Mixed Media In Progress Stage Four

Mixed Media Project

I am happier with the pieces this week as they progress forward. They go through a process of subtraction and addition several times before they get a coat of acrylic medium to set that layer and prepare for the next stage.

Mixed Media in Pink
Stage 4, 8 x 8 inches
Acrylic on Canvas
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Canvas One: Pink

A shock of turquoise was a surprise at the end of this stage. I think it added some needed excitement to the color scheme that was leaning toward monochromatic.

Mixed Media in Red
Stage 4, 8 x 8 inches
Acrylic on Canvas
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Canvas Two: Red

I am much happier with this piece this week. It is beginning to take on an integrated look. It might be done. We'll see what happens.

Mixed Media in Dark Red
Stage 4, 8 x 8 inches
Acrylic on Canvas
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Canvas Three: Dark Red

This work is becoming more unified. I'm really liking the way the texture is looking. Notice that the pink plastic piece relocated itself. It came off during part of the subtraction process.

Until Next Week

Create something, appreciate something, and consider buying someone's art (maybe mine?).

Do you Have Something to Say?

Comments are welcome.



Contact Me

Mixed Media In Progress Stages Two and Three

Mixed Media in Pink
Stage 2, 8 x 8 inches

Mixed Media In Progress Stages Two and Three

Last week I showed you my beginning stage of my newest mixed-media project. I am painting three 8 x 8 inches canvases and attaching found objects.

Mixed Media in Pink
Stage 3

Canvas One: Pink

This is the 2nd and 3rd stages. I think it looks better turned upside down after stage three.

Mixed Media on Red
Stage 2
8 x 8 inches

Canvas Two: Red

I mourn over the loss of Stage Two.

Mixed Media on Red
Stage 3

I pushed it into stage three and hope that I can recover it in subsequent stages.

Mixed Media on Dark Red
Stage 2
8 x 8 inches (imagine turning it
counterclockwise once. The
green color block is on the bottome)

Canvas Three: Dark Red

Again, I think it looked better in Stage two.

Mixed Media on Dark Red
Stage 3

It will be interesting to see what happens in stage 4.

Until Next Week

Create something, appreciate something, and consider buying someone's art (maybe mine?).

Comments are welcome. Play nice, please.

Contact me.

Mixed Media Project

Beginning Mixed Media Project

Last week I talked about the art supply store and buying canvases for my mixed media project. Today, I will give you a look at the beginnings of this project.

Inspiration

I begin with three 8 x 8 x 1.5 inches canvases. I picked up some found objects during a recent walk to include in the project. I had picked up a red plastic grid piece prior to this walk. This red grid shape was personally meaningful because of a drawing I had done a week ago where this shape first appeared, and then it appeared in real life. This first found object gave me the color scheme of tints and shades of red.

As you can see, I have begun the project with the red grid shape piece secured on the pink canvas with acrylic medium. I have painted and applied acrylic medium to the other two canvases.

Mixed in the Mixed-Media

The other objects that I found a few days ago on a walk were a feather, a broken piece of brown glass, a broken piece of red reflective plastic, a hot pink piece of plastic, and a rusty twisted wire.

Next Week

Next week, I’ll show my progress. Maybe I’ll be able to finish it by then.

Until next time, go create, appreciate, or buy some art!

Buy My Art

If you want to own a piece of my art, consider the two mixed-media pieces that can be purchased on my website: Spirit House or Mata Ortiz. Or consider buying a print on acrylic from my print website.
See ya!

Contact Me.

The Art Supply Store

Passage, 20 x 16 inches, Oil on Masonite.
©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle

The Art Supply Store Adventure

This past Sunday, I discovered an art supply store in Tucson, Arizona. I moved here six months ago and have been busy getting my life in order. On Sunday, I knew it was time to scout out the art supply stores in the area.

I hopped online and googled "art supply store Tucson" and found Arizona Art Supply. In addition to having physical stores in Arizona, you can buy art supplies online from their site.

The Tucson store is under construction. I wasn't sure if I had found the place or not. What a delight to walk in and see all my old friends once again, art supplies in all of their myriad forms. I was looking for canvases. I was excited that they were having 60% off canvas sale.

After a tour of the store given by a friendly staff person, I slowly took in the sights that had potential to become part of my dazzling future art projects.

Found Object for my next art
mixed-media art project.

My Next Art Project

I purchased three of one of my favorite sized canvases, Windsor & Newton DeepEdge 8 x 8 inches. I found an object on my walk yesterday that I want to incorporate into a mixed-media piece. Stay tuned to see my process and final artwork.

Arizona Art Supply

I recommend the Tucson store location of Arizona Art Supply. The people that work there are friendly and readily available for questions. You can find just about everything you need for your next art project. And the prices are great.

And YOU?

What are you working on?





Contact me.

My Art Notes is Moving to Tuesdays

Passage, Oil on Masonite, 20 x 16 inches.
©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle

Look for My Art Notes blog posts to come out before Noon on Tuesdays instead of Mondays.

See you tomorrow!

Contact me

Top Five Artworks on my Print Website

My artwork is for sale as giclee prints, posters, and greeting cards. The cards are glossy and offered in a luscious size of 5 x 7 inches and include an envelope. Print sizes vary with many options such as printed on canvas, acrylic, paper, or metal; framed, matted or not. Visit my print artist website to view and purchase.

Overall, over time, the top five visited artworks on my print site are as follows, in order of popularity:

Light Force, digital, ©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

1. Light Force.

The original was created digitally in Painter 11. This means that it can only be purchased as a print. I have sold two of these already.

It can be ordered as a greeting card or in any of these print sizes:

• 16 x 12.625 inches
• 24 x 18.875 inches 
• 36 x 28.25 inches 
• 48 x 37.75 inches

Sir Kitty in Saturated Colors.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

2. Sir Kitty in Saturated Colors

This is a digitally enhanced photo detail of my original painting, Sir Kitty at Home (not for sale).

One woman from San Antonio, TX - United States said:
"What a colorful change for Sir Kitty! Neat choice of colors. Love it!! I will have to show Boo :) lol"  Patti :)

It can be ordered as a greeting card or in any of these print sizes:

• 8.38 x 10 inches 
• 11.75 x 14 inches 
• 16.75 x 20 inches

Sun Fire, 9 x 12 inches, Acrylic on Canvas.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

3. Sun Fire

Original: Acrylic on Canvas, 9" x 12" x 3/4" Completed in 2008 by Mary A. Gravelle
From the Series: Landscapes of Silver City, New Mexico

In this Southwestern landscape painting, the sun is setting upon the mountains of New Mexico. It is ablaze with fire colors of yellow and orange.

It can be ordered as a greeting card or in any of these print sizes:

• 8.5 x 12 inches
• 11.38 x 16 inches
• 17.13 x 24 inches

The Place to Be, 24 x 48 x 3 inches, Acrylic on Wood.
©2007 Mary A. Gravelle

4. The Place to Be

Original, Sold: Acrylic on Oak Box, 24 x 48 x 3 inches. Completed in 2007, from the Painting Series: Expanding Possibilities--Landscapes of Oracle, Arizona. An overall orange color scheme with bright pink, gold, green, and turquoise welcomes the viewer into a land of belonging where peace and joy reign.

This southwestern landscape acrylic painting of Oracle, Arizona features a bold color scheme in orange and pink. The blazing sky sports turquoise highlights. The beige gold pathway leads the viewer into a place where they might want to be. Cactus, trees, rocks, and meadows in pink, green, and maroon beckon one into this desert landscape with a sense of joy and belonging. This painting will add bright color into any style home or office.

Go to the print site to view all of the wonderful comments on this painting.
It can be ordered as a greeting card or in any of these print sizes:

• approx. 8 x 16 inches
• approx. 12 x 24 inches

Desert Arteries, 24 x 48 inches, Acrylic on Wood.
©2012 Mary A. Gravelle

5. Desert Arteries

Original is available for sale from my fine art website. 48 x 24 x 3 inches, Acrylic on Wood.

Desert Arteries is an acrylic painting of a Southwestern scene in Arizona. The Southwest landscape scene captures cactus, desert, mountains, pathways, and big sky. The bold colors in this expressive southwestern landscape painting are shades of red, pink, and purple.

It can be ordered as a greeting card or in any of these print sizes:

• approx. 8 x 16 inches
• approx. 12 x 24 inches
• approx. 18 x 36 inches
• approx. 20 x 40 inches

So, what do you think? Which one do you like the best?

 Contact me

My Art Resume

Meditation, 12 x 16, Acrylic on Canvas.
©2008 Mary Rush Gravelle.

Today, I am sharing my Artist Resume, on my art website. It contains pretty much everything I have been up to in my art career since it began in 1992. Enjoy. Communicate by leaving a comment. Have a great week.

Contact me.

Is Everyone an Artist?

Number One: The All One, 24 x 24 inches
Acrylic on Wood. ©2008 Mary Rush Gravelle.

My Stance

No. In the past I have used the term, Artist, in a generous way. No more. Not everyone is an Artist. I believe that everyone is creative, but that does not make him or her an Artist. It makes them whatever they are that they use their creativity for.

Why I Believe the Way I Do

This new thinking comes about from a recording I listened to this past week, Blue Stocking Salon, with Ariane Goodwin and Lori Wolfson. Ariane discussed a new book that she had been reading. In it, the author wrote that everyone is an Artist:  Cooks, Lawyers, Hairdressers, Lovers, etc. Ariane argues that, no, not everyone is an Artist. And to say that, degrades the profession of being an Artist, with a capital A.

My Argument

After listening to this recording, I agree with Ariane. Not everyone is a lawyer or a plumber. Why does everyone have to be considered an Artist? That totally takes away the talent and the heart of the Artist. This goes along with a TV program that I have been watching on Netflix, Saving Grace. The main character is a Detective and Cop. She often refers to “the heart of a Cop” and whether people possess it or not.  I think the same is true with being an Artist. One has to possess the heart of an Artist, in order to be an Artist. The operative here is “to be”. The heart is the center of being.

Number 2: The Presence of The Other, 24 x 24 inches
Acrylic on Wood. ©2008 Mary Rush Gravelle. 

Action

Let’s give Artists the respect they deserve just like any other profession. Artists work hard, they educate themselves on their craft and their field, just like any other professional. They pour their heart and soul into their work. They take their work seriously. Especially in the U.S., the Artist has to work really hard to earn a living because they are pushing against a societal belief that denigrates their work as silliness and nonsense. It is not. 

What About You?

So, what do you think? Is everyone an Artist? Why or why not?

Contact me.

Misc Art Making

Praying Mantis Sculpture at the All Souls Procession
Event in Tucson, AZ on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012.
Photography. ©Mary Rush Gravelle

Photography

In lieu of painting or doing ceramics, other ways of creating are taking forefront right now. Photography is a good outlet. I seem to be finding events and other things to photograph lately. Taking them into Photoshop, I can use my creativity to enhance the original shot.

New logo for my graphic design.
Since moving to Tucson, the
colors I used in the old logo
make no sense of the name.
Hopefully, it makes sense now.

Graphic Art

Graphic Design is another source of art making for me currently. This one moves in and out of being a creative endeavor and just plain old tedium. There are so many details to take care of. Other times, when I get colors and design aligned, well… my heart sings.

How is your creativity taking form these days? Does it make your heart sing?

Contact me.

Why I Create Art

Upliftment, Painting Installation, Acrylic on Raw Canvas
Videotaped by Frances R. Drew. 2006.
©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle (Installation)
©2006 Frances R. Drew (Video)

"If by producing art, the artist, pulls something of themselves from their very soul, and imparts it into the fabric of their creation, and if, as the viewer, it makes you think, makes you question, or moves your soul, than the artist has spoken to you and given that part of themselves to you, and you have unknowingly accepted it......both have made contact through art." – The Art Gallery Shop, Spain 

I wrote the following Bio in 2010 to explain my art making process. I think it speaks to the quote above.

My ARTIST BIO from 2010

Needing a change of scenery from the claustrophobic northeast, I moved to the expansive southwest from Connecticut to Silver City, New Mexico in October 2006.

I have exhibited my paintings in Connecticut, New York, Taiwan, Arizona, and New Mexico in open and juried group as well as one-person shows. I have had gallery representation since coming to the southwest in 2006. My southwest landscape paintings are showing currently at Tatiana Maria at 305 N. Bullard in Silver City.

Art Explorations

Invocation, Oil on Masonite, 16 x 20 inches.
©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle

Over the years since 1992, my art has explored the healing and spiritual aspects of art in the form of free-painting, delved into personal meaning and symbols in abstract formats, and explored the natural world through observing and painting the beauty and awe of the southwest landscape. My working media has changed over the years from pastel, watercolor, tempera, oil, acrylic, and mixed media.

My Art Philosophy

My philosophy on art is that art has the ability to tap into the higher plane of man’s existence both for the artist who is creating and for the viewer who takes the time to ponder its essence. I am more interested in creating beauty with an emphasis on virtue rather than delving into the darker shadow sides of life. My desire is to uplift and exalt through creation. To ride the ray of light is more challenging than to drop into despair and depression. To hold the light and joy for others to see, that is my job as an artist.

My Responsibility as an Artist

Embryonic, 30 x 24 inches,
Tempera on Paper.
©2001 Mary Rush Gravelle

I also feel a responsibility to create my craft on a level of excellence. This helps to impart the message with clarity since the viewer is not distracted with focusing on the flaws of execution. Beauty is served by offering a piece of art that is meticulously made and well thought out. If I am able to accomplish that feat, then purity and grace imbue the final product with simplicity and a voice that will be heard through the work of art that is felt on an emotional level.

My Inspiration

Post-impressionists Matisse and Gauguin inspire the bold use of color. In the past I drew upon inspiration mostly from abstract expressionist artists, Wassily Kandinsky, Joan Miró, Helen Frankenthaler, Jackson Pollock, Frank Stella; the expressionists, Marc Chagall and Franz Marc. These were gutsy painters in that they threw out the old school of realism and rules to pursue the deeper realms of art -- the inner life. Other artists that inspire me are Picasso, Matisse, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Klimt, Georgia O’Keefe, and Monet for their loose structure, use of color, and expressive brush strokes. Drawing upon the oriental brush painting experience, no stroke is a mistake. It is simply the stroke of the moment, not good, not bad. It just is.

My Bottom Line

I trust my intuition to inspire me. I am always surprised at the end result. The bottom line is – creating, especially painting, just makes me happy!

Sunlit Tree Outside my
Greenwich Studio Window,
Tempera on Paper, 36 x 24 inches.
Enhanced in Photoshop.
©2005 Mary Rush Gravelle

For Artists

What is your art making process all about? Why is it important for you to create art? What are you trying to say? What makes your art unique? I invite you to ponder these questions. Write it up in the form of your Artist Bio. This could also be translated into an Artist’s Statement.

For Art Collectors

Is it important for you to connect to the artist? Or do you buy a work of art based on your connection the work of art? Or are both of these factors equally important?

Link: The Art Gallery Shop, Spain, http://www.the-art-gallery-shop.com/index.php

Contact Me

Making Art: Seeing, Doing, And Understanding

Barbara's Dancers (, Photograph, 4000 x 3000 pixels,
180 ppi. Enhanced in Photoshop.
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Seeing

The more you observe your subject through your art making process, the more you will begin to know your subject. Have you heard this before: "To draw something is to know something?"

In art school, my drawing professors told us, their students, that drawing helps one to see better. I think we cannot limit that idea to drawing. I think that doing art in any media assists the artist with better sight.

The artist learns to see better any subject that lights their heart on fire. The more an artist creates artworks based upon a certain subject, the better the artist is seeing the subject on deeper levels.

Preparations,
Photograph, 4000 x 3000 pixels,
180 ppi. Enhanced in Photoshop.
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Doing

I learned this idea through shooting photography over this past week. One of my new friends is a flamenco dancer and teacher. She wanted to have a photograph of her students to post on a website for the weekend event, Tucson Meet Yourself. Since I enjoy photography, I offered to help her out.

The Feet of Flamenco,
Photograph, 4000 x 3000 pixels,
180 ppi. Enhanced in Photoshop.
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Much to my amazement, I truly enjoyed this experience. I learned more about flamenco, the dancers, the passion, the colors, and the lessons that it teaches. I observed the dancers through my lens. I took the photographs. I learned to see the subtleties, the joys, the strength, and confidence that the dance brings about in these beautiful women. I also experienced their camaraderie by observing and photographing them helping each other secure their shawls. They truly care about each other.

I then brought the photos into Photoshop to tweak and refine the images. This part of the process brought the lessons of observation and seeing deeper into my awareness.  I began to understand my subject better.

Through art making of the photographic images, I know the subject of flamenco dancing better than I did before embarking upon this project.

The Dance of Flamenco,
Photograph, 4000 x 3000 pixels,
180 ppi. Enhanced in Photoshop.
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

Flamenco Dancer and Teacher, Barbara Schuessler

Today is her birthday. Happy Birthday, Barbara, You are a beautiful and inspiring spirit. Thank you for affording me the opportunity to learn more about flamenco through my art process of photography. I am truly blessed to be a part of your process.

What about You?

This level of understanding through observation and seeing is not limited to drawing. It can be extended into any medium of choice.

What subject do you want to learn more about? What media do you think would help you in understanding this subject in a deeper way? Is it important to understand the subject? Or can you create art without observing, seeing, and understanding? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Use this link to contact me.

My Artist Statement

©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle. Mystery, Acrylic on Cardboard
8 x 10 inches. 2008.

Artist Statement

Graceful form, shape, and beauty soothe me. Angular juxtapositions and vibrant color excite me. Portraying realism is not important to me. The sway of a tree branch, the rich colors of a sunset, the bold red of a fire hydrant, or the angular shapes formed by rooftops, these are some of the things that intrigue and inform my art.

I’m more interested in the process of creation than I am with the final result. I make art to maintain my sanity, peace, and happiness. I always feel so much better after having made something. If I feel cranky or out of sorts I know it is because I have not allowed myself time to create. I just seem to be driven to create. I get a feeling, a question arises, or something intrigues me enough to dive deeper into its meaning. The drive inside urges me to create, to give expression to what I am learning about or seeing in the world around me.

Because of this need to probe deeper, I prefer to work in series. I find that this gives me more of a chance to understand what it is I am seeking to understand. It also gives me a body of cohesive work. I have no fidelities to any one medium or style such as realism or abstraction: although, my work leans more toward the abstract. I use the medium that fits the work at the time

I paint on wood or canvas creating two-dimensional works using mixed media and/or acrylic paints. I also create two-dimensional works using digital media and photography. Clay offers me the chance to make three-dimensional works. Experimenting with the medium keeps my art alive and fresh, keeping me engaged and interested in the process.

To create is everything, life force.

– Mary Rush Gravelle

Does this help you understand my art and why I do it?

Here is an article that helped me write my artist statement.

The Lost Art of Writing About Art–http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120848379018525199.html?mod=taste_primary_hs

Have you read an artist statement that you connected with?

Contact me

Your Life is Your Work of Art

©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle. My Life as a Work of Art.
Digital Photograph, 3000 x 4000 pixels, 180 ppi.
Enhanced in Photoshop. 2012.

Getting Back to My Blog

It has been three months since my last post. Deadly mistake for the blogger. However, life has been full. I am reminded that our life is our work of art. 

My Art

I have not painted in a very long time. I have not done any new clay work for months. Photography remains the art form of the moment. My camera is readily available. I love making photographic images. I long to get back to painting and ceramics. For now, I am happy carrying out my artistic spirit's musing with photography.

©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle. Earth Light,
8 x 10 inches, Acrylic on Cardboard. 

Lack of Doing Art

Sometimes I entertain feelings of guilt or regret about my lack of "doing my art". This morning: however, I turned on a positive spin on it. What if I went back to my old theory that life can be a work of art?

My Masterpiece

My life as a work of art is becoming a masterpiece of my own making. I make new choices, new decisions. There are new beginnings, endings, and changes of scenery. This is how we make art, right? We begin with the blank canvas, the raw materials, we throw something down, change it up, mix it up, and voila, a masterpiece.

And YOU?

©2008 Mary Rush Gravelle. All One,
24 x 24 inches, Acrylic on Wood. 

Do you consider your life to be a work of art? How so? What are the elements that make up your composition?

Action: Do this Exercise

Try this exercise. Imagine a blank canvas. Now, make a list of categories that make up your life. How many are there? Can you imagine them on the canvas? Where would they be located on the canvas? Would they be on the top, bottom, center, or sides? Which category would be the largest, the smallest? What is the geography of your life?

What Media Best Describes Your Life?

©2006 Mary Rush Gravelle. The Enlightening, 24 x 48 inches,
Oil and Acrylic on Wood. 

Does your life look like a landscape painting? Or perhaps it looks like an abstract painting, or mixed media? Maybe, it is not 2d, not a painting. Maybe it is a clay piece: is it functional or decorative? Is your life made out of steel like a sculpture? Maybe it is soft like fabric quilts or soft sculpture. Begin thinking of your life in these terms. I will bet it will tilt the way you think and live from this point forward.
I love what Misha Lyuve says on his blog post

“A work of art is something admired and looked for; it is special and unique; it requires a skill and inspiration; it exists inside of creation and appreciation. What if we were to apply this high standard to living our lives?”[1]

Action: Continue the Dialog.

Please leave a comment. What do you think? How does your life feel or look like a work of art? Contemplate this idea for awhile. Get back to me.

Contact me

---

[1] Lyuve, Misha. Living Your Life as a Work of Art. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc. 2012. 11/01/11 05:03 PM ET.

Contact me

Night Photography

Fire Hydrant, Flash-fill Photography.
©2012 Mary Rush Gravelle

During my Photo 2 class, my photography professor, Matthew Sommerville, taught us Flash-fill photography techniques. This was the most fun I had had with photography thus far.

Today, I ran across a YouTube video on night photography. The technique is different. The results are amazing.

Check it out.

Contact me.

Last day of finals today…. Tomorrow is the day when I have four finals due… Photography, Intro to Lit, Portfolio, and Ceramics. Whew… I'm working on them.

Portfolio is mostly done. I had to do two portfolios, one for my fine art and one for my graphic design. All I need to do is paint a box to put my art portfolio in.

Intro to Lit is where I'm procrastinating big time. I have not even started it.

I'm working on my final photography project today. I need to really finish it up so I can begin my Intro to Lit paper. But… I'm enjoying the process of creating it. I have decided to do an Appropriation project as a collage. I'll share it next week.

Ceramics project is done. I just need to pack up 3-4 pieces to take to final critique tomorrow.

Gotta go… and get those finals completed.

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af

Artmaking: The beginning of the End of Life-as-I-Knew It

The Happy Place, Digital Image,

3600 x 3600 pixels, 300 ppi. Corel Painter 11. 2010

©2010 Mary A. Gravelle

Beginning of the End

Discovering that I was artistic was the beginning of the end of life-as-I-knew it. The beginning of a daring adventure into my art and myself was breaking through the chrysalis of my being. As usual, it has not gone exactly as I had envisioned.

Reflection Time

Next week I will earn my A.A. in Graphic Design. I guess this has me reflecting where my life has been and where I'm headed.

Journey into the Fire 

I left my known life behind in July 2006, moving from Connecticut, leaving a 23-year marriage, six cats, a favorite pine tree named Penelope, friends, and moving solo to New Mexico. Here I am in May 2012, six years later, I feel like I have been in the fire ever since.

I have created tons of art in these last six years. I have exhibited in juried shows, shown in galleries to varied success. I have continued my art schooling.

Life's Challenges

Thinking back now I think that I have lost faith at times and have shot myself in the foot because of it. Lack of trust and faith have a way of stopping progress. I only see this now, though. This is the challenge, isn't it? The challenge is to persevere through life's obstacles and opportunities gracefully. The challenge is to do this especially when things appear the darkest and bleakest. We would not need faith and trust otherwise, would we?

Invoke Faith and Trust

I write this today as I stare into the bare cupboard, refriderator, and checkbook. Now is the time for me to invoke a really deep faith and trust that all is well, that I am cared for, that my art will take care of me, that God will take care of me, that I am able to take care of myself and dear Sir Kitty.

Next Chapter

Godspeed. Let the next chapter begin with great gusto.

And What About You?

What's your art story?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af. 

Ceramics Portfolio Issue 20121

Check out my newly published Ceramics Portfolio.

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af

The Professional Art Portfolio

The Professional Art Portfolio

Every artist at some point will need to grapple with details of creating a professional portfolio to showcase their art.

There are many resources online that can help. I have chosen to work with two resources for getting my portfolio into print as a book, Lulu.com and Hp MagCloud.com. The portfolios can be viewed and /or purchased online at these sites. You can see my own published portfolios in this article. I'll also share the links here at the bottom.

What to Include in Your Portfolio

If you are an artist, you will need to consider what you want to put into your portfolio. You will need to come up with an image list with these details: title of work, medium, size, year completed. You can also add short details of how it was created. You might also consider including your artist statement if you have one. And don't forget the most important part, your images. The images will need to be high resolution, 300 dpi, in order for them to be printed in good quality.

• High resolution images (300 dpi)
• Image details: title, medium, size, year completed, any other pertinent data
• Artist statement

Create Your Own Portfolio

I would suggest enlisting the help of a graphic designer (me, perhaps?) to give your portfolio that winning edge. Lulu.com has a wizard that will easily get you up and running. You also have the option of uploading a PDF to either of these sites. I'm finding that HP MagCloud.com is easier to navigate. Creating a PDF for them seems to be easier than with Lulu. Jump into the forums of either of these sites and learn more.

What Have You Done?

Have you found an easy way to create your portfolio? Let me know what you did. Provide a link so we can check it out.


Here are my portfolios.

Graphic and Web Design on HpMagCloud.

Digital Images Portfolio on HpMagCloud.

Take Action

• Hop onto to lulu or magcloud to see if either of these options will work for you.
• View and / or buy my printed or digital portfolios for inspiration.
• Let me know if I can help you in some way. Perhaps you would like to purchase an image or use my design skills.
• Comment to this post.

Use this link to contact me: http://www.contactify.com/b83af