Make it a Quest

Driving around when my kids were young, they'll all tell you, before smart phone maps and gps, we were rarely ever lost, as soon as we didn't know exactly where we were I told them we were on an adventure. October is on the horizon and I am assessing my year, the detours building patience, accomplishments, the bottom line, setbacks, successes and aspirations. While sometimes life places strains on sustaining my business desires;  I think I have moved more boxes in the past 3 months than I've moved in my whole life, sometimes it allows one a new perspective.  Yesterday I met with another artist who I mentor in art and art business. We both learn tips and share about building our business. Knowing there are many aspects of an art business to juggle our session is diverse yet focused ; online sales, the brick venues, building business, connecting with art collectors, attending art and fund raising events, mentoring and teaching, publishing, packaging, shipping, and always creating more artwork. In conclusion, one of the best ideas is the incentive to work smarter. One of my suggestions as a sole proprietor is to join a group or team where there is support, and promotion inviting  potential sales and opportunities. How do you work smarter? What are some of your favorite teams or groups?

Upcoming  I will be sharing your response with working smarter ideas and more on teams. Above is "Monarch in the Vineyard" a just completed commission, 20" x 16" acrylic on canvas.

Mushrooms

 

 The daily rains and damp weather cause the mushrooms to flourish in Florida. The moisture factor makes them sprout up, seemingly out of nowhere. A few weeks ago I began creating this pair of mushroom paintings. There are layers of paint, resist, and more paint. This process continues until completed. I think they are probably meadow mushrooms..anyone know for sure? well perhaps they are not finished enough for you to tell. I admire people who have learned about the vast varieties of mushrooms with the ability to know which poisonous varieties to avoid. Once while we were vacationing in the mountains a family hopped out of their car with cloth bags all excited about finding mushrooms. They were from another country in Europe where they were accustomed to harvesting them and were so delighted to have found the variety in the local woods.

How a Dragonfire Dress Comes to Life

This dress painting began last year before I was even invited to be a featured artist in the Dress exhibit. There are numerous layers of paint on this canvas, gaining various textures. When I abstractly painted the greens, blues and grays I saw a dragon form in the paint, it truly did not take much to accentuate his presence on the canvas. The finding of forms within the paint is a regular part of my process. Finding images is actually something I have naturally done since I was a child. A few years ago I posted and somewhat expanded the term and use of nephelococcygia in my creative process.

This term is used when people find familiar objects within cloud shapes. At one time or another, humans have looked up to the clouds and imagined shapes resembling familiar objects. The earth's atmosphere and the system of the weather are complex and self-organizing. The sky itself is transient, permanent and fleeting, and transfixed all at the same time. Nephelococcygia was first coined in the play The Birds written in 414 B.C. by the Greek comic poet Aristophanes. Pisthetairos (which can be translated to mean "Mr. Trusting") and Euelpides (which can be translated to mean "Mr. Hopeful") with the help of Tereus, tired of the Earth and Olympus, decide to erect a perfect city between the clouds, to be named Cloud-Cuckoo-Land (Νεφελοκοκκυγία -- Nephelokokkygia). Finding faces, objects and animal images in other things like wood, trees, fabric, and clouds is part of the creativity I utilize in my work. (October 2008)

This canvas sat on my wall for quite some time and all the while I envisioned red as the contrasting color that would be utilized. While preparing for the exhibit in my dress painting filled studio, I suddenly knew I needed to create a red dress behind the dragon. I am very pleased with this final painting "Dragonfire Dress". (20" x 16" gallery wrapped canvas) Presently on exhibition at The Gallery at Avalon Island Orlando Florida in Dresses: objects of art.

A Bigger Closet

 

Thanks to my art collectors the series is growing as the 8" x 8" sold pieces of the Dresses Exhibit go to their new homes, I am busy creating more. The top right Dress Seventeen - Up Up and Away -is destined for its new home before it even made its debut. When I created the 8" x 8" series I used a similar palette in sets of threes. Here I used a similar palette in a grouping of four. I am planning to expand on this palette with some florals and birds. Limited Edition Prints are available for the series in my etsy shop.  The initial 12 Dresses are also available in a package deal.

Making Art Your Business October 1, 2011

Fashionista to Dairy Farms

 

The Dresses exhibit was a great success! I've posted some images to the Robin Maria Pedrero "fan" page so you can join in on the fun. Next from fashionista to the Dairy Convention. My newest Iphone case will make it's debut at the 48th All -American Dairy Show in Pennsylvania this weekend!I am glad to have my work represented by Kathy Swift of Cow Art and More. Cow Art and More will also have my fine art bags, sets of note cards, prints, and both of my new tough cases in their booth. 

Bullying Awareness Inspired The Dresses Exhibit

"Kozue" (means branches in Japanese)

 When Donna Dowless invited me to participate in her group exhibit Dresses she shared with me the story of how the phenomenal series of Dresses exhibits she produces and creates artwork for came to be inspired. A friend responded to one of Donna's dress pieces sharing this story of "The Hundred Dresses". Written in 1944 - by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin this book has amazing relevance to the tragic flux of bullying that we are faced with today.

Here is an insightful Review
Every child at one time or another has been teased or mocked by other children, particularly in public schools. Those of us who have witnessed it, suffered it, or may have even done it, will remember the experience as painful, humiliating, and regrettable. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes is one of the best books I've ever read that deals with this damaging behavior.
Poor Wanda has no friends at school. She sits quietly in the back of the room, wearing the same blue dress every day. When another girl comes to school wearing a beautiful, new dress, Wanda proudly tells all the girls she really has a hundred dresses at home, lined up in her closet. Not a day goes by when the girls don't tease her and ask her about those "supposed" dresses.
Wanda ends up moving away, while the other kids learn the surprising truth about the hundred dresses. This book is simply written, and truly unforgettable. It will put young readers in every one's shoes, from Wanda, to the girls who've done the teasing. This book is a good one to use to teach compassion and empathy to young children.

So yes it's a stunning exhibit that opens tonight - 

more than a fashion statement - objects of art - with depths of heart

and on all levels I am honored to be a part of it. 

See you there!

Paradigm Shift

"Retro Blooms" 10" x 8" acrylic

I received numerous personal messages after my post regarding "How Do You Do It". I responded personally to most questions but perhaps some of you had some similar questions like When Do You Paint?, as it so happened that the day I shared was a non painting day as I had art errands to do, but I paint several days a week, sometimes on and off all day - sometimes 3 or 4 hours.

Roisin Markham said...
Robin you make it look so easy [sic] - and when you put it all down like that how does it make you feel to look over it? What is your reaction to it...

Roisin - My reaction to seeing it is just thinking Gee I left out a lot of stuff lol - I feel productive and I like  the sense of accomplishment. Again I don't just want to be busy for the sake of being busy I want to build my career and work smart.

 Square Framing suggestion for a square giclee

 On a personal note it never ceases to amaze me how painting changes my paradigm to a positive all is right with me and the world place. I have been absorbed in responsibilities outside of my career and art making, sometimes feeling like "real life" is a thief. Then I take another look at it and realize how important it is to balance and exude gratitude in all things.  I've been a bit off lately, dealing with a delay in something I'd been hoping to bring to fruition and changes in my living space. Well it's usually after or at the end of a "slump" or "bump" that I share I hit one. It's cyclical. Cathartic. It's also cathartic to be clearing  physical stuff,  moving belongings into keep and toss piles. It's a new day! Wishing you the best and Thanks for being part of my world - Robin

Marilyn and Monroe in the Gallery Lounge

Last night we had a private preview opening of Dresses: objects of art at The Gallery at Avalon Island in Orlando Florida. "Marilyn" and "Monroe" look darling in the lounge with black bows. The works of our group of artists are all intermingled so when the crowds attend this Thursday Sept 15th for the opening reception they will explore the gallery and the cafe/lounge to see a multitude of works. The metallic gold, copper and bronze paint of these two pieces is very reflective in photos and looks like white so if in town you will just have to come in to the gallery to see them in person. I already have quite a few favorites in the exhibited works, and I am sure you will too. This is truly quite a stunning exhibition and I am honored to be a part of it. Thank you Donna Dowless for inviting me.  

How do you do it?

Everyday I am asked how do you do it? 
The it being accomplish or achieve what I do.

Never mistake activity for achievement. John Wooden

 I remind myself always to work smarter, learn from others and from my mistakes. I try to have a positive attitude, a sense of humor and to press on even in adversity. I mentor, teach and share my methods of art and art business. So if you are interested in reading here's a typical day like today. Here's how I spent my time;

I wake up naturally before 6 am turn on the TV for weather and a little news, click it off and go to my studio, turn on computer, let dog out, make coffee, check mail, sales, enjoy time with #earlybirdchat friends on twitter, facebook. Read and have a meditative moment. Check task list and calender. Some of these tasks delegate what I do next, and then I juggle, and multi task. Turn on music. Feed the birds. I take care of orders, packaging, shipping. Respond to emails, tweet, respond to facebook. I research then order supplies online from 2 companies. I design and order some more of my cell phone cases from Case Mate. I add more products to my Etsy shop. Make a bite to eat and play with the dog. Then I prepare and package prints, note cards, and fine art bags and accessories which will be going to the 48th All American Dairy Show with Cow Art and More.    I filled out and scanned contracts. More social network media, and sharing and supporting the tribe. Photograph some art and some art and me (like the pic above), upload pictures. By this time there's a hurricane of products, papers, packaging, and scraps around the studio. Heat up some lunch, take care of snail mail, run around with the dog. Make some phone call appointments, clean up the room.Throw in a load of laundry. Do the dishes. Prepare to shop for supplies for 10 commissions and to make new pieces, print out coupons. Deliver items to ship to my art collectors. Go to PO Box and find a check where I believe my art collector has over paid me. Get gas. Go shopping for art supplies, score a good sale, till cashier says oh next week it will be cheaper after I paid. At home let dog out, play in grass. Go into email, contracts and bookkeeping to confirm over payment and communicate with customer via email. Eat a bowl of cereal outside till it rains. Toss clothes in dryer. Back in the studio. More calls, check email and social network media. Made weekend plans, and set up time to deliver art to the gallery for Dresses. Proceeded to database all of the dresses, and look! a perfect light to rephotograph them all outside.  So I set that up and half way through I realize the white light setting was wrong and I retake the first few dresses. Load pics to pc, check them. Make scans of small pieces. Make dinner. I create an inventory list and send it to the exhibit and gallery directors. It's 7 pm, but I am still not done. I have various tasks and some resizing and listing to do for my shop. Notice I am almost at 1999 likers, and share I am almost at 2000 and celebrate on twitter with 2003. Then some family and friends time. I stage my art for tomorrows delivery. Then move my laptop to where we watch tv and do a little bit of this and that,  blog, social network media, email, and fold laundry.
That's how I do it.

Dress Grouping

The seasons are changing -  even here in sunny Florida. I have completed all of my proposed dress paintings for Dresses: objects of art. I really like groupings with squares. I created a series of 6" x 6" dresses on canvases. There are also 8" limited edition giclees of these some have been listed in my etsy shop and I will be adding more. The larger pieces were all varnished this week and I made substantial changes to the dress painting "Carmelita", which I shared here in it's early stages. The finished dresses will be revealed for a private showing prior to the official opening reception.