Mollie August 28th, 2007 Painting , Show Comments(0)

I’m spread a little thin due to the work I have at Framations, but in the next week I’m entering two juried shows (listed below); and unlike the fiasco last October, I’m entering different pieces to each show. I’ve been working like crazy to get ready, but if my work is accepted I’ll have my work in three different places congruently. How cool would that be!

• Oak Leaf “Fall Show”: Up to 3 pieces completed anytime.
• Art St. Louis “XXIII Show”: Up to 5 pieces completed in the last two years.

One of the three pieces I’m entering for the Oak Leaf Show is “Blue Arches” which currently resides above my fireplace (see: Painting Gallery). I’m still working out the other two, maybe a couple of mixed media pieces.

For the upcoming Art St. Louis XXIII Show I’m trying to finish up the piece below (shown as posted on January 26th, 2007). I added a cityscape to the background, some niches in the foreground, and I’m thinking about adding at least one more subject – not sure what yet. Wish me luck!

Mollie August 23rd, 2007 Mixed Media Comments(0)

Still debating if this one is finished or not, let’s call it “Midnight” for now. I got to experiment more with transparent layers. A lot of the original drawing and painting has been covered up over and over, but by using thin paint you can still see part of them.

Mollie August 18th, 2007 Mixed Media Comments(0)

Below is my newest mixed media collage. I was calling it ‘Facade,’ but I’ve changed my mind and it’s now called “Thief.” I tried to make the edges look torn, but I don’t like how that turned out; I’m thinking about taking it out or cropping the piece to exclude it.

Mollie August 16th, 2007 Mixed Media Comments(0)

I’m nearly finished on this new mixed media collage, and I wanted to post a bit of the progress as I near completion. The medium hasn’t been kind to me, I’m using pen, marker, and acrylic on collage, then in order to get a map-like effect I’m using a transparency overlay to try and bring the picture together.. It’s been an uphill battle, and I still have a bit to go. First thing I do is to add more green to the map so it doesn’t look too much like a coffee stain and more like a land mass.

Tonight I found out that my scanner might be able to do high enough quality scans to make prints without paying a fortune on having someone scan them for me. The catch is that I’d have to scan my paintings in sections, then piece them back together. Fortunately Jesse thinks he has a piece of software that would make this easy.

Mollie August 15th, 2007 Business Comments(0)

Yesterday my business cards arrived in the mail from www.overnightprints.com; and I’d like to thank Matt for suggesting them! I would definitely suggest them to others. The detail is fantastic, the card stock is nice and thick, and the glossy paper exceeded my expectations. I’m definitely going to be proud to hand them out now.

Guess this means there’s no excuse for me to start promoting myself a bit? Actually, I’ve already emailed nearly everyone on my contact list to let them know where my work is hung, and I’m considering setting something up to do a meet and greet with friends and family.

Mollie August 13th, 2007 Note Comments(0)

I’ve been busy adding little blerbs for each piece in my gallery. It’s difficult to describe art, so in most cases I just explain what I was thinking when I painted them, or what they mean to me now.. hopefully entertaining if not enlightening.

My to do list from last week.

• Find a place that prints professional business cards and pamplets relatively cheap. They should arrive tomorrow!
  
• Finish creating a promotional pamphlet. Already at the gallery for prospective buyers!
  
• Go to the hardware store and get wood for cradles and possibly framing.
• Build cradles onto the mixed media pieces and prepare them for hanging. I just need to finish painting the cradles!
  
• Purchase more mat board, hangers, and frames from the craft store. Done
  
• Find someone to make prints of some of the larger paintings. Some for me and some to sell.
• Mat and Hang a few more drawings.
• Finish some of the dozen pieces I’ve started but never finished.

I’ve contacted someone about making prints, but I’m going to look into some ways to cut down the cost before I go through with it. It’s no wonder original work costs so much, it has to to keep up with the cost of making prints.

Mollie August 10th, 2007 Note Comments(0)

Today I went through and added dates, medium, and dimensions to my gallery. I have a couple more to do, but it’s a start. I’m going to try and get some background info and interesting tidbits about each piece soon.

Mollie August 7th, 2007 Business Comments(2)

With the possibility of selling some of my work comes the responsibility of keeping records. My ten years working for H&R Block has shown me the advantages of being organized and prepared for tax time. Today I created an Excel document that will allow me to log in each expense, any income, and even an inventory of all my artwork. Of course creating the document is the easy, collecting all the information that needs to be in it is the tedious part.

Tonight I hope to wrap up most of my projects around the house. The sooner I get them out of the way, the sooner I can focus on what I need to do to get this art business off the ground.

My To Do List

• Find a place that prints professional business cards and pamplets relatively cheap.
• Finish creating a promotional pamphlet.
• Go to the hardware store and get wood for cradles and possibly framing.
• Build cradles onto the mixed media pieces and prepare them for hanging.
• Purchase more mat board, hangers, and frames from the craft store.
• Find someone to make prints of some of the larger paintings. Some for me and some to sell.
• Mat and Hang a few more drawings.
• Finish some of the dozen pieces I’ve started but never finished.

I’m sure there are more, but that’s what I have so far.

Mollie August 6th, 2007 Business , Show Comments(0)

This weekend was crazy. It’s funny how one phone call can change so much. Just last Friday I was thinking about painting the bathroom and building a window seat in the living room, and now I’m consumed by getting my work ready to show. I don’t have many pieces that are ready to hang so I was busy cutting mats and framing last night. Today I need to do some touch ups and try to get a couple of the smaller paintings ready. All my walls are going to be bare; I can’t tell you how much it freaks me out to think that a few pieces might sell before I have anything else ready. I have to get working!

Yesterday I created new business cards, and by the end of the week I hope to have a new artist statement and a pamphlets created to display next to my work. Tonight I need to get a look at what content some of the other artist’s have in their pamphlets.

Each piece of art that I create has a special place in my heart; it’s incredibly hard to let them go. So far I’ve only had one small breakdown thinking about selling my babies and never seeing them again. I absolutely refuse to part with them until I have good prints made at least for myself. Is it truly horrible to hope that I’m not a success so I don’t have to say goodbye? I’m sure it will get easier, but it already feels like an empty nest and they aren’t even gone yet.

Mollie August 6th, 2007 Business , Show Comments(0)

Quite a while back, before I joined the Oak Leaf Artist Guild, I inquired about getting my work shown at Framations Gallery. At the time there wasn’t any space available, and I was put on their waiting list. I didn’t hold out much hope of getting in, since it was clear that the current artists in residence didn’t plan on going anywhere any time soon. Since then, I’ve conversed with the owners at a couple other events and even had a couple pieces in an Oak Leaf Show at the gallery.

Last Saturday, I received a phone call from Amy a co-owner at Framations; who asked if I was still interested in showing my work at the gallery and if I wanted to be one of their resident artists. Of course I said yes, and the next day (Saturday) I went down there and picked out a space. Amy explained that none of the current artists had left, rather due to remodeling a few more spaces opened up. She also mentioned that this website and some of the things I had said in this blog helped to make up their mind to approach me from the other twenty something applicants. Guess that means I need to get to work hehe.