Christmas in July..almost

With the pouring rain in the afternoon, it is hard to take a four year old in and out of the studio. That involved either running through the downpours, or fumbling around with umbrellas. Being lazy to boot, I just did more cleaning in my back room, which is a stash for all kinds of things.

I found two Gleaner zines and one Erraticus zine. I will sit and read them as I bet I never took the time to do that. When done they will either go into one of many piles. Things to sell, things to keep, things to give away, and the last group consisting of different bags for different people filled with all kinds of things.

An offer here for mixed media artists, I have a few American Spirit Cigarette Tins, perfect for altered art. I sold the one tin that I made a shrine out of, but since I have had these for a while, and not used them yet, I am offering them to anyone who wants them. Send me a few stamps or something for the postage, or a few notecards. I just don't want to throw them out!!

I found some lovely vintage Christmas Seals and tags that I did list on Etsy. They are 50's or earlier....Now what to do with all these plate block stamps that I collected in the 70's...it seems that they are only worth their face value...at least they held their value, which is more than I can say for my other investments!!!!

Off to work on some more!

Patti

Vintage Rayon Ribbon Roll

In all of the cleaning I have to do, and when you are an artist and collector, it is constant, I came across this huge roll of vintage 50+ year old grosgrain ribbon. 2" wide, about 50 yards of it.

What am I going to use this for I asked myself.

No good for tying up tomatoes, too thick. Sachets? Nah, I already have a ton of bits and pieces for that. I am trying to focus on painting, and not sewing or jewelry...so I have decided to sell it, but not sure of the right venue.

Ebay these days is slow, unpredictable, and in general, gotten way to big for it's britches. Etsy is smaller, and cheaper, and though I might get less for things than on eBay, I think it is a better company. Plus, it is housed in my state, and in Brooklyn no less!

So off to Etsy it goes. Nice ribbon....and lots of it.

Make your kid a mummy for Halloween with it. Weave it. Use it as trim, for chokers, bracelets, quilts. Tie your partner up with it. Be creative.

Patti

Typing between the storms

Hard to list things on Etsy with a four year old who wants me to read all of her books to her, and then there are the continuous storms which keep marching through NY sending bolts of lightning ready to fry any computer that gets in its path.

Since BECKON closed, I have been listing the art and cards which were in the store on Etsy. I sold a few cards in the past week or so which is always lovely, and I will have a lot more to sell.

I am thinking of bringing them up to JULES BESCH STATIONERS in Wellfleet to show the guys my cards in person. I might even do a small stock run of my WE DO wedding cards as gay marriage is legal in Massachusetts. If not, then I can hit Provincetown. If I get lucky, I may sell a few. If not, I will brush off my ego (which gets smaller by the moment) and keep the faith.

Here are a few that I particularly like at the moment. Found in my Etsy shop PA GIBBONS.

My Oldest Mascot

My studio has two mascots. One, who is not pictured, is an early 1800's charcoal painting of an elderly woman with no teeth. The paper and the board it was mounted was all chipped, so I chipped it off around her, and she sits on the window ledge.

The other is an amazing early American portrait painting, around 1700-1800's I would guess.

Given to me by Julie as she has a horrible tear in the canvas, but she knew I would give her a place of honor. She and my other friend sit sentinel on my walls looking out to the door of the studio. I figured if any one looked in and saw these two faces, they would freak out and run.

They may be long dead, but their spirits live on in my studio, haven for discarded and forgotten portraits and photographs of those who have long passed to the next realm.
I become attached to some of these photos. Sometimes I will make them into a piece of artwork, other times I just place them out on my fabulous IKEA rail, and stare at them and wonder who they were, what they did, who they loved, and how they died.

At times I think I am a bit morbid, but then again, I ain't yer average gurl.

I will post my other mascot when I go back out to the studio to work on the under painting I did this afternoon. I could not get a good shot of it so I have to try re shooting it in natural light another day. I like to keep track of the stages my paintings go through....

patti

The Economy Crunch

Today I had to pick up four paintings and a bunch of cards from Beckon, a local shop that sells hand made crafts and art. Run by the amazing Maryanne Bonito, she had no choice but to close when the landlord raised her rent another 300.00 a month. In this economy I am surprised that the landlord did that, and unless he/she has other plans as I think that they will have a hard time renting it out; it is too much money for the location.

The good news is that Maryanne is looking at a place in Saugerties, about 20 minutes north of Kingston. A little town 15 minutes from Woodstock, and about 30 from Hudson, which has lovely shops, a coffee art/music shop, great restaurants, and other cool places to explore.

My client has all but officially dropped me as her greeting card designer; she still owes me a bit of money and I want to ask her why she no longer orders.

I have been selling some of my paper collection on eBay and Etsy, but few sales.
I am at a dead end as to how to raise money for my art business....

I am not quitting the day job...for a very long time.

So..my blog readers, check out my links for my two Etsy stores, and I will give you 25% off should you want to order. Just convo/email me, and I will send you an adjusted invoice. Interested in anything? MAKE ME AN OFFER that won't insult me, lol.

Off to list more cards on the pagibbons Etsy site....you just never know...and I refuse to give up!

A Little Erotica and more

This is the text currently introducing my art on eBay:

"School's almost out for summer.
I won't be getting a paycheck.
I will be needing money.
I hope to sell some art at a great price for you and for me.
I show in the Varga Gallery in Woodstock, NY , the Woodstock Arts Association and Museum, and BECKON in downtown Kingston."

To the point, honest, and said with a smile.

I don't usually sell on eBay as there is so much on there and people want something for nothing, but little is lost by throwing it on there for a week. Maybe I will get some fans, inspire artists, or give someone a chuckle. Of course, I hope that I sell some things from time to time because I DO need the money! If not, into the pile for the YART sale that I will have at some point in time.

From the eBay description:Tonight's art is a collage on painted 8-ply acid free mat board. This piece was made in 2002 for an Erotica Book, limited edition publication. Fun, sassy commentary on self pleasure using images and text from the 1950's ads which had NOTHING to do with vibrators. I just had too much fun making this.

I have only done a few erotic/sexually charged collages. The few I did show have sold. This one I kept, but am willing to let it find the right home.

Again, if not, it's always good for a laugh.

patti o comic

Finished Painting

This is the final of three photos of the painting that I have been working on.
Underpainting in colored gesso, then two layers of oil paints. I am nearly done with this.

The colors shown may be pinker or bluer, depending upon your screen. But it is close to the beautiful colors I saw of the sun setting on the Catskills while crossing the Hudson River.

Today I started making a scrapbook of my reference photos, and pairing up some of the photos with my final paintings. The photos are used for reference for composition, shape, and color, and often the final painting may only incorporate a tiny segment of the photo, can be an abstraction of form, or a symphony of color. Each work takes on a life of its own, and the way I get to the finished product can take many paths.

Off to read some more....and get a good night's sleep.

patti o

More Layers and No Show

Here is another photo of my newest painting in progress. One of my friends commented on Facebook about it, saying that she thought it was my calling, these landscape paintings. I think she may be right. It has been what I love to do for some 30+ years, and am returning to the medium and subject matter that I loved so well before my father died, before the rejections and disasters in my life.

I have put all of that mostly behind me, torn down many of the walls that kept me from having joy and faith in what I love...

I have the third layer down on the sky and made it much more subtle and much less pink. The mountains and water still need work, I will finish today and then decide where to go from there. I try not to get too hung up on making it perfect. I have decided that like life events, each painting serves a purpose and a lesson, whether it be in expression, in color, in light, in composition. When I have learned the lesson or worked the issue out, I consider it done and move onto the next. I do have a few paintings which I need to work up a bit more in order to be "sale worthy" in my eyes, but once tweaked I will move on from that.....to the next adventure.

I have also decided not to enter the Hudson River Landscape show. I need another 25.00 to enter. Instead, I am going to invest that money into more canvases and keep painting; hopefully I will get enough for a show someday.

Off to do my chores before Tom comes to do MORE construction on the house. I am getting tired of it all....and hope SOON it will be done. It's too much dirt/noise in my world for me.

patti o