Blog

Lee and I went to Monterey along with Kevin and Wanda MacPhearson, after they had spent the weekend here with us. MuShu, their sweet puppy, was darling and loved being here, too. The convention was inspiring and exhausting at times. Kevin did a great job of the keynote address, and John Burton and Daniel Gerhart did fabulous demos. I also got to know Jean Perry pretty well. Wish I'd met her years ago...she's a kindred spirit! It was delightful to meet up with lots of painting buddies from Facebook and former workshops I've attended.

I painted this 9x12 of Carmel Beach Dunes one evening after class. A couple came up to me as I was finishing it and said they'd looked at all the other artists on the beach, about 50, and mine was the best! I gave her a hug and kiss. They said they wanted to buy it, which paid for the convention. She also emailed today and wants to come to my studio with her husband to see other paintings as well.

After listening to Eric Rhodes' talks on marketing, I still think my best way to sell paintings is to meet people one on one, especially while out painting. I did a 16x20 at Pacific Grove yesterday, and a family from Bakersfield wants to buy that one too. I also was stopped by two couples eating at Rio Grill over the weekend, and they looked at my images I'd just painted, and want me to come to their homes to paint their views in Carmel and Pebble Beach, and maybe even take the wives out to start to learn to paint. Sounded like lots of fun!

Kevin also said if I publish a coffee table type art book with my images and some verses and quotes, it would be money much better spent than on advertising. He said I can give those away as gifts and to potential collectors, and because it's such a nice gift book, they will keep it and remember me, for sure. I like that idea better than trying to continue advertising nationally at several thousand dollars a page.