Suburban Landscape II

New work! This is Suburban Landscape II, one of three I have in this stunning series so far. They’re all 8”x10” and ‘groovily’ colorful. 💜 Find them at:

colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

These come in clear, acrylic sleeves for shipment and display, or you can frame them as you would any other watercolor.  See my previous post, a video, showing the color shifty goodness. ♥️

Oooooohhhh, I love how these change with light and angle.

So pretty and sparkly!

The Day in the Life of an Artist

The day in the life of an artist? It’s complicated and varies a lot, but there is an underlying current that unites my days.  I work a LOT.  If you’re contemplating a career, do not think ‘I would like to be an artist, it’d be fun to just paint all day.’  If ‘artist’ is your choice it’s because you MUST be an artist and have no other choice!  Being an artist is hard work!  Mine is 70 hours/week.

So, what did I do today, a typical day in my life?

• My first job was to take a payment on a sold painting with my Square.
• Reached out to a designer that I want to work with in the future.
• Breakfast - social media.  I’m more of a content creator because it’s my business.  I try to post on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, Linked In and sometimes Pinterest.  It’s how I generate business.  Artists need to be good writers.
• Worked on a commission
• Made a couple painting videos
• A few more touches on that commission so it will dry for the next layer...
• Went to the gym and worked out and swam for a couple hours
• Took a nap!
• Social media posting.  I’d like to paint all day but the paintings would sit in our house and have conventions if I did only that.  An artist these days should paint only 10% of the time and work on the business the other 90% of the time.
• Continuing work on that commission. 
• A nice cozy fire with my hubby and daughter.  Recruited them to help me finish some coasters; preparing for an upcoming Christmas show.
• I teach five art classes and completely write my own curriculum so I worked on class preparation tonight.  It takes me an average of six hours a week to prepare and maintain my classes, which does not include teaching them, ordering supplies, transit, cleanup, emails answering questions, preparing my own work to use as examples, researching art history, sending assignments, ‘student management,’ chasing payments.
• Conversation with clients, having them check on almost-finished piece.
• Watched one TV show with fam and enjoyed our fire.
• Stumbling around doing house things and last check of social media.
• BED!

This is a typical day, but they vary widely.  The underlying tie is discipline.  Don’t even contemplate an artistic career unless you are one disciplined human!  So... if you’re interested in the arts, it would be a lot easier instead of producing art yourself to just buy mine!! :)

Also, there’s a myth about artists looking fab and wearing high heels when the paint.  Forget that.  Just forget it.  HERE is the dirty truth!

New Series of Paintings

Vote #1, #2, #3 or #4; I’m very curious which painting you like best!  I’ve worked another series here and am in the varnishing process. Pretty sure I blew off some brain cells today doing THAT!  They’re getting many coats of UV protectant varnish.  These are pretty big pieces; you can judge by my toes and the leaves how big they are. Which is your fave? 

This first one is the biggest, I haven’t measured yet but probably 34x40”. .... maybe? :)

#2 - This one is probably 24”x36”.... maybe...

#3, this one is a nice, cute size, at about 16x20”.  Artists do measure.  But we estimate a lot too.  In all honesty I’ve got a show coming up soI’m working hard.  Measurement isn’t as important right now as getting them varnished.  I put many coats on for serious protection, UV protection and a nice gloss.  THAT is what is important right now... getting the layers of varnish down, letting them dry, and adding more layers.  Time.

And coming in last but not least, #4.  This one is... hmmm... about 20”x18”.  Maybe.  Oh!  This is the only one I’ve posted on my website so far - so if you’re dying to purchase it before someone else gets their greedy little hands on it, you can find the size AND make it your own in a minute!

I WOULD appreciate your vote. :). These help me determine what my adoring public (haha) wants.

Matisse Paint Pour

For all its bold color I named this one ‘Matisse’ and took some shots of it so you could look at all its little nuances.  Really love the way the blues and reds mixed in this one with little bold shouts of black and white.  That gunmetal sparkle throughout is like the icing on the cake.  Armchair shopping at its best - www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com. 

www.colorcatstudios101.etsy.com

This photo shows how big it is: 8” square with 3/4” depth.  It’s on cradled birch - gorgeous, smooth and sturdy.  My little giraffe friend likes it too.

I was a little frustrated because I forgot to take pics of this before I laid down the resin.  Even in the video you can see a lot of reflections and probably see me with my camera if you look closely.  But you know, it’s all right - you can really see what you’ll get, and THAT’S a good thing!  Absolutely love this one with two of my favorite compliments working together

This shot shows how it wraps around the sides.  I love that it continues the art all the way around. :) ❤️ 

Sold! Here’s Looking at You

SOLD!  ‘Here’s Looking at You.’  This piece is ink and watercolor, two of my favorite mediums to combine.  I like the discipline of the ink and the loose lay down of the watercolor; a marriage made in heaven if you ask me!  When I work like this I like to use a heavy paper - this is a heavy cotton rag.  You can’t see the deckled edges, but they’re there.  When you do get a nice piece like this, frame it on top of a mat so that you can see the nice edges.  Another one gone!

The man that purchased this painting actually has no place for it right now but is working toward a move and a new place within two years.  He is at this time collecting art with which to fill his home when he gets it set up. :). Sounds like a good plan to me!