Reflections on October Shows

Rusty and Raven enjoying the show in their new playroom

October is really one of the best months for shows and this year was no exception!  With a show every single weekend of the month and the potential for Hurricanes and big swells, the month was full of excitement and wonder.  The Stockley Gardens show is always a favorite and some of my best sales ever have been at this show.  Sadly, the biggest disappointment was the weekend for the Port Warwick Arts Festival in Newport News.  Hurricane Mathew was supposed to miss us but unexpectedly rolled right over us just shortly after that festival started Saturday afternoon.  Thanks to the on the ball surf forecasters that I listen to, I chose to cancel even though the calm before the storm Friday and Saturday was misleading weather wise.   Of course our weather man locally had it all so wrong big time.  By 3PM the storms hit and we had waist deep water in our cul-desac in a short period of time.  Had I done that festival when the wild winds and rains arrived I would never have gotten home to my dogs.  This brings to mind the importance of knowing when to commit and when to ditch.  No one ever wants to bail but sometimes you have to make the proper choice.  Glad I did in this case.

The Dismal Swamp show came shortly after this and after a month of record rains the mosquitos were in full swing!  Armed with an arsenal of bug spray and a positive attitude and fantastic festival support staff, we surged on and had a festival that at first was great fun as always but no so fun in regards to sales.  As of Sunday I had sold no originals and only two $25.00 prints.  I always stay positive in times like this and tell other artists that doing outdoor arts shows and festivals is like playing the lottery.  If you buy only one or two tickets or do one or two shows a year, the chances of success are very small.  I do around 30-40 shows a year so even though I have some with zero sales and minimal sales the odds are very good that some of these shows will have good or even epic sales like this year.  

I find it fascinating to see my fellow artists at the end of the shows always be in such a hurry to leave.  I have checked my square sales reports and at nearly every show, my biggest and most frequent sales are on the last hour of the last day of every show I have done.  This year was no exception and the very last minute of the very last hour of the show I sold three very nice sized paintings to two clients, one new, and one returning.  Visitors to shows like to look around and shop around at these events and purchase at the very end so packing up and rushing out discourages potential buyers from picking up on your work.  Would you buy from someone who appears to be packing up in a hurry and makes no visual or verbal contact with you?  The lesson here is pretty clear to me, take your time taking down, stay calm and relaxed and all will go much better.  If you still have zero sales just remember what I said about playing the lottery.  You have to do a lot of shows to increase your odds!

Last but not least, remember those hurricanes I spoke of?  Mathew gave us nothing but grief and floods but Hurricane Nicole paid of nicely the first three days, especially the Wednesday I went to Kitty Hawk and surfed and shot some pretty epic waves.  Barrel count that day was sensational!

Taken with my GoPro Hero 4 Silver using a KNEKT Trigger at Kitty Hawk.  Epic day with some neck breaking barrels!

And this huge wave of success continues to swell!

Attached is the new ECSC T Shirt which is based on my original painting purchased by D. Nachnani at Coastal Edge this year. My original painting was inspired by the photography of Brad Styron and I transformed it into my own version of Bogue Inlet. I gave D. permission to transform my painting to include the channel marker and jetty on the horizon to suit the needs of the ECSC design and gave him full rights to alter the colors as well. As you can see they are both very different yet very successful designs and I am very proud to have collaborated with Brad, coastal edge, and so many others to have my work put on their posters, media and T Shirts this year. I have and always will be about collaboration, since it opens the doors to new opportunities and experiences and helps you grow in ways you could not do alone.

My connection to the ECSC goes back pretty far when I was working with the ESA as a judging coordinator with Paul West and Harry Purkey back in the early 80's. I also broke my ankle in the finals of the surf contest back then and it turned my entire life around and made me focus on my art work very seriously since I could not surf for an entire year. The docs said I would never surf again but they were wrong and one year later I went to Puerto Escondido with Tony Lighthart and friends and surfed some of the craziest waves of my life!

I can actually say that the ECSC has helped shaped what I am today and am very proud to be a part of it. Thanks! They did a video shoot this week on my story which will be aired soon. Once I get the link to that I will post it for ya.

https://www.facebook.com/deepak.nachnani.7?fref=ts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRZNqAQ4QsU&feature=youtu.be

My original painting of Bogue Inlet, NC inspired by Brad Styron

The official ECSC T Shirt for 2016!  As you can see, the colors were dramatically altered and the jetty and No. 4 channel marker were added very subtly to the horizon. It turned out well!

Spring and early summer show results

What an amazing spring and early summer I have had! The shows are like roller coasters with highs and lows and there were certainly a lot of "highs" this time around.  After having participated in the MOCA Va. Boardwalk Art Show on and off since 1978 and never having won any prices or selected for judging I was finally chosen.  Much to my surprise, at the awards ceremony I was casually talking with friends after most of the awards were called out.  When they got to the last top three awards I stopped paying attention because clearly, I would not be winning any of those!  Amazingly I received the Thomas A. Felton Jr. Award Of Distinction for Fine Art!  I am so humbled and thankful for that recognition after all these years of effort.

The featured artist sign.  All of T Shirts and Posters with my painting on it sold out for the first time in years according to MOCA.

Sandbridge Scorcher inspired by the photography of Eddie Compo at the Tar Roof Gallery won the award of distinction for fine art.

The back wall of my booth with the artwork featured on all the posters and T Shirts.

Kris and I sporting some of the T's.

The official poster.

The very next day after the boardwalk art show we did the "Under the Oaks" show at Whalehead in Corolla, NC.  I was able to get some terrific shots for future paintings at the Inn At Corolla Light and of course, our dogs were able to stay in the comfy AC while I worked the show.  The day after that show we did the Knotts Island Peach festival and had a great time with the great folks down there and a lot of my fellow artists joined us.  I saw plenty of former and new clients at that one and am looking forward to the month of July to regroup, surf, and relax.

As I reflect on this years shows so far, I have learned a lot.  As always, if sales are slow, don't blame others, the promoter, the weather, fellow artists, etc.  It all falls on you in the end and so often it is just pure luck in regards to encountering that very special person who connects to your work.  I had many shows this year that were just like that and the boardwalk was the exception.  That was one for the record books!  It all comes down to simple math.  You have to do a lot of shows to make income and be realistic because at many of them you just won't have the sales to match the investment in time.  Try to remember the good times you are having meeting other artists and sharing ideas and developing relationships with new and returning clients.

I also figured out how to keep those pesky horizontal bars on my showoff canopy from sliding off their positions.  I used a simple zip tie to hold them in place.

These bars inside the canvas loops kept coming off. Zip ties worked great to hold em in place!

Also earlier this spring at the Gosport Arts Festival I won the Award of Distinction for Fine Art Painting which was a very pleasant surprise!  I support EDMARC hospice for children so much and that award was very special to me. It was not so much for specific piece of work, rather, it was for the body of work.

And then this happened!

http://wavy.com/2016/06/14/61st-annual-boardwalk-art-show/

Had a nice interview on the Hampton Roads Show with Dot Green from MOCA VB and Chris Reckling.

Amazing year is shaping up for 2016!

In spite of the usual spring slump in sales between Jan. thru March, I am so thankful for being accepted to so many shows and of course, being waitlisted and not invited to so many others was another story all together. I am cutting my show circuit down somewhat from last years art show marathon and looking forward to so many new ones too! It was a pleasant surprise to win best in show at the CBAA members show at the Suffolk Cultural Arts Center!

The biggest surprise this year was winning the 2016 Boardwalk Art Show Poster contest and becoming their featured artist for the event. I have tried so hard for so many years to achieve this personal goal and for most of us, it will never happen.  It's like one of those goals made of "unobtainium", the ethereal substance that one never achieves but strives for.  I am humbled beyond words and very grateful.  Thanks to all of you who supported me during the process and voted for my work!  Dreams can come true after all.

http://virginiamoca.org/boardwalk-art-show-2016-featured-artist

Foam Finger Series No. 6, 36" X 60"

Kris and I journeyed to Panama in March and I did four paintings in some of the most grueling weather ever.  Think extreme heat, wind, and truly intense conditions and you can get the idea.  My new lightweight aluminum Plein Air easel worked awesome as did my little Pochade box made of wood.  It sure was nice having a lightweight option to take on the plane!

Our cabin at Playa Venao Hotel and Resort in Los Santos, Panama

The easel has a hook in the center to hang your pack so that it helps weigh down the tripod.  That helps a lot when the winds are 30-40mph!

Yes, the old surf dog still has some left at age 65!

One of those tasty Playa Venao barrels

One just never gets enough of these

April will be very busy with the Sensational Spring Festival in Norfolk, the Plein air Escape on East Beach in Norfolk, The Atmospheric Impressions show at the Artists Gallery, The Art Speaks on the Bay show at Bay School Community arts and a host of other events!

May will fire up with the Gosport Arts show with proceeds going to the EDMARC foundation.  I have been wait listed for Stockley so I will have to see how that pans out but I will be doing the Surf Art Expo the end of May.  I would say I am off to a great start for 2016!  Look for me at 30th street at the boardwalk art show just north of the King Neptune Statue at the VIP Tent.

Ramping up for a great year!

Had an amazing show at ArtisGras in Palm Beach to fire up the year. It's always wonderful to leave the dead of winter and arrive in Florida to what appears to be spring break type of weather.  I got to see some  long lost friends in Melbourne and Cocoa Beach and reunite.  Great to see you Bill and Molly!

The show was amazing as always but not without some issues.  At the very end of the show as I was taking down, we had a lot of wind an rain in the dark and a tornado warning. Surprisingly, 30 minutes into takedown I sold over $200 worth of art.  This happens more often than not which is why I am never in any big hurry pack up at the end a show. There are always people floating around that want something special and you just may be it.  Stop everything and engage with them and you may be surprised by a quick sale!  I usually am.

Last day of the show kind of rained on our parade so to speak.  It made for a challenging take down.

Chilling out at my booth at ArtisGras.  Had a great time painting on location and demonstrating in the demo tent.

I learned a great deal about grouping thanks to my wife and Paul Stevens suggestion to group my small pieces into visual blocks instead of trying to fill in spaces with them.  It makes them unified and a visual focus. Thanks you guys!

After the show we went to Melbourne and reunited with some great friends, Molly in Melbourne and Bill Webster in Cocoa Beach.  It was so nice to see such great friends again and catch some surf.

When I got home I began preparing for the series of museum and gallery exhibitions I will be doing this spring, summer and fall with the Suffolk Cultural Arts Center being the start. This was my one entry.

Just had a great show at the Tar Roof gallery in Pungo.  I chose to go topless and have no tent since it was a one day gig.  It turned out to be an amazing event and sales were phenomenal!

There were tons of artists and even some rehabilitates with their birds of prey like this red tailed hawk and a couple of owls!

It's always a blessing to come home to Rusty and Raven after these gigs.  Love these fur angels so much! Sometimes we can bring them but if there are not pet friendly hotels, they have to stay with the wonderful folks at Holly Ridge.

Ready for Artisgras in Palm Beach County!

While I sit here wondering what I may have forgotten to load up in the van and trailer, this post comes to mind by a friend and it is well worth the read.  Can't wait to get on the road again and get the show scene rolling!  The excitement and adrenaline rush of doing outdoor shows is just incredible!  In the meantime, give this one a look over. It's a great article by a great artist and really hits close to home of the professional artist.

http://theyearoflivingfabulously.com/2013/07/05/how-to-talk-to-artists-at-art-festivals-the-dos-and-donts-warning-youve-probably-been-guilty-of-at-least-one-of-the-donts/

New and improved hanging system from http://www.propanels.com/hanging-systems/

I have been struggling with hanging my art work at shows for years and my thick canvas walls are very difficult to put the drapery hooks into to secure my paintings to the walls.  After several years of pinching and stabbing myself with them, I finally took the plunge and got an amazing new hanging system of cables and grips from propanels.com that is phenomenal, easy to use and store, and looks very professional.

The fully opened cable caddy that keeps the grips and cables neat.

Detail of the grips (hooks) that slide up and down the cables with the push of the button on top.

The rubbermaid hook that goes over my 1 1/2" diameter pipe on the showoff canopy system.

If you already have pro panels you won't need these hooks from Rubbermaid but I do since the 1" hooks won't go over the top of the canvas wrapped in 1 1/2" pipe. There is a perfect hole to put the hooks into and the part that goes over the canvas is padded in black so the canvas won't get damaged from the hook.

Side view of the hooks that can be found at Home Depot or Lowes.

What's really amazing is that the cable caddy rolls up into a neat roll that takes up very minimal space, yet stores those very long cables for you when needed later without having them turn into a birds nest from some fishing rod nightmare where the line just blows up on a cast on the reel. This system is not for everyone but its right for me.  You can get the cables and grips from: http://www.propanels.com/hanging-systems/.  The cables cost around $16.00 each and it takes at least six cables per booth side to hold your work.  It's not for the faint of wallet but it sure does make your display look professional and speeds up the hanging process.

The cost of doing business

I've been asked a lot lately about how much it costs to do an art business and just how one goes about pricing their work.  These tips should be helpful to those that are interested. Art has never been a "hobby" with me and even as a teacher for 34 years I maintained my business license and practiced my art every day, as well as enter shows outdoors and in galleries. A hobbyist is one who pursues their art at their leisure for pleasure or entertainment. An artist as a business person/professional pursues their work seriously every day, has a business license, and shows regularly. This article is pretty much spot on in regards to merging from "hobbyist", to "amateur", and on to being a Professional Artist:

http://emptyeasel.com/2011/02/01/hobbyist-amateur-or-professional-artist-which-are-you/

http://skinnyartist.com/9-warning-signs-of-an-amateur-artist/

Pricing Your Work

Those who know me know I work at a madman pace and don't stop until the job is done. The not so simple answer is I researched a lot over the years and have come up with a formula for "Sizes" that fits much better than the "hourly rate". It's a good thing I don't charge like my lawyer does at $175.00 per hour or no one could afford my work. After seeing what other artists charge for specific sizes for similar amounts of detail, I have come up with a variety of sizes and prices that I keep very consistent.

Sizes and prices:

•8" X 10" is between $150.00 and $175.00

•12" X 16" is $250.00

•18" X 24" is $650.00-$700.00

•24" X 36" is $1,100.00-$1,200.00

•30" X 40" is between $1,500.00 and $2000.00 depending on the details involved

•36 X 48" is $2,500.00

• 36" X 60" and 40" X 60" run around $3,000.00 to $3,500.00

I hope this better helps you understand how artists price their work and can give you a better appreciation for what we do. There are tons of other costs involved that would take too much time to discuss here but I think you get the idea that my work is fairly priced for original art and I am committed to the highest level of quality in all that I do. I also provide shipping and free delivery locally in my area. You also have to consider what galleries charge per piece as well, with most taking 50% of the sale. If people buy directly from artists like me they save a considerable amount of money. That is why I do so many shows and so few galleries any more. I meet people directly and sell in person to them, developing long lasting relationships through personal contacts with the actual art buyers.

Related costs to art as a business:

•Legal fees, including annual LLC fee to accountant and city, business license

•Sales tax monthly to VA and quarterly to other out of state show departments of taxation

•Federal quarterly income tax on all art income

•Rents and show fees

•Frames, Matts, and boards, hardware for frames, chop saw, matt cutter w/blades

•Various tapes including acid free artists tape, double sided sticky tape

•Shrink wrap machine and shrink wrap materials

•Photography and printing costs

•Office supplies

•Miscellaneous costs for business

•Canvas, Cleaners, Paints, brushes, varnishes, and all materials involved with the painting process

•Bags and containers for transporting and selling the work (at least 3 different sized clear bags small, med. And large.

•Packing materials for the transporting of art works to shows

•Exhibition materials including a professional tent, reinforcement stablizeer bars for tent, tent bags, tool box with assorted pliers, hammer, sledge hammer, wire cutters, hole punch, twist ties, etc., weights, dolly, boxes and containers, bungies, ratchet straps, shrink wrap, jack for trailer, assorted locks for trailer, marine battery, inverter for battery, lighting system and racks, hanging tools, equipment and materials, print racks, ladder, chairs, two different sized tables with professional custom fit cloths, framed artists statement, assorted tarps for inclement weather, boxes for extra inventory, table easels, portable shrink wrap, white duct tape, sectional black foam flooring, indoor out door carpet for when on grass with stabilizer hooks that go into carpet and grass, heavy duty clips to hold tarps to walls top and bottom (at least 8 per side=24 clips).

•Plein Air set up that includes all paints, brushes, paint box, water supply, umbrella with stand, extra canvas primed, drawn and ready to paint, backpack, easel, palette.

•Up to date computer (must be replaced every 4-5 years) with the latest software from Adobe, Apple, and Quicken.

•iPhone and iPad with square app and hardware for business (replace every 1-2 years)

•Epson printer, inks and papers

•Marketing materials including flyers, business cards, calendars, show notices, etc.

•Mobile phone fees for phone and internet usage

•Internet fees for web site hosting and business name

•Art Insurance (I use USAA’s RLI insurance company)

•Digital camera (point and shoot type)

•Go Pro camera with KNEKT trigger system for water shots

•Pentax water camera for video and stills

•Surfing equipment to get the water shots to include surfboards, fins, wetsuits, boogie board, vests, leashes, and various other related water equipment to shoot waves for subject matter.

•Any and all software related to the business to edit photos of paintings

•Monthly fees to galleries

•Postage and shipping

•Travel expenses including air fare, lodging, gas, food, rental car

•Boarding of pets while at shows

•Property taxes on art supplies and equipment, trailer, and van

•Dues for professional memberships in organizations and publications

•Donations

Video of my interview with Chris Reckling, from "Reck On The Road"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awRVTk2ym40

Video of me setting up the Showoff Canopy from Art Display Central, FL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8iFBqwBvqc&utm_source=sendy&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news-email-2015-video-contest-update

Learning experiences on the Art Show Trail

This has been a marathon year for art shows with so many surprises and learning experiences at every one.  I just did the June shows starting with the Artist's Gallery show indoors and then on to the Va. Bch. Boardwalk show.  

The small table allowed me the room to paint in the open yet gave the viewer room to move.

It's always an incredible honor to get into the boardwalk show and this year was no exception.  The judges were incredibly polite and informative and genuinely showed an appreciation for "your obvious uniqueness, dedication to laborious painting technique, and passion for your art".  It was really nice to actually hear that for a change when so often I feel like a Klingon with my cloaking device activated as they go by without a word.  These folks were genuinely concerned about each and every artist.  The heat was unbearable for many but we persevered and sold quite well.  This was in fact my very best boardwalk show ever thanks to some local supporters and several small paintings that I did in the 8" X 10" range with deep canvas edges in the $175.00 price range.  This strategy worked very well and it also filled the gaps between the bigger pieces. Finding the right sizes for your booth is one of the more complicated things in this business but once you figure it out, sales go much better and so does the load in and out with the display.

My booth at the Under The Oaks Show, Whalehead, Corolla, NC

The very next day after my five grueling days on the boardwalk was in North Carolina at the annual Under the Oaks Show at Whalehead, Corolla.  This was by far the hottest show I have ever done which is not unusual this time of year. I nearly passed out the first day while painting because of the heat. This was a Plein Aire test unlike anything I have ever done.  The paint dries so fast in this kind of heat.  The promoters treated us very nicely and my accommodations were well worth the cost at the Inn at Corolla Light. I plan on doing a whole series of paintings of that place soon based on my photos.  They are also very dog friendly and that made for a good time for all even though it rained during one of the two days.  It was great having an air conditioned place to keep Rusty and Raven during the show.

The Inn At Corolla Light

What a great place to have a glass of wine after a long hot hard day!

The view from the Inn looking out on the sound.

I was truly appreciative of my sale of one of the OBX series of paintings I did this year during the final minute, of the final day of the show.  I was literally packing up when a customer fell in love with the OBX piece.  Thank you!

Today, the very day after the whale head show I am setting up on Knotts Island, NC for the Peach Festival.  This turned out to be a real winner for me last year inspire of its remote location.

I have learned so much this year about doing art shows and of course, always want to pass on information to the "Newbies" who are trying to "figure it out".  Keeping a cleaner and less cluttered booth along with unifying the sizes and frames of the work is really a big step forward. It just makes the overall presentation better and increases sales while impressing the judges.

I also got a lot more "waitlisted" notices this year.  Unlike many artists who apply to several shows the same weekend and then choose the one they want, I apply to only one and if I don't get in then I have an open weekend to surf or paint which is just fine by me.  I really don't see the point of paying to board the dogs, a hotel room, and then showing up at some bizarre hour of the morning for a "maybe I can get in" situation.  I just can't afford to do business like that.  The hotel room and the boarding are nonrefundable and if I don't get in the show that's a huge waste of money!  I know a lot of fellow artists and juror/board members out there will disagree with me on this but I refuse to be someone else's puppet in this life.  I plan on making a difference through my actions and good deeds and will not be a slave to bad vibes that get tossed my way.  With that in mind, I encourage all of you to continue on showing your work, applying to shows, and learn along the way to improve yourself and not be manipulated by others and their narrow perspectives on this business.  Stay positive and open minded to new ways of doing things and all will be just fine.

Lessons From Gosport

I just did the Gosport Arts Festival in Portsmouth, Virginia and I have to tell you, I truly look forward to this show for one reason, it's not about the artists as much as it's about the cause, EDMARC Hospice for children.  I hold this pretty dear to my heart because my father was in hospice for a very long time and the pain and suffering our family went through was huge!  I can't begin to imagine what that must be like for parents with children going through a similar journey into the next life.  It is for this reason that I do this show and donate one to two works of art to it every year with pleasure.  It just gives me a giddy feeling to donate something that will truly make a difference and make this world of ours a better place.

Sadly for most of us, sales were pretty low, no doubt because of the tolls being placed on just about every entrance to this wonderful city of Portsmouth.  The venue is drop dead gorgeous and I really thank the promoters and volunteers who treated us like royalty with amazing healthy choices for breakfast, and of course some of the not so healthy but incredibly fantastic donughts (especially the chocolate peanut ones!  They came around gleefully with carts overflowing with oranges, apples, crackers, bottled water and a host of other great treats. What more could you possibly ask for!  Also a huge thanks for that amazing awards banquet and congratulations to all the winners!

I also learned a lot from previous shows about mud, wind, rain, and weather in general.  We need to always be ready for that by the way we set up our equipment with proper weights and walls that showcase our work.  It's also pretty important to bring the tarps and bungies so that in the event of a surprise downpour, you can take immediate action.  Packaging your art work into plastic bags and then into cushioned foam bags or cardboard boxes is super helpful.  I stopped using cardboard because they get wet and weigh more, and I found the foam bags I made a whole lot lighter and weather resistant overall.  Another good thing about foam as opposed to cardboard, those pesky palmetto bugs in Florida don't find them very attractive so I don't end up bringing them home with me in the winter show months.

I thank you EDMARC Hospice for Children and the Childrens Museum of Portsmouth for such a wonderful weekend.  I for one had a great time and hope to be invited back again next year too!

God bless you.

Playa Venao, March 2015

Just got back from our trip to Playa Venao Hotel and Resort in Panama and wow!  I wished for big surf and got some big time, more than I could handle at times for sure.  This was some of the most inspiring and terrifying surf for my art I have ever encountered but I survived to tell the story, thanks to some very good people like Nicole Columbus who came to my rescue while taking photos in the lineup, only to be carried outside well beyond view of most everyone in a ferocious rip current from hell!

Follow the foam to the outside where it comes to a stop. That's where I was when Nicole and two others came out to help me.  The four of us had to paddle a lot to get out of that rip while I held onto their leashes and kicked with my flippers.

A classic Venao Barrel shot with my Pentax.

Our journey began in Panama City where we met my good friend Alex Valdes who drove us the five hours to Playa Venao.  On the way, I visited my dear friend Ivan Marquez whose photography has inspired many of my paintings of surf art from Panama.

I left Ivan with a few pieces of my limited editions and a calendar of my paintings.  He has decorated his beautiful restaurant with his photography and prints of my paintings!  What an honor to be a part of such a great place.

Typical peeler by the pool at the infinity pool.

Painting Plein Aire by the pool.

When we arrived the waves were about 3-4 feet and rising.  After surfing a few days of that size, I did a few Plein Aire pieces like this one above. Both sold on location along with some of the prints I took with me.  One of my goals was to paint on location to see how it would go and develop a plan to take other surf artists on a journey to Venao to do the same.  I was pretty pleased with the preparation and pretty much remembered all things I would need. Painting in the wind with pinstripe brushes is pretty hard, especially when the wind is blowing the tips all over the canvas!

One of the many gorgeous sunsets each day.

The sunsets in march are just amazing.  Last time I was here in July, the sun was at a different angle so we did not get to see that much of a sunset each day but this year was amazing.  There will be a lot of great paintings coming out of this journey!

One of the many overhead sets that just came over and over.

Almost no water at the bottom of this wave.  So shallow!

This guy Deric Munn who drives this van is just a super human!  He rides his bike up and down the mountain five miles a day to get his wind right so he can handle these huge waves.  At nearly 70 years of age, he surfs like a young boy!

I definitely have my batteries charged for making a series of paintings about this epic surf trip and am so ready for the show circuit this year.  Thank you to all who helped us out in Panama to experience everything!  A special thanks to Jesus Christ who saved me not once, but twice and gave me my life back so I could make a difference.  Know thy limits!

Fear and Loathing in Florida!

What an amazing journey we had at ArtisGras in Palm Beach County, FL!  The town of Jupiter was amazingly beautiful and the weather was 78 degrees and perfect every sunny day of the show.  The load in and out was second to none and I certainly plan on coming back if they will have me.

My booth #305 at ArtisGras

They gave me tons of room to paint and lots of storage out the back too!

The journey down to Jupiter was phenomenal surf wise!  The surf was so big the beginning of the swell just before the show, but I opted to go further south to see if it would be bigger.  As they say, be careful what you hope for, and was I shocked!  The size was beyond humanly doable in the water even with the strong off shore winds.  There was no one in the water from Melbourne, Indian Harbor, south, with the exception of Sebastian Inlet and Monster Hole which was not for the faint of heart.  At my age, monster hole is out of the question.

Monster hole with just a couple daring the intense drift/current and triple overhead size.

It looks so easy but is so deceiving.  The shore break at Sebastian was terrible and the current was pulling you into the jetty.  Not a chance.

We left Monster Hole and headed to Juno, stopping to witness the massive swells along the way.  When we got to Jupiter, I went right to the inlet and the waves were insanely huge breaking out as far as the eye could see.  Only Juno Pier looked somewhat doable however there were no takers due to the intensity of the rip currents and massive sized swells.

Monster Hole looking so inviting!

Juno looking out of control.  If I had the time, I would have gone down the road to Reef Road for some doable surf, but time would not allow it.

Outside set at Juno Pier

All the hotels were booked in Cocoa Beach so I chose the "Faulty Towers" which is actually a really cool little getaway next to Ron Jon's.  They take Whimsical to a whole new level.

On the way home the ice in Southern NC was just amazing!  Entire streets were covered in it!

Ice trees on the I95 route

Reflections on 2014 as we move into 2015

As I embark on the show circuit I did in 2014, I cease to be amazed at the quantity and quality of events that came to be.   After nearly 36 art shows I still have lots of energy to move forward in 2015 with even more shows.  This life is absolutely addictive and the amazing artists and places we see along the way have been so rewarding.  Thank God for life as an art gypsy!  My beautiful wife Kris is always at my side making it all happen as she sits humbly in the shadows but we all know that she is my secret weapon!  Her keen observations and feedback have catapulted us forward into even more challenging venues with stiffer competition.

The Coastal Virginia Winefest and MOCA January Show

Some of my new work created in January for the MOCA show

January fired up pretty good with the MOCA January show, which was a real surprise. When you do an art show with alcohol involved, you are usually playing second fiddle to that.  Chances at sales can be very low, unless you make a huge effort to engage everyone who enters your booth. Several of us did just that and were rewarded with surprisingly good sales! I even sold a large 30" X 40" piece a few days after the show.  My client wanted to make sure that it was not just the wine that made the piece look so impressive!  I was totally stoked when she was happy upon seeing it in my home studio and took it home right away.

Why would an artist do a show in January that could have poor sales?  Think about it for a minute.  You can sit at home and have your art not sell there on this cold blustery month; you could go to Florida and hope for sales and pay huge costs for gas, lodging and food; or you could just bring your work to this fun event (which we were going to go to anyway since we love good wine).  I am so glad we did!

Hearts A Bustin, No. 2, © 11/23/2014, 18" X 24", Acrylic on canvas

Next I am doing the Virginia Beach Flower and Garden Expo with my garden art. We love gardening and I do as many garden pieces as I do surf art so this will be a great opportunity to share that with the public in a venue that focuses on that subject very specifically.  Once again, in this kind of situation, I don't really expect much in the way of sales but the exposure is terrific.  We always go to the event anyway and the best part is we will get a reduction on entry because of our participation at the event.

Owl Creek Pelican Series, No. 1, 18" X 24", Acrylic on canvas © 01/27/2015

I am very excited about a series of Pelican Paintings that I am embarking on this year that were inspired by the sensational photography of my friend and collaborating artist, John Wright.  This is the first challenging piece that I completed in the series and look forward to doing many more where I push the envelope technically by forcing myself to do a painting with the smallest brushes I can find.  There are many other ways to accomplish doing this piece faster with other tools, but I find the challenge of doing it with such a small rigger/script liner to be more exciting. It also gives the canvas an etched appearance which I really like a lot.

Artigas coming up in a couple of weeks!

My next out of state show will be ArtiGras in Jupiter, Florida in Palm Beach County! This was a tough one to get into and we are hoping for great things!  Everything I have heard from my fellow artists has been thumbs up!

Be sure to check out my exhibition schedule to see where I am headed next on Kris and Ed's big adventure! It's right on my menu bar on this web site under "Exhibitions".

Report from the Florida circuit experience

Christmas at Miromar Outlets was different.  With temps in the 80's, it felt quite strange with the lights and all the trimmings, but it is a beautiful place.

I just returned from one of the three shows I am doing this year on the gulf coast of Florida near the Naples area.  This area has always intrigued me since it is so warm and the reputation of the area has been pretty impressive on all the forums.  I must say here and now, be careful what you read and try to talk to some other artists who have done shows in out of state areas before you just jump in.  I did my research and felt pretty confident this was going to be a pretty decent experience.  The promoter took great care of us and provided all the amenities one would need at a high end art show.  The artistic quality of the work presented by my fellow artists was amazing and in most cases, off the charts in regards to originality, wow factor, and booth presentation.  Those are the three key ingredients to success in this business for awards.  Since the rewards were not too high, I went for sales with my presentation as you can see from my booth shots.

If you are going for an award, keep the art to a minimum and stay with just one subject.  Here I have mostly surf art however, I did include a garden wall too.

The mall parking lots were huge and packed every day with cars and people coming in and out of the show.  The biggest surprise was that virtually all of the people coming in viewed us as their weekend entertainment and bought little or nothing.  I spoke to several artists who said that they had done two or three shows in a row in the area and had "zeroed out", which means they sold nothing, not even small items!  I personally only sold a couple of prints the last hour and that was it.  My overhead was massive after traveling nearly a thousand miles each way just to get here, not to mention the cost of the hotel (which they gave us a generous discount on and treated us royally) and the cost of meals.  The food was pretty high end too as were the prices but they were incredible and well worth the cost.

My artist assistant Kris modeling in front of our rig.  I am so lucky to have such a beautiful hard working wife!

I've pretty much chalked this one up to a learning experience and totally understand why there are so few sales on the west coast of Florida.  They have an art show almost every weekend in that part of the state and the area is just totally oversaturated with them.  With that in mind, I headed back to Cocoa Beach to at least catch a few waves and as luck would have it, the swell was gone and the cold front arrived as soon as we got there.  I got to surf some of the smallest surf ever but at least it was warm until Tuesday when the rain and wind hammered the place and the highs were in the low 50's and the lows in the record breaking 30's.  Welcome to sunny Florida.  The waves were not due to get better until the following weekend and I was not about to wait that long to be reunited with my yellow labs so we hit the road and  came home in a marathon 14 hours.

I have two more shows in Florida and I do hope they are better than this one.  I remember living in Florida and the waves were so  incredibly inconsistent all year, especially summer when they just pretty much go away.  I am super thankful to live in Virginia so close to the outer banks where the waves are endless most of the year.  It's trips like this that make you realize that the grass is really not so green on the other side at all, it's just a fantasy that one keep chasing after as they get older.  Right now, the grass is looking pretty green right here in good old Virginia and that's where I plan to stay for the rest of my life.  Thank you VA!

Purchase Award!

I went to the opening of the Halls Of Art XIV at the Hampton Roads Convention Center last night and much to my surprise, I got one of the $1,000.00 purchase awards.  I've been wanting to get one of my pieces into their permanent collection for some time.  While the award is no where near the total worth of the painting, it is a huge honor to get a piece into their permanent halls of fame.  Thank you to everyone who supported my work and helped make this wonderful opportunity a reality.

FYI, this painting was inspired by a photo shot by Sean Davey fine art adventure Photography. I altered it dramatically and also included several symbolic images that are concealed and revealed at the same time.  The overall painting is a tribute to Van Goghs "Wheat Field With Crows", famous for its three paths that have been interpreted in many different ways.  On the top left of the lip is an abstraction of a bull going to the left. Superimposed on the bull is a horse going right with a very thin elongated head.  In the top center of the painting is a ballerina dancing on the lip.  There are 3 clear paths going up the face of the wave that lead your eye to the surprises at the top.

Why the animals?  They are anologies to how Surfing can be a very bullish sport and the pecking order is fierce at many of the crowded surf spots I frequent.  If you watch surfers, they are incredibly graceful and powerful, much like ballerinas performing on the dance floor or horses racing to the finish line to beat the firece power of the lip of the wave from crushing them to pieces or holding them underwater for terminal lengths of time!

Art show preps for 2015

DISPLAYS TO GO!

http://www.displays2go.com/C-0/Largest-Selection-of-Display-Products-POP-Displays-Online

Searched all over the place for a decent, affordable and lightweight floor system and these guys are the ticket.  When you consider a floor for your display, and you definitely should, you will need to have one type for the hard surfaces and another solution for the rough terrain kind of surfaces like grass, sand, etc.  I went with a lightweight foam instead of rubber which is extremely heavy and a lot more expensive.  Time is everything so search for a product that you can easily set up, yet have it light enough that you can manage it.  They have pretty much everything you need for your displays from easels, tables, signs, etc.

Getting ready for the 2015 art show season and things are moving very fast!  You have to really stay on it to apply for all the upcoming shows in advance.  If you don't subscribe to sunshine artists, you should. They are a tremendous resource at a very affordable price.

Several of you have asked me where to get your art work photographed and printed into a "giclee" format and my man Jeff Diener is the go to guy for that purpose!  I just had him shoot one of my pieces and he was insanely meticulous about it and the end product was perfect in every way.  He's easy to work with and surprisingly easy on the wallet!  You can reach him at:

http://www.jad-photo.com/about-j.a.d.-photography.html

"You'll figure it out eventually..."

Yes, those were the words I kept hearing over and over during the years I have been doing shows, but how nice it would be if there was a book or article to point you in the right direction.  It could be like a "Dummies Guide to the Show Circuit", for artist "wannabes".  I've been trying to do just that with this blog, so that others won't have to go through the same trials and tribulations that I have over time.  If you look at my booth at the next show, you will see a huge difference in one thing in particular and that is the framing and presentation of my work.  So often times the jurors refer to "the body of work" as to why they chose a specific artist for an award.  This connectivity of individual artworks as a whole in your booth can be achieved by doing one or several things to unite each separate piece as part of a group.  I have chosen to do only minimal black wood frames for virtually every piece or if the rabbit depth is deep enough, do painted edges.  If doing painted edges, make sure that all the pieces have the same rabbit depth (that's how thick your canvas is).  Minimizing the variation of sizes is also helpful and that helps with the packing up time too!

This is a pic of my booth at the most recent Seawall Art Show in Portsmouth. It still has a ways to go in terms of limiting what I want the jurors to see.  The clutter on the table for example is way too distractive and when doing a booth shot, I leave that out.  Also, the print bins on the table add a vertical element that is distracting, however, I need the table to store things for when I make a sale and want to package it up in inclement weather!  The fitted tablecloth is essential so that it does not blow apart in the wind too.  Notice that almost every piece is lined up with formal balance on the top of the booth to give a clean flow and line of sight.  Whenever possible, I move my demonstration area to the left of the booth and outside the booth if allowed by the promoters.

This is the front view of my booth.  Notice almost every frame is black.  The loose edge on the front of my carpet also will need taping up with blue duct tape.  When that does not work, I inserted grommets into the carpet so that I can use twist ties to hold it in place.  I will also take all the print bins off the table and lay down small originals on the table.  The small prints will go into another stand alone bin like the one on the left from propanels.com.

Here is a view of my outside wall with all those pretty wood frames from Italy!  I chose them because they match the pieces well, however, as a body of work, you can see how disconnected they are!

This is my outside wall and I chose an animal and garden theme for the most part.  The backs of my interior paintings are also showing as well as my cooler so I will have to work on a solution for that too, but, "I'll figure it out eventually..."

I hope this little tid bit of information is useful to some of my fellow artists.  It's always a work in progress so I will keep you posted on the next learning curve.