The Road To Somewhere

Wild Horses
12" x 14" Oil On Canvas -Sold

Yesterday the lovely wife Shelly asked me if I ever imagined in just one and a half years I would have come this far as a fine artist. I wondered what she meant by that, I do not see myself any different than I did a year ago. I asked her to clarify and she said you are respected by other artist and you have collectors. To me that is really no different as when I was a marketing manager, my campaigns were successful the sales were increasing the phones were ringing these are the things a marketing manager is measured by.

As a new fine artist my sales are good, I am being accepted to high end juried shows, I am gaining avenues to sell my work. The reason theses things are going well for me is because I am passionate about what I am doing. For 20 years I was passionate about being a commercial artist. That passion never died it was just replaced with this new passion.

I have always believed if you have passion for what you do then you will always be successful. I have only begun this new journey as a fine artist. I predict it will be similar to my career as a graphic designer. I will start out good then increase as time and skill progress. Those of you who have purchased my work in the beginning will see it increase in value as I increase in value as an artist.

Time to go apply paint to canvas....

-mike

Show season starts!!!

"Side Line Spectator"
11" x 14" Oil On Hardwood $150

The show season starts for me tomorrow and I am so glad. Even though I have enjoyed the time off I miss the income. I have 10 shows in a row possibly 11 if I get chosen for the Memphis show right now I am on the wait list. This drives Shelly the planner crazy. She wants to plan our vacation but we have to know if I am going to be in the Memphis show or not.

I tried two shows in August which were complete waste of time and money. A fine artist can not compete with the buy sell crap out there. When a vendor across from you is selling sheets for $19.99 and the wierdo next to you is selling hand knit children's sweaters for $10.00 from Equador how can I compete. I always read the fine print and make sure it says no buy and sell. I guess I was desperate for a show and missed the line that said garage sale and crap welcome.

Well this weekend looks like good weather and I have a three day show in Marietta, Fine arts on the square. Key word being Fine Art, last time I checked corn on a stick and funnel cakes don't qualify for fine art. I am not sure if they have that stuff at Marietta or not but I hope not.

If I was smart then I would be a cardiologist and have a booth right next to the fried food section. I would sign up customers for when they eventually have a heart attack from clogged arteries. But I was not born smart just creative with only one talent. (no it is not my writing skills).

Time to go put paint on canvas

-mike

Seeing the world through as a creative mind

"Baby Got Back"
20" x 20" Oil On Canvas - Sold

For 5 years I coached wheelchair basketball for two different leagues. Ironically I had most of the same athletes in different leagues. With both leagues we had extra basketball wheelchairs so I could get in a chair as the coach and show various plays we would practice. During the time I coached I was also working as a Marketing Manager for a health care company which sold medical products to individuals with Spinal Cord Injuries. Many of the people I worked with and became friends with were in wheelchairs.

When I would practice with the athletes on the basketball court I began to realize their view of the world was much different than most other people. When I would speak with adults from sitting in the wheelchair my eyes were at their crotch level. When they would turn to walk away then my eyes would be at their butt level. I am not saying this was a vantage point for me or that I enjoyed being eye to crotch with someone.

Five years later I am now a professional fine artist, but I have always seen the world through a creative vision. Different than non creative people see the world, my view is visual I do not know the names of streets just landmarks to follow.

The world is a competitive place no matter what you do. As an artist I have to compete with other artist to be different to make my work stand out so it will be different. I thought for a long time and I recalled the view I would see from a wheelchair. So I started my series of butt paintings. So far they have been very popular and I have sold a lot of different butt paintings.

The painting in this blog sold in April the first time I had taken it to a show. I have more on my website and I am working on some various others. Artist see the world through a creative vision, I express my vision through paint on canvas. When you buy my work you have purchased just one image of how I view the world.

Time for me to go put some paint on canvas...

-mike

searching for a signal

Wild Mustangs
16" x 20" Oil On Canvas

This morning I was eating my breakfast and I heard the tornado sirens wailing in my neighborhood. So I turned on the tv to get the weather, and naturally when the weather is bad the satellite goes out. It says searching for a signal... So if I want to get the weather I have to go to my computer down stairs which is connected via cable. That way at least I am safe in the basement if a tornado does actually hit our home on the hill in the ridge.

Often times this is the case when people come into my booth during an art festival. Many of the people who come in look as if they are searching for a signal in life. A signal that tells them it is ok to buy an original painting. No this is not Wal Mart and yes I made all these paintings by myself. In the course of one day I can be asked maybe 25-50 times "did you make all of these by yourself"? I feel like saying... Did you dress yourself? Can you feed yourself? Are you searching for a signal in life?

Actually we artist have a team of elves that paint for us and we just sit around and take orders from good children. If you are an adult and you attend an art festival do yourself a favor and don't ask the artist if he or she made all this by themselves. If you do then you just might be searching for a signal too.

-mike

You win some and you loose some...

"Wild Oats"
9" x 12" Oil on Hardwood

The show this is past weekend was the second to biggest loosing show I have done yet. 55,000 people attended and I probably had 20,000 come into my booth and not buy a thing. Well I was not the only one loosing other people around me were not making any sales either. Oh well that is life sometimes you win and sometimes you loose. I told Shelly this business is like gambling, what keeps gamblers coming back to the table? Loosing, the only reason gamblers come back to the table is to win back what they lost.

I am not a gambler and I never have been or ever will. This business is what I love and fuels my passion. I am not doing shows to gain back what I lost I am attending shows to sell my art and gain collectors. I love attending shows and discussing my art. Shows are the starting point for my new career as a fine artist. I have tried galleries and I will seek galleries in the future. Shows offer me the chance to sell myself as an artist and I love to discuss my art and meet the collectors in person.

I lost money in this past show but I gained experience and a million compliments on my work. Compliments keep me positive and tell me that I must be doing something right. Sales pay the bills and allow me to keep doing what I love. Sometimes you just can't have your cake and eat it too.

When I graduated from art school someone told me do what you love and money will follow. Well it worked when I was a Graphic Designer. My first job was as an Illustrator for the Fish and Wildlife Service and I made $6.00 per hour. When I left after a year I landed a job in a very competitive field at Seewald (see earlier post) I negotiated for more money so I received a salary of $6.25 an hour. Well after 20 years my career progressed to higher salaries as well as I grew as a designer.

The same will hold true for this career, I will grow as a fine artist and my work will gain in value. Those who buy now will see their art investments increase in value and I will see my sales increase. So no matter what you do in life to make a living follow your heart and fuel your passion. No matter what you choose to do be the very best you can be and make sure you are happy doing it. Money will follow I promise that is one thing I know for sure.

-Mike

Wind

"Ride The Wind"
11" x 14" Oil On Canvas
$175.00

Wind, sailors love it and artist who show in juried art festivals hate it. I am torn because I am both well at least for now I am an art show artist for now and in the future I will be both full time. Shelly and I plan and dream about our future more planning and less dreaming. There are many reasons Shelly and I are soul mates but one of the many things we have in common is we both work to make our dreams come true.

So many people just dream but never get past just dreaming. I have always been one who dreams and works hard to make his dreams come true. Every goal I have set for myself in life I have made come true. The reason my dreams come true are a combination of luck, talent, and risks.

Shelly and I have a Ten year plan which is very different than the average persons. We are planning on leaving the conventional life of the rat race and set sail. I mean on a sailboat. We are planning on selling our houses building our cabin on the land we have in Jasper and buying a sailboat to base out of Savannah. I will still be on the art circuit except I will be arriving to shows via our sailboat which we will be living on.

I will ship my art and booth via freight to the shows. Once we do this for a few years we will be comfortable on the boat then we set sail around the world. What a life! Painting and sailing to foreign ports. Eventually we will come home sell the boat and think of the next adventure.

Many people wonder how I could quit the corporate world for a career as a fine artist. My only answer I am living my dream!

-Mike

Seeing Elvis Through Rose Colored Glasses

"Seeing Elvis Through Rose Colored Glasses"
9" x 12" Oil On Hardwood
$125.00

Nashville, TN is where I was born and raised and it was a great place to grow up. When I was in High School I began to want out of the city of Nashville. I am not really sure why I just wanted to live somewhere else. So when I turned 18 and graduated from High School I moved to Atlanta to attend the Art Institute of Atlanta. I fell in love with the city of Atlanta and I still do love it here. Actually I have lived in Atlanta longer than I lived in Nashville so I consider this to be home. In my heart I am a Tennessee man I love the Mtns of the Appalachians along with the people .

I have always been fascinated with the tourist that flock to Nashville and the street musicians that sit on the side walk and play. When I was in Nashville a month or so ago in between shows Chris my son and I went downtown to shot some pictures of the tourist and street musicians.
We came across a lady and her mother posing with a statue of Elvis. I took this photo of them just to paint.

The painting in this blog is from that photo, and I am really proud of it. The challenge was to make Elvis look like a plastic statue while utilizing my style in the people. I love painting pictures of everyday people out on the streets of America. The painting is available on my website.

-Mike

"seeking a crew"
11" X 14" oil on linen board
$175.00

Any one who knows me is aware that I must have been born with water in my veins. By far my favorite hobbies have always involved the outdoors and water. I was never much of a conventional sports guy. I do not like all the popular sports like football, baseball, golf etc.
I guess I am more of a solo sport type of guy although I do like to be with a group of friends who all share the same love or passion as I do.

Since I was about 13 I have been whitewater kayaking and for the past couple of years I have lost touch with the sport. The main reason is loosing touch with friends who also lost touch with the sport. Maybe I just needed a break from it.

Similar to the fact I needed a break from my 20 year career as a designer. The nice thing about being a fine artist is you can be as creative as you want. No one is saying you must use this color because some overpriced agency told us this PMS color is our corporate color.
Or my favorite is make the logo bigger, I always felt like saying imagine if your head was bigger you would look out of poportion to you body like the logo looks in this design.

My friend T. who graduated from art school with me is in the predicament as I was about 5 years ago. The difference is change came for me when it was right to make a change. For T when the time is right he needs take the leap. I can't tell him when the time is right that has to come from his gut.


Go with you gut it will never let you down, when change feels right in your gut then take the leap of faith. I did and many before my have too.


-mike

Another Day Another Quarter

Rodeo Clown
9" X 12" Oil On Masonite Board

When I was a Graphic Designer back in the mid to late 80's I worked way to many years at a company by the name of Alexander-Seewald. We employees called it Seewald but Seewald had been dead for some 80 years or more. This was an autoparts company and most everyone who worked there was into cars and parts except me. The company was less than generous with salaries to non-family members. So we employees all 150 of us use to say "another day another quarter". We found it funny when a new person would come and try to fit into our melancholy moods and say "another day another dollar" which we would reply in unison: "Dollar"? "You must have received a raise."

No I am not in a Seewald mood in fact I am just the opposite, I promised myself if I ever could escape and find a better job I would never let myself go through that misery again. After 5 years I did find a much better job but the experience I gained at Seewald proved invaluable in my career and later in my life.


Seewald in a strange way taught me a lesson in life, if something is not working then it is time for a change. I have followed that philosophy since leaving Seewald. Every job I had after that got progressively better but after 5 years at each job it seemed time for a change. When I was married for the first time after about 12 years the marriage was just not working anymore so it was time for a change.


I searched for the complete opposite of my previous wife and my life. Well the second time was a charm, I have the best wife in the world my soul mate Shellly. I tried to change careers but that was not right so I made a change again and became the fine artist I am today.


The moral of the story here is if something in your life is keeping you from true happiness then make a change. Change can be scary but it also can be very rewarding as in all the changes I made. I am known for not doing something I don't want to, which I don't think is such a bad thing all of the time. So if you are reading this blog and you are miserable in what ever you are doing or the situation you are in then it is time for a change....


That is all class, no go out in the world and make a change big or small just make a change!


Mike

Painting for Monday

"Voice Of The Barn"
11" X 14" oil on masonite $150.00 includes shipping & a custom frame

Well today begins a new week and with every new week brings a new adventure in my life it always has.
This week I plan to continue painting building inventory for the fall and winter shows. The image I have posted today is the latest edition to my animals of the southeast U.S. I painted this Rooster using palette knives in oil. It is very colorful and unique.

My subjects seem to change with the wind I have been described by people who come into my booth as being all over the place. I take that as a compliment, I have never been one who likes the same old routine. This weekend I have a show in York, SC just a one day show so I am going to drag my son out of bed early and take him with me to work the show. I received the typical teenager response when I told my son Chris I had made plans for him. "How long is the show dad? Do I have a choice? How much am I getting paid? Typical response from a father... I don't know. No. I will give you what I have left over after I pay for the show, gas, feed you, and pay the bills, does that answer your question?

He may be a typical teenager but I am fortunate he is a good teenage not one of those possessed kids.

Well enough blogging for the day I am out of coffee so it is time for oil paint to cover some white canvas.

Mike

My First Day Blogging

Deer Moon
9" x 12" Oil On Masonite

Since this is my first time ever writing a blog the few of you who read this have patience with me. Posted above is my latest paintings in my series of animals of the Southern Appalachian Mtns. I grew up in Nashville, TN in the city but I consider the mountains of the Southern Appalachians my home. From the age of 12 I spent almost every weekend kayaking the streams of TN, NC and GA. Not much has changed for me as an adult. I still spend my weekends in those mtns and that is where my wife Shelly and I will spend the second half of our life.

My past is not nearly important as my future is as an artist. I created this blog with one main purpose, to give current collectors and future collectors insight into my life and creative process as an artist. My commitment to viewers will be to update the blog at least 3 times a week. I will always post my latest paintings which will be for sale directly from the blog or my website.

Since I mainly exhibit in Art Festivals I hope that readers of this blog will venture out and say hello and take a look at my new work. As I evolve into the career of fine artist so to will this blog. Each posting will be short and I plan on describing in detail the creative process and technique I used in creating the painting.

Now with that said I will begin to describe the painting.
This painting was created on masonite board. I am beginning to really like painting on board much more than I ever imagined. My first butt painting was bicyclist and it was a huge hit. With that in mind I decided to try some more butt paintings. Since I was painting animals I worked from basically three photos to compose this image.

I used my cheap worn out brushes to create the background which gives a nice effect. I have framed this painting in a nice frame and it is available for sale. I offer free shipping in the US. International shipping will haver to be quoted.