Work for the Exhibition

I have finally scanned in some of the pictures I'll be selling at the exhibition. These are all painted in acrylics and sealed with a matt varnish.
This is the first in my series of Patchwork cats. It is 4" by 4" in size on gallery wrapped canvas.



Here is a shot of the bottom (I've painted the patchwork right round to finish it all off).







Patchwork cat 2 has turned out really girly which wasn't my intention but hopefully someone will like it. This one is 5" by 7".











I have four paintings around 3 1/2" by 4" painted on Bockingford Watercolour paper that I am taking into the framer today.
This is my girl Briar











I've painted this girl on a pendant before but she didn't sell for some reason. Finally auctioned her off and got NZ $7 for her which was donated to the EDFNZ













I enjoy painting black and white animals for some reason.














Finally a very folk arty Calico cat.

Wishing For More Hours In the Day

In town yesterday so popped into Creative Hastings to collect some of my cards left over from the Christmas sale. Was able to have a good look at the wall space for the exhibition. I am not so panicky now as I think between Judy and I we should be able to fill it. It's a question as to how many people will look at our work and actually buy it that worries me now.

I then dropped off a pendant ordered by a lady whose much loved dog is in his sunset years and not going to be around many more months. She was happy with the work and asked for a card so that she can pass the word along. The stone was one I had drilled myself. I had worried that it would break due to being quite narrow at the top but it all worked out. I have asked my sister if she can find some similar stones near where she lives as she originally got this particular stone from the Clutha River. For some reason they're much easier to drill than the local ones in Hawkes Bay. They're a bit rough so perhaps they have more tooth for the drill to grip to.

The amount of work I am trying to complete at the moment is quite daunting. I still have three assignments to complete for my journalism course so am trying to fit this in around my art work. I wish I hadn't taken on the dog painting commissions as I really need this time to complete my other work. I wish there were more hours in the day and I had the energy to employ them.

Interviews and Other Stresses

Of all things I had an unexpected job interview last Wednesday. I had sent an article into a local community paper and the editor rang to say he was interested in running it and what were my rates. We got to talking and in the course of the conversation he mentioned that his other paper (a monthly rural publication) is losing it's main writer and would I be interested in the job? I went along the next day to talk about it with him as well as his sub editor. The interview lasted an hour. I have no idea if I will get the job as I think they're wondering if I can cope with the work involved. I am hopeful though that they will use me somehow. There was even some talk about my writing a column on life out here on the farm.

Under three weeks till the exhibition so it's stressing out time. With the hot weather and feeling a bit unwell I haven't finished as much work as I hoped plus I have three dog portrait commissions hanging over my head. Very nerve wracking.

Also today my book review for Homebizbuzz came out.

Bloomin' Bloggers

I have to say I'm grumpy this morning since discovering someone had hotlinked to one of my images on The Menagerie. Hotlinking means that whenever someone views their page your image is downloaded from your host costing you bandwidth which of course equals money. Now what really annoyed me was that it was an image of one of my rabbit cards and on that page it does state that all the drawings are copyrighted and must not be reproduced. Obviously the individual felt if they were downloading it straight from my website then that didn't count.

I have only been hotlinked twice by bloggers whereas my friend Lea Frydman of Elvis Presley News is constantly targeted. This has cost her a small fortune with her host and no wonder as she tells me that over 12,000 images were linked! Now the techies at Host Nexus have sorted her problem so that it can no longer be done but she'll never recover the money she lost through these bloggers.

Apart from that I have been trying to paint despite the heat (it was 34oC here Tuesday 31st Jan). Creative Hastings just published their February newsletter with Judy and my exhibition listed so now it feels horribly real (and close!). I still have four commissions to finish before the end of this month as well so panic stations.

Also returned to The Craftsman in Taradale, Napier and was happy to learn that the owner is willing to sell my work. She particularly liked the brooches. She's not sure the cards will go as they don't sell many usually but I asked her to try anyway. I can always take them away if no one wants them.

Today I am sending away two articles to New Zealand publications so fingers crossed they sell. It feels really tough trying to break into this market. I guess I just have to find my niche.