They say that a dry creative period is usually followed by torrents of ideas and inspiration. Today, I've decided that is going to be true. Sitting in the studio staring out the window over a hot cup of tea last week, I again was in dire need of some sweet inspiration. I haven't really done anything to break out of my creative funk—no museums, shows, classes, although I have been spotted lurking around my favorite art blogs. I let out the usual heavy sigh and decided to check my email for that $20,000 commission that still hasn't arrived and found something almost a good!
Barbara Peterson, an artist whose work I greatly admire, had taken time to write me an email suggesting I market my artwork in alternative forms. She gave me a few websites to visit and shared some information about each. I'd been thinking about doing something like that, I'd even received more than a few suggestions in that direction from other artists and the a few of the wonderfully kind people who follow my blog—and thank you all so very much for doing so. I thought the bugs and floating faces might lend themselves to tee shirts, greeting cards etc. Barbara's email was the spark I needed.
Himself and I have had quite the day working out just how to create my storefront. And I must admit all of it wasn't fun, geeks can be such snobs sometimes. Anyway, we pushed through with the help of few glasses of wine and some great music. So far I've got two items in my store and plan to incorporate the Bug Series and the Floating Faces or Expressions in Graphite, depending on how sophisticated I'm feeling at the time, into whatever I think might suit them. I'm very excited.
Things always seem to pick up just when you're ready to carry them. I got a call from Lisa Ferraro, whose working with Micah Condon to give DailyPainters some visibility in the marketplace. She told me she had a great opportunity for me. And so it was! Turns out I'm doing a portrait of a pup that belongs to a local news reporter that's going to be featured in a TV spot for pet gifts!
I'm in the middle of a few Christmas commissions and certificate paintings, but the buzz of being busy, even with the pups as a distraction, really feels wonderful. I also think that committing to an actual painting a day, again, is on order. I've gotten timid, again. "Canvas Dread" I call it. When I first started at DP it was like making a speech every day. You were nauseous before you did it, nervous during the deed and thrilled when it was over. I need that again.
I'm very excited about all this and very grateful for the kind words and suggestions. The community online, if one could call it that, has been so incredibly supportive, helpful, illuminating and inspiring. The mind fairly boggles at the thought of...horrors... the loss of electricity!
