Red Roses, 2013
How do you like these wonderful roses? Our first batch of the season! This has been one busy week, much of it spent continuing to build the foundation for my art to flourish:
- Something told me that it was time to get involved at a different level, after some research I joined two local art leagues. I’m looking forward to the benefits of being around other artists, creating and learning new techniques.
- There are two local juried shows and a national one that I’ve decided to take part in. I’ll be selecting the pieces to enter and will go for it this coming Monday – I’m a little anxious, but ready to go.
- There is a wonderful national organization, Oil Pastel Society – it’s been a valuable resource for me even though I haven’t been a member. Well I finally got my membership application and bio completed for submission.
- I’ve been a bit antsy with the soft pastel underpainting I often use with my oil pastels, from a health standpoint (because of the dust) and because I’ve felt like something has been missing from my paintings. I spent a good part of this week researching two different mediums to use for my underpaintings with the hope of achieving a warm glow in my landscape paintings. After reading and watching many video’s I’m sold on a new technique that uses chroma transparent acrylics as the underpainting. Several wonderful colors are on order that I can’t wait to try, scenes are waiting to be painted so I’m anxious to get started, except one acrylic is on back-order which means the entire order is waiting to be sent out – oh well.
- There are two vendors I’ve been monitoring to potentially use for a website to sell my work. Finally I think I’ve settle on one that will offer the flexibility I want, I’m hoping to have this up and running by the end of April. There is one last piece of information I need about taxes and then I’m ready to go. Originally thought the website would be ready in February, but life’s priorities came first.
- Oh, did I mention doing my taxes? That was the last chore that needed to be done this week, talk about where did all the time go!
Years ago I found a wonderful site (www.simpletruths.com) filled with many first-rate motivational books and videos that I loved. From time-to-time I would buy the books, but also share new video releases with people. Today I received notice of a new release and thought I would share with you one of my all time favorites – if you are interested below is a quick 3-minute video clip from Simple Truths.
I hope you enjoy – best wishes for a wonderful weekend. I’m excited to be working on my next painting, take care ~ Mary
Oil Pastels by Mary 
Mary!!! I am so excited for you. I have been away for a few month and now you are ready to start selling your work. That is wonderful news and I am sure you will do great. Congratulations and many blessings in this new venture.
PS. roses are beautiful! 😀
Well now this is a real surprise!!! Hi Patricia I’ve often wondered how you’re doing with your writings – please let me know would love to hear that your making lots of progress! Thank you so much, it’s been an interesting story and now on to the next chapter. Keep your fingers crossed, my only concern is how much time the marketing end is taking away from painting. I’m looking forward to hearing news of your world of writing!
Thanks! Same here! Keep us posted.
Really looking forward to your new techniques and work Mary! I want to know how you will ever surpass your previous work.
Hi Elena, thanks – you are so kind! You know I’ve been trying to create a certain glow within my paintings and it’s been missing, primarily because it’s a tough thing to do with oil pastels. But I saw some interesting techniques with acrylics and am learning that the underpainting could take on more of a prominent role in my paintings that I could do with underpaintings, so I’m hopeful to achieve the look I’m after.
My goodness you have been working so hard Mary. And you have such a great strategy to get your name out there and perhaps sell some paintings. Remember I want to buy one, so don’t forget me.
This rose painting is so lovely. such sweetness, the color, the light. Sheer perfection.
Hi Emily, thank you it was a busy week and I kept thinking where is all the time going – marketing takes a huge bit out of time. I’m looking forward to going into the studio to paint actually in a few minutes – that’s a wonderful break for me. Thanks for commenting on the roses, but these lovely babies are from Mother Nature and my garden – I just gathered a nice bunch for a photograph, wish I could say it was a painting. You should see my yellow roses, all opened this weekend and they are truly gorgeous.
Thank you so much, I remember you’re request on purchasing a piece, I promise to contact you. I’ll expect the list of things I still have to do is going to dictate my timeframe – gosh and that list always seems to grow with just one more thing added . . .
Hi Mary, wonderful job on the roses. (or course it’s not the sea:-). I have decided that I also am going to stand on the side with Drawspace. With me it’s more the new format as much as anything else.
I have been spending time @ Mike Sibley & JD Hillberry site. Two of the powerhouses with pencil. It is a critique site with Mike & JD offering some help. Well I wish you continued success and all the best.
Bob
Hi Bob, it is so nice to hear from you. There are several new sea paintings here in the blog (seascape gallery and A Rough Sea – last post) if you are interested in checking them out. I went into drawspace to see the new format and it’s arrangement is so confusing that I couldn’t spend the time trying to figure what they’ve done. It’s not appealing to me, so I understand your backing away. It sounds like Mike and JD have a site worthwhile for you, and I’m glad. Come back again when you have time. Take care, all the best – Mary
hey! the roses are beautiful!
the video didn’t work here.. it shows that it’s almost three minutes long, but there’s a white page where the video should be. i suspect the problem is with the slow interent service… the like buttons sometimes don’t work, and/or the comments won’t go through either. sigh – such is the trouble with living in paradise!
good luck with the competitions;
Hi Z – I love roses, don’t you? We have 17 rose bushes, the yellow ones are just opening up today and they are gorgeous!!! I’m nervous about the competitions, outside of my online art communities and blog, few people have seen my work in person – it will be interesting to see the reactions (I hope good). Take care painting the borders today!
hey! yes, i love roses, and those first ones that open are always so special. i can all but visualize the yellow ones!
long ago i entered many competitions, and i am so glad that i did. i was always discouraged when i saw artists’ work that was much better than mine, but i also saw work that wasn’t as strong as mine. the positive feedback that one gets is always helpful – like honey on a biscuit! there were times when a work did not place at all, and at another competition it would win best in show. i realized that judges are like anyone else.. what they select is based on their own personal tastes – just like with food! competing gave me a stronger backbone, and i realized that i needed to paint to please myself and not what others thought!
the qualms are normal, and your work is strong! enjoy this new chapter, and please keep me posted!
Hi Lisa, your post stayed with me all weekend. I really appreciate your perspective and opinion on competitions – I know it’s a necessary exercise and if I want credibility I need to subject the paintings to critiques and go forward. I’ve been very lucky to be associated with artists from around the world through Wetcanvas and PMP and have had some great feedback that has been tremendously helpful in moving my work to another level – it’s made me stretch and that’s been a very good thing. Your words of support and encouragement is what spurs me on. Thanks so much my friend ~
you’ll get past that stage fright sooner than you think! just like public speaking, those first few minutes are the worst, and then you wonder why you fretted! z
You’re right, thanks for the encouragement and support. We’ll see what this month brings – time to put some finishing touches on going public with my art. Thanks Z!
i looked at some painting this past week and i thought, ‘wow. lisa, you have a long way to go before you’re the same level as they are.’ we never finish, do we? i feel good about where i am with my art, and that ‘s all that matters.. right?!!!
I am exhausted just reading your schedule! Please save time for your art 🙂
You know the business side takes up so much time, but a necessary evil. I’m anxious to get back to painting!
It is always exciting when others are interested in buying your art!!! On the negative…taxes…what a waste of time for the taxpayers…like we don’t have better things to do with out time.
Thank you so much – you are right, taxes are no fun!
Dear Mary, the roses are as beautiful as your paintings. Seeing beauty in the simple things in life is the key to retaining beauty within one’s life. Take great care 🙂
You are so sweet, thank you very much! I love roses, especially the older vintage ones with their wonderful fragrance! Yellow roses are opening up today – ah they are beautiful!
You are most welcome dear Mary; the pleasure is mine indeed. I recently posted a photograph that I loved and I actually thought of your vibrant and beautiful paintings, a tribute to your skill and eloquence in manifesting truly beautiful art. Take great care and never cease to find beauty in the simplest and purest forms 🙂
God bless
http://photographymemoirs.com/2013/04/06/bavaria-mediterranean-flair/