While trolling through RedBubble, I feel upon another amazing piece of work. This piece takes my breath away. While all of her work is beautiful, this color pencil piece, "Lightness", I find the most striking. It's clearly a piece that will find a way to haunt me.
Bec Winnel
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Exhibit at Blink Gallery
Four of my pieces are now hanging at The Blink Gallery in Phoenix on the Roosevelt strip. There, you'll see framed Giclees of "Falling To Pieces" "The Butterfly Effect" and "Embrace" as well as a framed original drawing from my time in China. This piece is called "Hong Mei" meaning Red Beauty in Mandarin.
Blink gallery is open First and Third Fridays. If you would like to hold a piece, contact Blink at ingrid@theblinkgallery.com
A selection of matted 16" x 20" prints are also available in the Blink Gallery art bin for $85 each.
"Hong Mei"
18" x 24"
Chinese Marker and Watercolor on paper
$575
"Falling To Pieces"
Numberism Piece
20" x 24"
Giclee print, framed under glass.
$375
"Embrace"
Numberism Piece
20" x 24"
Giclee print framed under glass
$375
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Friday, March 20, 2009
Interview in Mesa Republic
My friends out in Mesa were kind enough to bring me over the actual Mesa Republic with my first interview as a Phoenix artist.
Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Click to view the article.
From the Article:
Every Saturday MACFest, Mesa Arts and Culture Festival, a community-owned "Made by Me: quality arts and crafts festival features artist exhibition spaces on Main and Center Streets in downtown Mesa. This shopping opportunity is free to the public, and at each week's event a MACFest Blue Ribbon Winner is presented.
"Exhibitors create and sell wonderful handmade art and each has a story to tell. I am enticed to ask the winners a few questions. This is an example interview from one of these fine artists" said MACFest Volunteer Committee Member, Denise A. CUrrier.
For this issue of the Downtown Focus paper, Denise profiled Sienna Morris. The artist and her husband moved to Phoenix after two and a half years in Southern China. Sienna uses pen and pencil in her "Perpetual Motion"(Numberism) series and is also a painter and a designer.
When did you start your art work or creative process?
I started this series about five months ago during a very difficul time. I've been painting and drawing for as long as I remember. My family are all artists in one form or another, so I was supported from early on to pursue art.
Do you have an actual art studio within your home and/or location in which you create?
I don't! I had a great home studio when I was living in China, and everything was either tile or stone in the house, so I could splash paint around without having to worry about it. Now that I'm back in the world of carpet and wood, I have to be careful again. Fortunately, I'm mostly working in pencil and pen now.
What is it that makes you aspire to create your work?
The focus of this series, Perpetual Motion, is time and the idea of living in the moment, being that there's really ntohing else. That's not easy for me. I'm constantly in the future, planning or worrying abou it, or in the past, regretting or daydreaming about it. Maybe I'm trying to impart wisdom, but I'm trying to get it through my head too.
What is your greatest art accomplishment?
This series, hands down. It's the frirst important thing I've done as an artist. This is the first time I feel that my work is speaking for others and not just my personal battles.
Sienna's statment about her artwork:
We're constantly moving in one of four directions. Even if we choose to do nothing at all, we are still moving through time. Every frame, there is a new "you", fully formed in the present, built on our past and hoping for the future, but only exitsting now.
So, how do you think I handled my first interview? I'm me, and I see me and everything I do in a weird light, so of course I've cut it to pieces already, but I'm still excited to see this in the paper.
Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Click to view the article.
From the Article:
Every Saturday MACFest, Mesa Arts and Culture Festival, a community-owned "Made by Me: quality arts and crafts festival features artist exhibition spaces on Main and Center Streets in downtown Mesa. This shopping opportunity is free to the public, and at each week's event a MACFest Blue Ribbon Winner is presented.
"Exhibitors create and sell wonderful handmade art and each has a story to tell. I am enticed to ask the winners a few questions. This is an example interview from one of these fine artists" said MACFest Volunteer Committee Member, Denise A. CUrrier.
For this issue of the Downtown Focus paper, Denise profiled Sienna Morris. The artist and her husband moved to Phoenix after two and a half years in Southern China. Sienna uses pen and pencil in her "Perpetual Motion"(Numberism) series and is also a painter and a designer.
When did you start your art work or creative process?
I started this series about five months ago during a very difficul time. I've been painting and drawing for as long as I remember. My family are all artists in one form or another, so I was supported from early on to pursue art.
Do you have an actual art studio within your home and/or location in which you create?
I don't! I had a great home studio when I was living in China, and everything was either tile or stone in the house, so I could splash paint around without having to worry about it. Now that I'm back in the world of carpet and wood, I have to be careful again. Fortunately, I'm mostly working in pencil and pen now.
What is it that makes you aspire to create your work?
The focus of this series, Perpetual Motion, is time and the idea of living in the moment, being that there's really ntohing else. That's not easy for me. I'm constantly in the future, planning or worrying abou it, or in the past, regretting or daydreaming about it. Maybe I'm trying to impart wisdom, but I'm trying to get it through my head too.
What is your greatest art accomplishment?
This series, hands down. It's the frirst important thing I've done as an artist. This is the first time I feel that my work is speaking for others and not just my personal battles.
Sienna's statment about her artwork:
We're constantly moving in one of four directions. Even if we choose to do nothing at all, we are still moving through time. Every frame, there is a new "you", fully formed in the present, built on our past and hoping for the future, but only exitsting now.
---------------***************---------------***************---------------
So, how do you think I handled my first interview? I'm me, and I see me and everything I do in a weird light, so of course I've cut it to pieces already, but I'm still excited to see this in the paper.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Art Exhibit at Blink Gallery
The night begins at 6 pm and goes until 10 on March's Third Friday event on Roosevelt.
No RSVP required.
For more information on Blink Gallery, visit their site at www.theblinkgallery.com
If you have any questions, contact me at Sienna.Morris@Gmail.com
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Monday, March 16, 2009
Scottsdale Art Walk
This Thursday I will be putting up shop for Scottsdale's Thursday Art Walk. You can find me in front of Su Vino Winery along with a dozen or so other artists whose work is well worth seeing as well. Not to mention live music and wine.
(Su Vino is in the courtyard off the Main St. walk between Goldwater and Marshall.)
I will have a new batch of those small canvas prints along with my usual stock of small medium and large matted and unmated prints. There's a couple new additions to my booth, including a few pieces from Tabulanis and Maynard Breese.
Mention this blog and get 10% off.
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Special 8" x 10" Canvas giclee prints.
Giclee prints by Tabulanis
Giclee prints by Maynard Breese
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tips for Phoenix Artists
I in no way have all the answers when it comes to the Phoenix art scene ( or anything else for that matter), but I've picked a lot of brains on the way and gone through a bit of trial and error and I thought I might help some of you avoid a lot of the error part. (By the way, still very open to your suggestions, so feel free to comment and tell me how wrong I am or what else I could be doing).
Quick Tips:
First of all, prints.
Selling original artwork is wonderful, but it's not always viable, especially not in this economy. A few years ago, I was selling mostly originals without breaking a sweat, but our expendable income has gone way down for everyone, so giving everyone a more affordable option is the way to go.
Where to get prints? The question is cost vs quality, but not really. The most important thing is that you're customers take home artwork that will last a lifetime or at lest near it and that gives justice to your work. They're supporting you as an artist, so give them something worth it.
After a lot of shopping around, I found my giclee printer. He prints on paper, canvas, metal and cloth and keeps my profits where I want them.
His name is Maynard Breese and he's based out of Chandler, AZ. He stretches and wraps and has always worked with me to make sure all my work is the best quality, despite my many errors.
www.YourMemoriesOnCanvas.com
Secondly, presentation:
Always use polybags if you're not framing the prints. It keeps grubby fingers from grubbing up your work and does a lot to improve the look of your work. I get all mine from Jerry's Artarama in Tempe. They sell packs of 25 at just about every size I've ever needed: from 8"x10" to 24"x36". It's cheaper to buy online, if you have the time.
I also get all my matting and backboard from them. They also have pre-cut mats in packs of 5 or 10.
If you have mainly smaller prints (8x10 - 11 x 14), Samurai Comics in Phoenix has served me well too. They also sell small thick casings for Trading Cards. Very affordable.
Artwalks:
Not all shows are worth going to, which took me a while to figure out. I was overloading myself with every artwalk and show I could find and pretty much wearing myself out for no reason.
Bi monthly shows are best. If the show is every week, the crowd tends not to care and has no sense of urgency to buy your work because they "can always see you next time". These shows also tend to have a lot of hawkers which makes passerby's tend to avoid the whole thing altogether.
Jurried shows tend to bring the best crowds because they know the artwork will be worth taking time out of their day to come see. If they're expecting a random splattering of hobbyists art and hotdog vendors, the customers you get are not necessarily coming down to look at or buy artwork.
Also, remember that the artwork around you reflects on your own. So if you have someone selling original 20" x 24" paintings that look like your 5 year old niece could have painted with a $30 price tag, they're going to expect the same pricing out of you despite your quality and wonder why you think you're so special.
Chandler's First Wednesday Artwalk is a jurried show which charges no fee or percentage to it's artists. The crowd is usually really good with people who are always interested in what new artwork or artist they might stumble upon that night. Definitely one of my favorite shows, and one to check out even if you're not looking to set up. I've found some awesome artists there myself, and have a spattering of their work in my home now too.
One of my favorites would be the recycled metal sculptor, Michelle Geiss whose work is both unique and somehow affordable. When I walked up, I expected all her price tags to be at least twice of what they were.
I think doing First Friday is a no-brainer. Yes, things have gone up and down and there are new lame rules that have messed with the original down to earth vibe, but it is still an awesome event that thousands of people come to see and be seen.
There are a lot of ways to do this. You can buy a booth along Garfield St (which is what I've been doing), for about $45 -$50 a month (depending on how many months you want), or you can find a gallery in the area who offers space in their yard for you set up.
I'm not sure on all the pricing anymore, but I know that you can talk to Red Dog gallery and Conspire about setting up with them. Both get a lot of traffic and offer spaces about 10 x 10 ft.
Scottsdale ArtWalks
I'm pretty new to participating in Scottsdale Artwalks, but if you want to test run the Scottsdale Thursday Artwalk and you're not in one of the galleries, you can set up at The Festival Artwalk on March 19th in the courtyard in front of Su Vino Winery. It's located just down the walk from the Thursday Artwalk proper on Main st. It costs $35 to sign up, and I think they're running out of space, so if you want to do this one, I'd do it now. (Tax license needed)
Register for Festival Artwalk Here
Other upcoming shows I know about:
Glendale:
This Saturday from 11am-5pm-ish, at The Mighty Cup N Spoon. They fill their yard with artists and musicians, and I think this weekend they have some special cuisine for the day. As far as I know, there is no charge. I don't think this is coinciding with any other art event nearby this time, but the normal Mighty Cup N Spoon crowd is pretty art-friendly.
Free
Scottsdale: (Tax license needed)
Saturdays on the Plaza: A fairly new artwalk on the courtyard in front of the Su Vino Winery in Scottsdale, just down the walk from Main Street.
12pm - 5pm
$25
Privilege Sales Tax:
Some people I know have tried to get by without getting these, but they're really necessary to get into some of the better shows, and in the end aren't that big of a pain in the ass. Yes, doing taxes sucks, but I've found a way to do them and I'm terrible with paperwork, taxes, math and organization, so pretty much anyone can. In fact, you can do it all online if you like.
Most of them don't cost that much, and each takes about 5 minutes to get when you go to their offices.
Phoenix Privilege Tax License
Chandler Privelege Tax License.
You'll need to get one for each city you plan to sell your work in. I'm not going to put up a full list here, but it's really easy to google it, file it, pay for it, etc. Just get around to doing it.
I haven't tried any of the 3 day art walks, but I hear they are quite worth it. If you have info on those, please comment with info for me and anyone else.
I think that's all for now, but then again, it's late and my brain is no longer functioning how I'd like it to.
Hope that helps. Add more info as you like.
Quick Tips:
- Bring a guest book.
- Make prints. None of us are "too good" for prints. Some of the best have made their bread and butter on good prints.
- Make sure your prints are high quality. Don't sell the cheap stuff, and loose those 99cent store Frames. They're not doing you any favors.
- Get a license for every city you want to sell in.
- Get on Etsy.
- Be picky about presentation.
- Cards: I use GotPrint. 500 cards for about $10.
- Find a way to take credit card.
- Always rub credit card number for proof.
- ALWAYS CHECK ID. I hate how amazed everyone is that I check ID. Are you seriously just taking their credit card blindly? Check check check! For your benefit and for theirs.
- If you're making less than 50% profit, you're doing something wrong. You're an artist, not a factory.
- Etsy
First of all, prints.
Selling original artwork is wonderful, but it's not always viable, especially not in this economy. A few years ago, I was selling mostly originals without breaking a sweat, but our expendable income has gone way down for everyone, so giving everyone a more affordable option is the way to go.
Where to get prints? The question is cost vs quality, but not really. The most important thing is that you're customers take home artwork that will last a lifetime or at lest near it and that gives justice to your work. They're supporting you as an artist, so give them something worth it.
After a lot of shopping around, I found my giclee printer. He prints on paper, canvas, metal and cloth and keeps my profits where I want them.
His name is Maynard Breese and he's based out of Chandler, AZ. He stretches and wraps and has always worked with me to make sure all my work is the best quality, despite my many errors.
www.YourMemoriesOnCanvas.com
Secondly, presentation:
Always use polybags if you're not framing the prints. It keeps grubby fingers from grubbing up your work and does a lot to improve the look of your work. I get all mine from Jerry's Artarama in Tempe. They sell packs of 25 at just about every size I've ever needed: from 8"x10" to 24"x36". It's cheaper to buy online, if you have the time.
I also get all my matting and backboard from them. They also have pre-cut mats in packs of 5 or 10.
If you have mainly smaller prints (8x10 - 11 x 14), Samurai Comics in Phoenix has served me well too. They also sell small thick casings for Trading Cards. Very affordable.
Artwalks:
Not all shows are worth going to, which took me a while to figure out. I was overloading myself with every artwalk and show I could find and pretty much wearing myself out for no reason.
Bi monthly shows are best. If the show is every week, the crowd tends not to care and has no sense of urgency to buy your work because they "can always see you next time". These shows also tend to have a lot of hawkers which makes passerby's tend to avoid the whole thing altogether.
Jurried shows tend to bring the best crowds because they know the artwork will be worth taking time out of their day to come see. If they're expecting a random splattering of hobbyists art and hotdog vendors, the customers you get are not necessarily coming down to look at or buy artwork.
Also, remember that the artwork around you reflects on your own. So if you have someone selling original 20" x 24" paintings that look like your 5 year old niece could have painted with a $30 price tag, they're going to expect the same pricing out of you despite your quality and wonder why you think you're so special.
Chandler's First Wednesday Artwalk is a jurried show which charges no fee or percentage to it's artists. The crowd is usually really good with people who are always interested in what new artwork or artist they might stumble upon that night. Definitely one of my favorite shows, and one to check out even if you're not looking to set up. I've found some awesome artists there myself, and have a spattering of their work in my home now too.
One of my favorites would be the recycled metal sculptor, Michelle Geiss whose work is both unique and somehow affordable. When I walked up, I expected all her price tags to be at least twice of what they were.
I think doing First Friday is a no-brainer. Yes, things have gone up and down and there are new lame rules that have messed with the original down to earth vibe, but it is still an awesome event that thousands of people come to see and be seen.
There are a lot of ways to do this. You can buy a booth along Garfield St (which is what I've been doing), for about $45 -$50 a month (depending on how many months you want), or you can find a gallery in the area who offers space in their yard for you set up.
I'm not sure on all the pricing anymore, but I know that you can talk to Red Dog gallery and Conspire about setting up with them. Both get a lot of traffic and offer spaces about 10 x 10 ft.
Scottsdale ArtWalks
I'm pretty new to participating in Scottsdale Artwalks, but if you want to test run the Scottsdale Thursday Artwalk and you're not in one of the galleries, you can set up at The Festival Artwalk on March 19th in the courtyard in front of Su Vino Winery. It's located just down the walk from the Thursday Artwalk proper on Main st. It costs $35 to sign up, and I think they're running out of space, so if you want to do this one, I'd do it now. (Tax license needed)
Register for Festival Artwalk Here
Other upcoming shows I know about:
Glendale:
This Saturday from 11am-5pm-ish, at The Mighty Cup N Spoon. They fill their yard with artists and musicians, and I think this weekend they have some special cuisine for the day. As far as I know, there is no charge. I don't think this is coinciding with any other art event nearby this time, but the normal Mighty Cup N Spoon crowd is pretty art-friendly.
Free
Scottsdale: (Tax license needed)
Saturdays on the Plaza: A fairly new artwalk on the courtyard in front of the Su Vino Winery in Scottsdale, just down the walk from Main Street.
12pm - 5pm
$25
Privilege Sales Tax:
Some people I know have tried to get by without getting these, but they're really necessary to get into some of the better shows, and in the end aren't that big of a pain in the ass. Yes, doing taxes sucks, but I've found a way to do them and I'm terrible with paperwork, taxes, math and organization, so pretty much anyone can. In fact, you can do it all online if you like.
Most of them don't cost that much, and each takes about 5 minutes to get when you go to their offices.
Phoenix Privilege Tax License
Chandler Privelege Tax License.
You'll need to get one for each city you plan to sell your work in. I'm not going to put up a full list here, but it's really easy to google it, file it, pay for it, etc. Just get around to doing it.
I haven't tried any of the 3 day art walks, but I hear they are quite worth it. If you have info on those, please comment with info for me and anyone else.
I think that's all for now, but then again, it's late and my brain is no longer functioning how I'd like it to.
Hope that helps. Add more info as you like.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
This Week's Shows and Art Walks
3 S. Arizona Ave
Chandler, AZ 85225
I will be at First Wednesday in Chandler tonight with a whole line of my 8"x10" canvas giclee prints as well as a few new additions.
7035 E. Main Street Suite 110
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Tomorrow (Thursday March 5th) is my opening at Su Vino Winery with my solo limited edition exhibit. This coincides with the Thursday Scottsdale Artwalk, so it's another good excuse to be there.
On Friday I will in my booth on Garfield street.
4100 North Seventh Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85006
Phoenix, AZ 85006
This Saturday I will be at the 8th Annual Melrose on 7th Ave with a nice array of giclees and originals, including my new original Numberism Artist Trading Cards.
That's the week at a glance. See you around.
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