Artists Helping Artists Radio Show - Listen for my Advice on Selling Art on Etsy

I was invited to be one of the Artists on a radio program called "Artists Helping Artists".  Along with two other Professional Artists, we will be giving tips and helpful hints on sucessfully selling Art On-Line.  The program will cover two major venues - Ebay and Etsy, discussing the pros and cons of both sites, helpful pointers on getting started on the right foot, and how to build your business thru networking, blogging, and utilizing the best of what each site has to offer.

(And don't worry...I have promised not to sing OR swear OR talk over any other guest OR use sarcasm. I know what you're thinking...so, I'll be muted the whole time?!?)

The program will air on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artistshelpingartists Thursday February 24th at Noon EST.   Have questions? A success story?  Want to request a song? (think long and hard about that...I paint, but I can't sing!) Call in at (646) 915-9243.  Miss the show?  Listen anytime on demand.

And while I'm here...just finished this new drawing on modeling paste!  This might be my favorite in the series so far.

What's happening in the studio...

Wow I feel like I've been going a million miles a minute lately!  Even now I am rushing...but I want to share a few things that I either recently finished or are in progress, so you know I'm REALLY busy...not just ignoring my poor blog :)

I have two big announcements to share in the near future, so please...stay tuned!

And if you have bee WAITING for some mini, affordable art...check out my art magnets in my Etsy shop!

Imagination or interpretation? Where does your Art come from...

I am wondering if most artists can fall into one of two categories - Imaginative or Interpretive.  A loose definition...Imaginative Artists build their work from within, based on passed experiences, images in their mind, colors and textures that flow naturally.  Interpretive Artists need a reference source - a live model, a photograph, a landscape, a still life.  The artist can Interpret the inspiration any way they want, but it still has to be physically in front of them.

I am debating about this because I definitely fall into the second category.  I have tried to create work based on books, dreams, ideas...but they never seem to become fully fleshed out a realized.  I always admire art created by those who can just let it flow from their imagination to their fingertips, it comes out right from their subconscious onto the page, and is as real as anything else.  If you put me in front of a model, a photograph, a still life, I can turn it into anything I want, in many different ways - realistic, abstract, painterly, whatever!  But I can not just "come up with" an image.

What kind of artist are you? Imaginative or Interpretive?  Do you think most Artists fall into one category or another?

Just finished...from a photo I took of the live model..."The Center Ring", charcoal on textured panel

Drawings and Paintings from the live model. Two weeks to catch up on!

Where does the time go?  How did I get so far behind...

Last Wednesday we had a fantastic male model for our evening group.  After a round of gestures that left all of us exhausted from trying to draw as fast as we could, catching every twist and turn and muscle and shadow, we slowed down with a 20 minute drawing.  These are all charcoal on white 14" x 17" paper.

We then moved on to a tricky pose where our model was lying on his back, but his torso was lifted and twisted, as he reached above his head with one arm and held on the his ankle with the other.  It looked awesome, and there were some amazing shadows, but once we realized he was losing all feeling in his shoulder we moved onto another pose!

We ended the evening with a classic standing pose, amazing lighting, a great time to just slow down and capture all of the subtleties of light and shadow.

This week we had a lovely female model who also warmed up everyone with a series of two minute gestures, then we worked on a 15 minute pose.  This is nupastel on brick red colourfix paper.

We ended with a 2 hours pose with lots of drapery and a warm spotlight.  This is a 9" x 12" panel, acrylic paint.  I totally neglected her front leg, so that's first on my list to resolve.

After class the model and I worked together for a few minutes, playing an adult version of "dress up" with an awesome red tulle crinoline I found at the antique store and a sassy black and white striped vest I found at a consignment shop.  Along with the picture I took of the ballerina last week, I have about 13 new drawings in my head...I can't wait to get started!  A preview of the outfit...