Many artists get caught up in the idea of painting the ideal scene.  They study the masters, buy the materials, research the classical ideas on compositional balance and then come to a quick stop when a couple days of work don’t stand up to their imaginings.  Their unfinished painting then sits as a glaring reminder of their ineptitude.

Painting requires persistence and faith that eventually you will turn it into something pleasing.  I have rarely not finished a painting I have started.  It has happened that I have virtually painted over the whole thing and begun again but I doggedly persevere.  Even if the end result is nothing special, there is value in having another painting complete.

I always read Robert Genn’s twice-weekly emails about art and painting.  His analysis of two painters really struck a chord with me so I’m sharing it here.

clicks.robertgenn.com/two-artists.php

You’ve peered closely, stood back and snuck around the corner to view your new painting with fresh eyes and finally put the last dab on the canvas. Shew, what a nice feeling. Time to kick up your feet with your favorite beverage? Hardly. Working artists know that finishing a painting triggers a series of additional steps that must be completed before another painting may be contemplated.

First of all, is the painting really finished? Have you signed it? Have the sides of the canvas been painted? Even though I usually use oil paints these days, I use acrylic to paint the sides since it drys quickly and thus makes it easier to move pieces around. You may think that the sides are going to be covered by a frame anyway so why bother, but I believe in maintaining a high level of professionalism for the entire piece. Also, have you written/painted the details on the back? It is recommended that you put the name of the artwork, your name, the medium, your location and the inventory number on the back of the canvas. This will ensure that no matter how far your painting travels or how many frames are changed, it will be clear from whence it came. Adding the date on the work is becoming frowned upon since it hinders older work from being sold in galleries.

Now to get organized. I mentioned the inventory number above. Professional artists are encouraged to produce as many works as possible in order to have a chance at making a living. It becomes a numbers game of having enough work in enough galleries. This also means it can be an organizational headache. As a painter, if you are producing the ideal of two pieces a week and have work in say 10 galleries in different states as well as work in shows, you need a system of keeping up with everything. I have used a spreadsheet, which lists the pertinent information for each painting including date completed, how many hours it took me, price, exhibitions, varnish status, frame cost, gallery and buyer, among other things. The inventory number on this sheet becomes the crutial link to this information for years later, when you have painted a dozen tulips but you need to figure out which one was sold to whom. There are also software programs like Xanadu gallery’s ArtTracker.

Next we move on to Marketing. Most artists just want to stay in their studios and forget about organization and marketing but without these steps, how will anyone know about your art? Photography gets the ball rolling. I have a decent point and shoot camera, which I have used to take pictures for my Web site for years. Until recently, I have taken my paintings five at a time to a professional photographer as well(Joel Conison in Atlanta). Fortunately, my husband now has a super camera which allows me to take 300dpi resolution pictures on my own. Some competitions require 300dpi and one should always keep a high resolution image of your work in case it needs to be replicated down the road.

Manipulating photographs requires proficiency in Photoshop or similar software. I do some brightness/contrast and color adjustments first. Then I save the original size and make standard large, small and extra small versions for my Web site, eNewsletter and printed portfolio pages. The Web site requires that I create a new page for the painting and another for the enlarged version. Having all of the painting data on your spreadsheet can facilitate this process. I happen to know html but there are many sites out there now for maintaining an online portfolio including WordPress.

With the new pages presented on your Web site, now you need to get the word out. I use Constant Contact as my email program. I don’t like to overwhelm my fans with email so I choose to send out new painting announcements every couple of months and show the latest in bulk. I have a template of information that must be updated each time and it often spurs me to update other things on my Web site as well. For example, I wouldn’t want someone clicking on my Events link on the eNewsletter only to find that it is out of date. So, I spend some time adding upcoming show information before sending it out. As a matter of fact, my last email roused me to produce this blog post. Not all of my friends and family members are on my email list, so I also like to post new painting announcements on FaceBook, both on my personal page and Bayberry Fine Art page.

Now that your Web site is in stellar shape and your close fans are sending you accolades regarding your latest work, you need to cast the net wider. There are so many online marketing tools out there now, that it can be daunting but you should make an effort to have a presence on at least some of them. Many email programs help out by automatically posting to Twitter. Additional tools that can earn you more subscribers are sites like Glossom and Pinterest. Glossom lets you make visual collages of your work. I made a collage of all of my greenish paintings, for example. On Pinterest, I made a board for flower paintings and included links to my own work as well as other artists I admire.

So can we get back to painting now??? Well, you might want to make high quality printouts for your portfolio at Kinkos, update your Mobile Marketing site and iPad portfolio and make a run to the framers…or set that all aside for another day so you can get back to the joy of putting paint on canvas. There is always more that can be done but when it comes down to it, you must continue to keep painting as the priority. All the marketing in the world won’t help your business if you don’t have enough to sell.

I hope this was helpful. Please feel free to ask me any questions or post other useful information.

One of the things galleries look for when assessing an artist is whether they have a recognizable look. When paging through a portfolio, they want to feel a sense of continuity and a coherent style.

There are a lot of great pastel artists in Atlanta but whenever I see Evelyn Breit’s work, I know it is hers. She does a great job of marketing herself and it seems like I keep seeing her pieces everywhere around town. This is what many artists strive for.

When I started doing my macro photography-inspired flower paintings, I felt like I was doing something new and different. I’ve since seen some other artists that are in the same realm (although, never quite the same). I also started to realize that my work is caught between contemporary and traditional realism. An artist friend gave me the advice to push the boundaries a bit further toward contemporary. I needed to define my own style even more. This led me toward adding more open expanses of color with a smaller distinct area of detailed focus. I’m enjoying exploring this angle and hoping that galleries and collectors will too.

What can you do to make your work unique? Another entrepreneurial friend of mine pointed out that anyone in the South would be likely to recognize the work of George Rodrique…or the Blue Dog artist. Collectors buy up his simple but charming pieces and there is no mistaking it.

If you don’t want to stick to painting one subject…like dogs or cows…every day, there are other ways to make your work more distinctive. One artist I know always uses a sharp red and teal in her compositions, no matter what it is. Another has started creating painted frames around the scenes that blend in and out. Others use a set pallet of distinctive colors so that whether they are painting a still life or a landscape, they’ll all look like a set.

Have you defined your work enough? Do you have a signature element? Can you push the limits of your creativity a little further and find that thing that will set you apart?

How do you know when your painting is finished?  This is a common question posed by artists at all levels. Sometimes a painting goes smoothly and I accelerate to the end in a type of creative euphoria.  Other times, I’m not so confident and I dabble here and there, wondering if I’m heading toward the best end.

Fortunately, I’m a member of the Atlanta Fine Arts League, an exclusive 30-odd member group of painters who meet to critique each other’s work.  I look forward to these critiques and work extra hard to make sure I have a couple paintings to share.  Each month we meet at a different member’s home and bring a dish to share, potluck style.

After much chatting and catching up, we settle down in front of a lighted easel and turn our expertly critical eyes on each canvas.  This process has
helped me find my way out of several creative blocks.  Oftentimes, just seeing my canvas in a different setting makes weak points stand out. Simply being further away from the canvas for a change helps as well.  And of course, the comments from the members, both good and bad are assessed and contemplated.

I don’t always agree with everything suggested since everyone has their own style preferences. However, there are always some gems to keep in mind for later. One thing that comes up is value.  What looked dark and distinct in my studio suddenly looks pale and muddy. I often feel like I’ve used a wide variety of colors even in a “white” painting, but our critiques show me that I could add at least one more dash of bright color.

If you don’t have the luxury of having a local critique group, you may want to carry your piece to a friend’s house. Set it up on the mantle, walk around the house and then take another look with fresh eyes.  You may be surprised at what you see.

When I started painting seriously again several years ago, I wondered how long my enthusiasm would last. I have always been a creative person and thus dabbled in all sorts of art forms. I gained much pleasure from seeing my graphic designs printed on silk or seeing my clay necklaces lined up on display. I wasn’t sure if I had anything significant to add to the genre of painting. There are so many painters in the world. Wouldn’t I just be one more, lost in the din? However, I soon found that the high I felt after completing a painting resonated long after the paint had dried and pushed me on to start another.

The Finnish National Gallery had an exhibit a couple years ago called, “Art Ecstasy,” and explored the reasons behind why some people get jittery around art. Artists were quoted giving examples of when they had felt short of breath in front of art that inspired them. I can attest to this. There is a certain type of art that really pushes my buttons. I can be nonchalantly making my way through a museum, my mind wandering to my afternoon coffee fix, when a piece of artwork strikes a chord. I then feel a physical rush and the thumping of my heart. My eyes eagerly take in the colors and textures and search the room hoping there are more in the same vein.

What is it about this style of painting that gets me going? I definitely feel a quickening when in the presence of greatness, whether it be the great masters or an unknown local artist with exceptional technique. However, there is a certain style that is like visual speed to me. It is often the pre-impressionist period in the late 19th century. Most consistently, the sweeping whites and dashes of poppy orange in John Singer Sargent paintings inspire me. This style can also be seen in numerous Russian landscape painters like Isaac Levitan. I love the snowy white scenes with wispy birch trees, wooden sleighs and bright sunshine. I also recall feeling all abuzz in the Krakow, Poland museum. I didn’t recognize any of the artists but so many had the quality I love. In Nancy, France, I was treated to the large canvases of Emile Friant. I love the natural realism of his work and how the intense detail of the subject stands against swift and blurred background images. So much of the art in Sweden’s National Museum was breathtaking. Anders Zorn is a painter many artists list as inspiration. His painting, “Midsummer Dance,” is a favorite. Hanna Paul’s “Breakfast Time” has such wonderful light and selective detail.

There are so many canvases that I could list. I have been fortunate to have seen some of the world’s best with my own eyes and this has led to my own eagerness to recreate the beauty of life in paint. Like a runner’s high, I want to push the limits of my ability again and again and then sit back and enjoy the warmth of satisfied accomplishment.

I’d love to hear which painters or paintings get your heart racing.

The world is full of wondrous places and I’ve been fortunate to see many of them, but there have only been a handful which literally took my breath away. A recent article regarding Michael Klein’s art (American Artist Jan 2011) included his statement, “There are things in life that seem beyond descriptive ranges of verbal language.” I think this is a main purpose for many painters. We are inspired by something our eyes have seen and we want others to feel the same emotions.  There are three places I’d like to reminisce about here that left me wide-eyed and temporarily halted my breath.

The Island of Capri, Italy
After a long train ride down the coast of Italy, we took a late night hydrofoil from Sorento to reach the Island of Capri. As we approached the island, it appeared as a sparkling jewel floating on the water and we were already mesmerized. After disembarking in the small harbor, we took the funicular up the side of the mountain and came out in the center square of the town. We suddenly felt like we were in another world as we walked through the glittering narrow avenue of chic boutiques. We left this area behind and followed the lit path as it wound through tall hedgerows and then steeply plunged to our little white hotel below.

The morning brought bright sunshine and and we giggled as we looked out at the blue expanse below our balcony. But with all of this beauty, we were still not prepared for the scene that awaited us. Energized, we walked back up to the center of town, now crowded with shopping tourists. The hill is steep before you reach the main square so we took our last steps slowly with heads lowered until we approached the small archway leading to the square. As we lifted our heads, we saw a view framed within the arch that was truly right out of a master painting.  A valley swept away from us and then a mountain climbed steeply up to the town of Ana Capri. Blue sky with wisps of white cloud surrounded us. Although we stood there for several minutes, we couldn’t take in enough of the beauty and wondered if our eyes could ever get used to this delicious scene.

Pisa, Italy
On another trip to Italy, we stepped off the train in Pisa on a cold December night and walked through the town. There was a Christmas market and we slowed to pick up some handmade wooden decorations and hot cider. We hadn’t made any hotel reservations so we continued on towards what the map had indicated as the historical area. We seemed to be getting close when we made a quick stop for gelato. As we licked the creamy ice cream in the street, we asked the owner of the shop where the tower was and he said, “There.” We both looked puzzled and squinted into the night. “Where?” we both intoned. The man led us a few feet further into the street and pointed, “There!” At once we saw it and gasped. The leaning tower of Pisa was lit up brilliantly in the night and was indeed leaning precariously. No post card image or television documentary can prepare you for how the tower appears to your own eyes. Walking to the top on steps worn smooth by generations of tourists and then walking around the small top as it seems to want to pitch you off is another treat for the senses.

Santorini Island, Greece
Most people visit the Greek islands in the Summer when bikini clad tourists and night clubbing youngsters abound but we arrived in late November. The island was quiet and we only saw locals moving about as we took the bus from the larger town of Thira to the cliff-side village of Oia. Athens had been quite cold but we found that the warm Mediterranean water made it so we could walk around without jackets. We never thought we would find our “hotel” with all of the narrow walkways and constantly ascending and descending stairs. Finally, we turned down a walled lane and stepped into the tiny courtyard/balcony of our cave apartment. Below was what looked like an alien landscape of whitewashed adobe pathways and pastel pink and blue little homes built into the cliff. Blue water and black lava islands stretched out to the setting sun on the horizon. What was this place? We asked ourselves. Who are these people who actually live here every day? Does living amongst such intense beauty do something to you psychologically? We laughed as we marveled and marveled again. Later, we would also witness the spectacle of watching an approaching storm march toward our little island, with lightening strikes and gusts. We took shelter in our snug cave dwelling, pulling stray dogs in after us. What a sight to see.

I have many landscape scenes in mind to paint some day. So far, I’ve painted the view from our cave in Oia. However, there are so many more wonders I would love to share like the “table cloth” mist over Table Mountain in Capetown, South Africa. The wide cobalt sky over adobe and wood houses in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Walking into the misty San Marco square in Venice at midnight. Sitting at the edge of the escarpment looking down into the cradle of humanity in Kenya. Seeing Mont St. Michel rise like a birthday cake out of the flat French farmlands. Or, driving through the expansive green and purple moors of Yorkshire in England.

Where are my brushes! Would it be possible to have someone gasp in front of one of my paintings?

I read a statement from an artist recently (Berin Engman, American Artist, Feb. 2011) that rang true with me. “I like to imagine French painters taking to the streets to protest in support of slow art—much the way chefs champion the slow food movement.” Art consultants counsel us to crank out hundreds of paintings per year in order to become financially successful; impressionism has outpaced realism in current painting; and trends like Daily Painters crack the whip on artists to produce small canvases in a matter of hours.

Unfortunately, I am a slow painter and I don’t seem to be picking up speed over the years. I can spend 50 to 75 hours on a canvas, which leaves me with a small stack of work at the end of each year. Is this wrong? Did I find my own style only for it to be impracticable? Vermeer only painted a couple paintings per year. At least I have him beat. I like to think that I am following his lead however, in that he sought to create masterpieces. I want my work to be portfolio worthy, not just something that will sell at the next small works show. I strive to communicate the image in the highest terms I am able.

I am also personally drawn to detailed images. When I select an image to paint, it is because I find its natural beauty so compelling that I want to sing it to the world. I am not satisfied by painting loose images, which are only mere references to the form and color of the thing. I want to get inside the flower and really see what makes it awe inspiring. This takes diligent effort and layering of colors…painting, pondering, adjusting, looking again, and working toward the truth. As Giorgio Morandi (1889-1964) said, “You can travel the world and see nothing. To achieve understanding, it is necessary not to see many things but to look hard at what you do see.”

Perhaps I need to do some Daily Paintings to help me speed up my technique. Heck, I wouldn’t mind selling a few little studies and paying for some frames. But for now, I’m not going to worry about my painting style. It is my own and I enjoy the process. Each night I get into the zone and the hours flow by. You just can’t beat that feeling.

So like the chef who chooses just the right heirloom tomato from a local farmer and simmers the sauce all day until it is rich and full of dense flavor that dances on the tongue, I will continue to slowly enhance each of my paintings with the tenderest of care. I will be ready when collectors begin clamouring for slow art.

London has an overwhelming number of sights, attractions and museums so even a collection which has over 4000 paintings gets overlooked by most tourists. The Guildhall houses the collection of the City of London and was started after the great fire of London in 1666. Twenty-two judges were tasked with deciding on property boundary disputes, which was often quite a laborious process. In thanks to them, portraits were commissioned for each and these were the first paintings housed in the Guildhall. The city collected works over the years regarding city events as well as non-commercial subjects.

There is a significant collection of Victorian era art, including Pre-Raphaelites, which features paintings by artists such as Millais. The centerpiece of the largest gallery is John Singleton Copley’s huge painting The Defeat of the Floating Batteries at Gibraltar. I particularly liked the large painting by William Logsdall called The Ninth of November, which features a remarkably detailed view of the Lord Mayor’s procession in front of the Bank of England. The golden coach is reflected in the wet streets and each face of the footman and people in the crowd is distinct.

There is a very nice portrait of a young Queen Victoria in 1838 by Sir George Hayter and then a remarkable painting of her Diamond Jubilee Service held outside the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1897. The Queen sits upright in her carriage and throngs of crowds are in attendance including bleacher seating on the top of surrounding buildings.

I really enjoyed the room with a selection of Pre-Raphaelites like the red-haired beauty by Rosetti, La Ghirlandata, 1833 and The Three Princesses 1881 by Edward Matthew Hale. There are also some fine Tissot’s like the bright, Too Early scene of a ladies and musicians in a ballroom caught as if in a snapshot.

Don’t be surprised if you do not see some of these paintings when you visit. Of the 4000 in the collection, only 250 are displayed at one time. The tour guide said that she has noticed paintings being switched even between tours so you are sure to see something new each time you visit. This gallery is lightly visited so you will be able to enjoy viewing the collection without a crowd. Like the Wallace Collection (which I have previously written about) it is certainly one of the hidden art gems of London. You will also find the remains of a Roman amphitheater from about 200AD in the basement which were discovered when the art gallery was being rebuilt in the 1990s.

After you have completed your tour of the gallery, walk across to the entrance of the Guildhall so you may have a look at the building which has been the seat of commerce for the city since 1411. The Medieval-style great hall is quite impressive and was one of the few stone buildings in the area to survive the great fire, although the roof had to be replaced. You may also go down to view the crypts with their beautifully vaulted ceilings.

While you are in the area, you may want to visit the Museum of London, the Bank of England Museum, the Barbican art gallery and of course, St. Paul’s Cathedral. This would certainly keep you busy for a day and provide you with a walk around some of the more modern areas of London.

This walk will take you from Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace and offer up some of the finest art in London. You will need to get an early start to get it all in since there are three parts to the Buckingham Palace tour. However, if you run out of time, don’t worry, they will allow you to return another day with your ticket.

Apsley House is located at the Southeast corner of Hyde Park and just outside Hyde Park Corner Tube stop. Number One London is the former house of the Duke of Wellington, who is most famous for his victory over Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The Duke was an avid art collector, which can be seen in the rooms of Apsely house. Paintings by many famous artists are hung throughout the first floor, many of them part of the Spanish Royal Collection which came into Wellington’s possession after the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. The collection contains some 200 of the finest works of art in London. It is a treasure trove of pictures which originally belonged to the Hapsburg and Bourbon kings of Spain, and which were plundered from the Spanish royal palaces by Napoleon Bonaparte’s brother, Joseph. A colossal nude statue of Napoleon by Canova dominates the stairwell at the centre of the house.

Among the famous pictures on view are Velázquez’s celebrated The Waterseller of Seville and Goya’s renowned equestrian portrait of Wellington. Other works include Italian painters such as Correggio and Giulio Romano, and works by Spanish ‘Golden Age’ artists including Velázquez and Murillo. The general bought important 17th-century Dutch paintings, as well as a series of French and British portraits of his famous contemporaries and battle-scenes depicting his victories.

Throughout his military career, the duke was presented with complete services of silver plate and porcelain as thank you offerings from grateful nations. Many of these can be seen in the Plate and China Room. Don’t miss the Sevres porcelain with Egyptian designs.

When you’ve finished with Apsley House, take a look at the Wellington Arch and cross over to Green Park where you can walk along a wide path that parallels the road Constitutional Hill. Buckingham Palace will start to appear on your right. If you are in need of refreshment, you can get a coffee/tea and snack at the outdoor kiosk in the park. Now cross over and go around to the far side of Buckingham Palace, which is on Buckingham Gate road.

Buckingham Palace consists of three attractions. You can buy tickets separately or all together at the ticket center. Further down Buckingham Gate is The Royal Mews, which features the royal carriages. You will be able to see the actual carriages used for coronations and weddings plus some of the royal horses.

The Queen’s Gallery is the second attraction. This gallery is a permanent space dedicated to changing exhibitions of items from the Royal Collection, which includes a wide-range of treasures. I was fortunate enough to view the exhibit of paintings and mementos from the Victorian period, “Victoria & Albert: Art & Love.” The exhibit illustrated the deep love the two enjoyed and displayed gifts given to each other. For example, Queen Victoria had a large painting done of The Prince Consort’s favorite greyhound, Eos as a surprise present. It is a striking portrait of the elegant black dog on a red background. The Queen also commissioned the most talented watercolorists of the day to document their lives together. She insisted that each be the same size so she could put the illustrations of state events, balls and their travels all in large albums. These images are extremely detailed and little masterpieces in themselves. Who needs a digital camera when you have your own army of watercolorists on hand to paint your world! I had recently watched the film “Young Victoria” so seeing this exhibit really gave me an intimate feeling of their lives together.

Finally, the last stop for the day is to pay a visit to the Buckingham Palace State Rooms. The flag on the roof tells you whether the Queen is in or not although your ticket does not include a royal audience with her Majesty. However, I was excited enough to enter the back courtyard entrance and stroll through halls that have seen royal families come and go since 1837. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to live here. On your tour you will see the ball room, throne room and where extraordinary Britains are tapped on the shoulders to become knights of the realm. I was pleased to see a new Vermeer, “A Lady at the Virginal with a Gentleman,” in a long hall of masterpieces including works by Rubens, Hals and Rembrandt. My favorite room in the palace was the music room which overlooks the lovely back gardens leading to the lake. Mini orange trees flavor the air and the lattice ceiling has motifs of thistles, roses and clover, symbolizing the three areas of the British Isles: Scotland, England and Ireland.

As you exit the palace, you can choose to stay a while and take in The Queen’s view while having some tea on the back patio. And before you leave the last gate, make sure to get your ticket stamped so you may return for free within the next year.

After over a week of gray, misty days in London I was surprised to see a clear blue sky on my way to visit Kew Gardens. Perfect timing! However, since it was only the first week of February, I wasn’t optimistic regarding the available specimens to photograph other than the snowdrops. Snowdrops there were, by the thousands, as well as carpets of crocuses opening wide to the warm sun. I saw some naughty geese munching away at the fresh flowers. All the shrubs and trees sprouted forth in concert and I had plenty to keep my camera busy.

Of course there are also the indoor exhibits in enormous glass enclosures. I don’t tend to shoot orchids but I had to stand in wonder at the multicolored gaudy towers and arches. I was able to find some other interesting leaves and budding plants in the temperate house.

With 300 acres of land, it takes a full day to get around the place. I was there for four hours and didn’t even get to the furthest areas. Perhaps next time I should bring my jogging shoes. I was so enamored with the huge vine sculptures of pods and natural forms by artist, Tom Hare. I would love to learn how to make them.

I made a large circle walking amongst amazing old trees and discovering little hidden gardens. I also climbed up to the tree top walkway to take in the view. There is a very tall pagoda that I could see in the distance.

My most surprising find was the Marianne North Gallery. The Gallery first opened in 1882 and is the only permanent solo exhibition by a female artist in Britain. Miss Marianne North lived from 1830-1890. She was an intrepid traveler and avid painter with boundless curiosity about her surroundings as illustrated in her 832 paintings on exhibit. I marveled at the thought of a single woman traveling to 17 countries across 5 continents at that time. She painted 1000 species, many of them unknown by botanists. She was able to name many of the plants she encountered herself. Upon her return to England, she designed, arranged and funded the building of a gallery to exhibit her paintings within the Kew Gardens. She was rewarded by a special thank you letter from Queen Victoria.

I would have loved to have met this extraordinary woman and perhaps painted alongside her in some remote jungle in Java. It must have been a challenge carrying back all of those canvases. I have a hard enough time carrying one canvas back on an airplane!