There is quite a lot to report, but I'll try to thin it out so you don't get too bored. I know how windy I can be!
Website Changes
Vera Collier joins me in the site!
My friend and fellow artist, Vera Collier, will have her own category in the site! We will be loading her packets and products in the next few weeks, so please go in and check them out! Vera has a similar style to mine and designs a lot of wonderful lighthouses and very cute characters in acrylics. Vera is my co-author for the "Shivering Heights" book. She and husband, Denny, now live near Bear Lake, Michigan, after spending most of their lives near Lima, Ohio. They have two grown boys, Mike and Ryan, who live in Columbus. We met more than 30 years ago and became the best of friends. We've watched our children grow up together and shared many family events, over the years. Look for "Vera Collier - Packets and Products" in the Shop! Her things will also be found in "What's New?" Also look for a her latest design in the October issue of "Painting"!
Vera Collier, Rodney Ann Bensman, and Karen Hamilton on our recent trip to Bear Lake.
Re-Organizing
In the website, I've consolidated some old categories and added a few new ones, such as: "Longaberger Products" and "Antiques and Collectables". As usual, all new products (of every kind) can be found in "What's New?"
Website Changes
Vera Collier joins me in the site!
My friend and fellow artist, Vera Collier, will have her own category in the site! We will be loading her packets and products in the next few weeks, so please go in and check them out! Vera has a similar style to mine and designs a lot of wonderful lighthouses and very cute characters in acrylics. Vera is my co-author for the "Shivering Heights" book. She and husband, Denny, now live near Bear Lake, Michigan, after spending most of their lives near Lima, Ohio. They have two grown boys, Mike and Ryan, who live in Columbus. We met more than 30 years ago and became the best of friends. We've watched our children grow up together and shared many family events, over the years. Look for "Vera Collier - Packets and Products" in the Shop! Her things will also be found in "What's New?" Also look for a her latest design in the October issue of "Painting"!
Vera Collier, Rodney Ann Bensman, and Karen Hamilton on our recent trip to Bear Lake.
Re-Organizing
In the website, I've consolidated some old categories and added a few new ones, such as: "Longaberger Products" and "Antiques and Collectables". As usual, all new products (of every kind) can be found in "What's New?"
13/06: June 2007 Update
Hi Everybody! Here is where I let you know what has been happening on this end since my last entry. Well, there is a lot of info., but I will only mention some events and won't eleborate since there is so much. Details get pretty boring sometimes.
First, I'm happy to report success in winning four awards at various fine art shows in the area! As I looked through the FrogBlog archives, I realized this info was missing! How dare I forget! Ha! The awards are as follows: Views of Auglaize County Photography Show at Arts Place, St. Marys, OH - Best of Show for "Rustin' Piece" in Professional Category
Annual Photography Club Show at Art Space, Lima, OH - Second Place for "Over There" in Animals Category
Annual Wassenberg June Art Show, Van Wert, OH (Open to the public through the end of June 2007.) - Art to Art Palette Magazine's Paint Box Award for Contemporary Art for an acrylic transparency called "Hot and Cold Running Colors"
and Laurie's Nature Scape Award for a watercolor entitled "Royal Iris"
First, I'm happy to report success in winning four awards at various fine art shows in the area! As I looked through the FrogBlog archives, I realized this info was missing! How dare I forget! Ha! The awards are as follows: Views of Auglaize County Photography Show at Arts Place, St. Marys, OH - Best of Show for "Rustin' Piece" in Professional Category
Annual Photography Club Show at Art Space, Lima, OH - Second Place for "Over There" in Animals Category
Annual Wassenberg June Art Show, Van Wert, OH (Open to the public through the end of June 2007.) - Art to Art Palette Magazine's Paint Box Award for Contemporary Art for an acrylic transparency called "Hot and Cold Running Colors"
and Laurie's Nature Scape Award for a watercolor entitled "Royal Iris"
30/04: Art News
Hi Everyone! Just a few notes on what has been happening in my artworld for the past few months.
Riverside Art Center, located at 9 West Auglaize St. in Wapakoneta, has had a good start! They have receiving their 501c3 and have been awarded a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. RAC members are painting and doing some general fix up so they may open the gallery to display member artwork throughout the months of May and June of 2007. I am proud to have been a part of the planning and conseption of the new center. But, I have had to leave the board and join the ranks of the general membership. I've had some health issues and time limits that forced me to take a back seat. The good news is that now, I will have more time for designing and enjoying my artwork more. I really need to be on the helping end, instead of the planning end at Riverside, so I will help on committees from time to time.
I didn't realize that working on the tiny details of the by-laws and writing grants could be so time consuming and a big drain on creative energies. I'm afraid my poor little brain had a spasm equal to cardiac arrest! That's why I hadn't added much to the site in several months. But, I am determined to put something in the blog and something new in the site on a weekly basis, beginning in May 2007. I hope you will tell your artsy friends that I am back and will add new packets, new products, and artwork for sale during the next several months.
I want to thank God for his love and blessings in my life. I also want to thank my friends for their prayers, support, and advice during the past several months: Vera Collier, Karen Hamilton, Cindy Dietz, Rodney Ann Bensman, and Cindy Vitale. Thanks for putting up with me...letting me ramble and bend your ears, more that a time or two. You are the best friends anyone could have!
Riverside Art Center, located at 9 West Auglaize St. in Wapakoneta, has had a good start! They have receiving their 501c3 and have been awarded a grant from the Ohio Arts Council. RAC members are painting and doing some general fix up so they may open the gallery to display member artwork throughout the months of May and June of 2007. I am proud to have been a part of the planning and conseption of the new center. But, I have had to leave the board and join the ranks of the general membership. I've had some health issues and time limits that forced me to take a back seat. The good news is that now, I will have more time for designing and enjoying my artwork more. I really need to be on the helping end, instead of the planning end at Riverside, so I will help on committees from time to time.
I didn't realize that working on the tiny details of the by-laws and writing grants could be so time consuming and a big drain on creative energies. I'm afraid my poor little brain had a spasm equal to cardiac arrest! That's why I hadn't added much to the site in several months. But, I am determined to put something in the blog and something new in the site on a weekly basis, beginning in May 2007. I hope you will tell your artsy friends that I am back and will add new packets, new products, and artwork for sale during the next several months.
I want to thank God for his love and blessings in my life. I also want to thank my friends for their prayers, support, and advice during the past several months: Vera Collier, Karen Hamilton, Cindy Dietz, Rodney Ann Bensman, and Cindy Vitale. Thanks for putting up with me...letting me ramble and bend your ears, more that a time or two. You are the best friends anyone could have!
26/07: Riverside Art Center Update
I'm sure many of my friends have been wondering why I've been away from the FogBlog for quite some time. The reason is a good one and really very exciting! I've been helping a group of local artists form a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting fine arts. Here's an update on what we have accomplished in the past few months. We have formed a Board of Trustees and named ourselves the Riverside Art Center or RAC. We've become a registered corporation, have a Federal EIN, and have filed our Code of Regulations with Form 1023. We may have a long wait to receive the not-for-profit blessing of the Federal government to become a 501(c)(3). These things take up to nine months! (It has been similar to having a baby, come to think of it! Ha!)
We conducted a logo contest in May and chose a very elegant design by Professional Graphic Artist and Illustrator, Angie Elshoff. The logo is being used in all areas of advertising. I'll see if I can get it up in the Blog sometime soon. The RAC also found a building to rent in the heart of our downtown business district: located at 9 West Auglaize St., in Wapakoneta, Ohio. We are currently painting and sprucing it up for our September 1 opening. We would like to buy the building if funding comes through. A Grand Opening is being planned for later that month.
We conducted a logo contest in May and chose a very elegant design by Professional Graphic Artist and Illustrator, Angie Elshoff. The logo is being used in all areas of advertising. I'll see if I can get it up in the Blog sometime soon. The RAC also found a building to rent in the heart of our downtown business district: located at 9 West Auglaize St., in Wapakoneta, Ohio. We are currently painting and sprucing it up for our September 1 opening. We would like to buy the building if funding comes through. A Grand Opening is being planned for later that month.
10/05: More About ATC's
My nephew, Dale, came through and sent a sample of the Artist Trading Cards he is designing for his Cub Scout Troop. It is painted on a card from an old deck of playing cards. A God's Eye is on the front and a blessing he wrote is on the reverse. I thought both sides were very nice so decided to scan and load into the blog.
Dale is very talented. He writes wonderful poetry and children's books. He is currently trying to get his first book accepted by a publisher. Thanks for sending this Dale! It is great!
Dale is very talented. He writes wonderful poetry and children's books. He is currently trying to get his first book accepted by a publisher. Thanks for sending this Dale! It is great!
06/05: ATC Photos?
Well, the ATC photos are back. There are always little glitches that happen from time to time. But, in a way, I'm glad it happened because I learned a few more things about the Image Zone. Life is just one big learning experience!
I got an e-mail from my nephew, Dale Wittler, from Bryan, Ohio. He saw my articles oN the ATC's and has been inspired to use this idea with his Boy Scout Troop. Isn't that a great idea! You just never know who will come up with a new twist on these cards! Thanks for sharing that with me, Dale. Way to go! Maybe he'll scan one and let me put it in the blog so we can all have a look?
Here are a few more cards that might help wet your appetite for making your own. HAVE FUN! Read more about ATC's below. There are four ATC per photo, in all the articles.
I got an e-mail from my nephew, Dale Wittler, from Bryan, Ohio. He saw my articles oN the ATC's and has been inspired to use this idea with his Boy Scout Troop. Isn't that a great idea! You just never know who will come up with a new twist on these cards! Thanks for sharing that with me, Dale. Way to go! Maybe he'll scan one and let me put it in the blog so we can all have a look?
Here are a few more cards that might help wet your appetite for making your own. HAVE FUN! Read more about ATC's below. There are four ATC per photo, in all the articles.
05/05: ATC - Artists Trading Cards
ATC's were started in Switzerland by M. Vance Stirnemann who has an active website. Just type ATC into your search engine and his site will pop-up along with others. An all women swap group is featured in his site and is managed by Cat Schick. If you are interested in trading over-seas, you can write her through the site to ask questions. I asked if I could send my cards after the SDP convention and she answered me right away, letting me know that the women's swap is on-going and trading can be done anytime. Here are a few original cards that I'll be taking to the Society of Decorative Painters Conference in Nashville in June.
05/05: Artists' Trading Cards
Artists Trading Cards (ATC's) are becoming increasingly popular around the world. The Society of Decorative Painters is sponsoring a swap at their Annual Meeting located at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, one hour before their business meeting on June 7. If everyone traded, you would see close to 2000 artists in the world's largest swap of ATC's. Wonder if anyone called the Guinness people? A few of my cards are shown below.
04/05: Artists Trading Cards
Hi Everybody! I took quite a long break from adding things to the site, but I'm back and have some "New Stuff" to show off.
For anyone who needs ideas for trading cards, I've loaded some of mine below. They are all done in watercolors on 140 lb. Cold Press Arches and some on a multi-media board. Both surfaces worked very well but I have a preference for the softer look of the watercolor paper.
The multi media board is bright white and a little tougher to cut because of it rigidness. I retain the copyright on these, and will not release the designs to be copied. But, maybe you can get some ideas of your own by the different types of cards I'm displaying.
I've also been visiting some ATC websites and have listed some of the variations I'd seen. One is that some artists are making molded, homemade paper from tissue paper. They use some kind of molds to press the paper into so it has an embossed look when dry. Then they paint around and on the raised areas.
Another idea was to take an old deck of playing cards, scuff them up, paint them on both sides with acrylics, let dry, and paint your design. This would be an inexpensive way to find ready-made cards in a hurry. There were lots of other ideas such as collaging, stamping, and photos printed in black & white, then painted. Some more creative ones had attached charms, bits of string, ribbon, lace, beads, or torn paper.
Almost anything goes, so experiment. One thing I found out is that you become obsessed with doing them, once you get started! The hours just fly by! Hope you enjoy viewing my designs!
For anyone who needs ideas for trading cards, I've loaded some of mine below. They are all done in watercolors on 140 lb. Cold Press Arches and some on a multi-media board. Both surfaces worked very well but I have a preference for the softer look of the watercolor paper.
The multi media board is bright white and a little tougher to cut because of it rigidness. I retain the copyright on these, and will not release the designs to be copied. But, maybe you can get some ideas of your own by the different types of cards I'm displaying.
I've also been visiting some ATC websites and have listed some of the variations I'd seen. One is that some artists are making molded, homemade paper from tissue paper. They use some kind of molds to press the paper into so it has an embossed look when dry. Then they paint around and on the raised areas.
Another idea was to take an old deck of playing cards, scuff them up, paint them on both sides with acrylics, let dry, and paint your design. This would be an inexpensive way to find ready-made cards in a hurry. There were lots of other ideas such as collaging, stamping, and photos printed in black & white, then painted. Some more creative ones had attached charms, bits of string, ribbon, lace, beads, or torn paper.
Almost anything goes, so experiment. One thing I found out is that you become obsessed with doing them, once you get started! The hours just fly by! Hope you enjoy viewing my designs!
Here is the latest and greatest from yours truely! Sorry I have been away for so long. I've been spending time with family, dealing with my many positions in several art groups, teaching classes at Honda, and trying to do my taxes.
The taxes are the pits! But, it's my own fault. I always wait until the last minute to write anything down! Every year I try to do better, but seems like the year is gone before I know it, and there I am, in the same boat as the year before.
Maybe it's the fact that I don't like to work with money and numbers. Oh, I like to spend it alright! That's the problem! Craig should retire and be my "manager". Now, this guy knows how to handle money! He's the saver (thank goodness) and I'm the spender, so we balance each other. I wish I could be more like him!
Lots of things have been happening since the last update. So I will try to add these to the blog in the next few days. There are a few new packets, new classes at Honda, an Ohio Heirlooms basket bingo coming up next Saturday, a new art group forming in my home town, and some new offices have been added to my resume while I'm trying to leave others. I'm campaigning for a national office, getting ready for the SDP at Nashville, and have been exploring an old brick farm house which has been an interesting trip back in time! These are just a few things I'd like to share with you this week. Please be patient while I load these stories into the blog...check back often! Bless you!