My first article was published last week, and I have to admit it was a bit of a thrill to see it there. But now the real work begins. You never appreciate the skill and hard work of other professions until you try to walk in their shoes for a bit. My role at MMCA requires only an occasional column. I can’t possibly imagine wordsmithing each and every week for a newspaper.
Last November, I launched a little project called AcrylicPaintReview.com. I am the main writer for the site, and I invite you to read. But I must admit, I can’t wait until we are able to have a list of regular contributors for Acrylic Paint Review! This writing stuff is hard work, I prefer my brushes.
My hats off to my newspaper web client reporters, Mr. Kevin Hogencamp from TheAlbanyJournal and to Sherry Wall from WorthIt2U.net. Both of you continue to amaze me with your writing and reporting.
If you have time, please check out my bumbling first story for MMCA, titled Is your artwork truly derivative….. The writing might not be the best, what can you expect from a painter, but it comes from heart and from years of sweating it out inside my own studio.
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]]>Ebay has completely dried up for original art, except cheap knock offs from China. Other online art retailers feel more like graveyards. Not only are fewer folks purchasing original art, but fewer are online looking at it as well.
Many of the physical galleries have closed. The little store with such a huge heart that represented me back in 2007 closed it’s doors last year. (Current in Woodstock, Georgia).
Galleries across the country, both online and physical, are closing down. Even Fay Gold Gallery in Atlanta closed last year. Only the strongest remain.
Selling artwork on the Internet has changed dramatically since the recession began.
I have followed some who made it big with Internet without traditional art galleries for over 7 years now. I have watched of a few of these big names begin to use what I would label “desperate” techniques to sustain their income through these lean times. I have watched them give up on ebay and online auctions, returning to fixed price venues.
I whave atched some who formerly cleared six figures a year disappear completely from the Internet. I listen to others tweet and facebook , endless pushing their goods like hot dog street vendors, tiring their collectors and fans with the same ole message – buy me, buy me, buy me. I am still watching. But I am growing tired of the desperation.
Most self-representing artists are marketing more and painting less. Current art advisors tell us to make small works until things pick up again. I disagree. Unless you enjoy making small works.
A few months ago I made an executive decision about the direction of my art. (I love getting to use the term excutive decision, so funny since I have no employees – only me!)
I went back to basics.
I stopped buzzing and bubbling around making little artsy-crafty things to sell and focused on my true love –
making large original art.
No more little art journals, small prints, etsy shop, 20-somethings, tile boxes, coasters, street fairs, wine markets for me … I got back in the studio and forgot about the recession.
Along the way, I realized that I already had a viable means of adding supplement income to my art biz. I swallowed by artistic pride and I pulled out my old programmer skills and began building websites for money.
Expanding Flint River Web Design has indeed helped me survive the recession and allowed me to keep painting the BIG, ORIGINAL paintings that I so love to create. I have been spending my days with a 50/50 split between my art biz and my web biz.
Sure I paint less, but I am STILL painting. And that is what is important to me.
By the way, I have been invited to exhibit in a large space at the Atlanta Defoor Art Centre later this year. A solo gig – my largest so far. The space needs about 60 large pieces to fill it up. What a coincidence! Hold on to your dreams artists, there is a light at the end of this recession !
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]]>just keep painting
You never really learned to draw
just keep painting
You’re too old
just keep painting
You sold out
just keep painting
There is not enough time
just keep painting
Your studio is cold
just keep painting
Your studio is hot and humid
just keep painting
Your studio had gnats
just keep painting
Your shoulder aches
just keep painting
You are middle-aged, mousy, and a little pudgy
just keep painting
You have fallen into a dark time
just keep painting
Your life is no longer lolli-pops, ponytails, and hearts
just keep painting
Not sure where I am going with this blog post except to say that my studio work lately seems to be returning back to where I started. I have so many painting that I just haven’t shared with you. I don’t want to photograph them. I am not ready to show them to you yet.
I don’t think a painter’s path is linear. I am not sure it is even a path at all. Lots of artists refer to their artistic journey. Lately, it is more might be more like a tilt-a-whirl ride than a journey. Looping back again and again, making me dizzy in the process.
I feel the need to go back and revisit subjects, colors, and patterns that I used to paint when I first began. So OK, well then, I suppose it is time to go there … again … as many times as it takes until I am ready to move on to new work.
I am rather proud that I have the courage to admit this here, in public on my blog. I think it is OK to loop back around, as much as I wish. Maybe when spring arrives, it will bring fresh ideas. Right now, I am looking back, looping back, and finding some satisfaction in writing about it.
Your thoughts?
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]]>Camilla, Georgia
I was tickled to receive an invitation to participate as an exhibiting artist for the Camilla Show again this year. They throw a great party. I wasn’t able to go last year, but have had a lot of fun in years past. This annual invitational art show draws regional artists from North Florida and South Georgia. Hope to see you there!
Preview Party: Saturday February 6, 2010
Cocktail Buffet begins at 7pm
Tickets are $25
Contact the Camilla Chamber of Commerce to purchase tickets. in advance
Tickets also available at the door.
Camilla Chamber of Commerce
212 East Broad Street
Camilla, GA 31730-1921
(229) 336-5255
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New Series of Abstract Tree Paintings.
A Sneak Peak at new paintings that I am taking to Art of the Avenue in Macon, Georgia next week. I began this series with intentions of painting abstract pecan groves.
After spending a couple afternoons under a pecan grove just off Old Dawson Road in Albany, I came home with around15 charcoal sketches of pecan trees. I began to paint.
Somehow all the pecan tree decided to look more like live oaks. Instead of fighting this, I just went with it.
The resulting paintings have a stained glass window effect to them. They are darker than my usual work, with espresso brown backgrounds.
I like the sturdiness of the branches. Live Oaks are dignified. They are the sort of tree you can establish a relationship with. Mostly because you know they will be around awhile!
These are bones paintings. Most of the actual tree has been left off, I chose instead to focus on the branches only. When I was working on these paintings I kept thinking of soldiers. Strength and dignity.
Have you ever spent an afternoon under a live oak?
– Simply getting to know the tree, listening to the wind and bird, swaying with the moss?
Yeah, I know, I know you say that you are too busy for this sort of thing.
Why do you think we have these beautiful masterpieces here in our world?
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]]>My City Walks series is one of my newest bodies of work. So new in fact, it really isn’t finished yet.
Some of these pieces shown here are my small sketch paintings on paper.
There has been so much interest in the Urban Love Affair on facebook that I decided to go ahead and post the paintings now.
I will continue to post the new works from the City Walks series here so that you can see the progression of this series.
These painting seem to be taking on a fantasy, dream feeling.
I can’t seem to stop adding palm trees to them. Each time I say to myself, “No palm trees, Cindy”, but each time I just have to paint them.
I have been painting long enough now that I know better than to fight this sort of thing. I just go where it takes me. And sometimes “it” takes me places I never expect to go … That is all part of the fun.
I will probably wind up using this series in one of my spring 2010 solo shows, but not certain yet.
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]]>If there’s one thing that defines you, what is it?
Freedom defines me greatly. I escaped from my corporate cubicle several years ago. Every day that I get to play in my studio is a day of complete freedom for me.
What role does your family play in your art?
I like to call them “the questioners”. They stroll into my studio and say things like, “hey, what’s that supposed to be?” or “is that a tennis shoe sticking out of the that woman’s ear?”
Where do you live and what is it like?
I live in South Georgia, in an area of Southern culture, flat farm fields, and red clay dirt.
Where did you learn to craft?
I have learned a little from each book, each class, and each painting that I have made.
Who is your favorite craft supplier? 
Binders Art Supply Store in Atlanta, Georgia.
If there is a new craft you could learn, what would it be and why?
Knitting. I have been trying to learn this for years, but I can’t seem to settle down long enough to stick with it.
What are your goals with your ArtFire studio?
I would like to maintain a growing and inspiration presence with my ArtFire Studio.
Where do you receive your inspiration, in general?
Generally I find my inspiration in tiny cracks, splatters, crevices, and other textures from the natural world. If you look carefully, you will see lots of this texture in my paintings.
How did you come to selling crafts?
I hate to admit it, but selling brings me artistic validation. I love interacting with my collectors. I love it when they get their painting hung up on the wall in their home. I love it when they write to tell me how they are thrilled with their artwork. Most people really don’t realize the impact that one large colorful painting will have on a room. There is no way to fully realize this impact until you get the painting installed in your own room. Holding gallery exhibits is fun. The wine is good. But there is nothing like the connection and thrill I get when someone plucks down their hard earned money for something I put my heart and soul into.
Who are your other favorite ArtFire artists?
Right now I am into any and everything steampunk. I just can’t get enough of it. I spend most of my time searching the steampunk artist products.
How did you come to find a home on ArtFire?
The site is designed well. I find it easy to navigate and easy to list my products. For me, easy rocks.
What is the best piece of advice you can give other artists?
Keep painting until you find your style. You can’t find it by reading about art or looking at art. You have to find it by old fashioned hard work in the studio.
What is the most treasured thing in your craft stash?
My 1 inch soft sable brush.
If you won a thousand dollar craft shopping spree, what would you spend it on?
Handmade jewelry.
Why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?
Handmade connects us like no other product. Handmade goods have a story built into them. One may not know the story, but just holding, touching, and feeling a handmade product conjures up a story and a history about the hands that made it.
What is a common misconception about you?
Most people assume that since I paint mostly abstract art, that abstract art must by my favorite kind. Truth is I love it all. Some of my favorite styles happen to be Hudson River Valley School, which is quite different from abstract painting.
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]]>Original Painting, Urban Love Affair. Acrylic on Canvas $700. By Cindy Davis. Purchase on Boundless Gallery.
I recently downloaded a large selection of Elvis songs to my iTunes account. I suppose I am a bit naive about just how big a star Elvis Presely was. I grew up in Memphis. We always heard about Elvis in the media all the time and most people my age were not fans of his music.
We were all kinda sick of hearing about him actually. I was 13 when Elvis died. I was at the Mall getting my ears pierced when my Mom and I heard the news. She started crying. I thought she was a dork and was embarrassed that she would cry at the mall in public. Like I said, I was 13 years old at the time.
For the next few year Memphis became consumed again with Elvis and most kids my age didn’t think he was cool at all. Except Makky Kaylor who I went to high school with. I remember Makky did an Elvis song our high school talent show. He did a great job with it. By the way, Makky grew up to be a suceessful songwriter/singer in Nashville. I guess Makky know cool back then, I just didn’t realize it at the time.
After I looked at the Elvis Presley iTunes collection, I was rather taken aback by the sheer number of gold records he had. I realize that Michael Jackson sold more records than Elvis, but I think one needs to consider the increase in population by the time Michael Jackson came along. Elvis really was huge I suppose.
Anyway, I have been discovering Elvis music again, or actually truly for the first time. Sheer hotness is the best way I know to describe it. I also really like the glimpse of southern accent in the songs. Makes me feel like I am right back in Memphis.
Those of us born and raised in the South can hear the difference between a Mississippi Delta accent, an East Tennessee accent, and a South Georgia accent. There is a difference, you just have to be able to hear it. Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee during the years in which Elvis was alive I have an Elvis story, just like everyone else in town. Here is mine. It is a two part story spanning several years.
Elvis Story Part I
My story is not my own, it belongs to my Dad but I am going to tell it anyway since I have heard my Dad tell it about a gazillion times. One day in the late 1950’s just after my parents were married, my Dad was out in the front yard mowing the grass on Dunn Road. He had a new lawn mover. I am sure it was not a fancy one, but the mower had some kind of unique design that had just come out on the market.
Elvis drives by Dunn Road in his convertible Cadillac. He is not yet BIG famous yet, only a little famous at this time. His girlfriend, pre-Pricilla, lived in our neighborhood. This was when he live in the Getwell / Cherry Road area, before he bought Graceland. Most people in Memphis know about this house but it is not marked in anyway. People still live there, at least last I heard.
Elvis stops his car in front of our house. He is wearing a black leather jacket. He starts talking to my Dad about the mower. My Dad is a friendly guy and they chat it up. Elvis takes the mower for a couple strips down our front lawn.
My Mom is looking out the window if freaking out. NOT because it is Elvis, as he really isn’t that famous yet. But because she is newly married and doesn’t want my Dad to be hanging out with “hoods” and such. She is concerned will fall in with the wrong sort of crowd and such. It was the fifties. And no one respectable wore leather jackets back then. Thus ends part I of the Elvis story.
Elvis Story Part II
Many years later, in the 1970’s, my Dad is sitting around somewhere in Memphis. I don’t remember the exact location. I would guess the Willow Road Inn, the doughnut shop, or perhaps the dog track if it was built yet. Anyway this guy he only sort knows, who happens to be an insurance salesman, mentions that he is nervous because is he is all set up with an sales appointment at Graceland and sell Elvis some life insurance.
My Daddy says, “no reason to be nervous, I met him once years ago. He is a regular guy, no big deal.”
The guys starts bugging and bugging my Dad to go with him. The insurance man says it will help break the ice if he bring someone along that Elvis know. My Dad keeps telling him he doesn’t really know Elvis, he just met him once. After more bugging my Dad agrees to go with him to Graceland.
They arrive shortly after noon, and are led into the kitchen. Elvis’ Mom is cooking breakfast, bacon, eggs, biscuits. Normal Southern Breakfast. She tells some guy to go upstairs and get Elvis. She says something like:
“get Elvis out of the bed. Tell him breakfast is ready and he better get down here and eat and get if he knows what’s good for him”.
So Elvis comes down eventually, disheveled a bit after just getting up. Elvis says hello and they introduce themselves, etc. Both Elvis and his Mom insist that Dad and the insurance man have something to eat. They all sit down and begin eating breakfast at the kitchen table.
Elvis looks at my Dad kinda strange and ask if he knows him from somewhere. Dad tells him about the lawn mover and Dunn Road and how he was driving by to pick up the girlfriend. It was many years ago. Elvis remembers, they laugh and talk awhile about the neighborhood. We still lived in the same house, the house in which my brother still live today.
They finish eating and the insurance man and Elvis go into the other room (the famous fancy white living room) to talk about the life insurance and Dad sits and drinks coffee with Elvis’ Mom in the kitchen.
Fancy White Living Room
I mention the fancy white living room because in Memphis back then the White Living Room was almost as famous as Elvis himself.
Remember Graceland wasn’t open to the public back then. Most people had never been inside but had heard stories about how fancy it was.
Whenever anyone in my family or friends visited a nice home with a white living room they would say, “Oh how pretty, you have white living room just like Elvis Presley.” I think it is safe to say that Elvis personally inspired thousands of Memphis housewives to include a fancy white living room when they built their dream house.
We never had one of those by the way. We had a regular living room on Dunn Road and I am proud of it ! Thus ends Part II of our family’s Elvis Story.
…
There is one additional Elvis episode to mention involving my Dad, but it doesn’t involve him meeting him personally. I will save that for another day.
…
And if you are wondering, this has absolutely nothing to do with my Urban Love Affair Painting. But I am tired of talking about my painting all the time. I think I might write some more about my growing up in Memphis. There are quite a few stories, most are not fit to tell.
Have you got an Elvis Story? I would like to hear it. Leave a comment below.
Title: Urban Love Affair
Acrylic on 1.5 in Gallery Wrap Canvas.
Design wraps around edges of this painting for a contemporary look. Frame not necessary.
30″h x 30″w – $700.
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]]>I read a lot about art, paintings, and artists. I can’t tell you how many times I run across the term “fiery colors“. The term is overused and typically refers to paintings containing a lot of red.
Yet I can think of no other label for this body of work which betters suits it.
These paintings are fire.
One way or another, each of them contains one of earth’s most basic ingredients.
Whether with color, flame, movement, or spirit, it seems much of my artwork finds it way to fire before it is finished.
As with my other paintings, I try to simply accept this for what it is and not over-think it.
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]]>The first few stay pretty close to my original concept, but as the series develops so do new ideas and techniques. Often it is the very first and the very last paintings in a series that become my favorites.
I painted this one at the same time as another painting, yet to be shown on the Internet, called Urban Love Affair.
Why call it Almond Joy?
The best answer I can give you has something to do with the colors and the abstract scribble shapes of the path way. I don’t always have a good reason behind the titles of my work they way some people assume that I do. It is often random. Based more on instinct than logic.
Naming my paintings has long veen an issue of control for me. There are few things in life that we can control. I can’t even control how my paintings will look when they are resolved and signed. But I can control the title. That is the artist’s priveledge.
Note to artists: Don’t ever let anyone take that privilege from you! stand strong! I find that folks often try to name or re-name my paintings for me. I just smile and say, “well, that’s an good ideas. I will think about that”. Sometimes if I am stuck, I ask for help. But only when and if choose too.
Title: Almond Joy
Acrylic on 1.5 in Gallery Wrap Canvas.
Design wraps around edges of this painting for a contemporary look. Frame not necessary.
Size: 40″h x 30″w
Price: $700.
Additional Pics of Almond Joy Paitning.
Please see my Boundless Gallery listing for full size pictures.
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