cats – Art & News from EBSQ

EBSQ Facebook Artist of the Week: Tracey Allyn Greene

Who and where are you?

I am Tracey Allyn Greene full-time primarily self-taught artist at Tag’s Cats. I have a studio in Huntsville Alabama. I specialize in pet portrait oil paintings but also do many other subjects and mediums.

How were you introduced to Facebook?

I joined Facebook a few years back. I had actually started my art career online through Ebay at first then discovered the EBSQ online artist community through Ebay at that time back in 2003. Most of my art career until recent years has been spent promoting myself online and enjoying the fellowship and support of the online art communities. Facebook started to take off and at first I joined just to see what all the hype was about then discovered many of my online artist friends were already a part of it and it is a great way to network. It is amazing to be able to talk with artists all over the world and help to promote each other.

Any tips for other artists starting a Facebook Page?

I was on Facebook for a while before even starting my own artwork page. Tips? Keep it updated whenever you can. Upload your art and share it with your personal page as well. Invite fans to events and openings. Post works in progress people are interested! It’s great to sell your art direct online then if you have sales you can invite people to participate even if they are far away. I also…as an animal lover and rescuer…enjoy helping out a rescue once a year with a drawing for someone to win a custom pet portrait all proceeds benefiting a favorite cat rescue of mine. I invite all my FB page fans and personal FB page friends to the event, and it gets attention both to the cat rescue and to my artwork. Anything I donate a painting to I promote on my page.

What’s your favorite Facebook Page feature?

As far as a FB page feature I like the best….it would have to be being able to create an event and the share feature.

What’s coming next from your studio?

Right now I am working on several things….I still do local and regional art festivals so gearing up for new art to take to those. Always doing pet portrait commissions and have several I am working on at the moment. And I have a huge series of paintings in the works for a solo exhibit in June at Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment in Huntsville where I have a studio space. The crazy cat lady artist always keeps busy!

Art á la carte: Tracey Allyn Greene

I loved art throughout my youth and I’ve always loved animals and nature.

My Muse Print for sale at Imagekind Starting at $17.56

In fact, I invisioned myself growing up to be one of those Crazy Cat Ladies….hmmm, I think I’ve got that one covered!

In 2002, while still working as a veterinary technician, I took up art once again, with my love of animals, and cats especially, providing the inspiration.

Dash & Beanies Print starting at $17.56 at Imagekind

You can learn more about Tracey Allyn Greene on her EBSQ Bio.

To see more of her art please visit her EBSQ portfolio, or visit one of her online venues:

EBSQ Blogger of the Week: Melia Newman

This week’s EBSQ Blogger of the Week has been creating art in one form or another since she was young child. From steampunk to the simply whimsical, her art speaks to all ages.

Who and where are you?

The where is the easy question – Texas just East of Dallas. The who? Gosh, that depends on the day, time and who is asking most of the time. Artist, Illustrator, serious fantasy literature fan, wife, mom to 2 kids, a cat, a dog and a brand new barely weaned kitten foundling. Irritating in my amusement with word play. And someone who is maybe a little too obsessed with fabric and scrapbooking paper since I use neither for any sort of regular crafting. But the patterns and colors are so cool! You can just call me Melia (Muh-lee-uh).

How did you get started art blogging?

I found this wonderful magazine at the book store called Artful Blogging and fell in love. My husband had already been encouraging me to blog and even set everything up to make it as easy as possible for me to use my website for that. But I am not really a digital person. I do my art with real paint and brush (or pen and ink), so using the computer to share my thoughts wasn’t what I thought of first. It seems silly to me now since I love EBSQ to show my work and started selling on eBay long before I started with art festivals and other more traditional venues, and then Etsy is just a heavenly way to put my work out there. But it took having something on paper that I could hold in my hand to introduce me to the wonderful world of blogging and the amazing work so many other artists were putting out through their blogs.

Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?

To coin a popular advertising slogan – Just do it. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be particularly witty, or brilliant. My blog certainly isn’t any of that. Folks just want to see the art and maybe learn a bit of what is going on behind the scenes. I know that is why I read other artists’ blogs.

What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in your studio? Or if you don’t listen to music, do you have any rituals associated with your creative time?

Much to my husband’s chagrin, music isn’t a big part of my life. He thinks that I am either very weird or tone deaf. My only real ritual is that I carry my art supplies everywhere. Sometimes it is just my sketchbook and a pencil, but most often it is a huge tote with drawing and watercolor supplies and I work in every spare moment I can. I sketch while waiting on my daughter to get out of school, in restaurants, at family gatherings, waiting for movies to start, at gatherings of friends. I never know what is going to spark an idea or where I will be when it happens. I swear my muse is a magpie and finds the smallest bit of shiny to set it off at the oddest moments.

But when I want to do something on canvas or too large to be done on the go, that is done late at night after everyone is in bed. Maybe an episode of Dr. Who playing to keep me company at 2am.

What’s coming next from your easel?

I have no clue. I have several things in my sketchbook begging to become something more, but something else might come up before I can get to it. Fairy cats and whimsical baby dragons seem to be what is emerging in my sketchbook the most these days. Whatever it is, it will be something that makes me smile, or maybe even giggle. I have to keep that magpie muse amused.

http://www.bemusedart.com/blog/

Thank you Melia for being an EBSQ Blogger of the Week!

If you are an EBSQ Artist and would like to be considered for Blogger of the Week just add us to your blogroll. I’m searching EBSQ profiles weekly for links to artist’s blogs. If you aren’t an EBSQ Artist, what are you waiting for?

Join Today!

EBSQ Friday Five goes Nibblefesting!

The EBSQ Friday Five offers a brief look at noteworthy news from around the EBSQ Artist Blogosphere. This week’s is a special addition to highlight EBSQ Artist who have blogged about their Nibblefest entries! Can you guess this month’s theme?

1. Cocoa – Christine E. Striemer is a new member of EBSQ, from Saskatchewan, Canada. I love her Nibblefest entry, Cocoa!

2. Cat Nap – EBSQ Artist, Patience, captures the “how dare you wake me up” look perfectly!

3. Black Cat and Green Tea -Ah, relaxation! Lisa Nelson’s take on the theme is so soothing.

4. Black Cat -Aimee Dingman took time out from her busy schedule to revive a forgotten old friend.

5. Four Fabulous Felines – Sherry Key went all out, creating a whimsical and fun bunch of Cat ACEOs.

Have a wonderful weekend and go place those bids!

EBSQ Blogger of the Week: Lisa Nelson

This week’s EBSQ Blogger of the Week is most well known for her Halloween inspired artworks. You can’t help but love her whimsical, folk style. As for me, I’m enamored with her feline paintings. Which are your favorites?

Who and where are you?

My name is Lisa Monica Nelson (I use my middle name at times because Lisa Nelson is such a common name!) and I’m located in SE Pennsylvania.

Pumpkin Thieves, acrylics on canvas board, 16" x 20"

How did you get started art blogging?

Good question – I wish I had an inspiring answer but in all honesty, I don’t recall! I started a blog years ago before blogspot was so user friendly. My cats had their own blog too. Eventually I tired of blogging and deleted them. When I started my new blog, I committed to blog at least once a week. Some weeks are easier than others and I admit that I fall short of my commitment when I get busy with deadlines.

Black Cat Resting by Lisa Nelson — Black Cat Resting, watercolors and gouache on Arches, 4" x 6"

Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?

Leave comments on other blogs (preferably nice ones)! The proper etiquette is for the recipient to leave a return comment for you on your blog although not everyone seems to be aware of this. I usually leave a return comment in about a week. It’s a great way to ‘meet’ others and I’ve been told that readers have ‘found’ my blog by comments I left on other blogs. There are so many interesting souls in blogland!

Consider monitoring your comments to avoid porn links and that sort of thing.

List your new art on your blog – all of the time, as often as you can. Exposure is the name of the game.

If you’re on Facebook, network your blog. I admit, I’m not a big FB fan but some of my clients are – they even set it as their homepage. By networking your blog, you gain a lot of exposure even when you aren’t on FB!

Halloween Party at the Crone's by Lisa Nelson — Halloween Party at the Crone's, acrylics on canvas board, 8" x 10"

What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in the studio?

I have my stereo and CDs right next to my drawing table and rarely make use of them. I love to listen to my cats snoring (or whining), the rain against the windows and, when the windows are open, the numerous songbirds that inhabit the large lilac bush outside my studio window. “Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) pretty much suits me and I hope to incorporate this quote into a piece of art one of these days.

Potted Kitten by Lisa Nelson — Potted Kitten, watercolors on Arches, 4" x 6"

What’s coming next from your easel?

Well, here it is March and everything seems to be Halloween in my studio (in preparation for a Halloween show the end of April). This is odd because I’m really not in Halloween frame of mind at the moment – after all, it’s Spring! However, I also have a few mermaids lingering about waiting for faces and some oil paintings in various stages of drying. Landscapes, cats, a box of ACEO blanks, some watercolor paper waiting for life, a stack of new distress inks that I’m dying to try on something… To say I’m eclectic is probably an understatement. I’m allowing myself to do something non-Halloween every time I finish a Halloween piece and all of this stuff is precariously stacked on the easel which is now more of a storage unit than a functional painting surface.

http://lisanelsonart.blogspot.com/

Thank you Lisa for being an EBSQ Blogger of the Week!

Join Today!

Team EBSQ-Etsy Featured Friday: Tracey Allyn Greene

This week our Featured Friday artist is Tracey Allyn Greene.

tag1 tag2 tag3

Tracey is a true fuzzy feline lover! She does a lot of work for feline charities, and donates artwork to feline causes. She paints from her heart and captures her subjects soul. Tracey also paints custom rock memorial stones. She is super talented – and would do justice to your custom pet portrait.

Her store has stones, customs, prints, and originals all for sale. be sure to drop by and check her out!

Kris Jean,

Mod, Team EBSQ-Etsy

Team EBSQ-Etsy Featured Friday: Alma Lee

This week Team EBSQ-Etsy is proud to present this weeks Featured Friday store run by Alma Lee.

Heide Hibbard: The colors within Alma’s whimsical illustrations are vibrant and exciting. Alma’s artistic and composition genius is in your face with these eye popping designs that are like nothing else you will find on Etsy. This store is loaded with images that will appeal to anyone who appreciates fun, creativity and whimsy.

Kris Jean: It’s hard to belive these works of art are anything but arcylics or oils. Alma creates amazing cubist cats with colored pencils as her medium. She transforms them into spectacular images with such dimension you would swear they are going to jump right off the page!. Each one has it’s own unique personality, and with a keen sense of color she pulls each piece together perfectly.

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March 7th-13th suggestions
March 14th-18th voting
March 19th-31st posting
April 3rd Showcase runs.

Listings are now being accepted for the April Showcase “Flowers” so be sure to drop by and post your submissions! Posting deadline is March 31 (noon) which is fast approaching!!!

For a full list of all of our Team Stores, check out the EBSQ-Etsy Team page, and don’t forget to pick up your store badge!

If you would like to join in on the fun or find out what we are all about stop on by our home on the web: Team EBSQ-Etsy

~Kris Jean

Mod, Team EBSQ-Etsy

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Simon Sez: Fur! winner named

The winner of this week’s Simon Sez challenge is Tracey Allyn Greene and her photograph “Frida”. Stephanie M D’Aigle was Simon and she chose this entry because “I want to be this cat with this fur and live in Tracey’s window” and “I fell in love with the beautiful pure white fur against the dark background and the look of contentment on his face.”

If you want keep up with Simon Sez, be sure to go to the EBSQ Forum and check Challenge Central. Challenge Central is the place to check on current and past Simon Sez challenges – complete with all the entries, as well as all other EBSQ Challenges.

Congratulations Tracey! We look forward to your turn as Simon.

EBSQ-Etsy Street Team Featured Friday: S. Olga Linville

This weeks Featured Friday store belongs to the fur-tastic S. Olga Linville!

Heide: I check Olga’s little shop all the time to see what new surprises have been added. Olga doesn’t make enough of them so you will have to beat me to them because they make excellent gifts. Her shop has a large selection of comical and lovable cats on cards that are perfect for framing. I have several and can attest to the high quality of the paper and the print. No matter how many times I look at the whimsical images – they still make me smile.

Kris: Her skill level and dedication can be seen in her illustrations. Drawings like that are hard to do with a pencil much less a brush. Her characters are enduring and any cat lover can see their own feline friends in Olga’s creations. Sometimes mischievous, but always loving. With a powerful combination of printed greeting cards, necklaces, original works, and (sometimes custom gift certificates) – Olga’s Cats are sure to please.

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The EBSQ-Etsy Street Team would also like to welcome our 100th member: Elizabeth Beckmann ( Elizabeth’s –>Etsy)

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Be sure to stop by and give us your two cents on the February Showcase Theme!!

100 stores and growing strong!

– Kris Jean

Mod, EBSQ-Etsy Street Team