I posted some time back about a bunch of new canvases I had drawn designs on, and now they have been finished. I had another festival event last night, but no sales. However, I am learner to improve my table set up and preparing to get a tent and lights for other events.
In the meantime, here are all the new pieces.
Manatee Pair #2 11″ x 14″Leopard Dolphins 11″ x 14″ (Interesting pattern lends itself to the name.)Hammerhead Shark #4 11″ x 14″Octopus #4 12″ x 16″Octopus #5 12″ x 16″Seahorse Duet 12″ x 16″ (My Mom’s favorite piece so far)Manta Ray & Remora Fish 12″ x 16″
I have yet to paint the dragons I have on two other canvases, and I have some more realistic paintings I’m working on for a rabbit rescue organization in my area. I had several people ask me about painting their dogs, so that may be another avenue I will be working with as I get more canvases.
Last week’s 3rd Friday went well again, though the turnout was a bit less on account of rainy weather. Sold about half my stuff, and still made decent cash. Instead of going nuts with the small canvases each month, I’m planning to have other products with artwork printed on them for each event, and to expand my overall base of sales. Going to try small quantities at first to see how each product type does.
In the meantime, here are photos from that evening. They are a bit low quality due to glare and my phone.
My table setupBunch of canvases.Card sets.
I have also done some updating to the pages on the site. The Pricing & Shipping page now has information for the canvas paintings, commissions, shipping, etc. The Portfolio page has been edited to reflect my best paintings, and a new page (Color Pencil) has been added for information and examples of my color pencil work.
I have to get busy painting, and figuring out the other products, costs, etc.
I have been so busy painting like a machine this month for an upcoming event. I had several sets of cards printed of my new paintings, and I’ve been packaging some original drawings for sale as well. Only recently finished. I also had a decent job interview with a paint & sip place that’s going to be opening locally. If all goes well, I’m hoping I’ll be one of the art instructors there.
I just updated the pricing/shipping page to include specs for acrylic paintings. I still love my colored pencil work, but the paintings seem to be the better sellers at this point.
I only have a few things left to get for the event. I’m hoping we don’t get rained out, since it has been very stormy this week.
Here are some photos of the stuff I have ready.
Original color pencil drawing similarly styled to match my paintings.
Okay, that’s it for a quick update. If you want to see me, or buy anything you see here, my table will be in front of Cafe Orlando on Main St. in Safety Harbor on Friday (July 17th-this coming week) from 4pm-10pm. See you there!
Last month, I attended the 3rd Friday event after a friend hooked me into it. I took my canvas acrylic paintings that I’d done some time back last year, and set up a single table, no tent or anything fancy. I went into it expecting the same outcome of my past experiences of nothing selling. The evening turned out to be more positive than I thought.
My table at the start of the event.Showing the largest piece I had for sale.The table after several sales.
I was completely unprepared to display my stuff, but somehow managed anyway. Most of my 8″ x 10″ canvases started to sell about an hour or two into the night. I only have 2-3 left from that night. My larger canvases were a 10″ x 20″, a 22″ x 28″, and two 16″ x 20″s. The 10″ x 20″ sold that night, and one of the 16″ x 20″s sold a few days later through a person I met during the event.
After the event, I started thinking more about how this type of artwork sold so easily, and that I should do more of it for the next event. I am still conflicted as to having two different mediums and styles of art, and how to make that work. I don’t plan on stopping the color pencil work that I do, but rather focusing on where it would sell and what kinds of products (such as prints, bookmarks, coasters, etc.) would help facilitate sales. I do plan to have card sets made of several of my pieces, as both useful and collectible items.
I am currently at work painting more canvases, this time smaller sizes. I’m making not just turtles, but other sea life and tropical based designs. Here are just a few that I’ve completed.
4″ x 4″ canvases
The large 22″ x 28″ seaturtle canvas I had for sale was donated to a good cause with the great people over at Dobermann Rescue of Lake Placid. It will be raffled off to support the rescue of many great Dobies.
Other than painting like crazy, getting new cards made, and writing down ideas, I’m looking forward to next 3rd Friday here in Safety Harbor!
This website is also due for an update as well, so look out for that!
