Just a quick note to say what's been happening around the studio and elsewhere!
Today is a big day! The commerical starts out in the Central Coast area of California! Thanks to the hard work of Jill at Charter Media and her taking initiative to answer an email, we were able to agree to a really good marketing plan for that area. As you know I love the Central Coast, especially Santa Barbara and San Luis. The stations the commerical will be seen on are six different channels, so it a bit different than where it's being shown here in Cincinnati. If you are in the Central Coast and you catch the commerical, drop me a line to let me know you are here!
The past two Essex shows have been fun and enlightening as well. I've met a number of very nice people and am looking forward to the next one. The dates are December 7th and 8th from 6:00 to 11:00 PM. There will be some new paintings displayed and I'm hopeful I can get the one I'm working on now done for the show.
I'm in the process of working with Alliance Printing to get greeting cards available for purchase at the Essex show and various places around Middletown. The cards will be selling 6 for $5.00 and I've already gotten a few orders in. The six paintings that will be featured on the cards are, the Sea Otter (Mother and Pup), the Middletown Farmer's Market, Chandon Winery (the waterfall with the tree stump), Caesar's Creek Lake, Muse Magic and the Golden Gate Bridge. You can get them in a variety pack or six of the same painting. These make great little Holiday gifts--stocking stuffers and such.
On November 24th, I'll be showing and selling art at the Barn Burner Benefit in Wyoming to benefit St. James of the Valley. This is an annual fundraiser and not only are they holding an art sale, but two winetastings as well. The benefit starts at 12 and runs to 6:00 pm. Looking forward to this event and meeting new folks there.
A workshop page has been added to the site and I've posted the workshop offerings for the first half of 2008. There are web design workshops, color theory and basic foundation workshops and plein air workshops. There is also a Plein Air Adventure workshop schedule for June 16-20th in Colorado. The adventure will take place in Red Rocks State Park and the Rocky Mountains National Park where we'll paint outdoors. Be sure to sign up early for the workshops. They are limited in size to make sure that every student gets ample instruction time.
I'll be updating the site soon with some recently finished paintings. I've schedule a lot of studio time in over the next few months! Some of what I'm going to paint won't be posted until after an upcoming, still unannounced show, but I will post some work I'll be doing here.
Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful Holiday Season...and that 2008 is even better and more fun than 2007!!
All the best to you and yours,
Linda
Monday, November 12, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Random thoughts on a grey Saturday morning....
This will be just a quick note as there is lots of work to do!
The Essex Studio art walks will be this coming Friday (Nov. 2nd) and Saturday (Nov. 3rd) from 6 to 11:00 pm. The Sign Museum will be open along with over 60 artists displaying their works of art. I'll be in the same location, down by studio 163 and the Voices and Visionaries group.
Hope everyone has a fun Halloween this week. It's always so fun to see the little ones all dressed up in a costume.
Along with November comes our elections. I'm not going to harp on how important it is to vote, but how important it is to be an informed voter. Educate yourself before walking into the voting booth. It is amazing to me how many people think that having a directly elected mayor is going to make a big difference. Fact is, the directly elected mayor will have no more power than the mayor that was appointed by council. So, some of these campaign promises to get more involved, be a strong leader, performance over tenure, blah blah blah are really nothing more than rhetoric. The mayor's responsibilities will be exactly the same as before...and don't bother talking about a mandate from the people. The five candidates running may not have enough of a majority to say they have a mandate from the people. Besides even if they do and they think they have a mandate, how are they going to implement it without some kind of change to the charter? Face it, the mayor is a ceremonial mayor--an ambassador to the city--kisses babies, shakes hands and drives consensus among the council so the the city manager can implement the master plan. It is so important that the mayor present a good image, be positive and supportive and not be negative, disruptive and divisive. We had enough of that over the last eight to ten years. It's time for this city to get it's act together and move forward before we are all left behind.
Perhaps the most important decision that has to be made is who will be our next City Manager. There is where the real power lies--gee makes sense when the city is a city manager form of government!! Aside from the fact that the city manager sees to the day to day running of the city, they are also accountable for implementing the budget, master plan, direction and effectiveness of each of the departments within the city and ultimately the finances/how the money is spent. For the most part the city manager reports back to the mayor and council, who hopefully keep themselves informed enough to make a good decision. In most cases, what is presented before the council is rubber stamped....the major conflicts worked out in work sessions, not the business meetings.
So, why all the hoopla over a directly elected mayor versus almost nothing on the city manager hunt? Maybe it's because most people are confusing the "directly elected mayor" with a "Strong Mayor" form of government. Well--that isn't what we'll have here after the directly elected mayor. What we were given with the change in the city charter was a voice to say who we wanted to be the ceremonial mayor--the ambassador of the city. Filling the city manager position is being lead by a citizen's committee who is making recommedations to the council. Ultimatley the city manager will be hired by the council. The city manager reports to the council, all city government employees report to the city manager. The city manager does the performance evaluations. For hiring and firing, the city manager makes the decisions and gets the approval or disapproval of council. Pretty typically, all councils rubber stamp these transactions. Oh, there maybe one or two dessenting votes from time to time--and they typically goes for all issues voted on by council.
So, if you want the city to move ahead in a postive fashion, keep your eye on the city manager job search. The city manager will be the person that has the skills and experience to run the city. Make sure that person you are supporting understands what their powers are on council and mayor. It's so important that Middletown improve their image, has a community that is engaged, informed and positive, sees progress and is actively involved in making the changes that are needed to improve our community.
The Essex Studio art walks will be this coming Friday (Nov. 2nd) and Saturday (Nov. 3rd) from 6 to 11:00 pm. The Sign Museum will be open along with over 60 artists displaying their works of art. I'll be in the same location, down by studio 163 and the Voices and Visionaries group.
Hope everyone has a fun Halloween this week. It's always so fun to see the little ones all dressed up in a costume.
Along with November comes our elections. I'm not going to harp on how important it is to vote, but how important it is to be an informed voter. Educate yourself before walking into the voting booth. It is amazing to me how many people think that having a directly elected mayor is going to make a big difference. Fact is, the directly elected mayor will have no more power than the mayor that was appointed by council. So, some of these campaign promises to get more involved, be a strong leader, performance over tenure, blah blah blah are really nothing more than rhetoric. The mayor's responsibilities will be exactly the same as before...and don't bother talking about a mandate from the people. The five candidates running may not have enough of a majority to say they have a mandate from the people. Besides even if they do and they think they have a mandate, how are they going to implement it without some kind of change to the charter? Face it, the mayor is a ceremonial mayor--an ambassador to the city--kisses babies, shakes hands and drives consensus among the council so the the city manager can implement the master plan. It is so important that the mayor present a good image, be positive and supportive and not be negative, disruptive and divisive. We had enough of that over the last eight to ten years. It's time for this city to get it's act together and move forward before we are all left behind.
Perhaps the most important decision that has to be made is who will be our next City Manager. There is where the real power lies--gee makes sense when the city is a city manager form of government!! Aside from the fact that the city manager sees to the day to day running of the city, they are also accountable for implementing the budget, master plan, direction and effectiveness of each of the departments within the city and ultimately the finances/how the money is spent. For the most part the city manager reports back to the mayor and council, who hopefully keep themselves informed enough to make a good decision. In most cases, what is presented before the council is rubber stamped....the major conflicts worked out in work sessions, not the business meetings.
So, why all the hoopla over a directly elected mayor versus almost nothing on the city manager hunt? Maybe it's because most people are confusing the "directly elected mayor" with a "Strong Mayor" form of government. Well--that isn't what we'll have here after the directly elected mayor. What we were given with the change in the city charter was a voice to say who we wanted to be the ceremonial mayor--the ambassador of the city. Filling the city manager position is being lead by a citizen's committee who is making recommedations to the council. Ultimatley the city manager will be hired by the council. The city manager reports to the council, all city government employees report to the city manager. The city manager does the performance evaluations. For hiring and firing, the city manager makes the decisions and gets the approval or disapproval of council. Pretty typically, all councils rubber stamp these transactions. Oh, there maybe one or two dessenting votes from time to time--and they typically goes for all issues voted on by council.
So, if you want the city to move ahead in a postive fashion, keep your eye on the city manager job search. The city manager will be the person that has the skills and experience to run the city. Make sure that person you are supporting understands what their powers are on council and mayor. It's so important that Middletown improve their image, has a community that is engaged, informed and positive, sees progress and is actively involved in making the changes that are needed to improve our community.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Back from California and Oregon!!
Just got back from a "research" trip to California and Oregon! It was a hard trip but somebody had to do it! ;-)
Seriously, I took over 400 pictures while I was there, so I have no shortage of reference material to paint from now. I'll give you a little taste of what went down so you can be envious!
We started the trip in San Francisco. We flew under the Golden Gate during a helicopter tour of the city and later that night attend the theater to see a little play called "Blues in the Night". This is an excellent play with lots of great blues music. Gregory Hines's brother, Maurice, stars in the the play along with "Band of Gold" singer Freda Payne.
When walking around San Francisco it really struck me how much this city has changed since my last stay there. I couldn't help but wonder how people meet anyone in this city. No one looks at anyone they walk past (and with good reason--whatever you do don't make eye contact with anyone---you might just get the sales pitch of any number of panhandlers that seem to have taken over the city!!), and people seem so blue. We walked down to the turn around for the cable cars just down from where we were staying. The general aura of the crowd was a blue/grey depressed feeling and it was pretty overwhelming! It made such an impression I returned later with my camera to take some pictures for a future painting--complete with sketches and a mental image that I'll be putting into the painting. The city was just so different and it was even a sunny day!! Despite this overwhelming aura, I enjoyed the time in Frisco...except for when I ran a red light and almost got us killed!!! (ok--who decided that red lights should go next to cross walk lights anyway?????)
Next we headed up to Bodega Bay and stayed for a few nights. The Bay and coast in this area was just beautiful and full of color. The aura of the place was so much more welcoming than Frisco, bathed in the golden honey yellow hills with reds and oranges highlighting the grasses, moss and blue/purple rocks along the coastline. Of course the backdrop of these beautiful colors were the viriden greens and ultramarine blue waters of the Pacific. Sunset over the bay was just stunning with a rainbow of colors in the sky reflected in the bay waters. Again we had sunny warm days that just heightened the warm colors of this wonderous area. Bodega Bay is where they filmed Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds", so naturally ever time I saw a bird I had to point and shout "The Birds!!" . Yeah, I know---it got old!! We enjoyed wine tasting in the Russian River Valley and there will be plenty of paintings of some of these sites coming up. The Zinfindel and Pinot Noir grapevines were in full color with such warm reds and oranges that they looked on fire with the cool backdrop of the greyish/brownish hills and dark greens of the yet to ripen grapevines.
When we got up on Thursday, it was fogged in---oh did I mention there was this fog horn that kept going off every 10 seconds or so that could be heard throughout the bay. Of course on sunny days this horn was a real nuisance!! It even drowned out the sea lions!! On Thursday, however, we figured out why it was needed. "The Birds" was a thing of the past and Jon Carpentar's "The Fog" was now called to mind. We were going to drive up the coast to Eureka, but after talking to the locals it was decided the smart thing to do was to take 101 up there instead. It was so foggy, we would not have been able to see anything anyway.
From Eureka we headed up the coast to Crescent City. This is the cutest little town and we ate lunch at place out on a pier. Great fish and chips! Sea lions that barked and a wind--not a breeze--a full scale gale as far as I was concerned was more than caressing my cheeks as I struggled to take pictures of the sea lions on the pier. You know that commerical with people's cheeks, hair and bodies flapping in the wind (some kind of high speed internet commerical)?? Well, if you seen that commerical that's about the speed of the wind up there. If you ignored the wind and the wind chill--it was a quaint little town. People there were very nice and helpful. We drove out "Pebble Beach" drive and got some great shots of a lighthouse, Point St. George and beyond.
We headed over the mountains to Medford and the Rogue Valley. We knew there were more wineries there and we had never tasted the wines from this region although we had heard of a couple of the wineries. However, on the way we had the stalwart redwoods of Humboldt and Redwood State Parks to be in awe of. I had the feeling I had been here before and after talking with one of the guides at the visitor center I'm sure now that this is one of the areas my Dad drove us throught when I was nine. Lots of photos of these massive tree trunks were taken--they are so tall you can't get the whole tree in frame!! Back to Medford-- We headed to Edenvale Winery--what a beautiful place to taste wine and paint. Their grounds were meticulously planted with a demonstration vineyard, welcoming roses, a pear orchard, a restored Voorhis Mansion, a quaint tasting room and a friendly, courteous staff who didn't mind this redhead running around snapping photos for the future. The wine was equally as enjoyable as the grounds. After Edenvale we headed down I-5 to Paschal Winery just outside Talent, Oregon. The views from the winery were very nice and we unfortunately hit the winery at the same time as a bus tour. It was a bit overwhelming for the staff. We were spoiled at Edenvale and after taking some shots of the mountains and some baby ducks we headed up 1-5 to the Umpqua Valley.
There we tasted wine at Abecela Winery and two family owned wineries that we just lucked into finding. Spangler Winery just off I-5 is definately worth a visit. The wines are big and bold and you can tell that winemaking is a passion to Pat Spangler. We were lucky enough to have Pat pour his wines for us and talk about his passion. Just like when I talk about art, you could tell the passion was there by the sparkle in Pat's eyes as we enjoyed the wines he poured us. He then referred us up to Rueslte Prayer Rock winery. This little family owned and operated winery is a find--literally--as it is off the beaten path a bit but definately worth the trip out. Gloria greeted us and wouldn't let me eat any of the chocolate she had out until after we tasted her great wines!! (This actually became a joke between us--she has a great sense of humor.) We tasted three of their selections and she paired the tasting with some tasty little appetizers which aided in tasting the wines. These wines were "bone dry" as Gloria put it. The appetizers helped in bringing out the true beauty of these young wines. After taking a few pictures here and at also at Spangler we headed up the road to Eugene, Oregon.
Unfortunately the weather turned to what we hear is typical for Oregon at this time of year. The rain came and we headed over to King Estate the next morning for what we thought was brunch and turned out to be lunch. This was fine though as the food and accompanying paired wine was excellent--even if I hadn't had breakfast yet! I just kept telling myself it was 3:00 in Ohio...and of course 5:00 somewhere! We tasted a few more of King Estate's wines before getting back on the road to our departing destination of Portland. It was an early rising to catch our flight out on Monday, so we repacked the suitcases and watched a little football---oh did I mention that I got to watch my USC Trojans play twice while in CA? That was cool! Don't get to see them much back here in Ohio.
So here I am, back in Ohio with 417 photos to go through and get in some kind of order! Whew--this is going to take some time!!
Don't forget that this weekend is the Essex Studio's First Friday/Saturday Art Shows. I'll be showing down there, so stop by to hear more about the trip and to say hello!
Toodles for now!
Linda
Seriously, I took over 400 pictures while I was there, so I have no shortage of reference material to paint from now. I'll give you a little taste of what went down so you can be envious!
We started the trip in San Francisco. We flew under the Golden Gate during a helicopter tour of the city and later that night attend the theater to see a little play called "Blues in the Night". This is an excellent play with lots of great blues music. Gregory Hines's brother, Maurice, stars in the the play along with "Band of Gold" singer Freda Payne.
When walking around San Francisco it really struck me how much this city has changed since my last stay there. I couldn't help but wonder how people meet anyone in this city. No one looks at anyone they walk past (and with good reason--whatever you do don't make eye contact with anyone---you might just get the sales pitch of any number of panhandlers that seem to have taken over the city!!), and people seem so blue. We walked down to the turn around for the cable cars just down from where we were staying. The general aura of the crowd was a blue/grey depressed feeling and it was pretty overwhelming! It made such an impression I returned later with my camera to take some pictures for a future painting--complete with sketches and a mental image that I'll be putting into the painting. The city was just so different and it was even a sunny day!! Despite this overwhelming aura, I enjoyed the time in Frisco...except for when I ran a red light and almost got us killed!!! (ok--who decided that red lights should go next to cross walk lights anyway?????)
Next we headed up to Bodega Bay and stayed for a few nights. The Bay and coast in this area was just beautiful and full of color. The aura of the place was so much more welcoming than Frisco, bathed in the golden honey yellow hills with reds and oranges highlighting the grasses, moss and blue/purple rocks along the coastline. Of course the backdrop of these beautiful colors were the viriden greens and ultramarine blue waters of the Pacific. Sunset over the bay was just stunning with a rainbow of colors in the sky reflected in the bay waters. Again we had sunny warm days that just heightened the warm colors of this wonderous area. Bodega Bay is where they filmed Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds", so naturally ever time I saw a bird I had to point and shout "The Birds!!" . Yeah, I know---it got old!! We enjoyed wine tasting in the Russian River Valley and there will be plenty of paintings of some of these sites coming up. The Zinfindel and Pinot Noir grapevines were in full color with such warm reds and oranges that they looked on fire with the cool backdrop of the greyish/brownish hills and dark greens of the yet to ripen grapevines.
When we got up on Thursday, it was fogged in---oh did I mention there was this fog horn that kept going off every 10 seconds or so that could be heard throughout the bay. Of course on sunny days this horn was a real nuisance!! It even drowned out the sea lions!! On Thursday, however, we figured out why it was needed. "The Birds" was a thing of the past and Jon Carpentar's "The Fog" was now called to mind. We were going to drive up the coast to Eureka, but after talking to the locals it was decided the smart thing to do was to take 101 up there instead. It was so foggy, we would not have been able to see anything anyway.
From Eureka we headed up the coast to Crescent City. This is the cutest little town and we ate lunch at place out on a pier. Great fish and chips! Sea lions that barked and a wind--not a breeze--a full scale gale as far as I was concerned was more than caressing my cheeks as I struggled to take pictures of the sea lions on the pier. You know that commerical with people's cheeks, hair and bodies flapping in the wind (some kind of high speed internet commerical)?? Well, if you seen that commerical that's about the speed of the wind up there. If you ignored the wind and the wind chill--it was a quaint little town. People there were very nice and helpful. We drove out "Pebble Beach" drive and got some great shots of a lighthouse, Point St. George and beyond.
We headed over the mountains to Medford and the Rogue Valley. We knew there were more wineries there and we had never tasted the wines from this region although we had heard of a couple of the wineries. However, on the way we had the stalwart redwoods of Humboldt and Redwood State Parks to be in awe of. I had the feeling I had been here before and after talking with one of the guides at the visitor center I'm sure now that this is one of the areas my Dad drove us throught when I was nine. Lots of photos of these massive tree trunks were taken--they are so tall you can't get the whole tree in frame!! Back to Medford-- We headed to Edenvale Winery--what a beautiful place to taste wine and paint. Their grounds were meticulously planted with a demonstration vineyard, welcoming roses, a pear orchard, a restored Voorhis Mansion, a quaint tasting room and a friendly, courteous staff who didn't mind this redhead running around snapping photos for the future. The wine was equally as enjoyable as the grounds. After Edenvale we headed down I-5 to Paschal Winery just outside Talent, Oregon. The views from the winery were very nice and we unfortunately hit the winery at the same time as a bus tour. It was a bit overwhelming for the staff. We were spoiled at Edenvale and after taking some shots of the mountains and some baby ducks we headed up 1-5 to the Umpqua Valley.
There we tasted wine at Abecela Winery and two family owned wineries that we just lucked into finding. Spangler Winery just off I-5 is definately worth a visit. The wines are big and bold and you can tell that winemaking is a passion to Pat Spangler. We were lucky enough to have Pat pour his wines for us and talk about his passion. Just like when I talk about art, you could tell the passion was there by the sparkle in Pat's eyes as we enjoyed the wines he poured us. He then referred us up to Rueslte Prayer Rock winery. This little family owned and operated winery is a find--literally--as it is off the beaten path a bit but definately worth the trip out. Gloria greeted us and wouldn't let me eat any of the chocolate she had out until after we tasted her great wines!! (This actually became a joke between us--she has a great sense of humor.) We tasted three of their selections and she paired the tasting with some tasty little appetizers which aided in tasting the wines. These wines were "bone dry" as Gloria put it. The appetizers helped in bringing out the true beauty of these young wines. After taking a few pictures here and at also at Spangler we headed up the road to Eugene, Oregon.
Unfortunately the weather turned to what we hear is typical for Oregon at this time of year. The rain came and we headed over to King Estate the next morning for what we thought was brunch and turned out to be lunch. This was fine though as the food and accompanying paired wine was excellent--even if I hadn't had breakfast yet! I just kept telling myself it was 3:00 in Ohio...and of course 5:00 somewhere! We tasted a few more of King Estate's wines before getting back on the road to our departing destination of Portland. It was an early rising to catch our flight out on Monday, so we repacked the suitcases and watched a little football---oh did I mention that I got to watch my USC Trojans play twice while in CA? That was cool! Don't get to see them much back here in Ohio.
So here I am, back in Ohio with 417 photos to go through and get in some kind of order! Whew--this is going to take some time!!
Don't forget that this weekend is the Essex Studio's First Friday/Saturday Art Shows. I'll be showing down there, so stop by to hear more about the trip and to say hello!
Toodles for now!
Linda
Friday, September 21, 2007
And the hits just keep coming
Hi all,
Just a quick update on this Friday afternoon.
First, just wanted to let everyone know that over on Youtube, Escape has just reached a milestone that I didn't think we'd get to this early. It has had over 815 plays since I posted it back in March! Wow!!! Now the countdown starts for the new milestone--1000 hits. Just in case you want to visit it again, here's the link
The commerical has been accessed over 100 times since it was posted at my website on Sept 14th or there about. Thanks to those who are stopping by to take a look!
I've completed two more paintings that will be posted to the site in a couple of weeks. One is of the Ohio Hot Air Balloon Challenge that took place in Middletown in July. I wanted this painting to be very vibrant and full of color because if you have ever seen a Hot Air Balloon you know those colors are just that. I hope you all wander over to take a peek at this one when it's posted.
The second painting is of the cliffs along Torrey Pines State Park--just up from the Torrey Pines golf course. The cliffs were just covered in this beautiful moss....reds, oranges, yellows and greens were just so striking and I had to paint it--the scene--not the moss. ;-) It was a grey day that day and I really didn't want a sunny sky with clouds to take away from the moss and the colors playing on the cliffs--so it's an interesting sky too. This one will be posted in a couple of weeks as well.
Oh and I almost forgot---Johnny B and the Gravediggers has sold!!
As you can see this has been a pretty good month and well, it couldn't have happened without the support of great people like you! Thanks so much for stopping by, passing on my info/artwork to friends of yours, saying hello when you stop in at the shows and generally just loving what I do. I love doing it--so it is special when someone takes an interest in my work and falls in love with it too. I'm truly lucky and blessed to be doing this. Thanks!!
Love to you all,
Linda
Just a quick update on this Friday afternoon.
First, just wanted to let everyone know that over on Youtube, Escape has just reached a milestone that I didn't think we'd get to this early. It has had over 815 plays since I posted it back in March! Wow!!! Now the countdown starts for the new milestone--1000 hits. Just in case you want to visit it again, here's the link
The commerical has been accessed over 100 times since it was posted at my website on Sept 14th or there about. Thanks to those who are stopping by to take a look!
I've completed two more paintings that will be posted to the site in a couple of weeks. One is of the Ohio Hot Air Balloon Challenge that took place in Middletown in July. I wanted this painting to be very vibrant and full of color because if you have ever seen a Hot Air Balloon you know those colors are just that. I hope you all wander over to take a peek at this one when it's posted.
The second painting is of the cliffs along Torrey Pines State Park--just up from the Torrey Pines golf course. The cliffs were just covered in this beautiful moss....reds, oranges, yellows and greens were just so striking and I had to paint it--the scene--not the moss. ;-) It was a grey day that day and I really didn't want a sunny sky with clouds to take away from the moss and the colors playing on the cliffs--so it's an interesting sky too. This one will be posted in a couple of weeks as well.
Oh and I almost forgot---Johnny B and the Gravediggers has sold!!
As you can see this has been a pretty good month and well, it couldn't have happened without the support of great people like you! Thanks so much for stopping by, passing on my info/artwork to friends of yours, saying hello when you stop in at the shows and generally just loving what I do. I love doing it--so it is special when someone takes an interest in my work and falls in love with it too. I'm truly lucky and blessed to be doing this. Thanks!!
Love to you all,
Linda
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
TV commerical is now done!!!!
Good Afternoon everyone!
Great news! The commerical is done and on it's way to Time Warner for it's premiere on September 17th. In case you aren't in the Cincinnati area where it is first initially showing, you can see it here as well. Just click here
I've also swapped it out for now on the main page to give it some play time and give you a break from the Escape video. If you tuned in to view Escape, you can do that here
Thanks for stopping by! And if you like what you see here, please tell the friends in your address book!
Peace,
Linda
Great news! The commerical is done and on it's way to Time Warner for it's premiere on September 17th. In case you aren't in the Cincinnati area where it is first initially showing, you can see it here as well. Just click here
I've also swapped it out for now on the main page to give it some play time and give you a break from the Escape video. If you tuned in to view Escape, you can do that here
Thanks for stopping by! And if you like what you see here, please tell the friends in your address book!
Peace,
Linda
Saturday, September 08, 2007
WE DID IT!!
The video shoot is now complete!! Next up will be the editing session!
Yesterday evening, my friends and compadres, Deborah and Don Rumford, headed out to Ceasar's Creek Lake to shoot the video needed for the commerical. We were a bit skeptical hearing that rain was moving in, the wind was blowing and the skies were filled with clouds. We just kept saying, we only need a few minutes of sun light.
So we kept our fingers crossed as we drove along.
We arrived at the appointed location and I unpacked my painting gear. I set up the easel, got the paints ready and the canvas board in place. I started painting and Don started shooting, while Deborah took still shots of the shoot. Light was changing pretty quickly and within about 45 minutes I had a study complete and Don had all he wanted from that location. So we changed locations and we started again.
However, just as we started this, the sun decided to grace our presence and answer our request. We worked quickly to capture the light. The colors on the study are very vibrant and should be captured well, even though that wasn't the idea--I really pushed the color just in case there are some shots of it.
After Don made sure he got the shots we needed and we were pretty sure that the sun was not going to come back out, we packed up and headed back to our house to celebrate a successful shoot and good friendship. We even managed to get the grilling done before the rain set in. It was a fun evening/night and nice break for everyone from the routine.
Next up is the editting of what we shot and then the tape gets sent out to Time Warner. The commerical will be aired the week of Sept 17th on the Golf Channel.
If you happen to catch it, drop me a line and let me know what you think. And if you are out of town, you'll be able to catch it off the website or at Youtube.
Now down to the studio to hang some Ott lights and get more light into my studio!
Peace,
Linda
Yesterday evening, my friends and compadres, Deborah and Don Rumford, headed out to Ceasar's Creek Lake to shoot the video needed for the commerical. We were a bit skeptical hearing that rain was moving in, the wind was blowing and the skies were filled with clouds. We just kept saying, we only need a few minutes of sun light.
So we kept our fingers crossed as we drove along.
We arrived at the appointed location and I unpacked my painting gear. I set up the easel, got the paints ready and the canvas board in place. I started painting and Don started shooting, while Deborah took still shots of the shoot. Light was changing pretty quickly and within about 45 minutes I had a study complete and Don had all he wanted from that location. So we changed locations and we started again.
However, just as we started this, the sun decided to grace our presence and answer our request. We worked quickly to capture the light. The colors on the study are very vibrant and should be captured well, even though that wasn't the idea--I really pushed the color just in case there are some shots of it.
After Don made sure he got the shots we needed and we were pretty sure that the sun was not going to come back out, we packed up and headed back to our house to celebrate a successful shoot and good friendship. We even managed to get the grilling done before the rain set in. It was a fun evening/night and nice break for everyone from the routine.
Next up is the editting of what we shot and then the tape gets sent out to Time Warner. The commerical will be aired the week of Sept 17th on the Golf Channel.
If you happen to catch it, drop me a line and let me know what you think. And if you are out of town, you'll be able to catch it off the website or at Youtube.
Now down to the studio to hang some Ott lights and get more light into my studio!
Peace,
Linda
Friday, September 07, 2007
More on buying art
This post is from a e-newsletter I received and find very helpful. This issues deals with buying art. I hope you find it useful.
Evaluating Art By Robert Genn
Dear Linda,
This morning Kerim Kahyagil of Istanbul, Turkey wrote: "I used to evaluate paintings by looking at composition, technique, color, tone, texture, perspective, etc. Now I realize that even though these are important, they are really about craft and artisanship. I now think they come at a lower priority than the totality. I've re-written my evaluation process: 30 points when the passing viewer comes to a stop. 30 points if viewer gets the point--message, feeling, mood. If too explicit, I deduct points. 35 points to artisanship as before. If, after a year, the viewer still enjoys looking at the painting, it's worth another 5 points. Does this system make sense?"Thanks, Kerim.
Not really. All rigid evaluation systems eventually get the heave-ho. There are so many reasons to accept or reject a work of art. In your complex percentage system, it would be impossible to get real thoughts and feelings from collectors. Further, collectors are not everybody--there are the vastly different points of view of artists, investors, decorators, critics, mothers, etc. Sometimes a painting has everything wrong with it and yet it totally rings someone's bells. Inexplicable.
Yesterday I was one of five on jury duty. While the entire slate was already chosen and hung, we had to choose thirteen winners of cash prizes. As painters ourselves, we all started with the knowledge that our choices might not be the public's choices. Also, because the collection had both realistic work and cutting-edge modernism, there was the need to present an open-minded balance. Some of the paintings definitely stopped us dead in our tracks, although they didn't always get our votes. Scratching my head, I couldn't help thinking my old evil thoughts--why not let everyone who comes to the show--both artists and the general public--vote on the work by secret ballot? Give out the green stuff accordingly at the end.
As all evaluation systems are suspect, there's another way for creative people to approach the game. Pay no attention to what anybody thinks. Set your own standards. Paddle your own canoe. This includes not putting yourself at the mercy of kangaroo courts. Simply become your own jury and prize-giver. The real prize comes to the artist when the work is made, and if it's truly worthy and anyone wants to vote for it down the line, maybe they'll track you down.
Best regards,
Robert
PS: "The King, not wanting to appear a fool, said, 'Isn't it grand! Isn't it fine! Look at the cut, the style, the line!'" (from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, The King's New Clothes, as told by Danny Kaye) Esoterica: If expert opinion is suspect, so is that of the general crowd. Public opinion polls are notoriously faulty. People will say they want to buy small, economical cars--then they go out and get gas-guzzling trucks and SUV's. In art they give lip service to imagination and creativity, but when push comes to shove it's often security, conformity and provenance that win the day. One can only conclude that we are a deceptive lot. A friend of mine just had to have a Rauschenberg and went to New York to get one. He didn't care so much what the painting was about, as long as it was a Rauschenberg. When I asked him why he wanted a Rauschenberg, he told me he liked saying the name. "Rauschenberg. Rauschenberg.""
---------This article is reproduced with permission. Copyright 2007 - Robert Genn. To get more of Robert Genn's insights into the life of an artist, sign up for his twice-weekly newsletter at: The Robert Genn Twice-Weekly Letter:http://www.painterskeys.com---------
Evaluating Art By Robert Genn
Dear Linda,
This morning Kerim Kahyagil of Istanbul, Turkey wrote: "I used to evaluate paintings by looking at composition, technique, color, tone, texture, perspective, etc. Now I realize that even though these are important, they are really about craft and artisanship. I now think they come at a lower priority than the totality. I've re-written my evaluation process: 30 points when the passing viewer comes to a stop. 30 points if viewer gets the point--message, feeling, mood. If too explicit, I deduct points. 35 points to artisanship as before. If, after a year, the viewer still enjoys looking at the painting, it's worth another 5 points. Does this system make sense?"Thanks, Kerim.
Not really. All rigid evaluation systems eventually get the heave-ho. There are so many reasons to accept or reject a work of art. In your complex percentage system, it would be impossible to get real thoughts and feelings from collectors. Further, collectors are not everybody--there are the vastly different points of view of artists, investors, decorators, critics, mothers, etc. Sometimes a painting has everything wrong with it and yet it totally rings someone's bells. Inexplicable.
Yesterday I was one of five on jury duty. While the entire slate was already chosen and hung, we had to choose thirteen winners of cash prizes. As painters ourselves, we all started with the knowledge that our choices might not be the public's choices. Also, because the collection had both realistic work and cutting-edge modernism, there was the need to present an open-minded balance. Some of the paintings definitely stopped us dead in our tracks, although they didn't always get our votes. Scratching my head, I couldn't help thinking my old evil thoughts--why not let everyone who comes to the show--both artists and the general public--vote on the work by secret ballot? Give out the green stuff accordingly at the end.
As all evaluation systems are suspect, there's another way for creative people to approach the game. Pay no attention to what anybody thinks. Set your own standards. Paddle your own canoe. This includes not putting yourself at the mercy of kangaroo courts. Simply become your own jury and prize-giver. The real prize comes to the artist when the work is made, and if it's truly worthy and anyone wants to vote for it down the line, maybe they'll track you down.
Best regards,
Robert
PS: "The King, not wanting to appear a fool, said, 'Isn't it grand! Isn't it fine! Look at the cut, the style, the line!'" (from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, The King's New Clothes, as told by Danny Kaye) Esoterica: If expert opinion is suspect, so is that of the general crowd. Public opinion polls are notoriously faulty. People will say they want to buy small, economical cars--then they go out and get gas-guzzling trucks and SUV's. In art they give lip service to imagination and creativity, but when push comes to shove it's often security, conformity and provenance that win the day. One can only conclude that we are a deceptive lot. A friend of mine just had to have a Rauschenberg and went to New York to get one. He didn't care so much what the painting was about, as long as it was a Rauschenberg. When I asked him why he wanted a Rauschenberg, he told me he liked saying the name. "Rauschenberg. Rauschenberg.""
---------This article is reproduced with permission. Copyright 2007 - Robert Genn. To get more of Robert Genn's insights into the life of an artist, sign up for his twice-weekly newsletter at: The Robert Genn Twice-Weekly Letter:http://www.painterskeys.com---------
Friday, August 24, 2007
A Record Week!!
This week has been a record week at Linda Fisler Fine Art! We broke two former records and it doesn't even include the numbers for Friday and Saturday yet! We've had over 276 hits to the website starting on Sunday through Thursday and we are still counting!! When "Escape" was launched we had a record 233 visits to the website. Previously our record day was 54 hits. On Thursday alone, we had a record 80 visits to the site!! Thanks to everyone who stops by www.lindafisler.com!!!
We continue to work on the commerical. Yesterday we polished up the script and we'll be shooting it in the coming days. It should hit the airwaves in September, so keep your eyes open!! We'll also be posting it out at Youtube and also at the website. It will be showing outside the Cincinnati area in a few months as we check the marketing plan and results in our test area.
No place is safe!! ;-)
There are a number of things going on--some in the early stages and not quite ready to discuss yet. The mind is always thinking and it seems, based on the record week and painting inquiries/sales, something must be working right!! Check back here from time to time to see what I'll be up too in the coming months.
Also, don't forget that I'll be at the Essex Studios showing on the First Friday and Saturday in October, November and December. We are also having a show on Sept 14th in downtown Middletown. The calendar page will be updated shortly to show this.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support. Looking forward to seeing you at the shows this fall!
Peace,
Linda
We continue to work on the commerical. Yesterday we polished up the script and we'll be shooting it in the coming days. It should hit the airwaves in September, so keep your eyes open!! We'll also be posting it out at Youtube and also at the website. It will be showing outside the Cincinnati area in a few months as we check the marketing plan and results in our test area.
No place is safe!! ;-)
There are a number of things going on--some in the early stages and not quite ready to discuss yet. The mind is always thinking and it seems, based on the record week and painting inquiries/sales, something must be working right!! Check back here from time to time to see what I'll be up too in the coming months.
Also, don't forget that I'll be at the Essex Studios showing on the First Friday and Saturday in October, November and December. We are also having a show on Sept 14th in downtown Middletown. The calendar page will be updated shortly to show this.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support. Looking forward to seeing you at the shows this fall!
Peace,
Linda
Monday, August 13, 2007
How to Buy Art like a Master
Hello everyone!
Just returned from a trip to North Carolina. While there, the Raleigh News and Observer printed an article called "How to Buy Art like a Master." I am "re-printing" the story here because it is probably the best source I have seen for the everyday person who enjoys art, but can't afford the "names" of the art world--or said a different way--the high prices of artists in galleries or the 5 or more digit artwork of nationally and internationally known artists. I hope you find this article helpful.
Selling my artwork through my website has allowed me to keep my prices down and you'll hear more about that in the coming months with the commerical that we are making and the marketing plan we are developing. Stay tuned!!
Here's the article:
"How to Buy Art Like A Master"
by Ellen Sung of the Raleigh News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina)
You may not have SAS chief Jim Goodnight's millions -- or the connections that helped him buy a Monet for his sitting room. But to decorate your home, there's no need to settle for posters from Target. The Triangle has more than 1,000 practicing artists, from big names to hobbyists who sell work at craft fairs.
"A lot of people become collectors in a very modest way," said Gordon Jameson, artist liaison for the Orange County Artists Guild. "They may buy one print and one day wind up wanting more, if they had a good experience."
Here's our guide to building a collection of original art for your home, without having to take out a second mortgage.
Shopping: Choose your artists
ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. This is the cardinal rule, because you'll see the art every day. If you find yourself thinking about a piece of art after you've left the gallery, or even days later, it's a good candidate. Decide for yourself how much you care whether it matches your furniture, but you'll probably keep the art a lot longer than you'll keep the sofa.
"I think people should decorate around the art they buy, as opposed to trying to find a piece of art that's going to match," said Michael Lowder, executive director of Artsplosure.
DON'T BUY FOR INVESTMENT... You're probably not buying investment-level art unless you have five figures to spend on a single work. You probably won't resell a $100 painting at the original price, but you should focus on its value to you over the years.
"If you're buying for investment, it's a totally different set of questions," said Sarah Powers, the executive director of the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh.
... UNLESS IT'S INVESTMENT IN LOCAL ARTS. Many artists are just trying to make enough money to continue making art. The price covers not just materials, but also hours of labor, previous unsuccessful attempts, shipping and marketing material. You aren't buying a commodity but supporting a career.
SHOP GROUP EXHIBITS OF EMERGING ARTISTS. Local guilds, such as Visual Art Exchange or the Fine Arts League of Cary, usually sponsor big group shows at least once a year. They include artists with a range of experience -- and prices from $50 to more than $3,000.
MEET THE ARTISTS. You can see a wide range of work, and usually talk to the artists, at First Friday art walks, university student shows, artist studio tours and higher-end juried art fairs such as Artsplosure. You can ask all your questions about how things were made, and often the artwork is even more meaningful to you after you get it home.
TRUST YOUR GUT. Don't have an art degree? Don't worry.
"Consistently, people will say they don't know what they like and then have strong opinions about what they like," Powers said.
Thomas Hoving, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wrote: "Many times, I have taken a dozen folks into one of the galleries ... and asked them to give me -- in five minutes -- which single painting they think is the superior one. Invariably, eight or nine out of 10 people pick the same piece -- which happens to be the one I, too, think is the best.
"Laymen, even if not steeped in art history, really can spot artistic excellence."
Buying: Get a price you can live with.
PAINTINGS CAN BE PRICEY. Large paintings tend to command the highest prices. If you love an oil painting but can't afford it, ask whether the artist has sketches or studies that were used to prepare that piece. The artist may also have work on paper like a print or a giclee.
DROP THE FRAME. Some galleries will sell work unframed, which can knock a few hundred dollars off the cost. You frame it yourself at home, or even hang the work without a frame.
GET CRAFTY. Fine craft can a great bargain. Pottery and glass can be just as beautiful, intricate and intriguing as painting or photography - and you can take home small pottery by a museum level artist for as little as $20.
NEVER HURTS TO ASK. "People go int a Gap and say 'Can you get this shirt in a medium and purple?' " Powers said. "We're in retail too. We want to help them get what they want." If you can't affor the painting, see if they artist has or is willing to create a similar smaller piece.
BUT DON'T HAGGLE. This is generally considered rude. Some galleries give 10 percent off and they're more likely to do that if you buy several pieces. Hobbyists may give you a discount too, but professional artists are very unlikely to do so. They often have strict agreements with galleries not to sell work below the price listed in the gallery.
TRY IT OUT. Many artists and galleries will let you take home a work or art "on approval" for a day or two, just to see how you like it.
CREATE BREATHING ROOM. "One of the big mistakes is people think they have to hang something in that space above the TV," Powers said. "Don't waste your art by hanging it by other busy things."
Likewise, if you have loud colorful furniture, don't make it compete with loud, colorful art. Maybe that's the spot for crisp clean black and white photography. And if a piece of art is very subtle, make sure the funiture doesn't block people from being able to look closely at it.
PLAY WITH THE LAYOUT. Everyone has one big wall to fill--and the obvious way is with one big painting. But it is often to buy three or four small pieces or similiar size, (Linda's note--go with the odd number--it's more pleasing to the eye.) then arrange them in a grid or row.
USE THE 5-FOOT RULE. Galleries often hang art so it's center is 60 inches from the floor. Similiarly, a square grouping of paintings will have its center 60 inches high. The goal is for the work to be at eye level but adjust for your ceilings and preference.
Just returned from a trip to North Carolina. While there, the Raleigh News and Observer printed an article called "How to Buy Art like a Master." I am "re-printing" the story here because it is probably the best source I have seen for the everyday person who enjoys art, but can't afford the "names" of the art world--or said a different way--the high prices of artists in galleries or the 5 or more digit artwork of nationally and internationally known artists. I hope you find this article helpful.
Selling my artwork through my website has allowed me to keep my prices down and you'll hear more about that in the coming months with the commerical that we are making and the marketing plan we are developing. Stay tuned!!
Here's the article:
"How to Buy Art Like A Master"
by Ellen Sung of the Raleigh News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina)
You may not have SAS chief Jim Goodnight's millions -- or the connections that helped him buy a Monet for his sitting room. But to decorate your home, there's no need to settle for posters from Target. The Triangle has more than 1,000 practicing artists, from big names to hobbyists who sell work at craft fairs.
"A lot of people become collectors in a very modest way," said Gordon Jameson, artist liaison for the Orange County Artists Guild. "They may buy one print and one day wind up wanting more, if they had a good experience."
Here's our guide to building a collection of original art for your home, without having to take out a second mortgage.
Shopping: Choose your artists
ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE. This is the cardinal rule, because you'll see the art every day. If you find yourself thinking about a piece of art after you've left the gallery, or even days later, it's a good candidate. Decide for yourself how much you care whether it matches your furniture, but you'll probably keep the art a lot longer than you'll keep the sofa.
"I think people should decorate around the art they buy, as opposed to trying to find a piece of art that's going to match," said Michael Lowder, executive director of Artsplosure.
DON'T BUY FOR INVESTMENT... You're probably not buying investment-level art unless you have five figures to spend on a single work. You probably won't resell a $100 painting at the original price, but you should focus on its value to you over the years.
"If you're buying for investment, it's a totally different set of questions," said Sarah Powers, the executive director of the Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh.
... UNLESS IT'S INVESTMENT IN LOCAL ARTS. Many artists are just trying to make enough money to continue making art. The price covers not just materials, but also hours of labor, previous unsuccessful attempts, shipping and marketing material. You aren't buying a commodity but supporting a career.
SHOP GROUP EXHIBITS OF EMERGING ARTISTS. Local guilds, such as Visual Art Exchange or the Fine Arts League of Cary, usually sponsor big group shows at least once a year. They include artists with a range of experience -- and prices from $50 to more than $3,000.
MEET THE ARTISTS. You can see a wide range of work, and usually talk to the artists, at First Friday art walks, university student shows, artist studio tours and higher-end juried art fairs such as Artsplosure. You can ask all your questions about how things were made, and often the artwork is even more meaningful to you after you get it home.
TRUST YOUR GUT. Don't have an art degree? Don't worry.
"Consistently, people will say they don't know what they like and then have strong opinions about what they like," Powers said.
Thomas Hoving, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, wrote: "Many times, I have taken a dozen folks into one of the galleries ... and asked them to give me -- in five minutes -- which single painting they think is the superior one. Invariably, eight or nine out of 10 people pick the same piece -- which happens to be the one I, too, think is the best.
"Laymen, even if not steeped in art history, really can spot artistic excellence."
Buying: Get a price you can live with.
PAINTINGS CAN BE PRICEY. Large paintings tend to command the highest prices. If you love an oil painting but can't afford it, ask whether the artist has sketches or studies that were used to prepare that piece. The artist may also have work on paper like a print or a giclee.
DROP THE FRAME. Some galleries will sell work unframed, which can knock a few hundred dollars off the cost. You frame it yourself at home, or even hang the work without a frame.
GET CRAFTY. Fine craft can a great bargain. Pottery and glass can be just as beautiful, intricate and intriguing as painting or photography - and you can take home small pottery by a museum level artist for as little as $20.
NEVER HURTS TO ASK. "People go int a Gap and say 'Can you get this shirt in a medium and purple?' " Powers said. "We're in retail too. We want to help them get what they want." If you can't affor the painting, see if they artist has or is willing to create a similar smaller piece.
BUT DON'T HAGGLE. This is generally considered rude. Some galleries give 10 percent off and they're more likely to do that if you buy several pieces. Hobbyists may give you a discount too, but professional artists are very unlikely to do so. They often have strict agreements with galleries not to sell work below the price listed in the gallery.
TRY IT OUT. Many artists and galleries will let you take home a work or art "on approval" for a day or two, just to see how you like it.
CREATE BREATHING ROOM. "One of the big mistakes is people think they have to hang something in that space above the TV," Powers said. "Don't waste your art by hanging it by other busy things."
Likewise, if you have loud colorful furniture, don't make it compete with loud, colorful art. Maybe that's the spot for crisp clean black and white photography. And if a piece of art is very subtle, make sure the funiture doesn't block people from being able to look closely at it.
PLAY WITH THE LAYOUT. Everyone has one big wall to fill--and the obvious way is with one big painting. But it is often to buy three or four small pieces or similiar size, (Linda's note--go with the odd number--it's more pleasing to the eye.) then arrange them in a grid or row.
USE THE 5-FOOT RULE. Galleries often hang art so it's center is 60 inches from the floor. Similiarly, a square grouping of paintings will have its center 60 inches high. The goal is for the work to be at eye level but adjust for your ceilings and preference.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Work, work, work!
Another day, another.....penny ;-) (as we use to say)
It's been a very busy time and continues to be that way. I'm happy about that naturally. It means business is good!
The artwork page has been updated with two new photos of paintings. The first is a painting of the Golden Gate bridge. This is done in a yellow/purple compliment color scheme. The mood is set with the skies and warmth is felt throughout the painting especially in the beach area of the painting. The Golden Gate stands guardian of Baker Beach as well as the mountains in the distance. Very peaceful and warm painting! The second painting is sold already and is a vibrant red sky which leads to a tall, cool mountain and foreground. The blue colors give the coldness tp the mountain that is then touched by the warm reds and yellows of the sun setting behind a mountain ridge. Very vibrant with the contrast of the warm sky and cold earth.
Make a quick escape and take a look at these !! It's a treat you deserve.
I've just about finished a painting of Johnny B and the Gravedigger's performing at the Affair on the Square and Farmer's Market. It will be off to the professional photographer to get a good picture of it for the site. Turned out very nice with a coral/yellow/orange flavor of color that was painted on a very hot day. This is very much an impressionist painting....hope everyone will like it.
I'm getting ready right now as I write this to head down to the studio to paint another Affair on the Square painting--of the Farmer's Market this time. Depending on where my muse takes me, I'm going to try a few new things with this painting.
Work continues with the Middletown Art Center with weekly meetings of the Marketing and Development committee.
Today, I'll be stopping by my good friends production studio (Rumford Productions) to listen to music for the commerical. The script has been finalized and now to get the images and music nailed down so the true work can begin--you know the video shoot and the editing! I am so grateful to Deb and Don, for their guidance and support through this process. They are great at making you focus on your objectives and know the business to help you narrow down what you are trying to accomplish. A lot of research was done before the script was finalized--took a lot of soul searching. The proof is in the pudding as they say and hopefully what we want to happen from the commerical will actually happen!! If it does, it will be because of all the hard work that went into creating this.
Later this evening I'll be teaching art lessons, so a very busy day. Time is slipping by me, so I shall log off and head to the studio. If you are interested in lessons or any of the paintings, please feel free to contact me at lfisler@lindafisler.com.
Don't forget that there are shows schedule for the fall, including the Essex Studios in Cincinnati.
Peace,
Linda
It's been a very busy time and continues to be that way. I'm happy about that naturally. It means business is good!
The artwork page has been updated with two new photos of paintings. The first is a painting of the Golden Gate bridge. This is done in a yellow/purple compliment color scheme. The mood is set with the skies and warmth is felt throughout the painting especially in the beach area of the painting. The Golden Gate stands guardian of Baker Beach as well as the mountains in the distance. Very peaceful and warm painting! The second painting is sold already and is a vibrant red sky which leads to a tall, cool mountain and foreground. The blue colors give the coldness tp the mountain that is then touched by the warm reds and yellows of the sun setting behind a mountain ridge. Very vibrant with the contrast of the warm sky and cold earth.
Make a quick escape and take a look at these !! It's a treat you deserve.
I've just about finished a painting of Johnny B and the Gravedigger's performing at the Affair on the Square and Farmer's Market. It will be off to the professional photographer to get a good picture of it for the site. Turned out very nice with a coral/yellow/orange flavor of color that was painted on a very hot day. This is very much an impressionist painting....hope everyone will like it.
I'm getting ready right now as I write this to head down to the studio to paint another Affair on the Square painting--of the Farmer's Market this time. Depending on where my muse takes me, I'm going to try a few new things with this painting.
Work continues with the Middletown Art Center with weekly meetings of the Marketing and Development committee.
Today, I'll be stopping by my good friends production studio (Rumford Productions) to listen to music for the commerical. The script has been finalized and now to get the images and music nailed down so the true work can begin--you know the video shoot and the editing! I am so grateful to Deb and Don, for their guidance and support through this process. They are great at making you focus on your objectives and know the business to help you narrow down what you are trying to accomplish. A lot of research was done before the script was finalized--took a lot of soul searching. The proof is in the pudding as they say and hopefully what we want to happen from the commerical will actually happen!! If it does, it will be because of all the hard work that went into creating this.
Later this evening I'll be teaching art lessons, so a very busy day. Time is slipping by me, so I shall log off and head to the studio. If you are interested in lessons or any of the paintings, please feel free to contact me at lfisler@lindafisler.com.
Don't forget that there are shows schedule for the fall, including the Essex Studios in Cincinnati.
Peace,
Linda
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Checkin' in with some Good News
Hello everyone--
It's been a busy time! Most of which has kept me out of my studio, but that's life sometimes.
Looking forward to painting today.
I was honored to be invited to join the Middletown Arts Center (MAC) Board of Governors this past week. I enthusiaticly accepted this position and was "sworn" in on Tuesday of this week. We had a quarterly Board meeting immediately following the meeting. We have lots of work to do. The Middletown Art Center is a wonderful facility offering a great variety of arts education and enjoyment to the community. It drawns a large number of students from neighboring communities, with the minority from the Middletown community. The teacher to student ratio is low, which I think helps with it's appeal.
My interests have lead me to join the Marketing and Development sub-committee of the Board of Governors. We are writing the Center's Mission, Vision and Purpose statements. We'll later tackle the hard chore of determining how to get the message out. It's a very exciting time and I've enjoyed meeting everyone on the Board.
Now a painting update....
I've finished a couple of paintings and those will be posted as soon as I have some professional photos made of them (of course they have to dry first!). I'm starting a couple new ones today--these will be street scenes from the locate "Affair on the Square" that happens every Friday. This is a farmer's market and free music concert that is given at the square in downtown Middletown. Some nice weather has helped to make this a well attended event. The music has been great--provided by friend Rob Hoffman, Chuck Evans, Johnny B and the Gravediggers to name a few.
I'm also very happy to report that a few more of the paintings on the artwork page have found new homes. It is always a joy when one of my works finds an owner who enjoys it as much as I enjoyed painting it. Thank you to those who have purchased. Enjoy!
Work continues on the a few other projects as well. Personal affairs have kept me from putting more time into these projects, but I'm hoping that is calming down now so that I can refocus.
Thanks for your continued support. Hope to see you in the fall at the scheduled "gigs" as I call them. Looking forward to talking with you and seeing you there!
Peace,
Linda
It's been a busy time! Most of which has kept me out of my studio, but that's life sometimes.
Looking forward to painting today.
I was honored to be invited to join the Middletown Arts Center (MAC) Board of Governors this past week. I enthusiaticly accepted this position and was "sworn" in on Tuesday of this week. We had a quarterly Board meeting immediately following the meeting. We have lots of work to do. The Middletown Art Center is a wonderful facility offering a great variety of arts education and enjoyment to the community. It drawns a large number of students from neighboring communities, with the minority from the Middletown community. The teacher to student ratio is low, which I think helps with it's appeal.
My interests have lead me to join the Marketing and Development sub-committee of the Board of Governors. We are writing the Center's Mission, Vision and Purpose statements. We'll later tackle the hard chore of determining how to get the message out. It's a very exciting time and I've enjoyed meeting everyone on the Board.
Now a painting update....
I've finished a couple of paintings and those will be posted as soon as I have some professional photos made of them (of course they have to dry first!). I'm starting a couple new ones today--these will be street scenes from the locate "Affair on the Square" that happens every Friday. This is a farmer's market and free music concert that is given at the square in downtown Middletown. Some nice weather has helped to make this a well attended event. The music has been great--provided by friend Rob Hoffman, Chuck Evans, Johnny B and the Gravediggers to name a few.
I'm also very happy to report that a few more of the paintings on the artwork page have found new homes. It is always a joy when one of my works finds an owner who enjoys it as much as I enjoyed painting it. Thank you to those who have purchased. Enjoy!
Work continues on the a few other projects as well. Personal affairs have kept me from putting more time into these projects, but I'm hoping that is calming down now so that I can refocus.
Thanks for your continued support. Hope to see you in the fall at the scheduled "gigs" as I call them. Looking forward to talking with you and seeing you there!
Peace,
Linda
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Hello!!
Welcome to my new website. We did some re-designing as you can see. We hope that you'll find the site more user friendly and a tad bit more organized with less clicks to get to want you wanted quicker.
You also notice the addition of a Calendar page, so now you'll know what art shows are coming up. You can also schedule an art show or private showing in your own home. What a great way to do something a bit different at your next party!!! If you are interested, drop me a line! I'll look forward to hearing and working with you to help your next event be something folks will remember and talk about!
Lots of things in the works right now. I'll be starting a cd cover art project this coming week. I'm also getting started on a commerical that will air in the fall. There will be some prizes given away at the website that a special promotion code (from the commerical) will be needed for--so be sure to stop back for the exciting details!!
There are also some shows already scheduled for the fall and more to be scheduled. I'm in the studio readying unreleased paintings for the upcoming shows. Also, keep an eye out at the "Affair on the Square" Friday Farmer's Market as I plan on bringing my easel and painting plein air at a few of these events.
If you are a musician and would like to talk to me about doing some cover art for your next release, drop me a line at lfisler@lindafisler.com and we'll talk.
That's all for now---Oh, Thanks for stopping by and please stop by the guestbook and let's us know what you think of the new site!
Welcome to my new website. We did some re-designing as you can see. We hope that you'll find the site more user friendly and a tad bit more organized with less clicks to get to want you wanted quicker.
You also notice the addition of a Calendar page, so now you'll know what art shows are coming up. You can also schedule an art show or private showing in your own home. What a great way to do something a bit different at your next party!!! If you are interested, drop me a line! I'll look forward to hearing and working with you to help your next event be something folks will remember and talk about!
Lots of things in the works right now. I'll be starting a cd cover art project this coming week. I'm also getting started on a commerical that will air in the fall. There will be some prizes given away at the website that a special promotion code (from the commerical) will be needed for--so be sure to stop back for the exciting details!!
There are also some shows already scheduled for the fall and more to be scheduled. I'm in the studio readying unreleased paintings for the upcoming shows. Also, keep an eye out at the "Affair on the Square" Friday Farmer's Market as I plan on bringing my easel and painting plein air at a few of these events.
If you are a musician and would like to talk to me about doing some cover art for your next release, drop me a line at lfisler@lindafisler.com and we'll talk.
That's all for now---Oh, Thanks for stopping by and please stop by the guestbook and let's us know what you think of the new site!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Monet in Normandy Exhibit reflections
I traveled up to Cleveland this past weekend to take in the paintings of a master, Claude Monet. The exhibit was at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which is undergoing a 258 Million dollar renovation. Traveling to the museum and finding parking was a bit of a hassle--well all right--it was a major hassle. In case you don't know, the CMA is located around the campus (or is that on the campus?) of Case Western University. The University was holding its graduation on the day of our tickets, May 20th. This was suppose to be the last day of the exhibit, but they have extended it until May 28th.
The streets were naturally torn to pieces by the renovation. They was also construction on Euclid Ave. from downtown Cleveland as well which resulted in us taking an alternate route to the museum. So, on Sunday morning we left early to head up to the museum, only to discover the graduation...oh and did I mention the Cleveland Marathon was being held that morning? This also lead to street closings and bumper to bumper traffic, short tempers, frustration...well you get the picture.
The trip up to the museum didn't exactly leave me in a good mood. I hate city driving as it is, but I'm also a terrible map reader (according to Tom), so the lesser of two evils is for me to drive versus being the navigator (which invaribly will end in an argument about how I can't read a map.) We parked the car, and tried to find the entrance to the museum. There were no signs directing you to the entrance. I guess we were suppose to be clairvoyant and see it in our crystal ball. We walked around for about 15 minutes when some kind souls, who had just left the museum, directed us to the entrance. Finally inside, we got our tickets from Will Call, and I found the comment box. ;-)
Because of the renovation, the rest of CMA is closed down. Everyone filed through the exhibit like good cattle and was very considerate. I wanted to be closer to the paintings to really study his brushwork and blending. You don't get many chances to see this that close. The lighting was not all that good (again--thanks to the renovation I'm sure--if not, I hope they have set aside a large amount of money for new lighting!), but it was sufficient.
The exhibit began in Normandy, Monet's early painting years when his style was tighter and less impressionistic (more realistic). While all his works are wonderfully done and truly masterpieces, it was interesting for me to see the progression of his art through the years. The exhibit included paintings from Rouen Cathedral and Eretat (seascapes), the Popular Tree paintings and hay stacks, and finishes with his work of Giverny. Again, words can't describe the experience a true "student" of Monet has when presented with such a once in a lifetime exhibit. There were times I was winking back the tears of joy when viewing the paintings.
It was also interesting how within this wonderful display there were a few of these paintings that rose above the others. These paintings had wonderful composition, color values and balance, depth, atomsphere---all the elements of a masterpiece painting coming together in that eye catching awe. Most memorable to me was a painting of lily pads. While there were three or four of these paintings, there was one that really caught my eye because the elements of the painting were done so much better than the rest. A look at the dates was just as interesting, as any fan of Monet knows that he was losing his eyesight toward the end of his life. The painting of the lily pads that I was drawn to was done early in his Giverny period. The blending of the colors in the water, the shadows of the pads on the water, the painting of the lily pads with bold yet caressing brushstrokes---I probably blocked a few peoples view I'm sure as I studied his handiwork closely. I then stood across the room and looked at the painting and how all the elements blended together. I let both images soak into my memory.
I never tire of studying Monet's work. I studied and soaked in his skies. I tried to mimic his brushwork in the waves (not touching the painting--after all I didn't want to be thrown out of the exhibit--but stood and moved my brushless hand in the same manner). I took note of his blending style, his choice of values. It was also interesting to see the difference between the paintings that were obiviously plein air and those that were done from studies in his studio.
This was the last stop for this exhibit. It was offered in San Francisco first, followed by the Raliegh Museum of Art in December of 2006 before coming to the Cleveland Museum of Art.
I'm truly blessed and lucky to have had the opportunity to see this Master's work up close and personal. And now, I'm off to my studio to work on my brushwork, blending and skies while thinking of all I was able to note while looking at my "teacher's" work.
The streets were naturally torn to pieces by the renovation. They was also construction on Euclid Ave. from downtown Cleveland as well which resulted in us taking an alternate route to the museum. So, on Sunday morning we left early to head up to the museum, only to discover the graduation...oh and did I mention the Cleveland Marathon was being held that morning? This also lead to street closings and bumper to bumper traffic, short tempers, frustration...well you get the picture.
The trip up to the museum didn't exactly leave me in a good mood. I hate city driving as it is, but I'm also a terrible map reader (according to Tom), so the lesser of two evils is for me to drive versus being the navigator (which invaribly will end in an argument about how I can't read a map.) We parked the car, and tried to find the entrance to the museum. There were no signs directing you to the entrance. I guess we were suppose to be clairvoyant and see it in our crystal ball. We walked around for about 15 minutes when some kind souls, who had just left the museum, directed us to the entrance. Finally inside, we got our tickets from Will Call, and I found the comment box. ;-)
Because of the renovation, the rest of CMA is closed down. Everyone filed through the exhibit like good cattle and was very considerate. I wanted to be closer to the paintings to really study his brushwork and blending. You don't get many chances to see this that close. The lighting was not all that good (again--thanks to the renovation I'm sure--if not, I hope they have set aside a large amount of money for new lighting!), but it was sufficient.
The exhibit began in Normandy, Monet's early painting years when his style was tighter and less impressionistic (more realistic). While all his works are wonderfully done and truly masterpieces, it was interesting for me to see the progression of his art through the years. The exhibit included paintings from Rouen Cathedral and Eretat (seascapes), the Popular Tree paintings and hay stacks, and finishes with his work of Giverny. Again, words can't describe the experience a true "student" of Monet has when presented with such a once in a lifetime exhibit. There were times I was winking back the tears of joy when viewing the paintings.
It was also interesting how within this wonderful display there were a few of these paintings that rose above the others. These paintings had wonderful composition, color values and balance, depth, atomsphere---all the elements of a masterpiece painting coming together in that eye catching awe. Most memorable to me was a painting of lily pads. While there were three or four of these paintings, there was one that really caught my eye because the elements of the painting were done so much better than the rest. A look at the dates was just as interesting, as any fan of Monet knows that he was losing his eyesight toward the end of his life. The painting of the lily pads that I was drawn to was done early in his Giverny period. The blending of the colors in the water, the shadows of the pads on the water, the painting of the lily pads with bold yet caressing brushstrokes---I probably blocked a few peoples view I'm sure as I studied his handiwork closely. I then stood across the room and looked at the painting and how all the elements blended together. I let both images soak into my memory.
I never tire of studying Monet's work. I studied and soaked in his skies. I tried to mimic his brushwork in the waves (not touching the painting--after all I didn't want to be thrown out of the exhibit--but stood and moved my brushless hand in the same manner). I took note of his blending style, his choice of values. It was also interesting to see the difference between the paintings that were obiviously plein air and those that were done from studies in his studio.
This was the last stop for this exhibit. It was offered in San Francisco first, followed by the Raliegh Museum of Art in December of 2006 before coming to the Cleveland Museum of Art.
I'm truly blessed and lucky to have had the opportunity to see this Master's work up close and personal. And now, I'm off to my studio to work on my brushwork, blending and skies while thinking of all I was able to note while looking at my "teacher's" work.
Monday, April 23, 2007
This that and some other things
It's been a while since I dropped by here to say hello. It's been a busy, strange and good time.
There's a lot happening here with me and my art. Some interesting turns of events for my art and in the city and throughout the nation as well. So hold on tight for the roller coaster ride you'll be going through here. Hopefully there will be some thoughtful statements that will get some folks thinking about things.
First, my art, since that is what the blog should be about. We've had over 600 hits so far on "Escape", between the Youtube posting and the link on my site. Keep passing it around--I really appreciate it. Considering all that is ugly going on in this world, think of it as passing on a little positive energy to help negate that ugliness. I appreciate your support sending it along! I was bold enough to send this to Howard and Judi Behrens to check out and they were very nice in responding to my message. Howard Behrens is one of my favorite artists, so any compliment from Howard and Judi is always appreciated and treasured!!
I've been accepted to participate in the Evendale Fine Art Exhibit which was juried by nationally known artist Michael McGuire. This was really exciting and I think they heard me two houses away when I opened the letter to learn my work was accepted!! What a confidence boost it was and I'm honored to be a part of this. I'm glad to also volunteer to help with set up and tear down of the show. I'm looking forward to meeting Martha Carmody and many other artists that will be participating in the show. The show starts on May 4th with a opening reception that will have Bernice Robinson (cellist) and Douglas Webb (harpist) will be accompanying the open. The reception starts at 6:00 pm and goes until 9:30 pm on the 4th. Looking forward to meeting new friends and seeing old friends at this show.
I'll be heading outside to start back into painting plein air again this summer with Chuck Marshall. Chuck is an inspiration and it's always nice to get his critiques and reminders on what I 'm doing.
Probably the bad news should be mentioned here as well. The studios are not going to happen--at least the ones at the 1 Floor Up building. The building owner has decided to sell and doesn't want to put anymore money into developing the building. The building is listed with ReMax. After spending 40 hours on developing a business plan and discussing what we could do with Steve and other artists, this was a sobering blow. We hosted one final First Friday event before pulling the plug on these. It was nice to see our core supporters stopping by to check us out and provide comfort and support at this time.
This isn't all bad news mind you....thanks to my friends at Rumford Productions. Deborah and Don Rumford have offered some space in their office building to hold art shows for the group that was involved in the First Friday events. After discussing this with the artists, we've decided to take them up on the offer, but with some changes. Looking back on the show with the limited display space and artist participating, we didn't have a high turn over on the paintings. Jeff did a great job of having new pottery. We've decided that maybe we would serve ourselves better by doing a quarterly show. There's more space at Rumfords Productions and it is located in the first block that has been "targeted" for attention on the revitalization of the downtown. I'm very thankful to Deborah and Don-their kindness is great and naturally I enjoy their perspective and friendship. They are really really good people!!! While we won't be doing studios, I keep hearing rumors of other studios being built. I wish anyone who is going into this venture the best of luck. For me, this ended up being a good thing. It caused me to step back and think about where I was going, how much support we really have here in Middletown (in regards to the city and general public) and made me focus on what I should be doing. You'll see the result of that thinking over the remaining year. Hopefully, fate will allow me to keep posting good news and less of the bad news!
Now for some thoughts on the city and some recent changes. Two surprise "announcements" were made this past week. One was, of course, the "Citizen Comments" agenda item being removed from the televised portion of the public meeting. The change is that an open forum will happen from 5:00 to 6:00 on the Tuesday City Counsel is meeting in conference room 2C.
Now here's where it almost gets hilarious. Enter the usual suspects and biggest abusers of this privelege (it's a privelege folks---it has nothing to do with Free Speech--more on that in a minute.) saying that the city is trying to hide something and keep their citizens quiet. No--that's not what is going on. They are trying to take control of a city who is in desperate need of real leadership. They are trying to keep the meetings from being hi-jacked by citizens who feel it is their mission in life to constantly drag in the negativity of any situation and infuse paranoia into the uninformed good people of this city. We have some major problems here and it is not going to get better by calling for everyone's resignation! My motto has always been, "if you aren't willing to be part of the solution, then don't get involved." Pointing out the so called bad things in Middletown doesn't help unless you have a solution--and resignation of everyone isn't the answer. It's an easy way out.
I'm actually glad that the counsel and new interim city manager have done this. It does not take away anyone's free speech rights. You can still talk with them in conference room 2c. You can still write emails. You can still call them on the phone. You can still voice your opinions to them anytime you see them--including making arrangements to meet with them personally. This does not preclude you from writing to the newspapers, starting a website, or a blog (now there's a thought! ;-) where you can list your issues (hopefully with solutions that can be employed) and get community involvement to your issues. Instead of making the city counsel meetings the "As Middletown Turns" soap opera, some work might just get done. Take a look around and listen to what those outside this community like of us who live here. It isn't pleasant and yes you should care about this image--especially if you ever want it to succeed or sell your property.
The second surprise announcement is that our current Mayor announced he will not be running for our first directly elected Mayor. Now mind you--we will still be a city manager form of government so the only real change here is that a candidate has to say he is running for mayor, get elected and after elected will control the agenda, kiss a lot of babies, attend as many events to represent the counsel and city as possible, and provide direction (based on full city counsel votes etc.) to the city manager--you get the idea--it will still be a ceremonial post.
My concern here is that people will actually think with a directly elected Mayor that all of the sudden we have a Mayoral form of government. Nope--not unless we change the city charter.
The only change is that the people get to put in place their mayor--where before council appointed the mayor at a retreat. Maybe it will solve the intercouncil bickering...but I doubt that. As I stated before, we need real leaders to get us through this time. And I'm not just talking about council. It seems most people here are just more interested in electing a person that they can make a scapegoat. If that's true, no wonder some folks aren't interested in running for mayor.
And while we are on the subject of elections and leaders, I can't say I'm impressed with the field of possible candidates for President. And we are over a year away from the election and I'm already sick of the media coverage. I like England's election process--six weeks--that's all you get to get your message acrossed. I could go for a six week election process here. What we need both here in Middletown and in this nation are visionaries. This is yet another crossroads and we need people who can see beyond the tasks of today to make sure that we are on the right path to leverage tomorrow.
Well--I think I've rambled enough. Let's keep faith that we find those visionaries and they change the path we are currently on to one more positive and inspiring.
There's a lot happening here with me and my art. Some interesting turns of events for my art and in the city and throughout the nation as well. So hold on tight for the roller coaster ride you'll be going through here. Hopefully there will be some thoughtful statements that will get some folks thinking about things.
First, my art, since that is what the blog should be about. We've had over 600 hits so far on "Escape", between the Youtube posting and the link on my site. Keep passing it around--I really appreciate it. Considering all that is ugly going on in this world, think of it as passing on a little positive energy to help negate that ugliness. I appreciate your support sending it along! I was bold enough to send this to Howard and Judi Behrens to check out and they were very nice in responding to my message. Howard Behrens is one of my favorite artists, so any compliment from Howard and Judi is always appreciated and treasured!!
I've been accepted to participate in the Evendale Fine Art Exhibit which was juried by nationally known artist Michael McGuire. This was really exciting and I think they heard me two houses away when I opened the letter to learn my work was accepted!! What a confidence boost it was and I'm honored to be a part of this. I'm glad to also volunteer to help with set up and tear down of the show. I'm looking forward to meeting Martha Carmody and many other artists that will be participating in the show. The show starts on May 4th with a opening reception that will have Bernice Robinson (cellist) and Douglas Webb (harpist) will be accompanying the open. The reception starts at 6:00 pm and goes until 9:30 pm on the 4th. Looking forward to meeting new friends and seeing old friends at this show.
I'll be heading outside to start back into painting plein air again this summer with Chuck Marshall. Chuck is an inspiration and it's always nice to get his critiques and reminders on what I 'm doing.
Probably the bad news should be mentioned here as well. The studios are not going to happen--at least the ones at the 1 Floor Up building. The building owner has decided to sell and doesn't want to put anymore money into developing the building. The building is listed with ReMax. After spending 40 hours on developing a business plan and discussing what we could do with Steve and other artists, this was a sobering blow. We hosted one final First Friday event before pulling the plug on these. It was nice to see our core supporters stopping by to check us out and provide comfort and support at this time.
This isn't all bad news mind you....thanks to my friends at Rumford Productions. Deborah and Don Rumford have offered some space in their office building to hold art shows for the group that was involved in the First Friday events. After discussing this with the artists, we've decided to take them up on the offer, but with some changes. Looking back on the show with the limited display space and artist participating, we didn't have a high turn over on the paintings. Jeff did a great job of having new pottery. We've decided that maybe we would serve ourselves better by doing a quarterly show. There's more space at Rumfords Productions and it is located in the first block that has been "targeted" for attention on the revitalization of the downtown. I'm very thankful to Deborah and Don-their kindness is great and naturally I enjoy their perspective and friendship. They are really really good people!!! While we won't be doing studios, I keep hearing rumors of other studios being built. I wish anyone who is going into this venture the best of luck. For me, this ended up being a good thing. It caused me to step back and think about where I was going, how much support we really have here in Middletown (in regards to the city and general public) and made me focus on what I should be doing. You'll see the result of that thinking over the remaining year. Hopefully, fate will allow me to keep posting good news and less of the bad news!
Now for some thoughts on the city and some recent changes. Two surprise "announcements" were made this past week. One was, of course, the "Citizen Comments" agenda item being removed from the televised portion of the public meeting. The change is that an open forum will happen from 5:00 to 6:00 on the Tuesday City Counsel is meeting in conference room 2C.
Now here's where it almost gets hilarious. Enter the usual suspects and biggest abusers of this privelege (it's a privelege folks---it has nothing to do with Free Speech--more on that in a minute.) saying that the city is trying to hide something and keep their citizens quiet. No--that's not what is going on. They are trying to take control of a city who is in desperate need of real leadership. They are trying to keep the meetings from being hi-jacked by citizens who feel it is their mission in life to constantly drag in the negativity of any situation and infuse paranoia into the uninformed good people of this city. We have some major problems here and it is not going to get better by calling for everyone's resignation! My motto has always been, "if you aren't willing to be part of the solution, then don't get involved." Pointing out the so called bad things in Middletown doesn't help unless you have a solution--and resignation of everyone isn't the answer. It's an easy way out.
I'm actually glad that the counsel and new interim city manager have done this. It does not take away anyone's free speech rights. You can still talk with them in conference room 2c. You can still write emails. You can still call them on the phone. You can still voice your opinions to them anytime you see them--including making arrangements to meet with them personally. This does not preclude you from writing to the newspapers, starting a website, or a blog (now there's a thought! ;-) where you can list your issues (hopefully with solutions that can be employed) and get community involvement to your issues. Instead of making the city counsel meetings the "As Middletown Turns" soap opera, some work might just get done. Take a look around and listen to what those outside this community like of us who live here. It isn't pleasant and yes you should care about this image--especially if you ever want it to succeed or sell your property.
The second surprise announcement is that our current Mayor announced he will not be running for our first directly elected Mayor. Now mind you--we will still be a city manager form of government so the only real change here is that a candidate has to say he is running for mayor, get elected and after elected will control the agenda, kiss a lot of babies, attend as many events to represent the counsel and city as possible, and provide direction (based on full city counsel votes etc.) to the city manager--you get the idea--it will still be a ceremonial post.
My concern here is that people will actually think with a directly elected Mayor that all of the sudden we have a Mayoral form of government. Nope--not unless we change the city charter.
The only change is that the people get to put in place their mayor--where before council appointed the mayor at a retreat. Maybe it will solve the intercouncil bickering...but I doubt that. As I stated before, we need real leaders to get us through this time. And I'm not just talking about council. It seems most people here are just more interested in electing a person that they can make a scapegoat. If that's true, no wonder some folks aren't interested in running for mayor.
And while we are on the subject of elections and leaders, I can't say I'm impressed with the field of possible candidates for President. And we are over a year away from the election and I'm already sick of the media coverage. I like England's election process--six weeks--that's all you get to get your message acrossed. I could go for a six week election process here. What we need both here in Middletown and in this nation are visionaries. This is yet another crossroads and we need people who can see beyond the tasks of today to make sure that we are on the right path to leverage tomorrow.
Well--I think I've rambled enough. Let's keep faith that we find those visionaries and they change the path we are currently on to one more positive and inspiring.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Video Project Wrapping Up
That's always the problem when you don't write things as you go. But then when you are in the moment there isn't much time to write. We didn't have much downtime when we were in the studio.
We started by videoing the paintings that we wanted to use in the video with very little direction on exactly what I wanted. I figured I'd let art flow over me during this process. As Don did the taping, he started noticing my muse in the paintings--also known as faces...hidden in certain areas. It was great!
This really opened the mood up and allowed us to enjoy the moments as we talked about what we could do with certain pieces in the song. The following time was sitting in front of a video editor and monitor. Every note played and matched to the visuals we wanted where we wanted to compliment the composition. Special effects here and there. Render it, watch it, change it, watch it, change it again...well you get the picture.
We now have the final version I believe and as I sit here and review it, I'm really impressed with the product. I'm looking forward to the Release Party and watching everyone's faces as they view Escape! for the first time.
We'll post it to Youtube the following day, so keep an eye out for the URL and please forward it to your friends. I'm hoping this video makes it around the world--just for fun.
I named it Escape because between the music provided by Wayne Johnson and Solid Air Records accompanied by the beautiful visuals of my paintings almost makes you go on a mini vacation. It certainly is a refresh--relaxation enhancement peice. I hope you will enjoy it!
Off to the studio to get some more things painted.
Talk with you soon
Linda
We started by videoing the paintings that we wanted to use in the video with very little direction on exactly what I wanted. I figured I'd let art flow over me during this process. As Don did the taping, he started noticing my muse in the paintings--also known as faces...hidden in certain areas. It was great!
This really opened the mood up and allowed us to enjoy the moments as we talked about what we could do with certain pieces in the song. The following time was sitting in front of a video editor and monitor. Every note played and matched to the visuals we wanted where we wanted to compliment the composition. Special effects here and there. Render it, watch it, change it, watch it, change it again...well you get the picture.
We now have the final version I believe and as I sit here and review it, I'm really impressed with the product. I'm looking forward to the Release Party and watching everyone's faces as they view Escape! for the first time.
We'll post it to Youtube the following day, so keep an eye out for the URL and please forward it to your friends. I'm hoping this video makes it around the world--just for fun.
I named it Escape because between the music provided by Wayne Johnson and Solid Air Records accompanied by the beautiful visuals of my paintings almost makes you go on a mini vacation. It certainly is a refresh--relaxation enhancement peice. I hope you will enjoy it!
Off to the studio to get some more things painted.
Talk with you soon
Linda
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Lots going on
Greetings on this cold, snowy, bone-chillin' cold day!
It's been a busy January and by all indications, February will be just as busy!!
First, an update on the video. The ten new paintings are finished. The frames have been ordered and delivered. Last Sunday, we spent about 5 hours in the studio shooting the paintings. This Saturday, we'll begin editing and pulling the sequences we want for the final cut. A special thanks to Rob Hoffman of Uncle Daddy and the Family Secret for being our "hand" model for a really cool effect we are planning for the opening of the video. It's always great fun to catch up to Rob and chat. He's a busy guy and we were happy to get some of his time with us! So--thank you my friend! Don and Deborah Rumford (of Rumford Productions) and Rob were the first to see the paintings in person. We had some fun filming them and discussing them. Even though we shot 4 and half hours it went by pretty quickly.
The Middletown Journal has a weekly magazine dedicated to what is going on (entertainment wise that is) and last week I received a call from Richard Jones who works on the magazine. They wanted to do a story on the Artistic Harmonies First Friday events. Tuesday was spent with a photographer from the Journal who got a tour of the building, background on what we are trying to accomplish, and a peak at the progress of the artist studios. Then Jeff Michel (another artist) and myself posed for pictures. Check out the website on Saturday or Sunday for a link to the article. For those in the Southwest Ohio area-It will be in this Friday's GO! magazine. Thanks to the Journal for their continued support.
You'll also start hearing a commerical on the airwaves for the First Friday events if you are in the Middletown area. The Middletown Convention and Visitor Bureau has decided to highlight the First Friday events. You still need a reservation/invitation to get but all you need to do is contact Linda for that. I was thrilled when Maria told me they decided to highlight Artistic Harmonies.
This Friday is a first Friday---the event starts at 6:30 to 8:30. Stop by to vote for your favorite painting and tell us who you are going to be cheering for in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to seeing you there!!
It's so touching to see the support of the city and friends in my endeavors. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year and creating more art. I can't say enough to thank everyone for their kindness. It certainly makes the snowy, grey, cold day a lot warmer!!
In March, we'll be releasing the video on youtube. Stay tuned for the link to be posted here, and on my website. I hope that you'll forward the link to family and friends to share the inspiration that I hope it brings. The original paintings used in the video will be for sale. I'll also be taking orders for gilacee's (prints--of very high quality) to be made. So if you can't afford the original painting, you can order a print. The website will be updated with all the information.
Until then, rock on and you know where to find me if you have any questions!
Peace and Love to all,
Linda
It's been a busy January and by all indications, February will be just as busy!!
First, an update on the video. The ten new paintings are finished. The frames have been ordered and delivered. Last Sunday, we spent about 5 hours in the studio shooting the paintings. This Saturday, we'll begin editing and pulling the sequences we want for the final cut. A special thanks to Rob Hoffman of Uncle Daddy and the Family Secret for being our "hand" model for a really cool effect we are planning for the opening of the video. It's always great fun to catch up to Rob and chat. He's a busy guy and we were happy to get some of his time with us! So--thank you my friend! Don and Deborah Rumford (of Rumford Productions) and Rob were the first to see the paintings in person. We had some fun filming them and discussing them. Even though we shot 4 and half hours it went by pretty quickly.
The Middletown Journal has a weekly magazine dedicated to what is going on (entertainment wise that is) and last week I received a call from Richard Jones who works on the magazine. They wanted to do a story on the Artistic Harmonies First Friday events. Tuesday was spent with a photographer from the Journal who got a tour of the building, background on what we are trying to accomplish, and a peak at the progress of the artist studios. Then Jeff Michel (another artist) and myself posed for pictures. Check out the website on Saturday or Sunday for a link to the article. For those in the Southwest Ohio area-It will be in this Friday's GO! magazine. Thanks to the Journal for their continued support.
You'll also start hearing a commerical on the airwaves for the First Friday events if you are in the Middletown area. The Middletown Convention and Visitor Bureau has decided to highlight the First Friday events. You still need a reservation/invitation to get but all you need to do is contact Linda for that. I was thrilled when Maria told me they decided to highlight Artistic Harmonies.
This Friday is a first Friday---the event starts at 6:30 to 8:30. Stop by to vote for your favorite painting and tell us who you are going to be cheering for in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to seeing you there!!
It's so touching to see the support of the city and friends in my endeavors. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year and creating more art. I can't say enough to thank everyone for their kindness. It certainly makes the snowy, grey, cold day a lot warmer!!
In March, we'll be releasing the video on youtube. Stay tuned for the link to be posted here, and on my website. I hope that you'll forward the link to family and friends to share the inspiration that I hope it brings. The original paintings used in the video will be for sale. I'll also be taking orders for gilacee's (prints--of very high quality) to be made. So if you can't afford the original painting, you can order a print. The website will be updated with all the information.
Until then, rock on and you know where to find me if you have any questions!
Peace and Love to all,
Linda
Thanks and lots going on
Greetings on this snowy, grey, bone-chillin' cold day!!
It's been a busy January and by all indications, February will be just as busy!!
First, an update on the video. The ten new paintings are finished. The frames have been ordered and delivered. Last Sunday, we spent about 5 hours in the studio shooting the paintings. This Saturday, we'll begin editing and pulling the sequences we want for the final cut. A special thanks to Rob Hoffman of Uncle Daddy and the Family Secret for being our "hand" model for a really cool effect we are planning for the opening of the video. It's always great fun to catch up to Rob and chat. He's a busy guy and we were happy to get some of his time with us! So--thank you my friend! Don and Deborah Rumford (of Rumford Productions) and Rob were the first to see the paintings in person. We had some fun filming them and discussing them. Even though we shot 4 and half hours it went by pretty quickly.
The Middletown Journal has a weekly magazine dedicated to what is going on (entertainment wise that is) and last week I received a call from Richard Jones who works on the magazine. They wanted to do a story on the Artistic Harmonies First Friday events. Tuesday was spent with a photographer from the Journal who got a tour of the building, background on what we are trying to accomplish, and a peak at the progress of the artist studios. Then Jeff Michel (another artist) and myself posed for pictures. Check out the website on Saturday or Sunday for a link to the article. For those in the Southwest Ohio area-It will be in this Friday's GO! magazine. Thanks to the Journal for their continued support.
You'll also start hearing a commerical on the airwaves for the First Friday events if you are in the Middletown area. The Middletown Convention and Visitor Bureau has decided to highlight the First Friday events. You still need a reservation/invitation to get but all you need to do is contact Linda for that. I was thrilled when Maria told me they decided to highlight Artistic Harmonies.
This Friday is a first Friday---the event starts at 6:30 to 8:30. Stop by to vote for your favorite painting and tell us who you are going to be cheering for in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to seeing you there!!
It's so touching to see the support of the city and friends in my endeavors. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year and creating more art. I can't say enough to thank everyone for their kindness. It certainly makes the snowy, grey, cold day a lot warmer!!
In March, we'll be releasing the video on youtube. Stay tuned for the link to be posted here, and on my website. I hope that you'll forward the link to family and friends to share the inspiration that I hope it brings. The original paintings used in the video will be for sale. I'll also be taking orders for gilacee's (prints--of very high quality) to be made. So if you can't afford the original painting, you can order a print. The website will be updated with all the information.
Until then, rock on and you know where to find me if you have any questions!
Peace and Love to all,
Linda
It's been a busy January and by all indications, February will be just as busy!!
First, an update on the video. The ten new paintings are finished. The frames have been ordered and delivered. Last Sunday, we spent about 5 hours in the studio shooting the paintings. This Saturday, we'll begin editing and pulling the sequences we want for the final cut. A special thanks to Rob Hoffman of Uncle Daddy and the Family Secret for being our "hand" model for a really cool effect we are planning for the opening of the video. It's always great fun to catch up to Rob and chat. He's a busy guy and we were happy to get some of his time with us! So--thank you my friend! Don and Deborah Rumford (of Rumford Productions) and Rob were the first to see the paintings in person. We had some fun filming them and discussing them. Even though we shot 4 and half hours it went by pretty quickly.
The Middletown Journal has a weekly magazine dedicated to what is going on (entertainment wise that is) and last week I received a call from Richard Jones who works on the magazine. They wanted to do a story on the Artistic Harmonies First Friday events. Tuesday was spent with a photographer from the Journal who got a tour of the building, background on what we are trying to accomplish, and a peak at the progress of the artist studios. Then Jeff Michel (another artist) and myself posed for pictures. Check out the website on Saturday or Sunday for a link to the article. For those in the Southwest Ohio area-It will be in this Friday's GO! magazine. Thanks to the Journal for their continued support.
You'll also start hearing a commerical on the airwaves for the First Friday events if you are in the Middletown area. The Middletown Convention and Visitor Bureau has decided to highlight the First Friday events. You still need a reservation/invitation to get but all you need to do is contact Linda for that. I was thrilled when Maria told me they decided to highlight Artistic Harmonies.
This Friday is a first Friday---the event starts at 6:30 to 8:30. Stop by to vote for your favorite painting and tell us who you are going to be cheering for in the Super Bowl. Looking forward to seeing you there!!
It's so touching to see the support of the city and friends in my endeavors. Looking forward to seeing everyone in the new year and creating more art. I can't say enough to thank everyone for their kindness. It certainly makes the snowy, grey, cold day a lot warmer!!
In March, we'll be releasing the video on youtube. Stay tuned for the link to be posted here, and on my website. I hope that you'll forward the link to family and friends to share the inspiration that I hope it brings. The original paintings used in the video will be for sale. I'll also be taking orders for gilacee's (prints--of very high quality) to be made. So if you can't afford the original painting, you can order a print. The website will be updated with all the information.
Until then, rock on and you know where to find me if you have any questions!
Peace and Love to all,
Linda
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
It's a New Year
and already the bickering has started again on City Council. Why am I not surprised?
Last night's Council meeting was relatively short compared to the past soap opera sagas that have taken place. I wonder aloud why that is? Could it be that Mr. Schiavone is back as Mayor and where were Mr. Rapp and Mr. Nagy now that Mr. Shiavone is mayor? Not that I missed their insane rants---I didn't. About the only thing new in this soap opera was the addition of one new face baiting Mrs. Williams. But even that isn't new. This stupidity is getting so old it isn't even worth going on with another blog of opinions. Swimming pools....income tax increase discussions....seating a new councilman to replace former Mayor Wells....lies....deception...typical politics.....yawn.....next topic....
Video Project update....
We are heading into the production stage of the project. The majority of paintings are completed and we've began shooting on one of the paintings. We have some surprises in store with this. I'm not going to spoil some of the things we are doing, you'll just have to watch it when it's released. We're going to be planning a release party the night before we release it on Youtube.com and our sites. Stay tuned for more information.
Art Studios
Construction continues on the studios. I'll be posting some pictures of how far along we are soon. There are two studios still available. A "Grand Opening" is going to be planned shortly--as soon as I can figure out when we'll be ready for public viewing. Being out of town over the holidays has cut into some time for planning, but we'll let you know when the opening happens.
Artistic Harmonies
The next Artistic Harmonies First Friday event is Feb 2nd from 6:30 to 8:30. It's quite possible that Friday the 2nd will be the Grand Opening as well. We'll open the studios all day and have the First Friday event as part of that. In the meantime, plan on stopping by to see the place on Feb 2nd at the First Friday event.
Off to the studios--I have a number of paintings in mind. Happy New Year everyone!!
Last night's Council meeting was relatively short compared to the past soap opera sagas that have taken place. I wonder aloud why that is? Could it be that Mr. Schiavone is back as Mayor and where were Mr. Rapp and Mr. Nagy now that Mr. Shiavone is mayor? Not that I missed their insane rants---I didn't. About the only thing new in this soap opera was the addition of one new face baiting Mrs. Williams. But even that isn't new. This stupidity is getting so old it isn't even worth going on with another blog of opinions. Swimming pools....income tax increase discussions....seating a new councilman to replace former Mayor Wells....lies....deception...typical politics.....yawn.....next topic....
Video Project update....
We are heading into the production stage of the project. The majority of paintings are completed and we've began shooting on one of the paintings. We have some surprises in store with this. I'm not going to spoil some of the things we are doing, you'll just have to watch it when it's released. We're going to be planning a release party the night before we release it on Youtube.com and our sites. Stay tuned for more information.
Art Studios
Construction continues on the studios. I'll be posting some pictures of how far along we are soon. There are two studios still available. A "Grand Opening" is going to be planned shortly--as soon as I can figure out when we'll be ready for public viewing. Being out of town over the holidays has cut into some time for planning, but we'll let you know when the opening happens.
Artistic Harmonies
The next Artistic Harmonies First Friday event is Feb 2nd from 6:30 to 8:30. It's quite possible that Friday the 2nd will be the Grand Opening as well. We'll open the studios all day and have the First Friday event as part of that. In the meantime, plan on stopping by to see the place on Feb 2nd at the First Friday event.
Off to the studios--I have a number of paintings in mind. Happy New Year everyone!!
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