Encaustic Monotype

Many people ask how I do my artwork. Since encaustic is not very popular and then add to it that I paint with a blowtorch or with a HotBox, I get lots of strange looks. I just would be better off saying that I am an abstract expressionists. But for those who do want to see what I do, this quick video is just a basic idea of how I create my art. My process is more elaborate and intensive and experimental. This video should answer some questions and I am sure open the door to more questions (which I would gladly answer) Enjoy

 

Be part of the Penny Experiment…

I just signed up to be part of the penny experiment (www.pennyexperiment.com) Jeffrey Strain is attempting to turn a penny that he found on the ground into 1 million meals for food banks. Go to the web site and you can find out all the details. You can also email Jeffrey at savingadvice@gmail.com.
Just a few details, Jeffrey gives you a number ( I picked mine and its 14) and you create a piece of art about 3×5 using your number and a penny. There will be 100 pieces of art which he will catalog and sell. But I suggest that you go to the site and read it for yourself.

 

Donate Today to the Susan B Anthony Center and keep kids out of foster care





 

Another Ponzi scheme in South Florida..

As you have read in my earlier post, I am now a fundraiser for the Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center. (www.susanbanthonycenter.org)  What I was not expecting is to have another Ponzi scheme in Ft. Lauderdale. First Madoff wiped out many foundations, now Scott Rothstein and todays front news was from a local heiress that had supported us in the past who had also lost control of her fortune through another to good to be true person.  How dare these people. I am trying to stop children from going into foster care and they are complaining that they are being harassed by the news reporters and they are embarrased by the authorities for  lack of privacy. Sorry, come stay at my center for one day and see what its like to be in recovery, have your husband not pay child support and face the fact that you may loose your kids to the foster care system… I can go on and on.  Most of our yearly grants that we have received over the past years have been reduced or eliminated. So I have to relay on the public for support.  Its the holidays, you need an end or year tax deduction- if not my cause- then just donate- the non-profits are really suffering. Okay I know this should be about art, so thank you for letting me vent.

 

I switched careers…

Yes, I am still an artist, but I left the world of being a retail executive to go the non-profit world.  About a 1 1/2 years ago  I was starting to feel that I needed to belong to something that had some social redeeming quality to it. I was getting tired of hearing people complain about how bad the economy was and how much money they lost, but could still drop $2,000 on an Armani jacket. How bad could their life really be? So I joined the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale. I was probably one of the older,”new girls” in the group. My first year was great and I actually won “provisional of the year” for exceeding all the first year requirements. That same year, I won every award at my company. The Jr. League award meant so much more. Because my volunteer hours and fundraising helped people. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. So the Susan B Anthony Recovery Center is a Jr. League Legacy project and a friend told me to come and volunteer there, so I did. I knew it was the place that I wanted to be. So one month ago, I walked out of my executive life and decided I would just do more volunteer work at the center and do some art and figure it out. But to my good luck the center hired me as a consultant the same week I left my retail position and I am know in  the Development Director position. My job goal is to raise $8m dollars!!!!!! This center is a recovery center for women that allows the children to stay with them,so the children stay out of foster care. It is the only center of its kind. Go to www.susanbanthonycenter.org to find out more.  And we need donations of art supplies for our art therapy room, so all my fellow artist out there help>>>>

 

My Studio is organized but..

I regularly organize my studio space. I like everything in its place. But just like most artists we tend to get messy. Usually I organize and clean my space which leads me to be more creative. I can’t work in mess. But that got me thinking about my recording keeping. At my job, I am organized and love, love, love my excel files. With all the neat columns and I can find all my information. Being a retail executive, I am meticulous about my daily, weekly, seasonal and yearly sales, and I can tell you what sales I did last year compared to this year, to the exact day. You name it and I have it. If you worked for me and you lost track of your sales, have no fear, I have it.I know how much inventory I have on hand so I know if I can make my sales plan. It is my daily ritual to look at those numbers. My department has annual sales of $7-$10 million and I only missed sales plan once in 4 years (I use the excuse that I got promoted to a new division in the later part of the fiscal year, and it takes at least 4-6 months to get acquainted to a new area and new people). With all that said, why do I not have an inventory of my artwork and a system that I can search and access of what I need.  If I want to support myself with my artwork, I need to approach it the same way as I do for any other business. So I have to remind myself that AJ Grossman is a business.

Yes, art is a business. I say this all the time to young people who I meet that think art and business are opposite and do not mix. Everyone that I know wants to sell their work. When money is involved it is a business. So what that being said, it was time to get my art business organized. Since my goal is to start a marketing campaign to local galleries, I needed to inventory my artwork

So I took out the digital camera and started snapping away. Then Photoshop to create a high resolution .jpg. Many people in the art biz tell me to purchase FileMaker or an art program to organize and inventory your artwork. Almost every book I read, suggests a program to purchase.

Since my husband is a computer architect and builds these systems, I asked him to build me one. He looked at me and I quote ” build you one, you are a wiz at excel and organization, you build yourself one & remember since you use multiple computers, you would have to install that program on each computer you are at”.  Well he was right, so I opened Excel, custom made a spreadsheet and now I have a fabulous inventory of my artwork.

Now I just have to make it a habit to update.

 

Starving Artist Show

I missed the opening of the Starving Artist Show that was held at Gallery 6 at the Ft.Lauderdale Library. I was amazed of the big space that the library has. I was not amazed that my work was hard to find. It was hanging with photography. I am assumimg because the pieces had been small, but since I am the only artist who works in encaustic, my work doesn’t “match” any other type of art. I work in abstract so I always think I would get hung next to abstract art. The only way I will ever get my artwork to be hung the way I like it is to get a show of my own. Here is a video of the 2 pieces that I entered into the show.

 

You tube + iPhone=marketing my artwork

I just purchased a 3g iPhone and I love it. I learn a new app everyday. I went to a few social networking workshops to learn some of the basics. I am still figuring it all out. But since I have some computer apptitude I am sure that I can manage. So today, while on break from the studio, I decided to have my big break and post how I do my art on You Tube. Part of this is to help with my memory. Many times I do something and I am so in the “moment” that when I go back to do it again at a later point in time, I forget. So here is my first You Tube posting.

 

Works on Paper

In the studio

wax on paper

I started to work today, but decided to work on paper first. Since I work on wood panels, I can experiment on the paper and then I can work on the panels. I actually like working on the paper. I just have to be careful and not put on too many layers of wax. Here I am in the studio preparing the paper and one of the final pieces. I am now working on a large panel with the same technique as the paper and will develop a series of these.

 

Starting New Years resolution early…

Since I never plan my New Year’s resolution, I just announce it on Jan 1 st, I decided this year that I need advance planning. I am sure that this is why the resolution never comes to fruition. This year I decided to being a full time artist who supports oneself from their art. Well, just announcing it is one thing, making it happen is another. I just thought I would twitter, facebook, and blog my way to accomplish my resolution.  All of those vehicles have a purpose, but without a strategy it just makes me very efficient of learning every iPhone app to keep them all updated. And I don’t have a strategy for that either.

As I sit here planning my strategy for my day job ( I handle $9m in sales) I realized that I would have to start to plan my art career strategy. I have always been successful in my careers, but always for someone else. So tonight instead of working on my sales plan for work, when I am home it is about me.

I guess tomorrow I will not have my strategy ready for work, but I will have one ready for me. At this time in my life, that is more important.

Come this New Year when I announce my resolution I would have laid the groundwork this year, to make next year happen.