 If you're an artist trying to sell on Etsy, or elsewhere, life can be busy. Not only do you have to make your art and do it well, but you have to photograph it, manage your on-line store and write about your art. Not all of us are good at everything. Maybe you can paint, but not write. Maybe you can write but don't know your F stop from your shutter speed. Even if you are multi-talented, it's great to get some get a helpful critique. That's why I was thrilled when Joanna from At A Glance Graphics picked one of my listings for her re-write project. She does an amazing job! I highly recommend her if you want to improve your descriptions.
Be sure to visit her blog and take a look at her great ideas!
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  She got more treats when she wore the blue ribbon. It's time again for the great POD challenge! Do you remember? It's been afew months since I've done one. This is the blog challenge where Lisa gives me "something" related to the theme and I give her "something" and then we each have to create a collage with what we are given. Lisa gave me the four little dogs that you see above. I don't know if I am rusty, or perhaps unused to Victorian dogs, but I had much trouble with these dogs! They look simple enough, but these dogs had minds of their own. When I was young, one of my favorite toys was a set of 24 little plastic dogs. Each one was a different breed and they all came in little boxes. So my first collage attempt was to put these little dogs into bright little boxes. I may be going crazy, but I swear, they did not like it. Now normally, when I have to collage something, I think to myself, "What does this want?"... meaning...does it want contrast, texture, lines, highlights etc. When my first collage didn't turn out, I asked the little dogs what they wanted. Of course, they said they wanted their masters! I eventually found four masters, or rather mistresses for them. All kinds of stories about them and their mistresses popped into my head. However, I'm not writing a novel here. After completeing two collages I also figured I didn't really need to do a set of four. The other two little dogs will just have to wait for another day.  Nippy and his Mistress  "Old-Fashioned" is a word that has so many possibilities that I didn't know where to start. However, once I got the cocktail idea in my head, I couldn't think of anything else.
I like the idea of cocktails more than I like drinking them. They make me think of the old Thin Man movies of the 1930's. I'd like to do a whole series of cocktail ACEOs.  A little while ago I posted this picture of a project I'd just started. I finally finished it and I call it "The Playhouse". I remember when my daughter had a very large, very pink, Barbie playhouse. All her dolls and stuffed animals had lots of drama in her playhouse. I thought the playhouse was an eyesore. It was so garrish and it took up half of her small room. This picture is also a playhouse because it holds all kinds of crazy things that don't go together. I had fun making it, but I don't think it will be going to my shop. I've been thinking lately that my shop should have a more cohesive look and not be just a grab bag of all the art I do. I read one article which said that people get confused when they see too many styles and materials. They want a certain look to associate with the artist. Do you get confused? My daughter's playhouse eventually disappeared. I really can't remember where, but I remember thinking that her room looked so much better without it. I think this playhouse may have a similar fate.   Oh! Oh! Look at his head! When I cut out his head and flipped it over to glue, there was that text. So perfect! Don't you love life's happy little accidents!
Mr. Acrobat is now for sale in my shop, and I'm going to have trouble parting with him, but he's all about moving on.  This past week has been very busy. I put most of my time into finishing my latest altered book so that it could go into the Altered Book display at the Varley Art Gallery in Unionville. It was set up by artist Judith Livingston and it's an amazing display of altered books. If you are in the area make sure you pop in. Then hot on the heals of that dead-line was the last Artist Alley event of the season. I packed up my stuff and headed over last Sunday. I must admit, it was a very slow day. We artists were there, and there was some very impressive art, but the public was lacking. I guess everyone is in back to school mode and not take a walk and look at art mode. To pass the time Lisa and I doodled in our sketch books. We'd both draw three lines and then switch books, then fill in spaces and switch books again, and so on. It was a fun game and it passed the time. I also had lots of time to talk to other artists who had also experienced a slow summer. Below is the doodle Lisa and I made in my sketch book. I added a few bright colors with gimp. I think it's more fun than more pictures of my booth!   Red sky at night, sailors delight
Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Well, this isn't so much a red sky as it is red clouds. I think I just wanted an excuse to paint cranberry clouds and I use a lot of color! Sorry that I've been neglecting this blog lately. I've been rushing to finish my second altered book. If I'm lucky, it will be in the display cases at the Varley Art Gallery. I just have to get it done! Here are some sneak peaks of how it's coming along. As you can see, I finished the niche and the window in front of the niche. Now I just have afew more regular pages to do. I secretly love having an excuse to ignore everything else in life and just concentrate on this book.     |
 
cranberrycloud@gmail.com    © Laurel Martin 2010
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