New Art Daily - Buy Handmade Art

Meet Our featured seller-Katherine Greene

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:46:00 +0000

of Katherine Greene Fine Art

What inspires you to do the kind of creative work you do?

My journey is about transformation of the spirit and creating an atmosphere for change.

I focus on color because color is energy and this inherent power can change your perceptions, thoughts and emotions. Color has both personal and universal meaning.

Shapes are incorporated into my paintings. Circles, squares, spirals, triangles and crosses all have individual and cultural meaning.

Texture adds another dimension to my work. It creates depth, character and structure as each layer builds one upon the other. Layering has many symbolic meanings from psychology to history.

Painting, for me, is an intuitive process which allows the energy of my inner spirit to flow onto the canvas for all to see and to be transformed, if only for a moment.

In the beginning
It all started when I took art history courses in college. I was just amazed at what other artists had been creating, especially painters. As I studied the history of art I began taking more and more classes such as graphic design, drawing, calligraphy and painting. My first paintings were realistic drawings and I was really into watercolor.

For the last 20 years or so I have been using acrylic and painting on canvas in an abstract style. I have participated in many successful group and solo exhibits. In addition, my work is included in corporate collections and in numerous private collections in the US and Europe. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University at Humboldt. I was born in San Francisco and have lived in the Bay Area most of my life.

Currently I live and work in Sonoma, California.

What made you decide to sell and set up a shop on Groove Press?

I decided to set up a shop on Groove Press as a way to have a Clearing Out My Studio Sale. My style has evolved and now interested buyers can get great bargains on my previous work.

Since it is a new company I know they are doing a lot of marketing to introduce everyone to what they have to offer. The look of the Groove Press website is clean and contemporary and it is very easy to load images and open a shop. The Customer Service area is supportive and there is a 24-48 hour response time to

If you check out my website you can view my new work: http://KatherineGreeneFineArt.com

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Meet Our featured seller; ERIN ASHLEY

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:46:00 +0000

A little about myself

www.erinashleyart.com

I work as a full-time contemporary artist out of my studio in Palm Beach Florida.

I am a mom of two and have a husband that is also artist. Painting for me is addicting- I love creating!

Making art my career is very challenging but also very rewarding. My work has been sold in galleries and published in many national art magazines including this September and October 2011 issues of “Studios” by “American Artist” magazine and “Professional Artist” magazine. My work can be found in many national home stores across the nation as well as catalogs and many more.

I describe my style as painting without rules. Always experimenting with new techniques, I like to paint with a wide range of color and textures, bringing out the old with the new.
I see beauty in old weathered things such as layers of chipped paint, rusted metals, and old buildings, which spark new ideas. I like to create a happy escape for the viewer and think of each piece as a journey ending at a beautiful destination.

How do you measure your own success?

I feel that I am successful when I receive positive feedback from clients and when old clients come back for more of my work.

What made you sell on Groove Press?

I really liked the look of Groove Press – simple and easy to follow is key!

What are your aspirations for the next five years?

row, grow and grow. I have a list, and I want to have it all checked off by then!

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Groovy New Indie Handmade

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:45:00 +0000

New Independent Retailers on Groove Press
Create it! Sell it! Share it!

Koalita Craft's

ACEO TO GO

Bonita Rose

In order to support the handmade community, and promote the importance of buying handmade goods, we support indie artists, designers and shops on Groove Press ...

Shop Sell Share

MEET our Groovy Featured Shop Cinders.

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:01:00 +0000

Welcome to a Magical Place where a snip of the scissors and a touch of fire turn what was once discarded into beautiful felt flowers.

From the cinders of Soda Bottles Past and the Hands of a Girl named Cinders.

Well at least that's what most people call her.

A Stay at home and Jewelry Maker
and a lot more, Really Cool Stuff on Groove Press!

Stop by and Read her blog. She loves People, Creating, Designing, Gardening, Cooking and Thinking of New ways to Recycle and Save the Environment.

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Meet our Featured Groove Press Artisan - Bungle Bands

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:42:00 +0000

Buy colorful, handmade rubber band bracelets.

Please start by telling us a little about yourself and your studio.

Hello Groovers! I am a college student, studying to be a high school math teacher. I make and sell Bungle Bands from home. It's just me and my rubber bands. We're always looking for fundraisers to supply to and then some.

What inspires you to do the kind of creative work you do?

There's nothing more rewarding than knowing you can help different causes and such. Also, it is such a great feeling to see people's faces light up the first time they see a bracelet.

How do you measure your own success?

Not by any monetary means, that is certain! I love receiving positive feedback. As far as my business goes, customer satisfaction is always first.

What made you decide to sell and set up a shop on Groove Press?

Well, I first started selling these back in 2007, but just this year the light bulb turned on with the idea of online selling. I was scared at first, but after a week of getting situated, I dived on in!

Have you come across any exciting trends or services as an independent artist/indie retailer?

Yes. I've noticed that sports do great. If you're a crafter and you can incorporate sports - baseball, football, basketball, hockey, whatever - you will do well.

What are your aspirations for the next five years?

I plan to finish college, find a place to live, and start teaching. Whatever happens in between is all up in the air.

Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate this.

Vito Selvaggio

Bungle Bands - Customize Your Rubber Band Bracelet Today!Illinois Bartlett, USA
Visit shop

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Meet Our featured seller; Nancy Russel

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:46:00 +0000

Meet Our featured seller; Nancy Russel the owner of the Shop Nancys Crystal Fantasies at Groove Press.

An artisian and Maker of handmade jewelry ...

Please start by telling us a little about yourself and your studio.

I taught high school English and speech for 24 years then became an administrator—first as assistant principal, then as director of curriculum and instruction. I began making jewelry about four years ago as a hobby because I have always loved jewelry and accessorizing my wardrobe with jewelry of matching colors. Two ladies who worked in my office got me started and taught me the basics of stringing beads. We would sit around the table at lunch time and make jewelry, finding it very hard to stop and get back to work. When I retired over a year ago, I decided that my jewelry wardrobe could hold no more pieces so I decided to venture into selling both locally and online. I opened a shop on Etsy and was successful in selling some Christmas jewelry locally. I began to learn a great deal about the tricks of successful online selling—social networking, SEO, writing descriptions and tags, etc. I just learned about Groove Press recently and decided to display my pieces in a shop there.

What inspires you to do the kind of creative work you do?

Much of my inspiration comes from my love of color and color combinations. People have always remarked about the colorful clothes I wear, and I believe that color can and does affect one’s moods and emotions. So most of my pieces incorporate my favorite colors, and there are a lot of them. I also love things that sparkle, and Swarovski crystal is one of my favorite type of beads to use. I try to add some kind of crystal in almost every piece I design, whether it’s Swarovski, Czech, or quartz—as long as it sparkles! Another thing that inspires me is my love for harmony and balance in life, and I try to bring out that concept in my jewelry designs.

You have embraced the latest social media: which is your favourite/most rewarding platform and why? I began using Facebook and set up a page there as soon as I learned how, and I have used that media a great deal. I also have a Twitter account and post Tweets frequently. And I have a pretty active blog where I post my pieces, treasuries, information about gemstones and their care, inspirations for my jewelry. However, I believe that my favorite social media is LinkedIn. Through that I have been able to network with so many other artists both in the jewelry craft and in other crafts as well. Through that media we have been able to share ideas, provide support, and just simply make new friendships. Wouldn’t it be nice if someday we could all meet face to face and have one giant LinkedIn social networking reunion!

How do you measure your own success?

While I can’t say that I have had huge numbers of sales, there have been enough since beginning Nancy’s Crystal Fantasies to affirm my decision to embark on this new venture in my life. The comments I have received have all been very positive, and while I thought at first that this would be merely a way to extend an enjoyable hobby, it had proven to be so much more, and now I am beginning to feel like a real business woman! The thought of so many women in other cities and states wearing jewelry that I designed is sometimes overwhelming, and it is such a great feeling!

Have you come across any exciting trends or services as an independent artist/indie retailer?

If I were going to try and identify any one trend in jewelry styles, I would not be able to do so. A lot depends on the ages and clothing styles of the customers, and that can be as varied as the customers themselves. So while I have begun venturing into using wire and chains in some of my pieces, I can’t say that there is any one particular trend that I am incorporating into my designs. I know what I like and don’t like, and so I take the approach that if I wouldn’t wear it, I won’t make it.

Do you support handmade and why?

Absolutely! I grew up in a family where my mother made our clothes and I learned to sew from her. I quickly learned that most clothes made at home had a quality that “store-bought” things did not have. Then I learned how to crochet, do cross stitch, so many other handmade crafts. My favorite place to shop has always been a hobby shop. The uniqueness and durability of handmade items is simply something that manufactured goods cannot surpass, much less the special quality that artisans give to their handcrafted items. To me, a gift that has been made by hand has a very special meaning and significance that no purchased item can have.

What are your aspirations for the next five years?

I would love to learn some new techniques—perhaps metalworking—to give more variety to my collection and branch out in some new directions. Once I master this social networking and online selling thing, I would like to eventually have my own website, which I know will take a lot of work. I also plan on attending more shows in the area, which is something I have had very little opportunity to do. Mainly I want to grow my business and hopefully see it become more profitable than just making enough to buy the next batch of beads! Which I already have more than enough of, by the way. : )

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize Nancys Crystal Fantasies

"You could be selling your art here"

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:17:00 +0000

"You could be selling your art here" Groove Press Commission free... Showcase 100 items
BUY-ONE-GET-FIVE-FREE DEAL Advanced Seller. No Fees. No Contracts.
First month, Only $8.99 for a storefront. The next 5 are FREE. REALLY!

Ruth Palmer

Jan Weiss

Ricki Mountain

New Art

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Handmade Jewelry and Beading Artisans

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 22:41:00 +0000

A romance in light purple necklace

handcrafted this necklace using vintage beautiful glass beads, fabric, wire, paper, acrylic cord and faux pearls. The necklace is finished with a silver chain. It measures 20 inches long.

Chunky Cowgirl Bling Purple and Green Necklace

Handmade Wire Wrapped Green Floral Lampwork Bead Bracelet

Jewel Fire Designs -Monets Garden

Handcrafted designer jewelry from bold to elegant! A beautiful charm bracelet in fresh pastel lampwork, sterling and Czech beads coming together to make a very gorgeous bracelet that reminds you of Monet's garden.

A base bracelet of lampwork flower beads with a sterling silver toggle clasp then tucked between each bead lots of unique pastel beads from flowers to butterfly's!

A wonderful charm bracelet for your Spring and Summer delight!

Bracelet is a bit over 7.5 inches

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Meet Groove Press Artist -Jan Weiss

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:55:00 +0000

Tell us a little about yourself – what is your name, your business name, web or blog address, how long you have been creating, where you were born and where you are currently located.

Name: Jan Weiss

I have been creating forever – well at least since I was 4.

I was born in Berkeley California and raised in Walnut Creek California – a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. I currently live in Martinez California – same region.

Please tell us how you became an artist.

I didn’t really become one because I have always felt like one. When I was little I told people I was going to be an artist when I grew up. It is something that has always come naturally to me. My mother and grandfather both had artistic talent.

Do you work from home, or do you have an outside studio or business place that you create your work in? I work from home.

Your work is just amazing! Where do you find inspiration for your craft? It’s not really a craft. I find my inspiration everywhere. I often visit galleries and art shows. I go to museums and I am inspired by the Masters. I find inspiration from the mistakes I make and it comes out with a whole new unexpected look.

How important is it to you to buy handmade creations from other artists or otherwise support your artists’ community? Extremely important. Art makes our communities culturally rich. All of my jewelry is from artisans…no department store stuff. Ever! I want what I own to be one of a kind. I have many small originals that I have bought from friends or art shows. I love contributing to the lifestyles of artists like myself.

What other blogs or Internet sites do you utilize that you find helpful in promoting or selling your creations? I use Zazzle, ImageKind, Etsy, Society6, Artist Rising and of course Groove Press.

What’s the most wonderful part about being able to create? No structure. I let my mind wander without restriction.

Other than creating fine art what other crafts do you enjoy? Mixed media art, playing with paper, trying to make jewelry (but I’m not very good), making handmade lip balm and cooking.

Please tell us who/what inspires you?

I’m much more inspired to create art when it’s warm out. Sounds strange but when I am cold I don’t feel energized. I am inspired by the works of Matisse, Titian, Botticelli and the passion of Van Gogh and Picasso. I also love the work of Wayne Thiebaud. His colors are amazing and subjects are compelling.

What is your most favorite thing that you have ever made? I have an assemblage that I made a few years ago that features a photo of a little girl taken in the 1920’s. She is standing in front of her house. I placed the photo with three very small glass vials with dried flowers in a wood shadow box. Everytime I see I love it.

What do you find most challenging about your work/craft and what do you find most rewarding?

The most challenging part is trying to earn an income from it. It’s hard – just have to accept it. The most rewarding is when I complete something that I know is just right and I never get tired of it. Then I know it is one of those pieces that I won’t paint over.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this profession? Listen and learn. Don’t be cocky – there are always people better than you. Take classes and learn from professionals. Be open to social networking and the internet because if you don’t open yourself up to this opportunity you severely limit the number of your potential buyers. Learn Photoshop.

How are you best able to maintain a balance of family, work and staying creative? Coffee.

What is the best creative or business advice you’ve ever received / or what is the creative or business advice you’d give to other artisans just starting out? I tell artists to take professional instruction. Telling me you are self-taught doesn’t mean anything. We need to understand the fundamentals of art before we can truly be successful.

What tags would one use to search for your products/artwork? Mixed media, digital art, botanicals.

What goals have you set for yourself or what’s up next for you? I want to open “pop-up” galleries.

Please list all of your own websites/blogs (related to your art) or places where your art is for sale.

Groove Press:

The Art Planet:
Etsy:

Artist Rising:

Image Kind:

Zazzle:

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Meet Abstract Artist Ricki Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:44:00 +0000

Who is Ricki Mountain?

Ricki Mountain is an independent artist who lives and works in Northern California. In the last ten years she has emerged as one of West Coast’s leading abstract expressionist painters. Her original artwork has been shown nationally with much of it residing in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. and Europe. She is a licensed artist whose work has been published by most of the major art publishing companies, and her artwork is produced in a wide variety of mediums running the gamut from prints, art sets, and canvases to dishes, decorative furnishings, and wallpaper. She is a life long artist, learner, wife, mother, and successful blogger who worked in the art publishing world for over 20 years - most recently as an Art Consultant for a number of top art publishers. She is also the creator and owner of recently launched Groove Press - an online artist co-operative marketplace that she created specifically for people to easily and inexpensively sell their handcrafted items, artist supplies, media, and vintage items in a friendly and supportive online environment.

Let’s get more personal - tell us more about you.
I have good genes, caffeine, and sugar. LOL. Seriously. I am lucky to have been born with a gene for getting up early and another gene for lots of energy. That, coupled my daily coffee & twinkies fix, helps me to accomplish the goals I set for myself each day. If it weren’t for those good genes, caffeine, and sugar, I’m not sure where I’d be now. I’m pretty busy, especially now with my new business venture, Groove Press. I’m also a wife and mother. I’m fortunate that my husband is a very patient man and my children are off to college, following careers of their own. When I’m not doing something art or work related, you can usually find me doing something adventurous like exploring the back roads of California on motorcycles with my husband, or traveling. I wouldn’t say I’m an adrenaline junkie, but I really love adventure and new experiences which is probably why I’m able to keep my artwork pretty fresh – once I try something I like I want to master it and then move on to the next challenge. I can’t stand boredom or repetition – life is too short and I want to live life to the fullest. I probably inherited a gene for art and adventure from my grandmother and aunt who were both in Vaudeville way back in the day. My uncles were artists as well - one was a professional photographer, the other a fine art painter. My great aunt was a fan dancer at the Sally Rand Nude Ranch during the 1939 Golden Exposition on Treasure Island in San Francisco. She didn’t seem to care what anyone thought of her and she lived her life the way she wanted. I remember at an early age visiting her as well as my assorted uncles and seeing these people I loved so who were so highly motivated and passionate about art and the handmade movement really affected me in a positive way. Independent woman have been born in my family for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was the fourth of 9 daughters who were all expected to work and contribute to the welfare of the family. I’m definitely sure that’s where my strong work ethic originated. From the age of 13 on I worked weekends selling antiques at flea markets and at my grandmother’s antique collectibles store in Port Costa, Ca. I met a lot of characters during that time, and I learned a lot! I still love vintage and cool, weird, unusual things – my house is filled with all kinds of curiosities I either picked up along my travels or made myself from ideas inspired from my adventures. I think running my grandma’s store at 13 made it easier for me to open my own cool, funky store in Benicia, CA years later. I learned a lot about art, and sales, and to be innovative and flexible, and how to work with almost anyone during that time. This experience helped me to transition into a fairly long career in corporate art at a young age, and I spent 25 years in that world - even though I wasn’t always comfortable working within the corporate “box” with all the rigid rules that usually entailed. Growing up, I was never the kind of kid who carefully colored within the lines – in fact, I usually made up my own lines and then colored over them, too.

What’s your daily routine like?
I try to create something original each day to feed my creative flame, while managing my art and licensing sales in order to keep the revenue stream flowing so that I can continue to successfully manage and promote Groove Press, which is the creation I’m most proud of. Groove Press is the result of a LOT of hard work (think a year of 60 hour work weeks!) and the generous help of a few friends and genius programming engineers I was lucky enough to bring on board. Through a collaborative effort we recently launched Groove Press, which was designed to be an online resource for individuals to sell their handmade wares, vintage items, digital media and stuff like that- easily and inexpensively. It’s in the start-up stage right now, which means it takes a lot of my time and money to keep it running. It’s kind of like my little baby, though - I love it and I work hard to keep it growing, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the amazing online artist’s co-operative marketplace that it’s going to evolve into. It’s pretty cool seeing all the interest that it has already generated and it’s exciting to get up every day and see how many more people have discovered Groove Press and opted to join us by opening a store on our site. I love meeting our sellers – the majority are artists and they’re so interesting and creative and I love their cool crafts and I love that my company is able to put their products into the hands of people who want to buy those creations.

It sounds like a dream job – how did you get there?
I know I’m incredibly lucky to be able to do what I love. It’s been icing on the cake to actually make a living at it along the way. Before the Internet came along (and changed the business of art and how it’s managed) I had the privilege to work for a number of nationally known top art resellers and art publishers. Working for those companies literally put me in the same room with highly successful artists, designers, buyers, and accomplished business people who gave me invaluable information on how to succeed in the art world. I learned from them as much as I could and one of the invaluable things I took away from that experience was that I could be successful, too, if I tried hard enough and was willing to deal with rejection. They say that for every “yes” there are a hundred “no’s” but I think it’s more like a thousand. That’s when I learned how to thrive on rejection. Rejection meant at least someone had to have looked at my work. I remember seeing a couple of abstract art pieces created by another artist that not only got published at the company I was working for, but it also made the artist and the company lots of money. The ridiculous thing is that I knew I could create something like that very same piece, so I thought I would try. The first time I submitted a piece of artwork for publication to that same company where I worked, many of the people who worked there laughed at me – some of them to my face – after all, I was just a salesperson to them at that point, what did I know about art? I laughed too, but I was confident that I had just as much knowledge and art savvy as the artist who had made $50,000 from an image that literally looked like an oversize tic tac toe. (It helped that he had painted it with colors that furniture designers had already projected to be de rigueur for the upcoming year.) So, after working all day I would go home and then work in the evenings and weekends on my submission pieces. I kept working on my technique, trying different things and using as a guide my knowledge of what I thought would sell. As a salesperson, I had a fairly well developed instinct at to what buyers wanted and what would never sell. Eventually, through sheer persistence and my fondness for rejection, I got a couple of my pieces published which were eventually offered for sale to framers and big box retailers. It was a big deal for me (I am published! I’m a real artist!) but the best part was the surprise on the faces of the people who watched it go into reprint over and over again. After that, there was no stopping me – I submitted anything and everything to the art review committee. If they rejected a piece for some arbitrary reason, I’d just take it home and paint over it and resubmit it the next day. Fortunately for me (unlike most artists at the time) I worked at the very place where I submitted my artwork, and even though I never received any favoritism or special treatment I also didn’t have to pay for expensive photographers to create digital images of my work or pay exorbitant shipping costs to get my stuff to the company. At the time, those costs kept a lot of talented artists from ever being considered for publication. The technology we employ now has leveled the playing field for all artists, which is great.

How did changes in technology affect you as an artist?
After Internet came along it changed the way business was done – especially business in the art world – and it opened up doors for me in ways that I would never have expected. On the negative side, I lost my corporate job in B2B art sales. But on the positive side I could now work from home to build the business that I always knew I could create. Sales of my artwork went way up - with Internet connectivity anyone and everyone can see my entire portfolio of artwork and I’m no longer dependent on a publisher who may or may not pick a handful of my images that they believe will appeal to the designers and framers who keep them in business. Now I can represent myself and sell my art by utilizing online marketplaces like Groove Press, and use a print on demand company that is able to print one or more high quality prints in the size that I specify from my digital artwork files that I’ve e-mailed to them. I am no longer out of pocket thousands of dollars for printing and storing a huge collection of artwork on the off chance that I might sell a single piece. I can also work and design from the luxury of my home office studio, which is invaluable.

Where do you get your inspiration?
I am truly inspired by other artists, especially newer, obscure artists within a range of mediums. I just love it when I find really cool work or see a great artist emerge from an MFA or local craft show. I also religiously scour the World Wide Web looking for creative art that I’ve never seen before. I pretty much live, eat, and breathe art. The Internet allows me to more easily seek out and find those people and images that move me. That’s something that I do daily - I set aside a chunk of time each day to mine the Internet for new ideas and inspiration. I also consciously surround myself with other creative people. I enjoy life to the fullest each day, and most importantly, I learned to thrive on rejection. You can’t take rejection personally.

You use technology in your creative process. What do you use and how?
About 10 years ago, I was introduced to Photoshop. I was hooked on it from day one. I saw a million possibilities that Photoshop could do for me that I couldn’t do for myself. So I began to teach myself how to use Photoshop and Illustrator. I used them daily. I made lots of mistakes, but I also made lots of happy accidents that were serendipitous. I have found a few techniques that work for me. For instance, when I work on a commercial abstract for art publishing, I create artwork on paper or canvas, usually no larger than 11x14. I then scan it at 600 dpi and flip the art work using Photoshop layers and then add some more of my own photography and other eclectic organic elements to create a digital file that I eventually upload to sell on a POD (print on demand) site like Artist Rising or Image Kind. I also use the same technology to send my digital files to prospective clients. I eventually upload all of the final digital files to other appropriate venues to promote my artwork. It’s incredible how much the Internet has opened up and changed not just the way I work, but how the entire art publishing industry now works.

You also do Trend Identification. What is this, and who do you do this type of work for?
It’s pretty much just what it sounds like - I seek out and identify trends before they’ve hit the forefront mainstream so that buyers and publishers in the interior design trade can optimize their opportunity to take advantage of that trend by modifying their final product to appeal to buyers so that they can sell their product if (or when) it does become the new, hot trend.
What this means for me, as a trend consultant, is that the textile industry is usually at the forefront of creating trends, since they design and build their textiles and furniture at least 24 month out. So if, for instance, an influential major furnishing design house has pink poodle couches and pink poodle rugs in the works, chances are you’re going to see a lot of pink poodles in various forms in the coming future. Interior designers want their decorative artwork and home décor items to “play nice” with the big ticket furniture that the consumer will inevitably buy first, so if some big box store Buyers have already committed themselves to buying a ton of mauve & blue teapot pictures they probably won’t sell a lot of that product if most of mainstream America has already purchased a pink poodle couch. Pink poodle couch owners will be looking for pink shag rugs, not mauve & blue teapots. So it obviously helps the Buyers for these stores to have some foreknowledge of future color schemes and trends so that they don’t have to sell a ton of inventory at a loss later because it was not the hot (or even lukewarm) color of the season. I’m probably making it sound more complicated that it is. I also work with art publishers to create artwork sets for them that are based on these trend forecasts, so that they are more likely to be able sell their product line of images to these big retail Buyers who are looking for similar product lines. Trend identification is difficult, because you have to predict 24 months out what people will be buying and people’s tastes are not always predictable, but if you are good at it, it can be very lucrative and rewarding.

When do you find time to create your artwork and what do you sell?
I usually try to create at least 4 images for the art industry a week. I don’t always come up with something new but because I have been creating art for almost 15 years I’ve built up a quite a large portfolio that I can pull from. Sometimes if I’m stuck for something new I take something I’ve already made and manipulate it into something new by using photo shop. Did I mention I LOVE Photoshop?! Inevitably I manage to create something. When the economy was better, there was a much higher demand (and budget) for originals in the hospitality and design industry and I probably sold an average of 20 large format paintings a year. Now I’m seeing higher sales of Giclee and POD (print on demand) canvas to that same industry and less of the more expensive originals.
I also make sure to create artwork that gives me personal satisfaction even if it is not as lucrative as my art industry images. I have an art studio where I like to relax and try new things with collage, which is my favorite art style at the moment. I do it daily, and it is peaceful, like meditation - I find myself messing around with the bits of paper and ephemera until I like what I see. Sometimes this process can take six months before I find the right composition. Then I glue it all together to compile the collage or turn it into an ACEO art card. Oh yeah, ACEO art cards is another addiction of mine. I also make and sell them, and also collect them myself. I find them fascinating and beautiful.

Your art has bright, bold colors, and expressive lines in an almost illustrative style. Did you study illustration?
Great question. No, I’ve never had formal art training but I do have a huge love of illustration. My daughter has inherited the family art gene and is an incredible artist. She’s currently attending a great art college and majoring in illustration and is seeking her MFA to teach illustration. She did all the graphics for Groove Press and they’re amazing.

What other artistic interest do you have?
Ooh gosh, have ya got all day? I love the elements of ceramic art, and sewing, sculpture, design, furniture design, you name it. One thing I tried recently is making glass tile jewelry...it turned out great and I can tell that I’m going to be making a lot more of them in the future. I love pop surrealism at the moment and the underground art movement which some people call the Lowbrow art movement. I love lowbrow art because it often has a sly sense of humor. One of my favorite sources for lowbrow art is the magazines Juxtapoz. Speaking of art magazines, I also love Hi Fructose for a refreshing dose of contemporary art. Even with the Internet at my fingertips, I love the tactile feel and look of images in a magazine, which means I have piles of them because I can’t bear to throw them away. It’s difficult to find time for outside interests, though, as more and more of my time is being consumed by managing and growing my company - Groove Press -- but that’s a good thing!

Tell us more about Groove Press?

Thanks for asking. Here’s the part where I go into some shameful self-promotion, so please bear with me (it’s worth it). I mentioned previously, Groove Press was created for one reason –to connect sellers & buyers in a friendly and easy to use environment. We wanted to provide a secure online marketplace that supports all creative people such as independent artists, crafters, makers, vintage collectors, and artist suppliers to easily and inexpensively sell their wares to interested buyers, globally. Our mission at Groove Press is to create an artful forum where we can provide individual artists with their own unique venue in which to showcase their artwork. On a technical level, Groove Press has some pretty amazing developers and FREE user tools that our sellers can utilize to easily upload their product images and descriptions, which can save them valuable time. How frustrating is it to have to spend as much time uploading a picture of something as it did to originally create it? We have some tools to help prevent that from happening. We’re also aggressively working 24/7 behind the scenes to provide our sellers with the technology necessary to create a platform for them to be able to interact cohesively with the majority of the top social media, publicity, direct marketing, and trade-based programs.

Why did you start Groove Press?

I wanted an alternative to some of the current online marketplaces that, while great, are prohibitively expensive for many artists to use to sell their wares. In these tough economic times artists need every break they can get and when they’re nickel and dimed for every little listing and transaction pretty soon it all starts to add up and some of these artists just give up selling, which is a shame.
We’ve created Groove Press to provide the same technology that other online marketplaces have, but with a set flat fee structure that doesn’t have any hidden costs or associated fees. For instance, a basic seller package is $7.99 a month to list 50 items. One step up is our advanced seller package at a dollar more for $8.99 a month which allows you to sell 100 items a month. To entice new sellers we have a promotion for a limited time where you can buy this advanced seller package of $8.99 per month, but when you sign up you automatically get 5 months free. That means you pay $8.99 to list 100 items for six months! I think that works out to about 5 cents per day. That’s a pretty good bargain to list 100 items, and hopefully it helps some of the sellers in these tough economic times. The great thing about our site is that we don’t restrict you to selling only handcrafted items – you can sell vintage items, digital media, hobby items, music, etc. and more as long as it is legal. I think this makes Groove Press a perfect venue for creating additional income for people who may have cool items but no place to sell them. Did I mention we also allow resellers of things as beads, brushes, paints, papers, markers, etc, to sell on our site? We want to be a resource for artists and hobbyists to come to when they need supplies. Resellers will probably want to take advantage of our power seller package rate of 39.99 per month which allows them to list an unlimited number of items.

How are you different from other networking sites?
Groove Press is similar to other top selling venues, but what sets us apart from them is that many of their selling features incur additional fees or they may require you to upgrade to a higher priced package in order to access the tools you need to grow your brand. Some of the other businesses also enforce a per transaction fee or a per item fee on each thing that you sell. Groove Press has none of these hidden fees. We offer the same services, but with only one flat fee that is based on the subscription level you choose. We also provide all the same advanced selling tools that they have, but we provide them to all of our members regardless of their monthly subscription level. We think it is ridiculous to make sellers pay more money to access the features that they need to manage their online market effectively. We do not make sellers upgrade to a higher package to use them. All sellers have access to them even at the lowest priced seller subscription packages such as the $7.99 a month package for 50 items. We are also adding new features based on our user feedback and prioritize the user improvements based on their need, not on what is convenient for us. We listen to our sellers because we know that helping our customers grow their business helps us grow our business. It feels really good to be able to offer a quality product like ours at an affordable price. I hope that we get lots of sellers who want to take advantage of our price structure and LOTS of buyers who want to take advantage of the lower prices that sellers can consequently price their items at.

Groove Press

I know you value forward thinking and collaboration. How so?
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I grew up with 9 sisters. We didn’t have a lot of money, but we had a lot of love. I tell you, if I hadn’t learned the art of collaboration and how to engender it in others none of us would have thrived the way we have. We learned early on that communication and working together got us much further as a family than an everyone-out-for-themselves mentality. Thanks to my family I have a love of art that has brought me more blessings than I can count, and thanks to my belief in the value of working as a team in a collaborative effort I’ve always tried to surround myself with people and professionals who support each other and help each other grow their business using their experience and ideas. I am not afraid to share and learn from my mistakes, and I strive to learn from the successes along with occasional failures of others. I am a big believer in cross promotion and in sharing information so that we can all succeed – in fact I think it’s essential to the growth of any business. Fortunately, people tend to do business with people they like so I find that collaboration and relationship building naturally happens.

Thanks for talking with us – do you have anything you’d like to add?
If I could give one bit of advice, it would be this: never give up on your dreams, become your biggest fan, and learn to thrive on rejection.

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize

Bonita Rose, Life.Love.Color.Art

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Tell us a little about yourself – what is your name, your business name, web or blog address, how long you have been creating, where you were born and where you are currently located.

My name is Bonita Rose.

My business name is Bonita Rose, Life.Love.Color.Art

Current blog: http://alifeunrehearsed2.blogspot.com

New website, coming soon! http://bonitarose.com

I've been creating all my life. As a child, I was always drawn to art and creativity, and as a child poured myself out via the written world. For me, sharing and blogging my life is easy. There is such power in words. Such power. I was born on the prairies in Manitoba, Canada and lived there my whole life up until 2002. I relocated to MN USA and currently am living in Fargo ND USA.

Please tell us how you became an artist.

As shared above, I was always drawn to creativity. Writing. Expressing myself. I believe everyone can be creative. Everyone. They just have to believe in those gifts they were given and assert themselves. Try something new. Take more chances. Believe in themselves, more. We all have talents. We all do. I started my artsy life mostly with papercrafting. As a young mom, I would create scrapbooks and mini albums for my children. From there, I delved in painting, watercolor painting, and mixed media creations, and now am exploring fiber arts such as quilting, sewing, and embroidery. Next on my list is to create some of my own jewelry and beaded designs!

Do you work from home, or do you have an outside studio or business place that you create your work in?

I am fortunate to run my creative business from my home here in Fargo. I have a small sized Studio on the 2nd level of my home, with a big north-facing window. Always lots of light. Of course as a passionate creative, I have way too much stuff! so organization and storage is always challenging. But I make do with what I have. I feel don't let the space you have ever deter you from making art, from being creative. Be creative anyway.

Your work is just amazing! Where do you find inspiration for your craft?

Inspiration is everywhere. Everywhere. I find inspiration in lots of places, from books, magazines, and online blogs and websites. Inspiration can be found in the simplest of things, a cloud formation, a pretty flower, a bird singing in my backyard. It's all around. Sometimes, I get inspiration for future creations based on what is going on in my life at the moment. If I feel strongly about something, I create. I make art. Art has saved me time and time again. It's during those times when I dig deep and create.

How important is it to you to buy handmade creations from other artists or otherwise support your artists’ community?

It's very important to me. I support a lot of independent DIYers and independent handmade artists. There is so much choice out there with groovepress and other handmade sites, why not support other artists? Forming a sense of community is important.. show support to others is key. Forming friendships with other creatives and helping each other along is very important to me. I shop handmade all the time when I can! I'd rather buy handmade over store bought any day!

What other blogs or Internet sites do you utilize that you find helpful in promoting or selling your creations?

re my etsy, I am a member of http://handmadespark.com

I am an avid social media person, and regularly post updates on both my twitter and facebook. I also have my own facebook fan page for my business. And I blog regularly on my personal blog/website. I love to share my life.

I will be offering sponsor ad space on my new website, coming soon but till then, I do advertise and buy ad space on a few of my fave blogs.. I don't do that many yet, as that can really add up in a hurry, and as a handmade creative biz, my budget is small for this sort of thing, but I am hoping with time, I will hv more sales so I can put back that money back into marketing my site and my webshops!

What’s the most wonderful part about being able to create?

The happiness it gives me. Day after day. I love what I do!

And the wonderful people I meet through the things I offer/create in my shops.

Other than collecting and selling Vintage, what other crafts do you enjoy?

mixed media collages

abstracts on canvas

clean and simple card-making

paper-crafting

beading, jewelry making

sewing, fiber art

photography

making art quilts using vintage fabrics and vintage trims!

Please tell us who/what inspires you?

As shared earlier, books, magazines and other online blogs and websites inspire me every day. Simple things in my life inspire me. I can't really share WHO inspires me, because really, there are just too many talented creatives out there! I admire people with a keen sense of style and people that can capture their lives through their camera lens in such unique ways. I am a lover of photography.

What is your most favorite thing that you have ever made?

I created a shadow box for my oldest daughter Sara for her 16th birthday a few years ago. Inside, I placed one of her first baby dresses she ever wore as a little baby, as well as a baby headband. I also included a photo of her wearing the same dress inside the shadowbox. She loved it.. and now, it sits in my home until the day she is older and wants it to grace her walls. I had so much fun creating that for her... and piecing and putting it all together for her!

What do you find most challenging about your work/craft and what do you find most rewarding?

Most challenging -- competition is fierce out there in the handmade world. It just is. It's hard to set yourself apart and let your own products shine above all the rest. For me, that's the hardest part. Another challenge I face is storage and space. Never enough room for supplies. Never.

Most rewarding -- the feeling I get after creating something, anything new. I love the satisfaction I receive after making something I am really proud of... and when someone buys it from my shop/shops -- it makes me even more proud of what I created. I can't wait to ship it off and get it into their hands! I feel the same way about my vintage finds! I love finding unique vintage items and offering them to my customers! My dream one day is to have my real brick and mortar shop, selling unique vintage and handmade items from all over the world. One day. one day.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in this profession?

I would say. Start. Why wait? Believe in yourself and put yourself out there. Become a member of online communities, and make friends and visit others' blogs and leave comments, and then they will do the same for you. Establish yourself online with unique products and killer photos. You have to start sometime... and if you wait for the perfect time, that time will never come. Start now. Start believing in yourself now!

How are you best able to maintain a balance of family, work and staying creative?

I have a routine daily that really works for me.

I give myself time each day to create. To load photos. To blog, to write. I am sure to be attentive to my customers inquiries and I'm always a fb message or an email away. I give myself the time I need away from my business when I need it. It can easily take over every aspect of your life. You must learn to protect your time, your family's time with all you've got. Your quality of life should never suffer just because you have your own creative business. Your business should make yours and your family's life, better.

What is the best creative or business advice you’ve ever received / or what is the creative or business advice you’d give to other artisans just starting out?

I've learned to never be afraid of being me, being authentic. To put myself out there. All of me. I've learned to never be phoney. To never be two-faced. I've learned to always say what I mean and mean what I say. Authenticity goes far.

Really far.

Being authentic and remaining true to the person you are is very important.

It's very easy to think you have to do , you have to be like everyone else.

You don't.

Just be you. And shine in your own unique way!

What tags would one use to search for your products/artwork?

vintage

art quilts

colorful

abstract

bright

color

empowering

handpainted fabric

handpainted fabrics

inspiring

inspire

What goals have you set for yourself or what’s up next for you?

I have a goal of getting my new website up and running soon, as well as a blog makeover and an etsy shop makeover. My new website will be here,http://bonitarose.com and for now my blog is still here, http://alifeunrehearsed2.blogspot.com . I can't wait to unveil it to the world!

Also, another real goal I have for myself is to own and operate my very own store/business. down south on Tybee Island in GA one day. Hubby and I wanna move there in a few years, and I'd like to be able to find the perfect spot for my own handmade/vintage store there. Selling unique vintage and handmade items. It's what I'd love to do.

Another thing that's next for me is marketing more of my handpainted fabric designs and designing some unique jewelry. Stay tuned for that..

Presently you can see my handpainted fabrics in my etsy store and in my groovepress shop!

Please list all of your own websites/blogs (related to your art) or places where your art is for sale.

Art for sale:

http://bonnierose.etsy.com

http://bonitarose.groovepress.com

Coming soon, http://bonitarose.com

My websites:

current blog http://alifeunrehearsed2.blogspot.com

new website coming soon! http://bonitarose.com

Personal facebook http://facebook.com/bonitarose

Twitter http://twitter.com/bonnierose

Flickr Portfolio: http://flickr.com/photos/bonnieroseippity

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/bonnierose

Facebook business fan page: http://www.facebook.com/bonitaroselifelovecolorart

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize

New Art Daily Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 02:14:00 +0000

New Art Daily-
A New Creative Artist Showcase Coming Early 2011

Exclusively featuring Groove Press artisans and their handmade fine arts and crafts at www.groovepress.com. Check out our ever growing collection of affordable handmade items, fine art, music, media, vintage, craft supplies and more.
Groovepress A Creative Artist Co-op

You are cordially invited to be a part of our new community and website - GROOVE PRESS
Please-Stop in today and create a profile, add photos, create a group, event, post in our forums, post a blog and much, much more -
ALL FOR FREE!

The BUST Magazine Craftacular Holiday 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:05:00 +0000

Tis the season to support handmade .

The BUST Magazine Craftacular Holiday 2010- They are back and bigger than ever this year adding an additional floor at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City on 18th Street. Nearly 300+ Crafty Vendors-DIY-Jewelry-Cards-Clothes-Posters-Housewares-Handmade + Unique Items-Music-Dancing-Crafting How-to's- And So Much More! December 12th, 2010 at the Metropolitan Pavilion 125 West 18th Street New York, NY Sunday 10am-8pm 1 day only!

This year BUST Magazine has selected nearly 300 of the best crafters to participate in the BUST Magazine Craftacular Holiday 2010 in New York City. The craftiest of what you’ve come to know and love at our popular BUST Craftaculars is what you’ll find again this Holiday-plus so much more!

This is the biggest and best indoor craft fair and shopping event in New York City. Now in their 6th year, they are growing bigger, and better. So please shop handmade. When you purchase handmade crafts, music, books, and fine art from the crafters at Craftacular, you are supporting professional artists, some of the best in their crafts.

Groove Press
Join Our Community A Creative Artist Co-op

This ain't your grandma's sewing circle!

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 18:40:00 +0000

This ain't your grandma's sewing circle!

Get Connected!

Connect and expand your network
View profiles and add new friends
Share your photos and videos
Create your own group or join others

JOIN US NOW, IT'S FREE!

You are cordially invited to be a part of our new site - http://www.groovepress.com/socialize-
Stop in today and create a profile, add photos, create a group,event, post in our forums, post a blog and much, much more - ALL FOR FREE!

Groovepress A Creative Artist Co-op

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:05:00 +0000

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize -

You are cordially invited to be a part of our new artist co-op. "Groove Press". Won’t you please join us in our humble beginnings? Our Mission at Groove Press: To represent an eclectic mix of unique multi-media artisans who create and communicate ideas of human expression, individuality and creativity. Virtual Booths to sell your Handmade Art and Crafts, Fine Art, Hobby and Craft Supplies, Music, Media, Vintage and more.

Groovepress Join us today on Groove Press
This is a link to a website on the World Wide Web.

Pre-register today!

Limited time only! Pre-registration is completely free! Pre-register today to secure your store name! Receive a coupon code for $5.99/mo. Basic Listing Package* for life! *Regular price for Basic Listing Package is $7.99/mo.

Calling all artists

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:47:00 +0000

OPEN STUDIOS - Share your creative space

We would love to take a peek inside your studio, workspace, or your favorite creative-making-spot. Here you can post and share all your creative workspaces. Share your Space. It's Free to join... Groove Press

Shop, Sell, Share, Socialize

Groove Press-Early Bird Exclusive Offer

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:40:00 +0000

Register early to secure your domain name.

Today, we’re excited to launch the first Early Bird Exclusive Offer.

Register early to secure your domain name on Groovepress.com. Please join us in our humble beginnings. During our pre-registration period, anyone interested in securing their memorable domain name has the opportunity to pre-register, join our community and save... *Domain names on a first-come, first-served basis. Early bird registrations and rates available until Nov. 10th -2010. We’re just getting started - we’ve got an amazing lineup of deals to share in the coming days and weeks with people following @groove_ press. Be sure to check back often… *Be sure to sign up this week to receive the early-bird Basic account for only $5.99 a month for life.

Pre-registration Benefits

No payments necessary! Pre-registration is completely free! Groovepress.com is open to the Word.

Why sell on Groove Press? Unlike other selling venues that charge you extra for enhanced selling features. Groove Press offer every seller the same innovated tools regardless of your subscription

Some of the most popular selling tools that you know and love on Etsy, Dawanda, Zibit and ArtFire and plus

Edit your items on the fly!
Crop images online!
Advanced sales reporting!
IntelliTagging system!
Amazing support!
No relisting fees.
No transaction fees.
No long terms contracts.
No Kidding!

10. And many more innovative selling tools to be announced soon…

So why wait, get in the groove and sign up today to secure your store name and get Basic Listing for $5.99/mo for life! No payment required. We will send you an e-mail with a coupon code when our store launches!

By registering today, you will get your store name (username.groovepress.com) secured! You will also be securing a spot for our $5.99/mo Basic Listing Package for 25 products if your choose to subscribe as a seller when we launch our product! (Regular price for Basic Listing Package is $7.99/mo)

Featured Artist of the day

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:45:00 +0000

I have been selected as the Featured Artist of the day at Imagekind.com!

Featured Art:

Imagekind is the fastest growing online art site and it is our privilege to showcase your work as being outstanding amidst a field of so many other great artists and photographers.

Please tell your colleagues, friends and family about the #1 place on the web to discover and purchase original art and posters by artist
Ricki Mountain.

Got Florals?

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:59:00 +0000

Bold, Contemporary, Print on demand Floral Art prints…

Floral Best-Sellers

Source, style, save…. Welcome to the Ricki Mountain Studios gallery featuring our best selling fine art prints & posters sets. Browse our exclusive collection of trend forward, print on demand, art prints and art print sets. Each art print and art print set is also available as framed art décor. We offer top quality, custom framed and matted art prints, canvases, photographs, and posters for home decorating and interior design.

Framed Art Print Set

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:53:00 +0000

New Art work Art just added Art & Crafts #forsale #arts Artists #services

Shoe Freaks Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:38:00 +0000

Big Pop Slip on by Ricki_Mountain
""Get your sneakers online at Shoe Freaks

Framed Art Print Set

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:09:00 +0000

Platforms of Venus

Sacred Cenotes

Fine art print is created using high-quality paper and printing to produce a vivid and detailed reproduction.

Bathroom Art- Abstract Painting-Fine Art Reproduction

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:33:00 +0000

Anthology I ABstract Giclee Print

The Giclee printing process delivers a fine stream of ink resulting in vivid, pure color and exceptional detail that is suitable for museum or gallery display. This art print is produced on a heavy 310 gsm, acid-free and watercolor textured paper. Artwork by Ricki Mountain.Get yours at Art.com today!

Love-graffiti Wall - Fine Art Print

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:27:00 +0000

Fine Art Print - Love -graffiti on wall

Framed Art Set- Art Print Yellow Mix I

noreply@blogger.com (Share) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:37:00 +0000

Yellow Mix I Framed Art Print Set
Yellow Mix I-Art Print ,by Ricki Mountain
item #: 2002225483A
Image Size 19" x 25" (without border: 18" x 24")