SELLING ART

Well although I have my own website that I use to promote and sell to my artwork to art buyers and art collectors, I have decided to try posting a few items on Etsy. In the past I have always gone with Ebay and had a lot of success selling my original paintings for decent prices. However, I find these days Ebay is getting pretty expensive for the average self represented artist and just forces you to raise the price of your art work, something I hate to do. I try to keep my prices affordable to art collectors and already established clients. I am not out to make a fortune selling my work, however, creating paintings is more expensive than most realize. The cost of the canvas alone, if like me, you like to buy the premium artist gallery wrapped canvas, with no staples in the sides and if you like to use good quality paints can really add up fast. If you have to add the expense of Ebay on top of it all...well, the price naturally goes up. So I continue to offer my work for sale at my website and also in the community through 'brick and mortar' markets, I am going to try and post some items on Etsy such as my painted furniture (see pic of stool) and one of my functional pieces of art, my ladies heads or as I call them, my Funky Mamas. :) I have yet to go the way of private galleries or even to join local art galleries as I hate to have to 'pigeon-hole' my work. I like the freedom to express myself in any style and medium I choose. So for now I will continue on selling in the manner I have been to date and keep creating upbeat and happy paintings. Both items above can be purchased at my new Etsy shop 'The Functional Artist' or at my website. See links to the right.

FUN WITH PAPIER MACHE

I confess I am somewhat obsessed with paper mache since I first tried it to make the above singing duet. Okay, they didn't turn out the greatest but figurines aren't that easy to make and it was my first attempt. The second time I decided to make bowls but they just didn't let me be creative enough. So don't ask me where I came up with the idea for these ladies heads. I think I started out attempting masks and they just evolved. The first one was snapped up by a buyer right away so I hurried home to make some more. Thus the "Funky Mamas" were created. I try to make each one unique giving them different hair colors and styles, jewellry and nationality. I want each on to be an individual. I have just completed my third one (pic to come) of a Native American lady. They look so funky hanging on a wall and also serve as a functional piece of art by giving you a place to drape your bathrobe or lingerie!



Of course I have attempted other things in paper mache such as rainsticks. It turned out really great (pic to come) and I ended up teaching papier mache workshops here in Sudbury to children at after school centers and schools. The Primary students loved making their rain sticks while the older students tried their hand at maraccas.

If you would like to try your hand at paper mache I will post the best recipe I could find in my next blog as well as some tips I have learned along the way. Until then...be creative!

Painting Donated to Charity

I came here tonight to create a blog and realized that I already had one I had totally forgotten about and neglected. I swear I have ADD. Well, I am back and ready to try and contribute to my blog at least on a weekly basis. Hopefully, I will figure out how to combine my other blog(s)into one. Okay, I'm an artist, not a computer techie...:)

In the meantime...here is a sample of one of my paintings. This painting was donated to Easter Seals, a great Canadian Charity for children with disabilities. Yearly I donate a painting to them that is auctioned at their yearly Conn Smythe Celebrity Sportsman Dinner in Toronto. I often donate paintings to children's non profit charities. Pay it back I say!!!

Check out my website at http://www.simplyart.tk.

Since it is now 10:47 p.m. I will save more blogging for tomorrow. Catch ya then!!

ABOUT BLOGGING

Okay this is my third log entry and I am still trying to maneuver the site and figure out how to add pictures etc. I am still not quite sure what a blog is suppose to be about. I think some people treat it as a journal of sorts, some as a place to rant and air their views and others might try out their writing skills or poetry. I know some that use it to help advertise or link up to their business or hobbies.

Me? I'm not sure why I started one it just seemed like a good idea, since I was trying to sell my artwork online and others have found it helpful and truth be told, I love a captive audience. Well, okay you aren't capture you can click on the little 'x' if you're bored. Or maybe you're so bored you're surfing the net and reading everyones blogs? Whatever the reason I'll work more on my blog site and try and make it a bit more interesting for you.

I could fill it with jokes? Pictures of my kids? Nah....I'll have to come up with something a little more interesting. Want to see some of my art?? No I suppose if you wanted to do that you could go to my website. Maybe I'll just think on it awhile and get back to you okay? Until then....stay tuned.

Trish

oops as you can see I haven't quite figured out the html or font thing. I'll save that for another day.