It's been a while

I have not posted in a while since I have been busy with my senior project. We had our senior show at the Kachmann Gallery, and while I have not sold anything, I felt like I made a couple of good contacts.
My new pieces in my estimation are phenomal.
THere has been a bit of controversy. The images I took photos of are of stain glass windows in several churches, and then I reworked them into Rose Window Designs.
I took pictures in 3 different churches, and apparently of the 5 designs I created 3 of them were from the stain glass windows of a local artist. I guess he was concerned and his son was upset that I had done this. THey were worried about copyright, and people stealing their designs. Well for pete's sakes they are in public places, don't they think that people could go take their own pictures?
Anyway long story short I contacted a copyright attorney and he said I am fine. I have nothing to worry about. Here is what he had to say:

I feel confident that the issue here is whether your work is sufficiently original or creative to justify its own copyright protection (answer, "yes") and whether your copyrighted work would impair the window artist's ability to make and sell his own derivative works based on his own window (answer, "no").

The Ets-Hokin court] failed to appreciate that any derivative work must recast, transform or adopt the authorship contained in the preexisting work. A photograph of Jeff Koons' ``Puppy'' sculpture in Manhattan's Rockefeller Center, merely depicts that sculpture; it does not recast, transform, or adapt Koons' sculptural authorship. In short, the authorship of the photographic work is entirely different and separate from the authorship of the sculpture.
Nimmer Vol. 1: Sec.3.03(C)(1)

I think you're in the clear on this window issue.
******************************************************************************
So in my mind case settled......
Here are some the images

New Series...

Life is still just as busy, my senior show is coming up too quickly for my tastes, but it will be a relief to have it in the past. I have worked hard and put in a lot of time to get ready for it.

I have a new series. I am taking photos of stain glass windows and reworking them into new designs. I am quite pleased with the results and will post one on here at a later date, AFTER my senior show since the new series will debut there. I am quite pleased with the new look.

Stay tuned....

OH MY.....

Who ever thought that artists sit around and visit or just create art, has never been involved in an artists life. Oh my....I am so busy lately that I can't hardly keep things straight!
I have my senior show that I am working on, the renaissance group, entering shows, getting ready for shows that I have been accepted into. Projects I am collaborating on, social events, and then all of my other responsibilities on top of that! I am feeling quite overwhelmed by it all.
I have two pieces that have been accepted into a juried show and I must write up an artist statement and get one of the pieces reframed, I framed the piece myself and it is bubbling, it must be remounted.
I must find time to create new pieces, always creating new, and I can't do that because my hard drive is full and photoshop tells me that my scratch disk is full! So I must go out and buy more hard drive space to dump all of these files on. Yes many I have backed up on DVD and taken off but many I need to leave on there for continual use! This is not a hard process for me but just time consuming! Sigh.....
Back to work!

Show over...

Well my first show is over. Not a huge success financially but many people saw my images and were talking about them. So I guess that is success. This is all new to me. I was terribly disappointed that I didn't sell anything. But now that I have a full time job I can do my artwork for the fun of it! I like that.

Now I must find a place to put these 24 pieces of Art instead of being stacked up in my back room. I could hang them at home I suppose.

I did get 2 of my pieces accepted into a local artist group at the library. That is exciting.

I just read rich dad poor dad, and he talked about when he was broke those were the best times of his life, since he was forced to find ways to make money and it pushed him. I can see that as being true. A part of me says, I have a paycheck now, my art doesn't have to be successful to help bring money in, so I have not been as pursuant as in the past, but I want it to be successful. Now that I am settling into my new job it is time to start working with due diligence on my artwork again. Well I must go, and see if I can get some pictures for my senior project today. Bye!

Update...

Well I had my first show. Only 15 people showed up out of more than 150 invitations sent out. That was very disappointing to me, but....it is a start and probably best that it did start so small as it showed me what to expect. Now that I have a new job maybe next time I will bribe them with wine! haha! Wine and Dine them!

But the show looks great, I haven't heard of any selling yet though.
Now that I have a job what do you want to bet that the art will start selling?
Most likely... :-/

I do have a show lined up at a local art gallery. A solo show at that! I am very excited about the prospect of that.

My camera quit working and I have been quite handicapped. I applied for a scholarship to get a new camera and I am waiting to hear news about that. I hope it comes through in short order so that I can get my project done for my senior show.

Tonight's the Night....

Tonight, my first solo exhibition. Granted it is at a chiche beer and pizza joint, but it is a nice establishment. When I drove by there 2 days ago at 3 in the afternoon the place was packed! That is good news! Anyway, back to tonight. I am excited and nervous. But it should be fun. My daughter wanted to go and she stayed in town with me and a friend of hers is going this evening too.
I am not sure what I am supposed to do or say or how I am supposed to act so I shall just wing it and be myself. I wish I have been to someone elses opening so I know what to expect or do, but I have never been to one. So...maybe I will be a breath of fresh air and break all the rules, which will either offend or inspire. I suppose it really doesn't matter, although I am finding that our city has a rather fickle Artist Group, with all the politics and powerplays of Peyton Place! ha ha! But that's okay, it makes life interesting.

I was so worried about having enough pieces to put up in the gallery and it turned out that I not only had enough pieces, but I had 8 pieces left over to put up in a gallery at an office complex that requested me to put up work and the chamber of commerce is meeting there next week, so that should be good exposure!

Now if I could just sell a bunch of them. I truly have that tragic starving artist thing going on and frankly I am tired of it! In the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, the author describes how being broke was good for him because it made him use his brain as to how he could make money, I am working on that. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing....being an artist means marketing your work yourself, because you are your own best promoter. I am going to go to the library and get a book on marketing yourself.

I also may have found a scholarship for a new camera since I mine died, and I don't have the money to get a new one. I have felt very bereft the last 3 weeks without my camera working.

Another bit of good news....I thought I was working for my BA in Computer Art and Design and discovered (in my Senior year) that I am actually getting my B.F.A in computer art and design. It carries a little more weight.
I have also decided to get my M.F.A and it seems the only place nearby is in Bowling Green Ohio.....sigh.....I can't find any place online.
I need to come up with $30 for the application fee (cheaper than IUPUI) which was $100! I am hoping that I can do it part time, and possibly do some of the classes here and transfer the credits over. We shall see.
I do have to take a GRE test, which I have test anxiety so I am not real thrilled with that prospect but there is an online practice test you can take. Someone told me that an M.F.A. is the equivalent of a doctrate in the arts field and is considered the end. I am not sure I would want to do a PHD....although it would be fun....Dr. Lisa hmmmm nice ring to it! ha ha!
So more on the blog later about how tonight goes! Wish me luck!

Fast Approaching.....

My first solo show, it really hasn't sunk in until the last two days. Making preparations for an opening, has really made it a reality! I have designed Postcards to send out, pass out, and set out, everywhere so that people will either come to the opening or at least come see my work sometime during the duration of the show.
I think the postcards look pretty cool if I do say so myself. I will be ordering the prints the first of next week, I would rather have not waited that long but the company I get my prints from don't take the credit card that was given to me to use, so I had to have the money paypal'd to me and that takes a few days to get. I think it will all work out fine. I have frames for the 14 - 16x20 prints (I bought them at Hobby Lobby on sale a few months ago for $5 each. I had no idea why I bought so many, but I did and I am glad I did). I have 4 large prints framed, and 3 large prints that need matted and mounted. A seasoned artist that I really admire suggested putting a piece of glass on front and attaching it to the matte and mount with mirror mounts! I hadn't thought of that but it sounds like a good idea and it will cut down on cost.

It helps as an artist and not having much money, to have friends that believe in you enough to invest in your artistic endeavor to get your work out and have people purchase it. I don't know what I would do without my friends that are helping me get this show off the ground. If I sell one print I will be able to pay them back. I am hoping to sell quite a few more than one.

I must admit I have a bad case of butterflies. I have never been very good at hostessing, and my one friend said I should at least have a bowl of grapes and some 7-up or something basic to serve those that come to see the opening.

As I am writing this it has dawned on me that it might be a good idea to send a postcard to everyone that I have made a Kscope of their place. The Parks Dept. for the Lakeside Garden piece, the Funeral home for their piece, it would be good advertisment. I just wish I could have all of those pieces printed and framed!! The ones that are printed anyway, I will invite those people. Maybe they would come to see it! Maybe they would buy it!

Marketing, it is all about Marketing and Networking.

More as the date grows closer. I am getting excited/anxious! My first solo show!

oh..Here is my postcard...

It has been awhile...

I have been so busy with work and a summer class that I haven't had time to blog.
New developments in my artwork....
As far as current works goes, nothing new, I am working on getting the prints ready for my first solo show in June.
I also have a "Salon Show" set up for 2008 at a gallery in Muncie. That is big news!
Bad News.....my camera...I have been having some quirky problems with my camera. Such as when I turn it off, the lenses doesn't retract like it normally does. And then I noticed that some of my pictures seemed out of focus, but nothing that was too bad. And then this past weekend I took many cool pictures to create art from and they were all WAY out of focus. I think my camera needs a fix! I am wondering if it can even be fixed, I will have to look into it. I am buying a new one in August. I have the camera from on Campus that I can use in the meantime. Sigh.....
I have found a company that I want to be associated with. It is a company that puts out a resource book every year for architectural resources. They feature artists, sculptures, stain glass artisians, and more that architects, and interior designers can draw upon to put custom art in their buidings, offices, landscaping, etc. I think my artwork could fit nicely in that setting. I am working on that.

I am taking a media illustration class this summer and really enjoying it. I knew if I was going to work on my digital illustration skills I would need to take a class to be dedicated to it. I have the skills necessary I just don't exercise them all that much. I am really enjoying that I MUST illustrate for class. Here are my first efforts:
One is a Photoshop version, the other is an Illustrator version:

Store Front

A person I know showed me a place online where he puts up a few t-shirt designs and sells them. He is not making substantial income but then again with only a few designs you wouldn't expect to. I went to check this site out. Cafepress.com if you are interested. And I set up a store front. I can set up all kinds of merchandise for sale. I am not sure about the t-shirts. Will that cheapen my artwork? I don't know yet. I must mull that over for awhile. But....I did put up note cards, posters, and get this.....POSTAGE Stamps! Isn't that cool? I don't know who other than myself would want to pay $20 for 20-39 cent stamps with my artwork but it is awfully cool! I only have one of my designs up so far as I have to go through and resize my artwork for each and every piece that I want to set up. It is time consuming but I think note cards are a good thing to set up and the posters as well. The best thing is it is free. The only drawback to the free side is that you can only put up 50 items. If you want more than 50 you must pay $4.99 a month. Still very reasonable and....if you are selling enough from the site, you could pay the $4.99 out of your profits. I haven't officially opened the site yet as I must get a tax id number first - sigh....thank goodness for this meeting with Kathy today. I could give them my social security number but I don't like the idea of doing that over the internet to a retail business. So, yea...I am excited about this! I am off to tend shop!

Solo Show

I have a solo show coming up in June - my first actually. It has been a little nerve wracking. The owner of the gallery told me that she had two seven foot walls to fill.
I went to see the space yesterday....YIKES! It is NOT 2-7 foot walls. She has 5 Seven foot rods with chains, and 2 five foot rods. She said that she figure 20-25 large size pieces would work. OH MY GOSH! This is great, but think about the financial side of this for a moment. Framing that many pieces is an incredible feat! I was in a panic and I called Kathy yesterday. I have 4 pieces already framed, I have 14 frames for my gallery pieces, I just need the prints, but the gallery prints aren't as special as the large prints - at least I don't think so. We are going to get 4 more large prints done, and then she reminded me of all the framed photographs that I have framed hanging around my house, I could put those up. I also have several paintings that I could put up as well. Wow....my paintings on display? I don't know how I feel about that. I have never really shown anyone my paintings before. I have one in progress right now that I think is pretty cool and a few floating around in my head. It is something I do just for the fun of it. Whew...crisis averted. A dear friend and mentor of mine is going to help fund the framing for the other four pieces.
It is still a little nerve wracking and exciting at the same time!

Overwhelmed

So much is going on right now. I am a creative. A very very creative mind. When it comes to left brain things, I am lopsided. Oh sure I can learn the math, the legalese, the business side of things, and I could hold my own in that area, but I don't like to. It frustrates me to think that I have to run around and get tax id numbers and keep the books. Those things annoy me. So I have found a solution, I believe that is for the best for everyone. A friend of mind Kathy is going to become a partner in business, she is good with all that legalese, and book keeping and organizing, and task oriented things. She is my left brain and I am her right brain. We worked in a very small office together at the church for 4 years, day in and day out, and we had a ball! I think this is the beginning of a very good thing!
After all - Picasso had Brach, Van Gogh had his brother, Jackson Pollock had his wife......
We are going to meet today, and organize. We also have plans to go to the local Women's Bureau who will help us set up the business, get organized, and mentor us along the way. Isn't that cool? Look for those resources!
I designed a new logo and it is pretty cool if I do say so my self!

Art as a business.

I have been worrying over the financial aspect of my art for some time. A friend of mine made an ever so small comment that hit me like a ton of bricks. "Why don't you treat your art as a business and grow that?" I had never thought of my art as a business just as a way to make money on the side. After all I don't want to be the starving artist I want to make money and lots of it! But as I said before in a previous post it is all about Marketing. Why couldn't I grow an art business? I went to a local event for women on Friday and there was a woman's bureau representative there and their whole focus is on mentoring, guiding and directing women to grow successful businesses. I talked with the representative and she said of course art could be treated as a successful business. I have after all had so many professionals in the art field tell me that my artwork has a lot of retail value. So I need to learn how to tap into that retail value. Grow the business if you will. So....as soon as finals are over this week I am going to make an appointment and get it done!
I also have a good friend who is very left brained...NOT the strong well developed side of my brain. This friend is interested in promoting my work, an agent if you will, and the two of us would grow this together! I like the idea! I could be free to do what I do best, take photos, create, and socialize! And she could take care of all the paper work and taxes and all that stuff that I find so overwhelming and tedious!

I am standing on the edge of a precipice with my arms stretched out wide, the wind is blowing in my face, and I am one small movement from flying and feeling like I have been set free.

My First Solo show!

I am stunned! I was forwarded an email that a local art gallery was looking for artists to put some pieces in a new restaurant opening up. I answered the call and assumed that I would be one artist of several that would put pieces up in this restaurant. It turns out that I am the ONLY artist for the show for a whole month! My first solo show! So it is not a big gallery but it is a start! And I have heard from one artist that he would much rather do the coffee shop shows than gallery shows. I don't know the difference to prefer one over the other. So this show is exciting to me!

I was concerned because I have no money, how am I going to be able to get my prints made and framed for display? I have a financial backer! His wife and him are going to partner with me to get my career off the ground! Isn't that exciting? Now if I will just sell them all....that will be a huge blessing!! It still amazes me that they believe in me and my skills and talents enough to invest in me. I have grown up all my life with people being skeptical that I would be successful in anything, and these people believe in me enough to step out on a limb for me. WOW! It makes you want to succeed even more, strive harder, and market to the max.

Exciting Week and Patty Duke

It has been an exciting week. I was invited to a small get together to meet Anna Patty Duke Pearce. I have been a fan for a long time and to meet her in person was wonderful. She really is just a tiny thing and so warm and gracious and encouraging. What does this have to do with my artwork you might ask? I wanted to give her something special for all the work she is doing in the field of mental illness. She is such a positive beacon that people with Mental Illness can be achievers, over comers and be successful in life. I really admire her for being involved and taking the initiative to be herself. And I wanted to bless her for all her hard work. One thing I love most about my artwork is it allows me to give a gift to someone, with very little cost other than my time and a few minor expenses. I gave Anna Patty Duke Pearce one of my pieces, the most metaphoric for her and for me actually. The butterfly piece, coming from an ugly caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly, spreading her wings and flying. She was very gracious and loved the piece, I viewed her from a distance looking down at it again a while after my time with her had come to an end. Her husband and her both said that it fit in their dining room perfectly, it matched the colors in that room. I am thrilled that I was able to give her a piece of my artwork.

Gallery Show!

Well sort of. There is a chiche beer and pizza place that has art on the walls for sale. They want my artwork from June until July! Whoooo hooooo! They contacted me through a local art gallery. I am so thrilled but.....how on earth do I find the money to get pieces framed and printed? I am scared to death. I have no money, and I live at poverty level, what do I sacrifice? There is nothing to sacrifrice, I am at rock bottom now. I am going to believe that somehow the money will come in!
What a thrill!

Thoughts...

My art history professor has more of an impact on my life than he realizes. First off are the stories and inspiration I glean from the artists of years past. To hear that Picasso, and Matisse and others lives were just as tragic as my life has been and yet became successful artists, is an encouragment to me. I will over come this dark time in my life, I WILL! He posted on his blog:

"I look at is like this...if you have a talent, a gift, use it. If all you're going to do is complain about how cheated you are by life, God and everyone, because you aren't the success you thought you were going to be..."

Yesterday I had time to myself as I trekked around downtown taking pictures for new works of art, and plenty of time to think. How was I going to become successful with my art? I have been belly aching about the lack of money, if only I had $1000 to get work printed and framed so as to go around and sell it. I set a goal yesterday to sell one print a week, I was complaining because I don't have the money to get the print made or framed, but as I read this post it dawned on my that I don't have the money to get my 20x20 pieces printed or framed but I do have several of my 16x20 prints stored in a safe place and a whole stack of frames just waiting to be filled -I bought them on sale to stock up. So I can't sell the really gorgeous prints, but I can sell the gallery prints and that will provide the moneys for the big prints! Work with what I have! It reminds me of the movie "In Pursuit of Happyness" he had those darn xray machines to sell, and he didn't enjoy it but it was fullfilling the need and getting him to where he wanted to go, same here! And maybe the gallery prints will be more successful than I know! So I am going to make some phone calls and make some appointments and get busy!

Thank you Proffessor Etter for your inspiration!

New images

Here are a couple of new images that I have created lately.

Face to Face

I had a business leader in my church tell me this week that business performed face to face or with a phone call is a better way to do business than emails. Emails are too easy to ignore. And that is what I have been doing. I email people let them know about my artwork but I never follow up with a phone call. I have been hiding behind the anonymity of email. This fact was shown to me this week. I went to a networking event put on by our chamber of commerce to pick up some graphic design work (those bills must be paid somehow!). As a result of that I picked up a job from it. Networking, meeting people, and getting your face and personality out in front of people is going to be the key to my success I believe.

This and the fact that my art history professor was telling us about Matisse and Picasso and several of the others artists and their life histories. Many of them were successful because they were charismatic and had good marketing skills. I have often been told that I am charismatic and that I could sell ice cubes to an eskimo. Those qualities should be just the ticket. I think it is the next level of self confidence that you must infuse yourself with in order to go talk to people and ask them to buy your work or at least display it! It is one thing to feel like your artwork is good and that people would want to buy it, it is another to believe in your ability to be able to sell it!

I have a new goal to be able to sell one print a week! A contract to a local restaurant would be good. All of my artwork of the Local Buildings would be great hanging in a restaurant. I must get a small portfolio of images that I can take around to shop owners to show them what they could buy.

Media Attention

Every Artists dream is to be discovered. I don't know that I have been discovered but the local newspaper has done a full page article about my work and me. My images are big and bold on the front of the local human interest page as well as a bio photo of myself. The power of the press is a mighty thing. The journalist makes me sound like a backwards hick. I don't think I talk like that. There are several instances in the article that I am directly quoted with things that I did not directly say. The writer put words in my mouth interpreting what I said. "The Courthouse is one of the only ones of my images that has......" Ouch! That sounds so bad grammatically, and I KNOW I do not talk that way. Or.."I had one professor saying, "do more metaphorically" but this is one of the only pieces that has any more depth than 'here's a pretty picture'. I didn't say that! I said that most of my images are no more than a blend of images to make beautiful designs! Not to mention that she puts my age down as 48...I am NOT that old.

I guess I need to relish the fact that I am in the paper and those who know me will know that I do not talk as the journalist protrayed me.

Words aside and looking at the article as a picture, WOW! How fantastic is that! A whole article about my artwork and myself! It will be interesting to see how this changes my life if at all! I can't wait to go to the web site statistics to see if I had a lot of hits.

So the next lesson I have learned is choose your words carefully when talking to the press, don't just talk from the heart and let the words tumble out. Or ask to read the article before it comes out, so you can approve it. (Is that possible?)

Follow your intuition....

On Wednesday my mom gave me an article from the local newspaper. It was an article about a guy who was taking satellite images of the earth and creating Kaleidoscope images. Much like my work with the exception that I take my own photos. At first I was frustrated. How could someone get recognition for that but I can't seem to get anywhere. Don't get me wrong his images really are quite spectacular. Check them out at www.nickolasschiller.com And then I had this little thought, well if the paper knew about my work they would find it interesting too. And before I had time to doubt myself, I emailed the editor of the local paper and sent a link to my website, telling them I did the same thing as the article they just ran only my images are of local landmarks, and that I did the imagery myself and didn't let the computer do it as Mr. Schiller does. I sent it off and felt satisfied that I had said my peace. The very next day, I received a phone call - I wasn't home - bummer and the reporter for the paper left a voice mail that she loved my work and wanted to do a story on it! Well if that wasn't so exciting! WOW! I am so glad I listened to that inner intuition that told me to let them know. I am learning to listen to that intuition more and more, it knows better than I do sometimes! The reporter said she would call me in the next couple of days and let me know when it runs.
Isn't that exciting? I wonder what doors that will open. Where will this take my art career? Where will take my work career, for she asked me about that as well. So it may open professional doors as well. We shall see, I am a bit nervous about it, but it is a good nervous, a sort of excited nervous. I can't wait!

Thoughts

I had this idea that I was going to take off with my art work with ease. I guess it is a due an artist must pay in order to stick with it. Rejection is part of the game. I am beginning to see that it is all about Marketing yourself and your art. I have put that on hold lately, school seems to be consuming my time. But I must get back to it. I have plenty of subject material to create new works. I must devote at least an hour each day to my artwork, whether it is marketing and promoting or creating. I would rather just create I think most artists would but it is about the marketing as much as the creating.
I would really like to make a trip to Chicago when it is warmer to get some Chicago material. I have a friend in the art world in Chicago and I have been told that Chicagoans love my kind of work.

As I read back over this I have to question why do I create my artwork? Is it to make money? Or is it for the pure joy of making it. I would have to say that it is for the pure joy of making it and showing it to others! I get a big kick out of seeing peoples faces light up when they see my artwork. It is about creating the artwork to bring joy to others. If I get some money out of it great! But I won't quit my day job just yet! ha ha! But what a dream that would be to travel around the country doing custom images and creating new ones from the world around me! WOW!
I HAVE A DREAM......... (can't you just hear that booming voice of Martin Luther King?)

I started a painting this past week that has been stuck in my head for almost 4 years! Can you imagine? Why it has stuck with me for so long I do not know, other than it must be painted! It is exciting to see my vision coming to life. I don't work on it but a few minutes here and there, but it is at least started and in progress. I really do love to paint, there is something about getting your hands into the colors and the smells and the moving of the paint around to get an image to come to life. I am really not good at painting subject material, I am better at the feel and the movement of the colors, more of a modernist really, and it is all about self expression and feeling. So I will never be a Michaelangelo or DaVinci but I will sure be happy playing in those paints! You can tell I have had a great day if I have paint and ink stains on my hands!

It is my desire to do more painting. I love my computer art, I am passionate about it, and I am getting better at it but there is something about the paints and the inks and the paint brushes that bring such happiness.

Here is my latest computer illustration done in Adobe Illustrator:

Dreams....

On Monday I found out that I was turned down to be in the Art of Photography Show. I have been told by so many that my art is unique and different and really good, but yet I got turned down. The good news is I was so sick with the stomach flu that it really didn't matter! I wonder if my work is so different that it really doesn't "fit in" with the other works and so therefore it was rejected?
I have fluctuated between wanting to give up and keep trying. It was only the first show and I have a friend who has encouraged me about the great masters and how some of their work was turned down, and now it is highly collectible. She is just a blessing, and a real encouragement to me. I am just not sure what to do.
Do I have what it takes to be a successfull artist? I think it requires a lot of grit and determination and persistance - and money. It costs a lot of enter shows and it is a gamble almost. You pay to enter hoping that you will get in and get the recognition you want or even a cash award. Not to mention if you do get in you must have your pieces framed for display and then the cost of shipping there and back!

So now I have to find another show to enter - which is not likely cause the funds are low, or I have to find ways around home to promote my work.

The local corporate art dealer wants me to call her on Friday and talk more about the pricing of my pieces. This seems like a promising area, and it won't cost me money it will in fact bring the money in and allow me to expand slowly. I haven't worked on my artwork this week because I was so sick, so I must put in a little extra time each day. I have made a commitment to myself to work at least an hour every day on my personal artwork.

The Beginning

I have been a graphic designer for many years, and I have neglected Art for Art's sake. I had my creative outlet in my work. Well now with the advent of computers and software that is accessible to all, everyone thinks they are a graphic designer. Secretaries are doing web design, companies are hiring the next door neighbor kid to do their websites (not that they are good mind you but they have a site so they are happy) Okay done venting....I had just finished a tedious task at my job and I took a break - I started playing around with stock photos and cutting them and flipping them and I created a couple of kaleidoscope images. I entered them into a local art show and my friend, told me that she thought this was my niche. I really enjoyed making them, and I agreed. I thought it would be better if I took all of the photos myself, and created them. So I started taking photos and creating the images mostly for the fun of it at first. I was involved in the artist group in our church. As I show my images to people they get excited about them. I decided that the journey that I have begun should be documented in order for others to learn what to do and what not to do. I have been reading books on supporting yourself as an artist and they are in conflict at times. I am going to take what is written and decide if it works for me. So as I start this journey, documenting it along the way, I hope that it will help someone else who is looking to become an artist full time. And when my images are hanging in the New York Museum of Modern Art people can pull up this blog and see how my journey has arrived at that point. So without further ado, let's start at the beginning:

• Created the concept - something unique that no one else seems to be doing.

My designs were the result of playing around with a medium I knew well. The computer and Photoshop.

• Entered the images into a guaranteed show. Most shows are juried.

It was a chance to get my feet wet, learn about framing and displaying my art and writing a artist statement.

• Began reading about how to BE an artist

There are many good books out there. Two of my favorites are Taking the Leap - the insiders guide to exhibiting and selling your art by Cay Lang and How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist - Selling Yourself Without Selling Your Soul by Caroll Michels

It is better to be informed than to let people manipulate you and sell you short.

• Looked into taxes and income - not a favorite of mine and for most artists

I was offered a chance to be in an art show and thought it would be a good way to promote my art. It would have been a great way to get the word out about my artwork to the public, but by being in art fairs and shows I was then put into the market as a retailer. This would involved collecting taxes, getting a tax id number and filing those taxes monthly. I would want to hire an account if I did that. Being an artist to the bone, numbers and I don't jive well. Don't get me wrong, I could learn it, I could do it, but bills and money are my least favorite thing in the world to deal with and I would not be good at it. It is not my strength. I did learn however that if you sell through a gallery or a shop they are responsible for the taxes and you get a check which you claim as income at the end of the year which is the same as my freelance and contract work. A much better way for me to go. A piece of advice that my accountant gave me for my business is to have a separate checking account for the business and put all deposits in that account. Then pay yourself to your personal account. This is a great way to keep the books without having to do a lot of book work. All income is recorded and can easily be added up at the end of the year. Same with your expenses write them all out of that account and you have a record of your expenditures. I also keep a envelope in the desk beside me for any impulse purchase receipts that I make out of my personal account. It would be better if you didn't do it this way but I am impulsive and I recognize that and compensate for it this way.

• Showed my images to anyone who wanted to see them

You would not believe how many good leads I have gotten from showing my work to people who will listen. I don't brag that is not my nature, but I do show people who are interested the work that I do, I carry around a notebook size portfolio that I bought at the art supply store it is flat and has pockets in it which 8x10's fit into perfectly. It fits in between the seat and console of the car perfectly. I showed my images to a person who was manning the booth for the local artist guild and made a great acquaintance as well as receiving a lot of encouragment about joining the guild and what else I could do to promote and market my work.

• Began attending forums at the local art museum

The local art museum is a wealth of invaluable information on everything from applying for grants to shipping your artwork to shows. Investigate this in your area.

• Built a web site for displaying my artwork on

It is great to be able to send people to a website that has your work on it. I don't have to get pictures of my work since it is already on the computer. Make sure you have good images. I have done several portfolio sites for artists, don't use the snapshot you took of your artwork. Invest in professional photos or learn to do it well, yourself. No glare on the photos and make sure the lighting is good. This is a quick and easy way for people to reference your artwork, and hopefully they will promote you by sending associates and friends to your link.

• Looked into becoming a member of local artists groups

Our city has several artists groups you can become a member of. I have yet to join because the funds just aren't there, but it is high on my list to get memberships to the local artist groups. Great resource and I feel I could learn a lot from the members themselves.

• Followed leads of friends and put my images up in a local shop

A friend of mine told a shop owner about my work and she wanted to see it. So I took her several pieces and the shop owner has put them up on display. I am a little disappointed that none have sold yet, but hopefully people are seeing them.

• Entered my images into a national juried show

I entered my first juried show in San Diego two weeks ago. I am anxiously waiting to hear on March 5 if I made it in or not. The excitment is mounting! It is expensive to do this so if you have limited funds choose wisely. The best piece of advice I was given is enter in shows with works that are similar to yours if you want in. My work is so unique that it does not fit in many places. I take photos and manipulate them. Many shows are pure photography or paints, pastels, pencils - traditional art. When I found the magazine called Camera Arts and it had the calls for entries posted and all of them are for my genre of artwork, I was ecstatic! I feel like I have a good chance at this show - watch for updates.

• Followed lead of a friend and contacted a local corporate art dealer

I contacted a local art dealer, who sells art work to corporations, hospitals, lawyers, architects, and so on. She was very excited about my work and thought she could find buyers for it. Good move on my part and a great contact. I am a little disappointed about what she thought the market would bear as far as pricing goes, we may need to examine that closely. Especially when I tell her what the cost is and how much time I have in the pieces. More to come later.