Some pears are better than others and then some foods are not good for you at all

We like the Anjou pears because they are versatile and ripen faster. I like to paint them because they are cute and compact. This 6" x 8" painting was done in an hour with a palette knife and the paint that was left on my palette after painting the one below it. So these two foods are kind of like "good" and "evil". Pears are healthy and green, hot dogs are red and artery clogging. Whatever... when you want to paint something food is always available and it comes in a multitude of colors, shapes and sizes. It is not about the subject to me; it is about the arrangement of shapes on the picture plane. Is it interesting or is it too static to be a good painting? I don't always know the answer until the painting is finished. And sometimes not even then...

I had a guy from the Russian Federation email me today asking why I didn't ship to their country. Basically he was saying that I should-- I lost a sale because I didn't. So I have amended my shipping exclusions at eBay Etsy and Bonanza. International sales are good and I needed to be reminded that we Americans are not the only consumers in the world. Two of my most recent sales were to Japanese collectors. It's a global economy!

What effect will the decline of the Euro have on American sales to foreign countries? I would think if the dollar is worth more our goods would become more expensive to people who use other currencies. THAT might not be a good thing.

ANJOU PEARS and ALL AMERICAN LUNCH

New Year's Resolutions....Less Travel, More Planning

My New Year's Resolution is to spend less time on the computer and more time working on improving my painting. Expect to see a few larger and more challenging pieces on the blog this year as I change my focus from 'learning' mode to 'creative' mode. I still plan to teach a few workshops but not as many as last year. I am cutting down the travel time as well. I love to travel but it requires energy and planning. I'm going to expend that energy making better paintings.

Last year I painted 160 pieces-- yes I actually counted them, thanks to the wonderful Windows 7 viewing sorter that allows you to sort by day. I cataloged them and recorded sales etc for tax purposes. I am so organized this year. (That was last year's resolution and it has worked a bit-- at least to the point where I now know what I have and where it is hanging.) I sold just over 30% of these pieces. Many of them were small paintings - under 9" x12" and quite a few were plein air pieces. Print sales were up this year and as usual the sports prints sell the best.

I will continue to work on my organization skills so that I am not just distracted into painting a few pretty things just because I can and because I know people will buy them. I am striving to become more intentional this year. I was pleased to find out last week that I have been selected to have a joint show at the Parkwood Gallery in Toledo in August. This is exciting for me and a wonderful opportunity to have people beyond the internet see my paintings.

My first painting of the year was inspired by my cold fingers. I can't wait for Spring when I can get back outside and paint. I had a picture of a planter I took last year and I decided it was time to paint some flowers. I love painting flowers and I haven't done many lately so it was time. My new challenge for myself  was to paint larger so this painting is 16" x 20" and it really is a colorful show-stopper. I have to admit it would not have the impact it has at this size if it were 8" x 10".

"Spring Blooms" $600 oil on canvas, unframed

Last two paintings of the year

11" x 14" oil on canvas THE GROCER

Watch a short demo of how I created this painting here:

And a quick painting I did on New Year's Eve....

My Portrait Exchange painting arrived

Kevin from S.F. with the painting I did of him and  me with the one he did of me!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. We had a quiet Christmas so I finally had a chance to paint something for myself after painting many commissioned Christmas pieces from photos. I truly hate working from photographs but they are necessary if the subject is not available I suppose.

This is a "paint over". I have a lot of pieces I don't like and would never sell because I don't think they are any good so I recycle the canvases. Many times the texture underneath adds something to the new painting. This is a knife painting and it was fun to just waste a lot of paint and see what happened. It's a different kind of technique to me because I don't use my knives very often unless I'm working with edges or adding sharp lines so this was a challenge. If we don't challenge ourselves as artists though I'm not sure we can ever truly grow. I don't want the stuff I am painting ten years from now to look like the stuff I am doing today.

12" x 16" oil on canvas