Artfixdaily Blog Network

I recently finished a commission for a woman in my writing class. Connie is a person who is overflows with enthusiasm for people and life. She bubbles over when she is excited about a topic and she can cry in an instant at something that is sad. Well... She wanted me to create an oil painting of her sister and her sister's two daughters sitting on a bench in Laguna Beach. The mother lost her husband when the girls were just babies and has struggled to work and do her best at raising the girls alone in Taiwan. It turned out that the mother did quite well financially but in the stress ...

Definition of PERIL 1: exposure to the risk of being injured, destroyed, or lost. and this is the definition of the word "joy: a : the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires. As an artist, I have found that if I want to have a chance at success, good fortune or the prospect of possessing what I desire, I have to risk the possibility of being injured, destroyed or lost. An artist's life is not one of hiding in solitude and indulging in self expression. An artist's life demands that I must expose myself, my ...

As a younger artist I envisoned myself in prestigious galleries, accepting awards from people "on high". I soon lost patience with that. I found that what I love most is to create exactly the kind of art that my heart desires. I've had no problem finding people who love my work and buy it, and as far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters to me. I've always had a childlike quality to what I do. I used to try to "overcome" that, but now I embrace it. I am childlike. I love to see the world through my own lens, in the way I want to see it. My worst critics in life where all in my head. They ...

As an artist, I've been in about 15 different galleries and I can say that some experiences have been better than others. This was a response I had to several other suggestions on the subject. I have these tips for an artist approaching a gallery: Make sure the gallery is interested in your "type" of art. Call and make an appointment because usually they don't like to be interrupted. Having said that, if they don't call back, then consider going in to see them at a quiet time of day. SEND them a packet of professional photos and a nicely put together Bio. Once you are in a gallery, ...

It took me many years to find a better sense of security. Not just years, but pain. Pain is a good thing. It tells you that something isn’t right. I did all sorts of things to avoid the pain, but until I stepped forward and claimed myself, I didn’t get my release. On a spiritual level it’s about “self-realization”. I love that term because it signifies that what transformation is about is the realization! The realization of who you really are. It’s not about becoming something “else”. It’s about peeling off a skin that doesn’t fit you anymore. What’s underneath has always been there. One ...

  Writing in a journal is a saving grace for me. I don't have to share what I write with anyone, but I found that I do have to tell the truth to myself in order to be free. That's what my journal is for, telling the truth. It’s an ongoing reality check that is never "done". I don't always hit the nail on the head the first time but that's ok. If at first I don't succeed, I try again. Once I tell the truth, the answers are there waiting for me. Sometimes it’s tough to tell the truth, but I know now that only the truth will set me free. Freedom is something I'm loving a lot these days. There ...

I have overcome a lot of insecurities in the last 10 years. I don't know what the future holds, but I feel confident that I will be just fine. I love my life!

As  a more mature artist I've learned that good art does not come from a person who is overworked and spent.Or if it does, its not worth it. I know when I get to a point where I need to get out and have fun.. take a walk, see a concert, be with friends. Life is for living and when I feel full I paint so much better. So, I'm going on my walk now and I'm going to enjoy every scent, sight and sound along the way with my partner Paul who does the same! Here's where we go, up on the hill.A psychiatrist told me once that if people where balanced in how they lived their lives, they wouldn't need ...

   I grew up in an art colony by the sea and I have a fondness for the mentality of "beach people". Beach people value relaxation. I've painted Laguna Beach for years since it is my home. I've also traveled to Hawaii several times and painted Island seascapes. Now I'm enjoying the experience of the East Coast beaches. What I like about them is the subtlety of the colors there and the openness of the beaches. There's a Zen feeling on the East Coast beaches. There are fewer colors available, so these paintings are more restful. In this series I'm accentuating the delicious feeling of solitude ...

Artists are capable of intense emotions. That's something I've had to navigate in life over and over. They say the "sensitive" in a herd of animals is the one who senses danger first and alerts the rest which is a good thing, but high sensitivity can also drive a person completely insane. What I finally learned to do after many years of suffering is, yes... be aware of my emotions because they inform me. I don't suppress emotion, but I let it serve as guidance. I'm careful to not indulge in negative thoughts for too long though, because that habbit almost destroyed my life at one time. When ...