Happy New Year (February?)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know it is already February

 

 

I know it is already February, but Happy New Year just the same better late then never right????.....
 

Now that February has hit I have been trying to seriously become more productive in my career, this is something that I have a strive for to be able to succeed. I do not take my career lightly as it may look, the only thing is in the art world for someone to be successful, one has to first be recognized by that one person. Once that happens then things get better, now that being said I have to make sure I become more productive in advertising and promoting myself.

Who ever thought that art is an easy way to make a buck, please think again. Not only as an artist must we strive to create unique pieces of work, but also try to appeal to different audiences. We have the Gallery audience, festival audience, seller audience, publisher audience, your own art audience, and then everyone else that encompasses. When making art that is not what truly comes to my mind first. First I think alright I want to make something impacting to myself, but also something that is aesthetically pleasing.

 
One thing that I tend to do is look at other artists work, I look to see what is going on in the world around me, also I like to see some of the old school artist work for example, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Kandinsky, Basquiat, just to name a few. I do this to see what different ideas I can come up with to use as an influence in my work. One thing I learned as a BFA major was that an artist should always stay true to their work, not try and imitate someone else or make art to simply sell it. Yes as artists we all want to sell, but that should not be the driving force to why we produce it. One huge thing that always baffles me is how I can go to any home goods store and see so many prints that sell for $80.00 to $100.00 dollars and people buy them. Not that it is wrong, but I just feel that there is no real special connection. These pieces are bought to just fill up a space on a wall, or a table. They are what I like to call filler art. The piece may be very pretty, but one it is not the original piece and #2 I am sure there is at least 4 other people with that very same art piece. Art should be a reflection of you as the buyer, it should speak to you and cling to your soul and heart. A good art piece is one that you think about over and over again when looking to buy. Not just a piece that matches your area rug, couch, or throw pillows.

When you buy art and you keep thinking is this going to match with my furniture? One, you already started the process of art buying wrong. If you fall in love with a piece for any reason you should buy it, because original art is an investment. Your couch, area rug, and throw pillows will wear and tear, but your art piece should last you a lifetime of happiness. That every time you see that piece you can go to those happy memories in the back of your mind that you forget about, but as soon as you see that one piece they fill you up. You become warm and giddy, happy. There is a pleasant feeling that can not compare.

A painting is more than just a buy, it is an investment just like you invest in a camera to capture special moments in your life. The birth of your child, the warm embrace of a mother, grandmother or even the memory of a special place or smell. Playing sports with your father or grandfather. The love of your marriage all of these memories are captured by that one purchase of a camera and because of that one purchase you now have some special memories. This is how in art piece should make you feel.
See an artist does their best to be pure at heart and paint or sculpt what they know and who they are. Another tip when buying an art piece is to know the artist themselves, speak to them get to know why they choose to do what they do. Not all artist have the same story but they are willing to let you in. I know that as an artist it is nice to share to people what I do, and why I get up everyday with a determined mind to paint my life. Some people can relate to my work, others may not however that does not matter, what matters to me is if I can just make that one person have an emotional connection. I then know that my intention was not in vain.
I love creating art: abstract, impressionist, or even what I like to call the influence of street art. When I have pieces purchased or even hung in galleries and see the reaction of some of the viewers it just truly fills me up, because it makes me know that I was able to spark an emotion with out even knowing the story of the viewer.
See every single person has a story behind them, in plain day or sight we do not know it or cant even tell. However put that person in front of a painting that impacts them and you will see it slowly come out of them on its own. Art has a way of speaking to people in a way that no one ever can. Many of us are introvert and do not like people to see us broken down, excited or what ever it may be that is hiding. However for a brief moment when you stand before a painting that speaks to you nothing matters, you don't care if some one sees you smile from ear to ear, or shed a tear.
Those are the sentiments I mean when I speak about purchasing art, you purchase it because it makes you feel either; happy, stronger, or even more courageous.

Here is another reason why I create art (which is my #1 reason for doing so); God has given each one of His children a gift. Through out many years I was searching for what was His purpose in my life, what did He want me to do to serve Him foremost and then others. After many years and until recently it has become more clear to me that he wants me to be doing this. He wants me to praise Him through my paintings. I can honestly say that my mind does not relate with many other people, I say it because even my husband sometimes thinks "What are you seeing, what are you talking about, you have a wild imagination." When I look at the day and my surrounding I do not just think "oh there is another tree." No it goes beyond that, I see the detail or how God made everything so different. They all may look the same but go in deeper and you see the beauty of every different detail. Where you may think it is just an ugly branch, God created this tree which produces oxygen for us to be able to breathe, this tree gives us paper, can give us healing, food, so many resources come from that one tree. This is just an example of my thought process, and then my imagination comes into play when I begin to go deeper in my thoughts. I love having this because it helps me develop my love for Christ even more. See God uses the smallest things to speak to us, and when I can portray that in a painting and spark some ones emotions when they see it, then I know I have been able to serve God and then others. I see color, shapes, images forming in clouds. I don't know about you but when I was younger I would always do this. I would stare at clouds and would form different pictures in my mind. I would see hands, faces, houses, and even sometimes dragons forming. I know this may seem childish but in reality this is who I am and how I see things. God uses people to teach, act, read, sing, write, clean and etc. every job has a purpose and mine is to be a painter and serve Him. I even feel that a painting can bring emotional and even physical healing to a person, brighten their day and help them see that God is not done molding them.

Now with me trying to be more promotional about my art, I decided to create an Etsy account, I have thought about it for a few years now. Finally I took the plunge, I do not have every single piece up, because I want to see how it goes. For me this is a big deal because it is scary for me to have paintings up and not ever have one taken home, but I know I had to do it, I must put all fear aside and just wait to see what happens. Through this time of opening up my shop, I have also applied to some festivals, some volunteer projects and some other things. I am my biggest critic and it is hard for me when I have to wait to see what happens, or where I must turn next. However you must give to get so I spend hours searching for the next place to send my work, go store to store, gallery to gallery in hopes for the next opportunity to show. I literally will take a day and just walk to different places, take a night going through different Art applications and trying to document my work. It takes time but I am convinced that my day will come. I also recently partnered with a local charity that will be opening their doors soon for Hispanic pregnant women. The charity is "Manos Dispuestas" they will be giving education maternal classes and offering essential resources ex; bottles, pacifiers, diapers, wipes etc. I know that this will be a very beneficial charity for the community and one that I want to be a part of. So for every painting that I sell I will give back to this Charity in hopes that it will help fund for some of the necessities.
I am excited to partner with them and I hope that I will be able to give back.

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