Inspiration

Being Normal is Boring

| Whitt’s End Art

How to start this short article? How indeed. All through my younger and adolescent years I heard phrases like this, “Why aren’t you normal?” Or “Why don’t you act normal?” I was always trying to figure out what was normal. To me I was normal.

I have discovered that each person has their own normal which has nothing to do with right or wrong, good or bad. It is just the way we go about our day. The things we do our habits so to speak.

Why is this important to know as an artist? The main reason is this. We need to be ourselves, our normal when we create art pieces. I have heard it said, “Art comes from the heart.” Down where our normal exists. God gives each of us our normal, our unique gifts. It is okay to use other artists work for inspiration but it is more important to be yourself because that is what makes your art, your art.

In the New Year try not to be so normal in your artwork because it is boring. Create art outside the normal i.e art from the heart.

#546 of 1001 Dressing Up For the Holidays

| Whitt’s End Art

This 18×20 acrylic painting started out as as me playing with unique methods of applying paint. The underlying part of the painting was done by scraping the paint across the canvas. The second layer was done using a bath puff. This is whe an image of the girl appeared to me. The last layer of the white dress was done with a bath puff and the rest was done using the usual paint brushes.

An Accidental Artist

| Whitt’s End Art

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.

The Perils of an Introverted Artist – Part 3

| Whitt’s End Art

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.