43things TEAM PROJECT: support fellow artists in their artistic projects

Happy Holidays To Everyone! I hope its a Good One!

Check it out! I Submitted a poster for The Michael Franti’s Poster Contest and now I would like your vote.

Link to My Poster

Just send my name ( Artist: Craig Werkheiser ) to poster@stayhuman.org Then Tell a Friend!
Thank you all very much!

My Michael Franti & Spearheads Poster is on the Web site so I can Finally show what I’ve done.
The other posters can be viewed Here

You can see there are a lot of great posters. Its tough to say were I compare, but I feel anyone of them has a possibility of being chosen, including me :)

They have extended the Michael Franti and Spearhead Poster contest deadline for another two weeks.

link

I really wish I could show everyone, but I want to wait in till the due date has past. Wish Me Luck!

I finished a quick Landscape painting today. I was looking through a National Geographic magazine the other day and was in awe of the photos. I had to paint one.

Not what I intended it to be, but the color scheme is.
I think I’ll do another painting more of an abstract design.
I used my old water mixable oil paints. which have been working great for my experimental paintings. I tried them out a long time a go and didn’t like that I couldn’t use my medium mix of sun thickened linseed oil, damar varnish and venice turpentine. Originally I bought the water soluble oil paints thinking they would have a less toxic smell, they don’t. Once I get some funds together I’ll buy those pastels. Over $100 for a decent set. Its worth it I’m sure.

I had plenty of time before work, so I decided to check out the gallery down the street (with portfolio in hand).
They have a diverse collection. I saw sculptures, ( glass, paper, and metal) oil paintings, ( realism, impressionism, and abstract) watercolor paintings and poster art. If you want to see some of the art, Here is a link
I had some small talk with the nice woman working the gallery. I asked her how an artist can display there work. She explained to me that the main gallery next door are hand picked by the owners and that this gallery is rented space to the artist.
This sounded really great and they had space available.
But there is a catch. At least I think it is, and thats the price.
They have 4 spaces to rent averaging $140 a month with a 3 or 6 month contract. Not bad, right.
There commissions are 20% for art less than $750,
art $750 – $1549 commissions 25% – 35%
and 40% for art more than 1550
Is this the norm? I haven’t looked in to this very much at all, so I don’t know what to expect.
I suppose I could increase my prices to accommodate the commissions and rent. Its just that I put so much of my time and energy into my art, that I don’t want to be taken advantage of.

I started a new collage painting. At first it was going to be an abstract, but then I felt an urge to add childhood photos. So I went through some old photo albums and started cutting.
Once I started adding one friend I remembered another, then another. “You know what” I need a bigger canvas if I going to have my life represented.
So thats just what I did. Today I want to an art store and bought a bigger canvas. I’ll be working on it periodically though out the week.
It feels great to be so creative again. I haven’t felt like this since college or even high school for that matter.

Going to start on the little girl (my niece) this week. If I paint on the wedding dress first then work on the girl, I’m liable to smear all the wet paint off the dress. I try to remember to paint left to right, but I always end up with black palm prints in the sky. oh well, thats what turpentine is for.

I’m happy with the painting so far. I’m not quite done with there faces, but I like to move on before I over paint something and ruin it. Its easier to add something then it is to take it away. Thats what finishing touches are for.

This time I did a little bit of everything. I used a brush, my fingers and a sponge. No real set idea, just went with what I was feeling at the time.
Today I hung out with my 4 year old niece. She gave me a tablet to draw on then instructed me on what she wanted. A House, barn, penguins, horse, werwolf, Bear..etc. Then we took turns drawing lines and shapes on a page. Both sharing the creation of one design. It was great fun. These are the moments I will cherish in my heart forever.