Lisa Myers Bulmash 3/13/15 Lisa Myers Bulmash 3/13/15

Experimenting with intoxicating art substances

I've been experimenting with some addictive substances:

StencilGirl stencils. Don't judge.

*Credit: College for Creative Studies, Detroit, MI*

Full disclosure: I've been friends with the StencilGirl herself, MaryBeth Shaw, since LK Ludwig introduced us back in 2010 at an art retreat dance party. (Hence the blackmail photo below.)

*Gettin' down with LK Ludwig (center) and MaryBeth Shaw (right) at Artfest 2010.*

So I felt I could ask her to let me take a couple of stencils for test runs. I ended up making three new pieces, two of which you'll find on the StencilGirl Talk blog on Thursday, March 19th. Bonus: using my new stencils turned out to be so much fun, I accidentally got some WORK done in the process.

This piece (which you'll also see in my guest blog post) has been accepted into an upcoming exhibit: "Black Lives Matter" at Columbia City Gallery! The show opens April 18th. More details to come...

Lisa Myers Bulmash 2/25/15 Lisa Myers Bulmash 2/25/15

But what if my art doesn't sell?

First rule of being an artist who sells their work: get into the studio.

I wish I could say my collage portraits flew out the door of Alki Arts so fast that my head is still spinning.

*Talking to O. David Jackson at Alki Arts' celebration of Black History Month. Credit: Alki Arts*

But no, not true. Lots of lovely compliments, but apparently people don't really know what to do with it. Recently art business consultant Alyson Stanfield blogged on what to do about fangirls/fanboys who love your work, but not enough to buy it. Not surprisingly, my artist friends had some intense discussions on Facebook about it.

Of course, selling art and making it are two different things. And perhaps galleries aren't the way I should go right now: perhaps I would be better off setting up trunk shows at friends' houses, or pursuing museum exhibitions, or making one type of work for festivals while exhibiting work like this elsewhere.

When things aren't going right... go left. Speaking of which, can you give me an example of what you've done when things aren't going the way you want? Leave a comment or tell me on Facebook.

Lisa Myers Bulmash 2/6/15 Lisa Myers Bulmash 2/6/15

Alki Arts reception: so much love in the room

Can I just tell you how much looooove there was at Alki Arts Gallery last night? Maybe it was because there were so many PEOPLE at the opening reception.

I talked myself hoarse about my work with interested visitors, which is a lovely problem to have.

*Talking the ear off of O. David Jackson, co-creator of the annual show. Credit: Alki Arts*

Like most art walks, it's a little more "walk (and see gorgeous work)" than "(buying) art (on the spot)." But My Wall, as I like to call it, will be up for another 23 days. So we'll see if someone comes back to collect a piece they've fallen in love with.

*My fellow EDGE program grad Mary Lamery and me.*

Special thanks to the following:

my artist peeps who came out to show support, including Jennifer Chin, Mary Lamery, Mary Freiburger, Esther Ervin, Al Doggett and Earnest Thomas
my new friends, including O. David Jackson and fellow artists Robin Weiss and Carol Braden
and the enthusiastic people who've Liked my art Page.

These are the connections that support artists emotionally. And don't forget financial support: Rembrandt doesn't have bills to pay, but living artists like me do!