How to schedule time for your art!

Okay, so you have baseball games on friday, soccer on thursday, Football on saturday, and church on sunday. WELL lets see , What ever the day you have free your exhausted , right? This certainly creates a negative  impact on your time for creativity but  you can schedule this.(>)

For beggining artist decide what type of art  you want to pursue. watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink etc.
If you are out of practice go to You tube and search for some lesson videos to watch and make your decision .(>)
After you decide or if you already know, Get your supplies a week before and be ready.(>)
 First, during the week, while cleaning or doing laundry, set up you place or easel and get your materials ready. Have them on hand for your free day or night. (>)
Plan this day or night, its your day ,  you need it, and stick to it. Tell the family in advance this  will be  your  night . Tell them you want  to do art and you need time without interrruption. They love you and will understand. (>)
Everyone in the house should be instructed to find someting to do ,besides need you. Have the children participate in a quite time. This could be  time to watch t.v. ,view a  video or read a book.Maybe even catch up on home work.(>)
 Schedule a simple meal such as; sandwiches , pizza, or a can of soup. If your lucky you could have your husband  cook that night. Hah!(>)
Sure, the first time  you will be interrupted but don't give up. Have a designated telephone  person to answer the phone , take a message, and tell the caller  you will call them back later.(>)
The first time, try to  work on your art for  at least an hour. If you have to break for an emergency and I am talking about children . Come back and try a few more minutes.(>)
 I also know that when you paint some times the children will want to paint.
This is what I do. I buy the cheap little watercolor 8 colors
horizontal palletes from wal- mart. Get them a little jar of water and typing paper. You can have a t- shirt ready for them or let them strip to their underwear and have- a-it. I mean paint. Some may paint for an hour while others will only last 10 minutes . But this cuts out the pleasssssssssssse mommie for a while.(>)
If you try this once and it does not work, don't feel defeated.
Keep trying and always have a place you can put your work up so it will not be damaged  or disturbed until  you  return.(>)
 Its okay to paint once a week or even twice a  week. But remember this is feeding your creativity and it sometimes is therapy for your person. It will build self esteem and make you a more pleasurable person to be with. You are not only doing this for your self but your family.
Good luck arting. Send me some comments and let me know how it goes!!

Making money from art and the economy.

It has been a year since my last post and I have sold over 12 paintings. Now ,I will tell you that I am not a millionare but it sure has been nice making  the extra money . Lets see, let me tell you how I managed these sales. First selling art is a hit and miss. People in my area , a small town in Arkansas, are struggling to buy food and pay utilities. But  some  people  are out there that will buy your art.
Strategies:
 1. advertise, advertise, advertise.
     A. Get into a local exhibit and show your art. Whether you have to join an art club or enter the local fair or just ask a bank to display some of your art work , this  gets you noticed.
     B.Use vista print to  make up some cards and spread them around, they are cheap.
 When you display any art leave a couple of cards on you paintings to  get reconigtion.
     C. Donate a painting to a local auction and also leave your cards on your paintings.
     D. GET A WEBSITE: you might not sell much on your website . But you have a online portfolio with this , and  you can list this on your cards. People will look at your website and call, you can always negotiate your price verbally on the phone..
  2. Keep a list of prospective buyers and past buyers.
      E-mail address, and local address.
      Doctors offices , Dentists offices, any other business. Then once a month send out an
      email them or send post cards with pictures of your available art. You can have sales and preferred customer discounts.
3. Look at your online art contest. You can enter alot of  online contest . It will cost you a fee but you might make more in winnings and you can use this, these whether you win or not on your art resume.
4. Use State organizations. Your state arts center will have activities for you to enter. Your state will have a state arts council. You can get listed in the artist registry by filing out an application and  and submitting your work on CD.  This will get you state recognition.
5.Go to art classes, get more practice, and get acquainted with other artist. This helps you to get in the loop and find out who's making money and How. Also you can give lessons to other people for a small fee,plus art supplies of what you learned . Retired people are looking for things to do all the time and it does not matter if they become picasso's . They will love the time to fellowship and the baby boom generation is getting ready to retire and very interested in art
6. Etsy -on Esty you can sell  watercolor paintings by just matting them.. The art market is really in decline . How ever, you can take your watercolor paintings and have  prints made of them and sell them on Etsy. BE sure to price your art reasonable. A $600.00 watercolor is not going to sell  before a $30.00 print.
Good Luck .And Good Selling

Wise Owl lastest art work: