I know it can be frustrating but If somebody doesn't hire you, don't feel bad.....

Keep going...Work hard...Get really good...and make them regret it someday big time... D

Sometimes it's easy to feel.....

Well to put it bluntly, like your are going nowhere fast as an artist. Maybe like you don't measure up, or your missing something. Maybe you feel like you aren't getting noticed and it frustrates you. I've felt all of these things and many more. It's easy as an artist today to let the doubts creep in. We exist in a digital realm where everyone out there seems to be an artist. Good, bad and ugly, you name it. It's out there. There are a lot of great artists who don't sell very much or any work simply because they aren't getting noticed. It is so easy to put your work out there that so many people are at present. We have all become needles in haystacks. You can paint your ass off, and still get barely noticed. A lot of this isn't your art, but rather how you are presenting it and more times than not, where. I've had pieces of art get no play on one website, and get overwhelming applause on another. Every website attracts it's own flavor of consumer. one of the biggest mistakes is to exhibit where other artists exhibit. Talk about fish in a pond. You have to your own thing in your own place, otherwise you just end up getting passed by for no other reason than numbers. Deviant art, fineartamerica, etc these are great places and great communities but don't rely on them for a second to sell your art. That will just frustrate you. People in those places are so overhwlemed with art and artists, they simply default to finding names they know, or picking out the first random painting they see to by. It is essential these days to have your own website, and more importantly to paint your own way, in your own style. Copying will get you shuffled to the back of the deck and unless you have something individual to offer the world at large, you won't find success as an artist, because nothing will ever set you apart. Subconsciously people will look at your work and say hmm, I think I've seen that before, or that looks just like so and so and he's famous, and you're not so I'll just go check out what so and so has to offer. Wow people with your individual style and creativity. paint along your own path. Walk your own road, however you say it. Quit reading tutorial and paint and draw, there is no substitute and failure only helps you learn faster. It's honestly one of the best teachers out there. Everyone you respect found their artistic voice through failure. Ask them, and they will tell you. Failure is a misnomer anyway. It's just something that didn't work as expected. As long as you learn from it, you're good. In terms of selling artwork. Try to think about the ways people aren't selling artwork these days and pursue them, it automatically makes you stand out. Schedule gallery appointments in person. Too many people only do the email and internet thing these days. You have to get out there and talk to people. Go to art fair, exhibit. Go to the cons in your region and get a booth. It gets your name out there. Art is no different than any other business and the same marketing strategies apply. No businessman ever got rich or even made a living sitting in his bedroom or home office. You might sell some work that way, but not nearly as much as you could by getting out there and meeting people. Don't get discouraged by the way the climate is today, buck the trends and get moving. You will find your way. It might take time and effort but nobody ever said doing what you love would be easy. Best Wishes and Luck to you all! D

Please check your pups' food....

About 6 years ago We rescued a wonderful little Siberian Huskie/Aussie Shep mix at a no kill shelter in Lolo, MT. Her name was Freya, and she was about the most wonderful little dog you could ever ask for. One day last month my wife noticed that she had a swollen abdomen. We had never detected anything wrong with her and she was always really healthy. We were naturally concerned and took her to the vet. Two days later she was in surgery and unfortunately didn't make it. She had a large splenic tumor and it was unremoveable without being fatal. The vet tried really hard but he couldn't save her. After her untimely departure, I started researching common causes of splenic cancer in dogs and found out that a really common ingredient, that is in a lot of dog food, is known to be carcinogenic and is used anyway. Hell it's even in human food! It is an additive called BHT or a newer additive called BHA. It is used to preserve fats and is a sort of antioxidant. We found a brand of dog food that doesn't contain it and won't ever feed it to our other dogs. We just don't want anyone else to go through a loss like we just did, simply because we didn't know that our poor girl's food contained a cancer causing additive. Rachel Ray's natural line of pet food doesn't have it in it, in case anyone needs a readily available dog food free of dangerous additives.

New space paintings

3 new space paintings I wanted to share. Enjoy. D

Winnie the Pooh

My daughter took ill in her first week of Kindergarten, so she had to stay home on Friday. Daddy painted this to cheer her up.

Printed it out A4 while she was napping and put it up in her room. It was a hit. She's well on her way to top kid form again! All the best D, Sometimes it's just cool to do something like this and not always work on 'work'. Made me feel great that I could just do something small to brighten her day so much when she was feeling down.