Action, Accountability and All righty now

The last day of the year! Accountability time. I look at the last year's goal list, wondering at this moment why I haven't looked at it much this year, which seems silly to not have. (first on next year's list post goals in studio) Deep breath, slowly releasing......... here we go..

1. Apply for Museum shows
YES!! I've work in The Lake Eustis Museum Paper Works 4 Me and now in their permanent collection! Work at the Museum of Florida Art for Art on the Road of Good and Evil.
And my work is in the Museum gift shops at The Orlando Museum of Art, The Maitland Art Center, and Florida Museum of Art.

2. Maintain present Galleries
YES! Celebrations Gallery, CT
Galeria Tonatazin, CA
Juxtapose Gallery, NJ
Wolfe Gallery, FL

3. Expand to new territory in other states
YES! I am shipping art across the country and to Canada.

4. Exhibit at more Galleries in Florida - note to self get out and DRIVE
YES! Pleased to say I have work in these Galleries and Museums
Gallery 17.92, FL
Maitland Art Center Gift Shop
Neu America Gallery, FL
Orlando Museum of Art Gift Shop
Wolfe Gallery, FL
Framing 508, FL

5. Create and document 60 new pieces of work (for sale not counting studies)
20 - 16 x 20, 18 x 24 range
10 - LARGE 30 plus size
30 - small

I created a lot of work, however not 10 large pieces. More than 30 small pieces. Probably about half the goal for mid sized work. I databased most of it, especially if it was sold, but I still have not kept up with it well enough. My database lists 150 pieces for 2009, but I also have some prints in the database, so that is not an accurate account. (Note to self)

6. Market early work online and in products
Yes, I sold prints, cards and mugs.

7. Prepare EARLY for the Holidays and Promotions
Yes, and I am getting better at this, already produced and selling Valentines works.

8. Organize data - which includes a back up system and clarifying of images etc.
ERRR - I feel all over the place with this one but YES I have back ups, but it is everywhere, online, discs and other computers, so it is backed up but not very organized.

9. Online Venues - I have specific sales goals at Etsy and 1000 markets
lol I must laugh at myself as I don't know what my specifics were! Sold very few items on 1000 markets. Sold 79 items in my Etsy shop!

10. Create more products to generate revenue - through Cafe Press, Lulu, Shutterfly, Imagekind, etc.
I created and sold a multitude of personalized mugs. I did not create any more Lulu or Shutterfly products. I am not too thrilled with Imagekind, I had some customers have problems ordering so I haven't bothered much with that site.

11. Use connections already established - I have met and know some great people and need to utilize the opportunities I have been offered.
YES!

12. EBAY - learn it, do it, at least 5 pieces
I choose not to do this.

13. Find better solutions for framing overhead
I purchased gallery wrap canvases and solved this problem.

14, Artist Residency - find viable ones that I can afford
I put this on hold due to family commitments.

15. Apply to Who’s Who
I chose not to do this, a few conflicting advisements.

17. Build Capitol by Building Sales
YES!and buy more supplies to keep doing what I do!

18 Visit more galleries and museums
Ehh ...not as much as I would have liked...

19. Continue my positive practices; blogging, social network medias, newsletters, postcards, mailing lists, attending exhibits, build the tribe and pay tribute to patrons, etc
YES...............

20. Inspire, share, mentor and give
YES..in both art and art business/marketing, I teach, mentor and give workshops.

Ok that wasn't so bad.... 2009. It was rocky, with the loss of my Dad. My first born daughter got married! The US economy impacted most of our lives. My hair has been red, brunette and blond. A year of trials and tribulations but with accomplishments. In fact a lot of wonderful things happened for me and my career this year. I am filled with gratitude. I have a new line of Fine Art bags and accessories. I was in magazines and newspapers. I won awards. My territory expanded, which was my main goal. With that came the most amazing unforeseen blessings - the incredible people I have met, my art collectors, circle of creatives, business, and social, friends and acquaintances. In my decision to lower overhead, and make shipping easier I migrated to working in acrylics and I love it! I have developed a fresh style, that feels so natural and expressive. I can't tell you where it will lead to next but I closed off the year being listed in the Florida International Magazine's Florida Artist Hall of Fame so let's see what tomorrow brings and please continue to join me on my Visual Journey.

Paper Works 4 Me Lake Eustis Museum Opening

Lake Eustis Museum Director Susan Loden (left) at the opening of Paper Works 4 Me.

Featured artists Pat Zalisko, Susan Reynolds and me (Robin).

Above are Stephan and Sally Woods Alexanders in front of her award winning work.

Here's an article about the exhibit by Josh Garrick with the Orlando Cultural Calendar on TripVine

This post "Dare to be Happy" shows and speaks about the work I entered which

is now part of the Lake Eustis Museum's permanent collection.

This post shows the Museum and more on the exhibit.

In My Stocking

well I helped Santa a bit... I selected this adorable bag at Heather Handmade Goods and More..

1817 N. Orange Ave., Orlando FL ..... you can shop online with her too....

Blue Jeans.... Garden?

The SIGN SAYS ...ARTIST AT WORK

I am thinking of the title "Blue Jeans Garden" or something that says blue jeans because that is what came to my mind as I painted this piece. This is another piece in the LOVE series. Several pieces from the new series have gone to art collectors;"STOLE MY HEART" original which sold at Neu America Gallery in downtown Orlando, and "Engagement" which one of my collectors placed on a payment plan as soon as she saw the image. Yes I do payment plans with my art collectors. I work with my collectors on an individual basis. I keep the art until paid in full. Once the transaction is complete the art is delivered minus the messy parts of creating as shown in the above shot .... that stays in my studio.

I won an award at the Florida Artist Registry Juried Exhibit

"Of Things Seen and Unseen" oil by Robin Maria Pedrero

Last night the Gallery at Avalon Island Presented the

"5th Annual Artists Registry.com Members Juried Exhibit"

It was an overflowing gallery last night! Great works of art and wonderful guests!

This is a group exhibit of photographers, painters and sculptors who are members of Artists Registry.com. More than 90 artists participated in this juried exhibit. 10 cash prizes were awarded and I won an Honorable Mention for "Of Things Seen and Unseen"!

Best of Show - $500 - Henry Sinn Beau & Rilla– Sponsored by Kiene/Quigley1st Place - $250 - Mindy Colton Unbridled Spirits: Natures Gift – Sponsored by Ron Legler/Florida Theatrical2nd Place - $150 - Chris Casler Homage to Edward Hopper - Sponsored by Metro City Realty3rd Place - $100 - Aurore Brunet Interracial – Sponsored by Gateway Center for the ArtsHonorable Mention – $50 - Carmelo Pampallona Il Frutto Proibito - Sponsored by ArtsHubFLHonorable Mention - $50 - Robin Maria Pedrero Of Things Seen & Unseen – Sponsored by XOXO Media Group/Donna Dowless Honorable Mention - $50 - John Momot The Politician – Sponsored by Gallery 17-92Award of Merit - $25 - Joulia Vitaliy Two Faces of Beauty – Sponsored by Belle Vie Day SpaAward of Merit – $25 - Beth Crews Rommel Lady of the Stars - Sponsored by Florida QuackAward of Merit – $25 - Nestor Martinez Landscape in my Wall - Sponsored by Gallery 17-92President's Choice Award - Weekend Getaway worth $500 to Amelia Island Plantation - Tom O'Hara Nature's Bride - Sponsored by Florida Travel + Life magazine

Gallery at Avalon Island is located at 39 S. Magnolia Ave., in downtown Orlando at the corner of Magnolia and Pine. Convenient parking is available in the library parking garage, adjacent to the gallery. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am – 4 pm and by appointment. Contact gallery director Jeffrey W. Shonkwiler at 407-803-6670 or by email at Jeff@GalleryatAvalonIsland.com. www.GalleryatAvalonIsland.com

December Deals

DECEMBER DEAL ......first customer to order

a Joyful Fine Art Bag gets a really cool mini pouch!

Fine Art Bag

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=35129246

(sample front of mini pouch)

The gift has a little grommet in the back so it can go on a clip too...

a $10 item yours for free if you are the first to purchase

a Joyful Fine Art Bag

use it as a gift or keep it for yourself

The deal on "The World Turns" is now $10 in my etsy shop

Art for sale on Etsy ~ http://RobinMariaPedrero.etsy.com

Progression Price "The World Turns"

I am a subscriber to Seth Godin's blog and he made some great suggestions regarding the magic of dynamic pricing.

So here's the launch of progression prices starting with "The World Turns" a new print

Hurry! Which means today it is listed at $5.00 A SUPER DEAL..it will stay $5.00 as long as someone buys the work...if there is not a sale today the price will gradually raise to the $20 regular print price...

"The World Turns" day..night sunrise, sunset...all on the horizon..dusk or dawn....the world turns.

The 8 x 8" image is centered and printed on 8.5" x 11" 74lb Ultra Premium Photo Paper with Vivera HP Inks with a white border on the top and bottom and the sides. The original is at Celebrations Gallery Pomfret CT. and is a 5 x 5" piece, so this print is larger than the original.
I list one print at a time in my etsy shop here is the link for "The World Turns"
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36703235 if this listing is sold go to my main shop page on Etsy ~ http://RobinMariaPedrero.etsy.com

not your ordinary pizza pie

yes...I am kidding...not a pizza pie but a box specially made just for shipping art as shown here with Mediterranean Olive Branches. I want to share the packaging and shipping aspect of my business. This is one way I package framed glassed art, in an air float box. There is a layer of foam on the bottom of the box, then foam where the painting is inserted with several inches of foam on all sides, then foam is placed over the top, and the box sealed. Locally I trust and use the UPS store in Winter Park, on Fairbanks near Rollings College. They package art perfectly! I also use them to ship my art as well. ..... tell 'em Robin sent ya!

Acoustic Cafe

This piece "Acoustic Cafe" by Robin Maria Pedrero was inspired by a photo of a guitar shared by a friend. The colors behind the guitar were selected to reflect middle eastern colors and earth tones. The friend is a cup of sunshine who enjoys coffee and makes wonderful products using all natural elements, all of which are symbols and objects which I have a tendency to place in my work. Below is the beginning first layer in progress.

Press Release from Lake Eustis Museum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 10, 2009
Contact: Susan Loden, 352-483-2900, lodensusan@gmail.com

Paper Works 4 Me competitive exhibit opens Dec. 18, at Lake Eustis Museum of Art

EUSTIS – Central Florida artists dominate the inaugural Paper Works 4 Me exhibit, which opens with a 6 – 9 p.m. artists’ reception Dec. 18 and runs through Jan. 10, 2010 at Lake Eustis Museum of Art.

This competitive exhibit drew entries from the Southeast and as far away as California. Judge Ryan Burkhart, of Charlotte, NC, however, chose fine art works by Florida artists including: Sally Woods Alexandres, Laraine Astarita, Donne Bitner, Emily C. Boris, Stephen Carey, Jenny Zoe Casey, Steven P. Halavac, Sean Jenness, Cooper Jennings, Martha Lent, Betty M. Parker, Margaret Parsons, Richard Reep, Robin Maria Pedrero, Sue Reynolds, Lucina Roark, Dawn Schreiner, Henry Sinn, Barbara Vey, Kimberly DH Waltz, Anita Wexler and Patricia H.K. Zalisko.

“Many of these artists are well established and some are emerging, such as Stephen Carey, of Orlando, and Sean Jenness, of Grand Island,” says Susan Loden, executive director of Lake Eustis Museum of Art. “The mediums are pretty traditional, with many exciting two-dimensional paintings, prints and collages. A few works are unique sculpture or complex collage. All feature paper as a primary element.”

Purchase awards will be made by the art museum during the opening reception.

Paper Works 4 Me artists’ works will be exhibited alongside master works including Marcel Duchamp’s final readymade and pieces by Man Ray, Yoko Ono, Christo and more greats. These pieces from William Copley’s SMS Collection of Multiples from 1968 have an extended run at LEMA. Copley’s collection was installed Oct. 31 as part of Orlando collector/artist Robin Van Arsdol’s exhibition, “RV & HIS DEAD FRIENDS, which ran through Dec. 13.

Works by Burkhart will also be exhibited in Paper Works 4 Me. He is co-founder of Firsthand Editions, in Charlotte, and former director of Flying Horse Editions Fine Arts Research Press at UCF in Orlando. His paintings, fine art and collaborative prints and art books are collected and exhibited internationally.

“After the first of the year, artists should check www. LakeEustisMuseumofArt.org, for information on Paper Works 4 Me II, which will culminate with a December 2010 Paper Works 4 Me II exhibit at the museum,” Loden says.

Lake Eustis Museum of Art at 200 B East Orange Ave., Eustis, is open Tuesday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., closed Monday and open weekends noon – 4. Adult non-members are asked to donate $5 per visit to Lake County’s only art museum.

En Plein Air

Last week, for class, we created artwork out by my neighborhood lake. Pastels outside on location, en plein air. En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", particularly to describe the act of painting outdoors. There are plein air groups, competitions and meet ups if one likes to participate. My easel is set up to the right of this student. I worked on Wallis paper from a roll given to me by Nancy Moskovitz. Perfect weather, not too hot, not too cold, a little breeze off the lake, with several onlookers who stopped to relish in what we were doing. It was refreshing to work outdoors all day.

Yes I love my job!

Yesterday I shared with you part of my job as a working independent artist by showing you a trip to the framer. Later today I will be back at the framers picking up the finished pieces to ship them. I enjoy what I do. I thought I would give you a broader perspective by sharing a day so you can see the wide spectrum of my business. My day is a mix of business in person, online, marketing, tasks, and making art.

A shipment of 6 Joyful Fine Art bags arrived. YEA!! I just luv this picture!

I notified the shops who are selling them. Updated them in my etsy shop,

then wrapped the recently sold ones in tissue paper and raffia.

Then I wrap them in bubble wrap, with some added goodies for my customer.

I weigh the box, select shipping, print out the label and drive to the post office.

Next make art! Shown above is a few layers of acrylic paint on a gallery wrap canvas in progress "Paris Promise". I paint listening to music, with Max my shui tzu in the studio, birds by my windows, and my computer nearby to tweet on twitter.

Framing a deckled edged pastel

My preference for framing my hand torn deckled edged pastels is floating the art on an archival white mat to show off the gorgeous color filled edges. Then framed by another mat. I usually choose white for gallery and continuity purposes. The frame color itself depends on the colors in the piece of art. Here I have selected a gold frame to go with "Mediterranean Olives" for my art collector.

When you go to a professional framer this is what you see pictured here. Just one corner and you imagine the rest of the piece as it would be framed. You can try many sample ideas on all four corners if it helps you to envision the final piece. You can bring your camera and take a photo to better help you see your selections in a new perspective.

Pastels are artists' purest pigment. Pastels do not need to be retouched even after generations. Pastels DO need to be protected by glass. Your framer will suggest a few types of glass.

Here is a piece framed to completion.

Make a Plan for Dec 17 and 18

As you look at your calendar for the busy month of December please jot down

• Thursday Dec. 17th at The Gallery at Avalon Island for the 5th Annual Artists Registry.com Members Juried Exhibit. The opening reception will be 6 – 9 PM at 39 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, FL 32801 (this event is Free)


• Friday Dec. 18th at the Lake Eustis Museum of Art; Paper Works 4 Me Opening Reception. Lake Eustis Museum of Art, located at 200 B East Orange Ave., Eustis, FL 32726 (this even is $5 at the door)

My work "Of Things Seen and Unseen" featuring an oil painting of my model Moon will be at the Gallery at Avalon Island. I think the finishing touches may surprise you. For my online viewers or those who can't attend the opening, I will reveal the finished piece online after the opening. "Dare to Be Happy" a pastel on paper will be at the Lake Eustis Museum.