Before the Rain

Last week before the rain, the air was very clear. I had to work on Saturday, so in spite of having stuff to do in order to prepare for First Saturday, Trail Guy and I drove down to Lake Kaweah to enjoy the morning. This isn’t something I have done many paintings of; I’m not convinced anyone else will appreciate it, especially from the unfamiliar viewpoints of walking along the river in the lake bottom. 

You can decide for yourselves if any of these views would appeal to people.

If I were a hobbyist, I could just paint what I want. I am a professional artist, so figuring out what my customer base is interested in is just part of the business of art. 

First Saturday Three Rivers

A bunch of years ago some people in Three Rivers decided to try something new – First Saturday. Anyone who wanted to participate could do something special on that day, and the combined efforts of the participants would bring visitors to town.

Artists opened their studios. Artists came from other places and found businesses to show their work. Artists gathered at the Arts Center to show their work.

I did this a few times but not often. Lots of other things were happening on those first Saturdays kept me out of it, and there were other reasons, most of them boring.

Nikki, weaver extraordinaire, has participated almost continually and urged me to join. So, I will tomorrow, at her urging, along with a few others. Being available to the buying public is an important element of the business of art. (Duh.)

It might rain. It rained the last time I participated, and even as the “featured artist” with the appropriate theme of Wildflowers, attendance was very very low. (Friends stepped in for me so I could attend my uncle’s memorial service that very day, but the visitors didn’t know that would be the case.) I’ll be there this year, rain or no rain – no uncles left.

The way it works is that you go to the Three Rivers History Museum and get a map. Then you visit the places that sound interesting to you.

Maybe I’ll see you on Saturday. The hours are 11-5. 

(Only this little studio will be open, not the painting workshop.)

Tightening Up Plein Air Paintings

This past summer I painted plein air (on location) in Mineral King for the first time in about a dozen years. The results were mixed; I wasn’t fully satisfied with 2 of the paintings.

So, I put them back on the easels last month and tightened up the details. Can you see the difference?

Before
After – Crowley Cabin, 8×10″, oil on wrapped canvas, $125
Before
After – Empire and Cabins, 8×10″, oil on wrapped canvas, sold

There are always more things I could have done. (Time for me to stop looking at these.) And be assured, they always look better in person.

Loves Pencil, Loves to Draw

This is my most recent pencil drawing commission. A group of friends are getting this for another friend. That’s all I’m allowed to say, not knowing the the scope of readership of this blog or degree of silence required for this gift.

Beginning stages
First scanned

This is the scanned, cleaned up version using Photoshop Junior, which is actually Photoshop Elements. It is converted to grayscale mode and anything that is paper color on the drawing gets “erased”  so it looks almost as clean here as it does in person.

Building a Boutique

Kaweah Artisans is a loose association of artists and makers who have put together little shows, called “boutiques”, for around 20 years. Nikki Crain, weaver extraordinaire, and I are the only almost original members of the group.

We have shown at a winery, a coffee place, and at The Arts Center, all in Three Rivers; those places are no longer viable so for the past 3 years we have been squatters.

“Squatters”?! 

We borrow space in empty storefronts along the highway in Three Rivers, due to the generosity of landlords who are friends.

Our most recent show, The Perfect Gift Boutique, was another success. Here is a peek at the work behind the scenes.

 

An artisan’s hubby discusses the particulars with the gracious and generous landlord.

My structure is in place; I chose to not bring any tables and to go flat up against the wall because this particular space is only 350 square feet for 4 exhibitors, about 50 square feet smaller than traditional show spaces for this number of artists.
Ready to go.
4 poinsettias, 3 banners, a sandwich board, wreath, and balloons to attract attention.
It was a cold day with low snow and overcast skies. We began at 10 a.m. but people didn’t begin arriving until around noon on Friday.
Elizabeth’s jewelry
Nikki’s weaving
Sam’s gourds
We closed up at 4 p.m. and it was beautiful outside!

10 Things I Learned and Did in November

Honeymoon Cabin, 18×36″, oil on wrapped canvas, $1200 + Calif. sales tax

Did I learn anything in November? It is my busiest month. Lots happened and perhaps I learned a few things:

  1. I joined BNI, Business Network International. The Visalia chapter isn’t official and won’t be until there are 20 members; I was #12 to join.
  2. I taught a drawing workshop to 5 eager learners at a gallery in Visalia called Arts Visalia.
  3. St. Anthony’s Retreat hosts a great event each year called “Festival of Trees”. I’ve been a judge of those fabulously decorated Christmas trees for all 5 years, and it is very difficult and very rewarding, especially with my fellow very thoughtful and careful judges. Who knew??
  4. The annual Holiday Bazaar wasn’t well attended but the attendees were all committed shoppers; I see evidence of a growing economy, for which I am thankful.
  5. The Kaweah Artisans have been together for about 20 years; we continue to be a very compatible group who put together simple and enjoyable boutiques in Three Rivers.
  6. I can paint large; maybe 18×36″ isn’t large in the Art World but in my world it is practically a mural. It is much slower than a mural, because of the many layers and amount of detail and amount of time for each layer to dry.
  7. I went off my fiction fast with a vengeance and slammed 9 books, all fiction. The top ones were: One of Us (audio, Tawni O’Dell), The Lightkeeper’s Daughters (Jean E. Pendziwol), Fair and Tender Ladies, (Lee Smith), Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus (Joyce Magnin), and Flatshare (Beth O’Leary). Hmmm, perhaps I was trying to escape the busyness.
  8. In order to refresh a garden, the old stuff needs to be removed but it can be transplanted elsewhere instead of throwing it on the burn pile. I replanted the area around my studio, about 18 years after first planting anything free that would grow fast. Back then, I also spent money on real plants, and probably killed 3 times as many plants as have prospered.
  9. One of my favorite podcasters is Don Miller; I subscribe to his daily Business Made Simple tip. One day in November he advised this: “Do not be confused about something that is not confusing. (sounds dumb, eh?) Ask yourself, “If I wasn’t confused what would be the obvious thing to do? Am I afraid of letting someone down? Do I really not want to do this thing?”
  10. Somewhere online I read about a thing that allows an old car to play a cell phone’s podcasts (or whatever else your smartphone is playing, like the talking lady telling you how to get places) through the stereo speakers. It goes in the cigarette lighter— IT WORKS AND IS EASY TO USE!

What did you do and learn in November? Want to share in the comments?

Thankful (a short list)

• RAIN AND SNOW!

• Blog-reading friends

• Supportive husband who helps me set up boutiques/bazaars/fairs/festivals/shows, keeps the home fires burning, and fixes dinners

• Pizza for Thanksgiving dinner

• A great family (who doesn’t mind if we have pizza for Thanksgiving)

• Three kitties

• Tulare County library reservation/delivery system

• Terrific drawing students

• Fast internet

Painting Christmas Ornaments. . .

. . . is a little tricky, because they are LITTLE!

My official White House photos, along with 3 ornaments . Only the one on the far right is available ($75).
I found another small Christmas ornament, primed and ready to paint. Isn’t this a great solution for how to hang it to dry? Notice the metal clothespins inside the 2×2″ canvases.

Those little 2×2″ canvases are tricky tricky tricky. Small metal clothespins fit inside the back, serving as handles while painting and a way to secure them to the pegboard for drying. Alas, I only have 3, but there are 6 little canvases to paint.

These giant paper clips also work well. “Necessity is the mother of invention”.
The giant paper clip was also a good solution for hanging the ornament by my wood stove for drying. ($75)
Here are the completed 2×2″ canvases, minus their cute wooden display easels. ($25 each, in case you were wondering.)

All except one of these poinsettias will be available at the Perfect Gift Boutique on Friday and Saturday this week. The poinsettia paintings come with little wooden easels, perfect for those into minimalist decorating (even those into maximalist decorating).

Layer By Layer

When I last showed you this painting, it looked like this.
It all needed work, so I started at the top with Alta Peak, worked my way down the hills, and moved into the flatlands. The original photo is not square, so I cropped it, but then squeezed in every detail I could find from the flatland area, including 2 barns.
Two matching barns looked dumb, so I tore one down.
The orange trees need oranges. The orange groves need frost protection; that means when it dries I will add wind machines.

Besides fruit and frost protection and a signature, this one needs a title. It might also need to have the fog or smoke removed, and a bit more texture and detail in all the layers of hills and mountains.