Saturday, August 15, 2009

Wet Paint @ Newport Art Museum

oil on linen 10" x 20"

This was my entry today in the Newport Art Museum's Wet Paint fundraiser.

I really wanted to make sure that it was wet when I brought it in. It seems much more fun than just picking a painting from my studio and bringing it to the show. Playing with the big kids requires doing it that day. But the challenge of the whole thing makes me nervous on a lot of counts:

1. I have to drive there and remember everything I need for the day.
2. I don't want to do a wiper and then feel that I have to hang it because I signed up.
3. Last year the painting didn't sell for much, and I want to do better this year.
4. What if too many people want to talk to me while I am working?
5. I usually work on panels, but then how would they hang it?
6. I didn't get around to getting a frame. Will that look all right in the exhibit?

But I knew that I wanted to do it, so I tried to stay calm and just worked through it.
Everything went well.

I packed everything and anything that I could think of, and didn't forget anything.
I planned what I would paint, and studied my reference photos ahead of time. I even made a drawing on the canvas and sealed it last night.
It doesn't really matter what it sells for, because it is all part of the process of establishing myself. And everything does sell. I think.
To solve the hanging issue, I bought a stretched canvas. I didn't have to worry about having enough space in my studio for another stretched canvas, because it would sell, and not come home.
Tomorrow I will see if it looks as punchy on the wall as I hope it will.

I kept the range of colors simple, and the design pretty graphic. And my blog name is taped to the back, so maybe the person who buys the painting will read this. And if you do, some time there are two or three lines that I would like to add to the painting. And I will seal the whole surface so that the finish stays even. Just let me know.

I also was a very minor celebrity with 20 seconds of fame in the video of last year's event. So if you want to see me, this is the link. I am about 3 minutes into the piece.

Sleep will come easy tonight I think!