my goal was just to improve my skills and learn as much as I could about color and composition.  I certainly don't have some social agenda or a hidden message that I'm trying to convey with my work but rather just create beautiful images that others love to look at as much as I loved creating them.  I get confirmation of that each time I make a sale.  

3. What memorable responses have you had to your work?  

Some art highlights that stand out in my mind would be being featured in an article in "Gold Prospector" magazine.  I remember the week that the article came out and I had actually forgotten about it, but I had a complete stranger come up to me as I was displaying my artwork in front of Wholefoods in Henderson, Nevada and asked if I was that artist that was in his magazine.  He wished he had his copy with him so that he could get my autograph!  That made my day for sure.  

Also winning "Visitors Choice Award" is always a great honor.  It is sometimes difficult to understand the criteria that some judges use when placing awards at art shows but to have the majority if visitors at a show or that come through a gallery prefer your piece of all others is very much and honor.  I would love to hang a Best of Show ribbon among my awards someday but until then my visitor choice ribbons are very special to me.  

4. What is your dream project?

I would probably answer this question more correctly by changing the word project to goals because my focus isn't on one specific project as it is on long-term art goals.  Some of my dream goals I have would include designing artwork for  a company like "Leaning Tree" cards or to have my artwork hanging in a gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Both of these goals would be confirmation to me that my art has reached a level in a venue that I have always greatly admired.  

5. What artists, of any medium, do you admire? (Famous or not!)

I have always admired the work of Robert Duncan and I had the great pleasure of visiting his gallery last summer when his original paintings were on display.  The colors were more vibrant that I could have imagined and his ability to capture the joy of simple country life reminds me of my own simple childhood growing up in the Ozark hills.  His art moves me!

Tim Gagnon is really who I credit as the influence that got me to pick up my brushes 4 years ago and now a couple hundred paintings later I'm still going strong.  His 12 week basic landscape course helped give me the confidence I needed to start painting after a 30 year life break.

My husband's cousin is a successful artist from Powell, Wyoming.  Mike Kopriva is a nice guy and a great artist. That is a winning combination and what a perk that we are actually related!

From the first time I saw the work of local Las Vegas artist, Lily Adamczyk I knew I wanted to get to know her better.   Her landscaping paintings are amazing and I felt that I could learn a great deal from her about art and the business of art from her.   I'm so blessed to call her my friend.  Her critique of my work has probably been the single greatest factor in my skill improvement over the past several years as an artist.  She doesn't hesitate to point out what I could do to improve my technique or composition.  I've learned so much from her as an artist and a friend.

DEVELOPING MY STYLE- OLD DUSTY PROSPECTOR TO MARILYN MONROE

I have recently had the great pleasure of going through a free e-course offered by Jason Horejs, owner of Xanadu Gallery and author of the book “Starving to Success”.  I know the information I am learning in this series of emails, reading his book and joining the free webinars is going to be key to me reaching my long-term goals as an artist.  

One of the take away points that I wrote down this week in my notes is:  "The most important thing you can do for your art career is develop a consistent style."  At first when I read this I thought that referred mostly to subject matter. For example when I think of successful artist Nancy Medina, I can't help but think of flowers.  She paints flowers of every shape and color with consistency and passion from her studio in Flower Mound, Texas.  Her work seems to sell before the paint even dries or her brushes are washed.  On occasion I see her paint a garden scene, a chicken or even her latest romantic dress series but her colorful and loose style is still present.  Check out her work and you will see exactly what I mean.   I have her website link listed below under my favorite artist links.

Another artist that I admire his work greatly and give all the credit to for my return to painting is landscape Tim Gagnon.  His basic landscape painting course was amazing and lit the fire in me to pick up my brushes and get to work.  He is a master at painting landscapes that contain amazing trees and clouds.  I can instantly pick out his pieces amongst a page of landscape images.  His method of painting dictates his style and even if he paints a portrait I can still see Tim Gagnon all over it.  His website link is also found below.

  

I have for a number of months now been sketching portraits when I wasn't able to paint.  I have a stack of what I think are pretty nice sketches and so you shouldn't be surprised that a number of my paintings this past year have included human subjects.  Granted they are usually old dusty prospectors, but human never the less.  They have also been getting larger and with more detail until lately they subject has become the portrait and not just a human form added to a landscape. 

Portraits are challenging indeed, but I find myself excited about the challenge. This week I had the amazing experience of painting a piece in a few hours that was wildly received on my social media network.  It actually sold within 10 minutes of me posting the picture.  That is a definite first for me and something I hope to repeat.  

So here she is.... 11x14 Acrylic called "Marilyn-A Vision in Pink".  I used my Alizarin Crimson for her skin tone, Pthalo Blue for her hair and even highlighted her hair with Iridescent Gold.  She really pops on the black background.  For fun I also painted Audrey Hepburn in Blue just before my attempt at Marilyn and while many commented how much they liked her and how ARTSY she was,  I couldn't help but think she looked like a smurf...A cute smurf but a smurf none the less.  So am I still going to be painting Nevada landscapes and dusty prospectors?  YES....but this week I gave into my desire to loosen up and get wild with color and I'm having a blast!

"Marilyn-A Vision in Pink"  11x14 Acrylic

Sometimes it's CHICKENS and Sometimes it's FEATHERS

A hard reality that I'm certain that most artists have faced is that unless you are independently wealthy most of us actually want to sell our work....Probably so that we can buy more paints and a couple more canvases.  I hear artists talk about "The Good Old Days" before the economy failure and collapse, when there were collectors out there that actually paid money for your artwork.  Unfortunately, during that time period I was busy pushing a 10-key and was stacked up to my eyeballs with paperwork, working as the business administrator for a large private Christian school and church.  Painting was a far distant memory and the dream of being an artist was pushed so far down in my heart that I really didn't even give it serious consideration.

That all changed a couple of years ago when I decided to finally take that drawing class at the local community college.  For years I attended college classes there and online with University of Phoenix but each class always consisted of either being business or accounting related and it wasn't until I had gotten my BSBA did I even think I could take a "FUN" class.  With drawing 101 under my belt, I decided to give some online painting lessons a try so that I could try to resurrect that skill that I had so long let lie dormant. I went through the 12-week landscape lessons presented by Tim Gagnon (timgagnonstudio.com) and my excitement and confidence was reignited and the past three years are history.

So I have been retired from my "day" job for 6 months and now I'm painting full-time.  I've sold a couple of things this year but like all the other artists I know, I want to sell much more.  So I have my work hanging in a little co-op gallery in town and have packed up my "inventory" and hauled it out to a number of art shows.  I've created a nice website and paint almost daily.  I've decided that I'm going to offer smaller pieces that I can produce in less time and hopefully sell in a price range that will entice potential buyers to dig into their wallets.

Yesterday, even though I prefer to paint much larger, I created my first 8x10 masterpiece that I spent about an hour painting.  I chose chickens as the subject matter because I have witnessed the reaction that my fellow artist and friend Anna Norris got from the public when they saw her "Rainbow Roosters".  annanorrisfineart.blogspot.com  So I'm going to be offering 8x10's for about $50 instead of my normal price range of $150-$300.  This piece I think I'm going to call "Chicken Little" and it will be the first of a number of smaller pieces I'm going to paint in the next few months.  I hope you enjoy.

"Chicken Little"- 8x10 Original Oil

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.