So many paths...

Great thing about being an artist is there are so many paths to success... fulfillment...

For me, it has been an interesting year of some very cool experiences. But, I have had rejection too, which is an opportunity to learn, listen, grow. Yes, I know, every artist faces rejection. (It's actually one of the pre-requisites for being an artist!)

Even the most successful business people have experienced serious failure. The difference between them and so many others is they learn from their mistakes, change accordingly and go on to do big things!

I am very excited about 2011. It is a tough economy, but people are making money and even spending a little! I look forward to some brand new experiences next year.

Also I am enjoying teaching again. (I do love people.) Happy Holidays and may all of us have a prosperous New Year!

A few things I have learned as a self employed artist

There are a few things I have learned as a self employed artist. Two of the most important are unless you are already generating a lot of income, you should have multiple revenue sources and you should surround yourself with experts, especially in the business fields.

Multiple revenue sources also means creating more passive money making scenarios... like selling a product online while you sleep. I do think we should not overextend ourselves, and that these different things bring us more pleasure than not. (Meaning the work fits us.)

Finally, we should really educate ourselves as to how business works... and I mean learning from people that are successful. If you can't hire someone or are not in those circles, then read Art Calendar Magazine or other business materials. There are numerous books and programs for artists. But, stick with it. We should all have some consistency to our business practices the same as we do with our craft!

One of the cool things about being an artist in Charlotte, N.C. is we have great resources here through our North Carolina Arts Council (www.ncarts.org) and our local Arts & Science Council (www.artsandscience.org). They both offer excellent professional development in the business of art!

This economy is rapidly changing. Look at what is already working for you and what is not... and think about why. When we learn from the good and bad and others who have gone before, it seems we get "there" quicker. I hope we all get there soon!

Finished.

Here it is... finished. This is the painting-pastel and acrylic on pastel board-I created for the Mint Museum Uptown opening.

(The other one didn't make the cut.)

It's 20x16"... very atypical for me and I love it!

Next stage...

Here they are closer to the end... the orientation has changed, I added more pastel and will paint with metallic acrylics (with some pumice) a bit more over this stage... then hopefully, the finishing touches in pastel tomorrow.












Sometimes you have to finish work for deadlines. This is no surprise for an artist.

But this experience has been so interesting because of the very atypical painting style and subject for me. However, this diptych, inspired by the Mint Museum Uptown collections is really born out of my summer residency at McColl Center for Visual Art.

I was an Affiliate Artist there for from mid-April to mid-August (2010). I had an amazing studio and was able to pursue some bodies of work and do some media exploration that just wasn't happening for different reasons in my home studio!

I will post pics of the final paintings and if you're in the Charlotte, NC area, I hope you'll be joining in the Mint Museum Uptown Grand Opening this weekend. It officially starts at 5PM and runs 24 hours straight... ushering in a new season for my favorite city in the South!

Diptych at this stage together

Below is the diptych at this stage side by side.

(Sorry, I couldn't get more space between two:-o)

You will have to stop by the Mint Museum Uptown on Saturday, October 2 from 10AM-Noon to see how it turns out. (I will probably leave them there for remainder of day Saturday and will post pics next week.)

Mint Museum Uptown work... IN PROCESS

Following are three stages of my new diptych (20x16" each) inspired by the art collection of the soon to open Mint Museum Uptown:











1a) Above is a pastel board painted with acrylic, and then a little light & dark pastel added. Finally, water and acrylic washes are painted, sprayed and slung across surface.












1b) Above is the pastel on newsprint sketch of next abstract layer of marks. I was practicing what I wanted to do before doing it on final painting.















1c) Above are steps a & b combined. Not sure where I am going next. (Also notice I changed orientation.)












2a) Above is the second pastel board painted with acrylic, and then a little light & dark pastel added. Finally, water and acrylic washes are painted, sprayed and slung across surface.













2b) Above is the second panel's pastel on newsprint sketch of next abstract layer of marks. I was practicing what I wanted to do before doing it on final painting.















1c) Above are steps a & b combined on the second panel. Not sure where I am going next. (Also notice I changed orientation.)

More Mint Museum Uptown work in process

Here are a few more in process shots of the evolution of my Mint Museum Uptown paintings...

First, you can see the small pastel painting that was the original idea for my more abstract diptych. Then, there are two pastel boards that are basically toned surfaces. Finally in the top middle and bottom left are two acrylic painting experiments.

My original idea was to create a diptych pair of acrylic and pastel paintings inspired by the Mint Museum Uptown art collection. The composition was to be an abstraction of one of my women in water with fabric images. (There is a small pastel painting of this original idea source.)














But, as I have been working on this process of underpainting and figuring out the composition, I am just not into the abstract composition. The full figure keeps coming back. Therefore in this picture below, you can see the original pastel inspiration (in top right), a more abstract acrylic painting that will be the under painting for the pastel boards (bottom left) and the two 20x16" pastel boards with their two separate images.

These will still be a pair, a set, a diptych so to speak... but are starting from two separate images instead of one.














Below is a detail of the more abstract acrylic painting that will be the under painting for the pastel paintings. (I am now working on the under painting of the final boards and will post more pics in the next week:-)

Traffic info for Mint Museum Uptown Grand Opening

Traffic in uptown Charlotte, NC is going to be crazy during the Mint Museum Uptown Grand Opening weekend, October 1st & 2nd. There is a huge race for the cure that same weekend and the Mint expects HUGE crowds. It might be a good time to take light rail into Uptown, ride the city bus or just have someone drop you off.

Regardless of your travel methods, you probably do want to use some extra planning... Following is a link to the SUN (Street Use and Event Notice) by Charlotte Department of Transportation.

It’s a great resource that was used a lot at MMC+D (Mint Museum of Craft + Design). It provides the times and maps for upcoming streets closings, and event routes with partial streets closings.

www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/Transportation/ClosingsandEvents

Mint Museum Uptown-inspired diptych (In process)

[I don't post but once a month for quite awhile and then three in one
day!]

Anyway... here is where my basic composition is coming from... for my Mint Museum Uptown inspired diptych painting. (Diptych means two panels... in this case two 16x20" pastel boards.)

Below is an in-process pastel painting, standing alone as a work in itself, from the photo of my model with tulle. The composition for Mint Museum Uptown inspired diptych painting is derived from this. But, I am hoping it to be more abstract.












Below is a-bad-picture of my rough compositional sketches for diptych panels. I will post more as it evolves... as well as invite you, if you're in the Charlotte, NC area on October 2, 2010, to stop by and see my paintings in person. It is FREE. (And, of course, see the AMAZING new Mint Museum Uptown:-)

Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC

The youtube link below is some pictures of several artist's responses to NEW Mint Museum Uptown in Charlotte, NC...

"Eleven area artists were challenged to create an original work of art in response to the opening of the new Mint Museum Uptown, and as part of the Community Grand Opening. The artists toured the new facility and collection galleries, with sketchbooks in hand. Watch the slideshow for a sample of pieces in progress. The artists and their works will be at the museum during the opening celebration on Saturday, 2 October. Stop by and join in the dialogue!"

www.youtube.com

(And, again, the link to Mint Museum website with Mint Museum Uptown Grand Opening DETAILS... www.mintmuseum.org/grand-opening)

Mint Museum Uptown Grand Opening in Charlotte, NC

I am very excited to be creating a diptych painting inspired by the NEW Mint Museum Uptown! I will finish it during the Grand Opening weekend, working on it Saturday, October 2nd from 10AM to Noon in the 2-D studio. I do hope you'll mark your calendars for this momentous event in the history of Charlotte, North Carolina!!

Saturday's events are FREE! (BUT, it will be a crazy busy uptown with both the Grand Opening and Race for the Cure going on at the same time:-o) Here is a link to find out DETAILS... www.mintmuseum.org/grand-opening

After accepting this invitation to create a new piece of work inspired by the new Mint Museum Uptown, I was treated to a private preview of most work installed up to that point. The Danny Lane commission was almost complete and WOW is it incredible.

I also saw their American Art Collection literally in a new light... they have conserved ALL these paintings and many look like new works, with their details and colors exposed!

SO... following is a peek into my process... I'll write some brief explanations and will post more later.

I am inspired by Chuck Close, Julie Heffernan, Romare Bearden, Eric Fischl and Danny Lane among many others in the New Mint Museum Uptown collection! For the grand opening celebration, I am painting a diptych inspired by these artists, compositionally based on a photo of a woman and fabric in water (seen at the top area of this photo below... along with a smaller pastel painting of this image).














1) Above you see my pencil sketches from the original paintings in the Mint Museum Uptown Collections... and one 16x20" painted pastel board underneath.











2) Here (above) you can see my process... acrylic paints in palette (with pencil sketches from actual works of art in the collection and dark pastel board).














3) Above you can see my process of first painting layers of acrylic metallic washes that will peek through the final pastel layers. (I will then hand brush a layer of clear pastel medium over to give surface some "tooth" to hold soft pastel.)











4) Above is a detail of an experiment with Hosho paper & acrylic paint. Underneath is a glazed pastel board.

5) The two final photos are also details of experimentations with various acrylic washes and metallic paints on this same Hosho paper. (I was thinking I would collage some of these-Bearden style-to the pastel board.... then, cover them with pastel medium and add pastel on top, BUT the thin paper did not collage too well.)

Reflection

I realized last night that even though I have been an artist all my life and was a teaching artist for thirteen years after college, I have only be a full time artist for four years. It was a quiet epiphany for me.

There are many things that I have accomplished, professionally, since June 2006. But, when I look at how far I have to go, I sometimes get overwhelmed. Last night I clearly saw just how far I have come (especially considering our current economy).

There are a number of entrepreneurial folks I look up to and am learning from... so impressed with their success. But, success takes time... it's usually based on step by step, calculated hard work. This summer has renewed my spirit. I am still up for this challenge! (Now, I must get back into my studio:-)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

If an artist is going to put themselves out there, they will experience rejection. The trick is to think strategically and be smart and thorough. I quit my safe full time teaching job to be a full time artist over four years ago.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." (Charles Dickens quote) This describes my past six months. I have worked very hard over the last four years (and of course before that, but my art business always came after my teaching job). Yet, this summer I have experienced some fruits of those efforts.

However, I have also experienced some serious rejection this summer! SO, simultaneously, there are great things like in September (right now) I have local, regional and national art publicity! But, I also heard a "no" from several grants applications and one residency.

If I were gauging my success on my rejections, I would have never quit my safe teaching job in the first place. Business is a balance of passion (doing what you love), marketing (finding who shares your passion and will invest) and strategic planning (where do you want to be down the road and then steps to get there).

I love to paint women in water. I create other work, but I am passionate about this series and it has become my "brand". Several years ago I said I want to be in American Art Collector Magazine. I waited because strategically, I thought it best to have an ad with a gallery. Now, I am in that magazine in a RedSky Gallery ad and I am mentioned by name in an interview with the gallery owner.

Yet, at the same time, I have received numerous rejection letters... for things I really thought I had a chance at "this time"! So, artists, brace yourself for rejection. Learn from those rejections and move on. IF you want to make your art a business, you must learn what you can from the ups and the downs! Business is just like your art practice in that is a process. I would encourage you to enjoy more of it and use these experiences to get closer to your goals.

My painting process

Oil on canvas diptych, both panels 8x16"... just completed late last week. It's loosely based on a photo of mine... a raindrop hitting the surface of the pool water (as viewed from underneath water).

I started it upside down from this. As most of my oil paintings, I do additive and subtractive painting... letting it dry to the touch in between layers to retain & build that texture.

See this detail below...













And, finally here is what it looked liked in the beginning. When I went back to paint on it, I had a difficult time keeping the original look... and was frustrated. When I let go of the former painting and let it be what it was, I still didn't like it overall. But, I did love the surface!

I turned it upside down and left my studio. When I returned the next day, I was surprised at what a strong painting it was. I signed it and moved on to another one.

The process...

Art is a process. I forget sometimes to play and move through different creative processes! I really enjoy painting my women in water, but love to also explore drawing and painting just water.

Here's an inspirational blog... followed by a couple of my latest paintings, in process.

womenpaintingwomen.blogspot.com/








A set of three canvas panels, in process oil painting... I like what I have, but better to find a nice composition from this one and use that as a starting point for a new painting. (Thanks Chris Craft:-)













A detail like this perhaps...









Three more, slightly larger panels... painted with oil, inspired by moving water...











This is more interesting... though I need to crop in tighter with this one.

Painting is a process. I'm an artist. It just takes discipline, passion and a little talent!

Check out my Facebook Fan Page (I update weekly!)

I have never updated my blog as much as originally intended. I have lots of posts in my head, but it's tough to nail them down sometimes!

But, if you want to keep up with me on a regular basis this summer of 2010, check out my Facebook Fan Page... I update it a lot more often! (And, you will get to peek inside my studio from time to time as well.)

www.facebook.com/pages/Carmella-Jarvi

Successful artists must work on their craft.

I have been painting... and painting... and painting some more. Last week, I delivered fourteen paintings for my summer solo show at Waterworks Visual Arts Center in Salisbury, NC. (waterworks.org)

Now that I am done with that commitment, I have 'reset' and begun thinking about what I want to create. Also I've been thinking about what is it, specifically, that makes a 'successful' artist? First, successful artists must work on their craft regularly. IF you are talented and paint on a semi-regular basis, you only get so many winning paintings. But if you are talented AND you treat your art making like a job with discipline and thought, it is only a matter of time before you are successful. If one has a regular, serious approach to their art, eventually they will generate a strong, cohesive body of work that folks just have to buy!

Recently, I have become a huge fan of American Art Collector Magazine (americanartcollector.com) as well as Arcadia Fine Arts. Check out this gallery's website and the artist Brad Kunkle...arcadiafinearts.com

Arcadia sold most of Kunkle's new paintings before his recent show even opened to the public! He is an amazing painter and what makes him even better is he has NUMEROUS awesome paintings, not just a handful with the rest of the show being just OK! He is consistently painting strong work.

So, I am inspired by his paintings AND his sales... and I am off to spend a lot more time with my paintbrushes, sketchbooks and models. Although I will not be posting lots this summer because of my residency at the McColl Center for Visual Art, I will try to post more often than once a month!

This is why it's been so long since I've posted!

Here's my recent marketing tool, my "Summer 2010 Schedule" postcard. (I'm posting it, emailing it and snail-mailing it to my mailing list. I only do regular mailings about once a year.)

This is why it's been so long since I've posted! I am painting like mad and working on sending these new works home with collectors!

I will be an Affiliate Artist in residence until August 23 and I WILL do more regular posts... but everything just got away from me (funny that it's been one month since last post:-o)

Finally, I knew I wanted to do a promotional piece like this. But because of some tight deadlines, I wasn't able to get it out for the very first reception. However, I knew better to have it good and ready for most of the events than to have an overlooked mistake because of rush job and be humiliated when the error was realized!

Quality should be a top goal for marketing materials!

Another residency website.

Here's another artist residency website to check out... artistcommunities.org

Many of these places offer financial help, even full scholarships. It is worth looking, especially if you would benefit from a residency. I have had one every two years since 2006 and every time my work makes a jump... not to mention all the incredible artists I meet and how good it is for my soul! (It can be tough to juggle the logistics, but everything is a trade off!)

Learning from rejections.

I just got a rejection letter from a teaching residency I applied to. I love teaching and have spent most of my career over the past two decades more on teaching as opposed to my art. I DO love both, but in June 2006 quit my full time HS art teacher job to finally pursue my dream of being a successful artist. But as a self employed artist, I have to seek multiple income sources and my "default" setting when I am thinking about earning money is often teaching.

What is interesting about the past four years is that usually the ONLY time my teaching gigs are successful (meaning well attended or profitable) is when folks seek me out. This has been true for both my painting and business of art "teaching". Almost every time I try to set something up myself or "make" something happen, it falls through.

Over and over again these past four years I have observed this, but old habits die hard! The great news is I am about to start a four month Affiliate Artist Residency at McColl Center for Visual Art in Charlotte, NC. I will have four months to make more art than I could possibly manage in my small home studio space (not to mention the amazing networking opportunities)!

My primary goal during the next four months is to generate art... not to teach, not to market (although I will be doing some of this to share with others what I'm up to), not help others to reach their dreams... but to go for my own dream! I have had two one-month residencies at Vermont Studio Center in 2006 and 2008. This time, I am in my home town and will be a part of something I have dreamed of for many years... the McColl Center for Visual Art!

You can check out where I'll be and where I've been on these website links...

mccollcenter.org

vermontstudiocenter.org

Honestly, for an artist a residency can be a lifeline for both our souls and our work, itself! (And, there are many different places that fit a variety of personalities and work styles, resartis.org. Once you apply, it will get easier. Also, many places will give you honest feedback as to how your application could be more competitive!)

I guess finally I should say the difference between my recent teaching residency rejection and the MANY times I was rejected by the McColl Center is my relief at not getting the teaching one and my increased desire to apply again and again until I got into the McColl Center. Rejection can be a powerful motivator for what you really desire!

Facebook "Carmella Jarvi" Fan Page... See inside artist's studio.

If you want to hear more from me and see more in process & studio shots, join my "Carmella Jarvi" Facebook Fan Page. I do frequent posts, especially paintings in process on the easel!

Just use fb link on my blog to check it out.

Have plan in writing.

Every artist should have their plan in writing, of some form or another. For me, I like having a full 12 month calendar on my studio wall and a big ideas, steps & goals sheet as well.

At the bottom of this picture is my spreadsheet of ideas, steps & goals for 2010... this is earlier in year.




Below is the same sheet this week. I've crossed stuff out, added more and elaborated. I can keep some ideas & plans at my forefront without getting bogged down with lots of details.




(PS... as far as a full year calendar... the time periods when I've had 12 months posted, visible & accessible have been more productive years. It also helps me to foresee my crazy points during year!)

Painting with oils

For about a month, I've been painting with oils in my studio. You may know that I am best known for my pastel paintings, but I love working with both mediums for different reasons.

Below you can see detail shots of my two most recent oil paintings. I like the contrast between the first one which is more layers of "dry brush" oil application and the bottom one is very wet oil paint applied with palette knives.




The above detail illustrates the similarities between oil and pastel. My surface is textured with earlier applications of gesso and first paint layers. Then, I drag oil paint on a brush across this texture. (When I paint with oils, I work on several paintings at a time to ensure a drying of most recent layer.)




This painting is done all at one time, with lots of wet paint pushed and pulled across the surface with a couple of my favorite palette knives. It might be finished... I will let it totally dry before deciding. I may glaze over it. (On a side note, I love the way this looks like the surface of moving water... inspired by many hours of river studies!)

Here's a better picture...

Having fun with oil painting

This is a detail shot of my latest oil painting, "Rest". Whether I am working small or on a bigger canvas (this one is 24x30"), I paint with my bare hands as well as brushes!

I use a variety of oil painting brushes, but in addition to adding paint with brushes, I like the subtractive nature of scraping back with 'shaper' tools. I also blend and move paint with my fingers as well as the heal of my hand.

If you look at the light area above the hand in this detail shot, you can see the cast shadow created by oil paint when I scraped back through.




(PS... both of these are quick pics from the easel. I'll post better images soon. Oil paintings are tough to photograph until the surface dries a bit... don't like the glare.)

Multiple income sources help!

Here's a section of my studio wall... color samples and inspiration. At the bottom, you can see a bunch of hand written notes on large white paper. This is a quick at a glance 2010 calendar and different possible income sources for me as an artist, teacher and entrepreneur.

As a self employed someone, I can say having multiple income sources really helps. I sell my art through galleries, non profit organizations and have commission work... then there are grants and residencies... sharing marketing & strategic planning with other artists, my DVD royalties and other ideas for the future.

When I plan, I work on short term and long term projects... and try to keep an open mind to totally new ideas. IF someone would have told me ten years ago, not only would I love the business of art, but I'd be sharing this passion with others... I would have laughed hard! We all have multiple gifts... plan, listen and work hard (AND smart) and you will achieve success.

Don't give up!

Don't give up! I have been applying for a residency at McColl Center of Visual Art in Charlotte, NC for years and finally got a yes. I will be an Affiliate Artist (for artists in the area) from April-August 2010. Check out the website... www.mccollcenter.org

The photo above is the studio I will occupy for that time. I am extremely grateful and excited. And, if I'd given up one of the many times I applied before, I would NOT have finally heard the "yes" this time.

(FYI... I also contacted the woman in charge of residencies after my last "no" and we discussed the strengths AND weaknesses of my application. This was kind of tough to hear, but information I put to good use with my most recent application in which I got in. Often there are tips posted on websites or organizations giving grants & residencies will often give applicants help.)

There are numerous artists applying for the same grants, residencies, galleries, etc... And many times, one doesn't get in the first time. Sometimes, it's because it is very competitive that year, maybe your work is not as strong as it could be... maybe they just want to make sure you are a dedicated artist and will keep applying. There are too many variables and each time is different.

As an artist who's received a LOT of rejection, but also has received multiple grants and sold work in galleries... I'm telling you to not give up!

Another one completed...

"Below" (12x16", soft pastel on board) is my newest pastel painting completed. I really like working on the textured pastel surface. (See previous blog entries for in process shots... including the original textured surface.)

"An underwater composition"

"An underwater composition"... here it is finished.


... a detail.