Best of the Northwest, My Last Show of the Year!

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Well it is bitter sweet... my last major show of 2010. If you live here in Seattle, please don't miss this one. It's huge! I have a small handful of FREE tickets. If you are definitely wanting to attend this weekend, please let me know and I can send one to you. Just say so in the comments section below. Hurry, cuz I only have a few!

I look forward to getting back to the studio to focus on a new body of work for several show line ups in early 2011. Time to turn on the heater and rev up my creative brain for a few months of painting big! Can't wait!

ARTIST'S ALERT! Don't fall for this SCAM!

Received a blog post today that gave me chills. If you are an artist you need to read this so you can know what to look for... I ALMOST feel for a scam like this a year ago. Until the inquirer started mumbling something about paying for shipping and writing a money order for more than the price of the art. As soon as I insisted to use Paypal as a means of payment, they never contacted me again.

All I lost out of the deal was my time. Time I had prepared taking pictures of how the art looked on my walls (per the inquirer's request). But I cringe thinking about how many people may fall for this scam through out the year... it's awful that there are such cruel people in the world. Read about this artist's experience and the warning signs you need to look for, by clicking HERE.

On another note, I am home now from my 2 week adventure in Oregon at Art in the High Desert and Art in the Pearl. Now I am looking forward to my next show in Kansas City, MO at the Plaza Art Fair this Sept 24th-26th. I will be showing my jewelry line only at this one... It will be my first time flying to a show and renting my equipment. I love a challenge! So the next 12 days are go time for production. I will post more soon!

Fwd: Art in the Pearl was a BLAST!

Well I am excited to say that I have jumped on the smart phone bandwagon... Yes folks, I have got an iPhone! So you know what I'm doing right now? Sitting in McDonalds typing my blog entry on my phone. Yeah. Weird.

So to be brief, or rather to save me the pain of trying to type my recent Portland art fair adventure on this here teeny tiny keypad with my big wo-man thumbs, I will be short... Here goes:

So, I've been on the road for a couple weeks now (which I will elaborate on later) and just finished up a show at Art in the Pearl. Two words... Portland Rocks! Thanks you to all that visited me and sorry to those I may have missed because I failed to notify you sooner! :0) Here's a picture from the show on Saturday. I'm getting a thumb cramp so I'll type more when I get to a real computer! Take care!

My 1st Gallery Opening TONIGHT at Cole Gallery

"Surrounded"

Oil on 2 Panels

36x24 diptych

Contact Cole Gallery for purchase information

Welp! I am back from my Utah road trip and everything was FAN-tastic! Though sales at the Kimball Arts Festival were a little under my expectation, I DID land a new gallery opportunity that will bring me back to Park City this winter! So I look forward to delivering new work along with my self and my snowboard, all ready to hit the mountains! Yayer!

This Utah trip was extra special because my parents flew all the way from Chicago to see me! The first time they had been able to witness me and my artwork at an actual show! So cool! I felt so speshall. Really made the trip extra fun having them there with me along the way. Even though I did throw a couple "F-bombs" during a frustrating break down of my gear the last day... sorry parentals. I really am an angel, I promise.

In local news... I AM IN A GALLERY! Yep! It's true!

Join me this evening at the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA for my very first official gallery opening! I am so excited to announce that one of my paintings has sold after only hanging for 1 day! High five me! (I'm so professional.)

Opening reception 8/14 from 6-8:30pm

Cole Gallery

107 5th Ave S

Edmonds, WA 98020

425 697 2787

For something that is actually VERY professional, please click here to read the press release that Shannon Black wrote about my work. I couldn't have said it better myself! She makes me feel like a REAL artist now!

Join Me at the Edmonds Arts Festival THIS weekend!

On the Green

30x30

Oil on Panel

$2,500

Please contact the Cole Gallery for purchase information as of 8/14/10

My newest addition now on display through this weekend at the Edmonds Arts Festival...

Join me this weekend for a wonderful event in Edmonds, WA. My first time participating in the Edmonds Arts Festival is sure to be a fantastic experience! Show hours are as follows:

Friday 11am - 9pm

Saturday 10 am - 8pm

Sunday 10 am - 6 pm

For a MAP of the event click here.

Also sneak by the Cole Gallery in Edmonds this Saturday for your chance to see some fantastic artist's on display (including myself) as well as enter to win 1 of 2 FREE $200 gift certificates! They will also be giving away one of my little Tree Charm Necklaces for during the artist reception that evening!

And... thank you thank you thank you... to everyone who contacted me or left me wonderful comments on my blog and Facebook - you all gave me wonderful ideas and suggestions on how to handle my lighting question in the previous post. I decided to wing it and just see how it goes with out any "juice" this weekend and learn from the experience... it was just too late to come up with a solution so last minute.

Interested in seeing how the event unfolds this weekend? Pop over to my Fan page on Facebook, click the "like" button and check out the pics from the show while I am there during the day!

Hope to see some of you in Edmonds! (and thanks for your support! You guys rock! "whoop whoop!")

No Electricity in Your Art Booth?

I need your advice...

I just found out that the Edmonds Art Festival this weekend doesn't supply electricity to our booths. So I will have no lights. And the weather may not be cooperating, with a bit of rain and overcast skies on the way.

I really feel that my sales may suffer if my paintings aren't properly illuminated. But maybe lack of experience is causing me to over think it... ?

Is there a technique to getting lighting in your booth with out electricity being provided? Some sort of set up that you have seen or used that works?

OR is this just a grin an bare it type situation where I have to roll with the punches so to speak?

I was thinking of purchasing a few of these battery operated picture lights at Bed Bath and Beyond for $30 bucks each and did a little reading online about a couple other ways to use solar power to fuel your lighting (for the link click here).... but I am just so darn indecisive about the whole thing!

Any input you guys have would help me tremendously! Thanks!

*** Visit my Fan Page on Facebook to see all the fantastic ideas everyone has been sharing there too on this topic!

My Spokane Artfest 2010 Adventure

I kicked off my artfair season with a bang this year and am happy to report that Spokane Artfest was a total success! I had a lot of "firsts" last weekend that created a whirlwind of emotions for me through out the whole event: 1st time and an OUTDOOR show, 1st time showing in the rain, 1st time winning an award, and since there is a 1st time for everything it was also the 1st time I met someone who speaks to trees... out loud. Interesting. Seriously.

To say the least, the whole weekend was absolutely fantastic right down to the moment I had the honor of delivering my big red tree painting to a couple who live in a beautiful home on South Hill, Spokane. Truly rewarding all the way around.

For those of you who would like to peer into my little world of what it takes to do a show like this, by yourself, please read on. Here is my "cliff note" version of some just some of the details of the weekend:

Thursday:

Rent truck/Pack truck - 2 hours

Drive to Spokane - 4.5 hours

Unload upon arrival - 20+ trips back and forth from the truck to my booth space

Booth set up - 5 hours!

Friday:

Morning; last minute details/hanging artwork - 4 hours!

Rain (brace for predicted wind storm that never showed up thank god!)

Won an award! Addision & Myers Visual Arts Award! High five!!!

12 hour work day

Saturday:

Sunny all day! But forgot sunscreen... 11 hour work day.

Sunday:

Arrived early to see other artist's and their booths. Got to finally meet some of the artist's I have been following online...Sheila Evans, Diane Colhane, Jill Mayberg.

Break down tent set up and repack the truck - 5 hours... last one there, by myself, in the dark. Not good.

Monday:

Woke up refreshed and got to deliver "Turning Red 2" to new collectors in Spokane!

Went to visit the Kress Gallery where Sheila Evans' work was hanging, and promptly realized that I had no change for the meters nor could my truck fit in any parking garages... so I drove home - 4.5 hours.

Was it all totally hard? YES. Did I shed an tear of frustration while I was breaking down my tent? YES. Did the good outweigh the bad? YES. Would I do it all again? YES. And I will, this weekend at the Edmonds Art Fair! This time I will have a little set up help from a fantastic friend.. (wiping my brow in relief). More show information to follow.