This is the official Blog for the EBSQ Self-Representing Artists Community, where you'll find news, reviews, site announcements, and of course, a generous helping of art!
Calling all EBSQ Artists, now is the time to enter the January 2015 Exhibit – The Winter Landscape. This month, we want you to focus on the winter landscape, a time when nature is stripped back and snow makes everything new and pristine. Artists may enter up to 5 pieces.
Who and where are you?
Hello, my name is Torrie Smiley. I am a “trying to be daily painter” from West Texas now living and painting in Charlotte, North Carolina. I am blessed to have a wonderful life full of adventure–not really, I am a mom to four, grandma to one, and leader of the pack to three dogs.
How were you introduced to Facebook?
I was introduced to Facebook by teenage daughters back when you had to be in college to have an account. In 2008, a young girl in the local coffee shop who admired my paintings, created a “Facebook Fan Page” featuring my paintings and my Etsy store. My younger daughter began getting questions regarding my paintings and how to purchase them on her Facebook page. She gave me one of the “mom your ruining my life” speeches and told me I had to start my own Facebook page to handle my own painting business……I am surprised she didn’t just ask for a cut of my Facebook income~ Well, as they say, the rest is history. I have been on facebook since 2008. It was fun in the beginning listening to the kid’s friends say “I can’t believe your mom is on Facebook”.
Any tips for other artists starting a Facebook Page?
The biggest tip for the Facebook page is make sure it is searchable by your name and your collectors can find you. If you are on Facebook, you know they are constantly making changes and updates. The “Fan Page” has gone, replaced by “business/professional pages”. In 2010, I started my Facebook page under the title “Original Works of Art”. I forged ahead as with all my online adventures ~ trial and error, realizing later my page was not searchable by my name, Torrie Smiley, only by Original Works of Art. I found this to be a problem for new customers to locate my page. I started the new page this year under my name Torrie Smiley, Artist. Not wanting to delete my Original Works of Art page and lose my page regulars, I maintain the two pages making it available to new and returning customers. Tips from lessons learned is to make sure you are searchable by your name. If your name is taken add “artist”, “designer”, whatever you do to your name in order to keep your page searchable to your name. If you stores have a different name, use what is most familiar to your customer. Also post, post, post!! I try not to neglect regular posting, but sometimes I do, and I definitely notice a drop in sales and commissions.
What’s your favorite Facebook Page feature?
There are so many to choose from~ My Etsy store and Fine Art America stores are linked to my Facebook page. New posts on those websites update themselves to my page. I post new paintings to Facebook first and then add to my stores giving regular customers and friends a sneak peek before the paintings go into the online stores. The share feature allows people to share my work and stores with their friends and on their page adding to my customer base. Link everything using the links feature-DailyPaintworks, Etsy store, eBay, Twitter, Website, and blog. I post the same painting in all the different locations to purchase the painting–eBay, Etsy, Daily Paintworks. Collectors have their favorite websites and can purchase where they feel most comfortable.
What’s coming next from your studio?
I am always working on commissions along with the work put in my store. I will be painting several cupcake paintings, the larger ones will be placed at Cupcrazed, a local cupcake shop in Fort Mill, SC (Cupcake Wars Winner!). I will also continue to paint pears, martinis, and still life. I continue to be fascinated with landscape painting and hope to be completing more soon.
I love participating in the challenges at DailyPaintworks.com. I plan on participating in the EBSQart.com Nibblefest by the end of the year. I just have to get past the next wedding in September and I will have more time to have fun in the studio. It seems everyday there is a new idea I need to get on canvas before it vanishes from my brain…..I need more time!
http://torriesmiley.ebsqart.com/
Facebook: Original Works of Art
Who and where are you?
Hello my name is Craig Gourley and I live in Darlington Co Durham a small town in the north east of England. I’ve been painting and drawing since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I studied art and graphic design at New College Durham and Darlington Tec College.
How were you introduced to Facebook?
I was introduced to Facebook by an old school friend looking to catch up but I soon realized its potential as a promotional tool for my artwork.
Any tips for other artists starting a Facebook Page?
Try to update your page as often as possible, this will help you get more fans coming back to your page.
Promotion is important as well, I find Twitter is a good tool for this, following the right sort of people and tweeting your fan page every now and then will send people who are interested in your art to your page and hitting the LIKE button.
What’s your favorite Facebook Page feature?
I have a few, the link feature is a great tool, being able to pop a link in your status bar and have a thumbnail picture come up is really helpful. The SHARE tool is also fantastic plus the ability to link your Twitter and YouTube accounts together is really time-saving.
What’s coming next from your studio?
More ArtRage digital paintings and maybe some water colour artwork 🙂 I’m still working hard on my commissions for hand painted pop-art canvases plus an E bay shop may be on the horizon.
Who and where are you?
My name is Melanie and I am a watercolor artist. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest for 23 years. I raised 3 children here with my husband of 27.5 years. It’s a wonderful place to live – as long as you can put up with “liquid sunshine.”
How did you get started art blogging?
My career as a self-taught artist began about 6 years ago. After a very active life, I came down with a chronic illness, M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), more commonly known in the U.S. as CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome).
Anxious that illness would not ruin my life, I began looking for things that I could spend my time doing. I began to learn to paint with watercolor. I also joined many online communities to stay connected. I soon learned that blogging was the “new” way to share my artwork.
I originally had 2 blogs – a personal life blog and an art blog. Last year I combined the 2 blogs into one WordPress blog where I also had store pages to purchase my art.
This year, due to the economy, I had to downsize to a WordPress.com free blog and no longer have the store pages, but I still blog about art, my personal life, and I do occasional reviews and giveaways.
Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?
When I first started, I just blogged when I had a new art piece to share. But as my connections with other artists online grew, I began to appreciate and admire many different art forms and artists.
I think the best advice for any artist who blogs, is to look outside yourself for blogging inspiration. Don’t be afraid to feature other artists or artwork you admire. We should not look at other artists as competition, but rather, we should view ourselves as a family of creative people. If we all take the time to take our eyes off ourselves, we suddenly discover amazing talent all around us. I truly enjoy exploring the art of my fellow artists and sharing their artwork with my readers.
What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in your studio?
I do have a “painting” playlist on my iTunes! I love Marc Enfroy’s Cinematic Piano when I’m painting. I also often listen to Michael Allen Harrison, and Jim Brickman. At other times, I really enjoy some of my “Solitudes” music – soft soothing music blended with sounds of nature. Music is very important to me when I’m painting.
What can we expect to see next from your easel?
I’ve been working on a series titled “My Enchanted World”. I am currently working on 3 18×24 canvas pieces. I’m using YES! watermedia canvas and watercolor. I look forward to sharing those! I also have more 4”x6” Hula Dancer paintings in process, and several more impressionistic coastal scenes planned.
http://thecreatorspalette.com/
Thank you Melanie 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?
Cherries, a tasty treat and a sign of spring. How can you not love them?
Check out more artist made earrings from our EBSQ galleries. Please take a moment to explore art from our featured artists Christine E. Striemer, Rebecca Salcedo, and Jeanne Forsyth.
Next week: Technology
Who and where are you?
I’m Michele Bruce Carter, a forty-something artist a with myriad of interests ranging from preserving peaches to punk rock. I’m originally from So. Illinois. I traveled around quite a bit during my young adulthood and now reside in Kansas. I think the traveling around gave me the opportunity to gather a lot of resource material for my mind to use for art. I enjoy painting a wide variety of subjects.. and if I had to paint the same thing twice…I’m sure it might cause me to burst into flames. So naturally, I try to avoid that. I also play electric and acoustic guitar, ride and train horses, enjoy reading fantasy novels, and I’m seriously hung up on Old Hollywood: film, actors, actresses, couture and hairstyles.
How did you get started art blogging?
I jumped right onto Blogger and started showcasing my work. I think I mainly did it for selfish reasons. I was fascinated by the means which led me to creating art..the inspiration I guess you would call it. It amazed me how music and/or life experiences could cause such interesting things to happen. Sometimes the art was good and sometimes not so good. My work generally reflected my feelings towards something related to my senses or emotions. It would be like..Mmmm loving this Peanut Buster Parfait..Oh my God I have to paint one. Or..Yes it’s raining, I must paint something BLUE. Blue for the rainy day blues I guess? I don’t know – sometimes I have trouble making the connections myself. I normally just try and go with the feelings. For me, if there are no feelings, there is no art.
Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?
Don’t be afraid to show your soft side in your blog- your non business, quirky side. It makes me feel like I’m getting to know you…as I’m sure most readers would like to also feel…art should be a soulful process – don’t be afraid to show it – art is more than just images and technique. In my opinion, the ‘in between” paintings or intermission on a blog is just as important to the creating process. It’s what rejuvenates us for the next crop of paintings. I think it’s important that readers also understand this and thereby appreciate the final product a bit more. But I’m no expert, these are just things I feel comfortable with on my weblog and ones I visit. I also firmly believe in showing support to your fellow artisans. Get to know them, comment often. It seems there is soo much competition between artists.. as if some are worried about other artists stealing readers or collectors. (double thumbs down on this). Were all in this together, experiences are what keep us feeling alive, growing and giving us inspiration for new work. The more non-(overly)competitive people you encounter, the better it is for brainstorming, sharing life and the experience of art. And finally..I love to see 5 min sketches posted..The pure, raw talent you can get out of five minutes is astonishing. I’m always looking for sketches when I visit an art blog.
What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in your studio?
Music-Well last week it was 1940’s wartime favorites…as in Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington,Dorsey, Cab Calloway ( this CD set helped produce a lot of art for me ) This week is Iggy Pop. Next week…who knows
Movies-I usually play the same movies over and over. I collect VHS tapes. My favs are Marilyn Monroe’s films, The Thing, Outbreak, Alien, Waterworld, The Others. I kinda just have them on for background music..I love the scores on these films.
I also have to have fresh coffee made in my french press and comfortable clothing..I’m usually painting in an old vintage slip (I collect those too). Yes =P I am strange.
What’s coming next from your easel?
I’m in the mood for anything soft..I have just got over a streak of super high contrast color paintings..paintings with a punch, they almost hurt your eyes to look at them. Time for something different. Everything in moderation , right? =D
http://michelebruce-carter.blogspot.com/
Thank you Michele 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?
The EBSQ Friday Five offers a brief look at noteworthy news from around the EBSQ Artist Blogosphere. This week it’s all about February’s fresh pressed art!
1. View from Under the Bridge by Barbara Haviland
2. New Pet Portraits by Rebecca Collins
3. Fractal Wildflowers by Christi Schwartzkopf
4. Abstract Painting by Nataera
5. Makeup Brush by Pati Springmeyer
What a beautiful month February has been!
Excuse the delay. I like to have all the EBSQ Artist Blogs in my feed reader and that feed reader is not cooperating today. Don’t fret! The show must go on, right?
1. Lady of the Forest Wip – I love watching an artwork come to life. Check out Sara’s latest WIP!
2. Blue and White – Photography by Micheal Lewis Glover. We saw his work in the recent Classic show at EBSQ and with any luck we’ll see a lot more soon! 😉
3. My Art Day Job – Cathy Darling shares her plan on selling art and also growing as artist behind the scenes.
4. Thinking of Kentucky – Kimberly Vanlandingham is nice and cozy in her Florida home, so why is she thinking of Kentucky?
5. To Catch an Artist off Guard – Yes, I’m plugging my own blog! If you haven’t heard my latest news, check it out! 😉
Have a great weekend!
This week’s EBSQ Blogger of the Week is a seasoned member of the EBSQ who’s work is a rich menagerie of her artistic journey. Her landscape paintings are perhaps the most memorable and cherished artworks from her portfolio, but don’t take my word for it.
Who and where are you?
I’m Windi Rosson, I’m the Artist and Owner….no wait….Supreme Creative Goddess of Winjimir Studios. I have been a member of EBSQ for about 150 years. Back when we used to have to explain to people what eBay was, and what EBSQ was…and then explain it all again, because they still didn’t understand. LOL. I’m a completely self taught artist, currently working and residing in the middle of the sticks, GA. That is why it’s so easy for me to pull the pretty pictures from my head, and put them on the canvas….because there is nothing else to do around here. My Primary focus is on painting in oils and acrylics but I often play around with mixed media…oh, and I started a very unique line of jewelry called ArtSkrap that I play around with too.
How did you get started art blogging?
I was actually really reluctant to start this blogging stuff. But all the other really cool art kids were doing it, so I followed along. That was waaaay back in 2003, lol. I started off at Live Journal and that is still my main blog. I hope to be writing a lot more over there this year. I also have a fan page on Facebook and a Twitter account (which I’m still trying to get the hang of, lol) It’s been fun to see over the years all the changes to blogging and how popular it’s become.
Any tips for other EBSQ art bloggers?
Keep posting stuff daily. Even if it’s just simple things like photos of the day, or articles about art related things. People may not always comment on your blog, and you may think that no one is paying attention, but they are! You have to give them a reason to want to tune into what your doing. I think it’s also important to give people options to tune in. Some people only want to see the work your doing, and when/where it’s for sale. Others may want to tune into what your doing besides art.
What’s your musical inspiration of choice when you’re working in your studio?
I just recently blew out the speakers in my studio stereo, lol! I have a very eclectic taste when it comes to music. I like my music to be as random as possible while I’m working in the studio. A little thrash metal followed by some reggae, followed by some odd French songs (that I don’t even understand, but sing along to anyways. lol) throw some old school country, and 80’s gangster rap in just for kicks. The more random it is, the better. I like to think that it keeps me on my toes….but in reality I probably spend more time playing with the ipod, then I do painting. Lol!
What’s coming next from your easel?
Right now I am finishing up some acrylic paintings that will be entered into some juried art shows later this year. Also finishing up a sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project, and just completed another 50 piece set of blocks for Art-O-Mat. I’ve got about 25 oil paintings that are in various stages, that I’ve been itching to finish up. I also have some licensing and publishing opportunities I’m looking into for the coming year.
So, you all should stay tuned to my blog to see what happens! Lol!
http://winjimir.livejournal.com
Thank you Windi 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?
When I think of November my mind wanders to Autumn Leaves, Thanksgiving, the richness of Nature and family. I decided it was only natural to let these thoughts and feelings spread to this month’s EBSQ Bloggers of the Week. This week’s artist is another landscape painter, who’s soft brush strokes sing Nature’s beauty.
Who and where are you?
Thank you Carol 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?
The EBSQ Friday Five offers a brief look at noteworthy news from around the EBSQ Artist Blogosphere. This week it’s all about July’s fresh pressed art!
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The talents at EBSQ are so diverse you can find just about anything you can imagine. Have a great weekend!
This month’s featured gallery is Photography: Colour. Photography lets us briefly stop time and capture tangible moments. Whether spontaneous or crafted, what our eyes see is frozen forever. When the photograph is in colour, we will always have the blue of the sky, the flush of a cheek, and every colour the world presents us. During the month of June, we are going to take a few moments to catch up with some of the EBSQ photographers that enjoy capturing the world in colour.
Color photography gives an opportunity to record what is seen. A memory made with the snap of the shutter. Through a photo, a photographer can show the world what and how they see. From broad landscapes to the smallest macro, life is what is captured. Once a photographer understands light and color the possibilities are endless, exciting and rewarding. Capturing life it is my passion. – Lisa Miller
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The EBSQ Friday Five offers a brief look at noteworthy news from around the EBSQ Artist Blogosphere, but this week we are going to take a visual tour of art fresh off the easel.
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Have a wonderful weekend!
A sampling of our Freshest Art uploaded on 25 April 2009
F. Fournier Original Canadian Landscape Oil Painting by Francois Fournier
Bugs and Blooms by Sharon Lemay
Untitled Landscape by Graham Gercken
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!
Art & News from EBSQ 