Welcome Back!
Work in Progress
Welcome back to our shameless, self-promotion newsletter. Remember that you can always download back issues and they are all free! The newsletters are full of inside studio tips, Kate's marketing articles, painting demos and advice on some of the top artist materials available. Click HERE for the ArtsyFartsy Newsletter archives of course, I like to include my recommendations for books and music in each issue. My workshop schedule is always updated - you can see it HERE.
Bob in Chicken Coop
It's springtime back at the ranch, so what better time to get chicks, build a chicken coop and start a new painting series of… chickens!
Bob and Chicken Paintings
The Buenaventura Art Association held a three day workshop - Contemporary Figure Painting & Collage. The male and female models were the best I ever worked with. I got to do some large charcoals as well. On the fourth day Kate and I conducted a one day Art Marketing Workshop to a crowded classroom filled with artists (and their managers) who want to make more money and get into more shows and galleries. They came to the right place! Great way to end the month of March.
Male & Female Drawings
April - Another fun-packed month started early in Portland, Oregon. The Watercolor Society of Oregon's three day Spring Convention had me hopping like a bunny. First, I was honored to have juried their "Awash in Color" aqueous member exhibition - selecting twenty award winners was challenging due to the high caliber of the submitted artwork. Next I gave two lecture and artwork critiques of members' paintings. I really enjoyed giving initial response critiques of the artwork to a "standing room only" audience of 300+ members. Later that evening I attended their annual awards banquet and had the opportunity to present the awards. The final morning was my 2 hour Demo. Many thanks to the capable tech crew for the overhead camera and lights!
WSO Show Opening
Immediately after, we prepared the classroom for a 4 day Loosen Up with Aquamedia Workshop. What a blast that was! The organizers, leadership and enthusiastic volunteers showed me how exciting it is to be a member of a well-run, statewide watercolor society. Bravo to you WSO! To read an article about my workshop in Oregon click HERE.
WSO Workshop
WSO Workshop Group Photo
The next week, seven students from all over the USA arrived at my studio for our 3-1/2 day Studio Mentor Workshop and it was full of "crazy good" painters. New ones as well as full-on professionals. They came all the way from Florida, Oregon and all over California to paint their stuff in the studio and on the deck. I particularly like this studio time! I get to paint on my stuff too. Truly however, they come for Kate's lunches and daily soirees - and they also paint a lot!
Studio Mentor Workshop Set Up
We will post our 2015 Studio Mentor Workshop dates next month.
Studio Mentor Workshop
Introducing a New One-on-One Workshop!
•One on One with Bob in his studio!
•3 days Private Studio Time
•6 hour Studio Days
•Your Project - Your Schedule
•All Levels
•Gourmet Lunches
•To secure your date, schedule your time with Kate!
Workshops in the Spotlight
Working with a Model
I just got back from a week at the Sedona Arts Center - what an amazing place - Large workshop room and those red rocks! The workshop was "Contemporary Figure Painting & Collage" and we worked with two undraped models. I have another Figure Workshop coming up soon at Dillman's in Wisconsin - the details are below. There are a couple of spaces available!
Contemporary Figure Workshop
June 16-20, 2014
Artist Retreat - Contemporary Abstract Figure Painting
& Collage
5-day Workshop (Monday-Friday)
Dillman's Bay Resort & Creative Arts Foundation
Lac du Flambeau, WI
Contact (715) 588-3143 or vacations@dillmans.com
www.dillmans.com
Practice Figure Drawing!
Here's a couple of websites to use to practice figure drawing - they are both "suggested donation" based if you use them. Check it out and see what you think!
www.posemaniacs.com - 3D and Muscular
www.artists.pixelovely.com - Figure and Gesture Drawing
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Studio Tip - Transparent vs Translucent?
Say, what's the difference? The Thesaurus says it best….
Transparent
•Transparent is crystal clear and crisp.
Translucent
•Translucent is a cloudy luminosity. You can see through it, but the image is semi-transparent. Think ghosts.
Hope this "clears" it up! And what about Transparent vs Opaque?
Transparent or Opaque?
Most paint tubes or jars will indicate somewhere on the label if the paint is either transparent or opaque. Different manufacturers use different ways to tell you. The most obvious way is to label the paint as transparent or opaque. Golden brand, however, shows you. A swipe of the color is placed over three little black bars on the label. If the bars are still visible, it's a transparent paint. If the bars disappear, the paint is opaque (duh!). The Holbein Acryla acrylic label shows a black dot pattern.
All this is helpful info if you need to "cover up" an area in your painting or if you are color-toning an area in your painting. Just thought you'd find this info interesting!
More Studio Tips! - Mediums
Workshop Varnish Demo
A medium is a chemical formula that the artist adds to the paint for a desired effect. The huge variety of working characteristics for each medium is printed on the labels. The range of techniques for each is also huge. Slow to dry, fast to dry, glazing, thickening, thinning, heavy body, soft body, encaustic, marbling, waxes. And then there are a whole slew of artists' oil mediums. See, I told you there is a huge variety of mediums! Some manufacturers combine mediums AND varnish together in the same bottle. I'm not fond of combos. I prefer mediums for what they do and not for being fooled into thinking I'm getting two for the price of one.
Holbein's Crystal Varnish
To varnish a painting, I use just varnish, such as Holbein's Crystal Varnish for a crystal clear protection or Holbein's Mat Varnish for a mat finish protection.
Dorland's Wax Medium
Dorland's Wax Medium is an additive oil based medium I have used as a final wax protective coating on my watercolors (no glass or mat needed), oils and acrylic paintings. It is incredibly versatile, has many uses and you should try it and see for yourself. I purchase a gallon for $85 from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff and use it for my oil paintings and for protecting my watercolors … like waxing a car!
To read more, click HERE for my article "Why Varnish your Oil, Acrylic & Watercolor Paintings?"
I have more tips for loosening up! Check out my Robert Burridge's Workbook & Studio Notes for more techniques to help you stay loose, relaxed and creative!
Click HERE for information and ordering!
Bob's Favorite Magazines
"They cannot stop culture. And sometimes when there is pressure, Artists become more creative." - Yoko Ono
If you align with that, then you might add to your long magazine list - Interview.
Interview is an American magazine which has the nickname "The Crystal Ball of Pop". It was founded in late 1969 by artist Andy Warhol. Think pop culture, fashion, art stuff and art gallery openings and a handful of inquisitive articles. I'm looking at my December/January tableau sized copy of Interview. The Art Scene starring Yoko Ono. It's the closest we Americans have to those more cool European tableaux! I enjoy the up-to-the-minute news and big city cultural events. Think "Contemporary Art News." Read even more about Interview HERE.
Art in America is another of my monthlies. Navigating around the slick full page gallery and auction ads I eventually get to the meat… artist profiles and books, International news, but heavy on the East coast. It's pretty hip reading!
The art reviewers are paid so I try not to read their artspeak. After reading one of those reviews I have no idea what the painting or the artist's show is about. However, I feel I must read what else is going on outside of BobLand.
Studio Music for June
Bob's Favorite Pandora Stations
•Pa' Bailar - Bajofondo (Festival Tanguera-Electronica, instrumental)
•Nightmares on Wax - Carboot Soul (electronica roots, downtempo, trip hop)
•Sam Baker - Singer, songwriter, contemporary roots music
Say Grace by Sam Baker
I listened to a segment of Fresh Air Weekend on our local NPR station - Sam Baker interview. You can get the podcast "Sam Baker: Finding Grace in the Wake of Destruction."
Ask Kate About Art Marketing
ASK KATE! With every newsletter, Kate will post your questions and her responses on the subject of marketing, sales, and promotion. If your question is selected for the newsletter, you will receive a Burridge Permission Mug. If you have a burning question that you would like to have answered -- for your benefit and everyone else's -- email Kate at kate@robertburridge.com |
We have Art Marketing Workshops Coming Up!
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Art Marketing for the Busy Artist
Leading Edge Art Workshops
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Contact Louise Hall (403) 233-7389 or louise.hall@shaw.ca
www.greatartworkshops.com
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Art Marketing for the Busy Artist
Elverhoj Museum of History & Art
Solvang, California
Contact info@elverhoj.org or call (805) 686-1211
www.elverhoj.org
Sunday, June 7, 2015
Art Marketing for the Busy Artist
Art Box Studio
1302 Monte Vista, Unit 9
Upland, California
Contact Sylvia Megerdichian (909) 981-4508 or artboxsylvia@netzero.net
www.artboxworkshops.com
Art Marketing Tip - Art Festivals
At the Sausalito Art Festival
10 Good Reasons to Show your Work at an Art Festival
1. Exposure to a wide audience
2. Lower commission (You get to keep more of the money!)
3. Direct connection with your buyers
4. You can sell your older artwork
5. Network with other artists
6. Interest and/or representation from galleries
7. You are in control of your own space and "look"
8. Create your own body of work for the festival
9. Create social media, website and brochure around the festival
10. You are in business for yourself, which is a big deal!
Art Festivals can be a great way to supplement your income, get feedback for your work and meet other artists and gallery owners. When Bob was just starting out to see if making money was even an option, we entered a few art festivals nearby our community. That way we could try out the festival circuit without spending too much time and money! We had success in gaining collectors, a couple of awards and a few galleries in the process. Check out these resources below - There are many more out there too!
Recommended Sites, Apps and Publications
There are many resources out there for discovering the top art festivals, local art festivals - even international art festivals! Sunshine Artist is just what the title implies - outdoor art festivals. You can subscribe to the magazine, get all the content online or download their app. I like this magazine because they rate the different festivals and give you valuable info such as, number of patrons attending, average amount of sales, whether there is an admission charge etc. They also have great articles about selling, setting up a booth space to name a few.
Professional Artist Magazine (formerly Art Calendar Magazine) is a subscription-based magazine, also available online and as an app. They have a large community of artists as well with chat rooms, web pages and calls to artists. They are known for their "Listings" of Festivals, Galleries, Juried Shows and articles that specifically address marketing for artists.
Festival Network Online is an online events source - lists the Arts & Crafts fairs, as well as music festivals and home & garden shows.
And a big congratulations to our good friend Robin Walker - he showed his artwork at the Affaire in the Gardens Festival in Beverly Hills in May. The Beverly Hills Show is one of the top ones on the west coast. It is twice a year, May and October. Robin said this about being accepted - "Bob told me to send the work you like the best—not what you think they want. Show the most original stuff. I did and they responded!" To see Robin's work, go to his website www.RobinWalkerStudio.com
Robin Walker
Check out our Art Marketing Workbook and DVD!
Art Marketing Workbook and DVD
Click HERE for details for Hot Art Marketing Workbook.
Click HERE for details for Making Money with your Art DVD.
Kate your Art Marketing Girl!
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