How to promote Art – getting my paintings seen, finally! But Windows 7 file management sucks!

What’s the point of creating art if it just says in a cupboard somewhere gathering dust? It could be out on display – gathering dust! There comes a point in every serious artist’s career when they must address this thorny issue. It’s an issue close to my heart. I stumbled on Art Business.com I like this chap. He talks sense and how could you not be interested in an article which says How Not to Succeed in the Art World? Anyway, I’ve found the articles really interesting and, dare I say it , useful.

The etsy shop is taking shape, I’m trying to get a quantity of work up then I’ll look to promoting a few items. I’m having a real problem with Windows 7 though. I had a great system with my old laptop linked to a remote storage facility and the Operating system was Windows NT which worked really well. The file management program in Windows7 is excruciatingly, painfully SLOW. I’m talking 5-10 minute per file open slow. The older “slower” machine took seconds. I want my old laptop back :0(

I’ve been focussing more on the blogging to try and make my site more interesting. Hopefully that’s working.

Anyway, I’m pushing the boundaries and little by little chinks are appearing.

Tuesday sees the formal opening of the Stowe Exhibition. I will have the following three painting on show

…“Reveal”

… “He became sin for us”

and “Praia do Castelejo”

There will also be the launch for the Buckingham Art Trail at this same event. I’ve nothing in this 6 week block but I had a piece in the Art trail pilot. And I’ve a few pieces which have been proposed for the next block starting in May.

Online, my art has also been featured on the Deep Time Threshold Art Movement site known as DTTAM for short. A little bit more exposure, always a good thing! It’s a new movement based in New York. We’ll see how it develops shall we?

I think I’d better create some more art now!

Boats at sea

Many years ago, while I was on honeymoon I took some photographs around Sagres in Portugal. Always with the intention of painting the scene. This is my first attempt. The picture detail is poor as I only had a 110 camera – remember those!!!! Which has not enlarged very well and the details are a bit fuzzy. I managed a quick sketch which has worked out pretty well, despite the restrictions. Except for the sky, I got caught out a bit by the drying time of the watercolour pencils! Dipped it in first time, but didn’t pick up enough water, by the time I’d repeated the exercise I had a hard edge which I couldn’t soften. I’m planning to have another go, probably on better paper.

Sea

I've been away for the weekend. A couple of quick sketches but nothing noteworthy. Feeling old as my niece celebrated her wedding at the weekend. She was one of my little bridesmaids age 4 and twenty years later...
A productive day today. Finished this painting "Praia do Castelejo" in Portugal. Took the picture on our honeymoon and just didn't get around to the painting. Seems fitting that it should be completed today.

I've been experimenting with acrylic techniques and also started another abstract, hopefully the painting will be complete later and it will be dry enough to remove the masking by tomorrow.
I've also been online for a while today. Applied to the White cube gallery. I was impressed to have a reply 1 hour and 5 minutes later. Sadly a rejection. The email sounds positive but I've given up trusting them as a realistic appraisal. I suspect it's another form rejection. I'm just an old cynic at heart! I've joined the Axis online gallery site and am just formulating my support statement and deciding on images before I apply. I'm feeling too jaded to pursue it tonight! Besides, I want to finish my painting!