I get a lot compliments about the art I put on old book pages. The Cactus is done an 8 x 11 in page from the early 1900’s. The picture is done in watercolors and highlighted in ink. Don’t get mad at me the book was falling apart and there was not cover. I think the letter in the background provide a good backdrop for art. In life it is not always important to be at the front. Offering good and faithful background help sometimes is more important.
I have very limited art training. The sum total of my formal training being a few classes at the local community college. I am what I call an accidental artist. I stumbled into it because I wanted to be a cartoonist like Charles Schulz. I started drawing my own cartoons based on a cat I used to have.
I then moved on to silly cartoons panels. I even got to the point where I would send my cartoons out, yes send them out, to the big agencies. Most just sent back the standard, “Don’t call us we’ll call you,” letter.
A little while later I took a class on pastels. I loved and still love the ease of use of soft pastels. Now oil pastels are a little more difficult to use but I love the brilliance of the colors. Today I have branched out to all mediums.
What is the point of this whole ramble? Just this, do not devalue you artistic ability just because you’re what I call an accidental artist. Someone who just for the shear joy…creates. An artist is an artist.
I was trying to think of what to talk about in part three. Well here goes nothing. In part 1 I talked about the perils of being an introvert. How shyness keeps us from putting our work out there for others to see. In part 2 I offered several ways to get our artwork out there from behind the scenes. Here are some reflections on how well my ideas in part 2 are working.
While, by using this blog and Facebook to has offered more exposure to my artwork the one thing I still struggle with is generating art sales. Don’t get me wrong I am not expecting to become rich off my art. I just wish I could sell some of my art in order to make a passive income.
I have started an Etsy shop and also started a store at Fine Art American and plan to post more art for sale in August. I however know part of selling is getting out there locally and that is still my dilemma. I put this out there for advice from those who have been in the same position. Offer your advice as comments.
Today’s offering is an 11×14 acrylic paints rendered on a flat panel canvas. In life I think we have three things which are highly important.
1. Faith to carry us through the bad times and to share n matter what happens.
2. Hope which the Bible says is “set before us,” Hebrews 6:18
3. Love which was given to us to share.
Take hold of these three things and life will not necessarily be smoother but the bumps become so much smaller in scope.
As little children some things seem bigger than they really are. Like that first let rabbit which at the time seemed so huge. My painting is an homage to,those days of huge vision. The painting is done in pastel and color pencil on a piece of 6×9 drawing paper. In our lives there are many problems which seem huge to us but when viewed through the eyes of God they are reduced to smaller problems.
The third in my series of acrylic abstract flowers on an 8×10 flat panel canvas. This one is probably my favorite so far. I love the way the white flowers pops on the grey and orange background. The flower reminds me of something Jesus once said and I paraphrase, You don’t put a light under a basket where the light is hidden, no you put it out on a table for everyone to see. In the same manner do not hide your faith, put it out there for everyone to see as their guiding light.
I told you I would be writing a part 2 so here it goes. In part one I covered why it is hard being an introverted artist. Mostly it had to deal with art marketing. It is hard to put yourself out there when you feel not up to the task. Well here are a couple of ideas I use to give my art exposure from behind the scenes.
1. Start a Facebook or Instagram page on which you can offer your art for family and friends to view.
2. Start a Blog. I use WordPress but there are many others out there for you to choose from. The good thing with my blog is that when I post on here it automatically goes to Facebook, Twitter and other places.
3. Join a local art group. Many local art groups have non-juried art shows where amateur artists can show their work.
4. Look for local shops that cater to showing and selling art by local talent. A word of warning you still may have to talk to the shop owner and offer up your work.
These are a few of the things I do to alleviate the effects of my introverted tendencies when it comes to putting my artwork out there. There are others. Look for my next article in this series.
Today I offer you the woman in red. The painting is done on 9×11 red card stock using some soft pastels and color pencils. The picture I used was a royalty free picture from Unsplash. I really like the way the picture turned out. There are only a couple things I would change.
I am an introvert. Many people who know me would probably disagree with that because I am a talker amongst those I know but it is true I am a shy guy. Social situations are a nightmare for me. When others are conversing I am standing around trying to get some words from my brain to my mouth.
In order to compensate for my shyness I will often joke around or worse yet just remain silent. Why am I telling you this? Well, I am guessing there are more artists out there like me. Those who are fine in their talent and creativity but when it comes to selling their work work, like me, they suffer the many perils of being an introverted artist. Here are a couple of ideas of what I’m talking about.
1. The social implications of hawking or selling our art. To sell our art means greeting there and talking to others about our art. I don’t know about you but When I get the itch to get out and sell my art my inner introvert kicks in. I then stand back, look at my art and say to myself, “Hey it’s not that good anyway so no one is going to buy it.” I am then satisfied I don’t have to go out amongst people I don’t know well and go back to my creating until the selling bug comes calling the next time.
2. The fear that if my art is good and people start buying it I will have to start attending, “artist’s events”. While this one is not as much a big deal for me it is still a thought that gathers in my mind. It is not so much the meeting of people in this one that bothers me because I worked retail for years so I am ok when people come to me. The fear here once again is seeking out one on one conversations at these events in order to network myself among other artists, the people who sell art and hopefully those who will buy my art.
Here ends part 1. Watch for the sequel otherwise known as part two coming soon.
