It's Spring -- Bless the Baby Birds!

I couldn't resist sharing a childhood experience with you. The story probably accounts for why I love birds and delight in painting them.

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He was pink, blind and featherless when I found him lying in the bright spring grass. His lifeless three-inch body brought back a rush of memory and I was eight years old again, looking down on another fragile baby bird.

"Tufted Titmouse" drawing

He had fallen so far from the nest that I convinced myself his mother would never miss him. Carefully, and with a modicum of shame, I scooped the tiny fledgling into my cupped hands. I would nurse him back to health and become his protector. In turn, he would be my friend, my pet. He could perch on my finger and I would teach him how to do tricks. He could sing for his supper. Surely mother would let me keep him.

"Courtship" pencil drawing

She shook her head when she saw him; a bad omen. But when she gave me an empty matchbox, I grew hopeful. We stuffed the matchbox with tissue and laid the bird gently on the soft white sheets. His head wobbled back and forth as his tiny body struggled to get up. The dark swollen eyes were closed, but the hungry beak gaped wide in a perpetual state of readiness.

My mother went for the “crumb jar;” the kind you fill up with leftover toast or stale bread until there are enough pieces for croutons or crumbs on a casserole.

We moistened a small chunk of bread in warm milk; and while mother left to prepare dinner, I dropped soggy snippets of bread into the bird’s open mouth. The feeding lasted until the tantalizing smells from the kitchen and the clatter of dishes distracted me.

"Berry Picking Time" 16 x 20 acrylic on panel

It was nearly bedtime before I remembered. I skipped to the back porch, half expecting birdsong to greet me. Instead, I slammed into a cold wall of silence. I held my breath and peered into the matchbox. The bird’s too-large head lay angled against the white tissue, his pale colored beak hung open. The bread I had pushed down his throat earlier was now stuck like a gummy wad of dough. I yelled for mother.

"Hut Two Three Four" drawing

She came quickly with tweezers in hand. “He’s too weak to swallow,” she said, making one final effort to remove the dough from the tiny gullet. “He’s not breathing,” she muttered to herself. And then seeing my tears, she added, “It’s not your fault. He’s too young, that’s all. His eyes aren’t open. He has no feathers.” In spite of her words, I cried. Sad lesson learned -- end of story, or was it?

Returning to the present and my adult moorings, I studied the baby bird at my feet. If I left him here, a neighbor’s cat or a hungry hawk would surely destroy him or a child’s bicycle could crush him unawares. Impulsively, I scooped him into my hands. I had to give him a second chance. Who knows? This time I might succeed; and, perhaps, redeem my childhood guilt in the bargain.

"Star Billing" mixed media on 14 x 18canvas

Great Photos are your Doorway to Marketing and Sales

"Cafe' Costa Rica" original acrylic canvas 20 x 20 (SOLD) (Prints available)

Many artists recommend not selling your original artwork. Once they are gone, they’re gone forever. Of course, with permission, you can use the buyer's name as a reference indicating where your painting resides.

I was painfully reminded of this when I sold two original paintings to someone in Minnesota. A few weeks later, Fine Art America (FAA) notified me that someone had ordered a gicleé off of one of the paintings, but the photograph on file was not good enough. Since we were not heading back to Minnesota until a few weeks later, I asked for more time. The buyer refused. Their purchase was for a gift. I lost the sale.

"Skudeneshavn Norway"  20 x 16 oil on canvas (SOLD) (prints available)

When we arrived in Minnesota, I had to call the owner of the original, schedule a visit, and then obtain the needed photo of the painting. I took another photo of the other painting they had purchased just in case. But what if they hadn't given their permission or were unable to accommodate my request?

Hard lesson learned. If you are fortunate enough to sell the original, be sure your photos of it are absolutely perfect. Make sure that your client understands you are going to sell prints from their painting. If they do not approve honor their request.

"Hibiscus Glory" 16 x 20 oil on canvas (SOLD)

I sold two other originals at an art show and regretted later that I had no copy for myself. They were two of my favorite paintings. I went back to FAA and ordered a wrapped canvas gicleé of each. I also wanted a closer look at what my customers were actually getting when they purchased a “wrapped canvas gicleé.”

I was well pleased. The colors were bold and beautiful. Most people think they are originals. The paintings are the size the customer has requested, 9 x 12, 20 x 18, etc. The wrapped portion is 1.5 inches and is black. On the wall, it gives the impression that the painting is framed. The only thing missing is the texture. If the gicleé was prepared by the artist locally, then texture could always be added to enhance the canvas. The cost to the buyer is significantly lower than purchasing an original painting.

Wrapped canvas Giclee' of Cafe' Costa Rica shown above

Since that sad experience of losing a sale because I couldn’t produce a quality photo in time, I work hard to be prepared. I upgraded my camera and make certain that I have adequate lighting. I save my photos online and organize them carefully into folders for paintings, drawings, illustrations, etc. Then when I want to upload them again, I can find them in seconds.

We live in a digital world. These same photos will be entered in online contests, uploaded to secondary web sites, and used on registration forms for other contests either locally or in magazines. They are the main promotion you have of your artwork. Before others see your paintings they will see a digital copy of your work. If your photo is imperfect in anyway, it will reflect on your work as a whole.

"Broken" original 11 x 14 mixed media canvas (SOLD) (Prints available)

I suggest taking a short class on photography so that what represents you is as good as it can get. Quality means everything. Images will be produced from your photo. Time is of the essence. The customer is always right and they may be impatient. Don’t lose a sale as I did because your camera isn’t good enough or your photo is flawed.

(Giclee' of "Broken" with black 1.5 inch wrapped canvas)

Innovate or Placate? Experiment or Languish? How’s your Painting Libido?

Some artist’s are making a big splash. They are non-conformists doing things their way. Not afraid of criticism or worried about “staying in line,” they follow their gut instincts; and in the process, they’re making money. Wish that were you?

Self taught artists probably have more daring. What have they got to lose? But there are artists who get bored by the tried and true methods of the past and just want to make waves. They want their art to sizzle and sing. They manage to push the envelope to the outer limits.

Don’t get me wrong. These artists have already proven themselves in traditional ways. They are color and value experts who wave the brush expertly and intelligently. They also follow trends. They understand that what’s popular today may not be hot tomorrow. They have found a way to capitalize on the here and now in hopes of making some money and it seems to be working.

I watched a street artist use nothing but spray paint and window scrapers as a brush. The work was not as crude as I’d expected. He layered colors from light to dark, and while still wet, expertly scraped off top layers to expose the light. Shapes formed. Buildings appeared. Different sized palette knives and scrapers exposed a cityscape and a sunset. The end result was breathtaking.

His “street art” was produced quickly and expertly. The wrapped canvas paintings sold like hotcakes! People were intrigued. They were in awe as landscapes and city streets appeared in living color. The canvases were affordable and inspiring. This artist had found a way to tap into the pulse of the buyers who lived and worked in the city.

Chloe Morris Sketchbook

Who is your audience? Does your work appeal to the culture and clime of potential buyers or are you focused on your own drumbeat drowning out the sounds of the marketplace? Do you live in a seaside community or a rural farm area? Do your buyers hail from suburbia or Harlem? Who do you want to reach? How do you want to touch them or influence them? Does your work have universal appeal or is it specific?

These are questions every artist needs to ask before proceeding with a work. If you paint only to please yourself, you may have only an audience of one.

Cut Yourself Loose -- Every which Way but Down

You’ve heard it before, and I’ll say it again: success is all about networking, networking, networking! The necessity of connecting the seller with the buyer and the advertiser with the consumer goes without saying. Plus your product must be available in as many different locations as possible.

I have an account on Zazzle where I’ve sold several small items and T-shirts from some of my drawings. The earnings are small, but it is gratifying to know that my cartoon characters are used and enjoyed.

Placing your artwork in several venues is not only smart, it’s vital to get your name out there. Making connections with as many people as possible is the only way to move your career along. I show on Etsy, Red Bubble, Fine Art America, and have two more sites in the works in addition to my blog.

Explore different sites, and place your articles and images where you get the most bang for your buck. I find the most difficult part is finding the time to paint or draw each day. Marketing takes a big hunk out of my week, and I’m sure out of yours, too. Without marketing, there are no sales, no exposure.

Like most artists, I have more ideas than I can ever paint. Storage is another problem: how and where to store your canvases and artwork so they are protected from the elements and from close proximity with other images. I’d love to hear your ideas!

 One solution is to have as many of your paintings in galleries and shows as possible. I keep a record of where each image is placed, its cost, and how long the painting will be at that location. Sometimes a venue may be long, such as a placement at a company or a restaurant. At other times, the venue is limited to one month. Keeping your artwork visible and active is essential if you want sales and exposure.

Membership in more than one Art League or with charitable organizations that use art to raise money provides more opportunity for visibility. I got an email a few days ago from one such gallery sponsoring a “membership show” in the coming month. Never let an opportunity slip from your grasp; work harder and smarter in order to have enough artwork in your inventory to participate.