An Impressionistic miniature with water and forest in moody greens, ochers', reds and purple blues.
Collectible for a small wall. Ships in a small box with padded protection for $20.
Zelle money to 214-226-4589 and reference title and where you saw it.
Read MoreHello Again- It's been awhile, Amy Lee Carter Ishmael here, checking in to tell you about the big event in Plano, Texas this 4th Quarter.
I've been busy growing as an artist, and am so delighted and honored to be among some great artists that were accepted into the 2026 For The Love of Art Show and Sale. Plano Art Centre has several unique ways of meeting the needs of art patrons, as well.
Here are some dates to be aware of for this event.
10/24/2026 to 11/21/2026: Exhibition dates
Saturday, 10/24/2026: VIP Art Preview from 3 PM to 5 PM/Invitation Only
· Friday, 10/30/2026: For the Love of Art Gala from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, ticketed event
· Saturday, 11/7/2026: For the Love of Art and Cars from 9 AM to noon
Here is a link to buy tickets for the Ticketed Gala Event on 10/30.
Events and exhibitions at the ArtCentre of Plano — ArtCentre of Plano
The Sat. Nov. 7th event is a free family event.
I will try to make all events.
Read MoreHello there! It has been awhile since I last blogged.
I and my family took a trip East in March and there are two new small pastels in my Ruby Lane shop, Amy Carter Ishmael Art, along with some full sheet large pastels from the coast from years past.
This trip was both a vacation for my boys and a workcation for us all as well. Each of us had some work with which we balanced our fun and I will say, I think all enjoyed the trip.
When you enjoy your work, it is difficult to separate out a vacation from a work trip, is what I have concluded.
The weather was interesting to say the least, with lots of variety. The Ocean water of The Atlantic was 7-8 degrees colder than the average for that time of year. My sons were asked if the were from Canada, because in that season the locals cater to Canadian neighbors. The answer was, "No, it's just we don't come to the beach all the time and don't want to miss this." I was only able to be in that cold water over two days (10 min. on day one and 1 hour on day 2); and literally had to take warm showers afterward. On day 2, I thought about a bath of warm water, yet knew not to use the hot-tub right away.
I stayed in 2 wonderful condos and a hotel suite, over a period of two weeks, before traveling North to Va.
I visited both SC and NC beaches, and shopped for souvieneers. We all contributed to the local slightly off season economy, yet my favorite Island restaurant in NC was not yet open for the season.
I still have lots to paint over the next week, before I return to the beach for my Birthday. A solo trip this time, to gather more for paintings, and try the warmer water, and I look forward to a completely new location to paint, and stay at this month.
Once I return, I will wait until the Puerta Rico Trip is complete, to blog again.
The most exciting thing is that since I enjoy painting from travels, I will be very busy this year, and have listed a group of Individually priced beach paintings from prior trips, signed all different ways, and places within the paintings, so check them out in my Ruby Lane Shop if you get a chance.
This newsletter shows two small 8" x 10" pastels from March.
Read MoreDuring my fourth quarter this year, I was blessed to be able to visit my mother in Virginia for her 90th Birthday Celebration. It seemed like a pretty important milestone for our whole family. She has been a mainstay in our lives, taking various members of the family through at least 15 residences, in her married life and turning each one into a home. I knew I had wanted to visit her for the celebration and let her decide when and how.
During that leg of my trip I didn't paint. I visited. Yet, before getting there I thought of things she might like looking at and did little small studies. As far as mother's go in supporting their daughter's endeavors, my mom revealed to me once that each painting I had sent her for a time while in school, would be "Xeroxed by her to make a record copy, and place in a file she had created to track my progress in art." It was the sweetest of encouragements. My paintings became too frequent eventually to record everything, yet she would tell me sometimes, after seeing a picture, "This is a Good One!" "Keep painting, Amy, keep Painting!"
Along my travels I took video's of museums that she felt she wasn't able bodied enough to visit. I would send her snippets of video from the visits. Hoping to have her feel a part of some of my trip, "along the way". Here I share a little blessing of a picture of my mom at her 90th Birthday Celebration.
My son reminded me on Christmas, to commit some memories to my mind, instead of always taking photographs, yet I am thankful for both my Mind's Eye taking photos, as well as my camera. Merry Christmas, Mom, I was blessed to have been there with you at your 90th Birthday party in 2024. You were the bell of the ball!
Love,
Amy
Read MoreLast night the OPA had their award ceremony for their regional art show in the East. The OPA Eastern Regional is the title to search, and I'll place a link at the end of the article. I am currently considered a Western Regional Painter by OPA, as they divide the USA by East and West painters, and was taking about a year off to improve.
I was able to watch the award portion of the event this morning, as I was spending time with family last night. I had just finished a painting and was inspired by watching the results of the OPA Eastern that had been judged already, to submit to another event taking applications for an all member show.
The American Impressionist Society, of which I am also a multi year member, is accepting works for the on-line, all member show currently. The OPA is accepting works for The Fall On-Line Showcase soon, and I have some smaller works than what I subbitted today for AIS that will be going in there.
The painting I just finished, is already spoken for by my eldest, who moved out and just got into a townhouse.
He has roommates, so he is still aware of not taking up too much wall space, yet this 23.5" x 16" oil painting is just the thing to commemorate one's first European Travels. So I was excited to do this oil for him.
So thank you to the OPA Award winners and Judge, who inspired this current associate level OPA member, (who had gotten discouraged with not getting into the shows she applied for in most of the organizations at a National Level), to enter my painting still wet yet framed, in the AIS show for members, along with some work from last year. And, to add some of my newer oil paintings to the OPA Fall On-Line Showcase for 2024 as well.
Pictured is one of the entries for the American Impressionist Society All Member Show, along with one that I painted in 2021 with just using one pallet knife and my hands. I am thinking I may have a better chance at getting in this year because I took so much time off, (almost a year) to be working on my observation skills, and have some new brushes I purchased, so my hands don't do all of my painting by themselves on this one. I had the aide of 4 different brushes by 4 different companies, as well as a pallet knife and some other objects. What I have heard over and over by judges of these events is that seeing brushstrokes is important to them.
In the painting to the right, when I painted that 18" x 24" oil in 2021, I used mainly bare hands to paint with, and this style does have some precedence in art history, but is in the minority when considering techniques. The painting on the left, includes more brushstrokes to satisfy that tactile visual desire, that many people have when they look at a painting and feel is satisfied when they see brush strokes.
I have sold both types of paintings to collectors. You may see my shop to view those. One done Impressionist style with only my hands, appeared to have brush strokes because I laid on thick paint. The other one on my website, that looked smooth used many instruments in the underpainting, then hardly any brushes to achieve the smoother finish. As a trained printmaker, I pull from various areas and techniques in my art.
If you would like to set aside some time to view what inspired me to take my creations and try again at submitting them for shows, you can watch the replay of the OPA Awards Ceremony. If you want to know what keeps me painting, you may view some of the museum exhibitions like the DMA Impressionists Exhibit, which was put on after almost 6 months of me going to the DMA to study and research the American Impressionists, as well as the European Impressionists.
I was so sad when the DMA decided to change and reduce their hours of operation, that I quit going for a time to the library, yet their exhibit, was like a reward for all the study that I had done. I will be going to see it multiple times before it ends. You can view on-line as well here: www.dma.org https://www.dma.org/ They have gotten rave reviews for showing both the "usual suspects" in the show, as well as some "delightful additions".
Here is the link to the Eastern Regional which I will also be taking time to revisit, so I can view all the wonderful art that was accepted. They said they had 1400 submissions and less than 10% were accepted into that show. That is why I took almost a year off from entering so many shows, to actually study European and American Master Works, and Impressionists in general, since I am currently closest to that style in my painting of both Pastels and Oils.
I purchased books from the 1920's to view works that most likely are held in Europe, and I took about 6 months of museum study, simply telling myself to study like a Master's Level Student. I went multiple weeks and multiple days a week, and sometimes from the opening hour of the library to the closing hour of the library. I was learning through immersion of beautiful images and using my powers of observation in my travels to identify all the different types of colors I saw in nature. This is helping me to expand my style of Impressionism which is a bit different yet still identifiable as impressions of, and not yet realistic like photography, without loosing myself or my basic foundation of self study as a painter.
I hope you enjoy the OPA show, the Museum Show and My website. Although I have over a dozen of my smaller works currently in people's carts, I need some of them to close their sale so I can ship them out. I encourage to view, and buy as your heart desires.
https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/opa_show/2024-eastern-regional-exhibition/
If you would like to find smaller oils and pastels of mine, and works of other artists that I've collected for sale, you may visit my shop art page at:
https://www.rubylane.com/shop/amy-carter-ishmael-art?cat=Art
Read More
I have often thought and pondered how so many artists' studios seem to be contained in a space within their home. I belong to one organization that has a special series for eblast pictures now and then of studios that artists send in to them, and they in turn send out to their members.
Well, I'll just tell you it's the PSA. Pastel Society of America. They began sending out studio pictures from members of their special spaces in this decade. I suppose like so many organizations with members spanning the breadth of age like the top 2/3's of the population, they were experimenting with how to inspire a new group of post pandemic artists to get going again, after so much grief.
One way was to share those safe places where they created, and found their joy and sorrow mingled. I have enjoyed looking at them. I find studios where Northern light spills in abundant windows, looking out onto inspiration. I have seen neat tables and organized supplies, standing at the ready, for the moment of inspiration to strike, or for the regular 9-5 painting life.
Aware as I am of these spaces meant to inspire, I seek studio versions in person as well. How many among us have gone on artist studio tours? From museum's recreating a famous artist's space within the ticket purchasing confines of a building in a major city, to the simple home we find in a town traveled to for other purposes. I love the discovery of how others create.
My first visit to an artist studio was near my home.
While traveling home one fine day, with my young son, who had selected to allow his brother to indulge in an adventure camp without him, we had an adventure of our own. We took a road less traveled, as I often do to explore. We saw a man walking along the road. We waved, and he waved back. We had our windows rolled half way down for the breeze which just seemed rude to me to keep that way, so I rolled them all the way down, and slowed to a crawl, and gave a salutation to the man, walking. We introduced ourselves. I was studying sculpture and printmaking, was the easy reply when he asked, "What do you do"?
He grinned, and said he was a bit of a sculptor himself, among other things. Well we, began an easy conversation, and he invited me to park my vehicle and bring my son and myself down into the woods beyond a nearby large gate to a wooded property.
So of course being invited to view a personal studio of an artist, seemed good to me. I thought a quick prayer of thanks for the serendipity of the occasion.
Holding onto my son's hand as I often did when walking, I spied an actual log cabin. To my surprise and delight, we entered into what seemed like a time traveling adventure. Once inside, I realized my small companion was being instructed not to touch any weapons, because every one was loaded. I wanted to hold both his hands at that time! I smiled and a little nervously, bent down to eye level and asked my young son if he understood that danger of touching a weapon, and to keep his hands in his pockets if he needed to do that to avoid touching them. He nodded at me with his eyes wide at the adventure his brother was missing out on that day.
This studio, this first studio viewed, was the closest to my studio I have ever found, so far. Only because it was filled with antiques and I got my start in married life by adding an antique business to mix in with art in the same year I married my husband.
This new friend, and artist belonging to this log cabin, painted Americana, and sculpted Western scenes. It was so very cluttered with authentic items to sculpt from that I thought if I ever focused on that aspect of art, I would surely need to sculpt from life's objects as he did. However, I knew I had no foundry connections, so we spoke of that awhile. He had a room or two "devoted" to his art creation, yet his whole cabin was filled to the brim with his work. That is how my studio in 2-D had become in the years of this decade.
So flash forward to my current family requests: Please create and contain your art to a room or two, at least on the surfaces mom. The same son, that toured that studio with me is the only one who knows that my art was creeping into that "cabin scene" where every room and table top was cluttered with art and vintage/antique objects to paint.
So this year is another year of organizing my spaces. There is a soothing aspect to organizing items and materials. I see the photos of artists' studios, in PSA eblasts to members, and feel like those artists have already cleared the hurtles of organization. They have already found their balance between creating and living a life that is away from their work.
Where I have at times felt creativity stifled by my studio space being overflowing, so much so that every closet, save my son's, is full of art or art supplies. I looked and saw myself creating in our family room this decade, I created in our breakfast room, I created in the formal dining room, I created in my studio, I created in my guest bedroom, I created outside my home. I have hung art in every room, including the laundry room. I have hit my limit in overflowing art and supplies as far as my husband is concerned. I can not share a picture of the space I create in my home, as I would be sharing a tour of my home, and it would take a video.
So for now, I am using my supplies to box and make ready for shipping my art. I am creating where ever I find myself at the moment that I decide to create. Yet, I am also listening to the heartbeat of my family. I am hearing their cry out to claim their home space back in unity with me, not in spite of me.
I have engaged this once young in stature son, who is now 6 foot 5 inches tall, to assist me. We are making an alternative space for overflow creation by cleaning out the garage. We are reclaiming the guest bedroom for guests. We are carrying ready to ship art to the climate controlled storage space, we are insulating our attic above the garage, for home items like decor that can be moved up there from the garage for seasonal storage. He put together a sofa bed that has a little attached sketching table on an arm, that we agreed I could either sketch an idea on or eat a meal at while sitting on this new furniture for our home. In that way I have a room for my computer and to take photos for my on-line shop, that is apart from my studio. Like having a studio in one room and an office in the other. This office couch that he put together for me doubles as a guest space by converting to a sofa bed. I love that the attached arm on the side of the sofa, gives a small nod to sketching out a quick idea before moving to my studio.
He has banned me from adding any more art to his room. He is kind. He notes my progress at reclaiming our home for ourselves and not just for me and the creation process. No one ever tells us as artists, that the drive to create can seem to take over at times. Sometimes at 3 in the morning, sometimes at 5 am, or at Midnight after a mere one hour nap. Usually we just hear about creative blocks. My creative blocks have only from from cluttered space. That is why my creativity invaded uncluttered rooms. The drive to create was more powerful than the desire to stop creating long enough to declutter my three studio stations, within my studio.
A balance of home life is more important to me than having a non stop creation process going in my home. A studio picture is what I would like to share with PSA this year, maybe on Dec. 31st 2024, but this year.
I want to be able to take a picture of at least one space for my work, and maybe my garage space for works that need more ventilation, (as I work in oils as well). I would like to take at least 2 pictures of two spaces that had been overrun by my work, and that have been restored to the family. not just restored but that are functionally adding to the satisfaction of my family and shared activities.
I have ideas for pairing down my belongings and have had a yard sale, (my first in this home of 22 years), just this past month. It's progress. It's baby steps, or toddler steps, or adolescent steps, and I have a son who is aware that I was never as cluttered as the cabin in the woods, and never as dangerous.
Amy Carter Ishmael
(To view some of my art and help me in my decluttering quest, you may visit my gallery for art, antiques, collectibles at www.rubylane.com/shop/amy-carter-ishmael-art)
Read More
Well today I decided it was high time I let the FASO collectors know about the Mary Cassatt and N.P. Steinberg Drypoints available from this artist and dealer/curator, that are offered on Ruby Lane. I had to get a shop on Ruby Lane that could feature my work as well as work I had collected because, well....it just isn't offered on FASO to do that unless I turn into a gallery. Since I've tried to advertise as a gallery on FASO and seen my advertising denied, I figured it was about time to go back to Ruby Lane.
I'll still keep my FASO account to Blog for now, and let the collectors know about some additions.
Mary Cassatt Margo in a Bonnet #3 was offered very recently in my shop www.rubylane.com/shop/amy-carter-ishmael-art
Also Grandmother's Gown by N. P. Steinberg is a wonderful Drypoint also very recently added to my Ruby Lane shop.
Please come over and look and read the write-ups on the works at www.rubylane.com/shop/amy-carter-ishmael-art
Both artists have multiple works in the Smithsonian American Art Collection in D.C. Mary Cassatt was born here and worked in the USA and passed here in the USA.
N.P. Steinberg was born in Jerusalem and in lived the states, worked in the USA and passed in the USA. Follow the link for other similarities between these artists.
Read More
Although I haven't been writing as much this year, I have been busy with the first part of the year participating in so many events that I found my husband and I competing for our new car.
Being very greatful and thankful for that car allowed me to attend some local shows and drop off art to Fort Worth, Texas for a show that helped gain exposure for many of the local artists at The Art Fort Worth Building.
That show, had "River at Kingsland", a full sheet pastel, right alongside so many sculptural works and lovely 2-D artworks from area local artists, that I was thrilled to participate in the event. As I was picking the art up I was encouraged to continue to participate in more Fort Worth events this year, and encouraging words are always appreciated.
I also participated in the local shows at Thegallery8680 for En Blanc, Red, and The Pink Show, and had one full sheet pastel on view at a Local Fine Art Gallery. Although, there is nothing more thrilling to me, after the creation of a painting, as to see it placed in a wonderful new home. Welcome to the world of loving the placements, and creating the relationships with collectors.
Artists Create sometimes until they run out of space, then we either start selling our works so we have more room, or get a storage unit or in my case, I'm doing both, by the Grace of God, and every large or small placement, is an encouragement to me, none greater than the other, in my eyes, as I get thrilled with both large and small placements.
An Oceanfront view showing the changing of the seasons for a resort area, from High Season to Swing Season. This small 5" x 7" oil and pencil painting was a lovely experience for me, as I began it En Plein Air and did the top painting in my home Studio.
Title: An Oceanfront View
Size: 5" x 7" Framed
Media: Oil and pencil
Artist: Amy Carter Ishmael
Sold $3.94 per square inch
In 2024 Collectors receive a certificate of authenticity to keep with their artwork. 2023 Collectors were offered to have them mailed after the fact. I will continue to value my collectors and consider their needs in this electronic age.
Read More
Hello Community at FASO. I have been revamping my website, here on FASO, as the community and service help desk people have helped me see that the marketing is really focused on adding new artwork yet keeping the artwork available to a smaller number.
At first, for the first two and a half years I thought that contradictory, and tried it both ways, often getting up and painting one a day, and posting it to get into the newsletter prior to 11pm the night before. Then this year, I realized the Genius of what they were actually conveying.
After simply building a body of work for our websites, "it was a bit overwhelming to see so many choices available." (Quote idea from Dave Geada.) So this year, I am taking a different approach, which, I think will get to the heart of FASO's marketing plan, and improve my sales, and also our sales, as others may follow me in this idea.
The solution I saw of other recognized artists, was to lower the art available on Faso, yet have the link go to a separate individual website, that they have more work on, so if we "fish" for a customer or art patron that likes our work or connects on a real level with us", it is redirected to their website, away from competition. I haven't hired anyone to do that yet, however this is my idea, before I go that route, or decides I need to, because I actually like FASO, even though my frustration with not having, "What is Selling" information, to help know which of my art lines I should focus on, has been a bit of a disappointment.
They confirmed, we get customers by driving our own traffic, and we are for the most part a sink or swim group.
So, we have to send our website address out into the world. For an introvert artist, that is a pill I have swallowed.
That means, on social media marketing.... include a hashtag with our website address.
That means get business cards that are new, with this website address to your blog; to your newsletters signup page; to your slideshow. List all three of them if you can, and offer a gift, if they sign-up for your newsletters or new art alerts. Have them confirm, my emailing you, and saying it's alright to put them on your mailing list. That email confirm from them is what triggers their free gift.
That gives both writer/readers and visual dominant people a choice on what to view, (your Blog/Newsletter for a read) or (your artwork) and shows them you are more than just an artist, (if you feel you are).
Next, go gallery and art patron hunting. I say "hunting", because you have to either be one, (an Art Collector, Like I am), or you have to know how they think.
Now this took me awhile to get through my skull.... Why? Because I was an art dealer, collector, so I sought wholesale purchases, not retail. Which means when I switched to creating, I had to find my market, ie who I was to sell to and my price. Now here's "The RUB"....ie, the issue with that. If I price like I wanted to buy art as a retail art reseller, then I am under the market and the true collectors were ignoring a bit too much of my work. (I thought I was doing them a favor, offering wholesale, yet I was marketing that to the wrong group.) If they hadn't known I had been a reseller, they just thought I was out of touch.
Now for a full sheet pastel, the price I found for wholesale for my work is around 2800. to $3000 framed.
THAT IS WHOLESALE. So, at $2,ooo dollars, framed or unframed, I wasn't getting anyone to do anything other than look, and inquire and get excited, yet something kept them from "pulling the trigger", because they wondered, why isn't it priced like I expect? What is wrong with it?
The retail in mid-range to higher sought galleries in the mid-range market is varied across the country.
I was in a smaller city, even though it was the county seat, and I thought while I was there, that other artist's were getting braver about pricing their work for business, instead of hobby.
One of the last conversations I had with an art appreciator, was, "What do you have there? I said, We just put up a new show at the gallery, so I am taking the art that was on the wall from the last show home." She replied, "And let me guess....You'll sell it to me real cheap, right?"
I said, "No, Mame." " This 9" x 12" Oil is $900." (Still a bit below market, yet respectable.)
her reply? She said, "Really, I want to SEE IT!" I had to stop in the elevator and open my professional art box to show her the painting.
Now, I was tired, and out of business cards, yet I can tell you, I won't let that go by the wayside any longer. I would have been engaging her in conversation, contact, and offering a little original thank you card, if she were to have signed up, because I realized, and she realized we were "in the same thought process on value".
Now, go find your market for your work, "test your pricing in the big cities that you are beginning in."
If I start going to receptions where 15,000 dollars are tagged on full sheet pastels, I'll revamp this post, yet for now, post 2020, it seems like many are holding to having work for the mid- market, and $3000 is what my wholesale, (with $6000- $7,000 as retail target), is what I am aiming for, and I know my oils, are priced a bit lower per square inch than my pastels, and I have market data now to back up that pricing difference, should a collector or gallery ask.
Keep smiling and aiming for our dreams. Mine is to support my hubby and myself someday with all my dreams, and his and my children's being available with my help in His plan.
Sincerely,
Amy Carter Ishmael
PS I accept Zelle, which is direct, no fuss, no muss, payments, and clears automatically for quick shipment of artwork.
my website is www.amycarterishmael.com
You will find less than 20 works on there right now, because I have according to analytics, only had a handful of viewers for them, so I am early in 2023, posting them in groupings of 12 on a slide show, rotating each month.
They will be marketed to "place them" with a collector or gallery each month.
I will be attending "in Person" events. Not just for people I know that are in a show, or for my show, but lovingly cultivating an appearance at shows in my home area of DFW. I will also travel further afield, just not monthly or every other month this year, as it scattered some of my efforts.
Sometimes in the life of an emerging artist we learn about the character of people, and sometimes they learn about ours. An artist Co-Op is supposed to be a Cooperation between artists, to run a gallery.
I was blessed to be a part of one for three years, and three months. Until those last few months, I hadn't sensed any discord in my presence. Yet in the last few month, simple things like not being given the normal code for our door on the day I worked, and being left off the work schedule began to appear.
I simply thought this a period of adjustment for a new part time manager, at the gallery, who had called me to introduce herself during "The Paint Kerrville Event", put on by another organization about the time that our prior part time gallery manager at the Co-Op had retired from working there.
However, according to our President for this current term, when I submitted two of my three paintings for our Member Show that runs through Jan. 2023, (our Busy Season of Sales), I did something he believed was unworthy of an artist Co-operative membership.
I wanted to show two paintings that were NFS, (not for sale), along with one from my relatively new children's line,(1 year old children's line). which would be for sale, and which the guidelines state that we can replace with another painting should it sell.
Our guidelines clearly read that we don't allow for NFS paintings to be hung in the gallery. However, I am not just an artist. I am also an art collector. Being an art collector, I had noticed that when I wanted to invest in a painting in our gallery one month, it was listed as NFS, (Not For Sale), which opened the door for me to select such a painting for our member show.
In our prospectus, it stated that our delivery date for paintings for this show must be 28th of October or before, (which was the day prior to the festival coming to town). It was decided by someone to change that date to Oct. 25th.
I called to ensure I had the ability to deliver the paintings prior to whatever the date might be, as the prospectus, still showed the 28th. By calling the weekend prior to the Texas Reporter Festival, and by speaking to the gallery that weekend, and asking to find out from the new manager what date we would be held to, I was put on hold while he checked with her or on some other document.
He returned to the phone and said, it was indeed the 28th.
I could meet that deadline easily, and signed up for the show the next Monday, (the last morning to sign up, and the prospectus still showed the 28th). I was called after that on the 25th and told, I needed to get the paintings into the gallery "this very day".
I was shocked, that after I had checked, they would still be inflexable, and still moved the date forward by three days. So I asked for the code to the door of the gallery, and got to work to prepare them for delivery. I had to ask three seperate times before getting the code, which was given to me only "after Hours". So I drove at night, in the rain, to get them there on time, so they could be hung three days prior to the festival.
I had decided to include one painting, John Leaping For Joy at Mary's Greeting, that was not as young as requested, yet had never been viewed in our gallery. Usually, in our Co-Op, we can show a painting even more than one time in a year, yet this one had never had the right timing to be shown there yet.
So I did disregard the request for work in that painting's instance that was two years old or less, however the spirit of the desire to have new work exhibited was adhered to. Because no one had seen anything except a veiled baby annoucement card with that image, being veiled by an organza gift bag covering each one, the painting was indeed, new to The Gallery. (However, I digress because that wasn't even mentioned as a reason to send me the letter I was surprised to receive).
This painting image (of a baby in the womb at six month old with the Title: John Leaping For Joy...), had been sent to The National Stamp Committee, and Two Presidents of The United States of America, over the last six years or so.
I had been trying to steward the image well. Thinking a day honoring the infant or a month, might be needed, as we had all been one, at one time or another. I had even researched that we had never had a day honoring or a stamp honoring that condition. I believe we have a perponderance of "parent want to be" people that would enjoy loving and raising an infant, as well as some that don't have grandchildren yet, and want to adopt. In fact, my own cousin, adopted a "granddaughter" to raise.
In fact all around us, news of parents trying to concieve infants, and having to turn to medical methods, or other countries to adopt because of a shortage of babies being born has existed in our country. I knew our aging population of baby boomers was a concern, yet hadn't known of all the political news about how it might be solved. I just wanted to honor a condition we each had gone through, and encourage education to young and old, about how to best care for young ones. If a month, could be spared to do so, I wrote one President of The USA, we could divide the education into weeks.
One week to educate about prenatal care of the mother, from conception knowledge to term.
One week to educate about infant to six months out of womb development.
One week to educate about care from six months out of womb to two years old.
One week to educate about how the parents might improve their health months prior to even attempting to concieve, so they increase their chances of having a healthy and happy pregnancy, delivery, and baby. I've had the image since 2011, and was seeking the right place and time to have it have meaning for people.
I never heard back from either president personally, and I even followed up on it with the first one. I believe we have a perponderance of "parent hearted" people, that would enjoy loving and raising an infant, as well as some that don't have grandchildren yet, and want to adopt. In fact, my own cousin, adopted a "granddaughter" to raise.
Now, I did not give this backstory to the gallery. I didn't think there would be a need, as I was not trying to judge or be judged by showing this painting of a six month old leaping for Joy in a womb, nor debate an issue. In fact when painted, it was literally a masterwork, that I was blessed to have been involved with, having it come through my hands to be created, and had meaning personally for me, and was joyous for me that I had been entrusted with that image to steward.
I felt the member show was the right timing for me and people in abundance to see the work, with the festival bringing people in from multiple states. In would be up to a person's own heart and mind, if the painting is even recognized as a baby leaping for joy.
I know this because only parent minded people seem to be able to see it. One person at church, recognized it right away, and then adopted a child. Another, young person, not yet thinking of parenthood at church, couldn't tell what it was a painting of at all. It seems to not be up to me if the painting "speaks to a person's mind or heart", and that is how it is with most paintings, isn't it? An artist Cooperative seemed the best place to display it at this time, as well as Anne Princess Royal Honoring Queen Elizebeth II.
It depicts her mourning her mother Queen Elizabeth II. I explained to our gallery president and our new manager that this was new work from September 2022, both prior to and after my out of town event, (3 days before my event to create a good study, and one day after the event to finish the painting), and more closely shows my current skill level for the year, and that I wanted to display it in the member ribboned show for that reason, yet didn't want to sell it until the mourning period would be officially over.
Now "Officially" in my mind, was longer than the day of or after, and also longer than the country may have declared. Mourning is a personal matter, yet usually takes the heart longer than we give it. A need to "conduct business" or to "keep ourselves busy", is often seen as a therapy. I'd like to see it shown during the mourning period, yet not offer it for sale or placement until after I see if either a museum or The Royal Family in the U.K. would enjoy having it in their collection.
I am not boasting in thinking that the human condition of mourning is an important one to document. Especially realizing through September, that Anne Princess Royal, was born to a Princess that hadn't realized she would be Queen. Anne Princess Royal, with head bowed and eyes closed, seemed to be mourning her mother first, and Queen second.
However, Collectable Mickey, was the only one of the three I sent to the show that was accepted for our member award show. A fourth painting that "was offered for sale", and in fact had a couple that looked at it earlier in the year, and had the female exclaim, "this one, this one!", only to be told by her husband, "Not yet, Not Yet, Not Yet!" was offered to the gallery to display on a wall for sale as a way of generating a commission. If I were blessed enough to have that same couple come in during the fourth quarter, to look for and purchase it. I was not looking for it to be added to our member show, yet to be placed in the gallery to fill the front upper gallery with work, as I wanted "new to the walls" paintings to be in the member show.
I also, in fact offered an extra 5% in commision to our Co-Operative in case "the concern", was to generate as much funds to the gallery as an artist could do with a newer painting. That painting in question was titled: Who Says Where The Light Comes From.
Now, the painting age of the six month baby in the womb painting titled: John Leaping For Joy At Mary's Greeting, was not even given as a reason for my dismissal from the publicly open gallery "that accepts members from novice to Master Painters, without asking questions about their level", (except in the member ribboned show). The reason given, was that I wouldn't price John Leaping For Joy at Mary's Greeting or Anne Princess Royal after being told, "put a price tag on it, if you want it shown". Where else are artists to show those few NFS paintings they create, if not an artist Co-operative?
We are supposed to list if we are professional or intermediate in skill or desire, for the member show, which is, and has always been, a self reported title. It's based on our desired level of competition in the member show, each year. I know this because I have seen professional level artists, list themselves as the lesser label for this ribboned show. It always simply amused me when I saw that. I myself was presenting as proffesional for the third year in a row. Believing my skill would catch up to the level as I painted over the years, (although I'm sure those first two years amused some of the other artists in that show).
I have always labeled myself as professional artist in this show, even when still in the learning stage for various media or subject matter, knowing that my work would gain in consistency over time.
When I refused to put a price tag on either painting, and still requested that they be shown in the member show, even though ribbons and prizes had already been decided, I was told, "No, yet I could hang the painting someone had offered to buy, and was told that I'd need all $900 of the dollars to be donated to the gallery." I then, told the President, "No, yet, I would increase the commision by 5%, as a donation of $45, shoud it sell+ the regular 35% to help run the gallery.
I was also told, instead of working the front tent, as I had been slotted by the new manager, that I was to work the back, and sell $5 paintings placed in a box, that were donated to raise funds. I did sell some, and they were worth, in my opinion, much more than the price I was told to sell them at. I even invested in one myself as a way to improve my conservation skills, as it had a need for cleaning.
So instead of complaining about the last minute change, I accepted my new area to man in the gallery. Being moved from the tent out front, to the classroom area with a quilt show, and a box of donated $5 paintings to be sold. I still set out the paintings I was told I could bring to sell, along with placing a donated item on the wall of the gallery, with permission, (a fabric bag that seemed to fit near the fabric quilts). In addition, I showed the two NFS paintings, side by side in professional art boxes, on the floor as there was no room on the walls.
Later, I was sent a letter which included photos, (covertly taken and amusedly so), of the classroom area where I had placed thoses paintings. These pictures were included along with a letter, saying, I had created, "A Tripping Hazzard" in the walkway and put up an unauthorized mini show after having missed the deadline for the show, which I hadn't missed.
We are not to travel alot through the office, to the classroom or gallery during a festival, as we have work areas there.
There is a capacity to hold 16 people, all social distanced by 6 feet in that classroom space I was moved to for the length of the festival shift. I know this, because I took a seminar there from a master painter in 2020, to see him create his landscapes, and we did all stay social distanced during it.
There were no more than 16 to be sure, at any one time in that gallery during the Festival. Actually way fewer at a time, in fact.
An artist cooperative, is only as cooperative, as the president in charge, at the time, if unscheduled board meetings are to be called to remove an artists' work and membership from the co-operative after three years of faithful service to an artist cooperative.
I believe this was simply a control/power play... and not on my part. I believe the phrase Artist Co-Operative means different things to some people. What do you think it means? As even that very day, I had offered important information to the president about joining in on "Artists' Sunday", something I had sent written communication to him prior to that day, so it was a courtesy follow up of information. Or co-operative information, if you will.... so that the gallery could get more publicity, and the artists might benefit together. It is my third year participating in this event, celebrating the creatives works while celebrating The Creator.
Read More
