Category: the business of art

Instructions to Buy Stuff Without Paypal

I got an email asking how to buy stuff from my website without Paypal. Some people don’t have or want a Paypal account. I understand; I feel that way about Facebook, Twitter, having a “smart” phone, and various other “conveniences” in life. (Don’t even get me started on “Square” . . . bah, humbug.)

I’ll put the instructions in red so you can find them amid all the boring visual examples.

When you put something in the shopping cart on my website, it ALWAYS takes more clicks than seems necessary, but think of it as a way to back out if you are in the midst of impulse buying.

When you are shopping, you’ll be on a page that says Cart. When you are done shopping, use the button that says “Proceed to Checkout”.

After entering all the information in boxes with a red asterisk, this is what shows at the bottom of the page (of course it might be a different product – this is just an example):

proceed to pp Click on the “Proceed to Paypal” button.

This page appears:

choose

Click on the bottom thing that says “Pay with an online bank account. . .”

When you do, you’ll get this window:

other choices

You can click the button that says “I have a different bank” or on the tab that says “Debit or Credit Card”.

I don’t know what happens next, because I didn’t want to buy anything from myself.

If this all makes you too nervous, too much info out there on the World Wide Web, too many websites, clicks, pages and options, I accept checks in the mail. Real pen, real handwriting, real paper, real stamps, real dudes in uniforms putting real envelopes in my real P.O. Box. 311, Three Rivers, CA 93271.

Really!

Here is an appreciation picture for making it to the end of this boring but necessary instructional blog post.

trains

No reason other than you might like trains and these are colorful.

How to Order a Coloring Book

Ordering a coloring book from my website is a bit of a project. If you have ordered, you know that I email to ask for your address, even though you entered all the info while ordering. My website is a little out of whack, and I don’t know why. Sigh. It just happens. Today I learned that it will cost $300 to update my website to make everything work properly. Big heavy sigh.

If you want a coloring book and don’t want to go through all the steps, a check in the mail is fine – $15, and I will pay the mailing costs. I appreciate so much when shipping is free that I do the same for my customers/clients/collectors/friends.

Okay, just in case you decide to order from the website, here is the exact order of clicking steps.

Click on my Website
Under the For Sale tab – click Heart of the Hills Coloring Book
Click on the coloring book. (If there are 2, click on the one on the right with the price beneath it. If it says there are no products available, hit your refresh button. If this doesn’t work, put down the computer and walk away.) This takes you to a new page (Why is this necessary?? Don’t ask me – I just work here.)
Click on the purple Add to cart button. It takes you to a cart page.
Click on Proceed to checkout. It takes you to a checkout page where it asks for your details. This is where you then go to Paypal, and it accepts your credit card even if you don’t have a Paypal account.

I don’t know what happens next, because I stopped there because I didn’t want to buy a coloring book from myself because I have them already.

Sounds as if I am babbling to myself. This is because I am babbling to myself. Technology often affects me that way. (Ick – that stupid “easy to use” Square at the Redbud almost turned me into a raving lunatic at the Redbud Festival, right there in public.)

I have a wise friend who reminds me from time to time that if you have a problem but you have money to fix it, then what you have is an inconvenience rather than a problem.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE WHO ORDERED COLORING BOOKS! This means I have the money to get the website tuned up.

But when do I have the money to get ahead??

Never mind.

This new coloring book will be available very soon, and I hope you will be able to order it easily from the website.

coloring book

What Does A Central California Artist Do?

Are you wondering how an artist in a place like Tulare County (Central California – there is a huge area of our state that is rural, and it is my job to record and share the good things about this area) can find work to do?

How about a list today:

Teach 5 hours of drawing lessons a week, 3-5 people in each class.
Sell coloring books.
Plan for and draw another coloring book (Anyone want to guess the subject?)
Finish the 24×30″ commissioned oil painting of a Three Rivers house
Begin and finish 3 oil paintings for the upcoming Redbud Festival (May 7-8)
Gather and price the items to take to the Redbud Festival.
Take coloring books to the Post Office, and check supplies at the Three Rivers Mercantile, which has sold more than 2 dozen so far. (Told you we are rural!)
Figure out when to get with a web designer so she can figure out why the shopping cart on this website won’t provide me with the mailing address when people place orders.
Figure out how to put a better subscribe button on this blog that comes with a freebie so that people will want to give me their email address so I can notify them (you?) when the new coloring book is ready. (Have you guessed yet what it will be about?)
Compose and send an email newsletter to my subscribers to remind them of Redbud Festival (May 7-8) and tell them of the new coloring book.

First one to guess and tell me either in the comments will win a free coloring book of the new design!

Thus we conclude a little peek into the work of a Central California artist in rural Tulare County. Not your typical definition of “artwork”.

OH! #11! – BLOG!! GOTTA BLOG!!

WAIT – THERE’S MORE! #12 is reorder the first coloring book, “Heart of the Hills”. You can order one here.

Something New Coming Soon

Something new is coming soon to Cabinart. This calls for an interview with Cabinart’s very own Jana Botkin.

Why do people say “very own” in front of someone’s name? Because they like to fill the airwaves!

Ahem. Let’s get on with the interview.

Interviewer: What is Cabinart?

(very own) Artist: The NAME of my ART BUSINESS!!

Interviewer: EXCUUUUUUSE me. So what is new that is coming?

(very own) Artist: Don’t rush me. First let’s review a few facts.

I work in pencil and oil and in acrylic when painting murals.
Real life has edges not outlines. Cartoons have outlines. So do coloring books.
Ink is one of the most difficult media to work with.

Interviewer: What is “media”? I thought that meant the news, talking heads, and spokes-holes.

(our very own) Artist: “Media” is the plural of “medium”, which is a word used for the material used to make art. Not the “ground” but the mark-making stuff: paper isn’t a medium; pencil or graphite is. Canvas isn’t; oil is. A wall isn’t; mural paint is. Get the idea?

Interviewer: Are you stalling?

(Our very own) Artist: Nope, just ‘splainin’ it to you, Lucy.

Interviewer: “Lucy”?

(Our very own) Artist: You know – that’s how Reeeky-Reeecardo said “explain” to Lucy!

Interviewer: You ARE stalling.

(our very own) Artist: Nope, just letting the excitement build.

Interviewer: COME ON, ALREADY!

Very Own Artist: You are shouting at me. Do I detect a hint of impatience in your tone?

Interviewer: With that sort of evasive non-answering of questions, you could run for public office.

(our very own) Artist: No thanks. I have a business/career/job/jobs. (artist and editor – Did you know that?)

Interviewer: No more diversions or red herrings! What is coming soon?

Our Very Own Artist:

A coloring book of original designs, based on the landmarks and scenery of Three Rivers and Sequoia! (yes, including Mineral King!)

More will be revealed in the fullness of time. . . stay tuned!

coloring book

Happy Recipients

Here are some works of art that were done for Christmas gifts. I heard back from 3 of the 5 about the happiness of the recipients. The fourth and fifth are most likely very happy – an email and a phone call would confirm it, but I don’t like fishing for praise. So, I will assume that the recipients are happy.

colored eyes petrich gamma.07 toyless dogs brundage

People say they love my pencil drawings, and I believe them. That’s what they choose for commissioned work.

As far as “off the shelf” work goes, the oil paintings far outsell the pencil.

Go figure. . .

Took Some Time Off

Did you miss me? I missed you. I think of you as The Blog, and without knowing exactly who or how many you are, you, The Blog, keep me accountable. You keep me working, when it seems as if I am just slogging along, trying, trying, trying, does anyone care or notice, I’m just working, working, working, does it matter?

Thank you, The Blog!

January has been quite eventful so far. Here are a few things, some related to the career of Central California Artist for cabinart, and some just the stuff of life.

After doing 4 little boutiquey shows in November and December, I was really tired. It caused me to rethink the wisdom of signing up for the Studio Tour this spring. I decided against participating in 2016.
Some scumbags came onto our property in the early morning and we watched them steal our trailer. They were caught and our trailer was returned. The first photo is what I saw through the rainy window of the Botmobile when we went to retrieve it. After being awakened by rude intrusive upsetting noises at 4 a.m., one tends to take strange photos.
Rain and snow! Look at all the white on the mountains in the second photo! The lake has been drained in anticipation of more precipitation.
Fog. Look at how the dam on Kaweah Lake is holding back the fog. This is how it looked as I drove down the hill to resume teaching drawing lessons. My classes are FULL! I love to teach people how to draw.
I am becoming an editor, currently editing both a novel and a work of non-fiction. I AM AN EDITOR AND AN ARTIST, and very happy about both of these careers!
I have 3 murals coming up. It takes awhile to bid, sketch, and come to a full understanding of what the customer wants, especially when the customer isn’t quite sure. I will keep you posted.
2016 marks eight years of blogging, 23 years of full time art, 22 years of teaching people how to draw, 10 years of knitting, and in October, 30 years of marriage. Never you mind how many years of living, or of living in Tulare County, the place where I am A CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ARTIST. (Just had to say that in case Mr. Google is trying to find me; he might have forgotten me in my time off.)

2015 Cabin Calendars for Sale

There are still a few of the 2016 calendars, “The Cabins of Tulare County” for sale. This calendar is a collection of pencil drawings of cabins in Tulare County. (Captain Obvious speaks again.) It is heavy on Wilsonia, followed by Mineral King, and there is one token Camp Nelson. These drawings are gathered from the book The Cabins of Wilsonia, and various commissioned drawings I’ve done in the past year or two.

Have a look at the unidentified months. I didn’t attempt to find seasonal pictures, other than a snowy cabin in December. Cabins, for the most part, are summer homes.

2016 calendar drawings

The calendars are $15 each, including sales tax. If you send me a check in the mail or money using Paypal, AND YOU GIVE ME YOUR ADDRESS (excuse me for shouting – someone ordered via Paypal and didn’t give me her address or answer my email – how is she going to get her calendar??), then I will get your calendar to you and pay the mailing costs. (in the USA only)

cabin drawing cabin drawings California Artist commission pencil work drawing Mineral King Tulare county Wilsonia

November is the Busiest Month

Happy Birthday, Shirley Goodness!

November is the busiest month of the year for my little art business called “Cabinart”.

This is a long post and it might make you tired. Better grab some coffee before settling in.

Here’s a little sampling for you.

Friday a.m. was a meeting with our state assemblyman, Jim Patterson. It was at the Gateway Restaurant, which is just upstream of the Gateway Bridge. That bridge is the bigger brother of my favorite bridge (three arches instead of one), so of course I had to attend the meeting near it. It was sort of a family reunion to visit the Gateway Bridge; wouldn’t you agree?

I got home with a little time to work on these signs. You can see the evidence of a minor paint accident.

Then it was time to head over to the Remorial Building to set up for the Holiday Bazaar. “Remorial” is how we say “Memorial” at our house. We learned it from our neighbor when she was about 6 years old.

The show was a booming success on Saturday. You can see it was a gorgeous day in Three Rivers for this annual event.

I got home in time to shove everything into the workshop and studio and head to church for the annual Harvest Festival. Details aren’t relevant to the content of this blog, but suffice it to say that the overlap of dates really kept me running.

While shoving things into the workshop, I was reminded of work that awaits.

These paintings were drying in the house by the wood stove. They need to be ready for the next boutique in 2 weeks.

Meanwhile, a commissioned pencil drawing is ready to be started.

Cats sketch

(The customer chose C. He already knows I can draw, so no one needs to call a veterinarian for these kitties.)

And, this is first time I have painted olives. These are commissioned oil paintings, as are the oranges. I think the olives are so beautiful that I ordered a 24×24″ canvas and plan to do a large painting of olives when things calm down a bit.

It won’t be this exact arrangement. Instead, after the other 5 paintings are finished, I will figure out the best parts of each and make a new design.

Meanwhile, I might need to go lie down for a bit.

NOPE. This is the harvest season, and during harvest, farmers don’t climb out of their pick-ups and go home for a nap. I am a farmer’s daughter, and I can and will push through. What’s more, I am really enjoying this season.

Is there any other job in the world with this much variety and activity and autonomy and chance for creativity?

P.S. Thanksgiving is coming quickly, I’m planning for an oil painting workshop for my advanced drawing students, have jury duty soon, am looking for a date to schedule private drawing lessons for 2 busy girls, got another commissioned pencil drawing to design and complete in time for the customer to have framed before Christmas, and practice for the church’s Christmas musical is heating up. (No, I don’t sing – I can read music, listen, and push buttons, so I run the sound board.) Also been asked to participate in a skit (I said no), judge an art contest (said yes, but keeping it anonymous) and go shopping for Operation Christmas Shoebox (just took the easy way out and wrote a check.) No nap for this little gray duck. Please pass the chocolate (the darker, the better.)

An Artist Lives Out Her Donation Convictions

This is an article I recently published on LinkedIn.

Sep 29, 2015

I am perpetually fed up with artists getting asked to donate to good causes. In May of 2014, I posted “An Artist Bloviates about Donations” on LinkedIn. My hope was to encourage fund raisers to find other methods besides asking those who are often at the bottom rungs of the financial ladder.

Under the list of “Reasons to Donate”, #1 was “An artist loves the cause and wants to help.” I currently have a cause I love and want to help.

Tulare County, where I live, is poor, rural, and in Central California. It is far from Los Angeles, San Francisco or the Silicon Valley. We are not rich either in money nor in landmarks.

One of our favorite historic structures is the Kaweah Post Office, a tiny wooden structure just outside of Three Rivers. It is 125 years old and still in operation!

Because we are also not currently rich in rainfall, many of our trees are very stressed. A giant oak above our little Kaweah Post Office lost a limb which smashed the roof and porch of the landmark we love.

The building is publicly appreciated, but privately owned. There is insurance, but it comes with a large deductible.

So, I am auctioning the above oil painting on eBay. In keeping with my principles about artists not giving away their work, I will donate half of the proceeds toward the restoration of the Kaweah Post Office.

A few notes:

1. Kaweah is the name of the rivers of Three Rivers. (South, Middle and North Forks of the Kaweah make up the three. . . never mind about the Marble and East forks – our forebears had to draw the line somewhere!)

2. It is pronounced “Kuh – WEE – uh” (not to be confused with “The River Kwai”)

3. The auction listing is “Original Oil Painting of Kaweah Post Office”.

4. The painting is 10×10″ on wrapped canvas, ready to hang.

5. The auction went live at 12:02 on September 29 and remains up for 10 days.

Now, let’s see how this bloviating artist’s version of raising money turns out!

Kaweah Post Office oil paintings Three Rivers

Cabin Communities Matter

“Cabin Communities Matter” is the name of my presentation about, umm, cabin communities (duh) using my drawings and what I learned while making my book, The Cabins of Wilsonia.

It was an hour drive to Tulare, where I gave the talk. I chose to drive through the country, which means orange groves, fields of cotton, vineyards and walnut orchards. Boring? Nah, don’t insult farmers, especially not when you are wearing fiber and eating food.

The talk was at the Tulare Public Library for the Tulare-Kings Genealogical Society. I wasn’t sure my presentation was relevant, and figured I wouldn’t know anyone with the exception of my drawing student who invited me to speak.

The library is beautiful, five years old, spacious and multi-functional for the city of Tulare. (For my far away readers, that word is pronounced “Too-LAR-ry” – not “Lar” as in Lars, but “Lerr” as in “Larry.” I live in Tulare County, but the county seat is Visalia. Never mind how that one is pronounced for today.)

In spite of being only 5 years old, there were difficulties with the technology. I went a day in advance to make sure I knew how to run things. Good thing, because of the troubles, we met in the City Council Chambers – very very nice – and my main contact also had to learn how to run things. I made Very Specific Notes.

5 Wilsonia friends came, along with other people I know and a handful I didn’t know. There were lots and lots of questions, which I found very fun to answer at the end. Questions are fun for a speaker because it says the listeners are interested in the topic and it gives me a chance to get to know them a little.

Giving talks is an important part of marketing or “self-promotion” as it is called in the art world. It’s fun, and I’m willing to do one for your group.

Use the contact button that drops down when you hover your mouse over “About The Artist” and send me an email if you’d like to hear why Cabin Communities Matter to our county.

California Artist The Cabins of Wilsonia Tulare county