The Cabins of Wilsonia, my huge project, has created a few questions. Here I will ask some of those questions, and then answer them for you. (Mr. Google, I am a California artist who will do over 200 pencil drawings of cabins.)
What is Wilsonia?
it is an area of about 100 acres of private land bought and set aside before the National Parks were created. It is next to Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park in California.
How old are the cabins?
The first cabins were built there in 1919, there are some that were built in the 1990s, and there are all sorts in between.
What is that name?
It was named after President Woodrow Wilson (with apologies to Glen Beck).
Why are you doing this?
Short answer: because I am Cabinart. Medium answer: it hasn’t been done yet, and it will be a good product to sell. Long answer: I love to draw, drawing cabins is my signature art style and subject, Wilsonia is beautiful and interesting, and it is good to record these places before they change too much.
How many cabins are there?
There are 212, 12 of which belong to the National Park Service.
Will there be history?
There will be an introduction that briefly explains the history of Wilsonia. If cabin folks want to share some of their own history, it may be included in their quotations.
Will the book be expensive?
Compared to a clearance table book, yes. Compared to the current price of The Cabins of Mineral King, no. (It initially sold for $50 and is currently selling for around $100 used.)
Are you drawing all the cabins?
No.
Why not?
Short answer: there are too many. Long answer: some are too cluttered, some are too hard to see through the trees, some are too plain, some are redundant in appearance, and some belong to the Park, who most likely won’t be a customer for the book.
Won’t the book be boring with nothing but cabins?
The drawings will include entire cabins, cabin details, and quotes from cabin folks. If you buy one and then think it is boring, hang on to it until the books are sold out, then sell it for twice what you paid!
Will you sell the drawings?
Eventually. If I let them go before they’ve been scanned properly, it will be very hasslesome to retrieve them to rescan. I have sold a few, and I hope I don’t have to beg to borrow them back!
Do you know these people?
I know a surprising number of Wilsonia cabin folks! The former owners of our home in Three Rivers and the former owners of our cabin in Mineral King both have cabins in Wilsonia. My husband’s closest friend from childhood, our neighbors in Mineral King, my dad’s partner in an airplane, a cousin by marriage, old friends, friends of friends, previous customers, and now lots of new friends are all on the list of folks I know.
How will you earn money if all you do is draw Wilsonia cabins for more than a year and can’t sell them yet and have to learn how to use Adobe InDesign at the same time?
Any suggestions??? Anyone?? Ideas??
Excuse me now, I need to go lie down for a bit. Maybe I’ll just put my thumb in my mouth and rock a little.
4 Comments
My Dad’s wife, Jan Kerr, who I know you know cuz i think she took lessons from you as an artist herself?, had a family cabin or two in Wilsonia that we stayed in one summer for a night! Bee yoo tee ful!
I’ll ponder the “gotta make money” while I tackle a blessing of a project. “Starving” and “Artist” should never have been put in the same breath. I sure hope you can make it work. Phil 4:19. 🙂
Deb, can you email me separately and tell me which cabin(s) that Janice’s family has? I now know them all! And no worries about my starving – I always seem to get plenty to eat. This year does look a bit daunting. It will be okay – I don’t know how, but God does!
Girl, this is one Ozark Farm Chick who knows a thing or two about art and sister you are a jewel of a talent!!!
These are simply marvelous and I can’t even wrap my brain ’round ya not bein’ able to sell each and every drawin’ plus commissioning more.
Ya need connections…big artsy connections. They always say it’s not what ya know but who ya know.
I wish I could help.
From the sunlit hills and hollers of the beautiful Missouri Ponderosa, ya’ll have a wonderfully blessed day!!!
Best of luck to ya Hon!
How sweet of you to visit and then comment, Nezzy! And such nice things you said to me – are you also an artist?
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