Stumped

Here is a closeup of the 30 in. x 40 in. oil painting I have been working on (first mentioned in this post). In February, I decided to paint over a French landscape that I had started many years ago.  Painting over a nearly completed work (of 50+ invested hours) may seem ludicrous to some, but it was actually quite liberating.  I painted over the entire canvas in white so that I could see the textured layers of paint more clearly.  From there, I painted squares in a cornucopia of colors.  And, as you can see from the picture above, I like to apply paint very liberally.  To give the painting more dimension, I coated the entire painting with a thick glossy medium tinted with black paint. 



I really like how the black paint "dirtied" the painting, and I am pleased with the look of the high gloss.  A glossy surface helps define details in a work, which is true in photography as well.  The reflection of the light created by the gloss highlights the different ridges and layers of paint.  To create a dynamic interplay of dimensional qualities, I'm going to paint a flattened design on top of the gloss.  The line design will only be in one color and in a matte finish.  I'm excited to see how it turns out, but this is the step that I've been stuck at for the last month.  I can't seem to decide which direction to go, so I need your help!



Below are three different ideas that I sketched yesterday.  I would love to think which one you think is the winner.  Any other ideas are also welcomed!



1.  Scattered patterns.  Couldn't help but think rainbows.  I like the juxtaposition of the curved lines to the geometric pattern in the background. 

2.  Stylized landscape. (The straight lines might be tricky with the textured surface.  I might have to use tape to get clean and straight edges.  Tedious but could be a cool effect.)

3.  Allover pattern.  I also thought about doing an allover pattern in this style showing flowers.

What is your vote?

The famous through the eyes of Imogen Cunningham

Magnolia Blossom (1925), Two Callas (1925)



I have always been an admirer of Imogen Cunningham's botanical photography.  Yesterday I discovered some of her portraits of famous people.  I love the candid shots, like the one of photographer Ansel Adams.  And the photo of actor Cary Grant is striking don't you think? 



(A fun little fact about Imogen- she was born here in Portland!)

 Ansel Adams (1953), Cary Grant (1932)

Frida Kahlo Rivera (1931),  Alvar Aalto (1961)

Upton Sinclair (1934), Self-portrait (1932)

[image source: photoliaison.com]

How to get your art in boutiques

My shop [image sources from left: Lucky Magazine,  Boone Rodriguez, and Hadley Hutton]  



Many of you may be at a place where you are ready to showcase your work in stores other than your Etsy shop.  Although online marketplaces like Etsy are great avenues for artists to broaden their fan base, art, for the most part, sells better in physical spaces than on the internet.  I have been a retailer of art and handcrafted products myself, and I have perused thousands of submissions from artists and designers.  Only a small percentage actually piqued my interest, and here's how they did it.



1.  The fit is right.  Reach out to shops that sell similar art and products.  To know if you're a good fit, you first need to be able to define your target customer.  If your customer would (and could) buy from the majority of the product lines in the shop, then you have a good match.



2.  Beautiful photography.  It's all about first impression and in most cases you only have a few seconds if you're submitting your work to a shop owner via email.  If you're not much of a photographer, then you need to hire someone who can take high quality product shots.  And all you need for a submission letter are three or four really good photos. 



3.  Brief and concise submission letter.  Ideally, you should show your collection in person.  If this isn't possible, then email a submission letter to the shop owner.  The subject line should be a short description of your collection, such as: new bamboo jewelry collection made in Portland.  The body of the email should be no longer than six sentences, including information on artist's background and current collection.



Don't take it personally if you don't hear back from a store.  The store buyer is most likely inundated with other submissions.  Most stores also have buying seasons, so it may not be the ideal time for the shop owner to pick up a new collection.  If you don't hear back from a store buyer within two weeks, try a follow-up email. 



From your own personal experiences, I'm sure some of you can contribute to this list.  Feel free to add more advice for other artists in the comment section.

Giving new life to vintage furniture

Yup, I could wake up every day to dandelions dancing around my head. This Dandelion Field Bed from Chair Couture goes to show that reupholstered vintage pieces can look current and chic as well as aid the sustainable living cause.  I love the idea of pairing old with the new and creating one-of-a-kind pieces.  When we opened our shop a few years ago, we outfitted a vintage settee with a plaid pattern.  I called it a love story- Miss Victoria meets Mr. Lumberjack.

Here are a few other wonderful reupholstered finds that inspire us to think creatively when furnishing our homes. 

Recently reupholstered couch of Canadian designer Bev Hisey.

Antique Capitone French Bed

Waterloo Armchair

Creating prints of my art

Playing around with my new (used) printer.  I created some business cards on recycled paper.



When I first started selling my art online this past Fall, I wanted to focus on creating affordable original art.  But, lately, I have been thinking about making prints of my work. I started researching decent printers and eventually found a deal on craigslist that I couldn't pass up.  I bought an Epson 1900, which is a pigment inkjet printer.  The advantage of pigment ink is its archival quality.  Supposedly prints can last 100 - 200 years.



So, for the past week, I've had fun testing out my new toy.  For the first couple of days, I experimented printing on different inkjet papers.  I went to a local photo store and bought a couple of sample packets of Hahnemuhle and Canson fine art papers.  There were eight different sheets that I ran through the printer, all with the same image.  I was surprised to find that there really wasn't much of a difference between the different kinds of paper.  Although I really liked the weight of Hahnemuhle's Museum Etching paper, I eventually bought a packet of Hahnemuhle's Sugar Cane paper, which is made from sugar cane fibers and recycled materials.

The sugar cane paper has a textured and matte surface.  Yesterday, I decided to print a photo of the Columbia Gorge that I took just a day prior, and I loved how it turned out.  The photo looks somewhat like a painting (especially the background), which was the effect I was going for. 

Here's another photo I took on our trip to the Gorge.  The print is a little darker than the actual photograph, but I ended up liking the darker, muted colors as much as the original image.

Future printing projects I have in mind include postcards and notecards. I would also like to create a limited edition pocketbook gallery. The little books would be printed and assembled in my studio, so I'll need  to work on the logistics of all that.

Portland art shop and artists helping local schools

I went bridge jumping once, and all I got from it was a sore bum.  My adrenaline rush doesn't come from extreme sports, it comes from shopping for new art supplies. So you can imagine my excitement when I discovered another local art supply store called Muse Art + Design.  Located in the popular Hawthorne Street neighborhood, Muse Art + Design has an impressive concentration of professional-grade products.  The space is small, but the supplies are well-organized and easy to find. Spanning one wall are paint collections from notable companies like Gamblin, Daniel Smith, and Sennelier.  I was even pleasantly surprised to find in the store an extensive collection of Sumi-e materials. 



Yesterday I picked up a new paper pad that I had been coveting since my last visit.  It is called Canal Paper, and it is made by Saint-Armand, a small paper mill in Montreal.  Flax straw and offcuts of t-shirts and denim are used to make the paper.  The texture and color of the paper is amazing, and the oblong shape of the paper is perfect for landscape drawings.  I can't wait to test it out!



For the entire month of April, Muse Art + Design is running an event called An Artist A Day.  On each day in April, a Portland-based artist is at the shop working on an original piece of art.  The thirty pieces will then be auctioned off on Thursday, May 13th to benefit Schoolhouse Supplies, a local program that helps teachers stock their classrooms with needed classroom supplies.  For a full list of participating artists in An Artist A Day or for more details on the event, go here.  Shown above are two works just completed this week by Rachel Austin and Addie Boswell, and seen below is artist Jason Kappus working on his original piece yesterday.  Each art work will start at a minimum bid of $75, which is a steal considering the finished works are 16" x 20".  What a great way to add to your art collection and help the local school district! 

The enchanted world of artist Ann Wood

Brooklyn artist Ann Wood has an amazing gift of turning scraps of fabric, paper, and wire into endearing and timeless works of art.  Her blog is one of my favorites as I feel like I'm in a fairy tale.   Handmade castles, ships with sails, and winsome creatures- what more could a romantic girl ask for?  (A knight in shining armor, I suppose, but a guy who washes the dishes will do.)



The pictures on Ann's blog are so beautiful, too.  I love these two snapshots of her place.

As an artist, I appreciate seeing Ann's works in progress.  Here are a couple of photos showing a blue bird in the making and some salvaged paper that is being used in a paper mache project. 

And Ann is generous in sharing her creative ideas with others.  This is a lovely pattern of a cardboard horse that she designed.  I absolutely love the look of the stampede!

Ann's speciality are little charming birds made from vintage fabrics.  The bride and groom are adorable, but the striped pirate bird is hard to resist!  See more of her handmade bird collection in her shop.