Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
What has Internet Marketing to do with Art?
November 10th, 2009 | 
Author: Sorry I’ve been neglecting the blog. I have been painting, going through this fabulous Learn and Master Painting course (see the box up there on your right?) , and working on some commissions for pet portraits that must be done for the holidays! But honestly, most of my time has been spent the last few weeks on focusing in on my desire to build internet sites for e-commerce: my pension as well as to be able to spend more time painting and practicing my meditations. The really fun thing about the last two weeks is that my 14 year old granddaughter “gets it” about the internet, is way more savvy than me, and she and I are going through this course together! I’m so proud of her: despite her full school schedule and commitment to volleyball, she has built three sites so far and is constantly researching more products. The goal is to get six sites up and linked together for the Xmas shopping season and then we’ll see how well it’s working. It’s really fun (for us) but for most people, they’re raising an eyebrow and wondering why I wouldn’t rather be painting. Well, I would. That IS the point. I know it may take a few years to get really successful, since we’re beginning at the very newbie stage, but I do believe it’s possible, and now that she’s doing it, too, I’m so thrilled that she will learn this skill set that will serve her into the future. Wish they taught this in high schools!
Will post some paintings this weekend and update you on how our budding business is going. I read recently that Benetton started over a kitchen table with one knitting loom and now they own two airports not to mention a multi-billion dollar business! Small steps, big dreams. Never too late, I say.
Posted in 
Learning From Failure
Landscape a la Whistlers limited palette
Making art is such a great lesson in how to live life. On about.com:painting, the October project was to use a limited palette, mixing neutral grays and in the style of Whistler create a landscape, urban scene, whatever. It was an interesting project to work on because in the Legacy painting tutorials I am also working on mixing grayscales, color value charts, complementary value charts, etc. and so translating those skills into an actual painting, I thought, would be fun. Fun does not describe it. It got darker and darker and I couldn’t seem to mix the proper gradations of value to maintain some semblance of a scene that I could see in my mind, but was unable to translate to the canvas. “Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em” kept going through my mind until, AT LAST, the deadline came (today) and I had to force myself to fold ‘em on this one. But I did like the practice it gave me and plan to try again at some point. I learned that sometimes the simplest looking paintings are actually very difficult to execute! More importantly I am learning how many value jumps happen within a small space that translates through our eyes to our mind to discriminate ‘form’. I now understand why we must observe nature directly, not just photographs. So many gradations are lost in photographs.
Unbelievable Artform!
I was sent this link today to watch something on YouTube. I had to watch it three times to believe what I was seeing. Talent, soul and message about war done so amazingly: with SAND. to MUSIC. You just have to see it to be moved.
Creativity Lowers Stress
Painting and Drawing Lower Stress
As an artist, you probably already know that after just an hour of working on one of your creations you usually feel better and are more relaxed. Scientists have now confirmed that tapping into your creativity on a regular, concentrated basis helps lower cortisol, an unhealthy key indicator of stress.
This arrived in my inbox this AM from Michael’s Art Supply (along with a 40% discount coupon! That’ll lower stress!). No wonder I love to paint and to meditate. I’m a high strung Virgo/Scorpio/Aries type (Sun/Ascendant/Moon) and the only thing I really need to do much more of is exercise and meditation. I know so many people who are so stressed these days for so many reasons, but have not recognized or given themselves ways to de-stress. (Oh, I don’t have time for that: THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO). I am reminded of Anwar Sadat’s approach: “I have so much to do today I’d better spend an extra hour in prayer” (paraphrased). I think he had the right idea. Time is more fluid than we think and actually slowing down the mind, de-stressing, allows space for more to get done in the same amount of time.
Even if we don’t want to become a great painter, simply sketching, especially outdoors, focuses the mind and relaxes it. As long as you don’t judge yourself for your drawing, that is! Writing, creative cooking, dancing, listening to or making music all do it as well. I can’t speak about the “runner’s zone” I’ve heard of, unfortunately, but it sounds the same. The left brain finally shuts up.
I’m watching Lesson 10 of the Legacy course and it is a couple of hours long of color theory, value and chroma studies, and am simultaneously watching a voice in my mind tapping its nails on a formica countertop and wondering when we get to the painting the masterpiece part? For me, this is where stress comes in: not being able to be in the moment, wanting the desired result without doing the foundational work. Once I DO it, this voice shuts up and I do get into the artist’s zone, relaxed and loving the colors just as they are; so I guess the lesson is, yes, read about it, listen about it, but the benefits only come when you do it.
Like meditation.
One Gorgeous Website
Just a brief post to give you a few minutes of beauty today: go to this website and listen and look and feel refreshed.