ADVERTISING FOR THE PELHAM ART ASSOCIATION

This morning has been spent washing floors,final loads of laundry, gardening and advertising for the Pelham Art Association. I am the vice president of the club and part of my responsibility is to advertise in our local papers up coming workshops,shows and events.I also have personal contact with two reporters that have been wonderful to work with over the years.This weekend we have a 4 day workshop with noted American fine artist Jane E Jones. She is a seven signature American artist, a business woman and fabulous,knowledgeable instructor. Check her out she is online. I have two reporters going to cover the workshop over the next couple of days. YEAH!! Can't wait to see what they write and photograph.

I also advertised for our last workshop of the year which is with John Anderson. He will do two different workshops one in Acrylic the second in Oils. I really wanted to take this workshop but, I will be showing at the Heirloom show that weekend with my fellow "Etsy" shop owners. Really looking forward to this show, we are at  Vermeer's a well known gardening centre, here in the City of Welland.


Allergies are driving me crazy today and have been for the past month.Yuk!!

3,000 READERS - WOW - THANK YOU ALL

Thank you. As, I've said before I am impressed with this medium that allows me to share a little of my life as a Canadian Artist with people from around the world.

I am currently working on a painting of a beautiful beech tree. I will start posting tomorrow images that show the progress of the painting, from underpainting to the finished product.

AMAZON.COM

Prior to the Pelham Art Festival, I decided to purchase a 30" high directors chair. This chair allows you to sit and be at eye level with your customers. I did what most of us do and researched the chairs online. I found many sellers, including one company that I had done business with previously, Amazon. I am sure many of you have bought from Amazon as well. I was so close to the show, I opted to pay extra to have the chair arrive in time for me to use at the festival. It arrived promptly. When I went to unpack it, I noticed that the large box was opened all along one side. I took the chair frame out of the box and after carefully searching the box I realized that the canvas back and seat were missing. Long story slightly shortened, I noticed on a label it had the order ID, how to make a return and an area that said "Have feed back on how we package? Tell us at www.amazon.com/packaging I thought fair enough, I will go to this website and let Amazon know what has happened. I expected a reply within 24 hrs. - no reply - I waited. Finally, today I went on line to Amazon several times and got quick results. They were very apologetic and have credited my account and will be sending me a replacement chair with the proper canvas. It is refreshing and heart warming to know that there are companies out there that truly value their clients.

I am very pleased to say that AMAZON is an honourable company and I will promote them to friends and family and I will continue to be a customer. A valued one!

APRES SHOW

Well I am truly over the excitement of the show. Tired and catching up on household chores today. A lot of hard work lugging and hauling work from point "A" to point "B" and back to point "A" again. I was delighted to see my friends and fellow artists, breathing in all the creative vibes from the new work that I saw. We are so fortunate to have been blessed with this wonderful way to express ourselves.

The live music at the festival was wonderful, especially at the Gala on Friday evening. The students from the culinary school at Confederation are to be commended for the delicious treats they provided and served. Thank you. Thanks to the community volunteers that came out to help. Floaters, you were most appreciated as you looked after our booths so we could take a break, get some lunch and use the washrooms.

The artists are all asked to fill out comment sheets and I did mine. This year I was not impressed that the committee rather than approaching an artist/s to donate a substantial piece of  original work for the raffle, they opted for "prints". This is an original fine art show. The benefit to the artist who donates a substantial piece is that they are included in all the print advertising, plus they are given a double booth and are designated the "Featured Artist". These perks were given out by the committee , who unfortunately lowered the standards. I sincerely hope this does not take place next year as the money generated by the raffle will dwindle substantially. Money generated by the festival mainly supports the local Pelham libraries. Over $350,000.00 has been donated over the past 26years.

See you all at the 28th Annual Pelham art Festival in 2014.

LAST MINUTE RUNNING AROUND

Today, has been busy with last minute running around for the the Pelham Art Festival www.pelhamartfestival.com

Picked up my painting titled" Grandma's Vase"  (24"x36" gallery wrap)from the Vision Centre in Fonthill where it had been on display promoting the festival for the last month. Various businesses in town help us promote the festival by having artist's work displayed in their shops. then I was off to pick up my painting identification cards. I like to get all of this work done prior to set up. It makes life so much less frantic on the first day of the show.

I also went through my wardrobe trying to decide what to wear for the Gala Opening. There is always a party atmosphere with local Niagara wine being featured and appetizers being served with fabulous live music, so much fun and everyone dresses up. Plus,  very excited to see all the new work that my friends and fellow artists have created over the winter months. This will be last posting until after the show.

HI NEIGHBOURS - SHOUT OUT TO MY FRIENDS IN THE USA

Hello neighbours. I hope when you woke up, you woke up to a morning with the sun shining warm ,bright and the birds singing. Fabulous news on the rescue of three very brave, courageous and determined young women. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families as they reunite and go through the process of recovery.

ARTISTS THERAPY

I have spent the last two days working along side my husband in our gardens. We went to the gardening centre early yesterday morning and picked up a yard of triple mix and 5 bags of sheep manure. We cleaned, trimmed and weeded the front garden and as we were working we heard cheeping coming from one of our low spreading juniper bushes and soon had a frantic male robin fluttering all around and after a few minutes he flew off. We quickly topped that area of the garden with fresh soil and manure and moved to another section. I divided a large hosta placing some of it near a Mountbatten juniper and bridal wreath shrub. Then lifted the stone bird bath so we could level it and clean it out well before adding some fresh water. We were soon out of soil and manure. My husband made a second trip to the gardening centre and while he was gone I decided to lift a clump of white Iris that were too close to the house and split them. I watered in the transplants  and I hope they will like their new placement in the garden. Both of us went in and had long showers. Clothes went directly to the wash.

This morning we were aching and paining, showing our age I guess. When we were twenty gardening seemed so much easier. Today, we planned on working in our upper back yard gardens. Cleaning , trimming and some transplanting. We used the triple mix that was left from the last trip to the garden centre yesterday to fill wholes from were we dug wild roses that had "run a muck" so to speak. Then we fertilized. Lastly, I went into the far back gardens near the creek. Soon, the siberian Iris will bloom along the edge of the creek. I looked for our Mallard Ducks that have been coming to nest and raise their young in the marshes in the creek but they must have taken the young ones to the canal already. The song birds were all around me though as I worked on cleaning out the grass garden true therapy for an artist. After working all day in the garden, I am pleasantly tired and looking forward to a hot shower and a simple dinner of farm fresh eggs, smoked sausage and vegetables and a lovely cup of green tea.

THE SAGA OF A SEARCH FOR A TALL DIRECTORS CHAIR

About a month ago my mentor asked me if I had a directors chair a tall one.  I replied no. I just use a  regular inexpensive folding canvas chair. "Why?" I asked. Well a directors chair ( a high one) allows you to be at eye level with the public at the shows. Makes it easier to connect and have a dialogue. I thought about this for awhile and eventually decide to go online and do some research on this kind of chair. You know, the regular stuff - how much money - Canadian or American -what size - folding or not - different styles - etc I did an excellent job if I do say so myself, lol,  they ranged in price from $40 US - $ 200 + and come in a variety of styles. colour of wood and the canvas seat and back come in a variety of hues as well. But, I procrastinated until today. Today, one week out from the show I decided to purchase one. I could use it at all my shows indoor and out. I went back on line this morning and tried to find one in the area in which I live. I tried small local stores, big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart,Sears nothing. Then I tried local furniture stores and gardening shops all to no avail. at this point my husband was even offering suggestions and looking up businesses in the yellow pages for me to check out on line - nothing!! I was exasperated with the search. So I had lunch, then decided to go rake my back gardens and get a little fresh air and exercise.

I came back in, cleaned up and started my search again at this point I tried a couple of American sites to see what the delivery time would be one was end May the other mid to end June. Finally, I stumbled on to Amazon, not only did they have the chairs but if I paid a premium for shipping the item would arrive at my doorstep in time for next weekends show. YEAH!!! Success at last. I placed the order and felt well pleased with the efforts of the day. Until ------ my husband came in from work whistling as he came through the front door and calling out to me that he'd found the chairs at Pier One a store in a nearby city and if I wanted to we could go right now and pick one up. He was so excited that he'd found me a chair I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd finally ordered one on line. So, off we went licketty split ,got to the store and there they were beautifully set up bright happy colourful canvases, four different woods a plethora of choices. I finally confessed that I had ordered one from the US. My husband reminded me about how close the show was and if the parcel got stopped at the border I would not have a chair for the show. I conceded the point and thought I could always sell one to a fellow artist. I purchased a high director chair frame and two sets of canvases for it one is a vibrant blue the other bright lime green from Pier One. We quickly packed it up in our van and headed home.

Once home, we set the chair up, attached the canvas ( lovely blue) and my husband insisted that I try it out. Well being of a diminutive stature, I gave a little hop up and managed to get a cheek on the seat and hefted myself into the seat - feet dangling like a little child - then I searched around with my one foot and found the ledge where I could comfortably place my feet. Terrific! Love it! I was also able to look directly at my husbands eyes without having to crane my neck to look up at him, This will work out very well indeed!!

After dinner, I checked my emails and low and behold there was the notification from Amazon that my chair had been already shipped. They claim it will arrive this Tuesday. I better start emailing my friends to see if they need a chair. lol!!!!  The chair coming from the US costs including shipping &  import duties exactly $1.06 more than what I purchased here in Canada. Wow what a merry go round!

SHOUT OUT TO GERMANY AND RUSSIA

Good afternoon Germany and perhaps good evening depending where you are reaching me from in Russia. It is a little after 9:15 am in the beautiful Niagara Peninsula. It is a warm spring morning, awoke to song birds singing lovely melodious sounds

A week today is set up  and the Gala opening in the evening for the Pelham Art Festival which is the largest juried fine art show in south western Ontario. I am slowly but surely pulling everything together paintings are ready, show boxes checked and filled  need to check lighting today, make sure I have all cords and lights are working, need to pull out my trolley and attach bungee cords as everything has to be carried in from the parking lot and my trolley cart makes it easier carry in paintings, boxes etc. I also need to get my carpet down from the loft in the garage and give it a good cleaning with the vacuum. It makes walking on the concrete of the arena all day long easier on the feet. I must also go through my ward robe and decide what I want to wear for the opening - need to find something a little glitzy and fun - maybe some funky jewelry too.

HELLO WORLD! WELCOME TO MY BLOG

I am not really sure what good blog etiquette is so I hope my verve and genuine amazement is okay with everyone. I was not born in the age of covered wagons and hoop skirts but, I also was not conceived in the era of technology, so for me I am like a little child on Christmas day with eyes wide at the prospects of presents and a great feast with all the trimmings when I look at my Blog stats and see that people from almost every continent have connected with me and my work. It touches my heart and I want to thank you all. if you have been following my Blog ,you will see I gave a shout out to the folks from India who have been on my Blog this morning. I am going to try and do that with each of you so that you will know we are connecting and I'd like to here from you when you have the time through the comment section on my Blog. Thank you all!

GOOD MORNING INDIA

HULLO INDIA!! Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy what you read. If you have any questions please ask.

WORKING, WORKING, SORTING, WORKING, CHECKING

I don't know how many of my fellow artists go through this each year at the beginning of the selling season. But, each year once the paintings are completed and framed, I start working like the most diligent little beaver. My first show is just over a week away and it is one of the largest shows I do. I want to be prepared. I need to know that everything is planned out and all of the tools and things I might require for the show are in their proper boxes or for the last couple of years in their bags. I hate the bags stuff falls to the bottom, one is for ever rummaging around never knowing what's going to grab you. I love shallow boxes with flip lid closures, things are easier to see and quicker to find. I am going to purchase two or three new boxes and laminate lists of what's in each and tape it to each box.

I began today by working on my show book. In this book, I keep show checklists one for indoor one for out door shows, list of paintings going to the show with their price and dimensions( nothing like being at a show and having an odd size canvas that you don't usually work with and a prospective client asks you the size and you stand their and in your mind you are saying to yourself "doh"). I also include a layout of my show set up for the current show, tally sheets for smaller sales. When I first started out I included a show assessment sheet so I could evaluate the show and make critical decisions about how  it was run and if it was worth participating in the next year. I found this invaluable as I was doing every show and different genre as I could the first couple of years. I include my Artists CV and Artists Statement. I spent some time today updating my book.

In order to update my book, I had to layout the Pelham show and do a sketch, this is a time saver for me on set up day. I know where everything is going and I can make slight adjustments quickly. I even indicate symbolically where my lights will be placed. This tells me quickly, how many I will need and I always take a couple of extra just incase. I start by plotting out the length and width of the hanging boards on the floor with tape, then placing the paintings inside arranging and adjusting until I get what I think is a pleasing layout. I repeat this until I have laid out my whole booth. I sketch quickly as I go. These sheets are then placed in my show book for quick reference.

This afternoon, I decided enough with the hated show bags I dumped them out on the counter. What a mess! I spent time sorting and listing. I think I'll need to purchase at least two boxes. I need to measure the space in the van where they will go to be sure they will fit. They have to fit when I'm carrying the tent, sides, easels and paintings - perhaps what I really need is a tow along trailer
for my gear and the paintings can go in the van.lol