every picture tells a story

I spent a good chunk of yesterday pulling photos for a "2013 art year in review" video project I'm hoping to work on. As I was working, I was struck by a couple of things: 1. WOW, was it a busy (and awesome!) year, and 2. I am filled with gratitude for each and every one of you who were a part of it. If I started naming names, this post would go on for three days. Thank you so much for your support: coming out to my shows, buying art, making my new magnet enterprise a smashing success, sharing links to my new Etsy page, telling friends about my work, reading my blog, following me on Twitter, giving my work as gifts, and just believing in me in general. 2013 was amazing, and I am excited about what 2014 holds for all of us. I wish you joy, love, peace, happiness, beauty, and people in your life who are as incredible to you as you have been to me. XO

happy holi-daze

The weather outside is making today a perfect day for catching up on lots of things I need to do, including writing a new blog post! Here goes:

It's the season of giving, and I'm sure your mailbox has been filling up with letters from different charities, non-profits, and causes asking for your last-minute, tax-deductible, charitable donation. You can probably imagine my surprise when I saw a familiar sight at the bottom of the Five Rivers Arts Alliance annual fundraising letter: my painting, "Sole Mate," is one of four images being used to drum up some holiday kindness! I am really happy they chose my work, and I hope that, in a small way, I can help Five Rivers to reach their fundraising goal of $7,000. If you're looking to support a non-profit arts organization this year, please consider helping out Five Rivers: www.5raa.org

(What a nice compliment!)

Speaking of Five Rivers, on Friday, December 13th, the first group show at Coastal Orthopedic in Brunswick came down, and the second one went up! Here are the four paintings I have on display in the new show, which will run until mid-March. This time, there will be an opening reception in early January, which should be interesting. The first show didn't have a reception, but it seems like Five Rivers is really working on forging a relationship with Coastal Orthopedic, and I think having an opening will improve the connection between the two organizations, the staff, and all the artists involved. We'll see how it goes! 

(Art heals!)

My Etsy shop has been doing very well this holiday season, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I have shipped magnets to people in Michigan, Wisconsin, Virginia, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine! The thought of my artwork being included in stockings and under trees all over the country makes me smile.  Also, I received a new shipment of "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnets, so I was finally able to add them to my Etsy page as well...that means all of my current magnets are now available and represented! Yay! Christmas is three days away, so I don't really expect to get any more last-minute orders between now and then, but Etsy gift cards are a fantastic option for those who meant to order magnets but just couldn't get their act together! Are you one of those people? Do you need an Etsy gift card? Well, here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/ltylzo2

...and here's the link to my Etsy shop, while you're at it: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BrushstrokesByMaria

...and yet another long overdue recap

Whew! Things have been very busy lately! I've been meaning to write a new blog post for quite a while now, but I just haven't gotten the chance until now. I will do my best to recap! Where do I start?

Terry and I had a beautiful Thanksgiving with his family in New Hampshire, as is our tradition. I brought along my magnets just in case anyone wanted to see them in person...and I sure am glad I did, because I sold a whole mess of them! I had a request for two "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnets, which I didn't have on me at the time...more were scheduled to arrive on Saturday so I would (hopefully) have enough to get me through the holiday season.

(So much to be thankful for: red wine, good music, family, and magnets!)

Cat Schwenk's Creative Economy show in Freeport on Thanksgiving weekend was a lot of fun, and I'm really happy to have been a part of it. The show was three days long, and I spent much of Saturday there, helping out and connecting with others. The space was absolutely beautiful, I was able to see my friends Echo and Jesse (and their son, Sy), and I was able to enjoy some of Jesse's delicious wood-fired pizza, baked fresh from the outdoor clay oven he built! Plus, I had a very funny interaction with someone at the show: I was speaking with a woman who recognized me and my work, but she was having a hard time placing me. When I said, "I'm Maria," she said, "Yes! You're Maria Castellano-Da-Da-Da!" I doubled over with laughter and said, "Maybe I should change my name to that!" When I told Terry about it later, he smiled and said, "I guess it is asking a lot of people..." Anyway, I sold a bunch of magnets, and the shipment of "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnets arrived right on schedule. However, that shipment was quickly depleted, requiring me to place a rush order in time for Arts Downtown and All Around, which brings us to this past weekend...

("Buddha To The Maxx", Creative Economy show)

I am thrilled to say that Arts Downtown and All Around was absolutely fantastic! This was my fourth year doing this show, and for me, this year was better than all the other years put together. The musicians I booked to perform were very well-received by both artists and show-goers alike, which makes me very happy. I was in the same room as last year, but this time, I had the space to myself, and I was able to fill it with no problem. Over the course of the weekend, I had at least 125 people come into my room. I got wonderful feedback and made a lot of sales as well...and, as Terry put it, I had a "hat trick": sales on all three days of the show, plus sales of magnets, mixed media, and paintings alike! Some of these sales were to people who have bought my work in the past, including the couple who bought my "Re-birthday Cake" painting at the 2012 10x10 show, and the woman who bought my "Weathervane, Bowdoin College" painting at the 2013 10x10 show. I sold magnets to other artists whose work I respect and admire, including Susan Mills (who has several of my mixed media pieces in her home already), Robin Brooks, Catherine Worthington, and Lee Cheever; plus, one of the mixed media pieces I sold was bought by Natasha Kempers-Cullen! What an amazing compliment: I've got collectors! I am blown away. Speaking of amazing compliments, I received one from Allison Price, who was one of the other artists participating in the group show at 98 Maine. When she walked into my room, she said it was "like seeing twenty-seven sunrises and rainbows all at once." Wow.

(Me in my room, having fun at Arts Downtown and All Around!)

Early Saturday afternoon, I ran out of "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnets...and then Terry arrived with the new shipment! By the end of the weekend, I only had three left. On Monday, I made a long-overdue trip to She Doesn't Like Guthrie's in Lewiston so I could replenish my magnet display. I should have done it sooner, because there were only a handful left...who knew I'd keep running out? Anyway, it was so nice to see Heather (as always!); I loaded up my display with new magnets, including "Prentiss' Owl" and "Weathervane, Bowdoin College" (which I didn't have there previously), and the three remaining "Old Fat Boy Sign" magnets. Yes, I placed a re-order yesterday...and yes, I doubled the amount I usually get!

(While you're waiting for your fabulous food at She Doesn't Like Guthrie's, check out my magnets!)

I'm happy to say that my Etsy shop is doing very well, and I now have almost all of my magnets represented there...I think you can guess which one isn't on there yet! Rest assured, as soon as the new shipment arrives, "Old Fat Boy Sign" will join the others (after I set aside two, of course)! If you haven't checked out my shop yet, here's the link! https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrushstrokesByMaria

Okay, I think I'm now completely caught up with what's going on with me! Until next time...

posters and posting

The Arts Downtown and All Around posters have been printed and they look fabulous! I am very happy to report that my painting, "Sole Mate," made the poster! It's one of ten images, and they all look really good together. It's a nice way of capturing the diversity of work you'll see on display during this event. I've hung several around town already (with a few more to go), and people seem to be responding well to them. I'm also pleased to say that I've filled all of the slots that were assigned to me with bands/musicians for the weekend, and I'm really looking forward to all the great energy that live music can bring to an art event. For more information (including times, locations, and a list of participating artists), please click the link: http://5raa.org/arts-downtown-all-around-2/

                                                   

Speaking of art events I'm excited about, I dropped off work yesterday for the 7th Annual Creative Economy Sale and Show! The show takes place at Cat Schwenk's Studio on the Hill (21 Pleasant Hill Rd., Freeport) on Thanksgiving weekend (Friday, November 29th, Saturday, November 30th, and Sunday, December 1st; 10 am to 6:30 pm each day). Saturday was my first time meeting Cat in person (we've communicated via email and Facebook previously), and I liked her instantly! She was lovely and made me feel very relaxed. In fact, I left feeling even better about the show than I did when I arrived, and I was already feeling very positive. I decided to focus on small paintings and mixed media pieces (11" x 14" was the biggest painting I brought with me) since there are roughly 40 artists participating. I figured it would be a lot easier to fit more pieces that way, and since smaller pieces have smaller price tags, that might help to encourage potential buyers. I also brought my magnet display, which Cat said she would probably put near the cash register. Hooray for impulse buys! I've been hanging some posters around town for this show, too, but I picked up some more yesterday and I plan to do more...time to get the word out!
http://www.maineartscene.com/Maine-Art-Headlines/Freeport-s-7th-Annual-Creative-Economy-Studio-Show-and-Sale.html

Speaking of magnets, I finally got an Etsy shop up and running this week! I only have six different magnets on there right now, but I will be adding more before too long. I am thrilled to say that within an hour or so of opening my Etsy shop, I got my first sale! Woo hoo! I don't know or completely understand all of the ins and outs of Etsy yet, but there are people following my page, and people have "favorited" some of my magnets, and that sounds good to me! Here is the link to my page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrushstrokesByMaria?ref=pr_shop_more

working inside the box

Quite a while ago, one of the women in the Brunswick Art Collaborative brought a bunch of cardboard boxes to a meeting. These boxes were all the same size and shape (7" tall, 4.25" wide, 2" deep), and they had been used for Christmas ornaments. Her plan was to give a box to every Brunswick Art Collaborative member to see what each person would come up with...this is mine.

I am so happy that I finally finished this project! I had the idea for a shrine-type of piece as soon as I saw the box, and I certainly had more than enough medals to get it done (for those who don't know: I was raised in a VERY Catholic household- my great uncle was a priest, and my parents volunteered for the church- and, a while back, I found a box filled with Mary medals in the basement...no one knows where they came from). I knew I wanted to use an Our Lady of Guadalupe image for the center, but I didn't have a good one on hand...until a client asked me if I was interested in helping him dispose of some old refrigerator magnets! I found a discarded mini-string of Christmas lights on a walk around my neighborhood a while back (sometimes it pays to go for a walk on trash day!) and I knew they would be the perfect way to tie the whole piece together. I like they playful feel they give, and it reminds me of the decor at El Camino! Mmm...that makes me want guacamole! 

The only time I specifically devote to working on mixed media pieces is when the Brunswick Art Collaborative meets, which is why this took me so long to finish. It really was a lot of fun to work on, and I liked seeing the different choices other members made with their projects. We're a diverse group! 

good questions

It occurred to me the other day that this month, November 2013, marks one year since my boss decided to close the Closet Factory showroom on Congress Street (this was the annex location of the business; the shop on Presumpscot Street is still open and moving right along), thereby ending a nearly two-year run of First Friday solo shows in that location for yours truly. If you knew me at all a year ago, I was kind of freaking out. My thoughts were ranging from panicked ("Where am I going to show my work? What will happen next?") to hopeful ("Well, maybe this is a way of opening me up to new opportunities"). Obviously, the latter approach was nicer than the former, so that's what I focused on and tried to cultivate. By the time March 2013 rolled around, I had shows booked for every month of the year.

I'm happy to say that as the year has progressed, more and more opportunities have made themselves known to me, and yet another one has just materialized: I've been invited to participate in the 7th annual Creative Economy Studio Show and Sale in Freeport on Thanksgiving weekend! I am SO psyched. I've been hearing about this show for a couple of years now, but I never knew how to get in. Turns out it's an invitation-only show, organized and run by an artist named Cat Schwenk. I've never met Cat, but since Brunswick is a small area, many artists know each other, and I know people who know her...so, I would like to send Christine DeTroy a very big THANK YOU for getting me into this show! My friend Patricia Boissevain introduced me to Christine in February, when Trish and Christine were sharing a booth at the Flea For All in Portland and Terry and I stopped in for a visit. Fast forward to the October Second Friday Art Walk in Brunswick: Christine came into my room and recognized Terry right away from his Bohemian Coffee House days, and then she recognized me from the Flea For All. We started chatting and she asked if I ever did Cat's show; I said I would love to but I had no idea how to go about getting in. Christine took my card before she left and kindly passed my info along to Cat, who then sent me an email invitation three weeks later!

Who knew that the questions "Where am I going to show my work? What will happen next?" could have positive, exciting, and hopeful answers right behind them? Lesson learned...

promotional considerations

My friend Kathleen is a writer, and she just launched a blog called Suburban Scrawl (http://kathleenpowersvermaelen.blogspot.com/). I bring this up because although she created this blog in March 2012, her first post was yesterday. Did I mention she's a writer? I am not a writer, and yet I've been blogging for a few years now. Yes, I haven't been doing it as regularly as I probably ought to, but I am doing it. Why am I doing it? What business do I have even having a blog? I'm an artist. I'm a painter. I love my acrylics and I love the feeling of dipping my brush into a freshly-squeezed dollop of paint. I play around with mixed media and sometimes even oil pastels. I like to use magnetic poetry and Scrabble tiles in my mixed media pieces, and I occasionally use words in my paintings, but that's it. Words are not my medium of choice. Frequently, when I have to write about my work, the words "if I were a writer, I wouldn't be a painter" pop out of my mouth. So, when I hear about a writer friend feeling weird about blogging, a small part of me is confused...but a bigger part of me gets it.

Putting yourself out there is hard, no matter how you're doing it: painting, drawing, sculpture, music, acting, writing, whatever. If you're doing it right, you're exposing a part of your soul to the world. That's scary. Another friend of mine gave me some advice a few months ago. She said, "You need to shout from the mountaintops if you're going to go to the next level." Since then, I've tried to blog more regularly, I post more and more on Facebook, and I joined Twitter about a month ago (www.twitter.com: @ArtByMariaCU, if you're interested). "Promote, promote, promote," everyone says. Am I annoying people? Is anyone even reading what I'm writing? Who knows? I suppose what it comes down to is the simple fact that you have to get yourself "out there," and you kind of have to do it through any and all means necessary. The more you do it, and the more ways you do it, the more you increase your chances of someone seeing your work and being moved by it. Promoting doesn't exactly feel natural to me, but it has to be done, and no one is going to do it for me.

There is a blog I follow called Danger Diary (http://dangerdame.com/). I really like the way Veronica Varlow writes and I find her messages uplifting. She makes me smile, even though she is a complete stranger. Here is a perfect example of someone who knows how to promote herself and who is making her dreams come true through a combination of hard work and connecting with others. She has a Kickstarter campaign going to finance her film, "Revolver"(http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/veronicavarlow/revolver-a-road-trip-romance-in-exile-feature-film?ref=home_location), and she is halfway to her goal. How amazing! This is the kind of thing I need to keep in mind whenever I'm blogging or posting or tweeting or whatever: put it out there, or else no one will know what you're up to. It's as simple as that.

So, be kind to the artists you encounter in your life. Don't just delete their emails or scroll absently over their posts. Know that the promotional side of things might feel weird, foreign, or even downright scary to them. Smile and know that they're just trying to make the world a little nicer by sharing their work.