An Artist's Packing List for a Sale

So I thought instead of posting a painting, I'd  write a post about what I typically pack selling my art at an event; it's usually a summer or Christmas time activity. What triggered this post idea is that I spent an hour "tidying" up my studio - I was beginning to have too many random papers on my table and less room for painting. During the shuffling of papers I found an old check list and I'm going to share it and maybe edit it as I create this blog post.

[ ]  Package paintings (includes clear bags and properly labeling items with price and inventory number)
[ ]  Signage (including About the Artist, and any special promotions - sales/discounts)
[ ]  Blank Watercolor Paper (for the long days I like to work on paintings while I sit)
[ ]  Paints in portable palette
[ ]  Paintbrushes
[ ]  Tin cup for water
[ ]  A rag (for my brushes)
[ ]  Pencil
[ ]  Masking tape
…. And now for the important stuff
[ ]  Receipt book (with pen!)
[ ]  Change ($20's, $10's, $5's, $1's, and quarters)
[ ]  Change box (to put the money in)
[ ]  Square (it plugs into my phone so that I can charge credit cards)
[ ]  Newsletter Sign Up List
[ ]  Display Items (I have a couple print holders that fold up)
[ ]  Table (if needed)
[ ]  Tablecloth (to make the table look pretty)
[ ]  Chair
[ ]  Butt pad!

Art of the American West Art Show & Sale

"We are pleased to inform you that your artwork has been accepted in the Art of the American West Art Show & Sale sponsored by Red River Valley Museum."

First impression - Music to my ears. Second thought - I need to mail my paintings! TODAY!

"Buckaroo" and "Chuck and Bleuch" were accepted into the Art of the American West Art Show & Sale! I received my email yesterday (Tuesday) during my lunch break. Thoughts reeling, the paintings need to arrive in Texas by July 5, plus there's no mail service on the 4th of July … crunch time! So, during my afternoon break I called a couple places to get my ducks in a row.

The moment I clocked out of my 40 hour/week office job I went home, found my 11" x 14" frames and my two paintings. I then drove into Portland to Tap Plastics. 

The thing about watercolors is that they need to be displayed under glass, and the thing about glass is that you don't want to ship it due to the danger of it breaking in transit, so I was getting some plexiglass! I opted for the non-glare plexi and it fit perfectly in the frames!

Another thing about watercolors, other than displaying behind (plexi)glass, is that the actual painting can't touch the glass. Why? Because if the glass sweats, the painting/paper/photo will stick to the glass and it's never ever the same. So the next stop was back towards my home to Michaels to find suitable mat board. I found the perfect precut mat board … double, outside cream with a weave texture and the inner mat was a dark brown (just about the same color as my frames).

Then it was back to home to clean off part of my kitchen table, pull out the power tools, framing wire and hardware, and wire cutters. An hour or more later, plus being super picky about the smallest pieces of lent trapped between the plexi and the mat board, they were ready to be mailed!

For this shipment I needed something quick and easy. I went to FedEx. I took a look at the paintings and thought "If I'm lucky (?) I may never see these again. Here's hoping they both get sold!" It took a max of 30 minutes to get them all safely nestled in layers and layers of bubble wrap and they fit nicely in the same box. They will arrive in plenty of time and I didn't have to give an arm and leg!

Here's some info on the show:

"Art of the American West - Celebrating the National Day of the Cowboy"
It runs from July 27 to September 14, 2013
The Preview Reception is Saturday, July 27 and tickets are $10 each. Maybe some one will go for me. ;-)

Red River Vally Museum
4600 College Drive
Vernon, TX 76385

And some last minute photos before the framed paintings were shipped. You get the idea … 

"Buckaroo"

"Buckaroo" 

8" x 10" 

I worked as a horse wrangler the summers of 2008 and 2009 at Camp Baldwin near Dufur, Oregon. The man responsible for all the horses used in that Boy Scout horse program was Scott. He is one of the most understanding and compassionate cowboys I know. Scott taught me many things about horses; their perspective, body language, release pressure as rewards, and much more. This painting is one of Scott, his cowdog and horse.

"Wildflowers II"

"Wildflowers II" 

8" x 10" 

SOLD

I picked these flowers last weekend while out in the woods. The foxglove and a handful of daisies (not painted deer ferns) made a nice little arrangement. I painted the fresh flowers from life to mix things up a bit. What do you think of them?

"Hurricane"

In the summer of 2008 and 2009 I worked as a horse wrangler at Camp Baldwin, a Boy Scout camp near Dufur, Oregon. I still remember the horses that I worked with and I have many photos saved in my art reference library that contain this herd. So this weekend I did a peaceful painting of Hurricane the palomino pinto. Each horse has their own personality and Hurricane's best buddy is a black horse named Hawk. Hurricane is a very pretty horse, but his girth was easily irritated by a cinch, mainly because he has a lot of loose skin and some people forgot to stretch out his front legs to smooth his skin once he was saddled. And he is a well behaved horse on the trail for the vigilant rider, and he knows when you aren't paying attention because he'll sneakily grab a snack.

"Hurricane"

8" x 10"

Purchase

Plein Air Painting along the Breitenbush River

So, a couple weekends ago I've gone plein air painting along the Breitenbush River while my husband fished … or did he go fishing while I painted? The only other time I've painted on site was with my three lavender paintings. This time I have a lovely tabletop easel, but I think I need to modify or invest in one with legs.

My first outing I had the hardest time painting the colors I saw, because the river is so clear that it was brown due to the rocks being covered in algae and other gunk. A brown river? Yep. Can you see the fly fisherman in "Breitenbush II?"

"Breitenbush I"

5" x 7"

"Breitenbush II"

8" x 10"

"Breitenbush III"

11" x 14"

The second weekend I understood a little bit more on how to paint moving water and back light. It's still pretty hard and I'm hoping to get out a couple more times this summer, because the only way for me to improve is to keep practicing!

My set up:

A better perspective!

I really like my first painting, the others were quick loose ones of little things I saw.

"Breitenbush IV"

8" x 10"

"Rock Stack I"

5" x 7"

Purchase

"Artist Fungus I"

Purchase

"Wildflowers I"

8" x 10"

Purchase

Call to Artists for Oak Knoll Winery!

Hey everyone, I'm just spreading the word that Oak Knoll Winery is looking for local artists to display their art on Saturday, August 3rd for their first "Unwined - Singles Night at Oak Knoll" from 3 - 5 pm. Oak Knoll is inviting artists to bring their art (any medium from my understanding) to display on their lovely lawn. There is no sign up fee, you can bring saleable pieces and even book commissions (if applicable)! They just request that you purchase a ticket if you participate in the food and beverage portion of the event and have everything set up 15 minutes prior to the start (3 pm), and have something that you can donate to their annual silent auction benefitting Komak Foundation. (All of this and more is stated in the Artist Application). Below is the Artist Application. Yes, the deadline has passed, but just save this (I don't know about the best way you should save this), fill it out, and send it in! What do you have to loose? Besides, they are great wine!!!

"Reggie and Cocoa - Breakfast Buddies"

Every morning when the Philmont wranglers were working on topping off the horses, the "new horses" were jingled at the break of dawn and pushed into corrals. Then we would feed them a wholesome breakfast of alfalfa pellets in feed bags. The feed bags are super simple; a canvas bag with a nylon strap with a buckle that goes behind their ears and a leather patch on the from that has air holes near the nostrils.

One the left is Reggie and next to him is Cocoa. They came in with the new horses in 2010 and seemed to be best buddies and maybe even related (similar color and markings). Well, they were separated; Reggie became a Cav horse and Cocoa was assigned to Beaubien. Cocoa was the main new horse I rode (because I found out he wasn't as crazy as some other new horses - one even reared with me; man, I was tough then). I even rode Cocoa on the 18 mile burro drive from Cattle Headquarters to Ponil.

"Reggie and Cocoa - Breakfast Buddies"

5" x 7"

Purchase

"Thor the Pack Horse"

Another painting of a Philmont horse. This is Thor, the pack horse. He doesn't mind hauling a pack much, specially since he hates riders on his back, so he does his job well. He was one of the two pack horses that was used when I was on Cavalcade in 2010.

"Thor the Pack Horse"

5" x 7"

Purchase

Alberta Street Last Thursday

In NE Portland there's a street called Alberta and people there love street art and music. I've been told by a couple different people that I should go there and sell my art (there's no fee for artists to sell). So, I went to check it out and I had some of my lower priced items sitting in my car and waiting just in case I decided to try it. Well, first off the weather wasn't very cooperative; sprinkles. And moisture and watercolors are best friends that know how to create havoc if you get my drift. Plus, after looking at all the art people brought and had for sale I realized something. This is street art; dancing bears playing banjoes in the snow with other candid critters; spray painted anime; crazy colored creatures from a tripping mind. Basically, my traditional watercolors would not fit in with the present genre. I decided not to sit out in the street with my art in hopes that someone would possibly buy something. Now, my stuff is definitely different than the rest, maybe that will be it's selling point, but I view my art in a professional manner, as fine art, not street art. Something brought up to me was that I could just make some art that would fit the style and price range of the others, but then that wouldn't be my art; it would be reflections of Last Thursday.