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Just wondering how many of you dabble in fine art painting or different types of artwork. I know there's a couple of you, such as Bill and Jane, but how many others. I've recently decided to pursue painting on a more serious level, and plan to do more Plein Air painting this year. I just find it so relaxing to get outside and not worry about meeting someone's deadline. Maybe some of you would like to post some of your work, and let us see your creative side (not to say that sign making isn't creative.) I recently started a blog for my painting to separate my commercial work from my painting. http://www.rickjanzen.blogspot.com/. I also enrolled in a 3 day workshop with a well know painter named Mike Svob, who does beautiful work. The best way to learn is to get out and see other ways of doing things. You can check out his some of his work at: http://www.mikesvob.com
[ March 08, 2012, 10:16 AM: Message edited by: Rick Janzen ]
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Joe, to funny, made my day...hey Rick, I do Art work on the side and have sold a number of commissoned and non-commissioned works over the years and have some commissions stuff on the go right (with the no rush attitude) now and your right it is relaxing to say the least....Pat
PS: Some pretty nice work there Rick, and Mike's work is awesome too.
[ March 08, 2012, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: Pat Welter ]
-------------------- Pat Welter Masterhand Signs and Designs Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada Posts: 1304 | From: Unity, Saskatchewan.Canada | Registered: May 1999
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[ March 08, 2012, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Me too, Isn't this a funny and fun kind of business!
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Me too, too. Oil & Pastel. I'm entering a few pieces in the Pastel Society of the West Coast annual show this week (wish me luck). I'm also taking a couple of painting workshops at Knowlton Gallery in Lodi, CA this year from Gil Dellinger http://gildellinger.com/ and Kim Lordier http://kimfancherlordier.com/. I'm getting more serious about trying to make a living from fine art someday. It's hard work.
I like Mikes painting. The Lordier workshop is plein air. It really forces you to work on your drawing skills. Can't look at your blog site here at the office because of the web filter, but I'll look when I get home. Paint on Brother!
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I'm kind of on the flip side of this question in that I have done "fine art" or easel paintings for years with lots of plein air work and have dabbled in hand lettering on the side.Painting and frame making have been my source of income and livelyhood for almost 30 years now. Unfortunately I started to get into lettering and traditional signmaking just about the time computers and vinyl took over. Since then I have still "dabbled" in hand lettering, even going so far as to try my hand at gold on glass. I have gilded picture frames for years and figured that gilding on glass would be another art form. I've struck up a relationship with John Studden and Noel Weber and the bug has bitten me. While the economy was slow, I had more time to "dabble" but the last 6 or 7 months things have been pretty steady in my business although I have still managed to letter a few signs. Seems I've been busy making a living doing what I do. I fully enjoy what you folks are doing however and plan to keep my fingers in it as I really enjoy the work. Creativity takes many forms.
-------------------- Mike Simpson Simpson Studios 324 E. Main St., montrose, CO 81401 970-249-1098 www.mikesimpsonart.com Posts: 30 | From: Montrose, Colorado | Registered: Aug 2011
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-------------------- Frank Smith Frank Smith Signs Albany, NY www.franksmithsigns.com Posts: 807 | From: Albany, NY USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Thanks everyone for the comments. Mike, great paintings on your site. And Frank, you have some really interesting art, love what you did with the keys. Brent, the workshops look like they'll be a lot of fun, pretty high caliber stuff. Maybe we could get some others to post their work. It's always nice to see other people do. Maybe Pat, you would be willing to give us a peek at some of your stuff. OP, I tried to look you up on facebook, didn't have any luck.
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I do small watercolors mostly from imagination. My imagination can get pretty out there. I am in shows from time to time but prefer not to sell the watercolors. For some older things...
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I have produced around 900 paintings to date and have sold 551. Went to KU in Painting and Drawing, BFA, '73. Been in many galleries in the US and even had a Solo show in NYC. Owned a big gallery in downtown Santa Fe ten years ago and really got to see what the art business is really about. Lots of smoke and mirrors.
The best part was running into one of my small 8x10" landscapes at a flea market priced at $10! Obviously, somone wanted to move it along.
I opened a small sign shop with a buddy from art school in the late 70s in Lawrence, KS. We grew very quickly and after three years, I sold out to him and went back to restoring vintage cars. After he sold it, they grew into a huge shop with 40 employees, then they blew some big deal and went belly up, I heard. Oh well. At least I learned how to lick letter with one shot from it.
Then 23 years ago, I was the GM of a large Chevy store and could not find anyone to paint our showroom windows. Came to work in jeans one day and I am still slinging paint on windows. Still paint landscapes and car paintings. No vinyl cutter and I am a dinosaur being able to still hand letter. Would prefer to just paint landscapes, but making the mortgage is easier with splash art, than oil paintings.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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When I get time I like to paint. Mostly drag racing stuff, as it was what I did back in the day. Garlits had prints made of this which he sold in his gift shop. ( never got all of my commission ) But that's another story!
-------------------- Tom Rose 1938 Model Sign Dude T.Rose Signs Whitehall,PA Posts: 327 | From: Whitehall,PA,USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Another reason I never do gyclees! Stick with originals and at least when you get ripped off, you can feel really angered. I had a gallery in NYC try to bilk me out of $2000 on one piece, claiming it was 'lost'. The buyer actually contacted me off of my website and was shocked the gallery had malfeased the deal. Had to get the New York City Art Unit of the City Attorney's Office involved, but got the check pronto. That is one great thing about selling work in NYC and the first inkling I had to develop ArtOwnership.com.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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Brent, I worked in pastels for quite a while --sold a lot of portraits and figures mainly. They're great to work with but the trouble is you have to frame under glass anything you want to keep, otherwise it will be a mess in a few years. You cant fixative them without ruining them. That said, I think the best way to learn pastels is to look closely at the technique of Manet and Degas. Manet especially, had it down to the real essentials.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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Mike, Some of your paintings are really first rate. I especially like Ceramica Para Venta, Commute From Coyote Wells, and the Winter Fun Xmas Card. I also like the way you include some technical details about the materials. I think you and I have somewhat similar ideas about that sort of thing. I usually paste a lot of info on the back of a picture. I like to frame my own pics when I can, but I'm strictly an amateur at that so far. Since I'm not doing art as a business and dont have a business license currently, I cant order frame lengths or chops from people like Larson-Juhl. Do you know a way I could get around the problem? BTW I'm in San Francisco.
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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Dennis, pastels are great and easier than oils to work on at night and weekends if you have a full time job. I love Degas. The con is the framing part. It's very costly if done properly. I need to find a way to do it myself as well.
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There sure is some nice stuff being posted. Good to see the creative side of people. I agree about the framing being expensive, I've started making my own. I just picked up a book that has some great information on building your own frames. Most of you probably have the tools required. I also buy lengths of frame moldings from a wholesale suppler.
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Whoa! I got mixed up about the reason Larson-Juhl wdnt sell to me -- it was because I didnt belong to the big professional framers association. They said they sold "to the trade" only, and not to amateur do-it-yourselfers.
(The stuff about the business license had to do with sales tax, duh.)
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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Dennis...there are a number of moulding and picture framing suppliers out there that will sell to you if you have a resale license. Larson Juhl requires that you have a store front. Foster Planing Mill in L.A. doesn't care if you are working out of your basement. They have a pretty good selection of raw mouldings if you like to finish your own wood. I use them.
Rick...it's just a matter of having the right tools, like anything else. Looking at your work I can't imagine you having any trouble building a picture frame.
There is a trade magazine called "Picture Framing Magazine" that is a great resource for information. Google them and you can get subscription info.
[ March 12, 2012, 09:04 AM: Message edited by: Mike Simpson ]
-------------------- Mike Simpson Simpson Studios 324 E. Main St., montrose, CO 81401 970-249-1098 www.mikesimpsonart.com Posts: 30 | From: Montrose, Colorado | Registered: Aug 2011
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Hey Rick, You might want to try www.classicgalleryframing.com in Kelowna they sell wholesale premade frames to galleries and artists, both. My wife and I set up our own gallery out of our home 3 years ago so we could showcase our own artwork. Cheers-Cal
Posts: 97 | From: Summerland BC | Registered: Mar 2009
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I know there are a lot more good artists that frequent Letterville than are actually showing up on this post. I'm looking so forward to getting my shop moved out of my studio (almost there!) and being able to set the studio up for fine arts exclusively. Once that happens I'm hoping to adopt a daily painting routine for a period of time to brush up on my skills and develop more of a sense of identity. I know that's something that will only develop with regular practice, so if I want it I'm going to have to earn it! Dreams are happening.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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Lupus has been kicking me hard (cognitive dysfunction is what they call it, it is debilitating & frightening), but I will not go down without a fight. I am learning to pace myself with my signs instead of frantically trying to get them done as soon as possible. Hand lettering is a blessing, relaxing, I am preparing to do a 4'x6' this coming week.
On weekends while I am in the cabin or the woods, I am doing pen & inks of trees, sketching the bark, plants, etc. I have been combining colored pencil with pen & ink, & now, messing with watercolors, which I have not touched since high school.
I am afraid to try the glass gilding again just yet. I have all my gold & notes set aside in a special place, but too afraid to mess things up, the way I have been functioning. I am kind of psyching myself up to do another panel...maybe soon.
Found a watercolor book, book on drawing trees, & a Smoker's Art($5!)book all at a junk store!
-------------------- The Word in Signs Bobbie Rochow Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-6471
thewordinsigns@alltel.net Posts: 3485 | From: Jamestown, PA 16134 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Mike, how did you learn to do framing? Especially the finishing. Is there a particular book that wd be good to learn from?
-------------------- dennis kiernan independent artist san francisco, calif, usa Posts: 907 | From: san francisco, ca usa | Registered: Feb 2010
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Dennis, I learned the basics of framing from another framer when I worked in his shop. Beyond that, there is the West Coast Art and Frame Show in Las Vegas every January. They have all kinds of classes as well as a trade show of suppliers. I specifically learned how to gild frames from Marty Horowitz who is a premier gilder in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He also teaches a series of classes in Las Vegas during that trade show I mentioned above. A book he wrote on the matter is "An Introduction to Water Gilding". You can probably google it to come up with where you can buy a copy. My experience with gilding frames has led me to try my hand at gilding on glass which I find to be a beautiful art form, not only in the gilding of letters but also backgrounds. As with every artist, the finishes and patinas you develope for your frames will be different and unique to you.
-------------------- Mike Simpson Simpson Studios 324 E. Main St., montrose, CO 81401 970-249-1098 www.mikesimpsonart.com Posts: 30 | From: Montrose, Colorado | Registered: Aug 2011
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quote:Originally posted by Bobbie Rochow: Lupus has been kicking me hard (cognitive dysfunction is what they call it, it is debilitating & frightening), but I will not go down without a fight. I am learning to pace myself with my signs instead of frantically trying to get them done as soon as possible. Hand lettering is a blessing, relaxing, I am preparing to do a 4'x6' this coming week.
On weekends while I am in the cabin or the woods, I am doing pen & inks of trees, sketching the bark, plants, etc. I have been combining colored pencil with pen & ink, & now, messing with watercolors, which I have not touched since high school.
I am afraid to try the glass gilding again just yet. I have all my gold & notes set aside in a special place, but too afraid to mess things up, the way I have been functioning. I am kind of psyching myself up to do another panel...maybe soon.
Found a watercolor book, book on drawing trees, & a Smoker's Art($5!)book all at a junk store!
Looks like you found a good way to deal with it. Sounds Walden like.
-------------------- Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Posts: 2785 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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