So three months ago I applied to DailyPainters.com hoping that if I were juried in I'd increase hits on my EBay sales. DailyPainters juries in their artists quarterly - so I waited. I'd hoped to hear from them last week, but there was nothing. So I waited. Then today I get an email from Micah Condon, the top guy, I guess:
Hello -
I'm excited to announce that DailyPainters.com will be hosting a contest to find our next new member! We'll post the details soon, so stay tuned. This contest will take the place of our usual jury process, so after we start the contest you'll need to post a new application with a bit more detail about yourself.
If you'd like to be notified when we start the contest, you can signup for our mailing list here, or just watch our contest page at www.dailypainters.com/blog/contest
Also, I'll be hosting a FREE art marketing workshop in Boulder, CO on April 24th. So, if you're in the Boulder area I'd love to see you there. You can find full event details here:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106234106083806. Or, if you know any artists in Colorado who may be interested, please tell forward the link to them.
I'll also have a dvd and audio recordings available after the event for those who can't attend the live workshop
Thanks!
Micah Condon
This stinks. I feel like I've been had. Man, just give me a 'yes' or 'no' and maybe a 'why'. I was iffy about this whole thing anyway because you have to pay them 49$ a month for the honor. I figured it might be worth it for the increased traffic. Now I think it's just another scam.
Now that I've got this blog up and running for a few months, it's time to start offering paintings. So at the end of the month I'm going to be listing paintings for sale on eBay. These will be small 6x8's and bidding will begin at 99 cents. A new painting will be listed every Sunday and Wednesday - and obviously auctions will end then also. There will be examples of the paintings posted here, along with a link directly to the auction.
I'm pretty excited about this, and see it as a win-win situation. Even if a painting sells for a buck fifty, the way I look at it at least some money is coming in. Plus I have the added benefit of doing the work, and hopefully it will kick me up a level or two.
I've done some research and discovered a few a things I didn't know. On the advice of an article in Art Calendar Magazine bids will start at $.99. Yes, that's 99 cents. I know quite a few artists begin bidding on their work at $100, or they have a reserve that has to be met. I won't. Does that mean some paintings will sell for less than a dollar? Probably. Will it hurt. Ya, there will be an 'ouch' moment, but hopefully there won't be too many of those moments.
Last month I started laying up an inventory of 6x8 paintings to start off, and I've been busy trying to get the inventory up to a couple of dozen. The 6x8 format is challenging, but loads of fun. For years I resisted going small, even when the gallery asked for small pieces. Now I've done a 180. (Maybe my skill level has improved enough that I can handle it.) I figure that right now two paintings a week is doable. Any more and I'm not sure I could keep the quality high, in other words paint my best. Perhaps as I get better at it I'll offer more per week.
Subjects will be figures and portraits. That's my interest right now, but there may be the occasional landscape if I get out plein aire. The paintings will be from the model at our weekly Wednesday sessions, or from reference photos of the model, or more likely a mix of the two. I'll start a painting or two at the Wednesday sessions then work on them through the week.
Bottom Line: Original 6x8 oil paintings offered on Sunday and Wednesday nights (8-9ish). Bidding to start at .99 cents with no reserve. First auction listing is December 27th. Hope to see you there!
