Long day--

What's wrong with this picture? I'm almost always writing my blog post of the day after midnight. Today, I wish it was earlier since I left home this morning before 10 AM and got home tonight after 10 PM. That isn't a normal day but it's not often that I have meetings with both of my artist friend groups on the same day. My marketing salon group met in Coarsegold for our first meeting in 2010 and lunch and my potluck critique group (MY term for us!) met for dinner and our monthly critique.

In Julie Cameron's books, she talks about "believer mirrors"--people who reflect back at their artist friends with positive support and encouragement and that artists turn to in times of need with no fear of negative consequences. Both groups that I met with today are made up of people most of whom I consider to be my "believer mirrors". They give positive feedback and suggestions, constructive criticisms and are very supportive, knowing when I need encouragement the most whether or not I realize that I'm asking for it. I greatly appreciate the individual personalities in both groups and the feelings of now and then isolation that they help alleviate.

My evening group is made up of some creative and wonderful cooks and if the critiques are lacking because we haven't painted "to the topic", the food never is! My saxophone painting received a lukewarm reception, partly I think because it's so different from what most of the other members of the group do. But looking at it across the room with different eyes was very helpful to me--I know what I need to do to make it better and then I will consider it ready to frame.

Thank you, dear friends, I appreciate you all!

Wednesday's Critique Group

Once a month, a group of artists meet together in a Critique Group format. We have a potluck dinner, visit, and share artwork from many different genres. Each month, we paint to a specific topic and tonight's subject was "The Eyes Have It." No photo of my new painting, but I had a wonderful time doing a rather unusual painting incorporating lots of I's, Ayes, and Eyes! It was really fun! I am including a photo of the sheet that I made for it that I will put beside the painting at the Reedley Opera House show later this month. I'm making a sign for each painting--one copy goes on the back of the painting so that there is a little information accompanying it at all times, and one copy will be posted beside it when it is shown.

It seems to make a big difference to people as they view a show if there is some sort of explanation about the painting--it's subject, the materials used, a short story about it's development etc.--to read as they look at the show. My observation is that they spend more time looking at the paintings and they talk more to each other also. The interaction is very interesting and it makes the show more "friendly", it seems to me. We'll see how it goes when I do it again at the Opera House. It also makes it possible for people to have some insight into the paintings if they see them when no one is there to talk about them, after the reception date.

In addition to the signs like this one, I am making a listing of all the paintings in the show with the same description and a thumbnail shot of each one. I make copies for people to take with them in case they want to refer to it later or to call me with questions etc.