The Feathers I use

"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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!