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.

Cat Crazy

I've been teasing myself lately looking at pictures of kitties at the local shelters. I keep telling myself to wait, but there's a cat void in my life right now.... The thing is that I feel like I'm looking for my next top model because you know there will be pictures taken and paintings made. I also was thinking that if I had to get a new cell phone for whatever reason that I'd have to get a new kitty to put his picture up on the welcome screen. Although, I'm wondering if they can take the old photos from my phone and stick it on the new one.... but then again, my phone's fine right now (knock on wood) and still has D's picture right on the screen. I'll get one soon enough....

I received an email from a woman who recently won one of my gift certificates in a fundraising auction and she's bumping up the order from a 5x7 to a 16x20 so there's some extra dough there! She sent the pics via email over the weekend and this is one senior beagle! I'm thinking that I'll take some pictures of the progress as it goes.

Winter blah

Not much has changed in a week. I never did hear back from that Witch Hollow Farm inquiry. But sometimes it takes a while. I did get an inquiry from a person who had won one of my gift certificates and wanted to know if she could get a bigger size if she paid the difference. And of course she can! So we'll see where that goes. Hopefully she's going to get a 16x20! LOL.

It's been 2 weeks and 3 days since I said good bye to D. I have such a cat void right now it's not even funny. But I want to get a back screen door before I get another kitty because I don't want any Hudini episodes. Jason doesn't want to pay installation on the storm door that I want so I'm going to wait til they have a sale of free installation at Home Depot. At least that's what the guy at Home Depot told me to do!

I haven't really sat down at my painting since Christmas either. You'd think I'd get on that by now. I did manage to clean up a lot of stuff off my desk to get that under way.

January lull

It's this time of year where business does slllooooww down. However, I'm still just as busy. I still haven't go together my year end totals or even flipped the pages in my day planner to 2009. I don't know what I'm waiting for!LOL
I was contacted by some one who lives at Witch Hollow Farm in Boxford about my paintings of Witch Hollow Farm. Apparently the daughter of the people who live there found my work on Flickr and now the father of the family wants to talk to me about coming out and do more paintings of their farm house. Excellent!!
And my friends father who lives out in Delaware (I've never met him personally) but says that he has one of my prints of the Scituate light house and has received cards with the same image on it from my friend. So now he's looking to get cards himself. I just have to find them. I gave the original painting to Lennox & Carla when they were married back in 03(?). I may have the image on disc some where so I have to look for that and get him those cards. We shall see.

D is gone. Now, it's 2009

I had to put my cat to sleep this past weekend. It was horrible. I know it was necessary and I know he's sleeping on God's pillow, getting his bed all gritty kitty. But it doesn't make it easier. The house seems so wierd without him there. I'm going to wait a while til I get another kitty. I need to get ready for the new.

and it's a new year. Wonder what wonders it'll bring. I was contacted by someone who lives at Witch Hollow Farm in Boxford about getting more paintings done of their farm. That's exciting! This week, the things I need to do are to close out 2008 and get ready for 2009. Should be interesting.