Awash in Color; Electric with Energy

'Greeters instruct artists on the procedures"

My blog title perfectly describes “change-out” time at the Art Council of Southwest Florida Cooperative Art Gallery at Coconut Point. On the first Monday of each month, new paintings are brought in and paintings which have not sold are changed out. There is always excitement in the air and congeniality as artists chit chat, get caught up on the new art scene and the latest gossip.

ACSWF is a juried gallery, and each piece must be judged by a reviewing board who determines which paintings will stay and which must go. The criteria are strict and demanding.

Some artists “play it safe” with predictable scenes and styles. Others take risks to see how far they can push the envelope sometimes ending up on the losing side. The disheartened take their heavy burdens home and hope that next month will be different.

"Registration -- in with the old, out with the new"

I am one of those risk takers. I like to experiment. Sometimes I get lucky, and sometimes I’m disappointed. I stretch myself and challenge myself as much as possible. I like to try different techniques and enliven my palette. There is a certain light or glow I seek that emanates from my paintings. Until I have achieved that look and feel, I am not satisfied.

Every artist that submits artwork in any form is hopeful that theirs will qualify. The gallery is filled with amazing pieces awaiting the thumbs up from the judges. It is a learning process. The judging is a combination of objective analysis, based on the skill and knowledge of the judges, and their subjective opinions of style and taste.

I have sold several pieces online that were rejected by a judge at one point or another in my career. Beauty truly is in “the eye of the beholder.”

Critics are everywhere from the “man on the street” to your favorite aunt Mildred. Everyone has an opinion and they’re all too eager to share it with you. “Why did you do this?” someone once asked me. When I said, “I felt like it.” They didn’t know what to say?

Those little stabs hurt just the same. After all, each painting, each creation is your new baby. You’ve conceived it, nurtured it, and given it life. Who are they to question your motives or your creative license? Still we must be willing to learn from those who have more experience than us. It is a slow and painful process.

How does an artist or any professional deal with "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?” We must develop thick skin. We must turn our hurts and sensitivities into tools for learning. This is part of the proverbial “learning curve.” We brush off our hurts and try again. Each time we do this, we become a little tougher, a little less sensitive. We weather the storms of life and we forge on. Not because we have to, but because to stop would be to die. Not literally, of course, but spiritually. If we allow others to deter us from doing what we love, we die a little each day.

Believing in yourself and your ability to learn is the biggest hurdle you will overcome. The Cartoonist for Shoe said it so well: “We have met the enemy and he/she is us.”

Our enemy is not the critics, the judges, or our family and friends, it is us. When we give into fear and disappointment, we are the losers. When we face our enemy and the challenges that come to us, we become strong, weathered, and fierce.

What’s your Trade-Off – Tropical Weather or Rain and Snow?

I’ve lived in Florida for almost 10 years and this is the hottest muggiest summer I remember. I’m told it’s not by my husband, who says from his air conditioned chair that they’re all hot! Maybe he’s right.

I spent my day battling traffic to and from the Southwest Florida Cooperative Gallery at Coconut Point. My volunteer day fell on a sweltering Saturday in July. On my lunch break, I did some much needed shopping and became wilted and wet in my travels on foot from store to store.

I am also light sensitive and the sunshine, and the bright gallery lights required two Maxalt pills to get me through the day. In spite of that, I love being at the gallery. I enjoy talking to other artists, and I like being surrounded by high-caliber artwork. I’m honored to have three of my paintings hanging with the best of them.

I hope you enjoy a sampling of the paintings and the 3-D artwork on display. Although not one sale was made, we had about 60 people come through to browse and appreciate our spectacular gallery. About one-third of the visitors were artists new to the area who want to be part of the art scene in Southwest Florida.

Sales are slow in the heat of summer. Even the Farmer’s Market, the Nurseries and side-walk vendors have closed up shop. Our hot summers are the trade-off to our delightful winters. In summer, Floridians spend quiet times at the beach and enjoy their pools for cooling off. We read books in the summer the way Northerners do in winter.

I spent two winters in Seattle a few years ago. Instead of snow they had pouring rain and gray skies for months on end. But their six months of summer were moderate and delightful. Wherever you live there are trade-offs. Choose the one you are most comfortable with and your life will move forward on a pleasant and even keel.

Today at the gallery, two artists worked on their projects which attracted many onlookers. One was gluing mango twigs to prepainted canvases for a natural frame, and the other was using cane strands to create beautiful wood ware vases. The cane was placed over a glass or pottery vase that made them both functional and beautiful.

The gallery serves as a museum of sorts for many people who love to come in and just soak up the culture. Parents love to expose their children to art and are especially pleased when there are demonstrating artists. Ya’all come down and see us sometime. You’ll be glad you did!

After the Fireworks, a Night of Culture is just the Ticket

Ira Nason's painting done in Epoxy

Friday night was “Art Walk” in downtown Fort Myers. The rain had been beating down over dinner, but we were able to walk around a bit afterward.

Crowds were sparse, so shopping was a snap. The galleries were more inhabited, but far from their usual bustle of buyers and onlookers. A brave artist sat outside and painted a street scene plein air from under a protective awning.

I purchased a pen for my son’s birthday made from a piece of walnut that was once firewood. I had given his brother a pen made from an old fence post. Conversation pieces, I call them; or is it conservation? Polished wood salvaged by an artist and made into something else is a grand idea, at any rate!

In Arts for ACT, a gallery that uses art to raise funds for abused women and children, a storybook theme decorated the plaster walls: princes and princesses, dungeons and dragons, make-believe characters in fanciful scenes, a splash of glitter and pizazz glistening from paint and collage.

Wine and beverages were on sale for $1.00 encouraging customers to linger as they nursed their drinks. Alcohol on the streets is prohibited. Restaurants were filling up as the rain abated. Outdoor tables allowed drinking outside, but only if you stayed within the bounds of the restaurant of purchase. The tipsy require a tug and a pull from friends to keep them in compliance.

I don’t know if any art was sold, but I do know that the people who participated had a good time. The fact that art can bring people together is a good thing. The Art Council of Southwest Florida, a cooperative Art Gallery, had their opening reception for July on the same night. It is not unusual for several paintings to be sold over a glass of wine.

Night Lights

The Fort Myers Art League on Monroe Street is under repair for improvements and updating. They received another two year contract with the City of Fort Myers, and will be ready to roll by the next Art Walk on August 2^nd. 

Southwest Florida is a thriving art community, not just in the winter time (We call winter “Season.”).  Theater, symphony, concerts, and clubs provide a rich array of culture and fun that draws fine restaurants to the area.

I live here year round and find the hot humid summers are a small price to pay for the freedom from ice, snow and blowing cold that requires shoveling. Our winters are the  coup de grâce of Tropical living and deserve the title: “Paradise.”

Hanging up a Show -- Team Work gets the Job done

The Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers is sponsoring two shows: one for recent recipients of Grants, and the other in the membership hallway, featuring Pan American Alliance members.

The experience requires a good morning and afternoon measuring, grouping similar colors and types of paintings, labeling, and then the actual hanging on the wall. I see the incremental hours slip through my grasp. I have done no painting this week and another blog is due. Is it just me, or does everyone feel the days are moving faster and faster?

I must admit the camaraderie of fellow artists is fun and stimulating. There’s a certain excitement involved in having a show and seeing how spectacular everyone’s work looks on the once bare walls. Sometimes we rub each other the wrong way; there are egos involved. And stress enters in when a painting or a frame is rejected.

But when all is said and done, we rally around the wounded person and try to make amends. After all, it could be anyone of us if the circumstances were turned. Support is vital in the transitional stage between achieving public recognition and putting your toe in the waters of exposure for the first time.

I remember my first show. I didn’t know whether to hang my head in shame because I had the audacity to hang my artwork in a show or go back home without even trying.

 

Somehow we all get past those beginning hurdles. 

That first compliment or sale changes you forever. For the first time you see the possibilities; the fact that people out there like what you do is secondary to the pride that fills your heart and hooks you for life.

What I thrive on is challenge. It’s not enough for me to “paint pretty pictures.” I have to try something harder and more difficult each time I begin a new painting. If I’m not growing or learning, I’m disinterested. To keep my creative juices flowing and my imagination in over drive, I have to see improvement in my work and master complex subject matter. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail.

We each have our own unique way of motivating ourselves. What works for me may not work for you. The important thing is to keep going. Remember, only those who give up fail. 

Hail to the Art Council of Southwest Florida

(A folk scene with a vintage frame)

 For fifty years, the Art Council has been “the voice of Southwest Florida’s non-profit visual arts community, providing opportunities for education, exhibitions, demonstrations, and most recently an interactive website to all affiliated organizations’ artists.”

The Art Council is a Cooperative venture encompassing 18 affiliated organizations comprised of members from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties with a combined membership of over 6,750 artists of which I am one.

Yesterday was my day for working at the gallery, located at Coconut Point in Estero, between Panera Bread and The World Market. Each displaying artist volunteers at least one day every other month to support the gallery in customer relations and retail sales.

When I walked into the gallery after having been away for several weeks, I was blown away. “What a classy looking gallery,” I said to myself. With over 125 artists represented, the wide variety of items, styles and types of art creates an amazingly eclectic and sophisticated display.

(bird made entirely of glazed ceramic)

The remarkable leadership is supported by board members from the various leagues represented, including qualified judges who jury in each new piece of artwork. The gallery represents top-notch artists and a magnificent array of choices for the buyer.

One couple who visited the gallery yesterday remarked: “Oh, how we wish we’d found you before we decorated our house.” Enthused and excited about what the gallery had to offer, they assured us they would be back!

One young woman, pulling a piece of luggage on wheels, was flying back to Canada in a few short hours. She rushed in to buy a polka-dotted fish made from a palm frond that she'd seen before and couldn’t get out of her mind. We helped her bubble-wrap the fish which she intended to take on the plane as “carry-on.”

Many gallery artists bring their following of clients with them which boosts sales and attendance. New artists are continually being discovered, and an awareness of art is reverberating through the surrounding communities.

If you haven’t visited the gallery, you should. If you winter in Florida or vacation here, make Coconut Point Southwest Florida Art gallery a “must see” on your agenda.

See additional paintings below. Here are links for questions or information:
www.acswf.org or / info@acswf.org

(A beautiful scene by Carol McCardle) Too high for a straight on photo.

Take the Plunge; Dive into Your Work and Believe in Yourself

I’m a slow learner. I have to hear something many times before it “clicks,” and I finally understand. I have to paint many mistakes before my eyes actually see the object I’m struggling to paint. Mastering the art of painting, at least for me, has been a long and arduous journey.

Perhaps it seems that way because we don’t see how other people struggle behind the scenes. All we see is the finished product. We don’t know how many hours it took to paint that masterpiece. We sometimes wonder at the asking price, thinking it may be a tad high. Rarely do we know the time and effort that went into the project.

"Sand Cranes at Twilight"  24x30 mixed media canvas

I’m currently preparing for a show and trying to determine the price to put on my own paintings. First, I must consider the commission charged by the gallery, additional charges for credit card use, etc.; the cost of framing and materials, the amount of time and effort. By the time I consider the demands of the marketplace, my time is almost negligible!

I’m wondering if the show is really worth my efforts, and yet without publicity and advertising we remain at a standstill. There is satisfaction in seeing one’s work posted in a gallery. There is joy in making sales, even though, in the beginning of an artist’s career, it isn’t much.

"Window on Pine Island" 16x20 oil on wrap canvas

I’ll be participating with hundreds of other artists in the Art Council of Southwest Florida at Coconut Point. The location is good. The people are fantastic. Part of the fun of working with different leagues and galleries is the joy of meeting new people and making lasting friendships

.

Sure, I’ll give it a go. It’s all part of the adventure. You can’t just dip your toe in your profession or in the marketplace; eventually, you must take the plunge. Leaving your career to chance isn’t an option.

"Vikeholmen Lighthouse -- Skudeneshavn Norway" 16x20 acrylic

If you don’t give your dreams all you’ve got, you may as well hang them up to dry and let them wither on the vine of past regrets.

The Economy is getting better! Oh, Really?

Two more galleries in downtown Fort Myers are closing. The monthly Art Walk has been a huge success for shops and restaurants, but it has drawn more art admirers than buyers; a definite sign that the economy is still in a slump.

Some galleries are doing better than others. The ones located on the main thoroughfares adjacent to shops and restaurants are holding their own which indicates it’s all about location, location!

I personally have done better online than I’ve ever done in a show. The audience is larger and more widespread. When you’re in a booth on the street or a gallery, viewers and buyers must come to you. If the weather is bad your audience is limited. If you have a local fan base, you may get “sympathy” buyers who purchase a few cards or prints to butter up your ego, but token sales do not pay the rent.

My major sales have come either from commission or by contact from a buyer who has viewed my artwork online. I don’t have to haul my paintings to a site and worry about scratches or damage. I don’t have to set up a display. I don’t have to battle the wind, the heat or the rain. I’ve met some wonderful people who were looking for something specific and found me through their own personal search.

Don’t get me wrong. If the timing and location are right, I’ll battle the elements with the best of them. But if I had my druthers, I’d take selling online any day. Yes, there is something to be said for personal contact. When a buyer sees and talks with the artist before a purchase, it makes a personal connection that may lead to repeat sales and a friend. However, in our technological savvy world, emails and Skype can do the job just as well.

The most important part of any transaction comes in keeping your word and delivering what you promise. Promptness and follow through trumps the handshake of yesteryear and confirms your professionalism. Then as now, quality still holds the key to repeat business and devoted followers.