kelly parker designs

Spring into the Arts!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:47:00 +0000

Don't forget to visit me at the Spring into the Arts in downtown Battle Creek tonight May 14 from 5 - 9pm. I will be at Barista Blues Cafe with Michael Angelo!! there will lots of art, food, and wine. check out www.facebook.com/kparkerdesigns for more information.

Kelly Parker Designs Art

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 18:37:00 +0000

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Kelly Parker Designs Art

View more presentations from Kelly Parker.

Need a great place to get frames for your art?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:49:00 +0000

check out www.americanframe.com for the best frames, best prices, and new easy to use website, they also have free mat right now too!! I buy all my frames from American Frame. They have all kinds of frames and you can even upload your art work or buy prints at the site too. Check them out...and i am not in any affiliated with them, just a happy, long time customer.

Art Trade anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:59:00 +0000

6" by 8" collage 6" by 6" acrylic painting ATC sized oil painting

i would love to have some more art for my walls...anyone up for a holiday trade? email me if you are interested at artsydoll@yahoo.com

art supplies?

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:42:00 +0000

What would you want...the holidays are coming and artists always want more supplies...what would be your ideal art supply that you wouldn't necessarily buy for yourself?

Fall into the Arts in Battle Creek MI

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Fall into the Arts in Battle Creek in October was a great success! i sold 1 print and several greeting cards too. personally for me the best thing is the socializing and networking as an artist at these events, i love meeting new artists and artist patrons. The evening of the event i was in the Heritage Tower and my son Sam played his guitar. we had a great time. the Downtown partnership for Battle Creek (Alyssa and Terri) do a great job of promoting the event and getting sponsors. here a couple of pictures of the event. check out www.downtownbattlecreek.com

Joan Larsen Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Joan Larsen with her art work

On Wednesday, Joan Larsen from Spring Arbor, MI came and presented a Monotype workshop for the Battle Creek Society of Artists. here are some pictures from the event. i will post my prints later this week. you can visit Joan's website at www.joanlarsen.com

Joan painting the plexi-glas

Painted plexi-glas print

Plex-glas ready to be printed

Second print that Joan worked on while at the workshop

NeW wORk!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:26:00 +0000

just posted a bunch of new oil paintings on my website at www.kellyparkerdesigns.com check them out and let me know what you think. here is a preview of what is new on the website.

4" by 4" abstract landscape

6" by 6" abstract landscape

check out this artist!! Linda East from Oklahoma

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:11:00 +0000

Linda East - Artist

i am part of the altered books groups at yahoo and sent an email to the group that i had finished my page for the 10 anniversary book that Corinne Stubson is putting together and Linda emailed me with many wonderful comments about my work and wanted to exchange links. So i put her link on my links page on my website at www.kellyparkerdesigns.com and you can view more of Linda's work at the following links. Enjoy!! i have also posted a picture of her work here to whet your artistic appetite. Thanks for the link exchange Linda!!

http://jewelsoftheeast.blogspot.com
http://timelesstreasuresofleast.blogspot.com
http://www.leasttreasures.etsy.com

Tony Moffitts Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:10:00 +0000

http://tonymoffitt.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html

you really need to check out Tony Moffitt's art blog. the link above is titled "Never approach a gallery again...ever!!"

www.tonymoffitt.blogspot.com let me know what you think

New Hand Pulled Print - Poppies

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:33:00 +0000

just finished a new hand pulled print titled "Poppies", you can purchase it here by email to kelly@kellyparkerdesigns.com or on my website at http://www.kellyparkerdesigns.com/

Poppies print only $30.00 includes US shipping

Framed Poppies print $100.00 includes US shipping

Acrylic paintings

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:32:00 +0000

4 - 12" by 36" acrylic paintings on 1 3/8" deep stretched canvas

1. Piano Bird $100.00
2. Love Birds $100.00
3. 3 Flowers $100.00
4. Pear Music $100.00

you can email me at kelly@kellyparkerdesigns.com or www.kellyparkerdesigns.com

paypal accepted

Garden series set of 8

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:26:00 +0000

this set of paintings can be arranged on your wall in almost any configuration, the colors used are red, lime green, teal, yellow, black, light blue, and white on gallery wrapped stretched canvas. the sides are painted the light blue background color and are 1 3/8" deep.

New acrylic paintings - set of 8

3 - 8" by 8" Daisy, Rose and Tulip $45.00 each
1 - 6" by 6" Butterfly $30.00 each
4 - 4" by 4" Bumble Bee, Dragon Fly, Fern, Ladybug $20.00 each

Set of 8 Garden paintings $200.00 with a savings of $45 if purchased separately!!
email me at kelly@kellyparkerdesigns.com to purchase check out other paintings at www.kellyparkerdesigns.com
paypal accepted

Calla Lily Print

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Finally finished my calla lily print. here is the block and the finished print along with my daughters print.

Calla Lily block

Calla Lily Print 6" by 8"

unframed print $30.00 + $5.00 SH in US

framed print $100.00 + $10.00 SH in US

Peace Print 4" by 5"

unframed print $10.00

New Studio Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:38:00 +0000

here are some new studio pictures. they are of the new oil painting area, acrylic painting area, and printmaking area along with a spot where my daughter plays.

oil painting area, with a few 2 by 4s and a counter top i bought at a garage sale i have a great place to work. all the boxes underneath are part of the supplies i got from my artist grant

acrylic painting area - new walls, shelving, and the through the doorway is a whole room of storage for my art supplies.

printmaking area - it still needs some work such as shelves but i have to cover about 30 feet of wall space with insulation and wall board in this area yet.

January 2009 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Companion Series - Violet Poppies Set of 3, 2" x 2" each

News from Kelly Parker Designs
Issue #3 January 2009

Well, this blustery weather sure has been great!! Now I know you're thinking I am crazy...ok, most of you know I am, but anyway, the weather sure makes it easy to paint in the studio. It is too cold to go outside!

I had a wonderful November and December, I sold about 10 paintings in 6 weeks! Thank you to all the wonderful people who are supporting arts locally.

BIG NEWS!! I just received word that I am the proud recipient of another artist grant for 2009 from the Arts and Industry Council of Calhoun County at www.whereisart.com

With this grant, I will be working more on my website, creating new art, playing with new ways to promote my art and looking for an e-newsletter service.

I am currently working on what I call "Companion Pieces". You will be able to purchase art in any size and be able to keep adding art work to your already existing pieces to create a whole wall of art that has interchangeable dimensions. The sizes range from 2" x 2" up to 12" x 36" letting you display the art horizontally or vertically on the wall. Stack 'em, rearrange 'em, separate 'em to your hearts content.... Endless possibilities! To see some of the smaller pieces I have completed, check out the Companion Pieces portfolio on my website at www.kellyparkerdesigns.com

I have added the option of purchasing prints of some of my pieces at Fine Art America. If you are looking for prints, this is the place to look.

For my e-newsletter customers only!! I have a special deal for you - Art Upgrades. If you purchase any of my prints or original art work from www.fineartameica.com/profiles/kelly-parker or www.kellyparkerdesigns.com before February 28th, you will receive 1 note card of your choice, just email me with your choice and I will ship it with your order. It's that easy!!

I added two new portfolios to my website at kelly parker designs that feature Small Art and Companion Pieces that I will be working on in 2009.

I have to confess I am a twitterer now, you can follow me at www.twitter.com/kparkerdesigns

New Galleries - Stick and Stones Kalamazoo MI

Don't forget to check out the Art Center of Battle Creek for events at Art Center of Battle Creek. I am planning on exhibiting in the Postcard Salon on Thursday, February 26 from 5 - 7 pm. www.artcenterofbattlecreek.org

I will be posting new galleries, exhibtions and shows soon, so watch for more news.

Have a wonderful day,

Kelly

If you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with others. I am trying to build a bigger audience for my work and can only succeed with the help of friends like you!!

If you have any comments, suggestions, wish to subscribe or unsubscribe, please email me at kelly@kellyparkerdesigns.com

copyright by Kelly Parker January 2009

Art Upgrades

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:17:00 +0000

i was just reading Alyson Stanfield's e-newsletter and she talks about Art Upgrades. Well i want to offer you an Art Upgrade. If you sign up for my newsletter on my website or at the top of this blog or purchase a piece of art from http://www.kellyparkerdesigns.com/ or purchase a print from http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/kelly-parker.html" you can have your choice of a collaged note card. i will send it too you with your order. just drop me an email and it will be in the mail. it's just that easy!!

American painter Andrew Wyeth dies at 91

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:46:00 +0000

By PATRICK WALTERS, Associated Press Writer Patrick Walters, Associated Press Writer

AP – In this Feb. 23, 1964, file photo, artist Andrew Wyeth stands in front of his farm in Chadds Ford, Pa. …

PHILADELPHIA – Artist Andrew Wyeth, who portrayed the hidden melancholy of the people and landscapes of Pennsylvania's Brandywine Valley and coastal Maine in works such as "Christina's World," died early Friday. He was 91.

Wyeth died in his sleep at his home in the Philadelphia suburb of Chadds Ford, according to Hillary Holland, a spokeswoman for the Brandywine River Museum. The son of famed painter and book illustrator N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyath gained wealth, acclaim and tremendous popularity. But he chafed under criticism from some experts who regarded him as a facile realist, not an artist but merely an illustrator.

A Wyeth retrospective at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2006 drew more than 175,000 visitors in 15 1/2 weeks, the highest-ever attendance at the museum for a living artist. The Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, a converted 19th-century grist mill, includes hundreds of works by three generations of Wyeths.

It was in Maine that Wyeth found the subject for "Christina's World," his best-known painting. And it was in Pennsylvania that he met Helga Testorf, a neighbor in his native Chadds Ford who became the subject of the intimate portraits that brought him millions of dollars and a wave of public attention in 1986.

here are a couple of links to his work -

http://www.andrewwyeth.com/

http://www.awyeth.com/

Painting Ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:52:00 +0000

for all you Twitter followers, this is my idea!!

Because of the economy and the state of jobs in Michigan, i have decided that in order to (hopefully) sell some art work i am going to do what i call "interchangeables". What this means is that all the paintings i do this year will be able to be built upon, size wise.

Ok, to explain my idea, i will be creating interchangeable sizes such as 2" x 2", 2" x 4", 4" x 4" and several other sizes that can be combined to create a wall of art. you will be able to purchase a painting then build on that size with other complimentary sizes. so for example, you might have a tight budget but really want to purchase one of my paintings, you could start with a 2" x 2" and then work your way up to an 8" x 8". When you are finished all of your paintings could be grouped together as a whole. Now this does not mean that they will be a whole together just that they will be a grouping of work in similar style and colors. The art work that you have purchased can be hung in a group, horizontally, vertically or in any way you chose because the sizes will have a common denominator...can you believe i just used a math word here!!

post me some comments on what you think about my idea.

following widget

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:29:00 +0000

just added the following widget. be one of the first 5 people to follow me and i will highlight your business here! lets get some blog traffic going on. here are the steps to get started -

1. comment on this post
2. send me an email with your name, profession, website, blog, and a small jpg

that's it!

A Violinist in the Metro

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:53:00 +0000

I received this email from a friend...it is very sad to read that only a very people take the time to enjoy in this case music, but art also has a place here. just thought i would pass it along in hope that in 2009 you will take time to listen, see, participate in the arts in some way...

A Violinist in the Metro

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning.. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousands of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried on to meet his schedule.A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk.A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again.. Clearly he was late for work. The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5 million dollars.Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats averaged $100.This is a real story.

Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people.

The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour:
Do we perceive beauty?
Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

new venues

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:43:00 +0000

well i just finished up applying to the site www.1000markets.com and i am waiting to here back from the Arts and Industry Council on whether or not i received another artist grant.

anyone have any other venues that they like selling on? any galleries or gift shops etc...

on another note, i just painted the last canvas panels i had left....i will have to order more. i ordered about 300 about this time last year so i am due to get some more.

i also am trying to decide what to use for oil paintings. i like to paint on wood, i generally use masonite when i can but then it has to be framed, which is another added expense, so i bought a few cradled boards to see if i like to paint on those. the only problem with the boards are they are pretty expensive and i am not sure that the cost of a frame will offset that cost. i will have to do some research on these new ideas!!

what about you...what surface do you like to paint on? do you use frames for all your work or do you sell them unframed? please leave your comments.

Ringing in the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:03:00 +0000

just wanted to say Happy New Year to all my friends and family and everyone who checks out my blog. Have a safe and happy new year.

Now, that the new year is here, i can hardly believe it is, what are your goals for the new year? do you have any specific goals or are they more broad and general? leave your comments for all of us to see. maybe we can work on our goals together.

here are some of my goals for 2009 - i have posted 12...one for each month

1. read "I'd rather be in the studio" by Alyson B Stanfield
2. sell at least $1000.00 in paintings
3. spend at least 10 hours a week creating art
4. spend at least 5 hours a week marketing my art
5. create an outline and the first chapter on a book i have in mind
6. write curriculum on a portfolio class i want to create
7. create some note cards for seasonal and holiday markets
8. blog regularly....
9. create some drawings for blockprinting
10. create a portfolio on my website for artwork that is under $50
11. send out an enewsletter regularly
12. try to get my work in at least 2 other galleries/stores

studio redo

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 02:02:00 +0000

well i know the last time i posted i was getting ready to work on the studio...well we are finally doing some work there. i will post some pictures of the new storage area my hubby built for me and i am looking forward to getting the wall board up and putting in some table space. shouldn't be too long before it will be done!! yippeee....now to save for the bathroom stuff.

new ideas

noreply@blogger.com (Kelly Parker) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 01:25:00 +0000

it has been a while since i have posted...been busy with the holiday season and teaching. too many things going on at the end of the semester!! i was just looking at the spring semester and i will have a whole 6 weeks off between classes, but i will be starting a new drawing class with some home school kids on January 15. Looking forward to a new year, new semester, and fresh art work.

speaking of art work, i sold quite a few pieces at the October Art Walk in Battle Creek at the Downtown Partnership Office, (thank you to Kathleen, Terry, and Alessa) then i sold several more pieces just before i was scheduled to take them down. i was so excited to sell my oil paintings. i have really only been oil painting about 2 years so it was a nice to know that people actually like them. i had been struggling with several decisions - keep oil painting or try something else. these sales have made my decision for me....i will be painting most of the 6 weeks i have off.

i have also applied for another artist grant through the Arts and Industry Council of Calhoun County (http://www.whereisart.com/) and i will be looking forward to hearing if i receive another grant. this time i asked for supplies to create paintings in interchangeable sizes such as 6 by 12, 12 by 12, and 6 by 6. i will paint a series of paintings in each of the several sizes and then they can be interchangeable on the wall in groups or individually. i think it will make my art more marketable in the long run because it will be affordable to start with one or two pieces and build on a collection from there.

i have also been thinking of some new goals i would like to set for the new year such as -

1. getting a body of art ready for a gallery show

2. getting a CD of said body of art

3. painting at least 1 painting a week

4. blogging at least once a week

there will be more as we get closer to the new year....what are your goals for the new year?