Apr 24, 2018

Another Exciting Direction

For artists who create their art as more than a hobby, they need to spend equal time creating as well as being their own marketing agent. It is definitely a lot of work.
Some artists are lucky enough to have "artist agents" to work at promoting their art. There are huge licensing events held a couple times a year for these agents to do just that.
Trust me, most artists would love to have a licensing deal on their resume.
But...if you don't have that type of representation, the job gets quite a bit harder.
I'm now here to tell you, do not be discouraged!!!
As I've just discovered, if you keep at it, you can in fact make one of those deals happen on your own. I'm not saying an agent wouldn't have made it easier or maybe gotten more deals....but YES, I've just gotten one of those deals myself!!!

Torn Paper Paintings images are now licensed with a national greeting card company!
Contracts are signed, first collection of images have been chosen, and cards are being cataloged and produced as we speak.  I'm so totally excited 🎈 🤗 and quite proud of myself too I might add.

You may start seeing some images coming from me that seem a bit "out of season" because the card industry works on winter images during the spring/summer. I think I can get used to that. It's not bad to work on flowers during the long cold months of winter....I often do that now. Maybe some of the newest bird images will show up for spring 2019!!
When the cards are created and I get my first samples I will take a pic and give you more details then.
For now, I just wanted all those artists out there who have no representation but themselves to know that they too can make it happen.
It's easy to get discouraged....but hang in.
Wonderful things are waiting for you!

Mar 8, 2018

Thinking Spring

Living on the coast of New England, we've just gone through our second nor'easter in a week.
Luckily, our little area got more in the way of buckets of rain rather than the many inches that other areas received.
Sump pumps everywhere working overtime and many locations have been without power for days now.
I consider us very lucky since our power never went out and we have a generator in the event that it did, so our sump pump would be able to keep going.
With all this, I'm still trying very hard to think "spring".
Some days it seems very far away, but with daylight savings time happening this weekend (spring ahead) I'm hopeful.
So, after watching numerous blue jays playing outside by the bird feeder, I decided I needed to do another Torn Paper Painting of one. This time I did one in flight.
Love the way it turned out.
Hope this painting helps others to keep "thinking spring".

Jan 30, 2018

a MAN

Yes....my first "merman"!
I've been interested in trying to make one for a while now since I've done so many lovely mermaids. I've discovered that the male version is a bit more difficult to do.
Being a female, I of course understand the form much better than the male. I wanted the merman to look strong and manly. However, as I soon discovered, just the very nature of the creature makes that rather difficult.
When you add the flowing tail to the male upper body, it had no choice but to soften the being.
Oh well, I can settle for now for a good looking "somewhat" strong male version and hope to learn more as I go.
Stay tuned for more to come I'm sure.
Oh yes...and if you have any ideas for some good male names for them, let me know.

Jan 14, 2018

New Year...another new beginning.

2018...where does the time go?

Once again I'm trying to look at it as a brand new start. Crossing fingers that it's a year of great new things in store.

Last year there were a few fun trips that happened.
In Jan. of last year, you may remember, I went with my daughter to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show. She was working the show for her company and afterward, we spent a few extra days and enjoyed the town and visited the Grand Canyon. What a great time that was and so nice to have had that mother/daughter time together.
In May my husband & I spent a lovely extended weekend in Vermont, first visiting friends, then just time together. Fell in love with the sweet town of Chester.
Then in Nov. we I also got away for a short trip to New Orleans. What a blast that was, and one bonus was the chance to finally meet an art friend in person for the first time that I'd known "online" for years!! Such a fun city and always full of surprises!
This year....who knows were we'll go!!

As for art, I've certainly been busy with my Torn Paper Paintings. While the economy has seen better years for art sales, I've kept positive and continue on...making and marketing my art as best I can.
I'd certainly love to find an additional art gallery or two as well as maybe booking more workshops.
It would be a win/win to travel & do workshops in other locations since I enjoy both so much.
Hey, if you have (or know of) an art group or venue who sponsors visiting artists for workshops...contact me.
I'd be happy to see if we can arrange something.

I've also had the opportunity to create a whole new website this past year. Check it out... www.TornPaperPaintings.com.
Let me know what you think. It's a new format that much easier for me to keep up to date and change as I'd like. The previous one was much harder to use.

Well....being a brand new year along with being in the winter season right now, it's time to start working hard on those goals.
Time to get lots more art created, research galleries, and get more of the word out on workshops.

Being your own rep. makes it difficult sometimes to do it all...create & market...but we're on it!!!

Stay warm, and think of spring and new beginnings!!!