Tea Time #2

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information or to purchase.
Size: 12" x 12" x 1.5".
Medium: Oils on Canvas.


This is the second in what I am planning as a series of paintings of tea and teapots. I also began a painting on 140lb cotton paper today. So far I like it as a support. The oils dry a bit faster on it, which has its advantages. It will save buyers on shipping because it is lighter. The paintings will be in the folk art style and will include animals. I hope to have one ready to post by next week.

Happy New Year!

Tea Time - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Click title for more information or to purchase.
Size: 16" w x 12" h
Medium: Oils on Canvas


I'm excited about this little painting and hope to develop it into a series. Since I love tea and teapots, it seems only fitting.

Last week I became a member of the San Diego Art Institute Museum of the Living Artist. It is a wonderful space in San Diego's Balboa Park with many wonderful and fresh works of art. If you are not able to visit in person, the art may also be viewed on line at SDAI.

See you again after Christmas. Hope you have a wonderful holiday with all your favorite people around you.

Karen's La Jolla - NFS

Click image to enlarge. Painting not for sale.
Size: 8" w x 6" h
Medium: Oils on Canvas board.


Inspired by the fun of last week's mini landscape, I painted one for my sister-in-law for her birthday, which is in January. It depicts their home along with parts of La Jolla. Even though it is painted in an abstracted style, I think she will recognize what it is. I will buy a small table-easel for it so she can put it on her desktop if she chooses.

San Diego Landscape Miniature - SOLD

Click image to enlarge.
Size: 8" w x 6" h
Medium: Oils on canvas board.



Most of us have been perplexed at times over what to give a special person in our lives for Christmas. Something different. Something special. I have a friend who is so good at finding the most unusual and fun gifts for each person in her life, that I have often thought she could have a second career as a personal shopper. She thought of a very personal and unique gift for this person in her life. Why does it belong on my art blog? Because her idea was for me to paint a small canvas, incorporating his several San Diego homes in an abstracted style and that would be small enough to stand on his desktop.

I made many different sketches of how this might look and sent her some. Then we met in my studio over coffee, Christmas music and goodies to choose and then refine her favorite. Next, I transferred the sketch to the 6" x 8" canvas, mixed the colors, gave her a brush and set her to painting. My idea was that she would paint some parts and also add her signature to the finished piece for an added special touch. My favorite part of the painting is one of the areas she painted. It is the 2-toned, green triangle shape in the center of the painting. It represents a coastal estuary.

This project was so much fun from start to finish, that I started one for someone on my birthday gift-list.

Ukulele - collage - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 16" h x 12" w.
Medium: Oils and papers on canvas board.


As I wrote in Post #60, Bowl of Oranges, the collage, Ukulele, was inspired by a friend's invitation to hear ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. Ukulele has enjoyed a rise in popularity, much of which is probably due to Jake Shimabukuro himself. My friends up the coast are enthralled with their ukulele lessons and friends here are atwitter about Jake. For me it reminds me of my father, who liked to play it and we would sing to it together when I was little, or he would sweetly serenade me.

Two more paintings to see this week. Scroll down to Modern Folk Art Bouquet and Tea and Oranges.

Modern Folk Art Bouquet - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 16"h x 12"w.
Medium: Oils on Canvas Board


This piece was so much fun to paint. It came together smoothly and quickly using only the pallet knife in a spirit of happy adventure. And I love the way it turned out.

I little ahead of you this week, so there is one more painting to see. Just scroll down to Tea and Oranges.

Tea and Oranges - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 16" h x 12" w.
Medium: Oils on Canvas board
Date: November 14, 2007



I grew up in a small, coastal town in Southern California. In our backyard we grew oranges, lemons, peaches and avocados. Every room, including the kitchen had a view of the trees in our yard. In the morning our mother often made fresh-squeezed orange juice from our trees. The sunlight flooded our home and we were flooded with with happy times that left us with happy memories. This painting is a memory of breakfast and oranges and our happy life.

Bowl of Oranges - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 14" h x 11" w.
Medium: Oils of Canvas Board.



Posting a bit early this week for Thanksgiving. Still painting these smaller Outsider, Folk Art pieces and experimenting with eBay listing strategies. Ready and waiting to post and list are: another fruit painting; an abstract at night, and a collage ukulele. The latter was inspired by a friend's invitation to hear Jake Shimabukuro. As it turned out, I was sick and could hear only the clips available on Youtube. I knew the Ukulele had become quite the rage. And friends up the coast are enthralled with their lessons and everyone is talking about Jake. My own fond feelings for this shy little instrument are attached to my father, who used to play it and we would sing to it together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Home - Sold

Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Medium: Oils on Canvas.
Size:16" w x 12" h.



Last week I listed 11 paintings, in my continuing eBay listing experiment. Quite a few were little paintings listed at other times during the year that did not sell at the time. Of the 11, 8 sold and Bowl of Fruit (see previous post) will end Saturday.

Each was listed with a starting auction price of $.99. All but 2 were listed in the broad category of "self-representing artists" and using the keywords Folk, Outsider and or Pop art. The results? This is one example: The Red Bicycle, that did not sell last Spring at a starting price of $99.00 and then $49.00, was bid up from $.99 to $51.03. Is this due to timing?, the category?, the excitement generated by the low starting price and the race to win? It will take more experiments to know for sure. This time it had 110 views and 10 bids. It had only a fraction of the number of views in the earlier listings.

This week I am listing 2 new ones at $9.99. I want to see whether they have as many views, watchers and primarily, bidders and how this starting price effects the outcome. I will keep you "posted".

Bowl of Fruit - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 16" h x 12" w
Medium: Oils



Continuing to paint in the Outsider Folk Art genre and having fun with it. By next week I hope to have another update for you on my eBay listing experiments. I am conducting a number of them through this week. See you then!

Three Lollipop Candies - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size 10"w x 8"h.
Medium: Oils on Gessoed Board.



Continuing my eBay experiment painting Outsider, Pop, Folk Art and opening the auction at about $1.00 this week with Lollipops. Next week I will be doing the same but I am considering changing the category from the smaller "Folk Art" category to the much larger "self-representing artists" category, just to see what happens. To read the results of the Windy Day listing experiment, scroll to previous post, #56.

What makes art "art"? Who makes these determinations? People have been discussing this for ages and Marla Olmstead has painted her way into the middle of a flurry of discussions on the topic.

Marla is a little girl whose abstract expressionist paintings have sold for as much as $20,000. Some controversy has arrisen over whether to call her work "art" and even whether she finishes it herself. If you would like to see a video clip of Marla in action, click HERE. To see her gallery, click HERE.

Useful Link - eBay Listing Experiment

Updating my eBay listing experiment (see post #54). I decided in addition to listing in the Folk Art category, to open the biding at $.99 just to see what would happen. The upside is that with 101 views, 13 bids, 5 watchers and inquiries as far away as the UK, the painting received a lot more attention than usual. The activity was so much fun to watch. Coming to my computer to check on the listing was like rushing to the Christmas tree early Christmas morning to see the packages under the tree. And listing a painting on eBay for $.99 is considerably less expensive that listing at $99.00.

I realized too that in the Folk Art category, buyers are not looking for the huge canvases that Abstract Art buyers like. This means less money needs to be spent on canvases and paints, a canvas that is easier to work with in a small space, lighter to handle and lower shipping costs for buyers. On the downside, even with all the bidding activity, the closing price was lower.

Normally my auction listings begin at $99.00. I receive 1 or 2 bids, at the end of the auction, about 50 views, and from 1 to 3 watchers. So the lower starting price doubled the number of views (i.e exposure) the painting received. In the longterm,will exposure be more valuable than a higher price today?

On another note, if you are an artist, this may interest you. Some posts back I wrote about an art competition by Juriedartcomp.com.

They are now accepting entries into their 3rd Juried Art Competition. The theme me is “Modern”. The winner will have work published in the March 2007 Artists Directory, an ad section in ARTnews magazine. 2nd place will receive $100, and 3rd will receive 5 passes into future competitions.

The deadline is 4 pm Eastern Standard time, November 30th, 2007.

The Scroll - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size: 24" x 24" x 1.5".
Medium: Oils on Canvas.



As I follow my experiment of listing a painting on eBay in the Folk Art category at $.99, this week's listing is in the larger category of Art: Paintings; American 1950-now, also at the very low starting price of $1.00. I will let you know how these 2 experiments turn out in subsequent posts.

Windy Day - Folk Art - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 24" x 24" x 1.5"d.
Medium: Oils on Canvas.



Returning to the topic of Folk Art with this week's painting and Useful Link (scroll down to previous posting). There may be an advantage to selling Folk Art on eBay, which is that the category is fairly small. For example, today a search in the category of Original Abstract Oil Painting returns 6099 results to look through if you are a buyer. But for Folk Art Oil Painting, there were only 422 results. My guess is that this would mean more shoppers will see the paintings in the latter category, which increases the possiblity of selling the art.

Ueful Links - Contemporary Folk Art Paintings

Not only is Folk Art, in the form of paintings, difficult to circumscribe, but it turns out that there are more than a few categories of the genre. And the lines continue to blur between it, Pop Art paintings and Outsider Art. This brings me to this week's Useful Link about Contemporary Folk Art, which includes paintings, and the examples shown at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Click the link above to view these wonderful pieces.

At www.americanfolkart.com the description of Contemporary American folk artists is: They "share with folk artists of earlier centuries a strong narrative impulse, the use of figurative and representational forms that are highly abstract, an intuitive compositional strength, and a tendency toward the decoration and embellishment of a surface that goes well beyond necessity."

Red - SOLD

Click image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
Size: 36" x 36" x 1.5"
Medium: Oils on Canvas



Scroll down to the previous post to read about Edvard Munch and see a sample of his painting. Note the difference in the style of the painting in the link as oposed to his famous painting The Scream. His style was more peaceful after his nervous breakdown.

Useful Link-Edvard Munch

It is interesting to follow the evolution of style and focus in artists with a long enough career to do so. Edvard Munch said "If I do not know what to paint, I paint landscape. " (Maybe I should try that) Probably when most of us think of of Edvard Munch, we think of his painting The Scream and similarly styled pieces full of conflict and drama. But he also later painted peaceful and lyrical landscapes, such as the one in this link of Moonlight, painted in 1895, after moving back to Norway following a nervous breakdown. His work shows a marked difference in emotion in these later works. The pieces are still lively, but we no longer see the anguish. Edvard Munch is classified by Artcyclopedia as a Symbolist/Expressionist painter. He was Norwegian and lived from 1863-1944.

Portrait of a Girl

Click title to enlarge, for more information, or to purchase.
Size 25" x 31" x 1.5" framed.
Oils and Paper on Canvas.



Whew! Wasn't sure this post would happen today. So many obstacles today. How should this piece be classified: pop art, folk art, outsider art, abstract, semi-abstract or all of the above? When you list a piece on eBay, it has to be classified and it is hard to know where my art fits in. Scroll down to post #49 to read about pop art.

Useful LInk - Exploring Pop Art

Whether or not you believe that Pop Art is true art or not, it has made its mark. Following is the definition of this movement according to Artcyclopedia: "Pop Art--1950's to 1960's; Pop Art is a style of art which explores the everyday imagery that is so much a part of contemporary consumer culture. Common sources of imagery include advertisements, consumer product packaging, celebrity photographs, and comic strips. Leading Pop artists include Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Roy Lichtenstein."

Webmuseum, Paris says: "It is a moot point as to whether the most extraordinary innovation of 20th-century art was Cubism or Pop Art. Both arose from a rebellion against an accepted style: the Cubists thought Post-Impressionist artists were too tame and limited, while Pop Artists thought the Abstract Expressionists pretentious and over-intense. Pop Art brought art back to the material realities of everyday life, to popular culture (hence ``pop''), in which ordinary people derived most of their visual pleasure from television, magazines, or comics."

Click on the Useful link title to see some examples.

Still Life with Pomegranates

Click Image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended.
5" x 7"
Medium - Digital, Giclee



This picture that I made a while back on the computer was intended to be a sketch for a painting. But I liked it the way it was. And so it became my first piece of digital art, created on the computer with a mouse instead of a paint brush. As you may have guessed, I still have artist's block! But I did sketch a little bit last night. Maybe it's beginning to break.

Scroll down to post #47 to read more about digital art.

Useful Link - Digital Painting

What is Digital Art?

Wikipedia defines as Digital Art as art created on a computer in digital form. Digital art can be purely computer-generated, such as fractals, or taken from another source, such as a scanned photograph, or an image drawn using vector graphics software using a mouse or graphics tablet."

This week's post is a digital piece I drew and painted in Photoshop Elements some time ago,(Scroll up to post #48) which was drawn and painted entirely on the computer. I don't have a drawing tablet so the drawing was done with a mouse. This is a bit clumsy, but sometimes such a hindrance or limitation adds an element of unexpected character. Digital art seems to already have a following. Although many digital artists use photographic images which they manipulate into something new, it is also possible to draw and paint "from scratch" right into the computer.

Useful Link-Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

No paintings this week. Still dealing with creative block and low energy! My solution this week has been to paint something other than a canvas. Therefore, I freshened up the paint on my walls. I experimented with black on some smaller accent walls. That was fun and felt a little daring. Lots more painting to do too.

Some art items that may be of interest to you from ArtDaily.org:

"MEMPHIS, TN.-The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art celebrates Art Today with an exhibition highlighting the founders and some of the important gifts they made to the museum. Art Today, a support group of the Brooks, initiated the acquisition of contemporary art for the museum's collection.

When Art Today was founded in 1953 by Nancy Glazer, Mildred Hudson, Adele Lemm, Marjorie Liebman, and Dorothy Sturm, their goal was to promote "that which is historically significant in our time." These exceptional women were guided by their experiences as accomplished artists, teachers, and arts administrators. They worked towards educating the public about contemporary art, bringing the finest examples to Memphis through exhibitions, and acquiring important works for the museum's collection." Read full article. The photo with the article is an encaustic painting by Nancy Graves. To see a sampling of her art, click Nancy Graves.

Maybe I will have a painting to post next week...

Scroll down one entry to this week's earlier post on differentiating between folk art and outsider art. (art brut)

Useful Links: The Different Forms of Folk Art

Folk art painting is generally described as art with an almost childlike quality by artists with no formal training. It is usually free of ideas of what "should be". Therefore one might find a bird with four legs, a house that is placed or colored in a non-traditional way, much as a child might paint. It also often has a particular spirit of freedom or spontaneity and is not bound by rules of art. Many definitions of Art Brut, also known as Outsider art fit this description. However, this genre seems very often to possess a raw, psychological, chaotic quality too. And some people would say that this is an important element of Outsider art. I have also read, that in its purist form, the outsider artist is not at all concerned about selling the art or about making anything that appeals to others. Here are some links to art typically categorized as Folk Art and Art Brut (Outsider Art). See whether you see differences and similarities.

Ginger Young Gallery
Petullo Art Collection

September 11-Remembering - Not available

Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size: 36" x 36" x 1.5"



In response to a note from artist Steven Givler yesterday, (featured in blog post 29) in which he hoped I had overcome my creative block in time for today's blog, I replied: "The painting...is a complete departure. What a struggle this one was. It seemed to have an idea of its own and was not about to let me impose. Ironically, or not, I painted it on Sept. 11 and the memory of September 11 is what it is about to me. That was entirely unplanned. The painting is so raw and unlike what I normally paint. I think I like it, [It is so different though, that I am not sure] but I am not sure anyone else will. That's the scary part of posting on a public blog and auctions. It makes one feel so vulnerable."

The exercises I chose to use to work through the creative block were to paint anyway and to make a sketch of my idea and work from that. The painting barely resembles the sketch and I don't know whether I am passed the creative block. What I learned: Sometimes I need to let something happen; something that seems contrary to my style; something that may not sell; something that goes in an entirely different direction, whether or not it works out.

Also, beginning September 11, Artist Justin Clayton began painting his way down the coast of California. You can travel with him painting by painting on his blog at beachpaintings.net

Scroll down to the previous post to read about creative block and ways to overcome it.

Useful link: overcoming creative blocks

The painting I was working on for this week's post turned out to be a big (36" x 36" x 1.5") disappointment. After carefully applying the under layers until they looked almost too good to paint over, I proceeded to paint an entirely unpresentable piece over them. So I painted over the canvas again to prepare it for another attempt. And found I had no ideas. No inspiration. Even the art of great masters is leaving me bored!

I tried making some sketches but don't know how they will translate into paintings. I cannot tell whether they work or are boring. Furthermore, now I have only a few days to produce something new for the Thursday blog! After searching online for suggestions on overcoming a creative block, I came across these ideas at About.com that have worked for other artists to overcome a block. Click here to see what they did to usher in INSPIRATION

I guess we will know by Thursday whether these ideas help me! Let me know what has worked for you in the past.

Heaven and Earth - SOLD

Click Image to enlarge. Click Title for more information or to purchase.
Size: 22w"x 28h" x 3/4d"



Free art prints: Would you like a free art print?

All art images on my blog are available for you as free art prints. Print as many as you wish. Frame them, give them as gifts or make greeting cards. There are no watermarks or other symbols to mar the images. Please note, copies are not to be sold, but are for personal use only.

Printing suggestions: Resolution will allow a print up to 8" x 10" which will print on your own home computer.
1. Choose the image: Simply click on the image of the art you would like to print to create a separate, larger image.
2. Paper: I recommend using matte white brochure/flyer paper in bright white.
3. Printer Options: I recommend selecting the "borderless" option in your printer's software; the "premium plus" paper option, and "best" print quality option.
4. Print and enjoy.

Flowers of the Cliff-SOLD

Click Image to Enlarge.
Size: 40"h x 30"w x 1.5"d





Two paintings this week plus a Useful Link from EmptyEasel.com about selling art online. Both paintings posted this weak were painted over earlier pieces. You may be able to see remnants of Urban within the composition of Flowers of the Cliff. But no trace of Wild Tomato is visible in Olives.

Olives. Homage to Reyes

Sorry, bidding has ended. For more information or to purchase at Yessy Gallery site, click title.
Size: 24"x 30" x1.25"

Useful Link-Selling Art Online

I found an article on Emptyeasel.com about selling your art online. The article does not mention eBay, which I think is an obvious oversight, but other sites are mentioned and rated by traffic and compared by features and price. This is only part of the picture though. The more important statistic is how much of this traffic results in a sale. But these statistics are more difficult to come by. EBay makes some of this information available and if one is studius, a good amount may be learned. In my own experience, I still sell more from eBay than from Yessy. Although Yessy provides excellent detailed statistics about where the people are who are viewing my art and it really is fun when the people are from countries around the world. But they do not usually purchase from that site. In time, it may be that at some point eBay no longer dominates the online market. (Some of these other sites are much easier to work with than eBay.) But for now, it seems that eBay still holds the cards.

Evening - SOLD

Click image to enlarge has ended.
Size: 24" x 36" x 1.5"


August marks my one year anniversary of painting and listing art on eBay auctions! It seems more like a few months. To summarize the year: I am selling about half of my listings within 1-2 weeks on eBay auctions. That's about average, according to eBay statistics. To conserve space and funds, I paint over many of the pieces that are not purchased during that time period. The others are moved to the more expensive Yessy gallery site. So why not bypass eBay and go straight to Yessy? Because eBay has the traffic and an abundance of serious buyers. Over the year, the average selling price for my pieces has risen by about 65%, and are more likely to sell. I also confirmed that the larger the piece, the better for eBay shoppers and that abstracts do the better than other styles for me.

I may experiment with painting on large, rolled canvases soon. Some artists do this successfully on eBay, leaving the framing to the the buyer, who saves considerably on shipping but must still pay for framing. I rather imagine that buyers would prefer buying something that does not need to be framed and may only opt for the other when the artist is known, or they really must have a giant piece. But it is worth looking into. The largest pre-stretched canvases I use are 36 x 36 x 1.5 or 30 x 40 x 1.5. Even with my UPS discount these are expensive to ship and heavy and difficult to wield about while painting.

This week, rather than including a Useful Link, I am listing 2 paintings. Please scroll down to the previous post for Retro Fruit. It will be fun to see what changes take place in the coming year. Happy Anniversary!

Retro Fruit Still Life - SOLD

Click on Image to Enlarge. Click on Title to view at Yessy Gallery.
Size: 24" x 24" 1.5"



Painting #2 of 2 for this week.

Urban - Not available

Click Image to enlarge. Sorry, bidding has ended. This piece is no longer available.
Size: 30"h x 40"w x 1.5"d.

Some of the measures I have recently undertaken to drive traffic to my eBay listings seem to be working. If you are starting out as an artist on eBay, or know someone who is or would like to, perhaps these steps will help.
1. Set up an art blog (weblog) and post to it regularly, at least 2 times/week. I use Blogger.com, which is free, but there are others. Choose useful, pertinent keywords, including your name and, or eBay ID.
2. Include your name and or eBay ID in your eBay listing title and descriptions.
3. If you are not a trained artist, you may use the term "Outsider" artist in the listing title and description. This is a smaller category on eBay which means your listing is more likely to be seen.
4. Post your art on www.Yessy.com. Yessy receives numerous hits and your new listed pieces and site will show up on search engines giving you more exposure. On each new listing, I add my name, eBay ID and blog address. Yessy gets viewers from around the world. Some will click to the blog and some of those to the eBay listings. Adding my name to everything was another helpful suggestion of popular artist Justin Clayton, whose eBay listings each get more than one hundred views.
5. On your blog, include links to Yessy (or similar type of host), and to eBay.
6. Never put an outside link on your eBay listing. This is against policy and stands to terminate your listing and more.

To see how effective these steps can be, just for fun, type "S.Corey-art", or "artist Sandra Corey" into the Google search bar. This is one way of becoming more known, which leads to more sales.

For more on our continuing discussion on Minimalism, scroll down to post #35. Would love your comments on the topic!

Useful Link - More about Minimalism

Some interesting responses have been sent in about the minimalism topic which began a few posts ago. To read them, go to the comments section of this post. (This discussion has now lead to the topic of Conceptualist Art, which I will be exploring in upcoming posts.)

If we can classify some of Mark Rothko's work, who is condsidered and Abstract Expressionst painter, as Minimalism, do you judge his work to be compelling? Focus especially on the works that consist mostly of a few blocks of color. What about Frank Stella, who is considered the originator of minimalism? Here are a link to Artcyclopedia where you will see a description of Minimalsim and examples of Minimalist paintings. And a link, to Mark Rothko paintings.

Once again, are they too minimal or do they succeed?


Artcyclopedia
Mark Rothko

Wild - SOLD

Click Image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size: 36" x 36" x 1.5"


Please scroll down to the previous post for a continuing discussion of simple (minimalist) art and links to 3 minimalist drawings of Pablo Picasso. The idea of how far a work of art can be simplified, edited or "minimized" and still be compelling, is in itself compelling to me. Next week I will try to find some examples of the opposite and explore what makes complex art succeed too. Don't forget to leave your comments and I will see you again next week!

Useful Link- Minimal drawings of Pablo Picasso

This week I am continuing the discussion about simple or minimal art and what makes it work, or not. Those of you who offered opinions on Adolf Gottfried's work last week, were not terribly impressed. Comments ranged from "boring", "I liked some of it" to "I have a hard time thinking that stuff as "real art". So this week, I am looking at minimal drawings of animals by Pablo Picasso. These drawings are very simple. What do you think? Are they boring? Are they art? Would you enjoy them if they were hanging in your home? Thank you for sharing your opinions! Click on the links below to see the drawings.

Dog
Horse
Bull

Rush Hour

Sorry, bidding has ended and is no longer available.
Size: 24" x 24" x 1.5"


Must I post a painting when it is due whether or not I like the piece? Posting one's art does place one in a vulnerable position. There it is, out there in the ether for all to see! The question of what makes a piece of art successful is brought to Post #31 through the art of Adolph Gottlieb. His art is very simple and yet it works so well. At least that's what I think. I hope you will scroll down one post to take a look at it and leave a comment on the topic and let me know what you think.

Useful Link: Art of Adolph Gottlieb

Have you ever wondered how great art can sometimes be so simple? A few lines, a few shapes and something both creatively compelling and engaging is the result? The trouble is, that while the results look simple and easy it really is not easy to do successfully. While searching for this week's Useful Link, I came across abstract expressionist artist Adolph Gottfried (1903-1974). If you click his name, the link will take you to so some of his art. I like his work and I am curious whether you do.

After viewing it, please leave a comment on my blog as to whether or not you like his art and why. If you like it, what is it that you think makes it work even in its apparent simplicity? (To leave a comment, simply click on the "comments" link at the end of this post.)

Edge of Town - SOLD

Click Image To Enlarge.
Size 24" x 24" x 1.5"

I am enjoying working on these square canvases. This week the canvas is smaller, so it was much easier to handle. A few notes: I discovered a site on MySpace that may interest artists. It is a juried, themed competition with prize. This is the link. Speaking of MySpace, I am in process of setting up my page there. My nice cousin walked me through the steps and got me started. More exposure is a good thing! Lastly, in Useful LInk #27, I said that I had written to artist Matt Sesow to ask how he managed to become so successful as an Art Brut artist. He was kind enough to write back and an excerpt of his answers is posted in the comments section of post #27.

Scroll down to post #29 for this week's useful link on Steven Givler, another very accomplished, self-taught artist.

Useful Link - Art of Steven Givler

It was hard to believe, when I received this link from a family friend, that this is a self-taught artist. But Steven Givler, who began painting when his wife secretly packed some paints and paper in his bags as he was being deployed to the Persian Gulf, taught himself very well. Be sure to click on his California Central Coast link. You can see his work here.

Abstract In Greens and Blues - SOLD

Click Image to Enlarge.
Size: 36" x 36" x 1.5"


I just finished this painting moments ago. It's still wet! Handling these larger, heavier canvases when they are still wet is challenging. Each time I reposition them as I am working or move them from my small studio office to somewhere that enables me to stand back far enough to see what they actually look like, which is important to knowing what more the painting needs, I get paint on my walls, furniture, self (which leads to more paint on other, unnoticed places) and clothes, not covered by my apron. I really need to come up with a solution or start working much smaller.

Please scroll down to the previous post (#27) to read about and see paintings of a
successful Outsider (Art Brut) artist. If you are an untrained artist, it will encourage you.

Useful links: Matt Sesow, Sussessful Untrained Artist

I was thinking today about how possible it really is for an untrained artist to become recognized and accepted by galleries. Researching on the internet, I came across artist Matt Sesow who did just that. He has been shown in galleries, been featured in numerous magazines and paints and sells prolifically. I just wrote to him to ask how he managed all that. If he responds, I will share what he says. In the interim, I do know this much: In 1995 Sesow sold 14 paintings in one afternoon on the streets of Georgetown (It would be interesting to know how he decided to price them and what size they were); the first time paintings by Sesow had ever even been seen in public. He also signed a five year contract to be represented exclusively by an art agent who bought some of his paintings that day. He has been painting full-time since 2000, and represents his own work now. His work is very raw and direct. What do you think of his work? Click Matt Sesow and take a look.

If you are an aspiring and untrained artist, I hope it encourages you as much as it did me.

Little Family - Collage - SOLD

Click image to enlarge.
Size: 40 w x 30 h.



Another collage for this week. It is not the strongest category on eBay, unless the artist is listed or otherwise well-known. But as it is one of my favorite art forms, I am using it anyway. This one is done in a primitive, folk art style, which goes way back to the 1970's for me, when I was making fabric wall hangings.

Please scroll down to post #25 below for this week's useful link on artist Romare Bearden. His collages are exceptional.

Useful Link - Art of Romare Bearden

Romare Bearden is one of my favorite artists. And his collages are especially compelling. Quoting from his biography page: "Romare Bearden's life and art are marked by exceptional talent, encompassing a broad range of intellectual and scholarly interests, including music, performing arts, history, literature and world art. Bearden was also a celebrated humanist, as demonstrated by his lifelong support of young, emerging artists." To see a few of his dynamically creative pieces and read his biography page at the Romare Bearden foundation online, click here. Once in, click on the tab at the top of his page that says "art & life".

Bowl of Green Apples

Sorry, bidding has ended. But you may still view or purchase this painting at the Yessy Gallery site. Just click on the Title!
Size: 13"w x 25"h framed.
Collage.


This week I have 2 new pieces, both of which are collages. The first is a contemporary interpretation of a Bowl of Green Apples. This one might be considered "Pop Art". It is mostly oils painted on papers and canvas with the apples mounted on spacers to create the relief. The apples stand out from the canvas at varying heights from between 1/8" to 1", with one being painted on the canvas. This one could have been finished 2 weeks ago but it was taking especially long for the oils to dry on the canvas which prevented my placing the collage pieces on top. It's still not quite dry!

Please scroll down one post to see Gift for Africa, a charitable auction, and two posts down for this week's useful link. I think you will love Alexander Calder's work in this link.

Gift for Africa - Aid Relief Donation

Sorry, bidding has ended. But you may still view or purchase this painting at the Yessy Gallery site. Just click on the Title.
Size: 19w x 25h framed. Glass removed for photo.
Collage


100% of Profits (total amount over $24.99) will be donated to World Vision for African relief projects.

For this week's useful link to artist Alexander Calder, please scroll down to July 4th link (post #22)

Useful Links

Please take time to visit this link to Alexander Calder. This innovative painter and sculptor of modern art which often floats in space, is credited with inventing the mobile, something we deem almost ordinary today. His are definitely not ordinary. Click on one of the options on his home page to view his many works.

His works may be seen in person at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago July 28, 2007- April 2008. "This annual exhibition includes examples of Calder’s mobiles, stabiles, drawings, and paintings made from 1927 to 1968. Highlights from the show include the whimsical stabile Bird, constructed of coffee cans and tin to form a playful creature and Snow Flakes and Red Stop mobile resembling a gentle snow flurry."

Please let me know whether you like to have one week's worth of posts sent in one mailing or whether you would like them sent as they are finished in real time.

Wild Tomato

Sorry, bidding has ended. But you may still view or purchase this painting at the Yessy Gallery site. Just click on the Title.
Size: 30"w x 24"h


Sorry I'm late! Lost internet connection for a couple days. No useful links this week. See you again next week with something new!

L's Colors - SOLD

Click image to enlarge.
Size 30"h x 40"w x 1.5"d



As mentioned in last week's blog post, in this piece I used the colors a friend specially requested. Accommodating specific requests in a painting can be challenging. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. I will let you be the judge.

For this week's useful links, scroll down to the previous post to read about our top-selling living artists.

Useful links: Most Popular Artists

I found an interesting article published out of Brown University in 2005 about the most popular living artists. Popularity in this study was based on the selling-prices of the art. To be included on the list an artist must have sold a single piece of art for at least one million dollars, according to auction results. Eight artists are on David Galenson's list, which includes Robert Rauschenberg and Cy Twombly. To read the complete article click Galenson. Since I think David Hockney is among our greatest living artists, I was surprised he was not named. Especially since his painting The Spash sold for $5,389,152 at Sotheby’s in London on June 21, 2006, only one year after the Galenson article was published. It was one of eleven works to achieve record prices at Sotheby’s Evening Sale of Contemporary Art. I love that these great artists are being appreciated so much during their lifetime.

Tomatoes II- SOLD

Click Image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size: 24" h x 30" wide. Framed.



I painted another tomato piece this week in response to a customer's request. Since I love tomatoes and love painting tomatoes and was planning to paint more soon anyway, I was very happy to oblige. For next week, I plan to paint an abstract in purple, gold and blue, in response to the request of a dear friend. This is a more challenging undertaking so we shall see how it works out!

Scroll down to the previous post if you would like to read the update on lath framing.

Lath Frame Update

No useful links this week, but I do have a followup to the Friday, May 25, 2007 blog about lath frames for those readers who are artists and collectors looking for a simple, attractive and inexpensive way to frame a pre-stretched canvas. Here is what I have learned so far:

My lumber source was Home Depot. In the molding and trim isle, locate the 3/8" x 1 1/4" x 9' Finger Jointed clear pine strips (Item # CP 433 FJ). These are $.52/ft. in my San Diego store. (If you prefer the non-finger jointed strips, they will be closer to $.90/ft.) The strips have a slight curve along one side, which I chose to use on the front of my frame. FYI, this product is grown under the Forest Stewardship Council AC.

Tomatoes 11 was framed using this product. The canvas is only 5/8" thick but I think the frame gives it quite a bit more heft and presence and a nice, finished look. A 1.5" thick canvas would have cost about twice as much, minus the cost of the lumber, is heavier to handle while painting and costs more to ship. Here's how I made the frame.

1. Measure the height.
2. Measure the length. Add 3/4" to allow for the 3/8" thicknes of the lath. Add more if you want to float your piece in the frame. Note: If you float your painting, a small bit of the nails will be visible.
3. Cut 2 pieces of each size. I did all my cutting at Home Depot in the molding and trim isle, where saws and tables are set up for this purpose. They will also cut it for you with the power saw if you prefer. I did that once and there was no charge for the cuts. Lightly sand the raw ends to smooth. Don't sand much or you will alter the measurements.
4. Stain or paint each piece on all sides. (tip: staining is messier and takes longer to dry. I plan to try painting with an acrylic wash)
5. When dry, using fine wire brads (or similar, small, fine finishing nail) about 5/8" long, nail the width pieces to the top of the height pieces, using 3 brads or nails/end.
6. Place painting face down on a clean surface. Lay frame over painting. Use 1" long, fine wire brad or finishing nails to nail frame to canvas stretcher bar at about 1" and 3" from each end, or as you see is needed.

Don't use the frame as a handle for carrying the painting. Use the stretcher bars or the picture hanging wire that is attached to the painting.

If you have comments or suggestions please leave them in the Comments section of the post. Thanks!
Thank you to my artist-friend in New Mexico for saying even the 1.5" thick pieces look more finished when framed with simple wood strips, which started me on this investigation.

Abstract with Orange - SOLD

Click Image to Enlarge.

Just a reminder, the useful links for this week are in the preceding post.

Useful links

This Week's Useful links:
If you are, or will be in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area between now and September 2, 2007, consider visiting this exhibit of Jasper Johns wonderful art prints. Per The Franklin G. Burroughs-Simeon B. Chapin Art Museum: "Jasper Johns, one of America’s most revered artists, has been credited with two major feats in the art world: as the artist who paved the way from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art and Minimalism, and as the creator of the highest-priced work by a living artist sold at auction (his 1959 painting False Start sold for $17 million in 1988)"... MORE

Abstract with Red

Click Image to Enlarge.
Size: 36"h x 24"w



Please scroll down to previous entry for this week's useful links. I am experimenting with posting those separately to keep up with good blogging practices! Thanks for visiting and looking forward to seeing you again next week.

Updates

No, it is not Thursday again. But I am posting to my blog. As I read more about how blogging works and what makes it effective, I find it is important to make at lease 2-3 posts per week and to update the tags accordingly in Technorati. So, since I have some useful links to share, I will add those as the update.

The first link is to an article about the importance of blogging and where I read about the above-referenced information. If you have something to say concerning your life or your business, it seems blogging about it can help a great deal to make you or your product known. Blogging increases traffic. This article is from StartupNation, an information site for entrepreneurs.

If you are an artist, painting on larger, 1.5" thick, pre-stretched, gallery-wrapped canvases, you have noticed how costly they are. Most artists selling in this size category on eBay do not frame these pieces, considering that the painted sides are sufficient and the thickness provides enough presence for their art. But here is another idea that was spawned by an artist-friend in New Mexico. She feels that they need the frames and was looking for simple frame called a butt-strip frame or lath frame. I could not locate pre-cut strips, but I think the lath materials can be purchased at DIY centers. The strips should be about 3/8" thick and as wide as you would like your art to appear to be deep. I got to thinking that if these are simple to make one could purchase less expensive 3/4" thick canvases that are stapled rather than gallery-wrapped and give them the dimension they need with the lath. The result would be a professional-looking piece for a fraction of the cost. I am going to try this out and will post the out come. In this link about DIY framing you can read a bit more.

Thinking in Pencil - SOLD

Click Image to Enlarge. Bidding has ended.
Size: 8"w x 6"h



This week's useful link is to ArtDaily, The First Art Newspaper on the Net. Includes museums, exhibits and artists. This is an inspiring and informative site. If you are an artist I think you will enjoy this site!

Planning to paint an abstract for next week. See you then!

Red Bicycle - SOLD

Size: 18"w x 14" h.
Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.



This is one of two postings for this week. Please scroll down to see the second listing too.

Did you notice the new blog title and URL? It has been changed to reflect more accurately the way I have been painting. The new title and description are a combination of reader suggestions. The new title does not limit me to abstract art, which, although it is still a favorite, is one of many styles I enjoy.

This week's useful links:
Art classes are available online. Click here to read more:
Virtual Painting Classes
Be aware of the effects of various artists' materials on health. This article will help you select materials wisely.
Read about the scientific reasons that art is good for you

Mrs. Onstad's Grapefruits - SOLD

Size: 8"h x 8"w.
Click image to enlarge. Bidding has ended.



I met a friend at an art museum last week. She brought me oranges, lemons and grapefruits from her mother's trees. I sliced open a grapefruit and began painting an interpretive still life of the fruit. It had a wonderful fragrance and when I finished the painting, I enjoyed eating every juicy bite of it. This week's painting is of Mrs. Omstad's grapefruits.

Mother's Day Tomato

Size: 7"w x 5"h.
Not for sale. Click to enlarge

This Thursday I am posting 2 paintings again. Be sure to scroll down to the second post to see the other painting and this week's useful links. And once again they are not abstracts! Perhaps I can argue that although they are not abstract on the outside, they are on the inside? I am still awaiting reader recommendations for a new blog title that describes more than abstract art. One reader agreed with my idea of "interpretive" art. What do you think?

My mom loves tomatoes. She grows them in pots in her patio garden. But since she can eat them only sparingly, due to an apparent allergy to them, she mostly grows them for me. I love tomatoes too! In honor of my wonderful mom and her love of tomatoes, I painted this little painting for her kitchen. Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Ice Plant

Size: 7" h x 5"w.
Click image to enlarge. Click title to purchase at Yessy Gallery

Painting #2 Reach

I noticed a small patch of ice plant on my walk. This is such a common plant in my neighborhood I had not paid much attention to it. But this day I was struck by its humble beauty. It seemed not to notice that it was common and reached its arms to the sky as though in an attitude of worship, thankful for another day to enjoy being ice plant.

The useful link for this week: Watch short clips of artists Duane Keiser and Hall Groat painting recent works in this YouTube link. Click on a painting. This will start a video clip. Each lasts about 4-5 minutes. If you are learning to paint, it is helpful to see how these artists work. If you simply enjoy art, they are still inspiring and fun to watch.

In support of local artists: I love to see the various venues artists use to express their creative talent and making a living with their art. At Never Settle Designs artistic talent is applied to the walls of homes. It's another way to add art to your home!

Out of Egypt I Called My Son - SOLD

Size: 30"h x 40"w x 1.5"d.
Click image to enlarge.

This week I am posting 2 paintings: This abstract piece (the title of this blog is, after all Weekly ABSTRACT Art) and an impressionist piece, (if that is even the correct term). In spite of my love of abstract art, I find myself drawn to a bit of realism lately. Not totally realistic, but impressions of realistic forms that focus on the spirit of the object. The abstract piece sold before I had a chance to post it to the blog, but it appears here as part of the diary. Cup of Tea, the impressionist painting listed below in the second of this week's two blogs, is on auction at eBay.

I am very excited to share this week's useful link. Whether you have plans to travel or to enjoy more of your own city, this link is to a wonderful online resource called ARTCYCLOPEDIA
that lists art museums worldwide. Search the guide by artist, continent, museum, title of work or art movement and the guide will take you there. Click on any one and see what is currently showing in your city or any in the world. Take a brief online tour of the museum and then make plans to visit and see wonderful art!

Cup of Tea- SOLD

Size - 7"w x 5"h
SOLD - Click title to enlarge.

This is the second of 2 paintings being posted this Thursday.

A few of my closest friends live in other cities. But between visits, we still enjoy having tea together while visiting over the phone. A recent telephone conversation over tea with a dear friend who lives up the coast with her wonderful family, inspired this painting.

As you can see, this still life is the non-abstract piece of the two being posted. A friend emailed me this morning and said I should change the name of my blog because abstract art is non objective and I am including objective art. In an earlier post, I asked readers to look at a link I shared that labeled art styles by movement and to suggest a new title for my blog based on that information. But perhaps it would be better if I re-title it with a name that encompasses all forms of art. What do you think? What if I simply call it "interpretive"? Try leaving a comment about it on the blog.

The useful link for this week is included in the other posting for this week, Out of Egypt.

Still Life Flowers

Size: 18"h x 14" w.
Click image to enlarge. Sorry, this painting is no longer available.

It seems I have produced another post-impressionist-folk art-style painting for this week. (Actually, I painted an abstract too but I think I will wait until next week to post it.) More Subscribe button changes: It's back to the email screen version. It seems simpler and emails subscribers only when I want it to instead of each time I make a change to the blog!

This week's useful link is about salesmanship. This article is about selling your art, but shares helpful principles that pertain to selling in any venue.

This week's challenge to you: Try leaving a comment. It's easy to do. Just click the comments link at the bottom of this article and leave a thought behind.

Modern Flowers - Not available

30" h x 24" w x 3/4" d
Click image to enlarge. Click title to purchase at Yessy Gallery:

Welcome to this Thursday's blog. Maybe I need to change the title of my blog since I am painting in more styles than just abstract. Here are some official definitions of artistic styles classified into art movements: After reading through these, I think I fall somewhere into the Post-Impressionism, contemporary Folk Art and Abstract or Abstract Expressionist styles. Or, perhaps I should declare a new style title and call it "Interpretive"! If you have an opinion, please click the comments link to share it. To read about how to market your art on line, click here for an article by The Artrepreneur. After testing each link suggested in the article, I noticed that some are either not functioning or are not applicable. But enough are that the list is still worthy of publishing here.

Back to the Subscribe button again. This issue was the first to go out with the official button using google groups. I thought it would be sending the full blog. But it seems to send only the newest posting. I'm not sure I like that. What do you think? Would you like to receive the entire blog, or just the newest posting?

If you are an artist or entrepreneur looking for hosting solutions, Brian Buffell at Web Design City has done a great job for me. He hosts my home decor website, Nowhere Else On Earth. It took me a long time and several disappointing experiences with other hosting companies to find this one.

See you next week!

Tomatoes - SOLD

24" h x 30" w x 1.5" d.
Click title to enlarge: SOLD

About the "Subscribe" button. My neighbor Paul, www.cooljerk.com, and artist Justin Clayton, www.justinspaintings.com, kindly sent all the necessary help and instructions needed to choose between and implement either the Google Groups subscribe button or the simple email variety. This week I will be trying out the Google Groups version.

I hope this week's links encourage you to explore painting and to show you that it is possible to earn an income from your art. About.com has some informative articles, including this one on how to paint abstracts. For inspiration, read this eBay art-seller's success story.

Next week, watch for a link to an article on the value of artist's blogs and how to get one started.

Exodus - SOLD

Size: 30"h x 40"w x 1.5"d
Click to enlarge: SOLD.

It's Thursday again, and here is another abstract painting, right on schedule! I still am struggling through the setting up of this blog. I really want it to look and function like daily painter Justin Clayton's. What an inspiration! He has done much to help other artists promote their art by sharing his marketing/internet savy. But I may be beyond his reach. Oh well. I will keep trying to understand it and hope eventually to have it look and function like Justin's. If you would like to see his paintings and even watch him paint one of his daily paintings, go to
www.dailypaintings.blogspot.com
If you have a web site and need SEO, Kip did a great job for me. (He designs too) www.kipives.com/web

Aaron's Staff with Angels - SOLD

Size: 24"h x 30"w x 1.5"d
Click image to enlarge. Click title to purchase at Yessy gallery

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