On to Old Saybrook

Again, it looks like we'll be battling inclement weather this weekend. We've had threats of rain almost every show, and have pretty much dodged a bullet. We may not be so lucky this time.

This is my first time doing Old Saybrook Art Show. It's on the town green, much like Glastonbury's show, and I've heard some pretty good reports about it. It all depends on who walks by. As with any show that I'm not familiar with, I bring a lot of giclees so there is something for everyone. I haven't been as productive as I should have been. There is a frequent discrepency between what I want to paint and what people want to put on their walls. I paint puddles, they want pears.

Westport

It was a good show, not a great show, but a good show, and there was a lot of foot traffic and the weather was in our favor. Some artists started packing up a half hour early on Sunday because there were threatening thunderstorms in the area. Luckily they all went north of us. Sorry to keep harping about the weather but there is nothing more frightening to be outdoors in a metal tent in a thunderstorm, especially when all of your life's work is inside! Not to mention your personal safety.

On another note here are the finished pieces that I posted earlier.

And sometimes you're the windshield...

I got one of the most exciting e-mails I've ever received today. Actually it was in my spam folder and I luckily gave the contents a quick glance before I emptied it. It was from American Artist Magazine informing me that one of my oil paintings that I submitted to their 70th Anniversary Art Competition was a semifinalist. It's this one, "Morning Light."


This is really unbelievable because they get thousands if not tens of thousands of entries. They will either publish it in their December issue or on their web site.

Maybe I should bring a few more prints of it to Westport!

On to Westport

Next show up is Westport. This is the only outdoor show I do in the western part of the state. The Westport people are a lot like the West Hartford people--they really support their downtown and they always show up at the events. I have been at Westport show when it was over 100 degrees and their were still plenty of people walking the show.

It is a tough show to do for several reasons. First there are only around 135 spots and its tough to get in on a regular basis. I was lucky this year. Set up starts at 5:00 am on Saturday, the show starts at 10 am and goes till 7 in the evening. Sunday it's 10-6, two very long days. Main Street is closed off for the event. Loading and unloading is quite a hassle and requires tremendous patience. However the weather seems to be going to cooperate--both days forecast in the low 80s.

Sometimes you're the bug....

The set up at Wickford wasn't too bad. We had a little rain but nothing unbearable. No flooding. We had decent weather and lots of people but I only sold one small painting. Some fellow artists didn't do so hot either. I don't think the one next to me sold anything and a couple of others only sold 1. We aren't allowed to bring prints of our work at Wickford so we are at a disadvantage when we're up against the photographers. They can bring as many prints as the like and since they are so much cheaper than original artwork, they look like a bargain. Especially when they are printed on canvas and "enhanced" with an acrylic gel to look like brush strokes. It's a sore spot among artists and it doesn't seem fair.

Oh well, sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield.

On to Westport.

Yellow paint

It always happens.

I'm running around like a crazy person trying to get everything packed and done for the show. I decided to photograph this painting of a dog sleeping and after I finished, I noticed that the color on his head was a little off. No problem, I thought, just a quickie touch up. Five minutes max. No need to even put on a smock. Big mistake. The touch up went smoothly and then I looked down and I had yellow paint all over my arm and all over my light blue, bargain Chico's pants. I have no idea how it got there. It's a proven fact that all oil painters are magnetically charged to attract all paint. It's absolutely amazing how it works.

Countdown to Wickford

I just checked the weather forecast and it looks like the weekend will be gorgeous. However, there will be rain on Thursday and Friday (hopefully not during Friday setup) so some flooding in our booth spaces may be possible. I have to make sure to bring the battery operated bilge pump and hose!

People who don't do outdoor shows don't think about the weather much, but when you are doing them, it can make or break you, not to mention be downright dangerous. Thunderstorms and high winds come to mind. There's nothing more miserable than trying to pack up in the pouring rain.

Anyway, I have almost finished "Secret Garden." I don't think I'll do a garden again. Too much work and looking at this painting, I think it's just one thatched roof away from Kincade.

More works in progress

Here is another painting still in the grisaille stage. It's"Secret Garden." I hope to have it finished by the Wickford show this weekend.

Works in Progress

Here's the latest piece I've been working on. It's of this antique doll that is posed on my cousin's couch. I thought the stripes were very interesting. The doll is still only roughed in (in the "grisaille" phase). It should be interesting when I add the color to it, as the doll has a very bright red sweater (which was, in fact, knitted by my cousin's mother).