Experimenting with intoxicating art substances

I've been experimenting with some addictive substances:

StencilGirl stencils. Don't judge.

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.)

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...

Artist Trust auction: the anticipation builds

My artwork is delivered for the Artist Trust auction...

... and now, the anticipation. I can't wait to see everyone's amazing work in person!

Online ticket sales are done, but there will still be a few at the door. You can either bid on the mindblowing selection of art works on display, or you can purchase an art experience. Like lunch with an author...

or a private tour of an artist's island studio. You lucky thing, you.

Besides all the fabulousness, every ticket-holder is buying a little more time for artists to do what they do -- make art. Artist Trust is one of the few organizations that gives grant money directly to artists, as well as providing other invaluable resources and connections.

Gotta go make sure I have a Little Black Dress for the occasion. I should probably scrub the paint off my nails too, so I might be a while...

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. 

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.