A Season to Celebrate

Drawing has become an enjoyment, a sort of celebration to cherish the time that I have put aside for myself. It is peaceful and fulfilling to accomplish making something out of nothing. 

I have learned to slow down which was hard for me.  In a world where everything is rushed, it wasn't easy to put the brakes on. I still have to keep myself in check to see if I'm getting ahead of myself. I wonder if others have that problem. 

Observation is key when drawing. You have to observe every detail and constantly ask yourself questions. Questions about value/lighting, shape, negative and positive spaces, etc. This is why as I've said you can not be rushed.

So, my celebration is drawing. I now do it regularly and see progress in the outcome and on my discipline.

Drawing, back to basics

Hey my art readers,

I recently picked up another drawing class. So, it's been drawing, drawing for me. It has been challenging, frustrating and fun. 

Part of getting better at a skill is knowing your weakness. Mine is drawing. I know to get to that next level is to improve on my drawing. In order to build a good house, you need a good foundation. Creating a good drawing foundation will provide an artist with the skills to move forward. It will take hard work, many hours of honing in on developing a new skill.

Painting has now taken a back seat for a while. While it has been tough to do because I love painting so much, I've been spending my time drawing, doing my homework. I get to sneak a painting in now and then. But, I know like anything else, you get back what you put in.

Take care.

Branching Out

Hello, my dear readers;

Most of us like the security of staying in our comfort zones. But, sometimes, it is necessary to branch out and explore other avenues. If I'm not doing art work, most likely on the internet exploring to see what the art world is up to. I recently found a few things to add on to my art life.

I have joined a drawing group. Something that I've wanted to do for a while. This is going to force me to draw more and gain more skills and sharpen the ones acquired. Keeping the basic foundations of my profession strong, I think, is very important.

Another thing that is new; I have joined a local artist group that are the creators of an annual studio tour. I am hoping to meet fellow artists in my area and getting involved with community art functions.

It is nice to be with folks that have same interests. Art, being one of my top priorities, is not always easy to find others with the same especially living in the country. But, they are around, maybe not in your comfort zone. I have to commute and branch out. I will be better for it, I feel.

Spring into Spring

Hello my dear art readers,
Can't wait for the Spring weather to hit. I want to get out there and do some En Plein Air. This will be new territory for me to explore. I've always said I would someday. Well, why not now. I think it will be exciting, a new experience.
Painting from life, either in the studio or outdoors bridges the gap between what you see as an artist and what you feel. I think it is a way of approaching any subject in a personal and engaging way. It a way to take a vision and translate it into an expressive, poetic painting that elicit an emotional response from your viewer.
I am also getting ready for a Spring Show at Kent Art Association in Kent, CT. I am on the Board and right before a show there are lots of tasks that have to be done beforehand. The current show is underway which will soon lead to the new. I thought this one went well and looking forward to the next.
I've added some new on-line web sites to my repretoire and with that comes much time on the computer. I am now on https://www.artfinder.com/gracediehl  and  http://www.xanadugallery.com/2013/Artists/ArtistPage.php?ArtistID=7472  also,
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_fb_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=grace+diehl&sprefix=grace+diehl%2Caps%2C170
Yes, I have been busy!
Check them out. I'm excited to be on these.
So, until later my friends,
Grace

Pricing

Pricing.... Yikes. This is a dreaded topic to so many, including myself. But, at some point, it has to be addressed, especially if your marketing. There are so many articles on this subject. So many thoughts, strategies.

I've had to reprice my paintings lately to reflect commissions. I try to be fair to my buyer and myself. I take a lot into consideration and always am consistent.

I use a chart, actually two. One for current paintings (last several years to present) and one for older works (with some exceptions).

Coming to grips with pricing is a hard thing for artists. You have to weigh in a lot of things. For example; labor, materials, expenses, experience, to mention just a few. It is complicated and time consuming. Finding that right price and method can be an experience. It is a personal one, one that only the artist can do. What might work for one artist, many not work for another. So, my suggestion is to read up on this topic for tips, do all you can and see what happens.

Take care my dear art friends.

I'm Back

I'm back from the West Coast, sunny southern California. On my travels, one of the places I visited was the coast of Laguna Beach. If you are an artist or art lover this place is a must to see on your list. There are about eighty art galleries one after another. What a great afternoon!

California is a plein aires paradise. With the shore and the mountains, everywhere you look is just absolutely a wonder. I went hiking, walking, biking, beaching, exploring, shopping, etc. This is god's heaven. Every day sunshine and comfortable temps.

Now, I'm back, ready to start painting again. So, here we go! Stay tuned.

Finished paintings - Mixed Feelings

After I've declared a painting "done" there are mixed feelings. Sometimes, it's a sigh of relief because if I have to look at the model one more time, I think I'll be sick or Oh, too bad I'm done. I'm going to miss working on this one, it's been fun,

Each and every painting is different, so, so different. Some are more challenging than others. Some take longer than others to declare "finished". I put finished and done in quotes because sometimes I feel I could go on and on forever, never finishing some paintings. Other times, I know I've reached capacity. The ones I feel are never ending are the ones to hold off, let sit for awhile and go back to. That idea has merit I've learned over the years.

I've heard other artists make reference to a painting: as it painted itself. I know what they means. I've experienced that firsthand. It is a beautiful thing. It's as if you are in the zone and can see the strokes of paint even before you've made it. What a wonderful thing!

Then there are other times. Well, lets just say I am not even near the zone. The feeling of starting can even be exciting which is deceptive and then somewhere in the middle I wonder, "Why on earth did I chose this. What was I thinking"? Thank goodness, this feeling doesn't happen that often anymore. I'd like to think it is due to experience.

I've come to the conclusion; done or not, I think it has to do with if you have anything more to say about it. If I've come to the end of my story, I'm done. There is nothing more to tell. The End.

And, now my blogger friends, it is time for me to end this blog.

Bye for now.
Chow.

Posting too Soon

I just finished a painting that I am excited about.  I hesitate to post too soon only to have to re-post with updates. I have learned and am trying to refrain from my excitement and hold off some.

Waiting a few days is good. I put a newly "finished" painting on my fireplace mantle. Then stand way back to get a different perspective. The lighting is very good there and I can study it. I go down a mental check list. If I question something, back it goes on my studio easel so I check it against the set-up. It is always best to go back to the source. That is where you can "catch" some thing overlooked. As I've said before, in my opinion, careful observation is key. I'm not saying to copy, per say, but as a realistic artist it is important to get basic elements right. If something looks wrong on the mantle, chances are it is wrong.

All I am saying is, stop for a while and analyze, critique. Take a few breathing sessions so-to-speak.
I get so close to my work, I can not "see" it anymore, if that makes any sense. It is a good thing in a lot of ways because if it is an apple I am trying to represent, I don't "see" it as an apple. I see it more in terms of shape, mass, values, etc. Then when it is on the mantle, I want to see how it holds together in terms of things relating to one another and other things that I may look for.

Only after you've gone through every square inch of the painting and every thing stands corrected should one post. I know it is hard because you want to see how the world perceives your masterpiece. But, if you get it out there too fast, viewers may have already come to a conclusion and you don't want to give the wrong interpretation of your piece. Some viewers may never come back to view the newer version of your painting. So, stop, view and think!

Starting a New Painting

Coming up with fresh, new ideas for a painting can be the first challenge. It is an important step in the whole process. Sometimes, I get lucky and ideas come quickly. Then, there are other times when I walk around trying to work it out. It could be days before I come up with a setup that I like.

Compositions can either make or break a painting. Even a painting that is brilliantly done, if it has a failing composition, the whole painting fails too. Not only that, if one is in the middle to the end of the process of the painting, sometimes it is very hard to change things. At certain stages, one may have to just start all over or toss it up to an experimental piece.

One way to prevent troubles later on can be to do thumbnail sketches. This is a way of working out any unforeseeable problems and it is really worth the bother in the long run. It is not a good feeling later on to feel as this should have been moved here or there or taken out all together.

When one is not "feeling it" with a certain painting, it could be because of the layout or composition. So, with the next painting, spend more time in the beginning of the creation of your next masterpiece!

New Art Friends

My new friends at Kent Art Association and I  had an enjoyable paint/luncheon party after our meeting. We have a lot of work to do this year but as you can see we are on our way! We are going to make 2016 the best.

Repeat Customers

It is a wonderful thing to have a client invest in an additional work from you. It motivates you by legitimizing your efforts. The message you are trying to present through your art is hitting the mark you were hoping for.  Pure euphoria! It means you have achieved your goal.

Yesterday, I just mailed out a painting to a repeat client. It makes me happy to make someone else happy. She had bought a 18" x 24" original last year and obviously was happy with it and added to her collection a second original 11" x 14". 

My client list is very important and precious to me. I've built mine up over the years and try to keep in touch with newsletters and personal holiday cards. It shows them you truly care and that you appreciate the fact that they see the beauty in what you have created. I have mine made up through one of my websites, FAA that makes prints, cards, etc. I think it adds that special touch. With everything done on the computer these days, I think it is still nice to get a unique card delivered in your mailbox. 

Another thing to show appreciation is to gift wrap with note card attached before securely packaging. This is also unexpected and has been received well, I've found out through my reviews. Maybe you do some other things or have thought of some. Comment back and share if you'd like.

Patiently Questioning all the Way

An artist has to make decisions through out the whole process of creating a piece of artwork. If you ask yourself the right questions along the way, it could help with making better decisions. I am always asking myself, "Is it cooler, warmer, darker or lighter"? From the moment I put a mark on the canvas it has got to be right. Then from there it is always comparing to previous strokes. So, I've found out from experience, you better be right from the start. I remember the carpenter building our new home as he was doing the molding saying, "measure twice, cut once". Well, you can apply that to painting. It will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

When I get in a pickle, I have to stop myself, back off and analyze. I step back from my easel, and see if I can get a different perspective. Another way of doing that is to take a picture and download it to the computer. It gives a whole new, fresh perspective. I can pick up on things I did not see before. Also, I find a must is go back to the source and study it. I find a lot of my problems stems from not observing or as some say "seeing". In the drawing phase, I hope to gain intimacy, if you will, from my set ups. I try to gain as much knowledge as I can about each object and how they work together as a whole. From there, if you've done that part well, it makes life a whole lot easier later on.

So, in a nutshell, there are no easy shortcuts. Like Aesop's fables, The Tortoise and the Hare, be the tortoise and take it easy step by step. Don't try to hurry, it always bites you in the you know where. I am still learning to be patient. It hasn't come easy. I still find myself at times jumping the gun, trying to get to the next step when I have no business being there. Remind yourselves, the tortoise wins in the end. Be a winner.