The Waning Summer

According to the calender that the rest of the world follows, summer comes to a close this week as the kiddies head back to school. I do not have children or am a student so it's summer to me until Sept 21st!! Wheee! I do remember as a child hating this time of year, too bored to be at home and dreading the upcoming school year. I didn't hate school so much as I hated the fact I had to get up so early to catch the school bus! I still hate getting up early.

But because of the school year schedule that we've warped our minds to, this also represents more of a New Years feel to me than actual New Years Day. New commitments, schedules, clothes new new new. Unfortunately I really don't have a new schedule and lord knows I can't afford a new wardrobe regardless of how bad I want one. But new commitments are on the rise.

JP Open Studios is happening the weekend of the 26th and 27th of September. I haven't done this show yet and because it falls on my honey's birthday weekend, my friend Tracy (who is opening her house up for open studios) is volunteering to man my stuff for me so that J and I can have our get away weekend. THANKS TRACE!! I am going to continue to explore new avenues for my art. More on line marketing for sure. And continue to do the same talk talk talk about myself and my art to anyone who will listen!

I was also approached my a solicitor for New Art Originals.com to have my work on their site. I've contacted an artist that is already featured on there to see if this is really worth while and what are the benefits vs. the pitfalls. Normally I think I would have jumped on it and dealt with any consequences later, but because this is a new year I'm going to take things a little more cautiously. Do you know of this site? If so please leave a comment and let me know how they are to work with.

Personal gripe this morning? I'm still experiencing vertigo from being in a boat all day yesterday on Quabbin reservoir. I just might keel over any minute! Argh!

I know that I'll be a successful artist someday.....

I just hope I'm alive to see it.

Why so somber on this Monday morning? Oh just another gallery rejection in my email box this morning. *sigh* This was for the Brush Art Gallery up in Lowell for the "Herding Cats" exhibit. A benefit fundraiser for homeless cats - right up my alley, right?! Well, I sumbited the 3 pieces shown in this blog and was rejected. The email says, "don't feel bad." but how can I not when I'm rejected more than accepted? mmmph.

This past week I was able to get that pet portrait out to Anne ( she was mentioned in the earlier post, a repeat customer from Scituate Heritage Daze) and sold a print off of Ebay. So that's good. And I spent the weekend in Vernon VT at the Connecticut river and did an acrylic painting between rain showers. This weekend was very much about hiding in the car and getting an ice cream as we waited for the thunderstorms and rain showers to pass by.

And I had a contact lense stuck in my eye ball from Sat afternoon til this morning when it finally peeked in the corner of my eye and I was able to pull it out. Damn thing folded and flitted up and over to the back of my eye. Thank God Jason had already agreed to driving home because I couldn't see a damn thing. I was thinking it just fell out but it felt like there was still some thing in there. I checked Sat night and Sunday morning pulling my eyelids out to see what was there and finally this morning "I knew it!" I said, as I fished it out. I really do hate those damn things. More and more I've been thinking of Lasik surgery.

This weekend we'll be going to Chester with a crew and it'll be interesting. Me, J, Bob, Kim and Phil and his wife and 2 kids. I'm thinking of picking up some coloring books for the kids so, God forbid if it does rain, we have some indoor activities for the tots. I think his kids are 5 and 2? Should be interesting.

Hooray!!

I got a commission!!! AND it's a repeat customer! She had me do a portrait of her Lhasa Apso, Lady, a few years back. Well, Lady has since passed away and they have a new Lhasa so she's getting a portriat of her done. :). This is huge for me since I haven't had a commission since freakin' Christmas! I'm going to try my damndest to get it done in 3 days because it's for a birthday gift and the birthday is this Thursday! Super star challenge!!!

I was on Martha's Vineyard all weekend and checked out a couple of galleries when I was there. PikNik and Dragonfly galleries, both located in Oak Bluffs, are 2 galleries featuring some really different work. Dragonfly definaltey had some more of the beach theme paintings but all were nice and I do enjoy looking at paintings that have a New England "feel" about them. PikNik was much more non-traditional works and a lot of city scapes. I just can't stand the galleries that have one ocean scene after another and "oh look, another light house painting", so these were a real treat to check out. If I had more time, I would have gone to Edgartown as well. Owell.

the aftermath

Well, another Heritage days is back of our minds. It was a pretty good weekend over all with the weather. There's no doubt that people are feeling a pinch in economy. There were a lot of people walking around but not much spending going on. The weather was gorgeous! My friend Dave (the Potter Stone - a ceramic artist) was able to make his booth and all from repeat customers in his first 3 sales! Myself, well, I came back negative $25.50. Poo.

Jason continues to ask me why I keep doing this. I guess it's an obsession? I don't know. I mean, I missed one of the biggest cookouts of the summer to go do this show. (but I think my liver is thankful for that one). And I slept on an air mattress on Saturday night; ugh so uncomfortable. And then we're looking for blankets (we stayed at his dad's condo) and Dave said, "Well, there's a couple of big towels here!" I said, "Really, Dave, I'm not that drunk" lol. I had a repeat customer come and visit me on Saturday. I had done a pet portrait for her back in '03(?) and since then, that dog has died. It was her sister's dog and sister has a new dog now and she was saying that she was going to come back on Sunday and give me a picture and a deposit and have one done for her sister's birthday which is at the end of August. I did see her on Sunday, but my booth was full of people and I was talking to some when I saw her walk by. We made eye contact and gave each other a friendly wave but that's it. Okay - so these are the downsides.

the Upside: People love my work. I get such a good feeling when people tell me I have incredible talent. "oh my god, these are water colors??? You're GOOD!" I did have a pair of women comment on my "Girls and Horses" painting. She really wanted it because it reminded her of herself and her sister. I don't have any prints (just too big to make the simple ones.) So it's a one of a kind piece for a mere $300. But alas, too much for a compulsive buy? I don't know. Hopefully someone will call me for a commission. I haven't had one since Christmas.

And congradulations to Mary Fisher of Cohasset on being the winner of the gift certificate for a 5x7" painting!!

what a week ahead!

I have Scituate Heritage Days this weekend, the mutha of all art festivals. And the Herding Cats exhibit deadline is this week as well. I'm going to be very busy!!! In the meantime, here's new art work.... And I was quoted by Clintavo@twitter regarding being gifted with art. "Remember whether you're successful or not, you have a gift - the ability to make art- that the rest of the world is madly jealous over."