Today's Painting

An Article I wrote for the Parklane Gallery Newsletter

An Artist's Dilemma

It happens all the time! An artist begins to make an impression in their community. Customers like the work, associate the work with the artist and buy the art. It is what every artist dreams of. But, wait----the artist continues to grow and experiment with other styles and materials. Oh no! Should the artist continue creating the successful style that everyone knows, loves and buys? Or should the artist follow her heart? What to do?

This is a dilemma I know all too well. For years I sold much of my artwork that had bright representations of fruit and flowers. But I needed to decide whether to continue creating the recognizable style or whatever new style moves me.

The further I move away from my original impressionistic work to abstract and experimental work, the more challenging the art is to sell. However, I love creating the experimental work. I have become obsessed with making and buying unique paper, and I want to put it into all my artwork. The paintings still sell if the paper is incorporated into my figurative abstract work. When I add additional elements such as string, yarn, ink, pencil, ceramics, hardware, foil, metal into my painting, it is more difficult to connect with the customer. Customers no longer immediately recognize my style and the art doesn't sell as readily.

I believe that if you love what you do, it will show in your work, and people will want to own your paintings. I experience great joy in creating my art, whether impressionistic or experimental. I am hopeful that customers will find that same joy in my work.

My next step will be to do more demonstrations to show potential customers how the experimental work is created so that they will more readily connect with the work.

I am participating in a fantastic show with six other experimental artists, and my heart sings when I look at the art. I see something new and interesting every time I visit the show. I want everyone to experience the same feelings when looking at experimental mixed media art.

There is no question as to whether or not to evolve as an artist, I have no choice. The challenge is to bring my customers along for the fun.

The Glove

There have been some questions about my painting "The Glove". It is actually one of the gloves I was wearing in a Bob Burridge Class. It looked interesting, so I stuck it on a piece of paper, and there it is!

E.A.F. Donation Boxes & Experimental Painters

Well, I certainly have not been attending to my blog lately. On Tuesday the experimental painters group met at my studio, with all seven of us present. We started another group project, which means that we each brought enough of one or two elements for each of us to add to our paintings. In the end we have seven paintings that are absolutely different. It is a fun exercise to do with a group.

Today I am meeting Mona Smiley-Fairbanks, Tracy Fraker, Barb Childs, Molly Winton, Lynn Garka, Lynn Scott, Nancy Thompson and Dawn Rieck at Tracy's house to work on two donation boxes for the Edmonds Art Festival. This should also be an interesting project with nine of us working on the same 2 boxes. You will be able to see the results at the festival in June.

Bob Burridge Workshop

I just completed a five-day workshop with Bob Burridge in Palm Springs. I didn't really learn anything new, but he inspired me as he always does. I love almost all of his work. He seldom paints anything that I really don't like. He loves what he does so much that it is inspiring just to be around him when he is painting. I painted about 40 paintings in the last five days. Not all of them are finished, but they are not far from done. I don't do that anywhere else. My painting loosens up a lot when I am in one of his workshops too. I am exhausted now and ready to head back home to my own studio.

I have ordered two new books that I saw in Bob's workshop. Ann Baldwin and Mary Todd Beam both have new books out that look very interesting. They should be waiting for me when I get home.

Where's My Muse?

I have not been ignoring my blog lately. I just have nothing new happening. We are still in Palm Springs enjoying the sun and the pool. I am getting some painting done, but am not satisfied with what I have done. My muse appears to have taken a break, so I am forced to do so also. I haven't taken any photos of the work I have done here, so have nothing to show you. My Bob Burridge class starts on Monday, so I am sure I will get my creative juices flowing by the end of the 5 day workshop. I should have much to share after that.

Sunset Bay Gallery

I forgot to mention that the experimental painters show has been extended to April at Sunset Bay Gallery. So, if you haven't seen it, you should try to make it, as it is a great show. The gallery is only open Saturdays from 2 to 8.