I'm Painting Again !!!
As I mentioned in my last post, I'm getting back into it. I've started painting again. The above photo is of my latest artwork. It is SOLD. So although I'm not yet "Making a Living as an Artist", I am once again making money as an artist. The painting is a larger version of one that I did a couple of years back. The original was 10" x 8"... this was 24" x 18". (You can buy a print of it HERE.) I painted it in four layers, it really didn't take me that long to do if you subtract the time it took for the paint to dry between layers, and the procrastination. I'm not really in to scientific formulas but i believe that if there was an equation for this , it would be something like; painting x drying x 1,000,000 = procrastination....
Another thing from my last entry is my book. Rather than just do a data dump of everything I know broken down into chapters, I've decided to take my own advice and put it into action. I'm going to document the steps that I take and make THEM my book. The biggest problem that I've had in the past is the actual creation of the art work. To get over this, I've decided to schedule my painting like it is my primary job. I have a great situation here to do this. My "real job" gives me five days off. Not actual 24 days off, but five days in a one week period where I have eight hours between 9 AM and 5 PM that I have free. So that means that I have enough time in my week to become a full-time artist.
I have the benefit of living on Cape Cod in the Summer. Within a ten minute walk from my house is one of the busiest harbors on the Cape. Two things come out of that:
- Subject Matter. I have decided to focus on my seascapes, skyscapes, sailboats, Lighthouses, and all things Cape Cod. ( I am going to avoid white picket fences and cottages though...) I'd like to do this without worrying about the cliche of Cape Cod Art. There are thousands of tourists every day in that area. I'd like to monopolize on that a bit and give them what they've come to see.
- Like I said above... There are thousands of people pouring through that area every day. So it will give me one of the key aspects of "Making a Living as an Artist"; Visibility!!! You could be the best artist on the planet, but if no one ever sees your work, how are they going to buy it?
My "Art Cart"!
I've got everything I need right here. Storage for canvasses, paints and supplies. There's an umbrella for shade. I've got a chair to take a brake in, a cooler for my lunch... It is a mobile art studio ready to go. Not to mention the fact that it may stand out a bit on the waterfront, so there's some additional visibility. Just in case there is some interest in what I'm working on, I'll also have my Square mobile card reader (Yes, that is a link. If you're trying to make a living as an artist and you don't have one, click the link and get one! Now!) You do have an iPhone, right?
Now you know where I'll be this Summer! I'll be posting my location on Facebook everyday (feel free to friend me if you'd like...) so if you're in the neighborhood you can stop by and say," Hello!" Also, I'll be auctioning off a painting every week through my page. There should be some pretty good deals.
No comments:
Post a Comment