Happy New Year! Where to begin.

Although this book is advertised as a "guide to self-promotion" -it is really so much more than that. I know we artists would love to just sit in the studio and create all day long (letting someone else take care of the business end) - but, there really is more to "being an artist" than that, and (as the author states) YOU are the best promoter of your art. If you are one of the few artists that doesn't care about selling, promoting or showing your art - this book will still help you get organized and focused on just what it is that you do want to do with your art. The author, Alyson Stanfield, is also an Art Business Coach and offers classes, workshops, and other tips via her website http://www.artbizcoach.com/ I'm using the book as a guideline to begin 2009. Check it out!

Okay, so where do I begin? I thought I would start the new year by finishing a painting I've been working on for nearly a year. I'm at the "putting in the details" part of the piece - the part I always enjoy the most. This is an Egret, walking through some muck in the canals at Venice Beach, CA. 16" x 20", oil on board

I'd also like to begin the design concepts of a new painting. I was watching a show on Polar Bears and there was a scene where the bear was casually walking by a herd of walrus, looking for any possibility of an easy meal. I took this photo from the TV screen.

You can barely see the polar bear in the background. Of course the Walrus were frantically trying to move away, difficult to do though as they were packed together pretty tightly. What I'd like to capture here is the nonchalant stroll of the bear, AND the frantic (fear) of the walrus. So, the overall focus of the piece would be the "emotions" it generates, and not a focus on one animal over the other. Can I do this? Stay tuned!