I am still frustrated by the technology of "online" but at least today I can smile. As part of my 'campaign' to take my art more seriously and make a real commitment to it I joined Ebay about a week ago and placed some of work for sale. I checked out what other people were charging and priced my work accordingly. Well, today I made my first sale. In addition gthere is a bid in on another piece that i am selling. I could c pomplain and say it was for a derisory sum, but at least it is a start...

Am I the only "Techno-Fool" on here?  Was I born too early ?

Is anyone else out there experiencing problems submitting materials to ArtistRising.com? 

Come to that are there others on this site who are curently using ArtistRising.com?  If so, how are they doing?

I am not sure whether the problems that I am having with their site are A) problems with their site; B) problems with my computer (and Vista) when I try to interact with their site; or C) my ineptitude.

Today is one of those days when I am feeling much less than 100% well, and while I would like to be creative with my own work it is all I can do to stay either up on my feet, or sitting at my desk at home working. And no, it isn't depression it is some physical feeling of nausea. 

Today though is, FOR ME, the sort of day that defines whether I am going to make a success of being an artist or not. Anyone can work on the day when they are feeling 100% well. I think it is those days when we are feeling less than 100% that define whether we are gloing to make it or not. I can (and have) used any and every excuse not to be creative in the past.

Today I am, however, able to sit down and send out some press releases for an art gallery for whom I volunteer my services as a press representative in exchange for having wall space. 

I have worked, and still work, as a publicist for businesses and causes in which I believe. There is a very different satisfaction for me than my work as a creative artist.

As a publicist I know when I have done my job well. The other week the gallery for whom I work had an opening. An hour or so before the opening reception was due to begin the clouds opened - as only they can in South Florida. Yet an hour or so later the gallery was packed - and not just with the 'professional' opening night-goers who seem more interested in the free booze and nibbles than in the art on the walls. When I turned to the gallery owner after 70 minutes of the show he told me that 60% of the faces attending were people he had never seen before... And (more?) importantly art was also being sold.

For me that is a job well done.  Articles about my client were in the press, and that translated into a good turn-out, and sales of art being made.

So today I shall not go out to take photographs, or matt and frame them, but I will be constructive and do what I can do in another area of my life (being a good publicist) which allows me to have space in a gallery that I like to show and hopefully sell my art.

 I hope everyone is feeling better than I do today and are being productive and creative.

Recently I have come to the conclusion that the pursuit of my art has pretty much taken over my life. When I go somewhere I cannot leave the house without at least one camera. When I see something I find myself looking at it with the perspective of an artist and thinking about how the image might be framed by my camera or made more interesting in terms of shooting it, or even painting it. I visit galleries simply to see what other people are doing - not to 'borrow' or steal ideas, but simply to be aware of other ways of looking at things or recording them.

Yesterday, I found myself jumping in the car at after 5pm on a Friday afternoon with a friend and taking him out to the Everglades to show him a place close to where he lived that he didn't know, but also to take some photographs.

I have also started painting, and even experimenting with working with 'mixed media.'  Last weekend I went to a store that sells leather - not clothing, but hides, etc. I purchased some 'off cuts' cheaply, came home, found an old frame, and a board upon which to 'mount' the pieces and started creating. I felt almost like a 10 year old.

Photography remains my primary interest. I live not far from the ocean in SE Florida. A few miles inland is an extraordinary area of land called "The Everglades" which many people who even live down here know VERY little about. It offers though an enormous variety of images and experiences not to mention varieties of flora and fauna from the "Florida Panther" to a very rare variety of orchid, "The Ghost Orchid." 

I have started to submit work to art shows and galleries, and even offer it for sale on E-Bay. I have explored artist groups through the "Meet Up" community. My first group last week was good and very 'business' orientated. It was focussed upon HOW to create work, and WHERE to show and submit it rather than being a session devoted to 'navel gazing.' I came across this site last week.

Lets see where this new life leads..