sailing shoes

Okay...I know I said that I would write about my news as soon as I could, but things/life/whatnot in my neck of the woods got busy, and I'm just getting the chance to do it now. So, in case you've been wondering which painting I sold as a Valentine's Day present, the wait is over: it was "Sole Mate"!

Here's the story: Keith Spiro was taking photos at the Joy of Art opening reception, and we got to talking (I mentioned in my previous post that Keith had been discussing my Fluevogs with another photographer at the show: "Those are her confidence shoes!"). When Keith told me about this conversation, I laughed; then he asked me if I still had that painting. I said yes, and he said he wanted to surprise his wife with it for Valentine's Day. He said they both loved the painting from the first time they saw it at my Curtis Memorial Library solo show in January 2013, and that it had been "haunting him ever since." He kept seeing it in different forms (on magnets, on the July Second Friday Art Walk poster, on my Facebook page, on my Twitter page) and the more he saw it, the more he wanted the original. I was totally blown away by this! It is always a thrill to sell a painting or any type of artwork, but when it is bought by someone whose work you respect and admire, well...that just brings everything up a notch (or two)! We arranged a time to meet, and "Sole Mate" went off to a very good home...but not before I gave it a proper goodbye.

"Parting is such sweet sorrow..."

On my ride home, I got teary-eyed. That has never happened to me after selling a painting before. "Sole Mate" is on my business cards, and like I said, it was on the art walk poster, and it's currently on my Twitter home page. People have referred to it as my "signature piece," and it's how a lot of people know me, so saying goodbye was tough. However, selling a piece to someone you know does make things easier. I know that "Sole Mate" will be loved and appreciated by the Spiro family, and I am thrilled and honored to be able to have them on my list of collectors. Plus, Keith said I could have "visitation rights," and that makes me very happy.  

Does art make a great gift? Correctamundo! 

I will end this post with something that Keith wrote to me on Twitter after he had presented his lovely wife with her Valentine's Day gift: "Love is the one thing that, when you share it, you are immediately rewarded with more! Thanks for sharing!" Amen to that...and thank you, Keith, for your support! 

recap, recap, recap

Well, today is Groundhog Day, and since I watched "Groundhog Day" again last night, it seems fitting that once again, I'm starting off a blog entry with the words "I'm overdue"! Well, just like Bill Murray's character in the film learns, perhaps this is another chance to get it right. I'm hearing "I Got You, Babe" in my head right now...

There's been a lot going on, some of which I can write about right now, some of which I can't. I suppose I should start with what I can write about, and explain what I can about the rest later.

Saturday, January 18th was a very busy day indeed. In the morning, Blake Hendrickson came by to shoot some video footage for a new project we are working on. He was here for about an hour, talking to me about how 2013 began, how it ended up, and everything in between...and WOW, was it a busy year! I listed all the different shows I participated in, all the new and different places where my work was on display, and, of course, the dawn of the magnet. I am excited about how this "sequel" is going to turn out, and I will be sure to keep you posted on the progress.

After Blake left, Terry and I went over to the Joy of Art opening reception at the Topsham Public Library's Crooker Gallery. The turnout was spectacular, especially for a snowy winter afternoon, and the work on display was really impressive. This is my third year participating in the Joy of Art show, and I think this is the best one yet. If you are local and you haven't had a chance to stop by, I encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed. Anyway, when I arrived, I noticed there was a little spot on my "Old Fat Boy Sign" painting, so I naturally did what any artist would do: I licked my finger and tried to fix it. Eventually, I got the feeling I was being watched, and I turned around to see a very official-looking gentleman wearing a Topsham Public Library badge standing behind me. He said, "Are you allowed to do that?" I replied, quite seriously, "It's okay, it's my painting. I'm allowed to lick it." We had a very big laugh at the absurdity of this statement, and it struck me as so funny, I repeated it to Mary Becker Weiss, who couldn't resist having me pose for a photo:

Art that's tasty enough to lick. Photo by Mary Becker Weiss

By the way, besides being a talented photographer, Mary Becker Weiss won a blue ribbon for her piece, "Delicate Balance," in the mixed media category! Go Mary! Speaking of talented photographers, Keith Spiro was there, taking lots of pictures for the event. It is always fun to chat with Keith. He is full of great ideas and positive energy. If you are on Twitter, I recommend following him (@KeithSpiro). Anyway, we got to talking, and he told me that during the course of the show, one of the other photographers elbowed him and started pointing at me from across the room. Keith said, "Yeah, that's Maria, I know her." The photographer said, "No, look..." and Keith realized he was pointing at my shoes! Keith said, "Oh, yeah! Those are her confidence shoes!" The other photographer seemed a bit confused...clearly he didn't realize that Keith and I knew each other and had discussed my Fluevogs in the past! If you don't know Keith, you should change that: KeithSpiroPhoto.photoshelter.com!

I'm happy to say that I didn't see anyone besides me trying to lick my painting, but I did notice several people voting for my work in the "People's Choice" category. I have no idea how many votes I got (or how many anyone else got, for that matter), but it was nice to see that there was interest in my little corner. If you are local and you want to cast a ballot, please stop by and do so! Voting ends at noon on Wednesday, February 12th, and the winner will be announced at the closing reception on Saturday, February 15th. www.topshamlibrary.org

Good thing I'm not Baby...I like the corner.

Something else that's happening on Wednesday, February 12th is the Second Friday Art Walk Planning Party! Are you local? Do you want to be a part of making the 2014 Brunswick art walk season a smashing success? Please join us- we need you! 157 Park Row, Brunswick; Wednesday, February 12th, 6pm. Bring your ideas and enthusiasm...the refreshments will be provided! RSVP: http://5raa.org/ Want to participate, but you're unable to make it? Drop Five Rivers a line anyway! The more, the merrier!

So...the big news that I can't write about right now is this: I sold a painting! It is going to be a Valentine's Day gift for a very special someone, and I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I will leave it at that for right now, but stay tuned! I will fill you in on all the details when the time is right. 

charged up

I am feeling very charged up these days! Here's what's been happening:

My "make your own portable shrine" workshop is now listed on the Leapin' Lizards event calendar! Even though the date had been solidified last week, it didn't feel official until I saw it on the website on Monday morning. I am really looking forward to this workshop, and in preparation, I took a bin full of supplies and charged them for a few hours in the Wolf Full Moon on Wednesday night! I feel like the first full moon of the year has an extra-special quality to it, and I think that's a nice type of energy to put into a personal shrine. If you'd like to check out my workshop, here's the link to the Leapin' Lizards website: http://www.leapinlizards.biz/ ...and here's the link to the calendar listing!

http://www.leapinlizards.biz/freeport_calendar/calendar.cgi?month=2&view=Event&event_id=7023

On Wednesday, I finished my first painting of 2014! Yes, I had started this particular painting at the end of 2013, but I didn't finish and sign it until Wednesday, so technically it's from this year. I am still trying to decide on a title...stay tuned.

I also had my first Etsy sale of 2014 yesterday morning! This sale was to a repeat customer, which is great, and this person also happens to be the first customer I ever had on Etsy...and she bought on the very first day I opened my Etsy shop! Yes, that's a lot of italics, but that's how good I feel about it. 

Yesterday afternoon, I treated myself to a thirty minute Reiki session from Amanda Heath Walden in Bath. This was very easy to do, because it was free! I'd never had a Reiki session before, but I'd always been curious, and since Amanda is offering free introductory sessions during the month of January, I figured it would be a wonderful opportunity to give it a try. I am SO glad I did, because I left there feeling refreshed, relaxed, and fully charged with positive energy! If you're in the area and you're curious about Reiki, please check out Amanda and her business, Joyful Heart Reiki and Laughter Yoga. Here's a link to her Facebook page: 

https://m.facebook.com/JoyfulHeartReiki?id=210459995782969&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJoyfulHeartReiki

I am excited about all of these positive "firsts", and I'm hopeful that 2014 will have a lot more in store! 

potent potential

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." - Edith Lovejoy Pierce

The new year is always filled with potential and possibilities. I am excited about what is already unfolding in my life!

Last night was the opening reception for "Winter Wonderland," the Five Rivers Arts Alliance group show I am a part of at Coastal Orthopedics in Brunswick. It was the first art-related reception they've ever had there, so it was a fairly low-key event. I spent some time chatting with Jen, one of the directors at Coastal Orthopedics. She gave me a tour of the facilities...and let me tell you, that place is huge! Not only do they offer orthopedic care and sports medicine (including surgery, rehab, and massage therapy) but they offer classes (such as self-defense), they have gym facilities, they host kids' soccer matches, they have an adult dodgeball league, and they are forming an "adult recess" group, allowing people to get together and play schoolyard games like kickball and capture the flag! Even though only a small handful of people came to the opening reception last night, Jen told me that every day, there are a few hundred people who walk through their front door...and that sounds very good to me. If you're curious about what they have to offer (or if you'd like to stop by to check out the art!), here is a link to their website: www.coastalortho.com ; if you'd like more details about the show itself, here's a link to the Five Rivers Arts Alliance website: www.5raa.org

After I left Coastal Orthopedics, I went over to the Topsham Public Library to drop off my two submissions for the 6th annual Joy of Art juried group show. I was able to get in and out quickly, and since I was there fairly late in the evening, I was able to take a peek at the art that had already been dropped off. The Joy of Art show is usually a fairly conservative affair, but judging from the pieces I saw yesterday, I think this year's show is going to be very cool...and there's still another drop-off date to come. I'm looking forward to the opening on Saturday, January 18th! Here's a link to the Topsham Public Library website: www.topshamlibrary.org

Finally, the most outside-of-the-box thing I've got going on right now actually involves boxes: I'm going to be giving a "Make Your Own Portable Shrine" workshop at Leapin' Lizards in Freeport! I've been communicating with Melissa, the owner of Leapin' Lizards, for a little while now, and we just nailed down the date last night: Monday, February 3rd, 6 pm - 7:30 pm. It's so new, as of this moment, it's not even listed on their website/calendar, but I will certainly let you know when it is up! Here is a link to their website in the meantime: www.leapinlizards.biz. I will provide more details the closer we get, but I just couldn't wait to share my news!

new year...new frontier

Last night, while I was up in my studio painting, I decided to give my dear friend Tim a call to wish him (and his husband, Rick) a very happy new year. They had just returned to New York from a post-Christmas visit with Rick's family in Ohio. Tim made a point to tell me that he put one of my magnets ("Back Yard Buddha", to be precise) in Rick's son Andrew's stocking, and that it was a very big hit. "Your magnet is on its way to Seattle right now!" he said. "Wow, I have to update my list," I said...so, without further ado, here is the list of places where my work is now living (as of December 31st, 2013):

New York                  
Connecticut             
Massachusetts                                 
New Hampshire      
Vermont                    
Virginia
Colorado                   
California                  
Washington                          
Michigan                   
Wisconsin                
Louisiana                                                              
Canada                       
England
and, of course,
Maine

Now, this got me thinking, and two thoughts immediately sprang to mind: 

1. These are just the places I know about. Who knows how many more might be on this list? I know that a lot of people have given my magnets as gifts. Some people have told me where they were sending their purchases, but some have not; plus, people are buying my magnets from places like The Mix in Brunswick and She Doesn't Like Guthrie's in Lewiston, places where I'm not standing there and overseeing each and every purchase.  

2. How many more places will be a part of this list in a year from now? Right now, I've got thirteen states and two countries besides the United States represented. I don't want to venture a guess, but I am looking forward to finding out whatever the answer will be. 

Is your state (or country, if you're not living in the US) on this list? Would you like it to be? Have you given my work as a gift? If so, I'm curious: did it end up in one of these places, or has it found a home somewhere else? Please let me know in the comments...there's always room for more on this list! 

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