Staying True to Myself and My Vision

I've been having a bit of an internal debate lately over what direction to take in my work. Those of you who've been with me for a while may recall that I moved in a major new direction last spring. I was so happy. I felt that my new work had so much more depth (by which I mean meaning, relevance, and content), and that it was a truer expression of me.

Then I sent a group of new paintings to my gallery... and waited. In a year's time, only one has sold. I started to doubt myself. Why aren't my paintings resonating with anyone?, I wondered. Then I talked to my gallery reps, two of the kindest people in the world, who both said I should go back to my old style. My old paintings were prettier. Oh, and by the way, I should avoid using the color green. Green's a tough sell, apparently. Yup, no more green when I'm painting landscapes of the Midwest, which is covered in forests and carpeted with grasses. Hmmm.

Fortunately, I am blessed to be friends with an extraordinarily talented and wise friend named Sam Adoquei. Sam just sent me a copy of his new book, Origin of Inspiration. He asked me to read it, and of course, I immediately came to the essay I knew he had in mind for me. In this essay, Sam writes about the three essential elements required of all successful artists: skill, style, and vision. Sam says that skill and style evolve naturally with dedicated practice, and that the bigger challenge is to develop your vision—your purpose or message in painting.

What I realized after reading Sam's book and getting a good pep talk directly from him is that I have finally found my vision. After years of working on skill, which in turn allowed me to develop my style, I finally reached the place where I had something to say through my work. Even better, I had arrived at what I feel is a unique way of saying it. Okay, so it's not selling. Not yet, and not in this gallery. But that is not and should not be the foremost principle guiding me in the creation of my work.

I have a vision. I'm sticking to it. And it's going to involve green. Thank you, Sam, thank you!

TV Worth Watching

I'm so happy. Just realized that past episodes of one of my favorite PBS shows -- Art:21 -- are available to watch anytime for free on hulu.com. Yeah! I don't always like the featured artists but I always learn something interesting and get lots of food for thought. Stokes the creative fire!

Let's Brainstorm

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of having lunch with my new friend Ann Jenemann, a plein-air artist from Cincinnati. Ann and I got to talking about the marketing and selling of art, and how it's been changing, especially since the arrival of the Internet. Ann told me about an interesting web-based program in which people subscribe to an online service that sends them a new, inexpensive reproduction once a month to hang in a frame on their walls. When they get a copy of a painting they really like, they can then go back online and purchase the original. That's a really unique concept!

That got me thinking... Whoever thought this up has created a successful innovation in marketing art because they've tapped in to some important trends in our society, like: 1. People are shopping online, even for art. 2. People--even people with money--like to try things out before they make a big financial outlay. 3. People enjoy constant change.

Okay, so let's brainstorm. What do we know about consumer behavior in 2011, and how can we creatively apply that to the sale of art? What lessons can artists glean from the methods other producers are using to market their products? Ideas? Thoughts?

Ethical Dilemma

Here's a true story I heard recently that offers a valuable lesson for all of us artists dealing with galleries.

A woman came in to a gallery and really liked a particular painting by a local artist. But instead of buying it, she went home, googled the artist's name, found her website and contact info, and called the artist to ask if she could purchase the painting directly from the artist. I'm sure she thought she could get the painting for a lower price because they were cutting out the middle man -- the gallery. 

Wisely, the artist very politely thanked the woman for her interest and then equally politely told her that all sales needed to go through the gallery. The potential buyer never returned to the gallery to buy the painting. So in being honest, the artist (and the gallery) lost a sale. But what would the artist have lost if she'd gone the other way?

Obviously, if the gallery had found out about it, she probably would have lost her chances of ever selling in the gallery again. Gallery owners do talk to one another, so she may also have lost her reputation, at least in the general region where she lives. And in gaining the reputation among collectors as someone who is willing to undercut the price of her work, she might have also destroyed the long-term monetary value in her work. That seems like a lot to lose for the price of one painting.

What do you think? Did she make the right call? Have you ever been faced with an ethical dilemma?

New Year, New Projects

Hey, everybody! It's been ages since I last blogged. The reason I haven't been blogging is that I started doing a little part-time work with the gallery that represents me, Greenwich House Gallery. I'm having such a blast, and I have to say, I'm learning by leaps and bounds. If you ever have a chance to work in a gallery, even just occasionally or for a brief time, do it. I really had no idea how much goes into running a gallery until I went behind the scenes, and it has helped me understand how I can improve my chances of success with art sales.

In my next couple of posts, I'd like to tell you about some of the things I've learned about how artists can build better relationships with their galleries, but for now I just want to ask a question:

If there's one thing you could tell your gallery representatives about what you want or expect out of the gallery relationship, what would it be?

PS These two new paintings are for a group show starting February 11 at Greenwich House called Romantic Landscapes: Now and Then.

Exploring Other Media

Since I didn't have my painting gear with me while I was vacationing in Washington, I got creative with my camera instead. In fact, I became so energized and inspired from my trip that I'm planning to try my hand at mixed media and clay, too. Fun!

Yet, some people have told me that I have to stay focused in order to master painting, which is why I've shied away from other media for many years. So now I want to take a poll: Do you think it's better to focus on one medium or to explore a variety?

Refreshing the Spirit

You know that amazing feeling you get when you're really hot and thirsty and you finally get a long drink of cool, fresh water? That's just how my soul feels after vacationing in Washington and Oregon for 10 days. The reason for that feeling was all the fantastic art I saw everywhere -- in galleries, on the street, in museums. After a tough summer struggling with my painting, I sure needed to feed my creative spirit, and this trip did the trick. 

Coming home, though, I wondered why it took flying 2,000 miles across the country to do it. There is plenty of great art right here in Cincinnati where I live. I think I just haven't been making enough effort to get out and see the shows and exhibits that have been happening all around me. So I've decided to make a commitment to myself to keep fueling that fire with regular trips to see art.

Got any other good ideas? How do you stoke your creative fire and feed your artist's heart?

Why Blog?

A friend recently asked me why people bother with blogs. Well, I think the responses to my previous post say it all. Thank you, Joan, for letting me know that what I've shared was useful to you. I'm delighted to be of service! And thank you, Leslie, for telling me about your awesome radio show idea. I'm looking forward to joining in, and my mind is spinning with other ways I could use this technology for art and in my day job. Great ideas, inspiration, knowledge sharing - that's why I "bother" with blogs!! ; )

Why Go It Alone?

Making art may be a solitary endeavor, but being an artist doesn’t have to be. In fact, artists have always benefited from the company of fellow artists. We need people to share our ideas with, to help us develop our concepts, and to allow us to see our work from fresh perspectives. And although we can meet some of these needs through the internet, I know of no better way to achieve all that than face-to-face contact.

A little more than two years ago, I had the good fortune to be invited to be part of a new group of women artists who intended to meet regularly to discuss art. Two friends and artists---Monica Achberger and Marcia McMillen--had decided it was time to realize a longstanding dream of theirs to create a contemporary “salon,” which is partly how we arrived at the name of our group: Salon 11.  Meetings take place one Monday night a month, sometimes at restaurants and sometimes in a member’s home or studio.  We’re a very diverse group in terms of art-making styles and subjects, encompassing a couple of seasoned professionals as well as various stages of emerging artists. One of our members is also a professional musician!

What I love about the group, in addition to getting a monthly creative jolt and making some wonderful new friends, is how much I learn from the other artists. Quite often, our meetings revolve around discussing a topic, but we have also invited guest artists to join us (we buy them dinner so we can pick their brains), gone to art exhibits and lectures, and watched art-related films. We’ve even had some “let’s all try a new medium together” events and some “let’s all do a themed project,” such as our Cezanne-inspired still lifes. 

If you feel like you could use some consistent real-time interaction with other artists, I would encourage you to put together a discussion group like ours. I asked my fellow members to help me identify our secrets of success so I could share a few tips with you, and here’s what we came up with:

1. Create a vision before you start. What do you want to get out of this? Should it be all women, all men, or a mix? How many members do you want? (We think 10 is the max for our purposes.) Then carefully select who you’re going to invite to be part of your core group. You only need two or three to get started because each of them will probably know at least one other artist who will mesh well with the group. And by the way, you don’t need to be friends when you begin--feel free to reach out to artists in your community whom you would like to get to know. As Marcia says, the law of attraction brought us together naturally!

2. Make a commitment. Believe me, we have plenty of fun and laughs and socializing at our meetings, but one of the main reasons the group works is that we are all serious and committed to advancing our art careers. This is not just a social outlet for the members--it’s an opportunity to learn, share, and support each other’s work. This is intellectual stimulation in the pursuit of art. Because we take it seriously, we all make an effort to show up to every meeting unless something really important keeps us away.

3. Pick people who have something to offer and are generous enough to share it. Most of the discussions are generated within our little core group, and we’re able to keep that going because every member has both artistic and other professional experience she is willing to share. Marcia is an expert on branding and marketing, and Monica has done a ton of PR work for various organizations. Tina has studied art history in depth, Maureen has her finger on the pulse of art competitions and local galleries, and on it goes.  

4.  Ensure dedicated leadership. Someone needs to step up and take the reins so that the group stays on track, overall and during the meetings. Marcia is our leader, keeper of the schedule (we try to plan topics at least six months out), reminder of meeting times, and discussion facilitator. But she happily welcomes the other members’ contributions, so no one person is responsible for it all. For example, we all contribute ideas for future topics and organize guests and outings.

Generally speaking, what happens in our studios happens in the confines of our own hearts, minds, and hands. But there’s no need to live our whole artistic lives going it alone. Maybe it’s time to reach out to your fellow artists and start up a discussion group. Like me, you’ll probably be amazed and delighted at the amount of inspiration and motivation you get from this activity.

And if you're already in a group similar to ours, we'd love to hear your secrets to success!

2nd Annual Milford Paint-Out

Nancy Achberger, on behalf of OPAS, organized another hugely successful paint-out yesterday in Historic Milford, Ohio. More than 45 artists turned out to participate, and the weather was perfect for both the paint-out and the wet paint sale along Route 50 in the late afternoon. In the photos (top to bottom) are Nancy Nordloh Neville, Marion Corbin Mayer, Monica Achberger, Michelle Walker, and finally Michelle Walker, Nancy Achberger, Chuck Marshall, and Ray Hassard.

The Ugly Teenage Years

A funny thing happened on the way to a finished painting the other day...

Seriously, I was out with my good friend Ray on a miserably hot day. We both got cranky, and we were both ready to throw in the towel on our semi-finished paintings. But then I plunked down on a stump next to Ray’s easel, and suddenly I could see exactly what was wrong with his painting and how to fix it. I blurted out to him (he's so patient with me!) that the values and colors on the upper half of the painting were completely different from the lower half, making the two halves seem disconnected. Within 20 minutes or so of what looked like wild-abandon-Ninja-artist-pastel-sticks-flying-through-the-air, he had transformed the whole value pattern, unified the color scheme, and was well on his way to yet another great painting. Then he turned to my painting and showed me exactly what was wrong: All my values fell in the medium to light range, with no darks to anchor the composition. And again, once the lightbulb went on, it only took a few minutes to solve the problem so I could put in the final details.

Ray and I had a good laugh about this because it’s a common problem Ray likes to call “the ugly teenage years.” In other words, you’ve usually started off with a nice baby (a good design) and have developed it into a charming adolescent (with value, form, and color)... and then you hit that horrible stage when nothing seems to be working and you just want to quit. It’s just like an awkward teenage on the verge of adulthood, no longer cute and cuddly but not a compelling, mature work of art either. And quite frankly, you just don’t know how much more time you can stand to spend with this strange thing you’ve created that suddenly has a mind of its own!

The lesson--Ray reminded me--is to never give up. Expect to encounter that awkward phase and be ready for it. Calmly step back and evaluate the basics of design, value, color, and so on. Chances are good you’ll soon see what it will take to bring that painting to beautiful maturity. And by the way, the answer is almost never more detail.

So now I’m curious: What are your tactics for seeing a painting through the ugly teenage years?

Something Different

To tell you the truth, I've been in a bit of a funk lately. No real reason why. Just not motivated to do much, art wise. Maybe it's this dreadful humidity that has come to Cincinnati way too early this year!

But since I don't have much to share these days, I thought I'd let you know about a little something that I enjoy that has nothing to do with art. This is a great little website, actually six sites in one. It's one of those pay-per-click sites, meaning that every time you click on the big pay-per-click buttons in these sites, the sponsors donate money to these charities. It's also a great place to shop for really cool affordable gifts. I keep it as a favorite on my browser and click all six sites every day. Just makes me feel like I did something good. I have a feeling you'll like the causes, too!

www.theanimalrescuesite.com

Ya Know...

Turns out plein-air painting is like any other skill. If you don't do it regularly, you get really, really rusty. Really.

Cabbages and Kings

My new friend Greg and I had a great time painting in Miamiville this morning, and my friend Mike and I braved the wind and cold for a good morning of sketching in Rowe Woods last week. Today Greg found a very cool little garden full of cabbages and purple iris, and I painted a wonderful old house dappled in sunlight. It was awesome as always! 

Herb and Dorothy

Earlier this week my Salon 11 buddies and I watched a delightful documentary called Herb and Dorothy. It's the story of Herb and Dorothy Vogel, that legendary New York librarian and postal worker who have managed to amass a literally priceless collection of Minimalist and other late 20th-century art on an extremely limited budget. They sacrificed so much to build their collection but they're completely devoted to collecting.

Not too long ago, the Vogels donated--that's right, I said donated--their collection of nearly 5,000 pieces to the National Gallery of Art (where, incidentally, they spent their honeymoon!). Because the National Gallery can only display a small fraction of the collection, the pieces are being divided up and distributed to museums in all 50 states in the U.S. Herb and Dorothy feel that because they were able to collect art using income from their government jobs, it's only fitting for the collection to return to the American people. Their generosity is almost incomprehensible.

But perhaps even more striking is the Vogels' connection to the artists they have collected. The Vogels have as much passion for art as any artist I've ever known. When they become interested in an artist, they get to know that person personally. They discuss the work, encourage the artist, and provide support with their money and enthusiastic feedback. Of course, the gallerists don't like the way the Vogels buy direct from the artists, often at lower-than-gallery prices, but the artists all want to be in this acclaimed collection.

The film is fantastic and so uplifting. It's a love-of-art story. It made me wonder if there are more great stories about collectors out there. Please share your thoughts.

PS The Vogels did not want to accept money for their collection, but the National Gallery insisted on providing a monthly stipend for them so their retirement years could be more comfortable. But the Vogels aren't interested in taking vacations or moving to a bigger apartment. They're using the money to buy more art!

Gallery News

I just wanted to share some great news with you about a couple of new galleries. First, there is a new gallery opening in the O'Bryonville area of Cincinnati called Greenwich House Gallery. I'm very proud to be represented by this wonderful and spacious new gallery, so I'll let you know when the official opening happens. It should be sometime in the next month or so.

If you happen to be in Union Square in Manhattan, there's an exciting new gallery there, too. The Sankofa Gallery is a beautiful space right on the square, featuring exquisite work by painters Sam Adoquei, Jeanette Christjansen, Usha Sharma, Musette Morgan, Cidny Klein, and Nao Otaka. As you may recall, Sam recently published a truly thoughtful and inspiring book for artists--How Successful Artists Study--so now you can see even more of his work and that of several other talented artists. Find out more at http://www.sankofagallery.com/.

New Work

Okay, dear friends, I'm ready to share some of my new work. Although in some ways these are a continuation of what I've done before, there are some aspects of the work that are new to me. And because of that, I'm finding it challenging to evaluate it. Please let me know your thoughts.

Finding Time to Work

I have a day job. I have to do something to pay the bills, and I'm thankful to have the job I have. But lately, in addition to my day job, it seems that I've made a million other commitments to do other things as well. The result? No time or energy to paint, no new paintings. And I'm really ticked off at myself because three people have asked me for my portfolio in the last couple of months, and I have nothing new to show!

I'm in conflict. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This happened once before, and my solution then was to institute Sacred Saturdays. I put everyone on notice that I was not available to do anything on Saturdays because I would be in the studio. It worked beautifully. People just automatically started inviting me to do stuff on other days, and I felt good about claiming my own time.

So it's high time for me to bring back the Sacred Days, but this time I'm going even further. I'm putting my friends and family on notice: Saturdays and Thursday nights are now both sacred. Come summer, Saturday mornings will once again be devoted to plein-air painting and Thursday evenings to studio work.

This is it. I have to get serious and put my studio time first, just like it was a "real" job... which it is!!!

How do you handle time conflicts?

Art and Climate Change

I'm thinking about doing a project, and I'm looking for artists who make art that addresses the issues of climate change and global warming. I'm interested in all kinds of art -- two- and three-dimensional, traditional to conceptual. If you know anyone who might fit the bill, please let me know. Thanks!

Competitions Worth the Fees

Skimming through Facebook the other day, I came across an artist complaining about the high cost of entering competitions. Like many artists I've heard, he felt that art competitions are scams--a way for the organizers to "rake in the cash." Having been the organizer behind many such competitions, I want to assure you that most competitions don't make money and really aren't organized for that purpose. Quite often, they barely break even.

This may come as a surprise to some artists, but competitions actually cost the organizers quite a lot of money to run. There's the cost of advertising the competition to artists. There's the cost of paying the judges, maybe even flying them in, putting them up in a hotel, and feeding them for a few days. There's the cash awards. If there's an exhibition with an opening, there's usually promotion fees, invitations, caterers, valets, and more to pay. If there's an online component, there's a web designer who'll want to paid for his or her services. The list goes on and on. And the organizers are committing themselves to paying for all of these items before they've ever collected a single entry fee!

Now that you've seen the flip side of competitions, you may be thinking that a $10 entry fee is actually quite reasonable. But what about those competitions with big $25, $50, or even higher fees? Well, the organizers often use the entry fees to communicate a message. A $10 fee says all artists--pros and amateurs alike--are welcome. Higher fees are often used to let artists know that the contest is for professionals only. And there are a variety of valid reasons why organizers might want to limit the participants in this way.

When all is said and done, a competition is an invaluable chance to see how your work stacks up to your peers' work. If you get accepted into a show, it's a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure. If you win an award, you walk away with some cash in your pocket and a huge bonus to add to your resume. And if you're really lucky, you might even find a new gallery representative or land some other major coup. So how much is that worth to you?