Harvest Home - and an Anniversary Surprise!

Harvest Home

Oil on canvas, 6x12

sold

Oh, my, another crappy show. I came close to making the booth fee this time, though. 

But I must remind myself that not all the sales come during the shows for me. I've gotten a nice and exciting commission from the Wilmington show, and have hopes for another. And several people in Leesburg seemed serious about commissions, so I will contact them and get the ball rolling. 

An exciting thing about one of my sales is that the buyer was the son of John Cullen Murphy, one of the men who drew the comic strip "Prince Valiant." And the buyer's godfather was Mort Walker, who drew "Beetle Bailey" and "Hi and Lois." So that was very exciting for me. 

I met lots of nice people, who liked my work but just weren't ready to buy. This is always disappointing, but I have faith. I do believe I am making interesting paintings, different from the norm, fresh and full of energy. And they are selling, just not necessarily as I expect, or how I expect, or where I expect. 

And that is OK. 

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AFTER A SHOW in Frederick, MD, earlier this year, I got a call from a man who wanted a sunflower painting on a bifold door. He and his wife had seen one of my paintings like this at the show, but someone else had bought it before they could. 

We talked about sizes and shapes, prices and colors, and had fun kicking ideas around. The whole thing was to be a surprise for Anthony's wife, on their 14th wedding anniversary. 

I finished the painting, they came to the show, and we had a wonderful celebration in my tent. Here are photos: 

The painting itself and that he had planned it and made it happen brought tears to her eyes. 

They look pretty happy, looking at their painting...

... and here they are, in front of their piece. They said they were as pleased as could be! 

I love being part of a surprise. Want to see another? Click here. 

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I always wondered how Google Maps got its photos, and on my way to Leesburg, I found out... Or at least, I found out how the Street View photos are taken. 

I know some people believe that Google is stealing our info while they are doing this - and I don't know if they are or are not. But I do know that this rolling photo-car is pretty cool! 

Ran into some traffic on Route 13...

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Dogs of the Day

I met these guys at the Leesburg show. They looked like BIG dogs with SHORT legs - and in fact, their owner says she believes that's just what they are. 

The closer one, she says, is an Australian shepherd/basset hound mix, and the red one doing tricks is a golden Lab/corgi mix. They were really cool dogs! 

Reflections - and Reflections on Shows, Value and Prices

Reflections, Frederick MD

Oil on canvas, 24x24

sold

I'm pretty excited about the Boardwalk Art Show in Virginia Beach - and a little fearful, too. It's a huge show, the weather can be dramatic, and it's a four-day event, something I've never done. So I have my qualms, but I guess I wouldn't be me without them.

Most of all, I'm excited to have gotten in, and to be a part of such an enormous and well-known event.

If you're in the area, please say hello! I will be in Booth 2423, which is near 24th Street. The show runs from Thursday through Sunday. Thursday hours are noon to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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MY NEXT SHOW is the delightfully named Pooch-A-Palooza, a dog-related event at Prowse Farm in Canton, MA, June 22-23.

If you think you're going, you can get a $3 discount on tickets, by using the code FANDF at www.poochtickets.com.

To find out more about the show (it seems like it's going to be great fun!), click here to check out the website.

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AND NOW A WORD from our sponsors, i.e., me.

I'm raising my prices, especially on the larger paintings, but generally across the board. I've been told for years now that my prices are too low, and I am finally starting to believe that they are.

This is good news for all of you who already have my paintings! It is a big step on the path to those paintings being worth more than you paid, so yay.

And for those of you who have bought my paintings, those of you who are collectors, those of you who have been with me from the early days, you will still get price breaks when you want to buy paintings from me. You have been the foundation of this house I'm building, and I will be eternally grateful.

As always, if you want a painting, but you don't have the funds, please get in touch with me and we will work out a payment plan.

If anyone out there wants a painting at the current prices, please let me know today! Pet portraits and the 10x10s are staying at their current prices for now...

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Dog of the Day

The Dog of the Day is Gemma, who belongs to Ron DesJarlais's other daughter, Kelly. (Click here to check out Cora, who belongs to Ron's daughter Cait). How great that Ron has two daughters who both have dogs!

Want your pet to be Dog of the Day? Email me a jpg!

Mt. Airy Farm - and a Funny Dog

Mt. Airy Farm

Oil on canvas, 10x10

sold

My first plein-air cowscape! 

Yes, it's little. 

Yes, the cow is sketchy. 

Yes, the buildings are a little tippy. 

All those things can be dealt with. The fact is, I saw the outdoor cows, I made a decision to paint at least one, and I did it! 

This has been a long-held fright for me, painting a cow (or horse) in plein air. Why? Because they move. (Or mooove, as my little mental word-gamer says). And it always scared me that I might start the painting, and the cow would move away, and then,,, what? 

And to that, I would say: What? So what? Why be scared? 

Well, if we knew why we were scared of dippy, dopey things, we probably wouldn't be scared. 

 Here's my painting in the landscape. Yes, I changed the color of the barn. As my friend and inspiration, Gene Bove, might say - What good is a barn if it's not red?

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Dog of the Day

This time, it's a video! Click here to see the fabulous jumping farm dog of Monrovia, MD! 

Yellow Field - and Karma and Journaling

 The Yellow Field

Oil on canvas, 10x10, $100

During the blazing hot show in Frederick this weekend, I was thinking about how incredible it is that people buy art from me, and from other living artists.

Every time you do that, you're doing something that 99 percent of the people in the world would never think of doing.

It is such a miracle! You're trusting yourself, your own eyes, your own soul, your own heart, to know that you like a piece of art - and then you take the huge leap of giving me - or another living artist - your hard-earned money and making it possible for us to continue to make art.

Most people never, ever do this. So if you have, congratulate yourself! You are a person among persons, a rarity, a treasure.

My painting in the landscape

***

On Sunday in Frederick, sales were still slow. Then a woman from the Frederick Arts Council came around, asking for a donation of art for an auction. She was very nice, said I didn't have to donate, was under no obligation, etc. But I decided to donate a piece, even though, at that point, I was losing money on the show. 

Within five minutes of my making the donation, a woman came into the tent and bought the tall sunflowers piece. Moments later, another sale. And later in the day, still another. Karma? 

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PART OF THE PROSPERITY COACHING that Joe Skelly is doing with me involves keeping a journal. Joe told me about a journaling retreat that might interest some of you! 

The retreat involves learning the basics of starting and using art materials in your journal, and exploring your creativity to express your soul, your hopes and your dreams.

The retreat is being put on by a couple of men who call themselves the Journal Junkies. They have a blog and have written several books about their journaling ideas.

The retreat takes place June 20-23, at the Embassy Suites Dulles-North in Ashburn, VA, near Dulles Airport. For more info, click here to check out their blog about the retreat. 

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I looked up during the show in Frederick and lo and behold, worlds collided. Standing in front of me was my friend Linda Fite. Linda is an amazing artist, a collector of my paintings, and a sponsor of the Tubac trip. And we worked together at the Times Herald-Record in Middletown, NY. That was the last place I saw her.  And then, suddenly, there she was in Maryland! She was visiting a friend in West Virginia, and Frederick is not too far from there - and so they came to the show.

And they brought the Dog of the Day!

And here I thought Jojo was at home, guarding Peter, when all the time, she was 

starting her own business in Frederick. 

 Reflections on the creek where the show took place in Frederick. 

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New Delphiniums - and Hot, Hot, Hot!

 Delphiniums

Oil on canvas, 12x24

Please contact me for price and delivery options

Whatever else you can say about the life of an itinerant artist, there's one thing that's for sure: It involves a lot of hard labor. And yesterday, I felt it.

The venue in Frederick is pretty - a brick walkway, with a waist-height brick wall, a small slope of green, a secondary brick walkway, and then shops, the same pattern of each side of a small stream. (I'll post a photo tomorrow).

But it was 90 degrees or more as I carted my stuff in, and the sun baked down on the bricks, bounced and cooked and broiled and seared - and as much water as I drank, I couldn't keep up, and eventually stopped sweating, which I know is a sign of dehydration.

So I stopped, sat in the shade, drank even more water, remembered that I am 57, and there are no prizes for setting up quickly. Or even for getting it all done on the first day.

If you're in the area, please come by! The show is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. I'm in Booth 78, near Ben & Jerry's. Click here for more info.

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SPENT THE NIGHT in a B&B/family's house, pretty close to Frederick. While I have my issues with B&Bs (like, often, I really just don't want to talk to anyone after a show, no matter how nice they are), this one is OK. It's a farm, with horses and cows, and is beautiful and calming and lovely. Here's the view from my window:

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Dog of the Day

It's Archie! He belongs to my brother, sister-in-law and niece, 

and is just as great a dog as he appears to be. 

Frederick Farm Revisited - Just in Time for the Frederick Arts Festival!

Frederick Farm

Oil on canvas, 30x36

The Paradise City show gave us New England at its gnarliest: raining, frigid, with gusting wind - but people came out to the show anyway, had springtime fun in wintertime weather, looked, oohed and aahed - and bought art. I wore pretty much all the clothes I'd brought, and then I bought a hat, and happily wore a scarf that a friend and collector lent me.

Friends and family visited, too, surprising and delighting me, and making the show feel like a homecoming. What a treat!

In terms of sales, the show was a little slow for me until the end, when the Oklahoma Cowscape sold. In past years, I have been juried into the spring and fall shows there in Northampton. This year, I am thinking of doing a different show Columbus Day weekend, one that is less expensive and closer to home.

I am studying, learning, asking questions, trying new things, and this is one idea that has struck me - that maybe, a spring show and fall show in the same place, year after year, is too much. Bud, the mobile maker, told me he is heading to the Midwest for shows this summer. People have told him they have as many mobiles as they are going to buy. So I will find out from him if this idea of changing venues works.

Meantime, I am in a brand-new-to-me show this weekend, in Frederick, MD. Artists I've spoken to who have been in this show say it's a lovely event, and fun! I am going to be in Booth 78, and from what I can tell from the map, I am right in front of Ben and Jerry's.

Click here for more info on the show - and if you are in the area, please stop by and say hello!

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Here's me in my new hat:

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And here is the Dog of the Day! 

It's Xena, who lives with my friends Tiffany and Bruce Williams, and their son Devin. 

Xena is a dear girl, patient and kind - and she puts up with a lot, especially with the homeless pets the Williams family fosters. 

Want your dog to be Dog of the Day? Send me a photo!