Inspiration

Recently, I was reminded by Patience Brewster, the artist behind these adorable Christmas ornaments, that August is Artist Appreciation Month! I thought I would do a post about who/what inspires my work to celebrate. I have given it a lot of thought over the past several days and come to the conclusion that color is probably my biggest inspiration. I get so excited when I squeeze new paint onto my palette and working with fun colors is almost like a therapeutic experience. 

I not only like to create art, but I love admiring others work as well. I seem to be particularly drawn to loose, colorful watercolors. I have always thought of color, especially in paintings, to be healing in some way. I have been known to soak up the beauty in paintings in galleries and in nature that invoke a positive emotion in me. What I hope to achieve is create works of art that cause others to feel something, like I do when I'm admiring a really beautiful painting or taking in a breathtaking scene. And, in a way, this extends to my quilts and other handmade items as well. I love the way handmade quilts, decorative items, and artwork make a home feel. 

So, in general, I am inspired by color and the beauty around me. If I can put that love into my work in a way that extends to the person admiring it, I have done my job. :)

The Smurfs

I'm so excited! I went to see the Smurfs on Sunday and I spotted some of my boxes! The set decorator purchased the three boxes pictured below. My husband, brother and sister and I all went to see the movie and were scanning the rooms trying to find the boxes.

I think I spotted this one and the one below on some tables. I'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD to see where they all were.
This peach roses box was clearly seen in many shots. In the movie, the Smurfs redecorate part of the living room, in the apartment of the main characters and this box is standing up right on the left hand side of the screen on a table. I'll admit that it was very cool seeing something I painted in a movie!

And the movie was cute. If you have kids or enjoy family type movies, you should go see it. :)

I couldn't help but pick up this little Smurf from McDonald's yesterday! :)

As a little celebration I'm having another cigar box sale on Etsy. 50% off any box with coupon code "boxsale."

My brother and sister were visiting this entire last week, but left for home today. While I'm sad that they're gone, I'm happy that things will be going back to normal around here. Which means I should be doing some more painting soon!

I hope you have a great week!

Be Kind

I usually like to reserve my blog posts for positivity and I don’t usually complain but I feel a need to vent a little today. I have been overwhelmed lately by negative comments on my artwork. I’ve been receiving impolite comments on my painting style, which is realism, as well as people suggesting that I do not put any emotion into my art. I really feel a need to address these comments and to remind people of the old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

Regarding my painting style, I am learning that you cannot choose your style, just like you cannot choose the style of your handwriting. You can force yourself to paint a certain way for a while, but eventually you will fall into something naturally. I never thought that I would be a realistic painter but the more that I paint the more that that’s what I’m leaning toward, and I’m learning to just except it and embrace it. People have suggested to me that realism is “taking the easy way out” and that it’s not an artistic expression at all, it’s simply copying. I say of course it’s an artistic expression. Something that I’ve noticed is that the people who make such comments paint very loosely and I’d like to see them try to paint realistically. It’s not easy and I enjoy the challenge to trying to paint something exactly the way I see it. How can you criticize someone for painting what they see? There are many artists whose work I don’t particularly like, but I still respect them and their passion for what they do.

Regarding my work showing no emotion, I think that has been among the most hurtful comments that I have gotten. I believe that all art is an emotional outpouring. A need to express ourselves and the way we view the world in a creative way. All art is emotional. You may not see how painting a still life of peppers, for example, is an emotional outpouring, but it is. Just because you may not have an emotional reaction to a piece or art doesn’t mean that it didn’t come from an emotional place for the artist. I paint what I love, what brings me joy and what I find unique.

Art is very personal. When you criticize someone’s work, you’re criticizing them. You don’t have to like my work, but really if you don’t have anything kind to say, please don’t say anything at all. Most of you have been so kind and supportive and I thank you very much for that.

Painting Style and Pricing

I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about my painting style and how I price my work. I get asked the question, "What is your painting style?" a lot, and I never know how to answer it. I don't have one particular painting style. I like to paint in many different ways. It depends on the subject I'm painting, the medium I'm using, and sometimes even the music I'm listening to. I like to paint realistically, abstract, loose and everywhere in between. I've always been under the impression that people expect you to have one painting style, but I'm learning that that isn't necessary. Having one style of painting certainly makes your work more recognizable, but you shouldn't feel like you can't try new styles. I feel like I have many, many styles, and I paint in pastel, watercolor, and acrylic, but I would like to try new things too. Your creativity should be limitless. I have no plans to just stay with one medium or one painting style, and that is liberating for me.

As far as pricing goes, I have had some trouble with this too. In the beginning I wasn't sure what was a fair price for my work, so I just went with what I thought was reasonable. If you do some looking around you'll discover that artists charge all kinds of different amounts for their work. Some artists charge thousands for a piece, and some just hundreds, or tens of dollars. Even artists who have achieved some fame, and sell a lot of work, have fair prices. I suppose it all depends on how much work you're able to sell, and if you're selling a lot you can raise your prices. For me, I think art should be affordable. I'm not going to charge more than what I would be willing to pay. When pricing my art I take into account the time I put into it, and the price of the supplies or painting surface I used (which is why my paintings are all priced differently).

I hope this gives you a little more insight into me and my painting style! :) Have a wonderful weekend!