Why I Like It Wednesday - Gary Vaynerchuk, The Wine Guy

I was reading an article about marketing that had a link to this guy, Gary Vay-ner-chuk.  I went to his site and watched his vid on wine tasting - for 12 minutes. 12 minutes! I don't even drink wine. Or anything else he'd sell. Yet I watched for 12 minutes. Amazing. I was caught up in his passion for what he was doing. His wine site linked to his biz site. Now that's something I can get into. And I have and love his videos and inspiration. 

It has nothing to do with art. But, there is tons that he talks about that I have applied to my art biz life. After viewing several of his vids in a row I got out my pen and paper and just kept writing idea after idea I had on things I could do. Here is some of what he's about...

1. He's a little hyped but it works for him because that is him. He talks about being authentic, always.

2. He has short tidbits of info on video. Nothing you have to buy. Just sharing some brain power.

3. He has enthusiasm for ideas. Ideas, ideas, ideas. 

4. He has some great wine spots. Even being a non-drinker I like them. Liked the eating dirt part on Ellen.

Funny, a studio gal subscribes to a wine guy's site. But, what he does helps me, it might for you too. That's why I like it.

Art Talk Tuesday - Studios

STUDIO [stoo-dee-oh]

the workroom of an artist, aka an atelier  [Fr. atuh-lyey]

a place for instruction or experimentation

I am surprised at how pics of my studio seem to inspire so many people. My studio was posted on Addicted to Decorating by Kristi. I mentioned before that it was posted on HGTV Rate My Space as well. (more news on that Friday) With the comments of others I have come to the conclusion that most people need some kind of space to do what inspires them. To be creative. Usually we just think of artisans when we think creative but creativity isn't limited to artists. Everyone needs some kind of 'studio'. Whether it ends up being a suitcase, study, shop, or studio the space isn't as important as the activity that's associated with it. Sometimes we forget that. I haven't always had a studio but I've always looked for ways to be creative in my life. And I think I love my studio more because I haven't always had a space like this. Figure out what kind of little space you can carve out for yourself and let yourself be inspired. 

Mini-Monday Painting - Hershey Kiss

1/29/09 Updated - This is closer to the actual color of the painting. The one below is taken in artificial (warm yellow cast) light. The one above in natural (cool blue cast) north light, which is what I like to paint by.

It's 11:26 pm my time so technically it is still Monday. So I made it. I really like the colors.

Mini-Monday's painting - Hershey Kiss

Gesture of Affection

8" x 8"

oil

Mini-Monday Painting

Anyone looking for my Mini-Monday painting it will be a Mini-Monday NIGHT painting. So I'm still going to do it just much later in the day than I thought it would be. Sorry it's gonna be late today.

Free-for-All Friday Painting of the First Person is Jared

oil          approx 8" x 10"       Jared

Thanks to all who sent me photos. I would have liked to paint all of them. But, Jared was the first. Jared isn't this age but it is him. So... here it is. When you photograph a painting you see mistakes more quickly and the one I couldn't stand and went back and fixed is the un-level ears. I didn't take another photo yet. Again, this free-for-all Friday was fun for me. It is one I will do again too. Jared, hope you like the painting.

Free-for-All Friday Painting of the First Person

Today for Free-for-all Friday I will do a black and white 8" x  8" (approximately) painting of the first person to send me a photo of themself. It has to be of you. Please save me some hair-pulling by sending a decent resolution photo of decent size. It doesn't have to be black and white, a color photo is fine. 

I'll post the photo and the painting sometime Friday. (I make no promises of when.) And mail it to the person in a week or so, when it's dry. I'll only take about 2-3 hours doing it so don't expect world peace from this. Just something new, experimental, unexpected, and out of the ordinary - just like free-for-all Fridays.

Send it to shannon@shannonsportfolio[dot]com

My Mistake - Sorry

It was brought to my attention that those who didn't have a google account couldn't leave comments. UGH!!! I didn't realize that. So sorry. Hopefully that problem has been rectified. (Alyson Stanfield emailed me to let me know, see, I told you she was good) Again my apologies.

Think about it Thursday - Self Portraits

Self Portraits - artists do them frequently. I have done a few. This one is colored pencil of me when I was a baby, not to be confused with one I did as a baby. (That would be talent!) Many portraits are a traditional head and shoulders view. Many aren't. They add things to represent more of what the person is like. 

So, if you were doing a self-portrait today what would it look like? Would you do only your face or your whole body?  What would you be doing? Where would you be? What would be its mood? Would you add other elements? Things? Special objects? Would you add text? Would you add textural objects? What would you make it out of? These are just a few questions to get your mind going. If you're so inclined make one.

If you had to capture you at this given time what would you do? You would be leaving a piece of your  history. Think about it.

Why I Like It Wednesday - ArtBizCoach.com

I was thinking about what I was going to post for I Like It Wednesday yesterday and hadn't come up with anything I was really excited about. Then at 12:30 am I thought to myself, "Self, if you are up at 12:30 am looking at this website then you really like it. Post it." 

So, my post is about ALYSON B. STANFIELD'S ARTBIZCOACH.COM. This is a site that caters to artists working on art marketing skills. Before you stop reading (because you're not an artist) hear me out. I often go to sites that have nothing to do with 'art' and find all kinds of relevant information for my art life. So, you might be selling plants or selling yourself in the PTA but when you find good, solid information, like on Alyson's website, then you can find something that applies to whatever you're doing. 

Here are some things to get an idea of what she does...

1. She sends a regular newsletter to subscribers - I don't have to remember myself to regularly check for new things, I just click if I find something interesting. Which is more often than not.

2. She makes it easy. Easy. I am all for taking extra steps out of my life. 

3. She always has new things. Speakers, articles, ideas.

4. She has some things that are free. Of course she's in it to make money but she is generous as well. There's a nice balance. 

5. She has valuable products. I have purchased some audio and her book. All have been excellent. 

6. She's personable. Even online. Life's too short to work with cranky people.

Check it out. See if there is anything there for you but.... That's why I like it.

Art Talk Tuesday - Painting Orientation

Basic Art Training Tuesday is just learning a little art talk.

ORIENTATION

Portrait or Landscape

There are 2 ways that rectangular paintings are referred to in their orientation, or position. Portrait or Landscape. 

Portrait is where a painting is taller (vertical) than wider (horizontal). 

Landscape is the opposite. 

Landscape is wider (vertical) than taller (horizontal). 

It is easy to remember - when we look at a person we look up and down and with a landscape side to side. 

It is the measurements (horizontal to vertical) of the rectangle not the content of the painting.

PORTRAIT ORIENTATION  Jessie 20" x  15"

LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION   Alisha with Letter oil  16" x 19"

Mini-Monday Painting .44 Mag

Here is today's Mini-Monday Painting -

.44 MAG         oil       8" x 8"

Inspired by the husband

Free-for-All Friday Painting Named

Okay, the Free-For-All Friday thing is supposed to be new, experimental, unexpected. And that's what it turned out to be. And hard. I didn't realize when I put this out there that is would be difficult to pick one name. (No, I am not just flattering you all.) So, I did the narrow it down thing. First I started with my three of my laugh-out-loud favorites -

Favorite pot caught in the disposal

64 cents a pound

Obama's Promises

If I had a better sense of humor I would have used one of these. Even though I had a great laugh I'm not really looking for humor in this series. So then I started with my other top ones -

"Autopspolygon - a seeing of one's self from many angles"

"Alumination"    or    "Foiled Alumination"  (A combination of two of Travis')

"Foil Me Once..."

"Moldable - Shaped By Others"   (A combination of Perry Family & Dacia)

"Crumbled Leftovers"  (A combination of Leila & Pasty)

So, then I had to narrow it down some more. So I took out the combination names. I figured that no one would mind that I combined them but that it wasn't one of the original titles. So then this is left -

"Autopspolygon - a seeing of one's self from many angles"
"Alumination"
"Foil Me Once..."

So, that's where I have been stuck for a couple of days. I was actually going to post sooner but I couldn't pick one. And at the beginning of this post I still hadn't settled on one. (You're kinda getting the thinking out loud version now.) I think the thing that has made me narrow this group down is the added meaning to the name. So I chose -

"Autopspolygon - a seeing of one's self from many angles" 

The only real difficulty I had with this name was, "How do you say the dang thing?" So, I emailed Jared and asked him. He responded, "A TOPS POLLY GONE". Well, I get that. So THANK YOU JARED for naming my painting. And if you'd like I'll give you a print of it.

Now, I would like to thank all of the rest of you for throwing yourself out there with names. It is not always a comfortable thing and I recognize that. So, my thanks is sincere. I would also like, with your permission, to save some of these names as possibilities for the next foil paintings in the series. Even the combinations. If that is okay leave a post in the comments to let me know. I will let you know if I choose one of yours when the painting is done.

Glad to have you all participate and I hope that everyone had fun with this. It was really exciting for me and I am going to do this again in the future.

Free-for-All Friday Name this Painting

Today's Free-for-all-Friday  is naming a painting. Particularly this painting. It's on my easel. It is NOT done yet, but done enough for it to have a name. So far it is Foil #1. Not too interesting. This is a series. So there will be other paintings along this line. The symbolism is not strongly developed yet. The name will work into that. So, things to know when picking a name....

- it is part of a series

- the symbolism isn't strong yet so don't panic about that

- the base of each painting will be a different color

- each foil painting has a different shape foil

- this is not finished, there will be more dark/light areas 

- it is about 30" x 24"

- you can suggest more than one name

- you can pass this along for others to try naming

- how the name came to be will go with the history of the painting

I will consider all the names, pick one and post it in a day or two. If you have questions post in the comments area. Someone else might have the same question. Have fun naming this painting. 

Blog - New look

New look for the New Year. Not really all that new but just making it consistent with my website. 

Think About It Thursday - Greenwich Workshop - A Fundraiser

James Christensen Print for fundraiser for Jennifer Mosher

Greenwich Workshop is sponsoring a fundraiser for an artist, Jennifer Mosher. She is battling cancer and you can read her story here. I don't personally know her nor have I seen her work but I can feel for the situation she is in. 

Thinking about something is the start of feeling things. And feeling a thing is the start of actions. And action is the start of making a difference in lives. I am not saying that you need to donate to Jennifer specifically. But, I think that after reading about her you will think something and have a feeling to do something. All I am saying is make an opportunity to do what you feel, whatever that is.

Make some kind of difference - think about it.