How Do I...?

One feature of this blog will be informational posts, this is the first installment. Probably one of the first questions that I considered, when deciding to pursue an art career was... How do I make money?? Can I only earn money from selling canvases to galleries or are there other outlets for my art? Well a great site called Art Bistro (they are owned by Monster.com) has a good article on just this topic. Gwenn Seemel, a portrait artist has a informative and detailed blog post on how she makes her living, as an artist. Having this type of information has helped to allay some of my fears.

Inspirations- Haiti

We all have seen tragic images from the devastation in Haiti. The outpouring of aid, physically and financially has been amazing. As someone from an island country, I feel a special kinship with other islanders. Viewing these images has made me want to paint something, so I have been collecting pictures from various websites. While I don't know what to paint right now, I will definitely paint something. I came across a Miami Herald story about the lost of culture and art caused by the earthquake. This story underlines how much is lost in this type of disaster.

Learning from the Masters

So you want to be an artist...now what? One of the first things I did after making my decision was research. Whenever I have needed to learn something new, I start to read, find experts and experiment. With the advent of the internet, we have access to information in any and every area imaginable. I checked out artist's websites, researched supplies and located classes. One of my first goals was to get some formal art education.

Education not only opens doors but provides you with the knowledge to go through those doors with confidence. It has taught me how to interpret, cook, remodel and parent. Now, I needed art lessons, but I did not know where to turn? Art supply stores and vocational schools give classes, but these are more for the hobbyist/amateur. Local museum and art centers are a good community resource. Depending on their size and location, the classes can range from beginning to college level in scope. Colleges and design schools are a great option for professional development and career changes but can be prohibitive from a time and money standpoint. This might be something I will look into down the road.

An artist friend of mine recommended I check out the Worcester Art Museum, she had taken classes there previously. The selections were numerous, diverse and affordable. There were classes offered at night and during the day. I chose Blogging your Art, Painting in Oil and Acrylic and Marketing you Art. Each one of these classes will not only help me make the next step but also give me a lot to blog about.

Encouragement

During a brunch, at my house, a friend asked where I had gotten the painting over the sofa. I told her that I had painted it, and she asked me if I could paint something for her. This was an amazing moment for me. Even though my family (especially my husband) has always been supportive, unsolicited positive feedback from unrelated people really gives you a boost of confidence. I painted this for my friend's new house.
This painting and other supportive voices were what I needed to start this new part of my life. Hopefully it will be a successful journey in many ways.

Turning Point

As I said in my first post, I have always loved art. Sketching was my main artistic outlet, but I express myself through sewing, interior design and cooking. About a year ago when our remodeling was near the end, I felt the urge to paint. I got two scrap pieces of MDF (medium density fiberboard), some latex house paints, my old paint brushes and just started to paint. The painting on the left is the result. My husband loved the painting and took it to hang in his office the next day.

The next thing I painted was for our livingroom; I wanted a large piece of artwork behind the sofa. I had not found anything that I loved or what I loved I couldn't afford. So I tried my hand at painting something. This time I used canvases and some acrylic paint mixed in with latex house paints. It looked nothing like the inspiration picture, but I liked it.

As you can see from my pictures, photographing art is not easy. That is another thing that I have to learn. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share your tips and techniques.

New Beginnings

I have decided to pursue art full time. Wow that was harder to type than I thought it would be. Growing up I had always loved drawing and even took some art classes, one summer in high school. I never thought that I could be good enough to make a living as an artist. Now, many years older and hopefully wiser, I have decided to explore the possibility. This blog will chronicle my journey, as I make the leap and try to turn a lifelong hobby into a profession.