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Monday, March 2, 2015

Elbow Grease Puts a Shine on and Turns Your Worries into Profits

"Reggae Night" acrylic on canvas
Today was a very good day for me. I sold a vintage light fixture on my Etsy Shop Anfinsen Art, https://www.etsy.com/people/AnfinsenArt, and one of my paintings “Reggae Night” was given “SR” (Special Recognition) in an online contest that will be on display the entire month of March. If you’d like to see the categories and winners go to:


(Vintage Tiffany-style chandelier)
We all need a little pat on the back now and then. Most of the time we put the hard work in and seldom see the payback. When we do it makes everything worthwhile.

I met a new artist this week. She is currently doing murals down in Key West. Her brother was working there, too, but plans on returning to the Caribbean. Mia showed me her work via her Smart Phone – Beautiful!

I shared an idea with her about incorporating jewels on a painting. I told her women in my art league discouraged the practice because then it would become more craft than painting.




Mia showed me a mermaid she had just created on a mural. Wherever the scales intersected on the tail, a small pearl accented the connection. Stunning! Her attitude is anything goes! I think that’s what I’m seeing out there also. If people kept doing the same things they were taught, soon all paintings would look alike and eventually be dull and boring. Daring to be different or to think outside the canvas is what Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali did and hundreds of other artists who were at first criticized and later embraced.

Keep pounding out the paintings people! Grind your tired fingers to the bone. Some day your efforts will be praised and purchased! Currently I’m working on one of my “boudoir” paintings. After all the work I’ve put into it I’m still not pleased. Seems too “static” for me; I prefer to have movement and action going on. I’m between painting over the canvas and doing something totally different with it.

"Sea Breeze" acrylic on canvas (The brush led me -- see the movement?)
Even though this decision has set me back a few weeks, I’m willing to live with it. When painting and creating (or whatever it is you do) becomes work, something is wrong! When the brush leads you, sparks are flying.

"Sea Swirls" acrylic on canvas (Notice the movement and 3-D scales?)
You may enjoy this music by “Jewel” about two painters who grow old together and are still painting:


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