Monthly Archives: March 2010

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New Guest Blog: Rubber Stamp Art

Hi again! I’m so glad to have another guest blogger…Anna Mae of Village Impression Stamps. She’s referred a few of her clients to me to design stamps for them and she produces quality items for her customers. Scrap-booking, rubber stamp art & other “crafter” arts are becoming more & more popular so here’s some info from Anna Mae:

“Looking for something a little different, how about making your designs into rubber stamps! You can stamp on anything that doesn’t move away quickly enough….pmc clay, fabric, ceramics, paper, plastic, glass, cement. Village Impressions specializes in making custom stamps from your designs. You can snail mail or email your black and white line art for conversion into a rubber stamp!

Village Impressions is a home based business, set up on the internet almost 10 years ago to service the custom art stamp market. I don’t make my own designs, don’t have the artistic capacity, but you can submit your own designs, hunt down copyright free clip art or contract with an artist like Lauren to design just what you are looking for. Lauren has helped out a few of my customers who are artistically challenged, with terrific results.

If you are looking for a new revenue stream, my sales are up overall this year, as more people stay home and craft. People will get married despite the economic conditions, but now they are looking to create low cost invitations and party favors. Village Impressions offers wholesale prices with no minimums, no set up fees, so you can offer stamps from your design for resale or for the popular craft markets, scrapbooking, card making and weddings. E-Mail Anna-Mae for more information or check out www.villageimpressions.com“
Posted are a few samples of her beautiful stamps!

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The Waiting…

So, you artists out there must know what “the waiting” is like…waiting to find out if you’ve been accepted for a show or event, waiting to see if you’ve received a commission or award, waiting for a client to pay you for work, waiting for someone to pick up artwork or receive delivered work. I figured I’d blog about this since I’m currently in a state were I’m waiting for almost all of those scenarios to happen!

Don’t get me wrong..I’d much rather be in this position than one where I have nothing going on with my art career…much better to wait for $ than to have none coming to you. Better to wait for clients to get their work than not to have clients! BUT, when you’re a full time artist whose life revolves around these things, it can get stressful. So my question to you is, how do YOU deal with “the waiting game?” Do you meditate ( sometimes this works for me but other times my mind is just too busy & I can’t focus). Do you leave the studio, freak out, eat, watch TV, start new projects?? Just curious since it can help to share ideas about what other creative people do to get by.

Well, here’s hoping your waits are all for positive things and that your wait is short!
🙂 Lauren
The Wait

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New Guest Blogger: Healing Through Art

Hi All,
I’m so happy that many people are interested in guest blogging (and trading blogs with me)! It really is a great way to learn about what other creative people are doing while generating more interest in our work and blog sites. I’d like to introduce my next guest, Angela Canada Hopkins and her inspiring story:
 “After losing my father to cancer my last year of art school–June 2001–I used my canvas and paint to express my grief. I wanted to understand more about the disease so I researched it and found a spring of bittersweet inspiration in the microscopic images of cancer cells.

From start to finish the paintings are different each time. The work begins by painting a random background pattern. My favorite technique is to splash rubbing alcohol onto wet paint. The rubbing alcohol repels the paint into irregular circles (see photo). Then, I reference photographs of microscopic cells to create the cancerous form. This isn’t a rigid process, in fact I start off experimenting in the hopes that the final image will turn out better than my initial vision. My intention is simply to show the magnificent patterns and colors of the galaxy-like cellular structures and bring awareness to the disease.

I hope you will come and visit me at, http://angelacanadahopkins.blogspot.com, as I continue to explore the microcosmic galaxy of cells and art. I also want to thank Lauren for giving me the opportunity to be a guest writer on her blog.
Bye for now and thanks for reading!
Angela”
Guest blog by Angela Canada Hopkins
http://www.CanadaHopkins.com

Images:
Cancer Cell #4 Stage and Completed Painting
Acrylic on Canvas, 40 x 30”

Stage-of-Painting,
Acrylic on Canvas

Cancer Cell #15
Acrylic on Canvas with Beads, 24 x18”

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Spring has Sprung!!

Finally..Spring has arrived in NJ and it brought gorgeous weather…right in time for my Spring Equinox photo exhibit, on the equinox itself, 3/20, at Artisanal Tattoo Studio’s gallery (http://www.artisanaltattoo.com). The event was a big success and I sold 6 photos at the opening reception…great way to start the new season and inspire new work! (I’ve posted a few images exhibited at the show below).

So, for all you creative people out there…how does Spring inspire you? Do you start Spring Cleaning both in your home and studios? (I REALLY need to get that going!) Do you get a sudden burst of new ideas to work on? And this goes for all types of art; visual, writing, music, theater, etc.

I do find that with the nicer weather and increased light that I do feel more active and energized to create and work on new ideas…I just need a boost for the cleaning part, LOL. Another thing that starts increasing is the exhibit opportunities and art/craft fests, so that also forces me into work mode so I have new art & items to sell/show at these events…especially at events I do annually so I don’t keep showing up with the same ol’ stuff!

So, if you have comments, idea, tips for starting fresh in the new season and new ways to get the creative juices flowing, feel free to post your comments here & share them with the blogosphere!
🙂 ~Lauren

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Artybuzz News:

My friends at Artybuzz have some cool news about art contests on their site, so read on…and vote for my tee-shirt designs on their site & check out my available art products as well (just search for Lauren Curtis on their website!). Here’s their news:
ISSUE DATE:10//2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Artybuzz.com launches New Contests Zone
This week sees the launch of a brand new interactive ‘contests zone ’ on
artists community.The new feature on Artybuzz.com allows artists,photographers and designers of
all kinds to enter a variety of interactive contests and competitions with different themes and
challenges.The contests also give the opportunity for entrants to win a range of prizes,gift
vouchers,and also exposure on the Artybuzz website itself and other partner websites.
Anyone can enter the Artybuzz.com contests,which will be running regularly from now on.Once a
piece of work is entered,it can then be voted on,and these votes help to decide the winner of the
contests.Richard Wilde,the owner of Artybuzz said “As well as having this new contests zone,the
voting system twinned with our comments system allows creative
constructive criticism on their work as well,allowing them to improve it if needed ”.In most contests
there will also be a wildcard winner chosen by a special guest judge.So even if there is a runaway
winner on the voting,if the guest judge likes a particular entry,there is still a good chance of getting
chosen as a winner,adding a further element of surprise and excitement.
The first two contests are now open for submissions
The first of the contests is a t shirt design contest,of which two winners will be chosen who will win
a variety of free gifts and also some promotional and opportunities for public exposure which.The
second contest is an art contest open to all kinds of art
will also receive free gift vouchers and will also have their work put into a large print run of posters.
For more information,or to enter a piece of work into the contests,people simply need to visit
http://www.artybuzz.com/contests-zone.php
Artybuzz.com launches New Contests Zone
a brand new interactive ‘contests zone ’ on Artybuzz.com
.The new feature on Artybuzz.com allows artists,photographers and designers of
all kinds to enter a variety of interactive contests and competitions with different themes and
lso give the opportunity for entrants to win a range of prizes,gift
vouchers,and also exposure on the Artybuzz website itself and other partner websites.
Anyone can enter the Artybuzz.com contests,which will be running regularly from now on.Once a
piece of work is entered,it can then be voted on,and these votes help to decide the winner of the
contests.Richard Wilde,the owner of Artybuzz said “As well as having this new contests zone,the
voting system twinned with our comments system allows creative ’s to gain feedback and
constructive criticism on their work as well,allowing them to improve it if needed ”.In most contests
there will also be a wildcard winner chosen by a special guest judge.So even if there is a runaway
e guest judge likes a particular entry,there is still a good chance of getting
chosen as a winner,adding a further element of surprise and excitement.
open for submissions,and are completely free for anyone
first of the contests is a t shirt design contest,of which two winners will be chosen who will win
a variety of free gifts and also some promotional and opportunities for public exposure which.The
second contest is an art contest open to all kinds of artists and photographers.The winners of this
will also receive free gift vouchers and will also have their work put into a large print run of posters.
information,or to enter a piece of work into the contests,people simply need to visit
zone.php and follow the simple steps.
Artybuzz.com,the online
.The new feature on Artybuzz.com allows artists,photographers and designers of
all kinds to enter a variety of interactive contests and competitions with different themes and
also give the opportunity for entrants to win a range of prizes,gift
vouchers,and also exposure on the Artybuzz website itself and other partner websites.
Anyone can enter the Artybuzz.com contests,which will be running regularly from now on.Once a
piece of work is entered,it can then be voted on,and these votes help to decide the winner of the
contests.Richard Wilde,the owner of Artybuzz said “As well as having this new contests zone,the
ve ’s to gain feedback and
constructive criticism on their work as well,allowing them to improve it if needed ”.In most contests
there will also be a wildcard winner chosen by a special guest judge.So even if there is a runaway
e guest judge likes a particular entry,there is still a good chance of getting
for anyone to enter.
first of the contests is a t shirt design contest,of which two winners will be chosen who will win
a variety of free gifts and also some promotional and opportunities for public exposure which.The
artists and photographers.The winners of this
will also receive free gift vouchers and will also have their work put into a large print run of posters.
information,or to enter a piece of work into the contests,people simply need to visit http://www.artybuzz.com/contests-zone.php