Backlit Watermelons - 10" X 20" Colored Pencil On Ampersand Pastelboard
My last studio piece for 2014, is finally photographed and on my website. The only thing that says December about it is the red and green subject matter. This is the seventh piece in my Backlit Series and is currently waiting for my show in April "Artful Healing" a fundraiser that benefits the World Pediatric Project. The funny thing is I was temped to make holiday cards out of it! LOL
Instead I photographed my new puppy "Bacio" in his holiday get up. He's sort of become my new studio pal. As he learns his studio manners I'm learning to lighten up a little and have a bit more fun. Who can resist that face!
As 2014 sinks into the sunset I have a few other plein air pieces yet to scan or photo so a few more pieces are yet to come from 2014. And while I'm anxious to start my new studio piece there is always so much art business to catch up on. Do you get bogged down with the business side of art? An artist is just like many sole proprietors, there is always so much marketing and office stuff to do than the creation side of the business we all love.
Before the year ended I made my LIST OF GOALS FOR 2015, and try as I might to keep it concise, it's a long list. I think setting goals for your art business is the best way to stay on track as the year progresses. Although my tendency when I review my list from the previous year, if for my eye to go straight to the things I didn't get done, I'm always pleased when I get to check off the items I did get done. I do this the old fashioned way, writing it down in a notebook/journal. I know it is the visual side of me that likes keeping the lists manually instead of digitally. How about you?
Top on the Goals List is to say "no" to some of the art volunteer work I do. And I am ahead of that item. This leads straight to the the top line item on my list which is to complete more work in 2015, monthly. My goal in 2014 was to work out a system and increase my speed in plein air work with colored pencil. And this was the main reason I completed a higher number of works last year.
While smaller than my studio work, the plein air pieces have helped my work in so many ways. Observation and actually seeing is so much more hightened when working en plein air. And this comes into play even when I am photographing a still life for a studio piece. As time frees up this year I plan on completing more sketches of my setup for each new still life work while things are still fresh.
Colored pencil painting's slow process of many, many layers hinders the ability to keep things fresh long enough to complete a larger studio piece entirely. But color studies and sketches can help your minds eye remember, as it sort of writes itself into ones memory as you sketch.
Of course my blog entries were on my list of Goals for 2015, I have hopes to create a video and some demos for the blog this year as well as post more frequently. So please if your reading my blog leave a comment, ask a question, or just plain let me know what you want to see. I'd like to make this a meatier place to find colored pencil information.
What are your goals for 2015?
Gloria Callahan
