The Feathered Nest

Website renovation

2011-10-27T09:18:00.000-07:00

The work has begun! And it's terribly overdue. My website is receiving a much-needed overhaul, as its appearance has been sitting in the 90's and it needs an updated look. You're going to see some new pages when it's all done, and new media as well - canvas, fabric art, and prints offered too.

You'll find the new format already on the index page as well as the calendar page. I'll be working through the rest of it bit by bit and getting the newest paintings on the site.

"Crossing Guards" (c) Julie Thompson 2011, sold.

Speaking of paintings, I've much to get done on that front. There are currently ZERO completed paintings in-studio. Fusions Gallery just sold the last one they had in stock. Lucas Art currently has five -- er, scratch that they sold the Loons on Tuesday -- they have four paintings. Now I do have a few started in-studio, just receiving final details and framing. The goal of having the galleries fully stocked and also having 30 paintings in-studio feels a bit out of reach right now! That's okay, I've got the winter to rebuild... and also rebuild that website!

I Love Teaching!

2011-06-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

Over the last several years as I demonstrate the process of feather-painting from my booth at shows, I have encountered more and more folks who express an active interest in wanting to learn and try this unique art for themselves. While I had taught kids through the Scouting program, I admittedly felt a little nervous about teaching adults. Anything unfamiliar makes us a little nervous.

Last Summer I taught feather-painting to a great group of kids at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center. During this instruction, several of the adult teachers and volunteers also jumped in to learn the art. We all had great fun! I'm oh so looking forward to teaching this again at this year's American Indian Day Camp at the Center.

This Spring I decided to teach workshops in feather-painting at Lucas Art Gallery in Graham. Still a little uncomfortable about it, but determined to do it as so many have been wanting to learn. The experience was fantastic! The class was completely full. We painted wolves in a night scene with birch trees and snow, and everyone left happily carrying their completed feathers.

Our next workshop went just as well - we worked on Goldfinches and Thistles. This coming Saturday's workshop will be eagles. We still have a few openings, if you'd like to come join the fun! Call Karen Lucas at Lucas Art Gallery in Graham WA at 253-847-0858

Soon, I hope to be taking these workshops on the road. I've begun making queries down in Centralia Washington, as there are quite a few down there who would like to learn. Where next? Time will tell... but I'm looking forward to the trip!

The Rising Cost of Doing Business

2011-02-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed how much groceries have gone up over the last year? We sure have in my household. And I've got a 6'4" teenage boy, which only compounds the expense. I think here in Western Washington I've seen an increase in weekly grocery cost of 50% over the last 12 months.

But it's not just food that has gone up. Framing materials have also increased drastically. 2 years ago I could buy a box of UV glass for $90, and then in 2010 it jumped to $120 per box. I recently called the shop for a price quote, and found that glass is now $140 per box. That's not all that has gone up. Acid-free alphamats went from $11 each to $14 each. Then there's my favorite mouldings, the nice raw oak that I take home and stain myself and then join. That has increased by $7 per frame.

What's a painter to do? I have worked for a number of years as a professional framer, so I have had the blessing of being able to cut that cost by doing this work myself. Doing my own framing not only saves substantial cost, but I can also have total control of the quality of this process. There is no guessing, I know what goes into my framings. Painted feathers are a very unusual size and shape, so a custom job is necessary for a professional presentation.

My desperation to keep costs lower brought me to my friend Karen at Lucas Art and Frame. I told her of the costs I was facing in frame moulding. She had just received a new shipment of moulding samples and already had her eye on a particular style for me, and she would build the frames. This particular moulding is $7 more than what I would be paying for raw moulding that still needed to be stained and built, but saving time and miles is saving money so the difference really was nothing at all. I no longer would need to do the extra work in building a frame, and will be saving an hour and a half per frame in the end because I could go straight from painting, to matting and glazing, to dropping it into a frame that is ready and waiting. That is certainly worth $7 more per frame to me, as that is now an hour and a half each that I save in frame production. What a win!

I cannot show you the new frames yet, but I can describe them to you. It's a fairly wide one, two-tone wood, and of a dark walnut on the outer and the inside is more blond. The styling of the blond is like wormwood, but it's beautifully finished. Natural, yet elegant. We tried the sample against all my pieces in the gallery and it looked great with every one of them. The new beautifully finished frame will definitely add to the quality of each finished piece. Framing really does have the ability to make - or break - any finished art.

So regrettably I will need to raise the price of my painted feathers. It's a decision I've held off on doing as long as I can. I am only taking it up by $20 though, which is going from $275 to $295 each. All of you who have requested work from me, don't worry, you are still at the previous agreed-upon price of $275. Any new orders will fall into the new price.

I am working on two pieces that will be bound for Germany. These will receive the new frames, so when they are done I will photograph them so you can see how nice the new presentation really is. You won't be disappointed... I'm thrilled to be able to offer these and elevate the quality to the next level.

ACEO winner

2011-02-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

I'm a day late with this, but have put two names in a hat and pulled out one. Adele, you've won the ACEO original painting! As there were only two participants with last Sunday's card, I've scanned in a second card and Adele may choose between the two posted here. Scott will receive the remaining card. I'll be in touch with both of you for mailing addresses. :-)

As things are getting much busier in the studio, and rather suddenly too, I may not be doing another ACEO card giveaway for a couple of weeks.

January is history, and the days are getting noticeably longer. The cherry trees and flowering currants in my yard are beginning to stir, putting forth leaf buds in anticipation of Spring. Both Puxutawney Phil the Groundhog and Jabari the Hedgehog are calling for an early Spring. With Spring come the annual parade of art festivals and exhibitions. Are you ready?? I'm not! But I'm working on it!

I'm working harder than ever in the studio in an effort to make up for lost time. Last year saw me pulling back drastically from shows, but this year I shall be entering a couple of new ones.

Next Monday I'll be doing feather-painting demonstrations and speaking at an art club. At the end of the month I'll be speaking with another local arts organization about Facebook, social media for artists, and inbound marketing. March holds an adult feather painting workshop, and April begins the first show of the season. It will progressively get busier and more active right through til Autumn, so now is the time to prepare!

And prepare, I must - for next year I'll take my next journey to Scotland. This time I won't be alone though, I'll be bringing my teenaged son with me. What an experience he will have! I'm glad he is a camper, for a lot of our adventure will be spent doing exactly that. I'm also preparing to pursue some art goals while over in that magnificent country. It's very encouraging to constantly keep new goals in sight. To continually have something to aim for is a real driving force that keeps you active and in motion, always moving forward. Ther is so much to look forward to, both this year and next - onward to the next adventure!

ACEO Card Giveaway

2011-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday's giveaway was so much fun I thought we'd do it again. This week's ACEO is very new, and created out of music's inspiration. As before, simply leave a comment to enter the drawing. I will pull a name from my hat on Wednesday and notify the winner and request a mailing address to which this is to be mailed.

This little guy came into my head whilst listening to Rory Campbell's CD, "Intrepid". I thought (hoped) it was an original idea, but it's not... I've found a couple of versions of Kokopelli with bagpipes online. None were consistent in style, though - while Kokopelli was done in the traditional manner, his pipes were shown with a great deal more detail, and in some cases accented with extra color to show even more detail. To me, I thought the instrument should be represented as primitively as the character. Here that concept is carried even further by placing him as a pictograph amongst others on a rock face flecked with mica. This has been created on heavy watercolor paper with acrylics and colored pencil, and is signed on the front and details provided on the back.

When I showed this on Facebook, one friend immediately dubbed him Koko MacPelli. Michael, that was just too good not to keep! This was fun, and I will likely try Koko MacPelli on a t-shirt later on. But for now, the original little ACEO painting will soon go to one lucky person on Wednesday.

What got you started?

2011-01-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

When did you decide to 'go big' and really seek to make a go of art as a career? Who inspired you? Were you striving to drop the day job and throw everything you had into your art?

This hit me recently as I was rummaging through old binders in the studio. I came across one dusty old green binder that I had not opened in quite a long time... several years, in fact. It's interesting to say the least when you discover a time capsule of sorts from when you first got really serious about growing your art and taking it beyond "enjoyable sideline" and making it your career.

The bulk of these documents, all neatly categorized with dividers, wore the date of June, 2002. This truly was when I was really seeking to grow and expand. There wasn't a whole lot on the internet for art business then. I'm not positive but I don't think that even Alyson Stanfield had her weekly art biz newsletters then. At least, I hadn't found her yet. I was a subscriber of Robert Genn and his twice-weekly emails, but beyond that I spent hours and hours searching and compiling and making lists from the internet.

Most of the material in my trusty old research binder was written by Geoffrey Gorman. He had produced articles under Art Matters and a really nice art business development packet under Tailwind. Sadly, I cannot find any of this online now. Thank goodness I printed out hard copies of all that and put it in a binder! Note to self (and all of you!) Never trust that the good and useful information you find online will remain where it is. If it's that useful to you, save it!

For someone who was just starting out, and more than a bit fearful, this stuff was a goldmine. Although I was showing in galleries and gift shops, and had been for 12 years at that point, I knew I wanted to do more. By running Google searches for art shows in Western Washington, I soon found that we had a wealth of such opportunities in this region. It wasn't long before I had a good-sized list of potential shows to try and enter. What I still lacked at that point was courage. It was easy to see that lack of knowledge was the cause of that and I began seeking the what and the how. Geoff Gorman provided many detailed answers to this beginner's questions, as did Alyson Stanfield when I found her valuable information online, and soon I was attempting the local shows. It was terrifying to make that plunge, but the rewards were big. I won some ribbons, I made some sales. And I gained confidence.

As I tried more and more shows, soon trying larger ones that I never dreamed I would be able to participate in, I continued to seek more and more information online. That art biz information was increasing in availability, as it still is. I knew I had to build a better online presence and left Geocities for better options. I got busy participating in lots of online art forums. It soon became apparent that the more places one could be seen online, the better. And if you're doing more than merely showing your work but actually participating, all the better.

It's been a long and continual learning experience, and I am still learning... at times learning as fast as I can. I'm going to go back through that binder more slowly and see what's changed and what still applies. There's not much call anymore for slide submissions for shows, but I do have that info in the binder. One bit that was very interesting to revisit was the section in Tailwind that asks ""Where Do You Want To Be In Five Years"? Now THAT was interesting, especially considering how much of that had actually been achieved in five years' time! I wanted to be in print, to drop the day job, to be selling in shows and galleries, to have a nice studio, to be well known for my work...

You hear stories of this happening when someone gets very specific about goals and intentions, but it really is something to see for yourself that it really does work! It may well be time to draft another five year plan. ;-)
Happy Weekend! :-)

And the winner is....

2011-01-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

Gina! I'll be in touch with you soon for an address. :-)

Thank you all so much! I was delighted to see such an interest in this, and to have eight participants for this first blog giveaway, holy smokes! One participant could not post to the blog and so contacted me privately. Her name went into the hat too.

If there is interest enough, I shall keep doing these on Sunday mornings - this was fun! Let's see, what sort of ACEO will be next?

Sorry I have not scanned in the completed versions of those feathers as of yet. For one, the double has yet to be completed! :-( I am a bit surprised at how awkward this one is to work with, and so don't wish to rush it. I do already have a frame and glass for this one though. The frame is 11 inches wide to accommodate this larger piece. It will be interesting to see this one once it's all pulled together.

I do have, however - at long last - an availability of prints for my Eilean Donan castle painting. These are an open-run, and the image is 8"x10", matted to fit an 11"x14" frame. Each print is signed, has a single mat and backing, and is $20 plus $4 shipping. If you are interested and not in the US, please contact me and I will get a shipping quote for you.

I was very pleased with the quality of the print. There are plans to do a canvas print in the future, larger, and limited to just fifty.

I pulled the photo I took of the castle, from which this was painted, and am including it and info on the back of each print assembly. My husband has a much greater grasp of MS Word than I do, so he took my info and created a nice document:. I don't know about you, but when I buy prints, I love to have the story behind it and so have provided that for collectors. Click on the images for larger views:

Again, thank you for your interest. I love receiving your comments. Stay tuned for another blog giveaway on Sunday!

ACEO Card Giveaway

2011-01-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here it is, my first-ever blog giveaway. I'm hoping to make this a regular thing, but really it depends on you, the readers.

The only thing you need to do to enter is leave a comment. On Wednesday I will put the names of all those who left a comment in a hat and draw one at random. Then I will post the name of the winner on Wednesday. I'll ask for your email so that I may contact you for your mailing address so I can send you your prize. Easy!

The item up for grabs is an original ACEO painting. If you are unfamiliar with ACEO, it means Art Cards Editions and Originals. They began as trading cards amongst artists to collect one another's art. The general public felt a bit left out though, having no art cards to trade, and so artists began creating them for the public at very reasonable cost, and they've become highly collectible.

This is one of Puss In Boots, and done in acid-free ink, colored pencil, and acrylic paint. There is a lot of detail in this little guy, and he is a prototype of a larger painting that I am planning. The ACEO is signed on the front, and signed and titled on the back and will arrive in a protective transparent sleeve.

Please leave me a comment, and I will announce the winner on Wednesday!

Unfinished Business

2011-01-21T12:23:00.000-08:00

One of the best things about doing art demonstrations at festivals, galleries, and events is it gives me the opportunity to explain and show to the patrons just how I approach painting on a feather. Since that is just not possible for many of you reading, I thought I'd post a couple of unfinished works here so that you may get a sense of the process.

This was one destined for Whitehorse in the Yukon, one of several. While I do not yet have a scan of this finished feather, from this one you can see how the painting begins in silhouette, particularly those that use the natural feather as the background. All but the wolves are complete in this, they remain in silhouette awaiting their finishing work.

This next one is of a sort I'd not tried before, fusing two feathers together for a large painting surface. It has proved to be rather unwieldy to work with. I do a lot of glazing and layering, working from the background to the foreground, and you can see the mountains and forest are beginning to take shape. I will post the finished versions of these Next Wednesday.

In upcoming classes we'll go into the process in more detail, students will be able to apply the technique to any subject matter they choose once we are done. Our first class at Lucas Art in Graham will involve a winter scene with wolves, very like the scene above.

Sunday: Yep, gave it heavy text because I don't want you to miss this! Be ready for my first ever Blog Giveaway! I'll post an original ACEO card giveaway, a detailed and fun painting of Puss In Boots. I'll post the card then, so leave a comment on Sunday's post for a chance to win. On the Wednesday following, I'll put Sunday's commentors' names in a bag and draw and post the winner. Do pop back in, this should be fun! :-)

Outlook

2011-01-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

Just a short post for tonight, but my entries will be coming a little more frequently now.

It was the last day of our Wood Badge course, 2005 - banquet day, the celebration of our achievements, training, and what we'd become on the other side. We arrived to the dining hall by patrols. All the patrol tables were in neat rows across the middle of the hall, but our Bear Patrol table was at the other end, set apart from the rest but next to the staff table. We looked at things in a little bit of puzzlement. Then I said, grinning, "Hey, look at this! We're at the head of the class!" Another in our patrol countered, "...or in the back of the room!" I shook my head. "Noo - it's all in your perspective!"

And I believe that. Everything is a gift. It becomes what we choose to make of it. What circumstance have you decided to turn around?

"Where Eagles Soar",painted feather commission. Dad's an Eagle, Big Brother's an Eagle, and Little Brother is a Wolf Cub. Unique art that made for a very meaningful Father's Day gift.

Pointillism In Glass

2010-12-29T19:39:00.000-08:00

I unintentionally confused some folk on Facebook when I called it this... to me it made sense because it's producing an image in dots. And those dots are little tiny size 11 glass beads. But when you throw a thought out there it conjures up *many* different ideas and interpretations. I'd love to see the physical form of some of those ideas. :-)

Now going way back to junior high and high school in Ketchikan Alaska - this is when and where I first became acquainted with applique beading on felt and woolen cloth. The ones I learned from were marvelous... Doug Hudson in junior high and then the legendary Esther Shea. I learned so much, especially Tlingit flat design translated to beads and cloth.

But kids being what kids are, I learned, but did not continue. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I picked it up again... and I surprised myself at how much I'd remembered! It's kind of like riding a bike, when you do pick it up again you slide right back into it.

The method I learned was pick up 4, and go back through 2. This is all well and fine, til I began doing tiny crazy detail work. Detail, that's something I just can't stray far from. A couple of years ago I was working on some of this beading at the Puyallup Fair while exhibiting at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center, and a very kind Yakima Indian lady came by, who was quite skilled at beading. "Oh no!" She admonished. "That will be too loose for you. Pick up two beads and go back through one!" That small bit of advice kindly given made a very big difference! It's the only way I'll do applique beading now.

When I picked up the beading again it was by way of being overwhelmingly inspired by a form of beautiful Alaskan regalia known as an Octopus Bag. This intriguing bag began with the Metis in Canada, and its popularity grew with those who came in contact with it. The bag was adopted from tribe to tribe, all the way to the east and west coasts. Mid-continent knew it as the Fire Bag, and because of its two set of four legs, amongst the Tlingit it was called Octopus Bag and amongst the Iroquois it was a Spider Bag. With the Tlingit it was traditionally worn only by a Chief or prestigious speaker, but now it's worn by dancers, men and women.

Alaskan Wildflowers bag. My very first, and the only one fully completed so far.

The thing about them though, is it's very hard to find anyone who makes them. Also, you just don't see them outside Alaska. I learned how to make them by examining museum photos online, and also guesstimating their size by those worn by dancers in other photos. Since I began showing them at Native shows, I have since learned my interpretation is pretty darned close to those worn and used by tribal members back in Alaska.

Raven-Steals-The-Sun bag. The bright colors and contrast were great fun.

The first one I made was given to a dear Native friend upon her retirement. I have since built two others in a contemporary Native style, both still need their shoulder straps. The fourth one recently completed (also still needing its shoulder strap) was a PNW/Celtic blend... the bag design is unmistakenly PNW, but the beaded decoration is very Scots-Celtic. I really need to get better at knotwork, but I'm happy with the way the large and detailed thistle came out.

Hummingbird bag. You can see I'm getting more detailed!

Since playing with Octopus Bags, and also doing bead work on a hand-sewn Button Blanket (also traditional PNW Native regalia), I've ventured off into other hand-sewn items. But I'll go further into that in a later post. ;-)

Celtic bag in progress. I ended up using nearly a whole hank of dark green beads for this thistle.

Working in the knots. Beads really do have a mind of their own!

Saying good bye to 2010 with an eye on 2011

2010-12-21T00:02:00.000-08:00

Fusions Gallery, Ocean Shores WA

Last Saturday found me painting demos at Fusions Gallery during the final Art Walk of the year for Ocean Shores. I love coming to this gallery, especially to do demos - the owner is wonderful and so is the staff. The gallery displays are always cheery and forever rearranging, inviting the visitor to have a wander and see what's new. I'm already making plans for the next visit.

Fusions is now home to my two 'murals', 16x20 canvas paintings in acrylics of Northwestern Scotland; 'Eilean Donan Castle' and 'the Auld Man and his Flock' (Old man of Storr with Hebridean sheep). Yes, 16x20 is a mural for me! Each took me months to do. The feathers are not forgotten, though - in January I will be bringing in new feather paintings that are currently underway. One of those is an experimental project, fusing two feathers together for an extra wide canvas. Working with such a thing is proving to be much trickier than I anticipated! It's such fun to work with galleries that enthusiastically try on new things from their artists.

Eilean Donan Castle, 16x20 acrylics on canvas, (c) Julie Thompson 2010

With the canvases comes the added benefit of prints. I've only had one photographed for prints so far, and that's Eilean Donan. The Auld man and His Flock will come soon. I'm offering Eilean Donan as a signed open-run print, single-matted for an 11x14 frame at $25 each. There will be plans for canvas prints in the future.

There will be another new addition for 2011, workshops in feather-painting. I'm looking at two venues so far, and one already has me scheduled for classes. Patrons who would ask me to consider teaching have most often expressed interest in wolves, so that is the subject we will begin with at Lucas Art Gallery in Graham WA on March 12. I will supply the feathers, of course. Class size for this one is limited to just ten students. On May 13 at the same venue we will be painting songbirds. Folks who are interested may contact the gallery after the first of the year and sign up. From the interest so far, I expect these classes may fill quickly. As classes for the second venue come together, I will let you know dates, location, and subject.

2011 is shaping up to be a busy year!

That One-Word Theme for the Year

2010-12-13T00:17:00.000-08:00

If you've followed my blog for while, you know I've become a big fan of the One-Word Theme - thanks in large part to Christine Kane. Let's face it - 'traditional' style New Year's resolutions rarely survive past the first week. It's easy to see why - a traditional New Year's resolution is little more than a wish. Wishes are too vague to prompt any kind of action. A wish that has been honed with specificity is no longer a wish, it's now a goal. Goals beg for action.

The One-Word theme helps you paint a picture of what you want your coming year to look like. You look around you and decide what needs to be changed. What are your goals for the coming year? Can they be brought together with a single word?

For 2009 I set my theme with 'Commit'. It was a strong action word that helped me realize a set of goals that felt impossible at the time. What, fly to Scotland for a 3-week solo adventure, travel around the country just me and my backpack, and make it happen with my painted feathers? And pull that together in 7 months' time?? Something like that required commitment. Purchasing my plane ticket early in the year was definitely a commitment to that goal.

2010 was a bit of a wash. My goals lacked the specificity and time deadlines that 2009 had. My word was weak and fuzzy too. 'Grow'. Not good enough to really make things develop. If there's anything I've learned about this one-word theming of a year, it requires planning and dedication. The more committed you are (there's that word again), the more effective it will be for you.

After a bit of study, heavy thinking and contemplation, running about the internet making parallels and comparisons on some of my thoughts and ideas, I've finally settled on a word... but because of the level of effort I put into it this time, it feels more like the word chose me:
Mastery.

I won't go further into that now, but promise to explain it a bit further - a bit later when I've pulled the information together. This one is using a little more than a set of goals and a one-word theme, and has had a lot of thought put into it.

Do you have a theme for your 2011?


"Raven Steals The Sun" painted rawhide drum. (C) Julie Thompson

A slow recovery

2010-12-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a tragic long time since I've updated here, and artwork has suffered too. Since the Puyallup Fair in September I have been very ill, which has devastated so many plans that I had hoped to accomplish by now. Three solid months of sickness will take a lot out of you! Once I've got my strength and vitality back, I won't be taking good health for granted again!

Health is coming back quickly though, so watch for new things from me in the near future. I've other art projects underway, a new print available, and will be teaching some feather-painting workshops in the Spring.

Onward and upward, and more soon!

Portion of a new canvas painting underway -

Title - 'Long Ago When Raven Was White'

Why I Prefer New Media Over Old

2010-08-24T09:51:00.000-07:00

I recently got into a conversation with my stepmother who teaches art. She is an avid subscriber to a couple of art magazines. This is something I used to do but not any longer. She pointed to the current issue of one in particular that she considered very worthwhile and very valuable (of which I have no doubt). "This issue has a lot of great stuff. They have plenty of useful articles this time."

I was left thinking "Yes, this time. Did you find less value in the previous issues?" I explained that I tend to look at the websites of particular magazines, and when I see an issue that has lots of value for my purpose, one that I am confident I would go back to time and again, then I go out and purchase that issue. Then, it is money well invested - at least to me.

But for me, New media goes much deeper than that. A magazine is very narrow and very linear -- you only see the articles that the publisher deems worthwhile, and only so much can be included within an issue. Not all the articles may suit your needs and interests, but you've paid for them nonetheless. With New Media, you may build your reading list specifically tailored to suit you. So many worthwhile articles are written, by authors and by artists and by arts promoters and more, that never become print on a magazine page.

If you have a particular query, dilemma, or need, you may use a search engine to find articles that fill that need. Some may argue that you don't received well-rounded reading this way, that you shortchange yourself and miss some great information in other areas that you did not search for. I disagree - for in reading ... say, a blog, I follow the links in that blog, I visit the blogs and websites of artists who have commented on that blog (I've become acquainted with some great friends this way), something mentioned within that blog might intrigue me to go search out more information on that particular thing (have I ever mentioned that I'm a research nut?) - so in the end, you are perfectly capable of ending up with lots of reading material and lots of learning opportunities. Some blog articles you encounter are so well written that you become a subscriber and a regular reader. With that, you now receive articles of a wide variety, and not just the information you were initially seeking. I would even argue that one has more access to a larger variety of reading by utilizing New Media, where a magazine offers less.

New Media has so many platforms, where magazines do not. New media can be interactive, where you may ask the author some questions you may have that were not covered in the article. A magazine subscription cannot do that. The magazine subscription may have cost you $20 to $50 for 4 to 12 issues, and New Media is mostly free. Magazines are a one-way ticket, you receive and you read. New Media has the ability to benefit you by bringing people to your own blog, your own website, Live Journal, Facebook, Twitter page, Etsy store, etc. A magazine cannot do that, not unless you're willing to pay for an ad within its pages and run it for at least three months.

Just over the last few days I've been able to visit the studios of many artists to get ideas for my own studio space. I'm participating in the East Pierce County Open Studio Tour and I want to make some changes and a good impression. I visited the studios of artists all across the continent by way of their Youtube videos and came away with wonderful inspiration, as well as new blogs to follow and new Facebook pages to read. This morning I had coffee while I educated myself on the building and benefits of a Facebook Fan Page for artists, and I watched a wonderful interview with Manhattan artist Chuck Close on being an artist during times of crises. Look up Chuck Close on Youtube, there are many great videos with him. Thanks to Youtube I've seen some videos for Open Studio Tours that I think would be a wonderful marketing idea for our own Studio Tour. Below is one I found this morning that I think we as an organization can create, it appears to have been made with a program similar to the free one I used for my feathers. Something like this can be utilized by every participating artist to help enhance his or her marketing strategy as we get ready for November's Open Studio Tour.

So in the end, yes magazines are a pleasure to hold and to thumb through, but for the now I won't subscribe. I'm finding so much value and education right here online, and you can't beat the price!

Expanding with New Items

2010-08-02T14:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I've fallen behind with the blog again! Back to it, 'get back on that horse and ride' as they say.

I love to experiment and try some new things. Inspiration was first sparked by seeing a book listed with North Light, detailing how to paint on tiles. Those flames were further fanned when I posted some attempts to Facebook and friends expanded on ideas.

The thing I like about these is the functionality. I've done art for the walls for a long time, but had not tried anything that can be used. So this is fun! The tiles are 6 inches by 6 inches and have felt pads beneath, so they make dandy trivets for the kitchen. Each has been sealed to protect the painting.

I've been getting more and more involved with Highland Games and with our own Clan Tent, and have been inspired to try some work in Celtic-style design:

This creative play has brought on encouragement from a friend to try combining Celtic with Pacific Northwestern Coastal work, which is something I was experimenting with years ago but have been wanting to try again. This one below is from a design I tried with Herons years ago, and was eager to give it another go. It's not easy squeezing PNW design elements into a Celtic shape!

These have proven to be quite popular, as no two are exactly alike and they are an affordable $20 each plus shipping. All of these except for the PNW Elk have already sold, with several requests for more. I've been asked to try other color schemes with the herons, and for other Celtic and PNW style animals, as well as more of the thistle. If one of these 6" x 6" hand-painted tiles is something you would like to have, leave a comment or drop me a note at featherlady@comcast.net.

Here's a different one, again inspired by activity with Highland Games. It's a 4" square tile with thick felt pads beneath to protect your furniture, for use as a drink coaster. This one is painted with my clan crest, MacLeod of Harris. I can do any family crest requested, these are $10 each or $30 for a set of 4.

Experimenting with new things does inspire creativity - the more you play, the more you want to try more new things!

May Goals

2010-05-04T14:20:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Candied Fabrics' posts about monthly goal setting, she has inspired me to do the same. Putting it out here for all to see keeps me to it. I already know this works from doing this with annual goals and setting a one-word theme for the year.

Here is May's task list, not necessarily in order:
01. Blog at least twice per week.
02. Order business cards (That's a big must-do, quit printing them myself!)
03. Update website. get all the new art on there.
04. Build my presentation about Facebook for Artists, for the East Pierce County Open Studio group. (mtg. at end of month).
05. Develop feather-painting class for the kids signed on to June's American Indian Daycamp at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage and Art Center
06. Complete the eight current commissions. (2/8 done!)
07. Paint studio floor (preps for Open Studio Tour)
08. Adjust background on the canvas painting. "The Auld Man and His Flock".
09. Finish "Eilean Donan Castle" canvas painting.
10. Research local printing costs.
11. Vision Board (80% done!)
12. Daily Affirmations (80% done!)
13. Return to the habit of writing daily gratitudes (so far, so good!)
14. Lose ten pounds in May
15. Add 'About' page to blog
16. Pull body of work together for June's 2-person show, "Feathers and Flutes".

It's a pretty good list, but I can do this... even along with prodding my boy to keep his grades up and make Star rank in Scouts. I'll revisit these goals at the start of June and post how much I knocked out, along with the posting of goals for June. Some of this inevitably won't get completed, as it is a lot and I accept that. I will at least show the percentage completed on those tasks unfinished at the end of the month.

Challenging Myself

2010-05-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

Although the bulk of my work still lies in painted feathers (and probably always will), lately I've been pushing myself to play more with canvas. Many friends at shows over the last several years have been encouraging me to do so, but I resisted... until last Autumn.

I started with that 16x20 of The Auld Man and His Flock (sheep on the Trotternish in Scotland) and learned SO much from that one. For the past 20 years feathers have been my canvas and I know how acrylic paints behave on such a support. They glide on and blend easily for me... I've learned how to handle the brush so the barbs of the feather won't split. But canvas? That's a whole different animal! Feeling still too intimidated with oils, as for an acrylic painter it's rather like learning a new language, I kept to acrylics in painting The Auld Man. And I learned how thirsty canvas is in comparison to feathers... and that one really should use Gesso before painting on canvas! Lessons learned! Obviously I don't Gesso a feather!

I'm about 2/3 through my second experiment on canvas, and I'm finding this time it's going a bit easier. Along with using Gesso (what a difference!) I'm also using underpainting more as well as a lot more glazing to achieve the desired effects. Acrylics dry so quickly, so glazing in layers and details over this much larger surface is immensely helpful. I'm applying some of the things I've learned from Robert Walton and LeRoy Jesfield in the two classes I've taken with them. Bob's class was in oils, but LeRoy's class was in acrylics and because of him I learned you can apply the same glazing techniques as you do in oils. I think it's made a big difference in my painting.

Eilean Donan Castle. Progress photo. 16x20 acrylics on canvas

I still have a fair amount of work to do on this one, but it's coming along. The bridge will have as much detail worked into it as the castle does. The midground, foreground, and left side of the castle still need work as of the taking of this photo, but since then the castle has been completely finished and just the mid and foreground are yet to be completed.

This is being painted from my own photo. I was very fortunate to have been camped nearby in Glenshiel where I could come and visit the castle first thing in the morning. I was also blessed with a stunning sunny morning too - with the early morning sun at my back, I got several great reference photos from which to work.

I'll be coming back to this castle. I hope to return to Scotland in 2012, this time with my teenaged son in tow. We plan to climb the Cuillin Mountains next time. Exploring this beautiful country will be such a fantastic experience for my son, and I am very much looking forward to returning.

Blogging for Artists - introduction, and some benefits

2010-04-26T14:39:00.000-07:00

I am back up and running on a new computer. Unfortunately I do not have certain programs installed on this new machine yet, like Photoshop. Rather than wait to update any longer because I haven't yet got the ability to make that hiking post about the Trotternish like I said (it would be image heavy), I hope you don't mind my providing something else.

I was asked to do a presentation to a local artist group about social marketing, so I'm starting off with blogging for artists.

recent commissioned painting of wolves, acrylics on peacock feather

An online presence of some form is essential for success in today's art market. An online location such as a website becomes your storefront. Unlike your studio or your representing gallery, your website is available for perusal 24/7. And unlike those physical venues, there are almost no geographic restrictions. you really can bring your art to the world.

Website: Your website is your anchor. it is the fulcrum from which all your online marketing extends. The website has long since become the accepted business standard, but it does have its drawbacks.
-Cost. Hiring a professional can be expensive, as can purchasing some of the website building programs that are available.
-Time. if you build it yourself, it is very time-costly - especially if it involves coding. There is also the matter of a professional's time, as your site is likely not the only site he has to keep updated. Those updates may not come as quickly as you would prefer.
-Updates. When your website is updated, who's going to know? You have an email list, and you may notify your friends and patrons this way, but that too takes time. there is no automatic notification that I am aware of for websites.

A website tends to be static and seldom changes. It best serves you as your base online portfolio in which you showcase your best work and provide your essential information such as artist bio, contact information, and calendar of shows and events. Do update it, quarterly at the very least.

Blog: Your blog, unlike your website which changes very little, is organic and constantly growing. Your website is a showcase of your best art, but your blog may show the working process of new pieces. it may also be a place for your readers to come and get to know you a little bit better. A blog also encourages community and interactivity, it is more social.

Consider your favorite blogs - what attracted you to them? What keeps you coming back? A good blog that attracts frequent visitors is one that has good content, good imagery, and is updated regularly. A successful blog provides value - whether it informs, inspires, or simply entertains, that blog provides something useful and of value for the reader to take away. readers come to fulfill a need.

Benefits of Blogging: Blogs have many benefits over websites. Community, ease of use, cost-friendly (most are free!), and instant publishing are a few.

-RSS. Blogs may also be subscribed to by RSS, or Real Simple Syndication. This allows the readers to see immediately what new articles you've written without actually going to the blog. They are immediately notified of updates without any email notifications or other work on your part.

-Community. You may allow comments to your blog, which lends a level of interactivity that your website just doesn't have. In some blog platforms, such as Blogger, you may 'follow' other blogs within that platform. You may also add a list of your favorite blogs in a 'blogroll' and others will add you to theirs. through these activities you may build a network. You may ask questions on other blogs and answer questions and comments on your own. you're building a connection with people. As your community grows, so do friendships. You'll begin to see people frequenting blogs not only for the content, but also for the conversation. this is the 'social' in social networking and it is a very powerful tool.

-Search Engines. It is a fact that search engines love blogs. Search engines search for words, and blogs are just full of them. Search engines also like freshly-updated URL's and blogs definitely provide that, much more so than websites do. Keeping that in mind, when you make a blog post, whenever possible (and without being obnoxious about it) include key words that people would use in searching for you or your work. You may have noticed I use the words 'painted feathers' in many of my blog posts, and that is to help people find me. Keep in mind the words people might search in finding you or work similar to what you do, and employ them when you can.

Cost. I have already touched on this one, but it's worth saying again. Most blogs are free. Websites can often be costly, both monetarily and in time, and a blog is thrifty in both.

Ease of use. You can literally set up your brand new blog in a matter of minutes. You don't need to know codes, you simply choose a style you like, write your article, add your images (which is also very easy), Title it, add some tags if you choose, click 'publish', and voila, your article has been published to the internet and within minutes it's already available to your subscribers' RSS feeds. What could be easier?

How often should you update? It needs to be at whatever rate you are comfortable with. If just once a week is all you can handle, that is fine - but an effective blog needs to be updated at least once a week and preferably more frequently than that if you can manage it. If you can't do that right away, work up to it. I made a goal this year to get much better at blogging, and just when I had a good rhythm going my computers melt down. Stuff happens! Recover your footing, and drive on when you can.

What should you write about? Write about anything you like, anything you have a passion for. Be personable, and above all be genuine. If you're not comfortable or knowledgeable in the subject you're writing about, it will show! Your readers will see it. It won't feel natural to you and it won't come off as authentic to those reading. Just be yourself. As an artist, you have a plethora of blogworthy material. What is your latest project? Show us, tell us about it, blog about some of your process. did you go some place special to gain the experiences and reference material? We'd love to hear about it. Have you got some big goals, upcoming shows? how about hobbies that you love that don't even involve art? it's all good. Consider those blogs you like to read... they probably involve a lot of your own interests, right? That's who you're writing for, yourself and for those people who share your interests as well as those people who follow your art. You could even gain new followers of your art simply by writing about your interests.

If you don't have a website, a blog is a very good alternative. If you do have a website, however, a blog should not replace it, it should simply compliment it. Link to your blog on all your major website pages. Show your latest artworks on your blog. Announce website revisions on your blog. Your blog has great potential to drive traffic to your website, and vise-versa. Use them both, update your blog regularly and see how much your website visits climb.

~Happy blogging!

Absent, But Not Given Up

2010-04-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

So sorry, I realize it's been a few weeks since my last post. Regretfully, I've experienced another computer crash. This puts me back on the dinosaur again, which feels more crippled and lethargic than ever. I do have a new laptop on the way, though, so after this coming weekend I will be able to resume posting. I cannot even do photos under current conditions, but by April 19 the posts shall resume. Look for a hiking post on the Trotternish then, with several photos.

Have a wonderful week!

Getting To Know Ewe

2010-03-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Before my trip last summer, I had absolutely no clue how to paint a sheep, and certainly not the sort that a friend had asked for. But last summer I learned how valuable it can be to visit the animals in their own natural surroundings... and not even necessarily sketch them, but just sit quietly... and observe.

The Trotternish Peninsula at the northern end of the Isle of Skye was a wonderful place for doing just that. That's another nice thing about renting a car and leaving your schedule wide open... you do have time to stop, sit quietly, and just take it all in.

You can look at other peoples' photos without ever having personally seen the animal yourself, but you miss so much that way. You don't see how they move, how they behave, how they interact. You'll get their structure and conformation, but you'll not see their spirit.

I don't think there are any sheep as spirited as those roaming freely in this still largely wild land. In climbing up into high country I was constantly amazed at all the crazy places those sheep would climb to. Browsing a steep incline at a high altitude was no big deal to them.

The closest I got was with flock of Hebridean black-face below Duntulm castle ruins on the west side of the Trotternish. I simply sat in the grass with my camera, and it wasn't long before they'd moved in on me and completely surrounded me. I managed to get a lot of great reference photos, as well as plenty of time to simply watch them.

The quill of this feather was painted with the colors of the Isle of Skye Tartan...

...as seen here on the Isle of Skye Pipe Band.

I spent a few days roaming the Isle of Skye, especially the north end. It's a hiker's paradise, and while I did wander to many places there are still so many that I did not see. It was mandatory though that I visit the Old Man of Storr. I'll make a more detailed post about that one soon, with many more photos from that hike and also the north end of the Trotternish. I mainly wanted to show you the photo I used for reference in painting a big 16x20 canvas.... and yes, 16x20 is HUGE, that's like a mural to a feather-painter!

The nice thing about painting is you can move some elements from one location and put them in with another. Such is what I did with the sheep. The Hebridean black-face sheep in the painting below were actually on the west side of the Trotternish Peninsula, While the Old Man of course is on the east side. I did receive some ribbing on Facebook on that while working on this one, in that I'd better make sure I put the sheep back again before the shepherd misses them!

Yes, it's insanely detailed. I normally work at about 2 inches by 4 or 5 inches, so it is difficult to cut back the detail while working in a much larger scale. But even more so, I stood on that hillside, smelled the breezes and felt the early morning sunshine. The lighting that morning was incredible... as the low rays of the sun pierced through the moist air, everything was bathed in a peach glow and the shadows cast by heavy sea clouds were nearly purple. It was a spectacular morning, and I wanted to bring the viewers there to experience it for themselves... to feel the cool breezes, to enjoy the warm sunlight, to watch the grasses gently sway.

Titling this one has been tough, but I think I've finally decided. "The Auld Man and His Flock". Where is the Old Man, you might ask? That's him, to the right in the background... that magnificent stone spire standing sentinel all alone. You can actually hike up to him, but I'll take you there in a later post.

...Happy weekend!

Giving Back

2010-03-08T13:22:00.000-08:00

How do you respond when you've just returned from the adventure of a lifetime? It might sound like an exaggeration, but last Summer's travel to Scotland, funded entirely by artwork and hard work, truly felt like that - an adventure of a lifetime.

The view I had of Edinburgh city and castle from atop Arthur's Seat

It took a while to get back on track once I was home again, but the memories, sights and smells, and the visions in my head of paintings to come were constantly with me. The journey was more than the trip itself, it was the months of work in getting there, and the memories, friendships, and inspiration of a new body of work since I've been home again.

The style of my artwork underwent a significant change since my travels. It's grown considerably. I find myself pushing the level of quality much harder than I ever have before, and I do attribute much of this to the massive inspiration from that adventure in Scotland.

One such push was to do better portraiture.

The Homecoming in Edinburgh was phenomenal, and was a signature event for 2009's year-long celebration of Robert Burns' 250th birthday. So as I sat in my booth at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center during the Puyallup Fair here in Washington last September, I tasked myself with a portraiture piece of A Robert Burns actor I'd met in Edinburgh, Christopher Tait... in character, of course.

Now, given the size of my "canvas", this time the tail feather of a peahen, creating a likeness was no easy task. I'd spent 18 hours working through this one, pushing the detail, form, and light and shadow ever further. It took four tries to get the face close enough to acceptable. In the painting the distance from forehead to chin is only three-quarters of an inch, so again - no easy task. When it was finally done, I knew this that one could not simply go to a gallery or hang in my booth. This one was capable of doing more. I contacted Mr. Tait and discussed what might be done and what I hoped to do.

This 3 week adventure in Scotland had a huge impact on me. Everywhere I went, I was met with such kindness from the people, saw magnificent scenery, and was constantly surrounded with history. I wanted to give back in some way, to find a way to say thanks. This seemed like a perfect opportunity.

This painting, for the time being anyway, now resides in Edinburgh and will go to promote and support the Birthplace Museum at the Robert Burns National Heritage Park in Alloway, Ayrshire Scotland. This is a joining of efforts between Mr. Tait and myself. he has taken charge of the painting and will be acting on behalf of the National Trust for Scotland. The painting will travel with him throughout the UK and Europe as he tours and makes appearances, and the painting shall promote the museum and all its renovations. With much work underway, the expansions being done at the museum will be open in Autumn 2010. Once the painting has made the rounds, it will go to the National Trust and likely be placed for auction to support this wonderful and very important museum.

Please do visit the National Trust website for more information about the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, and also the website of actor Christopher Tait ... a talented fellow and an excellent Robert Burns!

Touring Scotland - Get Far and Away

2010-03-05T11:05:00.000-08:00

Early August, cool and spotty showers. A typical day in Scotland, so I'd been told. Plenty of mud on both sides of the single-track from bouts of rain sweeping through the glen, but that didn't stop many from pulling off to the side to sling on their backpacks and trek across the fields of tall wet grass to the hills. Glen Etive, one of the more remote Glens in this magnificent country.

I pulled my little rented Vauxhalle Astra off to the side near other vehicles, to do some walking on my own. I wasn't going to overnight here on this day, I'd already reserved a pitch at a campsite in Kinlochleven. Laundry facilities available there, and I was in need. But now, I was off enjoying the breezes and cool afternoon weather, far from tours and mobs of visitors.

This is the way to see Scotland - at your own pace, away from the crowds, into the hills - get to know the land, its wildlife, its people, its history. Immerse yourself. Get far and away.

Driving the single-track roads are not nearly as difficult as the first-timer might fear. Just stay alert to any oncoming vehicles (and animals that might be in the roadway!), and make sure that you use the pullover on the LEFT when letting the other vehicle pass. If the oncoming car is near and the pullover is on the right, stop on the left by that one and allow the other car to go through that layby and you can pass one another. Make sure you wave to the other driver, it's the polite thing to do.

It won't take long before you're able to judge distance and speed, and when you see an oncoming car and a passing spot between you and him, you'll be able to pace yourself to the other car and to get to a passing spot at the same time and neither of you will have to come to a stop. Single-tracks are a lot of fun, I really enjoyed them.

There's a large herd of red deer that reside in Glen Etive. Red deer are similar to North American elk, but smaller. Such regal animals!

When I saw them this day, the stags were in one group and the hinds in another. They would pause and look up at me now and then, but I did not approach too near, not wanting to disturb them. They calmly went about their business, not much bothered by my presence.

One of the very best things about leaving the car behind and getting out afoot over the hills and through the glens, apart from the wildlife, is coming upon old remnants of structures. I came upon this one well down the glen. These livestock pens don't look like they've been used in quite some time, but probably have fairly recently - judging by the tin additions to the old stone walls. There's lots of things in these hills, the more you look the more you'll see.

The single-track road dead-ends at the bottom of the glen, at Loch Etive. I dare say no tour bus will take you down here.

As you wander by car and on foot, take time to notice the little things. While monuments are grand to look at, many of the little things make the best memories. Sometimes, the little things make the best paintings.

At the bottom of the glen and right after a rain, I came upon this pair of geese on the road. One paused for a drink in a puddle as its mate looked on. I managed to pull out my camera and snap a picture before they continued on their way.

It's a little gray and moody though, isn't it? Still, I loved the picture and the interaction of these two geese. Once back home again, I knew it would be one I would have to paint. I took some artistic liberty though and brought sunshine into the scene, and reduced the road to a gravel path.

I think it's a bit more cheery this way.

Painted Feathers Article in China

2010-03-04T10:51:00.000-08:00

An email came in from the publisher the other day. She had first contacted me last Autumn, requesting permission to publish my story and artwork, which I accepted.

Her recent note included these images of the article from last September. She mentioned she had meant to send them on much sooner, but business being busy, had thought she had already done it.

I'm looking forward to having a hard copy of Chinese Wild Bird Magazine here in the studio. Don't you just love the fun layout they did with the article?

What sorts of feathers can I use?

2010-03-01T18:00:00.000-08:00

I recently made a rather lengthy post in the sorts of feathers I use in painting, which are shed flight feathers of turkeys and peacocks. I described these flight feathers and their functions in flight, as well as how to tell a naturally-shed feather from one that is pulled. One other item I mentioned at the end, almost as a post-script, is domestic vs. wild feathers. I do need to touch on this in more detail.

"Puddle Geese" ... from 'To Scotland and Back' collection

Currently available through

Fusions Gallery in Ocean Shores WA

I strongly advise that if you are going to collect and use feathers, use those from domesticated birds or feathers that you have purchased from a craft supplier. It's not a good idea to use the feathers you find in the wild, and in many cases may be illegal. I wanted to track down some cases for this, and have found some information to share with you.

This, from a question to California Fish and Game:

Question:

I recently learned that in order to collect feathers that I would need a license. I hike mainly in the Baylands along the San Francisco Bay and every so often I see a feather that would look good in my hat. In any season I may collect five to 10 feathers total. The bulk of these might be egret or turkey vulture feathers. How should I proceed in order to remain legal?

Answer:

Both of the birds you list are protected species. According to Capt. Phil Nelms (ret.), under both California and U.S. fish and wildlife laws, dead wildlife and its parts have the same protection as the animals do when alive. This protection also extends to all of the pieces and parts of animals. If it is illegal to possess the whole bird it is also illegal to possess any portion of it (e.g. feather, talon, leg, etc.)
I would recommend collecting feathers from birds which have a hunting season. Turkeys and upland game birds like pheasants and quail have beautiful feathers which you may find in your outdoor treks! You are allowed to possess game birds and though their take is regulated, you are allowed to possess their parts.

Native birds that are birds of prey or migratory are all protected. Migratory birds protection has been in place since the Migratory Bird Treaty of 1918 which not only makes it illegal to possess these birds, either living or dead, but also includes any of their feathers and parts and also their eggs.

Would you like to learn more about the legalities of possessing feathers? I found a great webpage that teaches you everything you need to know!

Bird IQ Education, Bird Laws

Oh, and a little-known fact... I don't know if it's nationwide or just here in Washington State, but crows are protected. They fall under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act! Please, don't pick up a crow feather, it could get you into trouble.

This all is exactly why I only use the feathers of domesticated 'barnyard' birds!

Pride of the Glens

2010-02-27T23:39:00.000-08:00

"Pride of the Glens", one of my very recent pieces and part of my ever-growing new series "To Scotland and Back", has just found himself a new home. On Monday morning this stag will be on his way to St. Andrews Scotland - which delights me to no end!

For those of you who may be unfamiliar, it's a red deer - they're similar but smaller to our North American elk and native to Great Britain. I'd seen a rather large herd of stags at the bottom of Glen Etive during my backpacking adventure there last summer. My sad little camera didn't have the power to zoom in on them and do them justice, but I will be posting photos of the stags, and also the gathering of hinds I saw not too far from them.

So... just a quick little post tonight so you can see this fellow before he "goes home". I'm a tad envious, I wish I was heading back over there too!

A Blog by any other name...

2010-02-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

In my wanderings through artist profiles on Facebook I stumbled upon a fan page and links that begged further investigation. I'd found two gorgeous magazines produced by Stampington & Company, well, two of several they produce - Where Women Create and Artful Blogging. Among other goals this year, two are at the top of the list, the blog and the studio, so this was exactly the the inspiration I needed to pull out the stops and really go to it on both counts. The more I looked at the fan page and the websites, the more I felt urged to run out to Borders Bookstore and hold these issues in my hands and really examine them. Temptation being too much, I loaded my teenager in the car and did exactly that... and ended up buying both along with a drawing book for my budding-artist boy.

You might notice a new name for this blog this morning - the idea came to me last night. I had been under the impression that the blog's name should mirror the studio name but after poring through pages of stories written by so many creative spirits, I realized that just isn't true. A blog is more organic than a website and often reflects more of the nature and personality of the author. My passion in creativity covers many areas, but most of all it lies in painted feathers and has for 20 years. That passion and my painting style have grown and evolved so much, which has opened so many wonderful doors - not just in art business but in adventures and in life. I do this creative work from my home studio so the name change just felt so right - The Feathered Nest it is!

As I work to find my own creative voice within this space, you're going to begin to see more photos. They may not always pertain to the subject at hand and they won't be limited to my paintings. They will often be glimpses of my life though, whether it's local or some distant adventure.

These snapshots are from a rare sunny winter day in La Push on Washington's Coast. I do love living in the Pacific Northwest, as nature provides so much inspiration everywhere you look!

.....Happy Weekend! :-)

The Feathers I use

2010-02-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

"Do you pluck the feathers from the birds?" It's a question I am often asked. Much of the time it's only in jest, but sometimes the inquirer is serious. Considering the size of a flight feather's quill and how deeply it's rooted, it would be a very cruel thing to do.

The feather is an amazing adaptation exclusive to birds. Structurally, this is the most complex body covering of any animal on the planet. It provides the avians with insulation, protection, courtship display, and often skillful flight. Other animals do indeed fly, some have been at it much longer than birds - but birds have developed flight to such an art form that very few creatures can come close to matching.

Birds possess several types of feathers, but the ones that I use in painting are all flight feathers - most of these are secondary wing feathers, occasionally a tail feather, and on rare occasion a primary wing feather. The reason for that is their breadth and their strength. Flight feathers must stand up to wind pressure and give the animal lift and maneuverability.

Each flight feather has the same structure and anatomy: quill, shaft, down, vane ... the colorless tip of the shaft that lies beneath the skin's surface is the quill. Think of feather pens, it is the part that was trimmed and used for writing. Pick up a feather from the ground and you will see a ring above the quill, much like the cuticle where your fingernail meets with your skin. The longer the quill below that cuticle in relation to the size of the feather, the more powerful the flight of that bird. An eagle has a very long quill and a powerful sturdy shaft; the peacock's quill is rather short - he has just enough flight capacity to carry him across a field or up into the trees.

Image from http://globalflyfisher.com

Each feather when firmly attached and in use has its own blood supply. The quill is wide and tubular at the tip, allowing blood flow to feed and nourish that feather. As the feather wears out and no longer serves the bird well, the tip of that quill will pinch closed, cutting off the blood supply, allowing the feather to "die" and drop off. Molting occurs in stages, often after breeding season - the bird will not be without enough feathers with which to fly. During the molt, worn feathers in this transition can irritate the bird - the flesh will begin to itch. That's when you'll see the bird preening and pulling the loosened feathers to rid himself of the irritation. Occasionally you'll find one with a snip taken out of it... that's one that was bothering the bird and was probably still hanging on pretty good. It's disappointing to pick one up that's absolutely perfect, except for that chunk taken out of the top of it!

Now look at a discarded wing feather's tip. Does it taper to a point, like a pencil? That feather dropped off naturally. Does that feather, rather, look wide and open at the tip, like a drinking straw? That feather was very much alive and was pulled out of the bird. You might see traces of blood in that one, its removal was far from a pleasant experience.

If you ever attempt painting feathers, you'll discover that flight feathers are the best ones to use. Most feathers have the same anatomy with the clinging properties of the barbs, but the wing feathers are more rigid and their barbules and hooklets cling with more strength. Primary feathers, located furthest out on the wing, have the most strength of all. Their purpose is to slice through the air and propel the bird forward. The shaft is quite stout, and the leading edge of a primary feather is quite narrow. You'll feel a very strong cling when you pull the barbs of a primary feather apart. The secondary feathers, closer to the body of the bird along the ulna of the wing, are considerably wider and the widths of the leading and trailing edges are closer to equal. These are responsible for providing the loft in flight. You'll find that tail feathers, while still good for painting, separate much more easily than wing feathers. Their job is to act as a rudder and brake, and they don't meet with as much resistance from the wind.

One more important matter to keep in mind when selecting feathers - make sure you are using the plumage of domesticated birds, and not that of indigenous wild fowl. I am speaking strictly from a USA standpoint here, other countries may differ - there are many laws forbidding the use of wild feathers. I believe that nationwide you cannot pick up and possess a feather from any bird of prey. Eagle feathers are widely known to be illegal, but the same goes for hawks, owls, etc. It does vary somewhat from state to state, but in some states you cannot pick up feathers from any wild birds. Best to play it safe, stick with "barnyard" birds. Happy painting!

Painted Feathers for our Future Leaders

2010-02-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Art auction donation is a topic frequently talked about by artists. There is a plethora of wonderful causes out there to contribute to, but I tend to stick to the ones near and dear to my heart.

One such organization is the Boy Scouts of America. I've two sons, one was a Boy Scout and was in the position of Senior Patrol Leader for his Troop. That experience has served him well as he embarks on his path in the Navy. His younger brother is still in Scouts. I've seen all the wonderful good that Scouting does for kids, the confidence it brings them, the direction, the leadership skills, the ability to work well with others, the tools necessary for setting and meeting goals, and for succeeding in life.

It is for those reasons that I continue to contribute to the BSA. I've supported units, projects on Scout camps, and OA Section events. These youth are our future leaders. Attached here is one that I've painted for W-1N Conclave. The section designations changed last year, and this feather represents those changes. It also shows Pacific Northwestern natives arriving for Potlatch, representing the youth who converge from all the Lodges within a Section for the annual Conclave event. This was auctioned at last year's Conclave hosted by T'Kope Kwiskwis Lodge of Chief Seattle Council and went to support this year's program, to be hosted by Nisqually Lodge of Pacific Harbors Council.

This year I want to mix it up a bit and provide an auction donation that's not like those of past years. It'll still be a feather painting, but I want to possibly make it a double-feather presentation, and maybe include something else in the frame. This piece isn't too clear in my head yet, and I will be seeking input from the youth. This is for them, after all, and it is their program, and I'd like them to think about what might draw good support in an auction.

What organizations are near and dear to your heart, and why?

When Words Are Not Needed to tell a Story

2010-02-01T18:59:00.000-08:00

Just a short post today, short on words but long on photos. My husband forwarded a beautiful photo-narrative to me. Unfortunately I know nothing of its origins, or who the people are who are involved... but it's pretty clear what became of the little dog. Does anyone know where this came from?

It's a story that will tug at your heart. Enjoy!

Why Painted Feathers?

2010-01-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

It's a question I'm asked very frequently whenever I do a show or other public appearance. In fact it's probably the most commonly-asked question, right after "Are those eagle feathers??" but that's a whole other topic!

I got going in this twenty years ago. My mother had a large flock of peafowl that ran loose on her ranch. Consequently, every summer we'd have shed feathers of all sorts everywhere! My mother could sell the long beautiful tail feathers easily enough, and my sister would craft beautiful earrings from the iridescent neck and back feathers. There wasn't any use for the wing feathers. As attractive as they were, there just wasn't a need or want for them.

One day as I was thumbing through a magazine, I saw a Louis L'Amour color ad. This ad, while showcasing his set of leather-bound books, also presented a nice array of western paraphernalia...Navajo blanket, wooden cartridge box, and oh hey, a big wing feather that had a few blotches of paint dripped on its end and ornate multicolor lines and stripes down its quill. That turned on a light for me! I had a few jars of acrylic paints because I had been painting blown eggs, so I proceeded to experiment and see if a feather really would hold paint... not just the quill, mind you, but the body of the feather. Let's see if we can actually do something that's more than drips.

I tried the dots first, and they held fast. So it does work! Next I tried Native pictographs. It was tough going as the feather tends to want to split, but I eventually figured out how to avoid that and create what looked rather like cave paintings on the body of the feather. From there, and still on a Native/Southwestern theme, I tried still lifes of pottery and lithic artifacts, then some very unrealistic animals that incorporated the quill as part of the animal depicted... that quill tip makes a dandy lizard's tail! Ok, this is turning out to be a lot of fun!

My painting ability was very amateurish at best. Other than a few egg shells and a bit of watercolor play when I was a child, I didn't know how to paint. It was the feathers, over the course of these twenty years, that taught me to paint. Fortunately in that time I have progressed from cave paintings and cartoonish animals to works of a much wider range and higher detail. I've taken a few classes from great artists like Fred Oldfield, Robert Walton, and LeRoy Jessfield. Their expertise in handling paint on traditional support has helped me immensely in understanding how colors work.

Then and Now
I had a very rewarding task recently, in painting the same subject matter that I did twenty years ago for my cousin. When I was beginning, I had given him a painted feather with a mountain lion. It was far from realistic, rather cartoonish, but represented the best that I could do at the time. Much to my surprise he still had that feather tucked safely away. His wife contacted me and asked me to paint another mountain lion at my current level of ability.

I felt a bit intimidated at this, and wanted it to be the very best I could do. The first try was unsatisfactory. It was on a striped peacock feather like the original, but I knew I could do better. The second try was on a Sweetgrass turkey feather, and probably would have been ok had it not been for a sudden deep freeze in this region and half-frozen paint in the studio. Tip: This is when I learned that dropping your jars of paint in a bucket of hot water helps immensely in warming them up and making them workable. I learned that too late though and had unfortunately irreparably split the feather. The third and final effort was successful- of a mountain lion at rest but ever watchful on his mossy granite perch within the confines of a blue slate turkey feather.

The framing you see posted here represents twenty years' worth of progression in this artistic journey. For that it is truly one-of-a-kind. I don't know how many of my earliest efforts are still floating around out there, but it would sure be fun to try this again.

Clarity through Seven Words

2010-01-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

Slowly but surely I'm getting things migrated over to the laptop. My husband's got my email set up here, but it appears that the old desktop computer has swallowed some of those pertinent emails. Please be patient with me as I get things fully integrated with the new system. and find these bits that are currently MIA.

Recently Todd Henry on Accidental Creative issued a challenge: create a seven word bio. How can you condense what you do down to its bare essence in seven words? It's absolutely brilliant, because 1) it forces you to cut the clutter and focus on the simple basics of what your art, your business, what have you is all about. 2) By trying to concentrate this concept into the confines of 7 words, you try to explain it with great clarity, yet with enough creative punch to compel your reader to want to learn more. It's not an easy task! His is outstanding, by the way: The arms dealer for the creative revolution. Mine is a work in progress, I'm not yet satisfied with it: Detailed wildlife paintings on naturally shed feathers. I've also considered Portraits of nature on nature's own canvas. See? It's not so easy!

Have you ideas of a seven word bio for yourself? Please do share it here in comments. You'll be surprised how it will inspire you to employ it, or at least its influence, elsewhere. This little challenge has already compelled me to cut all the clutter on the 'about me' portion here on the blog and pare it down to its current simplicity... but that, too, is a work in progress. :-)

Making more technology adjustments

2010-01-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Well, the camera wasn't the only thing that's reached the end of its life, it appears the old desktop computer is nearly there too.

It's an 8 year old Dell and has served me well, but has reached that stage where not even dumping the entire system and reinstalling would be worthwhile. The processor can't keep up with everything online anymore, the RAM is far below current minimal requirements, the hard-drive has LONG since been far too small (using an auxiliary hd these days for images and iTunes)... the poor old thing has to think hard just to process a right-click.

My Navy son did me a great kindness and has gifted me with modern technology. He's just completed Basic and has gone on to A-school. He'd been having a lot of trouble with his new laptop before he left. Now that he's in Florida, he's gone out to get a new laptop and told me to fix up his old one and keep it. My husband dumped the system and reinstalled Windows and now it works like a charm. I'm used to the great Beast that is the desktop, so this is taking a fair amount of getting used to. In comparison to the dinosaur, though, this little Acer is incredibly fast. I don't like the way it shows images though, so I'll need to keep working with the Beast a while longer, at least on that level. It's becoming obvious I'll need to get a new desktop at some point, just for the image-processing if for nothing else.

But for all other functions, I will be migrating to the little laptop wherever possible. It will take some time, and I've things I need to pull off the Beast and put here... things that the Beast wouldn't let me work with and has been cantankerous in even letting me retrieve. I should be back up to full speed soon, and it'll be a little while more before I can take care of those much-needed website updates. New paintings will be along soon... I hate that these blog updates have been so devoid of imagery!

Sweeping Up

2010-01-13T16:08:00.000-08:00

2009 is not quite out the door yet. I still have a few remaining commissions to complete before bidding 2009 a fond farewell. The going has been slow as I have been under the hammer of migraines for the past several days, which all but brings any chance of doing detail-work to a complete stop. I'm finally starting to feel human once again and have vision back for the most part, so I hope to have the last of 2009's requests done within the next several days.

The poor old digital camera has met its demise. There's a new one waiting to take its place. The old camera had been my companion for 7 years now.... my, how digital cameras have changed in that time, even the simple ones! Photos of new works may be a little slow in coming but they will come, just as soon as I've figured out the new camera. When I am once again photo-capable, expect to see newer paintings added to the website, as well as to the blog.

Starting off with 2010

2010-01-10T23:04:00.000-08:00

Whoops, something looks different here! It's about time I put some proper work into blogging, and to get things started on the right foot I thought it should start with a new look. No more dark and moody colours, let's go with bright and clean and crisp, like a new canvas awaiting that first swipe of paint, just like this new decade that lies before us.

A Word, Not a Resolution. Last year as I was hammering out plans for 2009, I read Christine Kane's blog post about theming your year around a word instead of setting dry resolutions. Just one word, the right word, can bring clarity and purpose to your goals in a way that a list of resolutions never could. Recently she had several guest authors on her blog who gave stories about their Word Of The Year, very inspiring reading!

Last year I had some pretty huge goals looming, and I was more than a little intimidated by some of it. I set my Word of the Year, Commit. By committing to these dreams and ambitions before me, I resolved to see them happen. The goals were constantly in sight, especially that seemingly impossible one, the 3-week solo trip around Scotland. That was the one in which I most feared I would fail, so that was the one I worked hardest toward, and consequently became the 'easiest' goal to achieve as everything fell into place. I bought my airline tickets early in the process, which indeed made the whole thing a true commitment. By clicking 'purchase', I wholly committed to the intent of making this trip a reality. But I didn't do so recklessly, I'd done a lot of research beforehand!

I spent much time roaming Trip Advisor's Scotland Forums, talked with many friends who had been there and who live there, learned where and what is permissible in wild camping as well as the locations of campsites and backpackers hostels throughout the country. It was to be a true adventure, with the only reservations made at the start and the end of the trip, and everything in between left wide open. I'd browsed Flickr in search of inspiring photos of where I wanted to go, and turned them into a screen saver on my computer. the same sort of dedication went to shows I participated in, commissions received, paintings completed... Commit was at the forefront of most things done last year.

This year I gave the word theme a lot of thought. Where do I want to go? What goals to I hope to meet? How do I want my art and my business to develop? After a lot of thought, the word finally came - Grow. A nice simple word, yet filled with so much potential. Professionalism, dedication, my in-studio inventory, the level of shows I would like to participate in, gallery representation, marketing efforts... all of these aspects would do well to grow. Growth in courage and character to step into new and bigger things. Growth through education and professional development. Growth through much studio time in practice and improving the art. I'm thinking of it as a seedling that needs nurturing - with proper care and attention it can blossom.

Lisa Call has gone a bit further and has set a word theme for this new decade, a brilliant idea. Her word fits her perfectly - Joy. She inspired me to set a word for this new decade as well. Unlike the word I chose for 2010, the idea of theming the decade actually came much easier - because I fully believe I began living this last year... so Adventure seems to fit perfectly. When you live it fully and without apprehension, life most definitely is an adventure!

Roll on 2010, let's see what we can grow this year!

Catching Up

2009-08-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Please pardon the mess whilst I try to recover... it's been an amazing few weeks.

I'm back Stateside now, still recovering from jet-lag but much improved. For the last three weeks I've been roaming all over Scotland on a solo trip. Not exactly a tour, more of an adventure. I hired a car, I traveled by train and bus, I stayed in youth hostels and campgrounds, and I wild-camped. This adventure began with Edinburgh's Gathering and concluded with Glasgow's Piping Live festival. I shot well over 1200 photographs, hiked through glens and along ridges, visited castles, met many great friends, and built upon a plethora of experiences from which to develop a new body of work.

I will be posting writings from this adventure very soon, as well as a few select photos. To those who have recently joined my newsletter mailing list, welcome! That newsletter will be rolling along again soon. There will be a lot of new works coming out this late Summer and Fall.

So in the mean time while I get sorted, I'll leave you with a video I found from Edinburgh's Gathering. These fellows are the Red Hot Chilli Pipers - if you haven't seen them before, you'll be amazed at the calibre of music. They were truly phenomenal. Maybe some day we can get them to come out to the Pacific Northwest - one can hope! until a little later - Cheers!

Expanding

2009-05-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

The title applies to both art style and the purpose in my upcoming trip.

The painting at left was an experimentation, in trying to ramp up the detail and fill the whole support... not an easy trick in such an oddly-shaped "canvas". The resulting image is a Bengal tiger coming at you with full intent and purpose. He means business, and seems as though he's going to stride right out of that feather. This painting, "Prowl", a Bengal Tiger on a peahen's tail feather, is available at Fusions Gallery in Ocean Shores WA.

This painting had further purpose. It is the predecessor to another painting of a Scottish Wildcat. I'll be delivering that donation piece to the Scottish Wildcat Association in Edinburgh this summer, for purpose of auction later this year in supporting preservation and breeding programs. More on this later.

These highly elusive untamable creatures are critically endangered in Britain, and without help the purebreds in the wild may be lost forever in another ten years. About half again the size of a domestic cat and similar in appearance to a gray tabby, they are by no means anybody's housecat. Fierce and elusive, they have the reputation of being the only animal that can never be tamed. The pure bloods only number about 400 now, and can only be found in Scotland... they've been extinct from other parts of Britain for over 100 years. Their numbers are dwindling from habitat loss and from crossbreeding with feral domesticated cats. You can read much more about these beautiful felines and watch videos on the Scottish Wildcat Association website.

Preps for UK travel

2009-05-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am a novice when it comes to travel, let's be honest. The last time I was overseas, I was active-duty in the Army, more than 20 years ago. Now here I am with a flight booked on British Airways, a passport safely tucked away, and counting down the weeks til mid July.

Back then, I was planning on being stationed in Germany. I would not sign until I had it guaranteed in my contract. Preparing for a long-term stay in a foreign country was so different then-- I bought a "Living Language" course on cassette tape to attempt to become at least partly conversational in German. I talked with friends who immigrated from Schwarzwald, and talked with others who were prior-service military, especially those who did a tour in Germany. I got on a penpal club and wrote letters with friends in Germany. I looked at atlases and familiarized myself with the country. This was all done before I even went off to basic training.

Boy, how things change!! Preparations for this trip have very little comparison to last time. The internet makes all that needed information so much quicker, easier, and more thorough. Virtually everything can be booked from the home computer. Itineraries can be plotted out via Google- one can get a sense of drive-time, alternate routes, stops along the way-- it's all pretty amazing when you think about it.

One thing I didn't have to deal with last time because I was active-duty military, was a passport. I did end up applying for one in Frankfurt back then though, and I do remember what a pain in the neck it was. Passport applications have gotten easier though. I do recommend that you fill out your application online and print it out. It'll save you SO much time when you go to your local Government office to turn it in. I showed up at the city hall about the same time as another lady who was applying for hers, but my application was all printed out and ready to go. She was still writing out all her information by the time I had paid and left the premises. If you can save yourself some hassle, it's good to do so. I applied in April, and the passport arrived on my doorstep in the first week of May. It only took four weeks to arrive.

My trip isn't until July, but I don't want to cut it close with anything. My passport's here, my flight is booked, my car is hired, and hostel beds are reserved at the beginning and the end of this journey. It's just the in-between bits I'm still sorting out-- so much to see, so little time! Where to go first!? Backpacking and camping are definitely going to happen, as are castle tours and a trip to Skye, and a whole lot of exploring by car. I'll provide more info on preps as this trip draws nearer. Hopefully I'll be able to post a bit while I'm over there. :)

Where am I at on those 2009 goals?

2009-03-01T16:24:00.001-08:00

Ah yes, those goals for 2009 - the ones I said I would post, and here it is March and I haven't done that yet - oops! Even though they were not listed here (yet), I've still been doggedly chasing them.

March 1st, can you believe it's already that late in the year? We're in the final month of winter!

Bound and determined not to let all the bad stuff in the news get the better of me, I gave myself a rather ambitious list to try to conquer. Odd thing is, the ones that seemed impossible are pretty well in my pocket, while the ones that seemed rather straight-forward are proving to be more elusive. Time to get more firmly on-track.

Those Goals
1. -4 new Galleries
2. -2 solo exhibitions in 2 major NW cities
3. -75% of art income from online sales
4. -Build studio inventory to 40 pieces and maintain that number
5. -Go to Scotland! (my one high-flying dream-big goal)
6. -Build on ability in oils, increase proficiency

Now - here we are beginning Month 3 of the year, so where am I in all that? Not where I thought I would be, that's for certain! The one I thought would be inaccessible, #5 going to Scotland, is mostly in the bag. Plane tickets purchased, part of the itinerary hashed out, some friends to meet up with, spending 3 glorious weeks exploring the country. I'm not overly worried about this one any longer.

#4 inventory is proving to be a tough one to conquer. Most of what I'm doing, from January til now, is commissioned work. The few pieces that are not commissioned work that I'm working through are destined to galleries - current galleries that carry my work and galleries that have asked to carry my work. a 40-piece inventory could be the one that will remain just out of reach unless I figure out a way to feed that without neglecting galleries and commissioners.

#1 Four New Galleries. I have them in sight, they are ones who approached me. There's one in British Columbia who has the patience of a saint, but she will have her pieces soon. One in Idaho will be receiving 12, and I am struggling to supply those before the close of winter. There's a museum gift shop in New Mexico that will be carrying them as well, this Spring. There's another in Olympia, and I'm shooting for Spring with that one as well.

#2 Shows in NW Cities. I have not pressed forward with this one yet. It is completely reliant on that pesky goal #4 and getting sufficient good work to show. This one comes into play when that one gains some ground. I am scheduled, however, for a local gallery show in December - so although it's not a major city and not a solo (there will be at least two of us) it's a scheduled show.

#3 Sales mostly being from on-line. that one seems a bit sticky, doesn't it? Actually, that one is already achieved. Nearly all the work I'm doing now is commissioned pieces from folks who contact me through my website. I've laid groundwork in inbound marketing and making these visible on the internet, and have been striving to make myself findable online. So far so good. Bricks sales are not doing well right now, but people are shopping online.

#5 was the one I thought would be the most unreachable, so consequently that one's been heaviest on my mind. Because I've been thinking about it, scheming on how to pull it off, working out the steps and details to make it a reality, that is the one that is the closest to fulfillment.

So I think the lesson in that is pretty clear: nothing's unreachable if you're willing to do the work to make it happen. But you will get out of it exactly what you put into it, no more and no less. And that goes for all the goals on my list. So with that, I'm taking my hand-written list and tacking it above my art table. Every single day i will ask myself, "What will you do today to bring each one of these closer to completion?" They don't have to be big moves, even little things will bring you a little bit closer. But you can't do nothing and expect to attain something. It's just that simple.

Time to bring these other things up to par.

make a video slideshow of your art

2009-02-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting this blog again, but trying to get better at it.

What ways have you been trying to show your artwork? Have you been attempting the social media circles, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter? How about Youtube?

I've been dabbling in all of those, and recently worked up the courage to try creating a video of sorts. I've been seeing my paintings frequently popping up in videos and slideshows, and so thought it necessary to create one so that viewers would know where to find more... many play with creating these, but don't list their image sources so it becomes a dead end for the original artist who created the work.

Shop around. There are a lot of inexpensive programs, and also free ones that do a decent job at putting together a video. I used Photo Story 3 for Windows. Yes, my computer is so old I did not have this or any other already existing on my hard-drive, I had to go out looking for it. It's a little clunky, at least on my machine. Every time I previewed the video within the platform, the playback would run at a slightly different pace and alter the timing between image and music. Once you save the video and play it back in Windows Media Player, then you can see the true timing and pace. The program also comes with a lot of transitions to play with. I only used a few, as I didn't want those to take center-stage. Keep it clean and simple.

Here's my attempt at it. The video runs a bit long, but the music fits the work well and will hopefully carry the interest through. I still have a few timing issues in there, but - it's a start!

"Painted Feathers" on YouTube

Go on - play with making a video yourself! It's a great way to show your art in a different format. Here are some things to keep in mind when doing so:
-Remember to list your pertinent info at the beginning and at the end, so that people wishing to see more can find you. If you're Youtubing it, also put that info in the video description.
-Don't get too crazy with the transitions... remember, the focus should be on your work. Keep it simple and smooth, allow the viewer to enjoy the images.
-If you're doing motions across an image, don't zoom in too tight on one part of the image... you don't want to force the viewer to look at one small part, it may not be the part they wanted to look hard at.
-If you've a wide variety of work, pick out images with a common theme and use only those. You can always make another video with another group of images.
-Select audio that really fits the mood you're trying to create. There's nothing worse than clicking into a video and being bombarded with music that absolutely Does Not Fit what's going on in the video.
-Credit your sources.

Video is becoming more and more prevalent on the internet, and a lot of hosts and platforms are now supporting it. Blogger has a video upload feature now. Homestead web hosting has also incorporated Youtube and video uploading to their website-building software. It's everywhere, and it's a great way to get your work out there. Browse around on Youtube at other artists' videos to get some ideas on presentation; you'll find a wide range of possibilities.

If I can figure out how to do it (cheaply!) I want to do a time-lapse video, showing a painted feather from start to finish. Do you have any suggestions for such a thing? if so, I'd love to hear about it.

Inceasing Value and Quality of Studio Time

2009-01-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

"Bugle Call" on peacock wing feather, available at Lucas Art Gallery, Graham WA

How do you enable yourself to stay at work for long hours in isolation in your studio? Have you found means through good music, scented candles, maybe a radio show? Do you find your enthusiasm waning after several hours with no one to speak to or listen to?

It's a problem that I'm sure all of us encounter from time to time. One can only take so much isolation at work with our craft before we just have to get out, have someone to talk with, see something different. Breaking up the monotony is most definitely needed with some degree of regularity, lest the very quality of our work stagnate and grow stale.

I try to toss in variety wherever I can. During the cold, gray, dark winter months though, that can be a challenge. When the weather is bright and the days are long, a quick escape into the mountains offers immediate reprieve and refreshes the spirit - the scents on the wind, the bright sun, so many colours in nature around us. When skies turn a cold gray, though, and access to those hiking trails become challenges in their own right, not to mention the short daylight hours keeping us on shorter treks, I've turned to breaking up the monotony within the studio.

Music certainly helps a lot, and adds so much to the working environment. My tastes in music are a little obscure, centering heavily on Scots-Celtic, or Trad. The internet has made obtaining such music so very easy where it would have been nearly impossible without. A cheerful tempo comes through on the other end of one's brush and adds lively strokes to the painting itself. After a while, though, one again feels wanting... for something.

I found all new steam within audio books. This was something my husband had turned to back when he drove long-haul. Books on CD made long hours in a truck much more endurable. I thought I'd try this option in the studio. I began with "The Other Queen" by Philippa Gregory. I'm a sucker for an historic story, and was stuck between this and "Master and Commander". I must say I am amazed at how a good story well read and told can make the studio hours fly by! Even more so, at the end of the book I was amazed at the amount of production that had flown across my table!

Yes, I think I can spend the remainder of these dark months working away, and I don't think "cabin fever" is going to get the better of me as it once had. Now instead of selecting music labels, I'm also selecting book titles for studio time. I am looking forward to trips down to the library to see what sort of history books they might have on CD, or historic fiction- or any sort of adventuresome tale to liven up the work. Hmmm, a fifteen-hour book? Oh yes, I should think I can get a LOT of work done while listening to that!

Bracing for Growth

2009-01-15T08:12:00.000-08:00

A friend does readings that I have found to be incredibly spot-on. Occasionally she generously offers a free one-card-draw with these Balance cards that she created. The card that haikujaguar drew for me in her one-card draw did come as a bit of a surprise. The Sapling. It's hard to think that business growth may still be very much in its sapling stage, but it very well could be.

This was her interpretation:
Wow, I almost feel sorry for you, because I drew the Sapling and that shows up at the beginning of big and lasting things, indicating that they're about to grow.

I don't know if you can handle much more growth at the rate your growth is growing!

So... um... I will look at this and say, "Please schedule in some rest time for yourself, or you will collapse in the orchard." :)

Being that business and professional pursuits were very much on my mind when I asked for a card, I can't imagine what else it would be, other than business and profession. Though I was hoping for a card that indicated travel and adventure! ;D

The best ways I can think of to be ready for further growth is improving one's workplace and streamlining how things get done.

I think that proper insulation of the studio definitely HAS to be on the must-do list sometime this year. The room is too frigid in winter to work in there, and too expensive to heat. The most I can do in there these days is stain mouldings and join frames. And that's a shame! It's a nice-sized room! Yes, must put some attention to this workspace and make it a better, more comfortable working environment.

With so many eagles and flags being requested, for veterans and for Scouts, I've gotten into the routine of having the mats, glass, and frames all ready to go - several of them - at any given time. It just makes production so much easier, because the formula for those never varies. Red and blue mats, with muted blue mat for the background; bullnose moulding, dark walnut stain. Keep it simple and straightforward, and the work-time will improve. Can't do that with everything else though, because the colours, themes, subject matter, and individual tastes are so varied! There's no buttonholing anything else. But at least with the single most popular, it's a set standard.

I haven't done it yet, but I do plan on charting incoming commissions- orientation, subject matter, customer's stats, need-by date, etc. It will be a tactile thing, hand-done on large paper and tacked to the studio wall. This is to hopefully help streamline things, but even more so to make sure that no one is missed. I'm very much a visual thinker, and if it's all drawn out and in front of me, I can more easily follow.

Email. I must apologize if I have not yet responded to your email! the holidays were overwhelming and I'm still trying to catch up. During all of last year my inbox was admittedly in a constant state of overwhelm- there were so many queries coming in as a result of that wandering painted-feathers email that I just could not get on top of it all and paint too. I'm tackling that problem.

I have divided up business emails in my inbox. I flag any email pertaining to business, from clear queries right on down to a simple friendly "hey, I like your work". All those little red flags greet me and tell me "HEY, you need to get on these!" When I respond to them, I move them to the "answered queries" folder. if I hear back from a person and it turns out that they would like to order, then that email and anything else they sent goes to the "active orders" folder. This way I can follow the conversation and keep up on the little details that they want to include in their commissioned piece.

Admittedly, it's bit cumbersome, but it's a start in organization. :)
Have you come upon any methods and techniques in dealing with business email that you've found extremely useful? If so, I'm all ears! ;D

2009 - Commit

2009-01-05T10:29:00.000-08:00

Upon reviewing my goals for this year (which I will post later), I could see that some may be on the ambitious side. Ambitious, but certainly not impossible if the path is clear and the plans are well laid. Most are business related, but some are about personal growth and fun. In the wake of all that happened last year, I've raised the trajectory a bit higher, pushing a little further, and even shooting for something I've never done before.

With some intimidating plans in sight, how do I move forward and put it into action? If I think about one or two of these too hard, a pessimistic little voice nags at me- "What are you thinking? Aim a little lower, it'll be easier!" I start to think of all the reasons why I shouldn't try, things that could prevent any success.

Now aiming higher causes a natural hesitation in people and prevents them from proceeding - it can even cause "fear". Jack White wrote a great e-book for artists on that, called The Malady of Fear. As he has said several times, "water seeks its own level". If you want to move beyond that you have to push yourself. Don't accept "can't" and stay at your current level. As Hannah Moore once said, "Obstacles are those frightful things that you see when you take your eyes off your goal." So recognize them, but see them as hurdles to leap over or find your way around, don't look at them as brick walls preventing you from seeing your goal or from seeing the path ahead that will get you there.

I've summed up my actions on these goals this year in one word: Commit. This is most definitely an action word, one that requires strength and faith and determination. The dictionary defines "commit" in several ways, the relevant ones of which I will list and explain how I'll put them to work:

1. - to give in trust or charge; consign.
2. - to consign for preservation: to commit ideas to writing; to commit a poem to memory.
3. - to bind or obligate, as by pledge or assurance; pledge: to commit oneself to a promise; to be committed to a course of action.
4. - to do; perform; perpetrate
5. - to pledge or engage oneself: an athlete who commits to the highest standards.

I'm trusting my instincts and committing to these goals for 2009. A lot of thought and planning was put into them, and as long as I am committed to them and don't lose sight of them they can be achieved.

I have committed these ideas to writing to clarify how I'm going to get from "here" to "there". I have a cheap notebook specifically designated for that purpose. All the possibilities are jotted down when the thought occurs - any possible lead, time-frame, challenge, procedure or must-do - anything that pertains to these goals is recorded - whether by writing, drawing, pasting clips, whatever it takes to make it all very clear and to show me that these indeed are attainable.

One of my seemingly too-high-to-reach goals for this year is a trip to Scotland. Thinking on that one too hard definitely dredges up apprehensions. I've never been to the UK before. That's a long way to travel, and an expensive trip! Fear and apprehension make me want to back down, but I won't. I'm committed to it. I've already committed by ordering the event passport to The Gathering in Edinburgh. Where will I go beyond that? We shall see! But I do have a lot of ideas, and I'm building on them all the time. :)

Prints vs. Originals

2008-10-21T15:21:00.001-07:00

I'm not yet making it to "weekly", but I'm trying. :)

I recently got in a conversation with an art publicity blogger about the necessity of good photos, the conversation being about prints and her reasoning being that good photos by a professional photographer would be the only approach to making proper prints of what I do.

My question to you is - would you be interested in purchasing a quality print of a painted feather, or do you prefer collecting the original framed artwork?

As it stands, good reproductions would be the only immediate reason I would have to invest in proper photography (aside from needed publicity material just a little further down the road). While my own photographic efforts are admittedly poor, they still seem to do their job on my website - which is show you the paintings and also give you ideas for commissions that you might like to request. My substandard photos haven't stopped the interest on the website, for many of you have requested existing paintings as well as placed requests for meaningful paintings to suit your needs. To be honest I've been painting at full-tilt all this year just to keep up.

Now I've a few artist friends who believe that prints degrade the original work, and somehow make the art trivial. Some will only sell original works in shows and galleries, and do the show circuit with a booth full or original one-of-a-kind graphites, inks, and paintings. They do quite well with heir high standard.

There is a downside to this though, as I've come to find out: if you only sell original work, your sales are limited to your speed of production. In other words, you can sell no faster and no more than you can physically paint. This is a ceiling that can only be broken through duplicity - reproductions of one kind or another.

If there is an interest in a series of reproductions, I will most definitely set to work in finding the right photographer for the job. Right after Christmas. The Christmas orders for original paintings are coming in at a steady stream, and I may have to wait for that post-holiday slack-time to do this right.

Resolution

2008-10-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

As with many wayward blogs found throughout the internet, this one was begun with the best of intentions. But as it goes with many such blogs, this endeavour was moved to the back burner to make a little more room for pressing matters.

As many of you reading this already know, my artwork received a lot of international attention this year. The results of such mountainous exposure left me scrambling over the last several months - keeping up with contacts, interviews, orders, and what subsequently ended up being an overbooking of shows and exhibitions. the show schedule was by no means too heavy when it was originally set, but it turned out that way in the wake of everything else.

That being said, no more excuses! I believe I've adjusted to the new level of things, so I will be making blog entries at least once a week.

This weekend marks the last BIG show for me this year. It's the annual national exhibition, the Fred Oldfield "Celebrate Western and Wildlife Art" show. You can read the itinerary on the events page at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center's website.

I must say I am just barely prepared, having had the happy problem of keeping up with orders instead of devoting most of my time to rebuilding inventory. Although new works will be few, I will be exhibiting some pieces that go in a new direction. These incorporate lithic pieces along with the feathers in multiple object mount presentations. They are themed around particular animals, and include extra adornments such as stone and bone beads, braided horsehair, leather, and bison wool. Buffalo, obviously, is one of those new pieces - and Wolf will be the other. I've others on the table, but sadly I don't think I'll be able to have them completed and framed in time.

The next blog entry will feature the upcoming Oldfield western and wildlife show, as well as the new lithic-feather combination pieces.

feather-painting article in Prague

2008-06-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Czech interview
This was exciting! The Blesk is a newspaper in Prague, and one of the largest papers in the Czech Republic. I was recently privileged to be interviewed by them. Sorry, the article is in Czech - I've utilized some of the online translators and they were, ... well, humourous!

The Blesk

Feathers to Australia
There has been an increase in international interest lately, including interest in purchase. That is one advantage of a weaker American dollar - one's product just becomes a little more financially friendly for others. I've received many queries throughout Australia, which prompted me to investigate the limitations in sending such items. this being on a "canvas" that is an animal byproduct, I knew that might be a concern. Australian customs has put me on the right path though, I've begun the process of permit to do so. So- if you're in Australia and have been interested, yes you can purchase one.

Wood Badgers and Boy Scouts
The next time you might be traveling down to Philmont Scout Camp in New Mexico, do stop by Cimarron Art Gallery, very near the Scout Camp itself. they specialize in a wonderful collection of Wood Badge critters in many products and lines. Very soon,they will also feature Wood Badge critters on painted feathers. Nine critters will be available for viewing, and the gallery will be happy to take orders. Because each is created upon request, there would be a 6-week turnaround. Bobwhite, Fox, Eagle, Owl, Bear, Buffalo, Antelope, or Raven will be available upon request.

New at Ocean Shores
"Patience" was delivered this week to Fusions Art Gallery in Ocean Shores, Washington. Below is a detail photo. As you look at it though, you begin to wonder... 'Patience' for whom? I got the idea for this painting down at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, where I spent considerable time watching the herons fish.

Fusions Gallery has recently gone through some visual changes inside and out and is looking very sharp! The website will be next up for an overhaul. Do stop in if you're headed out to the Shores, with over 80 artists on display they are well worth a visit.

Artists of the West - due out in May!

2008-04-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

The coffee table book, "Artists of the West", should be available in about six weeks or so. Cameron Blagg has been working tirelessly on this, and it will have considerably more artists within than its predecessor, "Northwest Artists".

I'll have a page in "artists of the West". I have the proof in PDF format, so if you'd like to see my page, you can view it here.

Ocean Shores Annual Art Show
April 11 - 13, 2008 Ocean Shores, WA
I'll be doing demos in Artists In Action at this event. Initially I was going to be doing demos at Fusions Art Gallery that weekend, but the owners encouraged me to do the show instead. It's an indoor venue at the Convention Center, should be a lot of fun! Do check out Fusions when you're in town, it's a very dynamic gallery with a wonderful variety - well worth the stop!

Westport Art Festival - Aug. 18-19

2007-07-25T08:51:00.001-07:00

The poster has finally arrived! This year's featured artists are Karen Lucas, Cameron Blagg, Mark Hoppmann, and myself.

"Cormorants", my feather featured on this poster, *will* be on display at the show - we have been careful not to let that one find a home before the festival. So if you would like to purchase a one-of-a-kind original painting that has been featured on an art festival poster, here's an opportunity!

We are, however, still waiting on postcards. They will be similar to the poster. We're all a little concerned, because they were due at Lucas Art Gallery last week but seem to have fallen into the Postal Service Black Hole. Knocking on wood, and hoping they arrive within the next couple of days... I have 200 postcard stamps just waiting for them.

In the meantime, I will be hanging this poster at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival. That event takes place the weekend before Westport. August is going to be a very busy month!

ACEO Cards

2007-07-11T19:42:00.000-07:00

Art Cards, Editions, Originals. It's a fun concept, and gives artists a chance to try new things - albeit in a tiny format. These cards are only 2-1/2" x 3-1/2", the standard trading card size, and fit nicely in sports-card sleeves. I have begun playing with production in these, and I must say they are really fun to do!

I've a few up on Ebay at the moment. My favorite in this batch has to be the Tlingit-style wolf, which you see here. Keep in mind the size, there's a lot of detail on this one.

For more of these little cards, go here.

Heavenly fragrance

2007-06-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

I knocked the back of a hatchet with the back of an axe, and split into that big red cedar crosscut that I've had in my yard for the past year. I was pleased to see a trickle of water seeping from the cut as I forced the hatchet's blade deeper into the wood.

"Good," I thought. "Still good and green." It is important to keep the wood wet when working with traditional PNW tools and methods-- these were designed for wet wood. Puget Sound's weather did most of that for me, but there were a few times last summer when I hosed this wood down. One more hard blow, resulting in a sharp *CRACK!* as the cedar broke open cleanly and evenly. No wonder this wood is so utilized and so prized. The Tree of Life. The grain is straight, but it's coarse, not tight- a male tree.

I plunked two nice little hunks into a bucket of water on my patio under the deck. One will become a frontlet, and the other is yet to be decided. The fragrance of fresh-cut cedar fills my back yard. I've left my studio door open to enjoy that fragrance even more-- there is nothing on earth to equal the scent of fresh-cut cedar. The bucket sits next to a bag of rawhide, which waits to be turned into drums and other things. Should be a productive summer.

feather art

2007-05-15T07:30:00.000-07:00

Arab Horse

A painting of a beautiful dapple-grey Arabian, as per his owners' request.

Order of the Arrow, Pt. 2

2007-04-24T21:45:00.000-07:00

JOURNEY

This one was created for the purpose of fundraiser auction, to support the Conclave program for Section W1B. This will help fund program and events for next year's Conclave. Available for bid in Anchorage Alaska, W1B Conclave this coming weekend.

feather art

2007-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Order of the Arrow

This one was ordered for our Section's Chief, so the orca is appropriate. Look closely and you'll see the arrow and the "WWW" on the quill. Framed in black moulding with a dusty blue suede topmat, this piece will be on its way to Alaska this week.

art business - pricing

2007-04-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

This came from Alyson Stanfield's blog entry. Short, to the point. -and very true!

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

"The golden rule for pricing your art is . . .

Start low and go from there.

If you’re too high and later have to lower your prices, you appear unsuccessful and you also tick off anyone who purchased your work at higher prices. "

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

Let me elaborate on this one from an art show standpoint--

I've watched artists at shows ( not this last one, these artists know better than that!) who get very discouraged at the end of a show because they did not do as well as they anticipated. So what do they do? They knock 10% - 20% off their prices on the last day! On top of that, some will even call that out to passersby: "20% off! This day only!" I rarely see people flock to that artist for a "bargain" when said artist does that. The truth of the matter is, that artist just succeeded in losing his credibility, his prestige, and possibly the respect of the customers. What happens when he returns to that show next year? Will the patrons remember the beautiful piece they had their eye on the previous year (that DOES happen!), or will they wait til Sunday because he's probably going to drop his prices? Or will they determine that he doesn't know what he's worth, he's not successful because he keeps changing his prices, and not buy from him at all because at this rate he might not even be around in a year or two?

Patrons won't buy from you just to have your art because you may not be around much longer. Patrons want you to be successful. They want to own a piece from an artist who they think is going somewhere. They don't want to pity you, they want to see your confidence! Don't sell yourself short. Don't drop your prices to try to bring in sales. And by all means, remember to keep your pricing consistant - in the gallery, in the show, and in the studio!

Wood Duck

2007-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

Wood Duck

This is the last one I was able to complete before the Fair - a drake paddling contentedly on a quiet pond. I left the water effects dark and subtle, because the feather created so many water effects all on its own.

Spring Fair, Puyallup WA
If you happen to be going to the Puyallup Spring Fair here in western WA, please look me up! I will NOT be in Artists In Action like I was last Spring. This year I will be amongst several artists exhibiting in the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center. For those unfamiliar, that is the mustard-colored building just inside the Red gate. We have a full house in there! Nestled amongst the museum's antiques and artifacts are artists booths and walls of all shapes and sizes. Other artists exhibiting are Paul Langston, Judy Sleight, Karen Lucas, Dick Oldfield, Mark Hoppmann, Peggu Rowe, Hulan Fleming, Katherine Caughey, and Aletha Deuel - and of course, fred Oldfield himself.

Hours:
Thursday, April 19; 3pm - 10pm
Fri & Sat, April 20 - 21; 10am - 10pm
Sunday, April 22; 10am - 3pm
The Fair itself will continue going on Sunday til 7pm.

Quick Draws
Come watch us pull our hair out as we frantically work to create a piece of art in one hour's time! We begin this at 5pm on Friday and Saturday. The results of this toil will go through live auction at 6pm on Friday and Saturday. This is a great opprotunity to own an original work of art that you could watch being created.

Live entertainment
Musician Don Allard will be performing throughout Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. We will also be treated to Western music and poetry by the Rockin' HW on these days.

It's going to be a busy four days!

Pheasants

2007-04-12T07:04:00.000-07:00

Ringneck Pheasant Pair

More experimentation with heritage turkey feathers. I like how those of the Royal Palm turkey are so very similar in coloring to the flight feathers of a male pheasant.

This was scanned on Bainbridge's dusk suede. I may try simple photography and see if those results come out any better.

How's Your Body?

2007-04-11T09:03:00.000-07:00

...body of work, that is.

As we gear up for the deluge of art shows, festivals, and competitions that fill up the warmer months, we should always have an eye out for the next potential gallery representation. Usually it is best to approach these in Spring-- especially in areas prone to tourism-- before the high traffic hits the local businesses. When you do so, make sure your body of work is up to snuff. Author Robert Regis Dvorak puts it very well in his book:

Selling Art 101

----------------
Body of Work
"If you are an artist who wants to sell your work, you need to have a body of work-- a number of paintings, prints, sculpture pieces, whatever you do, at minimum 12 to 20 pieces-- that look like they were done by the same person, all are about the same size, all are in the same medium, all are completed, and all have a contextual theme. Don't even attempt to go to an art gallery in search of representation unless you have that. Do not take an assortment of media, thinking that you will impress the gallery owner by your range of talent and skill. The work that you will show must be of the highest calibre-- only your very best work. Don't risk showing secondrate work.

"Think of the painters and sculptors who are well known-- Georgia O'Keefe, Mark Rothko, Willem De Kooning, Robert Rauschenberg, Helen Frankenthaler, Henry Moore, Andy Warhol, Alberto Giacometti, J.M.W. Turner. Each artist's work has unique subject matter, is consistent in medium, and has a contextual theme.

"Art Dealers are looking for new work. Do not imitate the success of others. If a dealer or critic sees a resemblance to another artist, you are not welcome. You may borrow knowledge and information, but you must do your own work.

"When you have a body of work and feel psychologically prepared to sell, be very discriminating. Pick your best, most original creative works and go for it!"
-----------

Good advice. Good book, too.

Don't ever try to put the cart before the horse and think that oh, a half dozen will be good enough to get your foot in the door. While your work may be consistent and in keeping with the same theme, your prospective gallery representative may single one particular piece out and say, "I like this one. Do you have any more like this?" You don't EVER want to have to say, "This is all the work I have!" Make sure you have ample work.

It is also a good idea to have an ample amount of your artwork available for viewing online, sold works and current works. I have picked up gallery representation by way of works displayed on my website, but I have always had an adequate amount of work available or accessable when the gallery owner wants to personally see more.

The best rule of thumb is, do not set out looking unless you have those 12 to 20 pieces. The size of your works may also influence how many you'll need. If you work in a small scale like I do, you'll want to have at least 18 - 20. Just consider what it would take to dress out a 10 by 10 booth and you should be fine.

Kingfisher

2007-04-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

Kingfisher ~on Peacock wingfeather~

These bold little guys are so full of personality and so much fun to watch when they fish.

a little Skunk...

2007-04-07T15:13:00.000-07:00

Skunk ~ on Royal Palm turkey feather~

What's not to love about a cute little skunk? As adorable as these little guys are, you just don't see them at wildlife art shows. As a matter of fact, I'm willing to bet this will be the only skunk at the upcoming show.

I will be framing this with Bainbridge's Rosewood (seen here), and Thistle on top. So far, this is the smallest feather I'll have on exhibit - from tip to tip it's only 9 inches.

Sockeye Salmon

2007-04-06T04:57:00.000-07:00

...and the river turns red with migrating fish.

Some sockeye salmon urgently heading upstream to the place of their birth, to begin the cycle anew. Peahen wingfeather. I like how the subtle mottling along the edge of the feather looks so much like sunlight filtering through ripples on the water's surface. I used a slightly stylized version of salmon in this one. This will be available at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center's art show during the Puyallup WA Spring Fair, Aprill 19 - 22.

Dall's Ewe & Lamb

2007-04-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dall's Ewe and Lamb
on mottled hybrid turkey feather

I attempted scanning this in with Bainbridge's Dusk suede matboard behind it. Although the feather itself is still flattened more than it would ever be framed, I wanted to preserve the downy strands of feather at the base. Turkey feathers are a lot fluffier than peacock feathers, Ive learned. I may or may not use Dusk behind it in the actual framing, I haven't decided yet.

One drawback to scanning on matboard is the scanner's light is so brilliant and the items scanned are so flat, I lose all sense of depth - there is no cast shadow. But it will have to do for now. The originals always look so much better.

I'm painting like a mad woman in preparation for this show, once again risking burning myself out. I have a mere two weeks to have all inventory completed and framed. My hanging space will be smaller than the usual 10X10 booth I have at most shows. Instead I will be utilizing one of the wooden walls inside the Western Heritage Center. These works I'm finishing up should fill that out nicely.

Keep an eye on this blog, as more paintings that will be available at the Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center will find their way here regularly between now and the Puyallup Spring Fair on April 19th.

2007-03-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Redtail Hawk at Tablerock

This was requested as a wedding gift. The redtail and the location have special meaning to the recipients. The mats were scanned in and placed with Photoshop to show how they'd look with the feather, but we ended up going with a darker red-orange (Bainbridge's "chaps") for the second mat.

Puyallup Spring Fair

2007-03-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

Puyallup Spring Fair at the Oldfield Western Heritage Center!

I'm going to jump in and try doing a postcard to advertise. This is new to me, I haven't tried it before. Got Print makes it easy to give it a test drive though... you can order as few as 250, but I've ordered 500. I'll go through them, I have a pretty good mailing list. I created these in Photoshop by way of GotPrint's template. I wanted to go with humorous/fun, and I think this will fit the bill.

There was a lot of info to put on the back, it took some creative editing to get the most important times and dates in there. One concern with mailings, postcards, etc. is the accidental placement in the circular-file when it arrives in mailboxes. I'm told that one way to avoid that is the day that one mails the cards. I was told by a savvy artist to mail on Tuesdays or Wednesdays so the mailings will likely arrive to their recipients on Friday or Saturday. The reason for this being that Mondays and Tuesdays tend to see a glut in mailers , ads and circulars, while the week's end tends to be very light in comparison. I've been watching my incoming mail and have found that he is right - at least in my area. Your area's mileage may vary.

This shipment of cards is going to be delivered most likely on Friday. You know how I'll be spending much of my Easter weekend!

WHEW!

2007-03-23T15:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, for the most part it's up! The website overhaul has progressed enough that I felt comfortable publishing. I still have a lot to do, but I should be completely finished in a few days. Woohoo!

Featherlady Studio

supporting the galleries

2007-03-23T07:41:00.000-07:00

I've got several shows coming up all around Western WA - actually I'm looking at a minimum of one a month from April through October, which is the most rigorous schedule I've put on myself yet. Most of these shows are within reasonable proximity to at least one gallery who carries my paintings.

Much preparation to be done! It's been a very busy year, more so than I've seen yet, and as a result my inventory is not as high as I would like. That's ok, I'll get there - I have a month before the first of these shows.

Part of my preparation is getting with each gallery who represents me, and getting a stack of their business cards। When I set up the table in the center of the back wall in my booth, it contains my brochures, my business cards, a guestbook, a couple of WIP's, some unpainted feathers for kids to touch... and lots of gallery business cards.

I keep the business cards of all galleries in the region in a tidy little rack in a prominant place. I let local patrons know that they can also find my paintings in these galleries nearby। I make sure I have a list of what that gallery has, so in the event that a patron is looking for a specific animal that I do not have or no longer have in my booth, I can cheerfully tell them that so-and-so has a feather with that animal in their gallery, and I describe it to them, and describe the gallery and its location if they are unfamiliar. There have been a couple of cases where the patron exclaims, "Oh, I didn't know there was a gallery there!", which is good for the gallery because I've just pointed a new visitor in their direction. It's good for me because they'll be very likely on the lookout for painted feathers when they do visit that gallery. I've seen some gallery sales that way. It's good for the patron because now they know where to find my work, they don't have to wait for next year's show - they may also have a new venue on their list of galleries to explore.

And I always, ALWAYS keep the prices consistent: at the gallery, at the show, in the studio. One should NEVER undersell a representing gallery, it's just bad form all around.

Website progressions

2007-03-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

I'm not publishing yet, it's going to be a while! But I did want to put up this screencap of the new links page. It's settled, that's the way the links bar is going to be.

The photo inclusion was via a suggestion from a friend of mine. I was showing off some turkey feathers I had recently procured, so I took a snapshot of them all laid out on my button blanket (which is under construction, hence all the basting stitches). She said, "Oh, you should put that on the website!" She was right, I think it looks pretty cool there. Those turkey feathers are going to be a LOT of fun to work with!

Commission completed and received

2007-03-20T23:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is a very familiar scene. And I had a lot of fun doing it. This was a special birthday request for a lady who collects End of the Trail. The style and color palette were not my usual, which made it even more fun and challenging. I hope it goes well with the rest of her collection!

Website remodeling

2007-03-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention lately that my website lacks.... professionalism? Polish? Continuity? Ease of use? Oh let's face it, it looks like a great big mess put together by a hobbyist. Because it is. I first built the site a number of years ago and kept the same look, so it has that dated feel. The way it was laid out was adequate for showing a bit of work, but I kept the same format and just kept piling more work into it. It has grown so much that the beast has become unwieldy indeed. By every right and appearance it looks like an ameteur did it - that just won't do, not for a professional art site. Time to roll up my sleeves, bite the bullet...

I have factors working against me. I am technologically-inept. The site content is HUGE. It was put together with a WYSIWIG program. My time is limited. I can't afford/don't want to pay for a professional web designer.

So I've been looking at a LOT of art sites and their layouts. I'll take an appealing page into MS Word, and rework it. Change the colors, the table/cell sizes, create the necessary graphics I'll need for my own, add elements I've seen on other pages that I like and want to incorporate into my own format. I've got a start on a design I kinda like. It needs further tweaking, such as reducing the nav bar/title-logo occupation as they take up too much room on top. It's a drastic change from what my site has been for the past.... 6 or 7 years? Hey, I'm overdue! This change won't be immediate, it's going to take a LOT of time and work. I won't drop older works, they will be archived and available on the site.

T'ain't easy, but I'm learning a lot as I go.
If anyone would like to chime in with an opinion or a critique, such information would be heartily welcomed.

New canvas!

2007-03-19T09:36:00.000-07:00

Spring Calf

I have new "canvases" to play with! Just about everything over the 17 years I've been painting feathers has been on peafowl plumage, male and female. I now have a nice little collection of Royal Palm turkey feathers to try things on. I love how the natural patterns of this feather elude to an intended background, and many people see different things with it - high cirrus clouds, a snowy mountain, rolling hills... each mind interprets it differently, which adds to the fun of the image.

Explorations in cedar

2007-03-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

BSA DIstrict Awards

It was so much fun having a part in these! I was on the District Awards Committee, and part of the creation of the awards. A *very* talented Assistant Scoutmaster made all of these from a lot of cedar boards that he had onhand, and designed and created the patches. My task was painting the PNW Flat Design on all.

There were 10 paddles (sorry for the blurry pic), each unique in size and shape, so each received its own unique painting - there was Salmon, Raven, Sea Monster, Halibut, and so much more. With each paddle I became more and more comfortable with the process. The other two photos show two sides of one box. There were several boxes. This particular box told the story of Raven Steals the Sun; you'll recognize the lid design from a previous work I did on paper. Moon is seen on one of the panels, and Sun (not shown), is on the other. I kept Moon's features soft and basic, and very much in contrast to Sun's features, which were highly detailed, more angular, and also giving him a hooked beaklike nose. Personalities along the lines of the contrast between sunlight and moonlight, I suppose.

Upon arrival, most of the awards were decorated even further with wrapped feathers, which really set them off. In all, it was a neat proceeding, well organized, flowed well, great dinner, and most importantly, most of the recipients were present. A great evening, and I hope it all encourages a higher attendance next year.

I don't think any BSA District in all of Western WA has done District Awards like these! Lots of fun, and I hope to be involved again next year.

Many brands on the coals...

2007-03-02T18:07:00.000-08:00

I've not been posting much here lately, but it's with good reason. I've been pulled in many directions over the last couple of months, some in art and business and some in Scouting.

I've recently had to make a decision to cut something out. I had to step down as Cubmaster. It was a hard decision, as I've been with that unit for 6 years, since my younger son joined Scouting as a Tiger Cub. He advanced on up to Troop last year, though, but I was still in a leadership position with the Pack. Two sons in two Troops. Art business that has suddenly taken off this year at a much greater rate than I anticipated. Involvement with local arts communities to network and to find opportunities. My family was not seeing enough of me either - something had to give. I know the Pack willl do fine without me, it's just a matter of adjustment and other parents stepping up. That position needs to be filled by a parent who has a son there, not by someone trying to be active at Troop level too.

So now I'm playing catch-up. I've several commissions to fill, I'm mustering art to hang in a local restaurant, I've a big show at the Fair next month to prepare for. And I'm working on awards for an all-too-quickly-approaching BSA District Awards Banquet. These awards are very unusual and pretty cool. The idea grew from paddle-making which I put an OA youth onto up at Camp Black Mountain last summer. That and aspirations to learn steam-bending cedar - which we still want to do, just to be able to teach to youth. These awards are a joint effort - a talented craftsman of a Scouter built them. I'm painting them with PNW Flat Design. Then four of us will get together and finish the decorating andadornments. District has *never* seen awards like these!

After Banquet, I will post photos. I wouldn't want to give away the surprises before the event. I must say though-- I feel like I'm getting ready for a Potlatch!

Treefrog

2007-02-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

Tree Frog with PNW accompaniment

I'm having a lot of fun with frogs lately. This one is available at Lucas Art Gallery in Graham WA.

Feather for a Woodbadger

2007-02-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

For those of you less familiar with the Boy Scout Leadership training, Woodbadge is some of the best adult leadership training the BSA offers. The training is comparable to business leadership and team-building training that one would find in the corporate world. A Woodbadge class is broken down into Patrols, like a Boy Scout Troop: Beavers, Bobwhites, Foxes, Eagles, Owls, Bears, Buffalo, and Antelope. At the completion of the training, the individuals must then complete a series of goals geared towards his or her position in Scouting. Once this is accomplished, the individual heceives a formal Beading ceremony.

This feather was ordered for a Bobwhite's Beading, which takes place this Saturday.

The feather's natural striping made for some very interesting cloud effects. I'm happy with the interest, color, and sense of depth the Beach Peas in the forground provided. I may be using Beach Peas in a seascape format again soon.

Bison

2007-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

"Duel"

A new feather available at Lucas Art Gallery in Graham, WA.

There will be a Grand reopening of the gallery on March 3rd, to celebrate the completion of the big gallery remodel project. This promises to be a lot of fun, with many artists and patrons onhand.

Commission, completed and approved

2007-02-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

I *LOVE* doing these for Scouts! This eagle will soon cross the continent for an Eagle Court of Honor.

Boothspace

2007-02-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

My boothspace is forever undergoing subtle evolutions. I always use the ivy garlands now, I like the way they soften those hard lines of the gridwall. I haven't decided yet if I prefer the sheets in front of the grids or behind. The table on the right is where I work -- doing demos throughout a show is great advertising and does wonders to help encourage people into my booth and ask questions. Since doing those high-pressure Quickdraws at Western and Wildlife shows, I don't mind at all when people watch me work or ask questions - as a matter of fact, I enjoy it! Especially kids. Kids are so inquisitive, and love to look through the desktop magnifier to see a current featherwork really close. I'm sure this space will undergo many more changes as I learn, but for now this setup works pretty well.

Gallery rotations: keep it fresh!

2007-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Something struck me at Bonnie Kahn's Wild West Gallery. When we talked over the matters of my exhibiting there and she selected the works she wanted to start with, she said something I had not heard a gallery owner say before: that she keeps all artwork on a 3-month rotation. Now this is Gallery #7 that I have signed on with, and it's the first time I've heard of one doing that. What a novel idea! I'm sure many others do it, I just haven't encountered it before.

And when you think about it, it only makes sense. If something isn't moving at a particular venue over a period of time, the chances of it moving at all begin to deteriorate. Patrons will get bored looking at it. They may even deem that the artist is not very collectible if the same art is hanging there in the same place, month after month. And if the gallery has many such artists who have works that aren't moving, there will be less draw for the patrons to come in and visit at all.

I have made it a practice to rotate works in and out of galleries. I'll be honest, sometimes these rotations of mine coincide with big shows or back-to-back shows, with a panicked me trying to fill my booth, and then afterwards bringing works back to the galleries from which I borrowed, and having them hand-pick what they wish to display. But whether it's a matter of borrowing for shows or a simple matter of rotation, the end results are the same: the works are swapped regularly, and what I have on display at each venue stays fresh.

If something doesn't move at one venue, it very well may move quickly at another. It really all depends on the audience. I've learned that while generalities work to an extent, when it comes right down to individual subject matter there just isn't any way to guess what will attract whom. there is no science, only educated guesses.

So keeping to a regular rotation of one's work benefits all - the artist, the gallery, and the patron. Keep it fresh!

I'm back from Oregon

2007-01-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

What a delightful trip!

I now have gallery representation in Portland. If you're ever in NW Portland, do stop by Bonnie Kahn's Wild West Gallery. She has a magnificent assortment of Native American and Western art, jewelry, textiles, and paintings. When you enter, you are immediately surrounded with the scent of sage and sweetgrass - the gallery is a wonderful experience!

The Good Earth Home Show was even bigger than last year. They had over 250 vendors and 40 seminars. Any visitor would be hard-pressed to see and do it all. I met so many wonderful people, and many whom I met last year. It was great seeing and talking with you! I do hope to do this show again next year, it was fantastic.

Now I must prep for the Art & Wine-tasting event in Downtown Tacoma. This is a one-day event from 5pm to 9pm on February 15th, and will be quite a new experience for me. I'm looking forward to it! I shall provide more details and specific location soon.

Off to Eugene

2007-01-25T06:18:00.000-08:00

The Good Earth Home Show

I'm driving down there today, and will hopefully be there in time to set up. Along the way, I have an early-afternoon interview at a gallery in Portland, so between that and traffic my itinerary is a little grey.

I did this show last year and was overwhelmed with the enormity of it. Patrons were shoulder-to-shoulder in the isles, and every parking space was filled. It was my first year that year, so I was very pleased to squeak into the black when all was said and done. there were quite a few events going on, even the Cascade Raptor Center put on demos with their birds. This year promises to be even bigger. Setup for vendors takes place tonight and tomorrow morning.

While doing a show far from home, have you looked for creative ways to spend as little as possible? I tend to be very frugal, and I'm always looking for ways to save a little more. The motel room I'm renting has a fridge and microwave, which only cost a couple more dollars per night. I figure I'll do the breakfast-cereal/tv dinner thing to save on expenses. I'm packing sandwich materials too, so that will also help considerably. Last year I had a lot of cereal bars in my pack to get me through the day, but that got very old in a hurry!

I'll have 23 framed feathers on display. I've packed in accordance to what's been selling lately. Wolves have not been moving at all over the last year, so I have no wolves. Eagles always move, so I do have an eagle. Bears have increased in popularity, and that has been true for two years now. I'll have two bears. No marine life, sad to say... "Free Spirits" has developed another purpose. Karen of Lucas Arts is taking that one to Westport for me. Hopefully that event went well for her!

Wish me luck, this will be an exciting trip!

"Rude Awakening"

2007-01-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

I had to do -just one- humorous piece for the upcoming show. What a way to wake up!

Sparrow Hawk

2007-01-17T14:22:00.000-08:00

a.k.a. American Kestrel

As a kid I remember often seeing these tiny hunters perched along the fenceline, waiting for some unsuspecting field mouse. I never realized just how tiny they truly are until I saw one up close at the raptor center in Eugene last year. truly a beautiful and intelligent bird.

Dining in the Green Room...

2007-01-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

Washington State is blessed with lush, deep, dark rainforests out on the Olympic Penninsula. I tried, but I simply cannot capture in paint the overwhelming emerald green that completely envelopes you when you venture into the Hoh rainforest. This image just is not green enough!

This little black bear seems to be eyeing the stagnant pond for anything that might make a good snack.

From the Rainforest...

2007-01-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Orchid and Frog

I love the jewel-like brilliance of many of the Rainforest's amphibian residents. I sought to intensify that perception with strong lighting and a deep mysterious background for this little treefrog on an orchid.

This too shall be on display at the Good Earth Home Show in Eugene.

Pheasant Cockerel

2007-01-12T14:37:00.000-08:00

It can be quite a challenge coming up with an image that will even be visable on one of these flaboyantly striped feathers. Ringneck pheasants always seem to be a popular adornment, though. Many first-reactions are "Oh, you painted a pheasant on a pheasant feather!" I grin and reply that they're not far off. Pheasants and peacocks are related, after all.

Free Spirits

2007-01-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

This scanned a little dark, and that Photoshop color I chose to represent matting isn't really helping. I spent more time than usual on this one, trying to get the sunset just so, trying to make the Puget Sound waters believable. I'll have to take a photo of it once it's framed, as this scan is not a good representation.

Those are the pros and cons of working small on a dimensional object such as this. It's small enough to fit on a scanner bed, and the scanner will show all the details up close and personal. My scanner does not match color perfectly. I also get a fisheye effect from it because of the dimensionality of the piece. It was not meant to mash flat. A feather has a distinct and graceful curve to it, and I utilize that in the painting. I create the painting by cradling the feather in the palm of one hand while applying the acrylic with the other. The result is a three-dimensional effect which is only enhanced by float-mounting in a shadowbox frame. People often say the paintings look much better in person than they do online. I believe this is why that is so.

PNW play

2007-01-08T10:11:00.000-08:00

PNW Elk

He's got a few issues I'd like to change, though nothing enormous. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. This is for Wapiti, my OA Chapter. Our Lodge is Nisqually, the Raven. You can see Raven in his eye. I went with a Northern style, sort of a Tlingit-Tsimshian. I'll eventually paint him on a drum.

Eventually I will design a full-body elk suitable for sewing on a button blanket. The image I have in my head is in profile, leaping. I remember seeing an ancient tattoo that was on the corpse of a woman of high rank. She was discovered in a tomb in the Russian Steppes; her story was published in the October 1994 issue of National Geographic. I've always been quite taken with that tattoo design. The pose is so striking, so free, full of joy and powerful - it has stayed with me. Yes, I think that design with a Northwestern Coastal approach would be quite appealing on a blanket. Maybe I'll tackle that one by Spring.

Smaller feathers for Eugene

2007-01-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

In trying to create a variety in size and price for the Eugene show yet still sell originals, I went with some smaller wingfeathers as my canvas. They average about 3 inches shorter than my usual and are certainly narrower, which presents more of a challenge in coming up with an appealing design. Below are Mimbres-style Native Deer, a Grey Squirrel, and Allen's Hummingbird. I may be doing some more touch-up to the hummer, but I am trying to keep these as a smaller time-investment and justify a smaller price. Click the thumbnail for the full jpeg.

exotic animals

2006-12-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

The Bengal is one I did as a demo at the Oldfield Center during the Western Washington Fair. The lighting where I was working was less than optimal, and I really struggled with the tiny details and getting the color the way I wanted it. I need to practice more at Big Cats.

The kudu I am more happy with. It's amazing how much difference a good light can make in how comfortable you are in working. This one was done as a fundraiser for the District Campership program for the Boy Scouts. Anyone who has been through Wood Badge will quickly recognize the symbols here.

a class with Fred Oldfield

2006-12-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

This was a totally new experience for me! I did the mountain scene on 16x20 canvas and solely with a palette knife. I'm a detail freak, so it was hard to keep everything soft. I kept wanting to give more attention to those rocks in the foreground, but Fred would bring them back down again, advising me to "keep 'em soft". Thanks to Fred, I'm beginning to lose my fear of oils. It is my hope to have a couple of canvases worth hanging by the time the October "Celebration of Western and Wildlife Art" show comes around.

Progressions in PNW design

2006-12-27T11:09:00.000-08:00

Raven Steals The Sun

I still have much to learn in PNW Flat Design. I have a good teacher in a Kwakiutl chief and master carver down in Southern Washington.

This was done in Micron pen and acrylic paint. My ovoids are still "mushy" as he put it. They need more strength, more tension - in order to be proper. When I get it done right, I want to paint this on a drum. I'm told the style I use is very strongly Tsimshian - having grown up in Ketchikan, I can understand why.

The Standoff

2006-12-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

This one was inspired by the company the kids and I receive during our many hikes and picnics up on Mount Rainier.

Of the two, the Grey Jays are most definitely the boldest. They have no hesitations at all in snatching food straight from your hand. After a picnic, they'll often follow you up the trail, watching from the branches above. It's no wonder they're better known as Camp Robbers!

Available, in studio, 8" X 19" framed, $245.00

Explorations into other outlets

2006-12-26T21:45:00.001-08:00

Button Blanket

This is merely the beginning of my borderwork, which contains Heron. The buttons and shaped paua shell ovoid in this photograph are not sewn down, but merely placed to judge their visual merits in a completed design. The red wool applique work, however, is stitched down for the most part - all is hand-sewn with tiny blanket-edge stitches to help bind and define the edges.

This is a full-sized blanket of high quality coating-weight wool. Heron will be in the border on both sides with the larger smoke-colored shell buttons lining the edge of that, and Bear with Cub will be the central figure. She will be outlined with the smaller mother-of-pearl shell buttons seen in the photo. It will take considerable time, probably the remainder of the winter - but it is a welcome break in between painting feathers for the upcoming Home Show in Eugene.

changing mediums, a source of frustration

2006-12-26T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday evening after an inordinate amount of time in the studio, I joined my husband in the livingroom. He was watching the television, and I promptly picked up a book.

"What's the matter?" he inquired.
"I suck, I can't paint," I replied, barely looking up from my reading.

Later, I returned to the studio to stare at the canvas some more. He wandered in shortly after, silently standing next to me, staring at the canvas.

"What's the matter with it?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," I replied, arms folded, staring even harder.

He stared a minute or two more, then spoke. "I'm no painter," he said," but I think I know what the problem is."
I perked up. "What?"
"You're used to instantaneous results in acrylics. When I've watched you paint in acrylics on feathers, and the detail happens immediately. With oils on a canvas, you have to work on so many levels, stages, and layers, before you start to see the details and the results you want. It's not instant like acylics, it doesn't behave like acrylics, and it's frustrating you."

Hammer, meet nail.

Email links

2006-01-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

It can be fascinating watching trends in webhits. Somebody today put a link to the older feathers page in an email and mass-mailed it. I'm suddenly seeing scores of webhits from all over the globe. It's fascinating to watch the progression of this forwarded link and all its destinations.

Following webhits, geography, etc. is very helpful. You can track what "advertising" is proving to be most effective. Additionally, I tend to see more direct hits or hits through searches coming from a particular area that I've sent work to recently, be it a commission or whatever.

Creative advertising

2006-01-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share this one, as I put it to use last Fall.
Checks In The Mail

I put this image of my orca painting on my order. They were fast, efficient, and did a beautiful job! They softened the image, yet kept enough clarity so that one could easily see the design, but not so much so that any writing on the check would be difficult to read. Because of the dimensions of my image, even after Photoshopping, I had a bit of dead space at the bottom behind the bank numbers. They took care of that by feathering the bottom edge of the image.

I will definitely be using this company again! The checks certainly serve their advertising purpose, too. They have initiated quite a few questions about the sort of art I do.

Feather Post

2006-01-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

American Goldfinches. Click the image for the full scene.

This, among others, will be on display at the Good Earth Home, Garden, and Living show in Eugene.

The Feathered Nest

Website renovation

I Love Teaching!

The Rising Cost of Doing Business

ACEO winner

ACEO Card Giveaway

What got you started?

And the winner is....

ACEO Card Giveaway

Unfinished Business

Outlook

Pointillism In Glass

Saying good bye to 2010 with an eye on 2011

That One-Word Theme for the Year

A slow recovery

Why I Prefer New Media Over Old

Expanding with New Items

May Goals

Challenging Myself

Blogging for Artists - introduction, and some benefits

Absent, But Not Given Up

Getting To Know Ewe

Giving Back

Touring Scotland - Get Far and Away

Painted Feathers Article in China

What sorts of feathers can I use?

Pride of the Glens

A Blog by any other name...

The Feathers I use

Painted Feathers for our Future Leaders

When Words Are Not Needed to tell a Story

Why Painted Feathers?

Clarity through Seven Words

Making more technology adjustments

Sweeping Up

Starting off with 2010

Catching Up

Expanding

Preps for UK travel

Where am I at on those 2009 goals?

make a video slideshow of your art

Inceasing Value and Quality of Studio Time

Bracing for Growth

2009 - Commit

Prints vs. Originals

Resolution

feather-painting article in Prague

Artists of the West - due out in May!

Westport Art Festival - Aug. 18-19

ACEO Cards

Heavenly fragrance

feather art

Order of the Arrow, Pt. 2

feather art

art business - pricing

Wood Duck

Pheasants

How's Your Body?

Kingfisher

a little Skunk...

Sockeye Salmon

Dall's Ewe & Lamb

Puyallup Spring Fair

*WHEW!*

supporting the galleries

Website progressions

Commission completed and received

Website remodeling

New canvas!

Explorations in cedar

Many brands on the coals...

Treefrog

Feather for a Woodbadger

Bison

Commission, completed and approved

Boothspace

Gallery rotations: keep it fresh!

I'm back from Oregon

Off to Eugene

"Rude Awakening"

WHEW!