Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends at home and abroad. We’ll be back next week with more amazing art on the EBSQ Blog. It’s time to spend the holiday with friends and family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tag: holiday
EBSQ Friday Five
1. Collage Fun & Watercolors – Patricia Christensen shows off her latest creations after completing a watercolor class by Ian Ramsey. Beautiful!
2. One Petticoat Lane Show – Artist Angela Petruncio mixed media creations will be on display from Nov 30 to Dec 27 in Annapolis, MD. Check her blog for details.
3. 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway – Sara Burrier is giving away 12 gifts to 12 winners this month. You don’t want to miss this giveaway!
4. EBSQ Holiday Showcase 2012 – I need entries for the EBSQ Holiday Showcase. Details on the forum.
5. Do you have a news worthy blog post to share in our Friday Five? Email me at amanda[at]ebsqart[dot]com.
Post-holiday Art Supplies
I’m still in holiday mode and will be till my daughter returns to school in January. But the blogging (and creating) must go on! One of the things I look forward to most is the post-holiday shopping for art supplies. I always get a few gift cards to my local arts and crafts store. Here’s a snapshot of this year’s post-holiday art supplies. The magazine was actually a gift from my Christmas stocking but the rest I bought. Strathmore Windpower Series is my favorite watercolor paper. I’ve tried a few other brands and always go back to Windpower. The brush is a watercolor mop made by Cotman. This brush has been on my “buy list” for months but they aren’t cheap. Thankfully, I had a 50% off coupon begging to be used. The last little nugget is a tube of Winsor & Newton Artists’ Watercolor – Indigo. Good watercolor isn’t cheap either, so I often buy one tube at a time when I have limited funds.
Now it’s your turn. I want to know what art supplies you received or bought this holiday/post-holiday season. Is there something you like to stock up on during the sales? What was your favorite artsy gift this year?
3 EBSQ Articles for Holiday Selling
The holiday shopping season has already begun, but it’s never to late to get your EBSQ portfolio or shop in shape for holiday shoppers. EBSQ has some excellent articles with tips and tricks for the trade. Here are just three:
Most people like to feel like they are actually holding that piece of art. They want to see the texture, the size, the edges; they want to be able to investigate the piece like it was in their hands. This refers to the art on stretchers, but close up details still apply to cloth canvas artworks too, of course.
Besides the fact that some people are already leery about purchasing things online, you want to help demystify them from hesitating from purchasing from you. You want to gain their trust, and help them understand the product/artwork you are offering in full.
They want to know what they are getting! Simple as that.
How to Write About Your Art
Melissa Morton
First, let’s look at why we should even want to write anything about what we do. The main reason is to connect with the people who view your work. People like to feel connected. This is true in all aspects of society and it is a valuable tool when it comes to promoting ourselves and selling our art. When I was working in a gallery, I can not tell you how many times people came in and asked for information about an artist or a particular piece.
If you are thinking, “A connection…thanks for the general and not very helpful bit of information,” let me elaborate.
When someone sees a piece of art that they like, they often want to know about the person that created it. A general bio on file takes care of the basics but often people want to know more.
How to Price your Art
Sonya Paz
There are so many facets to consider about when creating a work of art, because this category and subject can get very detailed and is quite broad based on each individual and style of medium. Whether you sculpt, paint, sketch, weld, to the many mediums and styles of painting, colors, textures media etc., you can spend more time in trying to determine what the final masterpiece will be priced at that what it took to create it.
First of all, don’t shortchange yourself, YET, be very practical. Now, this is not to say that you should give your art away but at the same time don’t give your potential customers unrealistic sticker shock either. Listed below are a few different methods that may work for you, these suggestions can assist you in some of the wandering questions that we have all experienced at a point in our artistic careers. Try one or all of these, experiment, you may find one that works well for you, based on the size of the piece, time measure and pace yourself. As you get started with this it can give you a better idea of your scale for pricing.
Team EBSQ-Etsy Featured Showcase: Winter Wonderland
It’s a Winter Wonderland here at Team EBSQ-Etsy! We hope you have a magical holiday season!
Featured above are: Sherry Key, Amanda Makepeace, Stephanie D’Aigle, Betty Stoumbos, Lisa Nelson, Carolyn Schiffhouer, Vicky Knowles, Diane Casey, Kim Niles, and Renie Britenbucher.
Are you an EBSQ Artist with a shop on Etsy? Why not join the EBSQ-Etsy Steet Team?
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine – Misty Benson
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine. St. Valentine’s Day is February 14th. It’s popularity means that February has become the season of everything love – hearts, flowers, candy and things done up in pink and red. Throughout the month of February, we have taken some time to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that celebrate this holiday by creating art. On this last day of February, we send you into the rest of the year with a wink and a smile.
Misty Benson
In the Morbidly Adorable Creations’ studio, we LOVE (yes love!) anything that celebrates love, infatuation, adoration, worship, and hearts! Whether you are mending a broken heart or feeling the flutter of new love, we try to put a sweetly spooky spin on the emotion any chance we get! When February rolls around, the big eye cuties and their skelly counterparts like to spread equal parts love with equal parts mischief. If it can be shaped into a heart, they’ll attempt it! As the artist and creator of the Morbidly Adorables, it is important for me to allow even my darker children the opportunity to celebrate all things precious. There is something that just melts the heart when you see a skeleton get excited about receiving a Valentine! – Misty Benson
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine – Christina A. Kapono
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine. St. Valentine’s Day is February 14th. It’s popularity means that February has become the season of everything love – hearts, flowers, candy and things done up in pink and red. Throughout the month of February, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that celebrate this holiday by creating art.
Christina A. Kapono
I love creating sentimental little works that will hold memories of the day it was received. It will be loved not simply for its own beauty, but for the spirit in which it was given… Love. How beautiful is that!? – Christina A. Kapono
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine – Christina M. Givens
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine. St. Valentine’s Day is February 14th. It’s popularity means that February has become the season of everything love – hearts, flowers, candy and things done up in pink and red. Throughout the month of February, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that celebrate this holiday by creating art.
Christina M. Givens
The month of February for some symbolizes love and for others it can symbolize the opposite. A lot of people have mixed feelings about the valentines holiday. With my work I try to capture the one thing that is constant year-round. It is the one emotion that can not be faked, that can not be put into a greeting card. And that emotion is passion. With out passion we would not strive to create works of art from our soul. This is my driving force of creating. With every piece of jewelry I make or every brush stroke my hand creates, there is a piece of my passion flowing into the finished piece. Valentine’s Day is a day for use to celebrate the love, passion & devotion we have for our loved one’s and our creative pursuits. There is a passion, obsession & devotion most artists feel when creating. This month just amplifies those emotions and the end result is very moving and heartfelt pieces. – Christina M. Givens
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine – Valerie A. Brock
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine. St. Valentine’s Day is February 14th. It’s popularity means that February has become the season of everything love – hearts, flowers, candy and things done up in pink and red. Throughout the month of February, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that celebrate this holiday by creating art.
Valerie A. Brock
I create Pembroke Welsh Corgi themed paintings. Many of my pieces are created in art card form. Small pieces of sunshine to brighten the day. I enjoy painting through the seasons. Each season is unique and presents opportunities to create something special, suited just for that particular time of year. My little corgi world is a happy place, it is a pleasure to create sunny little glimpses into an imaginary world. Valentines Day presents a particularly fun theme. I love Victorian ephemera and all things old and well loved. I try to pull in ideas from the Victorian era of romance in my paintings throughout the year but most especially at Valentines! Corgi’s & Romance… they just seem to go together. – Valerie A. Brock
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine – Kim Niles
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: Be My Valentine. St. Valentine’s Day is February 14th. It’s popularity means that February has become the season of everything love – hearts, flowers, candy and things done up in pink and red. Throughout the month of February, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that celebrate this holiday by creating art.
Kim Niles – KiniArt
Valentines Day for me, has always been a day of celebrating the love in my life; but not just romantic love! As a child, my Mom would always have a special little gift for each of my sisters and myself as a token of how much she loved and thought about us. This gesture gave a deeper meaning to the holiday for me and I continued the tradition with my own kids as they were growing up. I’m certain I’ll do the same with my grandkids someday.
I hope my art continues to bring smiles and joy to collectors. I’m always happy when I know it has been given as a memento of love and affection on Valentines Day! – Kim Niles
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
Simon Sez… I hate Mondays! (Except Monday holidays…)
This week’s Simon is EBSQ artist Donna Gill Colestock. The theme she has chosen for her turn as Simon is “I hate Mondays! (Except Monday holidays…)”. This is what Donna said about her theme: “I want to see moods, holidays, and dreams. If you can relate it to Mondays or a Monday holiday, it works for me. Go ahead and wow me with up to 5 entries. All media welcome.” The original end date was January 25th, but Donna has extended the deadline.
All Simon Sez challenges are open to everyone. To enter Simon Sez… I hate Mondays! (Except Monday holidays…) and to see the all the entries, simply go to the EBSQ Forum, find Member Groups, Challenges & General Art Discussions and then go to Challenge Central. All the challenges past and present – including Simon Sez, can be found there.
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Rebecca M. Ronesi
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Rebecca M. Ronesi
For the holiday season I paint glass “Dragonfly Balls” They’re ornaments that can be hung on a tree or keep around all year long. I have different themes every year. Besides loving to paint, it gives me the opportunity to play with sparkle…I love sparkle. This idea came from my own desire to collect unusual holiday ornaments from other artists and different parts of the world. – Rebecca M. Ronesi
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Lisa Monica Nelson
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Lisa Monica Nelson
As much as I love the holidays, I love making a few pieces of holiday art each year. Be it Halloween or Christmas or even Fourth of July, it’s a fun endeavor that adds to the richness of the season. Now that I have grandchildren, it’s wonderful to see the older two (ages 4 and 2) making glitter stars and cotton ball snowmen. I’m a member of two juried holiday art groups — both of which sell on Etsy — American Holiday Artists (AHA) and Magical Holiday Artists (MHA). Please come visit us, or perhaps consider joining us, if you too enjoy holiday art. Happy Holidays! – Lisa Monica Nelson
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Catherine Darling Hostetter
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Catherine Darling Hostetter
As an artist, I love to illustrate feelings – they may not actually be what the painting is about, but more what the painting might stir in the viewer. So I guess I would have to say that I paint for myself, because I can’t exactly control what others are feeling! Generally my art brings to me happiness, a peaceful feeling, or something to think about. Although I often paint realism, I can’t help but infuse my art with whimsy. I couldn’t stay away from painting whimsical if I tried. I love to paint light-heartedly. Frequently, my art follows the seasons and I love to paint with holiday themes. I had a very contented childhood and loved the holidays and was fortunate to have wonderful traditions in our family. I guess I have never quite grown up mentally in that respect (though it’s a shock to look in the mirror these days) because every element of celebrating a holiday still brings excitement and joy to me which I share in my art. I am blessed to be so happy and an artist too! – Catherine Darling Hostetter
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Ann Murray
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Ann Murray
I’ve been making a hand-made Christmas card for friends, family and art patrons for years. It is a labor of love that I enjoy doing. I start thinking about different designs in September. In October I start sketching, and at the end of November and first of December I put a burn on and start painting the final design. By the time I’m through, the finished card looks nothing like what I started with, but I’m always happy with it. They take many, many hours to design, paint and print and I’ve heard feedback that people look forward to getting my hand-made cards every year. Some people have told me they keep my cards in their art collection after Christmas. Hand-made Christmas cards are really a limited edition fine art print, when it comes right down to it. I especially like trading cards with other artists and art patrons because I know they are the ones who will appreciate all the time and work that goes into them because they’ve been busily making their own holiday cards!
When looking over my past cards, I noticed that I have a theme going. In over half of the cards that I’ve made, I’ve worked in a peace message by using the Peace Dove, Angel, or by working the old Hippy peace sign into the design. Wishing people, animals, and the environment peace seems especially appropriate right now; the world seems to need peace more than ever.
I was particularly happy to find a quote on peace by that great musician, poet and philosopher of my generation, Jimi Hendrix. “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will have peace.” Perfectly said, Jimi.
I wish you all Peace, and a very Merry Christmas. – Annie
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Delilah Smith
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Delilah Smith
Christmas is special to most of us. As a child, making the trip into town for the holiday shopping with my parents was an adventure of lights and store fronts. In those days, trips to town were rare. The streets were decorated in lights and all kinds of Christmas finery. It was a child’s adventure.
Today every house has a yard full of Christmas plastic stuff. Then only Christmas trees were in most homes, and sometimes a wreath on a door. These were in the days before the big box stores; a day when shop keepers decorated their stores with all kinds of wonderful joys to trigger the imaginations and dreams of children. Downtowns were alive.
There were times in my childhood when money was tight; as it is now for many families. Daddy and Mom would make our gifts. I wonder if artists are the only ones who still make gifts. I remember one Christmas when the dollies we saw and wanted could not be purchased. Daddy made a cradle for the one we had and Mom sewed new clothes for our dolls and a bed spread for the cradle. We were so excited Christmas morning with all the new things for our dollies; there was no disappointment we loved our gifts. We had had our dreams of new toys, but loved the things we had gotten just as much because wanting was as much fun as getting.
Maybe someday when I grow up, I will no longer need Christmas. For now I still live in the dreams of Christmas past, Christmas now and all the Christmas’ in the future, when wanting is as important as getting. It is the dream that is important.
As artists we are the dreamers. We live in the Christmas of our soul and like Santa we create. – Delilah Smith
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Juli Ryan
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Juli Ryan
Winter is by far my favorite season because of the holidays. Holidays have always been a very important part of my life. I grew up in a troubled family, but somehow Christmases were always perfect! We lived in the country and we would walk in the snow from house to house caroling. Our neighbors would then supply us with plenty of Christmas sweets and hot chocolate. Pure joy! Our house was always brightly decorated, we would eat wonderful meals together and of course there was Santa! I would many times be the first child up (I am one of eight) and wait by the tree searching through the presents!
To this day Christmas is a big deal in our house. I try to pass on this love of the season to my kids. We bake cookies, make gifts together, and decorate our home. The spirit of giving and love is in the air! The only thing that is missing is the caroling…I’m still working on that! – Juli Ryan
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
EBSQ Spotlight on Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season – Ulrike (Ricky) Martin
This month’s featured gallery is Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season. The month of December brings us Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve. It is a month of festivities and reflection. Seasonal Art: ‘Tis The Season appears once a year in month of December and is always a favorite. From now until the end of the year, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ artists that create for this season of celebration.
Ulrike (Ricky) Martin
Growing up in Germany, we would usually have snow during the holidays, and snow meant building snowmen! To me it also meant being home by a warm fire and drawing pictures of snowmen and children sledding – to my heart’s content. Christmas was greatly anticipated , since I knew that I would receive more Art supplies and books. (My mother never repeated her mistake of giving me a doll one Christmas – I never gave it a second glance – I was only interested in the colored pencils and drawing paper!)
Now I live in SW Florida , and the temperatures often reach the eighties in December. None the less , when the end of November rolls around, I get the urge to paint snowmen, Santas and my beloved Poinsettias. The warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia and memories of wonderful family Christmas days are with me – as I paint and paint and paint! – Ulrike (Ricky) Martin
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
Holiday Jewelery Challenge -Exteneded
The Holiday Jewelery Challenge has been extended! That means you still have time to gather your holiday detritus and get creative. In fact, you have until the Sunday after Valentines day – Feb. 15th! In case you need a refresher of what you are supposed to do, just follow the instructions below.
The challenge host, Joe Callahan, says this about challenge: “Make a piece of jewelry out of “Holiday Junk”, something that would normally get tossed out!Wrapping paper, tinsel, bows/ribbons, a broken ornament, a burnt out holiday light, that stale candy cane that’s been in your wrapping paper tub for 15 years, holiday cards, pieces of your broken Menorah that you just can’t bear to toss, wood from the dying Yule Tree, well, you get the idea.
The jewelry has to be made from at least 70% Repurposed Holiday “Junk”. This gives room for you to use jewelry wire/clasps if you like, but the more of it that is repurposed, the better! The Challenge includes a prize!”
The Holiday Jewelery Challenge is open to everyone and is running in the Artist Made Jewelry topic in the Art Specific Topics section of the EBSQ Forum.
You can find all the information current EBSQ Challenges as well as the weekly Simon Sez by checking the Challenge Central topic on the forum. It’s where everything that’s going on can be found.
Like what you see here? We hope you’ll consider leaving a comment or subscribing to one of our feeds. Never miss another cool post from EBSQ. Subscribe to EBSQ: Art Meets Blog v2.0 by Email today!
Simon Sez… Tis’ The Season winner
Last week’s Simon was Lisa Miller and she asked for all things festive. From amongst the profusion of trees and lights and ribbons and bows, she selected Heather Sims‘ contribution to Simon Sez… Tis’ The Season and dubbed her the next Simon.
Be sure to check back here to see what theme Heather picks in her turn as Simon. You can also go to the EBSQ Forum and check Challenge Central. Challenge Central is where you can check on Simon Sez – current and past, complete with all the entries.
Art & News from EBSQ 