Spring?

With the coming of spring means new new new. For me new work, new shows and hopefully new friends, new contacts, and new orders.

I've dropped off my piece at the Allston Library for their annual show of Allston Brighton artists. The exhibit runs the whole month of April with the art opening on the 28th of March 12-4pm. The Honan Allston library is located in Allston on N Harvard Street and you can check out the site at http://www.bpl.org/ .

I've submitted my application for the Somerville Art Beat and am thinking of doing a show in Worcester called the Sprinkler Factory .... But it's a 3 day and its also Mothers day weekend. I haven't decided yet. But better get on it because the dead line is coming up soon!!

I worked on a painting of my nephew as a baby this past week. It's almost done (didn't paint this weekend, ended up going to Chester with Jason). But I don't know if I'm crazy about it. I also am teaching myself to use Adobe's InDesign program. Here's something that really got me upset this past week. I went to Kinko's to get some computer work done (remember, I don't have a computer at home and do all my things at the office and all my "art design" stuff on the Mac at Kinko's) ANYWAY - they don't have Macs anymore!!! I was like WHat the F*????? So I go to the counter, which is on the 1st floor and

I ask the woman there, "So I see that you don't have macs for rental anymore. Is this a thing for just this branch or is this for all Kinkos?"

and she replied," No, we have Macs."

"Um, no you don't."

"Yes, we do." with attitude (God, I hate Kinko's)

"No. You don't. There is a machine up there, disassembled. And there's a sign where the Mac was that says 'We are no longer going to have Macs for hourly rental.'"

"Oh, well let me ask." So she goes and asks the manager, and he said he wasn't sure about any of the other Kinkos' but this one wasn't going to have Macs anymore. And then another associate chimed in that yes, it's true for all Kinkos - No more Macs. And then (get this) the manager says to me, " It's the trend. Design people are all using PCs. No ones uses Macs anymore" Which is such BS.

So I walked out of there FUMING. I'm thinking how am I going to make my magnets??? How am I going to design all my letters, mailings, postcards, business cards???? And that I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get my own system; Mac OS - that will need internet, Quark & Photoshop, Scanner & Printer..... Big $$ and then my mind starts to think about how much money I didn't earn last year or how nothings been going on since Christmas and oh woe is me!!!

So I went to my friends house that night. And he's a PC Guru. And over a glass a wine, I told him my dilema. We went on line and looked at Quark and it's PC equivalent: InDesign. We read some reviews and articles about it and it seems that InDesign is much more user friendly, available on both PC and Macs and it outshines Quark. So the next day, I went to my computer at work and downloaded the 30 free trial of InDesign off the Adobe website on to my computer here. And have been playing with it ever since. I've been able to do all the things I needed to do that other night at Kinko's so I just emailed the files to my self and will eventually have to go to Kinko's and just print them out. I really wish I could just break the cord with them, but can't just afford to yet. At least I won't have to talk to anyone there, knock on wood. BTW the Kinko's that I refer to is in Harvard Square.

Happy Spring!

Another week falls into history and still, no orders. I'm thinking of dropping Ebay as it's not generating sales of any kind. You think that would be a hot spot because everyone's looking for a bargain these days. And I still haven't received the check or gift certificate from the woman who initially won one of my certificates in an auction and wanted a larger sized painting done of her dog. I've pretty much have written her off. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised.

So last week, I've started sending in my applications for local art shows. I hope we're out of this funk by then, but at the same time.. this time with out orders makes me think that I get things around the house done? (yeah right) but I am in the process of actually painting a person (Oh my!) for my own portfolio. It's only 1/2 done and of course, I don't like it . Maybe when I start filling it in more.

I also have to get my taxes done this month. I wonder if I should even include the "Pedigree Artist" anymore. Isn't it like 5 years of filing and if you don't make any money that the IRS considers it a hobby? I think this my 4th year filing. *sigh*

In the mean time, my new kitty Luna is keeping me quite entertained between all the other crap in my life. I forget sometimes how silly cats can be, especially over a crumpled up piece of paper!! I'll post some pics as soon as I get that roll of film developed. Yes, I'm still 35 mm.

March On!

Here we are in the first few days of March. I remember when I was in college, it was always the 2nd semester (Feb, March, April) that I really put 110% into my efforts. Why I wasn't like that in the fall, I have no idea. But as the economy (ugh! I'm really beginning to hate the "e" word) worsens, I haven't had many sales or even a bite at paintings. Although, the end of this week, the sketches for "Boston Shines" utility boxes are due. I figured what the hell. I'll let you know if anything comes of it.

Sign of the Times

I received a call on my cell phone on Thursday night at quarter to 10pm. (??) In my life, this just hardly happens. It was one of the coordinators from the Andover Crafts in the Park who was wondering if I was able to download the application for the fair on her email, as she had not yet recieved it from me. Hmmmmmm. I told her that, yes I did recieve it but unfortunately I wasn't going to do her show that weekend. She asked me "Is it the ECONOMY???" Well, yes. In a roundabout way. I think that these art shows were kind of fazing out in attendance anyway. I did this show last year and didn't make a profit, and never recieved any commissions from it. It was time for me to move on to another one. But I did say it was the economy. I did tell her that I didn't do well at the show before either.

What's interesting to me is that if this woman is calling me asking about my application, it probably means that a lot of people haven't sent in an application and that they are desperate for vendors. Sad, really. SOme of these shows are put on in order to raise money for music programs at schools or boy scouts or church funding. But right now I just can't forsee spending the money just to stand around all day.

For the time being I'm just going to have to let my website be my gallery/art show and just have to get it out to the masses. It's a long road to recovery.

Okay So here's a picture of Shelby, the Brittney Spaniel. She's a cutie and I wanted to publish my work in progress. First pic, the sketch... then laid down onto watercolor paper... 2nd pic, first layer of watercolor..... 3rd pic, more watercolor and the final has the colored pencil details. So there you go!

So this past week hasn't been all that productive, I'm ashamed to say. But I had one gc come in for a painting so I have to get started on that. I did manage to get a Shelby portrait done and took some photos of the "process" to post on here. It's times like that I wish that my camera was digital, but it's not.

The show schedule is starting to come together. I've been emailed about a 3 day art fest in Worcester in May, the Strawberry fest in June... there's the Somerville art beat in July. Of course Scituate in August.

A friend of a friend is doing a festival of her own... more of an urban city youth thing. I told her that I would be a part of it (its' free so what's to loose?) But I have very little detail on that. I haven't heard brack from the woman who wanted a larger portrait of her beagle done, which I'm bummed about because that would be another $375 in my pocket.

Lately, I've subscribed to a newsletter for artist and some of the articles are very inspiring, but sometimes I feel like you're listening to people talk about how well they've done and almost forget things like affording custom framing for your work. I can't afford that!! It is interesting though to get other insights that's why I joined it.

Happy Monday. I have received some work (mostly gc's being redeemed) but at least it's some work. You know I'd be painting anyway. I was able to get those cards mailed and sold a print off Ebay to Italy. I'm internationally known! I did my 2008 totals last year and came up negative 2K. Depressing, isn't it? Will 2009 be the year that turns it around? Or will my accountant laugh at me again when I tell him that I'm sure to make a profit next year? Stay tuned.