Connie Norman

Medium(s) you work in:

My ceramics are made from earthenware clay, white and terra cotta, with low fire glazes.

How would you describe your art?

My ceramic vessels are very decorative. I use my vessels as a vehicle to explore form, glaze and text. I am fascinated by the rhythmic qualities created by color, texture and patterns. Decoration and the act of decorating are essential, because it celebrates and enhances form and speaks purely of aesthetics.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

I love Grant Wood’s, not so much American Gothic, but his landscapes. I love his patterns and how he divides up the space of the canvas. I love how many dots, circles and stripes he uses.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

At this point in my art career I am not really focused on selling my art. If I sell artwork, I’m thrilled. I am trying to get my artwork out there, in galleries and publications. I’ve been constantly reading blogs that help with selling art, which has made me become a regular reader of Art Palaver. I do have several avenues of getting my artwork out there; I do have a Facebook page, my blog and my website. I use these three sites dialog with other artists and people who are interested in my work. I’ve been fortunate enough to sell artwork this way.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

Right now I have very limited time. I work full time as an art teacher of junior high school students, and I have a three year old son, and after all that I try to be a professional artist. I long for the day I can do my art as my full time job and get a full night of sleep.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

I’ve been lucky enough to have several milestones in my art career; I was on the cover for Ceramics Monthly, December 2004. I won a Wyoming Visual Arts Fellowship. I just recently found out that three of my pieces were juried into 500 Vases by Lark books. It will be in stores the fall of 2010.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

My one of my short term goals is to get more comfortable with taking my own images and learning the technology behind it. Images are so important for an artist. I think I should be in control of my own images. But it has been something I have been reluctant to learn. I’m always afraid I’m going to do it wrong. I don’t want to get reject from shows, but especially I don’t want to be rejected because don’t understand the technology.

My Long term goals are to make sure I always make art.

Anything else you would like to share?

This year I was commissioned by Denver International Airport to make 68 pieces for them. My artwork was part of DIA’s efforts to get a Denver – Tokyo nonstop flight, and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Denver’s relationship with their Japanese sister city Takayama. Some of my pieces were given to Mayor John Hickenlooper of Denver and Mayor Mamoru Tsuchino of Takayama, Japan and to the Denver City Council.

Connie’s Website | Facebook | accessCeramics

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Connie Norman | Featured Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Eleatta Diver

Medium(s) you work in:

Acrylic.

How would you describe your art?

I describe my art as visual parables of hope.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

Klimt, Cassatt.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

The last 5 years have provided a shift in seasons for me. After raising our 5 children, opportunity has opened for me to focus on my art career and I am pushing on all fronts in order to absorb all the available instruction possible. I have sold several pieces and have high aspirations of increased sales.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

I am desirous of marketing to commercial clients and am needing to learn the best way to do so.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

Selling one of my larger pieces to a pharmaceutical company in order to raise money for AIDS orphans in Africa was definitely the highlight of the last few years and has also been the motivation to press onward to seek large scale buyers.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

Short term: Successfully complete Durham Dreams, a one year/12 painting project highlighting movers and shakers in the rebuilding of Durham ,NC. Longer term: Using this project to create leverage for my “late blooming” art career.

Anything else you would like to share?

I have developed a unique portrait venue. “Dream Portraits” are painted renderings of individuals dreams, goals, aspirations and ambitions in life. My Durham Dreams project features the “portraits” of selected individuals which are created after interviews obtaining each subject’s dream, favored color palette and artistic style preference.

Eleatta’s Website | Twitter | Facebook

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Eleatta Diver | Featured Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Karen Whitworth

Medium(s) you work in:

Acrylic, Oil.

How would you describe your art?

It is my way of telling a story about the subject. I want the painting to convey how I felt, what I heard and smelled in addition to what I saw. I want the viewer to feel as though they were there standing beside me.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

Maxfield Parrish, his colors are inspiring. The paintings he created using advanced methods for his time, invoke an emotional response.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

It is a joy to sell my work to my collectors. I appreciate the role the gallery plays in the delicate art market but I really enjoy meeting and interacting with the public personally. It is here that I get a feel for what drives, inspires, and encourages them. By having the added connection I feel that selling my work is more fulfilling… More work, yes. But more satisfying.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

Time. Wish I could clone myself to get more done. There just isn’t enough time in a day. It is not uncommon for me to spend 12 hours a day in my studio, either painting, promoting via the web, or preparing work for shows or orders.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

Being able to pursue my art full time has made the biggest difference in my art. May of 2009 I took the step of faith, quitting my job working for a local artist. Knowing that I was meant to paint, I could see no alternative. Not painting was not an option. Even working part time as I was, seemed to hinder my artistic productivity. Since quitting it seems like an insatiable hunger to create is constantly flowing. I hadn’t realized how much creativity was being suppressed by my job.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

This year I am building up my inventory of Hawaiian paintings to be featured in October at a gallery in Kona on the Big Island. If I can keep them from selling. Not sure how to keep that from happening.

Anything else you would like to share?

I have a blog with helpful information for artists. Step-by-step painting tutorials and more.

Karen’s Website | Twitter | Facebook

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Karen Whitworth | Featured Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Aaron Ristau

Medium(s) you work in:

Sculpture.

How would you describe your art?

I have a fascination for creating art that blends nostalgic aesthetics with modern function.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

I am inspired by all of these artisans… Mel Ristau, Jacob Ristau, Andy Aaron, Brian Bosworth, Baron Margo, Luke Blackstone, Bruce Gray, Greg Brotherton, Steve Brundniak, Amelia Caruso, Christopher Conte, Chris Darway, Jimmy Descant, Dr Evermore/ Tom Every, Dan Flavin, Tim Flynn, Rod Ford, Arthur Ganson, Steve Gerberich, Nemo Gould, Tony Greer, Stephane Halleux, Michael Hammond, Arthur Higgins, Andy Hill, Steve Hollinger, I Wei Huang, Theo Jansen, Jim Jenkins, Tom Jennings, Buck Johnston, Erick C. Johnson, Eric Claverie, Maurizio Lamponi Leopardi, Paul Loughridge, La Paso, Mike Libby, Lineaus Lorette, Guy Marsden, Pierre Matter, Ingo Maurer, Jeremy Mayer, Rich Muller, Warren Muller, Richard R. Nagy, Lawrence Northey, Ron Pippin, Allan Rath, Dan Roe, Bruce Rosenbaum, Bjorn Schulke, Ira Sherman, Andrew Smith, Ann Smith, Mark Soppeland, Steve Stackpole, Lewis Tardy, Jud Turner, Todd Tychewicz, Terry Tynan, Michael Ulman, Jake Von Slatt, Dustin Wallace, Thomas Wargin, Roger Wood.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

I make art for myself and others to enjoy. I am flattered when someone purchases my art. The money from sales is a wonderful resource to further my craft.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

Communication and documentation technical hurdles that, when accomplished, will enable a better system for sharing my art with the world not just my immediate community. Oh, and time, money, and only 24 hours in each day.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

Pushing myself as an artist and a person to move forward with the pursuit of my passion and to see all the small steps of success and hard work bare fruit.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

Short term: To do more figurative and caricature sculpture as well as sculptural scientific demonstration concepts. And to work on the communication and documentation technical hurdles. Long Term: To build my fan base.

Anything else you would like to share?

Currently I have work  in the Resurrections ECO-logy & ECO-nomy Show in Boulder Colorado.
And my solo show in the Fort Collins Art Lab opens July 2nd.

Aaron’s Website | Makers Market | Facebook

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Aaron Ristau | Featured Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Artsy Shark interviews Johanna Moore about how emerging artists can better present their work.

Are you human? Check out this artist who uses CAPTCHA as a basis for his street art.

Photographers will find 32 FREE software solutions here.

Ever thought about how nice it would be to see your art on prime time television? That thought is not entirely out of reach now.

What to be more creative? Ignore everybody.

What do you do with a degree in fine art?

And what does happen to $100 Millions dollars of artwork when it is stolen?

Sports and art do sometimes go together.

Never forget to keep creating.

Sunday Reading | Art News And Articles From Around The Web is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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HR Giger is probably best known for his creature which was brought to life in the franchise of Alien films. But for almost 50 years Giger has been producing artwork and has established himself as one of the word’s best Fantastic Realism artists.

Born in 1940 in Chur Switzerland he know resides in Zurich Switzerland. But JustSayGo‘s television host and travel journalist Ron Stern caught up with Giger at his bar in Gruyeres Switzerland. The artist is not known for giving many interviews, especially on camera, which is what makes the exclusive interview so special.

Ron was also able to talk to Giger’s wife Carmen Maria Giger who mentions having a poster of Giger’s work when she was 17 but had no idea who the artist was.

He is an artist that has had a career most artists would envy. Early in his career he set himself apart by using a freehand airbrush technique to develop his own unique and now well known style.

In 1977 he published the book Necronomicon which is what was the visual inspiration for director Ridley Scott’s film Alien. The director commissioned HR Giger to design the film’s title character as well as the film’s alien environment. These designs earned Giger an Oscar in 1980 for Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Giger’s work also had an influence on rock n roll. His work graced the cover of many notable musicians such as Debbie Harry, Danzig, and Celtic Frost, just to name a few. His most well known though is probably Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s 1973 album Brain Salad Surgery. Sadly the original art work from that double cover was recently stolen and is still missing.

Today HR Giger’s work can be found through out Europe. You can find more information about HR Giger, his work, and where it is currently on display at his website.

Rare HR Giger Video Interview is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Medium(s) you work in:

Beads . Paper . Paint . Clay. Computer . Yarn/Fabric . Collage . Written Word.

How would you describe your art?

I believe my art ranges from specifically precise to up-for-interpretation amorphous. Often I want my pieces to have perfect symmetry and structure. Other times, I prefer exploring the emotion, color relationships, and textures in a project.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

I am more inspired by concepts, form, emotion and symbolism. I am probably most impressed with the work of unnamed artists that I see day to day.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

Selling art is vital. I wish more people wanted artfully made items. I believe life would exude more joy and accomplishment if people incorporated more art in their lives. People who do not enjoy creating art can definitely appreciate fine craftsmanship and get joy in art that speaks to them. Art can be in anything, be it a unique hexagonal home design, painting of a flying squirrel, or a collage of herbs. I find it tragic how ‘big box store’ purchased items have erased the passing on of artful and valuable heirlooms.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

Distractions . Space . Funds . Tools . Medication . Space Again

Distractions ~ You know, like getting hungry. Cleaning up. TV. I am not a lover of these.

Space ~ Working on several projects at once is my favorite thing to do. I like to let one piece’s glue dry while I paint another work, then when it is drying, sand some metal for another project and so forth. I like to ‘make the art rounds’. The keeps all the projects exciting. Sanding metal also gives me the chance to contemplate my next move with the painting… painting gives me the chance to work out the logistics of fitting the metals together aesthetically.

Funds ~ I’m particular about what goes into an artwork, therefore most pieces are expensive to create.

Tools ~ Silk screening… glass cutting… wood working… spacious work area… all these would be so extraordinary to have!

Medication ~ My medication for schizophrenia is a creativity cloud. Therefore, I find different methods of working through and clearing away this fogginess. This is very difficult work, more difficult than the art. I am naturally inclined to art but I must harness this so I do not have my imagination and creativity backfire on me.

Space Again ~ Oh, where does one safely store both in-process and finished projects!?

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

Writing award winning short stories . Creating themed-art project packs for young children . Faith Marks featured in art shops . Successful custom home decor projects . Increased abilities in painting technique . Creative dramatics learning techniques.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

I will forever desire to increase my proficiency and connect with people more in what I create. Explaining concepts, symbolic representation and beautifying the form of everyday things are ongoing goals in my art.

Anything else you would like to share?

During my college years, I was determined to define a cohesive, universal, interdisciplinary summary of all. Determined to collect and analyze data and show how everything intertwines. How everything depends upon and reacts to everything else.

Physics, a beautiful dance. Dance, a repertoire of flowing sciences. We interpret these interactions. We feel relationships. Within boundaries, we puppeteer our business medium, our medical medium, our electrical medium. But these things puppeteer us, as their laws and restraints are strings upon us.

Today I collage the arts instead of collaging every area of study imaginable. I find that proves less maddening and has a greater chance of success.

Rhiannon’s Website | Etsy Shop | Ning Page | Twitter

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Rhiannon Strickler | Featured Art Palaver Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Oil painter

How would you describe your art?

I try to keep my paintings simple to allow the viewer to slow down and look deeper and feel the nurturing and healing rhythm of the universe. Lately, the animals I paint look directly at the viewer, inviting a conversation or perhaps just an acknowledgment of our commonalities. Using thin washes of transparent color, I let the oil paint drip and mix, sometimes using rags to blend, sometimes adding thick, juicy brushwork – depending on the personality of the animal I paint.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

I’m inspired by both Franz Marc and Marc Chagall for their use of color and imagination. I like the work of Sarah Rogers – her bold color and loose, semi abstract wildlife paintings resonate with me. Locally, I am inspired by the fauvist colors and great design work in Bob Coonts’ paintings.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

To me selling art is about building relationships. To do that you have to engage in conversations – which is why I have totally embraced social media. It is said that the internet has changed how we purchase art – for better or worse. I agree that the internet has opened up new avenues for art appreciation, and certainly I make sales via my website/Facebook – but it is not merely because I’ve put the work out there. I work hard at starting conversations about art – and nurturing relationships through social media, newsletters and attending art events.

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

Time. I am not yet in a position to pursue painting full time, so I am constantly juggling my “day job” – which, thankfully, is with a great company involved in the arts – with my painting time, marketing my work and family time.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

This is a hard question – sometimes seemingly inconsequential or non-related events are what eventually leads to success. I think for me a turning point was when I finally figured out what I wanted to “say” with my art – and had the confidence to say it! Being juried into the Women Artists of the West (www.waow.org) group last Fall was a major accomplishment.

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

My short term goals are to complete a major body of work and continue honing my skills artistically. Long term I would like to be a position where I am in a few major galleries and supporting myself entirely with my art.

Anything else you would like to share?

I was juried into my first WAOW show this Spring – the show opens June 4 at the Weighorst Museum in El Cajon, CA. I was also commissioned to create four original paintings and over 100 reproductions for an upscale hotel project in Vail, Colorado. I used to be impatient to be a full-time artist – now I understand that this is my journey, and all things happen as they should when they should. I just need to remind myself to trust the process.

Kate can also be found on the Art for Conservation website, Twitter, and CafePress.

Kate Dardine | Featured Art Palaver Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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Helene is from Northcliffe Australia.

Website | RedBubble | LinkedIn

How would you describe your art?

I’m a fractal artist, working primarily with digital media to explore the interplay of form, energy and light. My work is energy art, created to make the energy matrix which surrounds us visible to the human eye, and increase our sense of connection with each other and the natural world around us. To do this I use texture, colour and pattern as a way of breaking down our sense of identity with intellect and form, and reconnecting us to the sacred whole to which we all belong.

What artist(s) living or dead inspire you? Why?

I’m a big fan of the impressionists, Monet in particular, because I see their work as a precursor to the energy art movement. The impressionists painted light and we paint energy – in essence they are the same thing, spirit made visible, so I feel an affinity with them. I’m also inspired by Susan Seddon Boulet’s visionary art, which features shamanic figures morphing into animals . These works set my imagination soaring and are a reminder to me that everything is one thing, and that one thing is energy.

What are your thoughts on selling art?

I don’t have too many thoughts about selling art. That’s why I subscribe to Art Palaver!

What is the biggest challenge you are currently facing as an artist?

I’ve been selling my work online at Redbubble for a few years now as cards, calendars, posters and small prints. My challenge at the moment is to get my work into local and international galleries as limited edition canvas prints.

What has been the biggest victory or success in your art career?

I was in my first international exhibition in January when two of my artworks, Enchanted forest and Web of Life, appeared at the Energy Art Salon at the Murphy Hill Gallery in Chicago. Definitely a moment to remember!

What are your short term artistic goals? And what are your long term goals?

Short term I’d like to put more of my work into the local galleries and group exhibitions. I’m also focusing on entering more international competitions and building my CV. Long term I’d love to have a solo exhibition, and to eventually make a living from my art.

Anything else you’d like to mention?

I self published my first art book in November 2009 at Blurb. You can take a look at it here.

Be sure to check out Helene’s site at www.helenekippert.com

Art Palaver begins each week by featuring a different artist. Would you like to be featured? Read the details then Drop me a line.

Helene Kippert | Featured Artist is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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That is why I am offering free weekly webinars that teach various topics on how artists can sell more art both online and offline. This video is the first in the 120 second format. I still have to practice a bit with the limited time frame but I am committed to sticking with one take no matter how it turns out. What would you like to see in an Art Palaver video? Interviews with artists? Featured galleries? How to’s? More featured artists? Let me know, that is why we have a comment section.

In this video I introduce you to the “A to Z of Awesomeness” which is a project from artist Neill Cameron. Head over to http://www.neillcameron.com/A_to_Z.html to read all about it. So take 120 seconds out of your life to check out the video:

I should also mention that you can buy prints of Mr. Cameron’s awesomeness right here. All profits from the sale of this second printing will be donated to SSNAP (Support for the Sick Newborn And their Parents), a charity which supports the Intensive Special Care Nurseries (Neonatal Unit) at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

I also talk more about the Art Palaver free webinars which I had begun to offer. If you are not familiar with webinars this is a good chance to try them out. The technology allows me to share my screen with you so that I can share slides and demonstrate sites and tools live. You can also interact via a question form that lets you ask a question anytime. I am really excited about the potential that this format offers for learning and community building.

I am always seeking feedback on what information you would like to hear about. And let me know if there is anyone out there you would like to see as a panelist for a webinar. Or maybe you have something to teach? Let me know.

As always….

Live to Create!

A to Z of Awesomeness and Free Webinars | AP120S 001 is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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What do you think?

Is it art?

Is it crime?

Personally I think yes and sometimes. And I must admit the quality of said graffiti can have an effect on my opinion. When I am painting over bad graffiti on the side of the building I manage I can be pretty grumpy. But when the train passes by there can be some pretty amazing graffiti on the side of those ugly drab cars. Some very creative work with layers and depth. Work that is a lot more interesting than ads on the side of buses. I can’t help but ponder who painted it and under what conditions.

I don’t think I know any graffiti artists. But I bet if I did I would have a better understanding and probably a little more appreciation for graffiti. Enter the new movie Bomb It!.

BOMB IT is the explosive new documentary from award-winning director Jon Reiss investigating the most subversive and controversial art form currently shaping international youth culture: graffiti.

Through interviews and guerilla footage of graffiti writers in action on 5 continents, BOMB IT tells the story of graffiti from its origins in prehistoric cave paintings thru its notorious explosion in New York City during the 70′s and 80′s, then follows the flames as they paint the globe. Featuring old school legends and current favorites such as Taki 183, Cornbread, Stay High 149, T-Kid, Cope 2, Zephyr, Revs, Os Gemeos, KET, Chino, Shepard Fairey, Revok, and Mear One. This cutting edge documentary tracks down today’s most innovative and pervasive street artists as they battle for control over the urban visual landscape. You’ll never look at public space the same way again.

BOMB IT has shot in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tijuana, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, Berlin, Cape Town, São Paulo, and Tokyo.

That blurb was taken from the movie’s web site which you can find here. The site also lists the artists interviewed and there are too many names to count. I would venture a guess that it is close to a 100 or more. They all have names cooler than yours and many even have links to personal web sites.

The movie looks interesting to me because it would allow me to gain some knowledge on an art form that I am pretty ignorant on. And as you know I am a sucker for artists being interviewed. I may just have to set aside $29.95 and buy it because I doubt I am going to find it at my local Redbox. If your interested you can buy it here.

Bomb It! A Graffiti Movie is a post from: Art Palaver The Artist Marketing Resource.

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