Jay Raymond Art

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 02:23:00 +0000

Revelry, Jay Raymond, Oil on panel, 30 x 40 inches

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 02 Mar 2019 22:19:00 +0000

Jay Raymond, Leap and Rise, oil on panel, 30 x 40 inches

In a previous post this image appeared as a digital painting. This is the final piece in oil. All of my current works, including this one, begin as abstract compositions drawn in a 3.5 x 5 inch sketchbook. There is no preconceived idea about what the image will be. Instead, I begin with a few lines and begin playing with forms to develop interesting positive and negative shapes. My natural inclinations sometimes emerge in hints of figurative or landscape elements, but many times there's really no obvious references to those, and the image becomes an exploration of interesting ways to divide space and experiment with color effects. I like to use color harmony and dissonance and effects such as simultaneous contrast to infuse energy and vibrance. Josef Albers' Interaction of Color is a recent re-read for me, and while it was once simply required reading during my college art days, it is now very interesting and relevant to me and my current focus.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Feb 2019 20:09:00 +0000


Jay Raymond, Spring Glory, oil on canvas, 36 x 72 inches

This large piece began as a small 2.5 x 5 inch drawing. Through an analog to digital to analog (let's call it the ada technique) approach, I employed the latest digital tools for development of the color composition on an iPad and output the final digital painting to an inkjet printer for reference. Using a digital projector, I enlarged the digital painting directly to the canvas for transfer using pencil.

As I was working through this process, I was recalling the old master techniques David Hockney discussed in the book Secret Knowledge. In that book, Hockney's extensive research led him to conclude that artists such as Caravaggio, Velazquez, da Vinci, and others used lenses to create their masterpieces. It is fascinating to think that the old masters were using optical technology in the 16th and 17th centuries, and that they would likely be using all of the modern tools available today to aid in producing their work.

Referencing both the inkjet print and the original digital painting, I carefully mixed colors for application to the canvas. The paint application is not completely flat. I've been experimenting with the use of enough medium to help the paint flow off the brush while at the same time retain detail from the bristles of the brush. In many areas, there is an intentional, subtle textural pattern that is only noticeable upon close inspection, but helps to imbue a little bit of a shimmer to the colorful surface. It's pretty, but it sure makes photographing the artwork challenging.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 04:50:00 +0000

To Fly, 2018, Digital Painting

In my previous posting, I mentioned the many sketches I've created over the past several years that I've intended to develop into large paintings and sculpture. As I continue to experiment with ArtStudio and iPad as a digital painting tool, I'm finding that I'm able to quickly work out many possible variations on composition and explore color combinations. This is one of 16 versions of this theme. There are several I'd like to execute on canvas including monochromatic versions that I've not developed as digital paintings, but live in my head. I admire Frank Stella's work in the 80's where he was working out interpreting Moby Dick. His use of line and application of color was on my mind as I developed this version of the theme.

Recent Experiments - Digital Paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 05:16:00 +0000

Recently, I've been experimenting with using digital tools to develop quick abstract compositions. These compositions are really meant to provide a space within which I can test color schemes for large paintings. I've been creating small drawings over the last few years with the idea that they will ultimately be translated onto big canvases and even sculpture.

Sketchbook drawing

I might have over a hundred of these sketches that are explorations of line, shape and form.

Many of these are related to the figure in some way, even though I begin each one without an idea of what the resulting image will be. Rather, I begin with a line or shape that interests me and build upon that to develop a balance of positive and negative space and movement. Suggestions of a figure, or figures, often emerge unintentionally. As a composition grows, the figure, or simply parts of a figure might suggest themselves. Mostly, I'm interested in creating interesting shapes that are related to each other within the plane of the image, striking a pleasing balance while at the same time creating tension that evokes a feeling of movement.

The bottom image is an example of a painting on paper completed a few years ago. You can see the relationship of that composition to these more recent images that make use of larger forms instead of the conglomeration of smaller shapes. The color treatment makes use of layered, textural application,

Amalgam, Acrylic on Paper, 18 x 24

which is similar to what I'm utilizing in the digital experiments.

The digital approach to painting is not new, but for me it has been legitimized by David Hockney who has been prolific in his output of digital work using computer, iPhone and iPad. If you haven't seen any of his work, you really need to check it out.

Cloud Study

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 17:06:00 +0000

Cloud Study, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 06:11:00 +0000

Carlos Creek Winery Painting Completed

I finally completed the large vineyard painting I'd been working on for the owners of the Carlos Creek Winery in Minnesota. This is 24 x 36 inches, acrylic on board. As can be seen through the vivid green of the field and foliage, this is the peak of summer with the sun fully lighting the landscape. It was a glorious day to be wandering the grounds enjoying the many interesting views of vines, trees, amazing skies, and the occasional company of the winery dogs. They are definitely favorite characters at Carlos Creek. Within this painting are many interesting sub-compositions I might end up using as references for other paintings or for some printed products. Here are a few:

Carlos Creek Winery - ACEO Oil Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:39:00 +0000

Carlos Creek Winery, Oil on paper, 2.5 x 3.5 inches

It's been a while since I last painted with oil paints, but I finally purchased a nice set of Winsor and Newton tubes from Dick Blick in Edina, Minnesota. I love these paints so far. This is a small study in the ACEO format. Oil on paper, 2.5 by 3.5 inches.

View of the Winery - ACEO Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 05:09:00 +0000

View of the Winery, Acrylic, 2.5 x 3.5 inches

I built a pochade box and wanted to test it out in my studio before embarking on a field-trip. The pochade box is small and very light weight. It's perfect for small paintings in the 5 x 7 inches range. It should be easy to pack into the field for plein aire sessions. This small painting is the first to come off the pochade, and it's based on some photo's I took last summer during a research trip for a larger commissioned piece.

Mondavi Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:54:00 +0000

Mondavi Winery, 11" x 14", Acrylic on canvas

I recently completed a commissioned painting of the Mondavi Winery located in Napa Valley, California. The person who commissioned this piece gave it as a gift to her son to commemorate his wedding anniversary. Photo's were mailed to me, and I supplemented them with research I conducted to better understand the layout of the facility. The Mondavi Winery is one I've visited with my family, but it's been several years since I was there. Working on this painting brought back some fond memories.

Below are some of the ARTifacts related to creating this composition. The challenge for me was to provide enough of the architecture to sufficiently describe the buildings. Although it was difficult to clearly decipher the architecture from the snapshots provided by the client, a little research resulted in enough references that I was able to create a decent representation. Folks that have visited the winery will recognize it, I think.

New Work in Progress - Carlos Creek Winery

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 02:54:00 +0000

I'm currently working on a larger vineyard painting for a Minnesota winery, and while I don't really like showing something that's not yet finished, I thought I could show a small part of this piece in progress.

For me, there's a period during production where I really can't stand the work, and there are thoughts of abandonment and starting over. At this point in the piece, I'm emerging out of that phase kind of with one foot in and one foot out. There are areas that are starting to sing, but most of it is a fingernail on the chalkboard. At least I'm starting to feel the image, and design directions and decisions are becoming more clear.

The next phase is the momentum phase in which I'll really start to make progress. Areas that are now ambiguous and weak will begin to resolve.

Green is a very challenging color to work with, and this particular landscape is tough due to the fact it is dominated by very similar greens. I'll be departing from reality a bit in order to provide for a stronger composition and avoid monotony. This day was a very bright and glorious summer day. Foliage on everything was in full maturity, and it was GREEN. Variety in the finished piece will result from purposefully pushing and pulling the green hue to create subtle ranges of warm and cool, thus imparting depth and movement. That is my goal at least. We'll see how successful I am.

Carlos Creek Winery, Minnesota - ACEO Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:01:00 +0000

I'm currently working on a large painting for the Carlos Creek Winery in Minnesota. I've completed a number of small studies based on photographs I took during last summer's research trip. (Of course, I had to research their wine, too! It's excellent, by the way.) My studies have included pencil drawings, composite photo manipulations, marker drawings, and small paintings. This particular image represents an area of the winery not included in the larger piece I'm completing, but it's one of the many beautiful areas that exist at the winery. It's my first try at working in the artist trading card format. It's a whopping 2.5 x 3.5 inches!

Relief Printmaking with Foam Plates by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 06:12:00 +0000

Relief Printmaking Lesson - Foam Plate Method - Grades K-12

Jay Raymond

Objective

Students will learn about relief printmaking by producing an edition of prints using inexpensive materials such as a foam roller, foam plates, water soluble printing inks or acrylic paint, and cheap printer paper. Important art concepts will be addressed such as the history of printmaking, the processes of printmaking, the understanding of the difference between art reproductions and original prints, the elements and principles of art and design. The elements addressed include line, shape, color, value, texture. The principles include rhythm, balance, and contrast.

History of Printmaking

Download a very nice History of Printmaking pdf from Washington State University.

Relief printmaking - Any process in which the printing surface is cut away so that the image area alone remains raised on the surface. Ink is rolled across the surface of the plate and the raised areas receive ink while the areas that have been cut away do not. Wood or linoleum are most commonly used. For this project, foam will be used.

Paper was invented in China in 105 AD. You need paper to print, right?

The earliest known woodcut prints were produced in 1380 in Europe.

Tools

Ink - Printmaking ink and acrylic paint

Printing plate - Foam dinner plate cut into rectangle

Brayer - To roll ink on plate (small foam roller for painting trim in a house)

Baren - For burnishing the paper to transfer the image. (The artist's hand works fine)

Inking Plate - For rolling out the ink on the Brayer (foam dinner plate)

Paper towels - For keeping things clean including fingers

Newspapers - To protect work surfaces and provide for clean area to print

Impression tools - Ball point pen, pencil, scissors

Tape

Pencil or pen

Drawing paper - for designing the image

Printmaking paper - for printing images onto

Process

The Basic Process

1. Design your image.

2. Transfer your design to the printing plate.

3. Incise the design on the printing plate.

4. Ink the printing plate.

5. Transfer the inked design to paper and repeat all 5 steps.

The process in more detail

1. Trace your rectangular printing plate onto drawing paper. Design your image within the traced area of the drawing paper using a pencil. Make sure the final drawing has dark pencil lines.

2. Place the face of the printing plate down onto the drawing and tape the plate to the drawing.

3. Flip the drawing over so the plate is beneath it.

4. On the back of the drawing, scribble firmly with a pencil where you can see your drawing through the paper. The pressure of the scribbling will transfer the drawing from the paper to the plate.

5. Remove the tape and separate the plate from the drawing. Notice how the image is transferred in reverse.

6. Trace the image on the plate with a ball point pen or pencil or other object. Use enough pressure to indent the foam. The lines are in relief, and will end up as white in the final print. Large areas can be pushed down by scribbling carefully and compressing the foam. Closely drawn lines or marks will blend and appear lighter within the printed image. The use of thick and thin lines will create interest and depth, and textures can be developed by combining lines and marks.

7. Set up the printing station with an inking area where the plate will be inked, and a printing area where the prints will be made. It's important to keep extra ink off the areas around the image when it's printed. Place newspapers on the surface of both areas.

8. Position the inking plate in the inking area.

9. Position the printing paper in the printing area of the station so that it's ready to use.

10. Have a damp paper towel ready to clean fingers after handling the inked plate and prior to transferring the print to the paper.

11. Place the printing plate in the inking area.

12. Place a line of ink at the top edge of the inking plate.

13. Carefully spread the ink evenly on the inking plate in a contained stripe the width of the brayer by rolling the brayed forward and backward on the inking plate.

14. Once the brayer is evenly covered, roll the brayer on the printing plate until it is also evenly and solidly covered with ink. Do not over-ink, as too much ink will destroy the lines you so carefully incised. If you over-ink, though, don't worry! You can rinse the ink off your plate in the sink and start over.

15. Move the inked printing plate to the clean area of the printing station, laying it inked side up.

16. Carefully lay a piece of printing paper onto the plate, taking care to center the paper on the plate. Do not slide the paper once it's on the plate, as the image will end up blurred. Carefully begin rubbing the paper with your hand, increasing pressure until all edges, corners and the center of the plate have been fully burnished.

17. Carefully peel the paper from the plate and lay it print side up in a clean area to dry. Congratulations, your first print is created! Repeat all steps until you have printed an edition of prints from your plate. An edition is a finite number of prints created from your plate.

18. Allow the prints to thoroughly dry, and sign them beneath the image using the correct format with the edition number on the left, the title in the middle, and your signature on the right. The date can be included after your signature. Here are more details. See the example below:

Your edition is complete! Don't forget to clean up.

Sources for materials and tools

Printing plates - You can use foam meat trays or foam dinner plates. These can be found at any grocery store.

Inking plates - This is the plate you use to ink your roller. Use another foam meat tray or dinner plate for this.

Roller - Inexpensive foam rollers can be found at home improvement stores. The Home Depot Store has small foam rollers used for painting trim. Do not use rollers with a furry surface. The roller should be foam. If you have a choice, stiffer is better.

Ink - Water soluble printmaking ink is best, but acrylic paint can be used, too. Ink can be ordered online from Dick Blick.

Paper - Any paper will work. You can use cheap printer or copy paper, construction paper, or fun craft paper. Dick Blick has plenty of interesting paper, but you can buy locally at Walmart, Office Max, Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts, and any store that has paper.

Jay Raymond is a practicing artist and former art educator. You can see some of his work at www.jayraymondart.com.

**This lesson is available to the public at http://tinyurl.com/printfoamplate

Favorite Artists

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:18:00 +0000

This is a list of some artists I've discovered online that I find interesting and inspiring.

Painting

Alexandre Masino

Frank Hyder

Hung Liu

Isaac Arvold

Joe Paquet

Justin Clayton - Painting a Day Phenom

Kim Bernard Encaustics

Linda Womack

Mark Rothko

Mitch Albala

Outsider Artist TMNK

Patricia Seggebruch

Paula Roland

T. L. Solien

Terry Jerrard-Dimond

Tom Brown

Tracy Spadafor

Victoria Ryan

Sculpture

Richard Taylor

Tom Corbin

Art Lesson Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:07:00 +0000

Relief Printmaking with Foam Plates by Jay Raymond

Figure Drawing with Henri Matisse

Art Business, News, and Interest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 02:58:00 +0000

This is a list of my favorite sites including organizations and publications.

The Abundant Artist - 15 Ways to Sell Art Online

Art Beast

Art Biz Blog

Art Business

Art Daily

Art in America

Ceramic Arts Daily

The Crossing Arts Alliance

Gallery Minerva

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Minnesota Artists Organization

Rosalux Gallery

School Arts Magazine

Visual Arts Minnesota

Tutorials and Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:01:00 +0000

This is a list of some good tutorials and tips for creating art that I have found on the internet. Some of the items contain step-by-step instructions, and how-to video's. Bookmark this page as a reference to some very good resources.

Drawing

Figure Drawing eBooks

Practical Drawing

Painting

6 Basics of Landscape Painting by Ben Fenske - pdf

Build Your Own Pochade Box

Another Pochade Box Design

The Art of the Landscape

Dan Shultz - Landscape Painting Demonstration

Encaustic Recipe

Essential Concepts of Landscape Painting

Jon Houglam - Oil Painting Landscape Demo

Oil Painting Tutorials : How to Start and Finish an Oil Landscape Painting

Painting Landscapes : Tips on how to see and mix the greens

Paintmaking - Make your own paint

"Vineyard Patterns" Demonstration Painting by Jennifer Young

Watercolor Painting Lessons by John Lovett

Sculpture

Cement and Paper Fiber Sculpting

Cement Sculpture Reinforced with Biological Fiber

Polyadam Concrete System

Portland Cement Sculpture Approach

Ceramics and Pottery

Fireplace Ash Glazes

How to Build a Paper Kiln

Sawdust Fired Ceramics

Pit Fired Pottery

Printmaking

Instructions to Build a Bottle Jack Press by Charles Morgan - pdf

Lino Printing - An Introduction

Tips For Using the Bottle Jack Press

Nontoxic Printmaking

Printmaking Studio Notes and Methods by Maria Arango

Jay Raymond Art Helps Bring Water to Suffering Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 01:39:00 +0000

The arts enhance and beautify our lives, but art can be a vehicle to help make real, life-changing improvements for people. For example, artists and arts organizations often sponsor charitable activities such as art auctions, exhibits and concerts that raise money in support of feeding the hungry.

The United Nations and World Health Organization estimate that 1.7 million deaths each year from water-borne diseases such as diarrhea are preventable through clean water, safe hygiene practices, and adequate sanitation. I have committed as an artist to contribute a portion of each art sale to help people in communities throughout the world suffering from no clean water source. I'm partnering with Operation Blessing and the Living Water Wells and Cisterns mission.

Wells in Nigeria bring clean drinking water to 6,000 villagers.

From their website: "Operation Blessing deals with this challenge head-on by drilling bore wells to provide clean water and maximizing the benefits of these water sources by providing hygiene education and sanitation facilities. Each bore well can provide clean drinking water for several hundred villagers. In some areas individual family wells are provided. Since 1999, the Living Water program has provided clean water for over 4.2 million people through more than 9,700 bore wells in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

When the terrain makes drilling impossible, cisterns are built to collect rainwater and provide for an extended family of up to 10 people. Although the rainwater must be purified by boiling, an accessible water supply greatly improves the quality of life for villagers and saves several hours a day fetching water from sources that are usually polluted. To date, more than 7,200 cisterns have been completed in China."

This is an exciting project personally, since it provides a way for me and the art collectors that purchase my work to conspire together to make a meaningful, positive impact on others' lives. A purchase of Jay Raymond art triggers a contribution to Operation Blessing's Living Water Wells and Cisterns. The first contribution was made last week based on all 2010 art sales. Thank you to all of the collectors that purchased artwork last year. Together, we helped make a difference!

Kawishiwi River in August by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:43:00 +0000

Kawishiwi River in August
2010, Acrylic on Canvas
16 x 20 inches

In early August, my family spent a week at a resort in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota. My brother and I took some time one afternoon to enjoy a short canoe trip into the BWCA on the Kawishiwi River. The day started out sunny and later turned overcast. The water was beautiful, reflecting the grey sky and trees. The area of the river depicted in this painting is a narrows where there are large boulders underwater and along the shore. We met a few other canoers, some of whom looked as though they were packed for an extended stay in the wilderness. This is an area I'd like to return to for a longer trip myself someday. This painting was a special one for me, as it is a Christmas gift to my brother.

My brother Bryan holding his painting

Napa Vineyard by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:17:00 +0000

Napa Vineyard
2010, Acrylic on Canvas
11 x 14 inches

I finished another Napa, California vineyard painting for a colleague interested in a painting in this subject and style. This was an enjoyable image to work on, and it brought back memories of sunny days exploring quiet roads in the valley. On this particular day, my wife and I spent an afternoon enjoying the landscape and taking photographs. It was one of those bright, sunny days in which everything seemed happy.

This painting is SOLD

Morden Fireglow by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:15:00 +0000

Morden Fireglow
2010, Acrylic on Masonite
7 x 18 inches

What can I say? When my kids ask me what my favorite color is I always answer, "Red." This painting is about having some fun with color, texture and composition. There are several layers of pigment supporting the final image that floats on top of it all. I recently purchased a jazz album my cousin released with his group Small City Trio, and I think the music influenced this piece.

The title relates to a rose called the Morden Fireglow, a flower developed in my part of the world and known for its intense variety of reds. So, we have a painting influenced by roses and jazz. A glass of champagne, please!

SOLD

She Can Really Fly by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:02:00 +0000

She Can Really Fly
2010, Acrylic on Canvas
3x8 feet

We have a Boxer dog named Leila, and I'm positive she imagines she's flying as she runs through the forest we live in. The crows that inhabit our trees made their way into this painting, since they're most likely the source of her fantasy. She's adopted them as part of her pack...or she's joining their flock. Either way, wings are beginning to materialize over her as the ground screams by. She can run and bound so athletically, I myself am beginning to imagine she's flying! This painting was recently accepted into a juried show at the Franklin Art Center in Brainerd, MN where it received rave reviews.

This is a bit experimental for me in that I drew references from video footage I captured of my dog as she ran through a flooded ditch. Photographs are a traditional form of reference, but with new, inexpensive technology it is now possible to capture crisp, detailed images through the use of small High Definition video cameras. The camera I use, a Kodak Zi6, cost less than $200.00. What I love about pulling references from video is that there is an inherent dynamic quality to the images one normally doesn't find in a photograph. An added benefit is that there are hundreds of frames from which to choose, each subtly different than others before and after, and this expands possibilities.

I had selected several interesting frames from a particular video I had captured with the idea I would create a series of paintings based on my dog. My intent is not to paint the dog, but to paint the movement and spirit of the dog. I'm interested in the use of space within the canvas to emphasize movement.

In this painting I went so far as to use an elongated horizontal format to amplify the movement. Not only are the dog and crows speeding together from left to right, but the ground is composed of streaks of green, brown, pale blue, yellow and white, working together to produce an effect of velocity.

My family and I really enjoy this dog. She seems to have an unusual intelligence and personality. She loves to run, and we could almost hear her giggling like a child as she charged through this flooded ditch, her splashing paws leaving trails of water in the air behind her. She seemed so joyful that I think she imagined she had wings and that her bounding would break out into flying any moment.

This painting is available for purchase through my Etsy store.

Amalgam by Jay Raymond

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 03:25:00 +0000

Amalgam
2010, Acrylic on Paper
18 by 24 inches

For many years I've been interested in the play of positive and negative space. Small compositions of shapes have developed into interlocking masses in which all shapes have become positive, combined into a form within the rectangular space of the image. The exterior of the mass becomes the area of negative space.

In this composition titled, "Amalgam", the mass of shapes seems to suggest a dancing figure on a stage. While it is really a non-objective piece, it could be characterized as abstract figurative. This is another example of how, sub-consciously, my abstract images quietly inherit some reference to either a figurative or landscape theme. In fact, I see in this image both, since there is a figure dancing on a stage, and the stage is floating in a space suggestive of sky.

As a viewer you might not see these references. It really is in the eye of the beholder. Some personal experience might influence your unique perception of this image. It might evoke a memory of something as a certain cloud shape suggests to you an object of some kind. My goal was not to portray anything except the harmony and balance of shape within the story of positive and negative space. Color and texture provide notes of depth and emphasis.

This painting is available for purchase through my Etsy store.

Ely Minnesota Trip Inspired Me

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:32:00 +0000

Ely Beach Nymph, Sand Sculpture

I just returned from an incredible week in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of Northern Minnesota. I stayed with my family at Timber Trail Resort near Ely Minnesota. If you want a relaxing, wilderness experience at a family friendly resort, I highly recommend this one. They have many options for accommodations including cabins, motel rooms, and even a bunk house for folks needing a place to sleep before heading into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) for an extended wilderness adventure. The resort is a full outfitter and entry point into the BWCA, and they were equipping groups constantly as they arrived.

For those of you that aren't familiar, the BWCA is located in Northeastern Minnesota. It consists of over a million acres of wilderness, with over 1,000 pristine lakes, rivers and streams, and over 1500 miles of canoe routes. It is considered by some as the most beautiful wilderness they have ever seen. National Geographic named it one of the 50 Destinations of a Lifetime. In other words, a vacation you do not want to miss.

My kayak parking spot

The BWCA is a true wilderness experience, without motors, no electricity, no phone lines, and no roads to inner lakes. Timber Trail Resort is located at the edge of this wilderness, so one can enjoy the escape from all modern luxuries by easy access to the wilderness, while at the same time returning to the resort where electricity, and other conveniences exist. As a lover of the outdoors and as an artist, I find the BWCA to be incredibly inspiring. Even if you're not a landscape painter or photographer, the experience of being immersed in the pristine natural beauty of this area will recharge your creative batteries. And, it's a perfect escape for the whole family!

Kayakers on the Kawishi river

We spent hours kayaking and canoeing the waters near the Timber Trail Resort, and I enjoyed the beauty of the pine trees, the rugged granite outcroppings and cliffs, the sounds and sites of Loon families, eagles and the beautiful clear water. We were blessed with incredibly warm, sunny weather which enhanced our enjoyment of the lakes and rivers.

We enjoyed plenty of time swimming at the resort beach and playing in the sand. The photo at the beginning of this posting shows one of the sculptures I created with my niece and some of the other kids at the resort. Oh, and there was plenty of fishing going on, too, and some tasty fried fish was on the menu more than once.

Boundary Waters shoreline

All of my kayak and canoe trips were short, partial day trips, and I was able to create many excellent photo references for future paintings. My paints and easel made the trip with me, as I had thought I might set up and produce a couple of paintings plein air during our stay, but my it turned out my camera became the creative outlet of choice. Time spent focusing on photography was well spent, since I have many beautiful images from which I'll be able to produce several paintings, hopefully over the next several months.

Sunset on Farm Lake

Setting Up an Etsy Store is Easy!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:20:00 +0000

Napa Vineyard - Original California Impressionistic Landscape

I recently opened an Etsy store as a new adventure into marketing my work. Etsy is an amazing site that provides a free store to any artist looking for an easy way to set up his or her own shop. I literally had completed establishing my Etsy site within minutes, and after a couple of hours, I had uploaded artworks and listed them for sale with descriptions, shipping information and prices.

Etsy is a huge online market dedicated to the sale of hand-made or vintage products. There is no charge for owning or creating a shop. Artists pay a 20 cent fee for each item when it is listed, and this fee allows for the listing to remain active for 4 months. When an item is sold, a 3.5% sales fee is paid to Etsy. This has got to be the best deal in world!

My store has been up since early July, and I've been adding items and refining my listings based on research I've conducted. It turns out there are some really successful businesses that have been launched through Etsy with folks quitting their day jobs after finding amazing success online through their Etsy stores. I have studied other Artists' shops to identify those that have high volume sales, trying to find a formula I might use to optimize my own shop.

I'm impressed by the professional quality of many of the sites. Product photo's are very important as that is typically what will draw in potential customers as they browse the huge catalog of items available. I've worked hard on my own photo's to make sure they are clear and accurate. The color accuracy is really important, since customers are going to make decisions about purchasing my paintings, for instance, based on the online images, and I don't want any surprises when a customer opens the delivered package at home only to find what they're holding in their hands is not at all what they saw online.

I'm finding I'm needing to learn more about how searches work on Google and Etsy, since product descriptions will determine whether anyone even finds my listings among the amazing amount of art available. Each item I list includes up to 14 tags that search engines will use to help customers find my items. My shop description is also important. It's important to use words that accurately describe what I'm offering, and to consider how shoppers might search for items like mine. I have to think like a Googler!

Four Bowls - Limited Edition

Price point is core to attracting customers. The challenge is to find the sweet spot for price that is fair compensation for my time, effort, training, and talent, and is attractive from the perspective of the client. While I personally lean toward lowering my prices to generate sales, that approach can actually counteract the intentions, as price does project a psychological affect on perception of value. In other words, if one under-prices something, it may be perceived to be of lower quality and not worth even the lower price. On the other hand, one doesn't want to over price an item as that can turn sales away as well. There's a sweet spot where value to the customer and compensation to the artist is balanced, and business prospers.

I'm very excited about offering limited edition prints of some of the original paintings I've listed. While many collectors would prefer an original work of art, a reproduction of an original is an affordable option for those who maybe can't afford the original but would still like to own the image. I've discovered that technology today allows an artist to produce beautiful reproductions that are accurate, archival and of museum quality at a very affordable price. The result is a collectible print that will retain it's original quality up to 200 years in normal conditions. Giclee prints can be produced on heavy, archival paper and even on canvas. It is now possible to make available to the collector affordable images that are remarkable representations of the original in color and detail, and this at a fraction of the cost of an original work of art.

Much of my time lately has been occupied with listing items from my current inventory and researching and refining my shop. I'm learning that if I want to earn an income as an artist, I must not neglect the business side of art. I am becoming a shop-keeper, a marketer, and a self-promoter, and thank goodness Etsy provides the tools to make the business end as easy as it could be.

It's time for me to get back to work producing art. I hope to complete a few more pieces over the next couple of weeks and get them listed in my store.

If you're interested in opening you own Etsy store, get started now.