And were back to New York City Painter! While I was very happy with the new blog name, Google was not. The blog disappeared from the search engines twice, and it seems was not searchable for the last five days.
This was all just too much trouble to deal with, so I'm back to my original name. Eventually I'll move the whole thing to a new platform, but for now, I'm back and I apologize for any aggravation you have had in finding me the last couple of days.
Tomorrow, I will resume posting regular content.
Thanks so much for your patience.
Xx,
Frances
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Sunday, May 27, 2018
New Blog Name!
Hello Everyone. You may have noticed that there is a new name on the blog today. This is a change I have been contemplating for some time, and today I just decided to go for it.
I have several reasons for making this change. The first was practical. After having a good google ranking for years, I was suddenly getting knocked off the search engine on a regular basis. Mostly by people looking for house painters in New York City! It sounds ridiculous, but the house painters and a paintball company recently started getting a lot of search hits which in turn adversely affected me.
This blog is not monetized and I have no plans for it to be. It is more of an online diary. But one of the best parts of having this space has been the ability to share my art work and communicate with people from around the world, and to do that, people need to be able to find me.
Secondly, after almost seven years of blogging, I found the original blog name no longer suited me. There are several reasons for this. I decided the name was too long. I originally wanted it to be NYCPainter, but that was taken by someone who made a few posts and never used it again, so I decided to spell the whole thing out. This was in the days before social media was such a presence, and I just feel like a shorter name is better for me. I also think the new name better describes what it is that I actually do, which is painting in a realist style.
Another factor is that there are a few art blogs that have almost the same name as mine. I even met one of these artists a few years ago and we had no idea that we had almost the same blog name!
The third reason that the blog name needed a change is because I may be making one as well. NYC is the best and I love it here, but I am DONE with winter. I have just had it with cold weather and perpetually gray skies, so becoming a "snowbird" is in the works! Yes, like many in the tri-state area, I am hoping to start spending time in Florida over the winters. Remember Jerry Seinfeld referred to New York, Long Island and Florida as the Bermuda Triangle? It is and I plan to join the ranks, so I did not want my writing to be limited by the blog name.
Last, but certainly not least, the last few years have brought many changes to my life, some good, but many of them have been less than pleasant. Out of necessity, I've had to make some changes, especially recently. While change is always difficult, it can be a time for growth and that is what I feel is finally starting to happen. I decided it was time to have a new blog name to go along with my new life.
I thought about this name change for quite a while. I was very up in the air with the whole thing, but recently, a few bloggers that I have followed for years changed their blog names, mostly due to the same reasons as mine. That gave me the confidence to do it as well. I had not intended for today to be the day, but when I sat down to write a post, I decided there was no time like the present.
So there you have it. Probably more explanation than was necessary, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this name change with you guys. I also have some new blog series coming up and a few other new things to go along with the new name.
As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions, leave them in the comments!
I have several reasons for making this change. The first was practical. After having a good google ranking for years, I was suddenly getting knocked off the search engine on a regular basis. Mostly by people looking for house painters in New York City! It sounds ridiculous, but the house painters and a paintball company recently started getting a lot of search hits which in turn adversely affected me.
This blog is not monetized and I have no plans for it to be. It is more of an online diary. But one of the best parts of having this space has been the ability to share my art work and communicate with people from around the world, and to do that, people need to be able to find me.
Secondly, after almost seven years of blogging, I found the original blog name no longer suited me. There are several reasons for this. I decided the name was too long. I originally wanted it to be NYCPainter, but that was taken by someone who made a few posts and never used it again, so I decided to spell the whole thing out. This was in the days before social media was such a presence, and I just feel like a shorter name is better for me. I also think the new name better describes what it is that I actually do, which is painting in a realist style.
Another factor is that there are a few art blogs that have almost the same name as mine. I even met one of these artists a few years ago and we had no idea that we had almost the same blog name!
The third reason that the blog name needed a change is because I may be making one as well. NYC is the best and I love it here, but I am DONE with winter. I have just had it with cold weather and perpetually gray skies, so becoming a "snowbird" is in the works! Yes, like many in the tri-state area, I am hoping to start spending time in Florida over the winters. Remember Jerry Seinfeld referred to New York, Long Island and Florida as the Bermuda Triangle? It is and I plan to join the ranks, so I did not want my writing to be limited by the blog name.
Last, but certainly not least, the last few years have brought many changes to my life, some good, but many of them have been less than pleasant. Out of necessity, I've had to make some changes, especially recently. While change is always difficult, it can be a time for growth and that is what I feel is finally starting to happen. I decided it was time to have a new blog name to go along with my new life.
I thought about this name change for quite a while. I was very up in the air with the whole thing, but recently, a few bloggers that I have followed for years changed their blog names, mostly due to the same reasons as mine. That gave me the confidence to do it as well. I had not intended for today to be the day, but when I sat down to write a post, I decided there was no time like the present.
So there you have it. Probably more explanation than was necessary, but I wanted to share my thoughts on this name change with you guys. I also have some new blog series coming up and a few other new things to go along with the new name.
As always, thanks for reading and if you have any questions, leave them in the comments!
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Hydrangeas And The Enchanted Home
Hi Everyone,
I was thrilled to see that my painting, Blue And White Hydrangeas, was featured on The Enchanted Home blog post Seven On Sunday! A huge thank you to Tina for adding my painting to her Instagram round up.
If you are new to my site, welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by. I thought I would tell you a little bit about me and my work. I'm an artist living in New York City. Though I do the occasional portrait and landscape, I am primarily a still life painter. Depending on the time of the year, I concentrate on traditional still life ( fruit and objects) or flowers. As it is spring time, and this weekend is the unofficial start of summer, I have been in flower mode. I recently finished a bouquet of lilacs, the hydrangeas, and I am now on to some peonies. Here are a few examples of my work.
My regular readers, I hope you will check out The Enchanted Home. If you love home decor, flowers, entertaining, and most of all, blue and white, you will love Tina's blog.
I hope you enjoy my paintings, and if you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or email me, paintingsbyfrances [at] gmail.com. Thanks again, Tina!
Have a wonderful day!
Frances
I was thrilled to see that my painting, Blue And White Hydrangeas, was featured on The Enchanted Home blog post Seven On Sunday! A huge thank you to Tina for adding my painting to her Instagram round up.
If you are new to my site, welcome! I'm so glad you stopped by. I thought I would tell you a little bit about me and my work. I'm an artist living in New York City. Though I do the occasional portrait and landscape, I am primarily a still life painter. Depending on the time of the year, I concentrate on traditional still life ( fruit and objects) or flowers. As it is spring time, and this weekend is the unofficial start of summer, I have been in flower mode. I recently finished a bouquet of lilacs, the hydrangeas, and I am now on to some peonies. Here are a few examples of my work.
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| Fruit In A Glass Candy Dish, 16x12, oil |
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| Peruvian Lilies In A Blue And White Vase, 14x11, oil |
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| The Purple Flowers, 12x16, oil |
My regular readers, I hope you will check out The Enchanted Home. If you love home decor, flowers, entertaining, and most of all, blue and white, you will love Tina's blog.
I hope you enjoy my paintings, and if you have any comments or questions, I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or email me, paintingsbyfrances [at] gmail.com. Thanks again, Tina!
Have a wonderful day!
Frances
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
New Paintings Added To The Drop Down Menus
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| Lilacs, 20x16, oil |
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| Lady Apples With A White Cloth, 12x16, oil |
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| Lemons And Grapes In A Silver Bowl, 16x20, oil |
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| Wine And Fruit, 16x20, oil |
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| The Hexagon Vase, 20x16, oil |
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| Winter Bouquet, 16x12, oil |
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| Fruit In A Glass Candy Dish, 16x12, oil |
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| Red And White Vase With Fruit, 12x16, oil |
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| Fruit In A Blue And White Compote, 9x12, oil |
Hope you like them!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Blog Update
Hi Everyone. I hope all of you are enjoying the three day weekend. It's beautiful here in New York today, though I'm not too happy that the end of summer is right around the corner :(
I know I promised a studio update for my next post, but one key piece has not arrived yet, so it will have to wait a few days. Instead, I have been doing some blog tweaking. I've added three new paintings to the drop down menus.
I also cleaned out the drop down menus and got rid of some paintings that I no longer want to save, and some that need updated photography. My photo skills, while still needing work, have gotten much better since I first started blogging. As soon as I'm back to 100 percent, I plan to re photograph almost everything. If there is anything you were interested in that is no longer on the site, just leave me a comment or send an email and I can send you a pic.
I'm also back to work on the lilacs. I think this one will be done soon, which will make me very happy. I had three paintings going on at once and that tends to make me a little crazy. I finished up the wine carafe last week, the lilacs are almost done and I've got one small still life in the works that will probably need about two more weeks. It's only 9x12 but has a very complicated background. I will also be helping out with the set up for Gregg Kreutz's workshop next weekend.
So that's what is happening over here. I'll be back soon with my new studio set up and hopefully a completed still life!
I know I promised a studio update for my next post, but one key piece has not arrived yet, so it will have to wait a few days. Instead, I have been doing some blog tweaking. I've added three new paintings to the drop down menus.
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| Chinese Lanterns In A Blue And White Vase, 12x16, oil |
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| Monet's Garden At Dusk, 16x20, oil |
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| Lupines In A Blue And White Vase, 16x20, oil |
I also cleaned out the drop down menus and got rid of some paintings that I no longer want to save, and some that need updated photography. My photo skills, while still needing work, have gotten much better since I first started blogging. As soon as I'm back to 100 percent, I plan to re photograph almost everything. If there is anything you were interested in that is no longer on the site, just leave me a comment or send an email and I can send you a pic.
I'm also back to work on the lilacs. I think this one will be done soon, which will make me very happy. I had three paintings going on at once and that tends to make me a little crazy. I finished up the wine carafe last week, the lilacs are almost done and I've got one small still life in the works that will probably need about two more weeks. It's only 9x12 but has a very complicated background. I will also be helping out with the set up for Gregg Kreutz's workshop next weekend.
So that's what is happening over here. I'll be back soon with my new studio set up and hopefully a completed still life!
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
The Pink Hydrangeas
I've got an update on the hydrangeas, but first I want to say a heartfelt thank you to Tina of The Enchanted Home. I got the thrill of my life when I opened my email this morning to find out that Tina would be featuring me on her amazing blog today. She posted a feature showcasing some of her customers and how they are using the products from her shop. The pot my hydrangeas are planted in came from The Enchanted Home shop and I love it! Thank you, Tina, and welcome visitors from The Enchanted Home.
I spent most of yesterday working on the hydrangeas as I wanted to finish them up. Unlike other props, flowers are on their own time. Luckily, I just had to darken up the shadows on the flowers and they were done. Next it was on to the pot. Pots, especially white pots, don't usually go down in one sitting. I painted it in over the weekend, but yesterday realized it was not quite right so did it over. I ended up repainting the pot and the pattern six times, but it is worth it to keep going as long as it takes to get it right. I'm very happy with the way it came out.
Here is the finished painting. There were so many coats of paint that I couldn't sign it, but I'll take care of that today.
Now I'm back to work on my model. Have a great day everybody!
I spent most of yesterday working on the hydrangeas as I wanted to finish them up. Unlike other props, flowers are on their own time. Luckily, I just had to darken up the shadows on the flowers and they were done. Next it was on to the pot. Pots, especially white pots, don't usually go down in one sitting. I painted it in over the weekend, but yesterday realized it was not quite right so did it over. I ended up repainting the pot and the pattern six times, but it is worth it to keep going as long as it takes to get it right. I'm very happy with the way it came out.
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| It took awhile to get the highlight in the right place |
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| I then softened up the white tablecloth |
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| For the final touch I added some flower petals to the table |
Here is the finished painting. There were so many coats of paint that I couldn't sign it, but I'll take care of that today.
Now I'm back to work on my model. Have a great day everybody!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Girl With A Pearl Earring, Van Gogh's Letters And Blogging
Hi Everyone,
How is everybody doing? Like much of the US, it has been freezing here in New York. Cold weather is not my thing and I have not been getting out to my studio as much as I usually do, but I am working on a new portrait (have the third sitting tomorrow) and I finally got back to the dahlias. I'm finally happy with the background and the flowers. I also repainted the vase, but still have to do the blue pattern. I've never taken this long with a painting but I think the results will be worth it.
I did manage to get out to see the Vermeer, Rembrandt and Hals show at the Frick. It was a great show and seeing the permanent collection at the Frick made it even better. Of course, the star of the show was Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring.
After seeing the show I stopped in the gift shop to pick up the catalog and I also bought the fictional novel based on the painting. The book is fabulous and I cannot put it down, but it also got me thinking about something. As the author, Tracy Chevalier, tells us in the foreward, the book is a work of fiction because nobody knows anything about the young woman in the painting. As she points out, the model could be anyone. There have been all kinds of speculation about who she is, but nobody will ever know for sure because Vermeer kept no notes or journals and did not write letters about his work.
A few months ago I read Van Gogh's letters for the second time. He wrote letters to his brother Theo describing what he was working on and I realized that those letters were similar to what I and so many others are doing on our blogs. As Van Gogh was writing the letters, I'm sure he never imagined that they would be seen by anyone but Theo. Luckily for all of us Theo's wife, Johanna, saved the letters and now the world knows about his process, his models, and his thoughts about art.
While talking about the book in a discussion group, I realized that blogs are the modern day equivalent of Van Gogh's letters, only our thoughts are put on the internet for the entire world to read and they will be available forever. I love that people all over the world are looking at my paintings and enjoy reading about the process of making them. Long before I started writing this blog, I was a voracious reader of them. I'll read blogs about almost anything; art, interior design, cooking, writing. Being an artist can sometimes be a solitary endeavor and I love the fact that I can just go online and find a whole community of people who are also creating something and writing about it. A few months ago I received a lovely email from one of my readers. She complimented my work and sent me a link to the website she set up for her grandfather. He was an artist and even though he is no longer with us, everyone can still see his art and will be able to do so forever. How fantastic is that?!
Years from now no one will have to guess about the thoughts or process of an artist that they are interested in. It is all out in the world for anyone to see.
What do you guys think about blogging? Do you love to read about your favorite artists or writers or designers and know how they created their work? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
How is everybody doing? Like much of the US, it has been freezing here in New York. Cold weather is not my thing and I have not been getting out to my studio as much as I usually do, but I am working on a new portrait (have the third sitting tomorrow) and I finally got back to the dahlias. I'm finally happy with the background and the flowers. I also repainted the vase, but still have to do the blue pattern. I've never taken this long with a painting but I think the results will be worth it.
I did manage to get out to see the Vermeer, Rembrandt and Hals show at the Frick. It was a great show and seeing the permanent collection at the Frick made it even better. Of course, the star of the show was Vermeer's Girl With A Pearl Earring.
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| Girl With A Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer. Google Images |
After seeing the show I stopped in the gift shop to pick up the catalog and I also bought the fictional novel based on the painting. The book is fabulous and I cannot put it down, but it also got me thinking about something. As the author, Tracy Chevalier, tells us in the foreward, the book is a work of fiction because nobody knows anything about the young woman in the painting. As she points out, the model could be anyone. There have been all kinds of speculation about who she is, but nobody will ever know for sure because Vermeer kept no notes or journals and did not write letters about his work.
A few months ago I read Van Gogh's letters for the second time. He wrote letters to his brother Theo describing what he was working on and I realized that those letters were similar to what I and so many others are doing on our blogs. As Van Gogh was writing the letters, I'm sure he never imagined that they would be seen by anyone but Theo. Luckily for all of us Theo's wife, Johanna, saved the letters and now the world knows about his process, his models, and his thoughts about art.
While talking about the book in a discussion group, I realized that blogs are the modern day equivalent of Van Gogh's letters, only our thoughts are put on the internet for the entire world to read and they will be available forever. I love that people all over the world are looking at my paintings and enjoy reading about the process of making them. Long before I started writing this blog, I was a voracious reader of them. I'll read blogs about almost anything; art, interior design, cooking, writing. Being an artist can sometimes be a solitary endeavor and I love the fact that I can just go online and find a whole community of people who are also creating something and writing about it. A few months ago I received a lovely email from one of my readers. She complimented my work and sent me a link to the website she set up for her grandfather. He was an artist and even though he is no longer with us, everyone can still see his art and will be able to do so forever. How fantastic is that?!
Years from now no one will have to guess about the thoughts or process of an artist that they are interested in. It is all out in the world for anyone to see.
What do you guys think about blogging? Do you love to read about your favorite artists or writers or designers and know how they created their work? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Monday, September 9, 2013
What's Happening And A Blog Update
It was quite a busy week over here in NYCP land. Many things on the to do list were accomplished which is always nice.
First up: the stars aligned and I was able to photograph some of the finished paintings.
I'm very happy to be able to finally post these paintings for everyone to see. I'm hoping to varnish them this morning and then in a few days they will be ready for hanging.
I've also started applying to another set of shows. I'll let you know what happens (keeping my fingers crossed!).
Next up, I was able to frame a bunch of paintings that I had stacked up against the wall. It still amazes me how different a painting looks in a beautiful frame. Of course, I had some help from my assistant :)
I also wanted to let you guys know that I am making a small change to the blog. I've been hurrying to get paintings done so that I can get them on the blog quickly to show everyone, but I realized that I can't continue to do postings that way. This week I ended up reworking a few paintings that I thought were finished, but later realized that they were not. My usual way of working is to "finish" a painting and then let it sit for a week or two. By studying a painting when you are not actively working on it, it is much easier to see what needs to be corrected. A good painting takes time to complete and the only thing rushing me were my own self imposed deadlines.
Going forward, I will post my in progress shots instead of waiting until everything is complete and I will post new photos of the reworked paintings as soon as I am positive that they are finally done.
This is getting long so I'll stop here. As always, I thank all of you for reading my blog and following along on my adventures.
Xo,
Frances
First up: the stars aligned and I was able to photograph some of the finished paintings.
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| Brass Teapot And A Glass Vase, 16x20, oil |
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| The River, 18x24, oil |
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| The Red Robe, 16x20, oil |
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| Lady In Red, 16x20, oil |
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| White Pitcher With Oranges, 12x16, oil |
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| Peonies In A Blue And White Vase, 16x20, oil |
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| Peonies In A Glass Vase, 16x20, oil |
I'm very happy to be able to finally post these paintings for everyone to see. I'm hoping to varnish them this morning and then in a few days they will be ready for hanging.
I've also started applying to another set of shows. I'll let you know what happens (keeping my fingers crossed!).
Next up, I was able to frame a bunch of paintings that I had stacked up against the wall. It still amazes me how different a painting looks in a beautiful frame. Of course, I had some help from my assistant :)
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| I've been framed!! |
I also wanted to let you guys know that I am making a small change to the blog. I've been hurrying to get paintings done so that I can get them on the blog quickly to show everyone, but I realized that I can't continue to do postings that way. This week I ended up reworking a few paintings that I thought were finished, but later realized that they were not. My usual way of working is to "finish" a painting and then let it sit for a week or two. By studying a painting when you are not actively working on it, it is much easier to see what needs to be corrected. A good painting takes time to complete and the only thing rushing me were my own self imposed deadlines.
Going forward, I will post my in progress shots instead of waiting until everything is complete and I will post new photos of the reworked paintings as soon as I am positive that they are finally done.
This is getting long so I'll stop here. As always, I thank all of you for reading my blog and following along on my adventures.
Xo,
Frances
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
My New Blog Design
Hi Everyone. I wanted to pop in to let you all know about my blog re-vamp. Ever since I started blogging I wanted to create tabs so readers could just click and see the paintings they were interested in.
Last night I was finally able to do it (thanks to some help from my long suffering husband) and while we were at it we decided to change the design of the blog a bit. When I first set the blog up I read a blurb that you should not use the advanced template if you didn't know what you were doing, so I went with the basic. Google is not very intuitive (to me anyway) so I never did anything else. Luckily my hubs has no technological fears and just dived right in and now I have the paintings separated into categories.
Just click on the top tab to see portraits, landscapes, etc. The new paintings I've written about recently are not there yet because they haven't been varnished and photographed. If the weather is 90 degrees and sunny as the weather people are saying, that will happen tomorrow.
I hope you guys like the new layout as much as I do. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Frances
Last night I was finally able to do it (thanks to some help from my long suffering husband) and while we were at it we decided to change the design of the blog a bit. When I first set the blog up I read a blurb that you should not use the advanced template if you didn't know what you were doing, so I went with the basic. Google is not very intuitive (to me anyway) so I never did anything else. Luckily my hubs has no technological fears and just dived right in and now I have the paintings separated into categories.
Just click on the top tab to see portraits, landscapes, etc. The new paintings I've written about recently are not there yet because they haven't been varnished and photographed. If the weather is 90 degrees and sunny as the weather people are saying, that will happen tomorrow.
I hope you guys like the new layout as much as I do. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I would love to hear your thoughts.
Frances
Monday, July 15, 2013
My First Blog Anniversary!!
The other day I decided to look up when I wrote my first blog post. I thought it was in the fall and was shocked to find out that it was July 15! I can't believe that one year has passed since I sat down and finally made that first post.
I'm amazed that one year has gone by and equally amazed at all the great things that have happened due to the blog. I still can't believe that people around the world are looking at my paintings every day. That is something I could not have imagined years ago when I began painting.
I've also met many of the great bloggers that I have admired for years. Holly from decor8, Leslie of A Creative Mint, Shauna of Nubbytwiglet, Kat from Rock and Roll Bride, Gala of GalaDarling and Molly Crabapple.
If not for the generosity of these ladies sharing their blogging and business wisdom, this blog would not exist. Thank you to all of them and thank you to each and every one of my dear readers. I'm very excited to start my second year of this adventure and hope you will all come along for the ride!
Xo,
Frances
I'm amazed that one year has gone by and equally amazed at all the great things that have happened due to the blog. I still can't believe that people around the world are looking at my paintings every day. That is something I could not have imagined years ago when I began painting.
I've also met many of the great bloggers that I have admired for years. Holly from decor8, Leslie of A Creative Mint, Shauna of Nubbytwiglet, Kat from Rock and Roll Bride, Gala of GalaDarling and Molly Crabapple.
If not for the generosity of these ladies sharing their blogging and business wisdom, this blog would not exist. Thank you to all of them and thank you to each and every one of my dear readers. I'm very excited to start my second year of this adventure and hope you will all come along for the ride!
Xo,
Frances
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Some Links for a Sunday Night
Hi Everyone. Hope everybody had a great weekend. Here in New York we are enjoying our first day without rain in some time. Unfortunately, it was also 90 degrees. Too hot to attend the paint out I had scheduled for today, so what have I been doing? Catching up on blogs and articles. I found some very interesting posts and thought I would share a few with you. I was out of town for a few days so I don't have any new painting photos to show you, but painting will commence again this week so keep an eye out for some new completed panels.
Do you love the California Impressionists? I sure do. Bonhams is having a sale and Underpaintings has the scoop. Scroll down to the end of the post for a big surprise. I know it shocked the hell out of me!
Tired of searching Ebay and used bookstores for the Andrew Loomis books? Now you don't have to. Titan Books has released new editions of them all. Click on over to Art and Influence to read all about it. I paid $90 on Ebay to purchase an original copy of Figure Drawing For All It's Worth, so I'm happy to be able to buy the others at a reasonable price.
Does the thought of writing an artist statement drive you mad? All I can think about is Elaine Benes and the Himalayan walking shoes whenever I try to write one, but after years of searching for a decent tutorial on this, I finally found one today. Alan at artbusiness.com has a great post about it and I actually wrote one out in about an hour today using his recommendations.
Alan also has a very thought provoking post about artists and business and why we need to get serious about taking responsibility for our own careers, rather than depending on a gallery to do everything for us.
In closing, I must give a shout out to one of my Blogcademy headmistresses, the amazing Gala Darling.
I have been inside working on art related things all day and feeling kind of bad about it. No rain on a weekend had me feeling like I should be "doing something". Then I happened upon the post she put up today. Thank you, Gala!!
Have a great night everybody. I'll see you back here tomorrow.
Do you love the California Impressionists? I sure do. Bonhams is having a sale and Underpaintings has the scoop. Scroll down to the end of the post for a big surprise. I know it shocked the hell out of me!
Tired of searching Ebay and used bookstores for the Andrew Loomis books? Now you don't have to. Titan Books has released new editions of them all. Click on over to Art and Influence to read all about it. I paid $90 on Ebay to purchase an original copy of Figure Drawing For All It's Worth, so I'm happy to be able to buy the others at a reasonable price.
Does the thought of writing an artist statement drive you mad? All I can think about is Elaine Benes and the Himalayan walking shoes whenever I try to write one, but after years of searching for a decent tutorial on this, I finally found one today. Alan at artbusiness.com has a great post about it and I actually wrote one out in about an hour today using his recommendations.
Alan also has a very thought provoking post about artists and business and why we need to get serious about taking responsibility for our own careers, rather than depending on a gallery to do everything for us.
In closing, I must give a shout out to one of my Blogcademy headmistresses, the amazing Gala Darling.
I have been inside working on art related things all day and feeling kind of bad about it. No rain on a weekend had me feeling like I should be "doing something". Then I happened upon the post she put up today. Thank you, Gala!!
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| Gala and I at the First Blogcademy class |
Have a great night everybody. I'll see you back here tomorrow.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
The Blogcademy New York City Reunion
It's been a crazy week over here, so I was thrilled to take a break to attend a lunch for the reunion of the first Blogcademy class, which took place right here in NYC.
I was so happy to see the fantastic Blogcademy headmistresses as well as some of the former students from the original class. If you are unfamiliar with The Blogcademy, please check out their site. Shauna, Kat and Gala run two day blogging workshops all over the globe. If you want to start a blog, improve the blog you have, or learn about the business side of blogging, this class can't be beat.
We had a huge table at the Smith Restaurant. I'd never been there before, but I'll definitely be back. Great food, service and atmosphere.
The top photo is me with Gala, the one below with Shauna. I didn't get a picture with Kat, but I will next time.
We had a huge table at the Smith Restaurant. I'd never been there before, but I'll definitely be back. Great food, service and atmosphere.
The top photo is me with Gala, the one below with Shauna. I didn't get a picture with Kat, but I will next time.
Here is the schedule of classes. If you have the opportunity to learn from these amazing women take it. I'm so glad I did!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Links
Over the past few days I have read some great articles related to the business of art and blogging and thought I would share them with you here.
First up, Holly from decor8 wrote a great post about getting paid for your work. I was so glad to see this post as the misconception that creatives should not get paid for their work drives me nuts. No, you can't "have" a painting. No, you can't use my image and not pay for it. No, "exposure" is not sufficient payment for articles or images. Please click through and read the article, but Holly's point was that bloggers and creatives provide a service and we should be paid for it. When artists or bloggers get pulled into the exposure trap and work for free, it devalues all of us.
Second, last week I discovered the fantastic reddotblog. Red dot is written by Xanadu Gallery owner Jason Horejs. I'm going through all the posts, but there are two that I wanted to mention here.
This is the BEST article I've ever read about how to ship artwork. Yes, it is so good I had to use all caps. Jason goes through every step, including what tools and supplies you will need. I've been desperately needing something like this and I'm so grateful to have this step by step guide. If you ship artwork or are considering it, read this post.
The second article is a recent post about women in the art world. Does discrimination still exist in the art world? In my own experience, I have never felt discriminated against professionally, even though I do sign my name with my first initial and last name as mentioned in the article. Personally, however, is another matter. I am constantly fighting against the stereotype that my painting is a little hobby on the side. None of the male artists I know ever have to deal with this. Even if they have a day job, they are still considered by society to be serious artists. A very thought provoking article and the comments are interesting as well.
I had to share this post by Shauna over on Nubbytwiglet. Do you look at Instagram, blogs or Pinterest and start thinking how your work/apartment/blog/whatever are horrible compared to everyone else? I know I'm guilty on all counts. Sometimes I have to step back and remember that Elle Decor isn't coming over to photograph my place, so it's okay if it does not look like a Pinterest photo shoot. As Shauna and many of the commenters wrote, we are only seeing the best parts of everyone online and it is helpful to remember that.
Megan made the same point. Just do your best and don't compare yourself to everyone else.
I found these posts very interesting and thought provoking and hope you do too. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
Xo,
Frances
First up, Holly from decor8 wrote a great post about getting paid for your work. I was so glad to see this post as the misconception that creatives should not get paid for their work drives me nuts. No, you can't "have" a painting. No, you can't use my image and not pay for it. No, "exposure" is not sufficient payment for articles or images. Please click through and read the article, but Holly's point was that bloggers and creatives provide a service and we should be paid for it. When artists or bloggers get pulled into the exposure trap and work for free, it devalues all of us.
Second, last week I discovered the fantastic reddotblog. Red dot is written by Xanadu Gallery owner Jason Horejs. I'm going through all the posts, but there are two that I wanted to mention here.
This is the BEST article I've ever read about how to ship artwork. Yes, it is so good I had to use all caps. Jason goes through every step, including what tools and supplies you will need. I've been desperately needing something like this and I'm so grateful to have this step by step guide. If you ship artwork or are considering it, read this post.
The second article is a recent post about women in the art world. Does discrimination still exist in the art world? In my own experience, I have never felt discriminated against professionally, even though I do sign my name with my first initial and last name as mentioned in the article. Personally, however, is another matter. I am constantly fighting against the stereotype that my painting is a little hobby on the side. None of the male artists I know ever have to deal with this. Even if they have a day job, they are still considered by society to be serious artists. A very thought provoking article and the comments are interesting as well.
I had to share this post by Shauna over on Nubbytwiglet. Do you look at Instagram, blogs or Pinterest and start thinking how your work/apartment/blog/whatever are horrible compared to everyone else? I know I'm guilty on all counts. Sometimes I have to step back and remember that Elle Decor isn't coming over to photograph my place, so it's okay if it does not look like a Pinterest photo shoot. As Shauna and many of the commenters wrote, we are only seeing the best parts of everyone online and it is helpful to remember that.
Megan made the same point. Just do your best and don't compare yourself to everyone else.
I found these posts very interesting and thought provoking and hope you do too. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think.
Xo,
Frances
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The Blogcademy
The weekend before last I had the amazing chance to attend The Blogcademy, put on by blogging goddesses Gala Darling, Nubbytwiglet and Kat of Rock and Roll Bride. I've been following Gala and Nubby since their livejournal days, so it was great to meet them in person and hear first hand how they grew their blogs and their businesses.
This class was amazing. There was so much material covered starting with how to grow your blog and turn it into a business, branding your business, how to get a book deal and so much more.
The other great part of the weekend was meeting so many inspiring women from all over the world. Bloggers came from England, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia as well as different parts of the United States. And speaking of amazing women attending The Blogcademy:
The amazing Veronica Varlow was a fellow student! Yes, the Danger Dame herself was there and not only is she tall and gorgeous, she is also incredibly sweet and friendly. My secret art fantasy has always been that I win the Mega Millions, have a huge studio of my own and paint all the Dr. Sketchys models. I guess it's not a secret anymore, but a big part of the weekend was putting your goals down on paper and out into the world.
I have to give Gala, Kat and Nubby a huge thank you for all the work they did to give us this presentation. Thank you for an amazing and inspiring weekend!
Frances
*Due to hurricane Sandy, Gala is without power and Veronica is in the flood zone. Please send some good vibes out to them and everybody else affected by the storm.
 |
| Me with the fabulous Gala Darling |
This class was amazing. There was so much material covered starting with how to grow your blog and turn it into a business, branding your business, how to get a book deal and so much more.
 |
| Nubby, Kat and Gala |
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| Kat and Nubby watching Gala's presentation |
The other great part of the weekend was meeting so many inspiring women from all over the world. Bloggers came from England, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia as well as different parts of the United States. And speaking of amazing women attending The Blogcademy:
 |
| Me with Veronica Varlow (doing I'm not worthy motions right now!) |
I have to give Gala, Kat and Nubby a huge thank you for all the work they did to give us this presentation. Thank you for an amazing and inspiring weekend!
Frances
*Due to hurricane Sandy, Gala is without power and Veronica is in the flood zone. Please send some good vibes out to them and everybody else affected by the storm.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Blogging Your Way
It takes a village to make a blog, and in my case, I was extremely fortunate to have help from two of the best bloggers out there: Holly Becker of decor8 and Leslie Shewring of A Creative Mint.
I was a student in their online course, Blogging Your Way, back in the fall. Earlier this year they decided to do a live class and I was very lucky that they decided to do it in New York City.
I learned so much from Holly and Leslie about every aspect of blogging. There is no way I could have done this without their expert help. The other great part of the class was meeting other bloggers from all over the world. We had so much fun.
Thank you Holly and Leslie and all of my Blogging Your Way friends!
I was a student in their online course, Blogging Your Way, back in the fall. Earlier this year they decided to do a live class and I was very lucky that they decided to do it in New York City.
I learned so much from Holly and Leslie about every aspect of blogging. There is no way I could have done this without their expert help. The other great part of the class was meeting other bloggers from all over the world. We had so much fun.
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