Happy June!

Can it be that the calendars have all been turned and we are all on the same page? June!

This is the beginning of the open air venues in my area. Art fairs, farmers markets, painting on location, photo ops around every corner! Keep an open mind and look for places to create art and display or sell your art.

You don't have to work in a brick and mortar (helps if it rains, though) to sell your work or to promote your work, just get it out there for people to see and fall in love with.

Look for groups that are having events for families and children. Volunteer to set up and draw in front of the group or as an added attraction, provide a hands on experience for the visitors. Make sure you have contact info to hand out in case the visitors of this event would like to see you again! I believe in selling my work, if this is one of your goals as well, be prepared for it but don't count on it.

By this I mean, be ready to sell if the opportunity comes up, but don't be disappointed if nothing sells, people may just be looking. Be consistent and have a price list or stickers on the work so that you are ready to tell people the cost. A wishy washy answer to a potential buyer's question is unprofessional, be prepared to answer, even if your answer is NFS.

PARTING THOUGHT: What do you think?
I have been photographing flowers as usual but have also logged in many great shots of CLOUDS. I don't know what I am going to use this info for yet but I have snapped dozens of interesting formations and views. I will post a few here and if you have any ideas about what and where I might use them for, let me know.

The poppies are blooming!

For a very brief time, the oriental poppies bloom and cover the landscape with a red and orange blanket, well, maybe a small lap blanket. It is amazing, no matter what size the area because the color is intense and I know it is fleeting.

I stopped on my way to the studio Monday morning and photographed a few poppies for a resource. I had the idea in my head, but I wanted to see the real thing (or my photo of them) for details if I needed facts later.

I am very please with the small watercolor study I created yesterday. It is posted on my esty site.

I have worked on two images today. The larger of the two is not working....the drawing was not strong enough, it lacked compositional strength in design as well as graphite strength so I lost the lines and although there are small passages I like, it is not going to be a keeper.

I spent some quality time drawing the composition of poppy #3 and I like the way it has turned out, so I am going to post it here on the blog.

I am planning to create one more poppy painting that will have some of the dark value background and some lighter area. I will probably have my students work with the poppy as well.

The lesson to be learned from all of this may be to find your inspiration and get to know it, draw, draw, draw and work out the thumb nail plans before you jump into the painting. Or, jump in and cross your fingers, it is only paper, right?????

Need a jump start?

The fear of the blank page...well, it happens to us all.....a block.....that day when nothing gets created or even started. The day when life gets in the way and we can't seem to focus and begin the project we had planned. Some times it is caused by fear, by fatigue or by any of many reasons.

Today was that kind of day for me. I feel like I took two steps forward and three steps back. I thought I would have studio time and before I knew it, I was looking at the clock and the day was gone.

I did get a few small projects worked on so it was not a bad day, just not the day I thought I would have.

I was able to work with one of my students and we started a small watercolor. I drew a cartoon illustration for a client that sits on my work table, awaiting color in the morning. I cleaned a bit, priced some inventory, made a few phone calls and emails, even cut and folded a few small cards and envelopes.
Not a bad list of things accomplished, just not the list I thought I would be looking at tonight.

This day made me think of posting a list of things that might help you get past the fear of the blank page. This list MAY help you work through any block or slump that you encounter but you will have to deal with the other things life throws your way.

JUMP START LIST
1. Scribble, find scrap paper and just doodle. Black and white or add color.
2. List things for every letter in the alphabet. Draw some of these items.
3. Write your name or another's name, make it fancy, swirly or box like.
4. Look out a window or go for a walk. What do you see? Now sketch.
5. If you can, look at clouds and dream. What do you see?
6. Close your eyes and make a few marks on your paper, rotate it, develop it.
7. Mist the surface with clean water, splash some color on the paper and develop it.
8. Select one of the basic shapes and draw 20 of different sizes. (overlap)
9. Spill some paint, wipe it up. Do you like what you see on the paper towel?
10. Think about a favorite nursery rhyme, doodle some illustrations.

All of these listed ideas are meant to start you thinking and creating. Some will work for you and some will not. Perhaps you have other block busters to add to this list of ten ideas.

I will just close today's blog with these thoughts, relax, even a day spent completing small tasks in the studio is a good day.....not every day needs to be a masterpiece day.