Artpromotivate

Karl Penton - Traditional Newfoundland Paintings

<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Karl Penton</span></span><br>
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<b>Mediums</b><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">: Acrylic and Oil Paint</span></div>
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<b>Style</b><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">: Traditional Newfoundland Paintings , sometimes with a lil' twist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">I started painting about 2 and a half years ago, so I still am at a very early stage of my "hopefully" long career . I always took whatever art class was available to me during my years at school. I have always been a lover of art and surrounded myself with it since I can remember. My work kinda takes me in many different directions depending on the piece I am working on.</span></div>
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Karl Penton - Traditional Newfoundland Paintings

Karl Penton Newfoundland, Canada Mediums : Acrylic and Oil Paint Style : Traditional Newfoundland Paintings , sometimes with a lil...

The Difference Between Giving Away and Giving Back and Why I Recommend The Latter

When having discussions around the strategy of pricing art, one question almost always comes up: What to do when people ask or hint that they want your art for free?

I’m sure it’s happened to you: someone sees your art, loves it, but says she just can’t afford it right now… But boy, would she LOVE to own it!

It wouldn’t make a big difference in your life, right? That piece has been lying around your studio for a while now, it would help declutter the room… It’s not like your making money anyway… So, why not?

Why not? Here’s why…

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#1 It’s not building your business</h2>
People asking for free art will not become buyers down the road. They just don’t get it and there’s no point investing time or money towards them. You have to focus on who your buyers and collectors are and make sure you are giving them the best value and attention there is.

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#2 It’s not respectful for your present and future buyers</h2>
Why should someone get a freebie when the others have to pay? That doesn’t make any sense. Would you see that happening in an art gallery? What would your current or future buyers think if they knew you were giving your art away? They probably wouldn’t want to buy from you again and would also start worrying about the value of the work they already bought. I know I would.

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#3 It’s sounds kind of desperate</h2>
Look at any entrepreneur that you admire and who’s succeeded. What is their common denominator? You’ve got it: confidence. What does it say about you and your work when you’re ready to give away a piece that you’ve invested time and money to create? Not so sexy is it?

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#4 It’s not helping your profession</h2>
Artists need to stick together and share a common message with the world that the work they do is important and valuable. When you are lowering your prices and giving your art for free, you are not just hurting yourself, you are hurting the artist profession in general. You are part of this community and you too have a role to play.

Ok, so what should you do with your work that’s not selling or when someone asks for a freebie?

My answer: Be generous!

How?

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#1 Lend it</h2>
Offer to lend one of your pieces for a set period of time and let that person know that if she wants to keep it, then she can buy it or simply return it. (Be sure to have insurance though.) Even if that person doesn't buy your piece at the end, maybe someone else you’ve never heard of will have seen it and show interest.

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#2 Offer a payment plan</h2>
If a person can’t afford your prices right away, maybe she would be interested in a payment plan. Try to find ways to make the sale interesting for you and for your client without having to reduce your prices.

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#3 Give back to the community</h2>
This one is my favorite. There are so many places in your community that would appreciate your work and show it proudly. Think about a local charity you’ve always wanted to volunteer for but never found the time or a NGO you’d like to make a donation to. Meet with them and see what their needs are and offer them your work either to decorate their space or to sell during a fundraising event. This is a win-win for them and for you because it will give your art new exposure.

Those are just a few ways to get your art out of the studio and in front of potential buyers, without having to give it away.

Learning to be generous in your art business is so important. But being generous doesn’t mean having to sell yourself short. That’s why I strongly encourage you to “give back”, not “give away”.

Remember, if you want people to take your art seriously, start by taking your art business seriously.<br />
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<b>Catherine Orer</b> is a Business + PR Strategist for visual artists as well as a contemporary art aficionado. Her extensive experience as a PR professional in leading corporations and on the contemporary art market led her to found TheArtistEntrepreneur.co and The Artist Entrepreneur Network, where she empowers entrepreneurs and artists to get more visibility for their work by developing their own marketing and PR strategy.

The Difference Between Giving Away and Giving Back and Why I Recommend The Latter

When having discussions around the strategy of pricing art, one question almost always comes up: What to do when people ask or hint that the...

John Potter - Illustration and Map Design

<span style="font-size: x-large;">John Potter</span><br>
South Florida, USA<br>
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John Potter is an illustrator who makes a lot of maps. He also does most of the graphic design associated with his <a href="http://www.artpromotivate.com/2013/11/semi-fictional-mapmaker-shane-watt.html">illustrations and maps</a>. Mr. Potter works under the title Escape Key Graphics.<br>
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Potter’s work is almost entirely commercial in nature. His work appears on book covers, album covers, in ads and more. Potter switched almost exclusively to working in digital formats some time ago. Despite the fact many of his works start out as pencil sketches his portfolio of published work still includes graphite drawings and oil and acrylic paintings. Potter’s vector illustrations with Art Deco flair are highly regarded. He is also well known for his illustrated map designs. Potter has created maps for theme parks, race tracks, zoos and more. His map styles range from fun and frivolous isometric vector renderings to 3D rendered maps with an architectural look and feel.<br>

John Potter - Illustration and Map Design

John Potter South Florida, USA John Potter is an illustrator who makes a lot of maps. He also does most of the graphic design associat...

Marietjie du Toit - Life is a Canvas

<span style="font-size: x-large;">Marietjie du Toit</span><br>
<i>Western Cape, South Africa</i><br>
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<b>Mediums</b>: Oil on Canvas<br>
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<b>Style</b>: Impressionistic<br>
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<b>Favorite Quotes</b>: “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” –Napoleon Hill,  “If you hear a voice within you say “you cannot paint,” then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” –Vincent Van Gogh<br>
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<b>Favorite Books</b>: The Bible, The Little Prince<br>
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<b>Favorite Movies</b>: Pursuit of Happyness, Gifted Hands, Forest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, Dead Poet Society, A Beautiful Mind, Marley and Me, Benny and June, Promised Land, The King’s Speech and many more.<br>
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<i><b>Wild Horse</b> © MS du Toit</i><br>
<i>From a very early age I loved horses and I have spent many hours drawing horses. This is large painting I have done and I loved every moment of painting it.</i><br>
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As an artist I probably see things differently than many other people. I look at form and colour and light. I try to see the beauty of ordinary scenes and then I try to convey that to a canvas. When I am busy painting there is a calmness in me. To create is one of the greatest gifts from the Creator. It gives me such satisfaction to finish a painting and stand back and see that it is good.<br>

Marietjie du Toit - Life is a Canvas

Marietjie du Toit Western Cape, South Africa Mediums : Oil on Canvas Style : Impressionistic Favorite Quotes : “Whatever the mind of ...

How to Help a Teen with Asperger’s Syndrome Manage Stress

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<span style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: x-small;">Via
Flickr – by </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/dvahrushev/" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: Arial, serif; font-size: small;" target="_blank">DenisVahrushev</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, serif;">When
I entered high school, I was overwhelmed with stress. Suddenly, I was
surrounded by tons of kids that I didn’t know. I had to navigate a
completely new environment. And all while trying to get good grades
in some of the most difficult classes I had ever taken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> I
would come home from school frustrated and angry. When I started
asking my mom if I could stay home “sick” from school, she knew
it was time to take action. So, one Friday when I came home from
school, she had me get in her car and told me we were going to do
something fun. We ended up going to a beginners painting class at our
local art museum and then out for pizza (my favorite!) afterwards. It
was a great way for me to de-stress after a long week at school.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, serif;"> I’m
sure other kids with Asperger’s Syndrome have the same difficulties
managing stress that I do. So, I thought I’d suggest a few things
I’ve tried that have helped me feel less stress and happier
overall:</span><br>
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How to Help a Teen with Asperger’s Syndrome Manage Stress

Via Flickr – by DenisVahrushev When I entered high school, I was overwhelmed with stress. Suddenly, I was surrounded by tons of...

The Shame of Art Vandalism in Rome

Rome is a city of great history, <a href="http://www.artpromotivate.com/2013/06/banksy-street-art-graffiti.html">art and culture</a> and any visit to Rome is synonymous with visiting its stunning attractions, museums and monuments to witness great masterpieces like The Last Judgement at the Sistine Chapel, Bernini’s Alter at St Peter’s Basilica and the She Wolf at the Capitoline Museums.  Rome’s edifying heritage has been, and must continue to be, preserved for centuries, so that the legacy will live on.<br>
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Despite this, there are some who would wish otherwise and instead vandalise and deface these historic sites rather than appreciate them. Did you know the world Vandal actually stems from the sacking of ancient Rome in 455 (2nd of June), when the Vandal Kingdom descended on Rome, ransacking the city and damaging the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus by removing the bronze roof tiles.<br>

The Shame of Art Vandalism in Rome

Rome is a city of great history, art and culture and any visit to Rome is synonymous with visiting its stunning attractions, museums and mo...

Spotlight on Emerging Artist Ellen Van Treuren - Painter

<p><strong><font size="3">Ellen Van Treuren</font></strong> 
<p><em>Fort Worth, Texas; United States</em> 
<p><strong>Mediums</strong>: I most enjoy working in oil on canvas. I would like to learn to watercolor as well. 
<p><strong>Style</strong>: My style of painting can be described as loose realism. While I’m working, I choose to make certain aspects detailed, while other parts are very loose. I tend to be more detailed with my portraiture and less detailed with landscapes and <a title="plein air painting" href="http://www.artpromotivate.com/2012/07/tips-for-plein-air-painting-in-outdoors.html">plein air painting</a>. 
<p><strong>Favorite Quote</strong>: One quote I really like is by Edgar Degas: “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” This helps me to remember that I can use my artistic license to make a painting what I want it to be. 
<p><strong>Favorite Book</strong>: My favorite art book is probably <i>Art: Over 2,500 Works from Cave to Contemporary </i>by Andrew Graham-Dixon. I use it a lot when I am preparing art lessons for my students. One of my favorite books of the Bible is Psalms. There is so much imagery and emotion-lots of painting inspiration! 
<p><strong>Favorite Movie</strong>:  There are so many movies I love! <i>Megamind</i> is on top movies list for sure. 
<p>  <p><strong><font size="3"><img title="little-friendlies-ellen-van-treuren" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; margin: 0px auto; display: block; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="little-friendlies-ellen-van-treuren" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E6ngf_T7eqQ/VWs5b5ba90I/AAAAAAAAUXk/IfGjVVzftEI/s640/little-friendlies-ellen-van-treuren.jpg" width="600" height="450"></font></strong> 
<p><i><strong>Little Friendlies</strong><br></i>© Ellen Van Treuren<br>18x24”<br>Oil on canvas 
<p>This painting was done from a photo I took at the Dallas Arboretum during Dallas Blooms during the spring. 
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<p>I am a Texas native and currently reside in Fort Worth. I have always been involved in creating artwork, growing up taking <a title="art classes" href="http://www.artpromotivate.com/2012/03/free-online-art-classes-drawing-courses.html">art classes</a>. My passion for painting was ignited while earning a B.F.A. in Studio Art at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. My chosen medium is oil paint and my work is defined by bright colors and strong texture. While I paint mostly from my home studio, I also periodically paint en plein air. Beauty inspires me so I paint a lot of natural scenes. I also paint still lifes, portraits and abstracts. I hope that the viewers of my work see the glory of the Lord our Creator and experience joy and peace. 
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Spotlight on Emerging Artist Ellen Van Treuren - Painter

Ellen Van Treuren Fort Worth, Texas; United States Mediums : I most enjoy working in oil on canvas. I would like to learn to watercolor ...

Lyndsey Fryman - Experiencing Innocence - The World Unseen

<p><font size="3"><strong>Lyndsey Fryman</strong></font></p> <p>Visual Artist, Ceramic Figurative Sculptor</p> <p><em>Paris, Kentucky, USA</em></p> <p><strong>Mediums</strong>: Clay, Ceramic Materials, Paints and Stains.</p> <p><strong>Style</strong>: Contemporary Figurative Ceramics</p> <p><strong>Favorite Quotes</strong>: “It’s not a sprint, It’s a Marathon.”<br>     “Doesn’t matter what you’ve read or think you know, nothing compares to getting your hands thick in it.”</p> <p><strong>Favorite Books</strong>: Grimm’s Tales</p> <p> </p> <p><img title="Nevertheless Lyndsey Fryman" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Nevertheless Lyndsey Fryman" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PBmgcWf1Hm4/VEbX-RPRDkI/AAAAAAAAUPQ/XnR1g2c3ru4/Nevertheless-Lyndsey-Fryman%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"> </p> <p> </p> <p>As a mother of two boys, one who has autism, my <a title="artistic process" href="http://www.artpromotivate.com/2013/04/artists-process-creating-art.html">artistic process</a> is inspired by children, animals and rural culture.  Children challenge me to see through a new perspective, one that leaves behind the preconceived expectations about motherhood and childhood. As I watch my children discovering the natural world, it reawakens my child-like perspective when everything was new and still waiting to be discovered and explained.  These sculptures are conceived through an undiscovered range of emotions, which are heavily influenced by the young child’s form. In my pieces, I try to imply the unnoticed, misunderstood, and obvious instances of our human nature through empathetic visual cues. The work engages the viewer in an unspoken dialogue that spurs a curiosity, and concern for others.</p>