Meeting Notes, O'Connors, APRIL 2013


Meeting Notes, April 4, 2013, O'Connors

At today’s meeting Loretta, Joanne, Dave, Brenda, Stephanie, Vicki, Kirk, Tim, Diane M, Lisa, Marty, Eunice, Thomas, Donna,  Michael, Lola, Gretha and me (Celeste)

Today’s suggested topic "pricing your paintings"

(Note, since this subject can be considered somewhat personal, individual specifics aren't included in these notes.  This can fall under the category of  “you had to be there”. (Sensitive information is omitted, generalities are included).

I (Celeste) brought in 2 paintings.

Eunice showed us her system for holding a canvas in a frame with repurposed canvas strips. (See photos in the slideshow). She prices “by size”. She brought in a painting and has another painting in the new show for April at O’Connor’s.

Marty has gotten his new Hughes easel and he is very pleased with it. He brought in a painting of the Nichol Road watershed. (So sorry, I missed photographing it. I will photograph it next time).

http://www.hugheseasels.com/

Lisa brought in a painting from the blog painting challenge.

http://allaprimaportland.blogspot.com/2013/02/paintingdrawing-challenge.html

Diane Marks- Bestor spent Easter painting on Alberta Street. She painted onto a sheet of canvas that was taped down. She gave some of the Easter-themed results away to children who came up to her. She said she did this because to her way of thinking: “Every child should have some real art”.

Tim brought a painting and also showed us the shirt that he was wearing that he painted on with a fabric pen. It is a “heat set marker” by tee juice:

http://www.fabricandart.com/fabric_pens.html

Kirk deFord thinks about pricing because he is gearing up for the Mt. Tabor art walk. He shared his pricing strategy with us and showed two paintings. One was titled “this is Art”.

http://www.mttaborartwalk.com/Pages/default.aspx

Michael Fisher also shared pricing ideas with us. He suggests standard sizes and also sticking to prices that have been established. He thinks commission work can definitely be negotiated. He showed two paintings.

Donna showed us a news article about the Fechin show in Seattle. She reminds us to include framing costs in the overall price of the painting. “Always do the best for you”, she advised.

http://fryemuseum.org/exhibition/4652/

Donna also tells us Art on Broadway has guest show/opportunties:

http://www.artonbroadway.net/?page_id=56

Vicki told us how off-putting it was for her once to receive a contract from someone who she bought a painting from.  It had to do with if she sold the painting at a later date and she was expected to sign it. (It turned out that this was a common practice contract in New York). Vicki has a painting in the April O’Connor’s show and also she showed us a 2nd painting.

Kristina brought in a painting.

Stephanie brought in 3 paintings. She will be painting on April 19 at Muse. (let’s show up and support her!):
http://www.anartistaday.com/artists.htm

Brenda has been doing a lot of oil painting and she finds it has positively affected her pastel painting. She showed us a recent pastel. She recommends that we check Artists helping Artists:

http://artistshelpingartistsblog.blogspot.com/

Joanne knows that it is imperative to have ethics pertaining to pricing. (Don’t go changing your prices after they have been determined). Sales in her line of etchings has had improved recently. She has a painting in the April O’Connor’s show and brought in a 2nd painting.

Loretta has paintings that she will never sell! She brought in a painting for the April O’Connor’s show.
(.....And that one is for sale).

Thomas Kitts gave us a great lesson in pricing. He has his sales record and pricing structure on his ipad “at the ready” so he can show it to interested parties (images of sold paintings are available too). Thomas suggests if you have uncertainty about your own prices you should go to galleries you respect and find work for sale that seem comparable to yours. Do your own surveys and establish your own standard. He showed us a painting of a barn with a tin roof and told us the colors he used.

Lola showed us a painting.

Gretha told us that good framing is very important and should not be neglected.

Gretha will be competing in this years plein air event at Carmel:

http://www.carmelartfestival.org/

Note: (Gretha’s 2012 Carmel painting is used this year for the Carmel plein air event promotion.It is this month’s issue of Plein Air Magazine!) Congratulations, Gretha!

Diane Holland showed us a pastel of pink trees from the Children’s Arboretum.

Announcements:

First Fridays:

Art on the Boulevard, Elizabeth Ganji
http://www.artontheboulevard.org/

Christopher Mooney, Michael Orwick, Don Bishop, in Lake Oswego
https://www.facebook.com/don.bishop.108/posts/4657000023588

Celeste Bergin and others at Lane Gallery, The Farm Show
http://laneartgallery.com/Shows/March%202013%20-%20The%20Farm.html

Other:

Alan Greene at Doll Gardner reception on this coming Sunday
http://www.whuuf.org/node/1786

Gretha Lindwood and others: Lake Area Artists (April 26, 27 and 28) http://lakeareaartists.com/Press-release-2013.html

Nautical Paintings due at OSA on Saturday:
http://allaprimaportland.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-great-nautical-art-show-with-osa.html

Thank you all for coming out today and sharing your paintings and your information!

Next meeting: Thursday, April 11, Suggested Table Topic: Your daily schedule (as it pertains to your art career).  

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 April 11, 2013:
At today’s meeting: Eunice, Diane, Marty, Loretta, Kristina, Peggie, Char, Dave, Kay, Donna, Steve and me (Celeste)

Today’s suggested table topic: Your schedule as it pertains to your art career—(time management).

I (Celeste) showed a photo of a “post-it” to-do list. This is a recommendation for “visual thinkers” because post-it notes are tangible and color-coded. I also showed an “old fashioned” time sheet. I keep some things electronically, but also rely on the old-fashioned post-it note system.

I showed two paintings, one from Eric Bowman’s workshop (that I was in last weekend).


Eunice brought in an article from Professional Artist Magazine entitled “Could you be more Productive?” (and she shared copies with us—thanks, Eunice!) She brought in a large painting of the desert.


Diane used to get up very early to do her work, but now she plans time at Kat Sowa’s studio (a place where she can work without interruption). Diane has been taking Kat’s classes and “embracing the struggle”. (Some of the concepts are totally new to her).


Joanne is a friend of Dan McCaw. (McCaw is a well-known celebrated artist, but he remains a grounded and philosophical person). Joanne told us that recently she spoke with McCaw and he said something along the lines of: “If you keep your hand in the fire long enough, a flower will blossom” (This drew a lot of laughter... because we immediately "related").


Joanne showed us her planner and her logbook. She recommends if we need to print post cards to consider Color Magic. She showed us a large floral painting (that was based on studies she did at Studio 30). She also showed us a current issue of Central Catholic magazine that has her painting on the front cover and a story about her inside. (Congratulations, Joanne!)



Char brought in an abstract painting.

Dave McBride currently doesn’t write many things down. He generally remembers all the things he needs to do that are unrelated to art and then he fills the remainder of his time (predominately) with art. He recently went to Mike Orwick, Don Bishop and Christopher Mooney’s show. He brought in a painting of hands/guitar on an elongated horizontal format canvas.

Donna uses a  Laissez-faire attitude about organization, but she likes (and needs) deadlines. She has a show coming up in June at Art on Broadway. She showed us a large acrylic painting that is part of a series she is working on about the Japanese Garden. What she is doing, she explains, is “simplifying and exaggerating”.

Guest slots continue to be available at Art on Broadway:


Steve said that he scanned the article that Eunice brought in and liked what was referred to as “Anchor activities”. His anchor activities during the week are the classes that he teaches. He knows that deadlines are good, such as with competitions.  Steve brought in a painting that he did as a demonstration for a recent class.

(Steve teaches Tuesday and Wednesday at OSA):

Kay went to the Eric Bowman workshop. She thought it was great. She doesn't have a schedule per se, but she learned from another class to instigate "objectives". She has a group of 12x12 canvases that she plans to paint over a period of time. She brought in two paintings.

Peggie uses file folders that are marked by the month. She also uses a regular wall calendar. She took a workshop with Albert Handel 5 years ago and learned from him that revisiting a plein air painting is a positive thing. She brought in a painting that she did on site (at Blooms) last year, which she recently changed and unified.

Marty talked about how other people helped to keep him organized in his job and how his wife seems to do the same now. He relies on her to keep him on track. He continues to work with Kat Sowa and is very pleased with her instruction. He brought in a painting from her class.

Loretta said, “Brevity is the soul of wit and I have no schedule”. (She paints when she wants). She brought in a “serene” painting.

Announcements:

Za Vue has a couple spots left in her workshop. studioza@mac.com

Do you want to paint on Fridays at Studio 30? get on the email list:

(email): studio30atcathedralparkplace@gmail.com

Thomas Kitts, Brenda Boylan and others are in Monterey for the Plein Air Convention. Follow their blogs and/or facebook posts for updates:


Thanks all, for coming and sharing your information and paintings!

Next meeting: April 18, Materials, supplies or equipment that you "can't live without"

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April 18, 2013:


At today’s meeting: Loretta, Tim, Marty, Kristina, Joanne, Diane, Lisa, Stephanie, Peggie, Dave and me (Celeste)

Suggested table topic: Materials/equipment/supplies—what can you “not live without”?

I (Celeste) showed my Open M pochade box. It’s my “favorite” (even though I often use my EasyL too). I like the Open M because it is so portable and compact.


Peggie brought in her ½ size Jullian French easel. She likes it for its stability. She weighs it down, if she has to, with a bungee cord and a weight. She showed us two paintings (on her ipad) that she re-visited to finalize.


Loretta brought in several “favorite” items she uses when painting. (She didn’t bring her bathrobe, but she mentioned that it doubles sometimes as her painting attire). She showed us: Her mop brush, a favorite palette knife from Italy, a razor for scraping her palette, a paper clip for piercing old paint, and her radio remote.


Tim is also fond of his palette knife and showed us how he uses the camera on his cell phone for composition. (Side note: Happy to report Tim is doing well after his recent successful emergency surgery! Yikes! All is well now!)
Tim brought in a painting of Garibaldi, painted from a photo that he took.

Marty confesses that he really likes equipment, materials and supplies! He showed us his calipers (that he uses for measuring while drawing), a cropping tool and his tube wringer. He also showed us a recent still life painting that he “fractured” (using Oliver-Ford’s technique). Marty is currently working on a copy of an Andrew Wyeth painting and he is starting a painting of a beloved family friend, “Oliie May”.


Kristina brought in her Guerilla painter thumbox. It holds 6x8 paintings and is very compact. She brought in two plein air paintings. She is in the OSA Nautical Show, the Gresham juried show and a show in the Lane Gallery is coming up.


Stephanie showed her ratio/sliding/ cropping tool. She has had a couple of these that she kept losing so now she keeps it in her sketch kit (that she always has with her). She showed three paintings. (Two of Smith Rocks and one of the model session from Studio 30).
Both Stephanie and Kristina are going to Smith Rock paint out in June.
Stephanie is the Artist of the day at Muse tomorrow, Friday


Dave McBride recommends Viva paper towels, palette knives, grays (saved up paint) and a large monitor (for painting from ...in the Studio). He brought two paintings. Dave is an artist at the Potland Art Museum Rental Sales Gallery.
There is a “Meet the Artists” reception tomorrow, Friday (5-8pm): 


Lisa brought in a Silicoil jar that she uses for cleaning brushes. She brought in a painting from the photo challenge.

Diane showed us her Samsung galaxy phone. The camera works great for composing and changing to black and white to check values. She brought in 3 paintings. One painting was painted on canvas and “pinned” onto a linen support and framed. (Unique presentation!) Her other two paintings served as “before and after” dealing with the new techniques she is learning in classes with Kat Sowa.

Joanne likes her book on painting “Alla Prima” by Richard Schmid. She also likes “transparent red oxide” for mapping out paintings.  She showed us a painting done on newspaper and a revised portrait from last session at Studio 30. Additionally, she showed us a framed print of the painting she did of Msgr Murphy (that will be used in a fundraising auction).


Announcements: Join Mark Larsen on the Bolt Bus April 30th to Seattle! (We’re going to the Frye Museum to see Nicolai Fechin). Here is what Mark wrote:
“Celeste,
 I'm going up to see Fechin April 30th on the Bolt Bus, leaving at 8:30am and coming back on the 6:30pm. bus. Other artists are driving up on that day.
I went to Seattle last Saturday with Wendy on the Boltbus and it was very smooth, comfortable and cheap, less than $20 round trip if you buy your tickets early enough”.


(Stephanie added the Bolt Bus is downtown, it is best to have someone drop you off and pick you up there).

David McBride will begin his weekly painting outings to Sauvie Island in May. Stay tuned!

Peggy wants to remind us if we use our iphones for video... remember to always take the video is horizontal format!

Thanks for coming out and sharing what you know and your paintings. See you next time.

Next Meeting: Thursday,  April 25
Suggest table topic: Selling without Galleries (Who what where and why!)
Bring your ideas, suggestions and/or questions

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April 25, 2013:


At today’s meeting: Tim Young, Eunice, Marty, Loretta, Chris, Tim Lally, Stephanie, Kay, Joanne, Diane and me (Celeste)

Today’s topic: Alternative spaces to show or sell (aside from galleries) and also..canvasing for new topics for our next round of discussions. (Suggestions for new topics are at the end of the notes).

I (Celeste) have shown in cafes, schools, churches and online. I’ve sold paintings directly from my blog and website. (My website needs revamping and updating). I have decided to sign on with Dailypaintworks. I am showing next month in Lane Gallery’s “Reigning cats and dogs”.  I showed two paintings today.


Diane looks at RACC for calls to artists. She thinks it is important to get into juried shows. She is a member of Talisman. She showed 3 paintings.


Joanne has just completed a RACC workshop on Marketing. She has won grants from RACC and will show work in the future in a variety of public places. She showed a flyer that she recently completed that communicates news about her activities and shows. Joanne believes hard copy flyers are “still” important, even in our digital age.  She brought in 2 paintings.

Kay shared information that she learned online (Youtube) about the Zorn palette. She showed a recent painting. Kay also shared that “Citrus Strip” (from Home Depot) is great for cleaning your palette.


Stephanie had a successful experience at Muse as “Artist of the Day”. She showed two recent paintings.

Eunice read to us from James Gurney’s blog. It was a comical list of things that can go wrong while painting “in real time”. She brought in three paintings that she copied from Miles Fairhurst’s DVD (about Edward Seago).


Tim (Lally) is signed up in Za’s class (he tells us it’s filled now). He aims to learn how to paint in a more structured way. He likes just “going for it”, but he recognizes that planning may have benefits. He brought in a portrait.


Chris brought a great list of new topics. She recommends that we all get involved in the two challenges coming up on Leslie Saeta’s blog. In the past Chris has shown in art associations and she has had success with Daily Paintworks. She knows other venues are viable, like Etsy, outdoor shows and studio shows. In particular, she knows Dreama Perry is a good model for good marketing. Chris brought in a watercolor portrait.


Marty knows that painting outdoors sparks interest from passersby. He thinks if we want to promote ourselves we wouldn’t go wrong with simply painting in neighborhoods that are interesting. The spectators (and potential purchasers) will appear!

Loretta brought in an “inner vision” painting.

Tim brought in a recent plein air painting of Vancouver Lake. (Special thanks to Tim for sharing (loaning out) his instructional dvds...we appreciate it)

New suggested topics:

  • The logistics of Plein Air painting (how to set up, what you need, etc)
  • Drawing or painting from the mind’s eye
  • Composition dos and don’ts (bring a sample of each)
  • Edges
  • Breaking the rules (examples of paintings that shouldn’t work....but do)
  • How do you start a painting? (What methods do you use)?
  • Working in a Series
  • Great things you’ve learned in workshops
  • Commissions
  • Donating your painting
  • Setting goals
  • Favorite Art Books
  • Social Media (Blogs, facebook, twitter, etc)
  • Favorite Art supplies
  • How to start a blog
  • To Varnish, or not to varnish
  • Sky! (Painting skies)

Announcements:

Meet at 7:30am at Janzten Beach on April 30 to caravan to the Frye Museum. Here is the full email from Brenda Boylan:

Fetchin is at the Frye Museum!

I'm sending this out to all those who have expressed an interest or may be interested in a trip up to Seattle on Tuesday, April 30th to see the Fetchin show at the Frye Museum.  Feel free to share this with other artists friends whom may be interested.  :)

This will be a one day trip, caravan/carpool to and from Seattle.
Where we will meet up:  Jantzen Beach Home Depot Parking lot. (take Oregon's LAST EXIT prior crossing the bridge to Vancouver) 
When:  7:15-7:30     Depart 7:30 don't be late!Arrive in Seattle around 10:30-11:00 am

Depart to PDX:  3:15 prior rush hour
Arrive back at Home Depot by 7:00 pm

I understand there is a cafe at the museum for lunch, coffee etc.  The show boasts a large collection of Fetchin's work.


Brenda

(some are taking the Bolt Bus!):

https://www.boltbus.com/

Thanks for coming today and sharing what you know and giving suggestions.

Next meeting: Thursday, May 2 Topic: Sky! (Painting skies) 

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