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Why Paint a Series?

February 7, 2022 By Carol McIntyre

Have you ever thought about painting in a series? If not, why not? …And what is it?

A series is a cohesive collection of paintings whereby the viewer has no doubt the same artist has created each piece. A series communicates a common thread that connects the paintings. Every painting can standalone, but together the visual impact is greater.

The series’ common thread can be established in a number of ways, including: technique, color palette, subject, medium, size, etc. This theme or thread is stated and restated in different yet interconnected ways. This facilitates the viewer’s ability to understand more easily what the artist is saying visually.

One of my first series, back in the early 1990’s, incorporated musical instruments and flowers. They were painted in watercolor and each was a full sheet or 22″x30.” Notice the unique edge on each piece and that the flower’s petals are strategically placed as if they are playing the instrument. There were 12 in this series. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Art Material & Painting Tips, Creativity & Painting Concepts, Selling & Buying Art Tagged With: abstract painting fused with realism, art marketing, art tips, artistic process, Painting Process

Drum Roll ~~The Pantone Color of the Year is…

January 12, 2018 By Carol McIntyre

Every year I look forward to the Pantone Color Institute’s color of the year announcement. This declaration has taken place since 2000, and results from secret meetings with various nations’ color standard groups. After two days in a European capital and many presentations and discussions, they choose a color for the following year.

Here is a swatch of the pantone color of the year with its corresponding number.

pantone color of the year

I was thrilled to discover ultra violet, my favorite purple, is the color for 2018. As you may or may not know, purple is a color I wear frequently as well as paint with. It has also been my brand color for 25+ years. In my 18’x24″painting entitled, “An Interior Quest,” I celebrate various purples. I completed it in 2017, was I before my time? LOL! About this color, Pantone describes it as, “Inventive and imaginative, ultra violet lights the way to what is yet to come.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: Color Mixing, Tips & Concepts, Selling & Buying Art

Time to Adorn the Sales Hat | It’s Art Fair Season

July 8, 2014 By Carol McIntyre

Street Art FairArtists, why do so many of us struggle with selling at art fairs? ‘Tis the art fair season and it’s time to adorn our sales hat with gusto! Isn’t this one of the best venues where we can engage with our collectors and meet new ones? I read tons of marketing articles about artists wanting to make sales. To do so we have to “reach out and touch someone.”

Art fairs are a prime venue to do just that.

For a moment, put yourself in the shoes – or sandals – of someone who has set out to experience real and live art on a warm sunny summer day. They have made special plans to spend a few hours seeing what the current art scene has to offer and to mix with creative people. They may be looking for a painting/photograph to fill a blank space in their homes or wanting to buy a gift for someone. Perhaps they want to be pleasantly surprised and decide, “I need to buy that!” or they are a tourist want to purchase a piece of jewelry or pottery to remember their visit. What are some other reasons why people attend art fairs?

As one who has been an art fair artist, I know it is not easy to think of the fair attendee after we have spent countless hours – blood, sweat and tears – preparing our art and setting up our booths. Sometimes we have battled traffic, parking hassles, the elements and other unexpected events to achieve just getting everything up and running! Do we have the energy to give ourselves the directive to think beyond ourselves? I know I often felt in need of support and compassion after the booth was ready. I was not able to see beyond my own needs.

A wake up call from a friend who got my rear-end in gear. He had me remind myself why I was an artist exhibiting at this art fair. I needed to do some serious self-coaching! So off went the tired energy that I replaced with invigoration. Out went the doubts — “Will I sell anything today?” — and in went the abundance affirmations. I tossed out those thoughts of “These people just don’t get it,” and in came the positive thoughts of knowing I will have some marvelous conversations about my art along with visualizaions of my paintings finding new homes.

I learned that I needed a moment of transition to re-wind my brain and get ready to meet the public. It made me realize that we expect too much of ourselves to move abruptly from one mode – creating a booth space that takes physical and psychic energy – to one of selling and meeting new people, which also takes emotional and physical energy. people-texting

How do we remind ourselves that the art fair season is a rare opportunity to meet a huge cross section of the public? What better place is there to engage with art appreciators and potential buyers? Would you buy from this artist seen in this photo? (I saw this stance way too often at the Cherry Creek Art Fair in Denver this past weekend.) Does he have his sales hat on? Has he forgotten why he is exhibiting at this art fair? Does he want to learn how people react to his work? Perhaps if he had taken a moment to make the transition, he would be more alert to engaging with art fair attendees.

Here are a few suggestions to assist in making that all important mind-set transition: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Inner Artistic Journeys, Selling & Buying Art Tagged With: artistic process, Colorado artist

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