Art Takes Times Square and the lowly artist

I participated in a fun project called  'Art Takes Times Square'!  Artists were called upon to create a profile and try to get collected (similiar to friending on Facebook).  If you got 'collected' 77+ times your art was to be shown on giant screens in Times Square and during an after party projected on the wall.  It sounded like fun.  This was all via a group called Artists Wanted  - I see that they are promoting another art show of some type called 'SELF' right now.

photo courtesy of Linnea Tober- Murphy

This is what the photots looked like on the screens.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find my image in all the sea of videos and photos out there.  Most artists who attended concentrated on finding their own piece and didn't make it to the R's.  I know many on-line friends that found their artwork so I am confident that my piece was shown.  I just haven't found any video/photos of the RE's.  You can still see my profile on Artists wanted here: http://lynnereichhart.artistswanted.org/atts2012.  One of the paintings in my profile was projected in Times Square sometime between 8:45-9:15 estimated on June 18th!

Sometimes you just need to act like a kid!

DID I GET YOUR ATTENTION? :)

Rick Springfield comes to our local casino every year. I just loved Rick as a teen. This was not the 80's Dr Noah Drake Rick, but the 70's 'Speak to the Sky' Rick. He was such a cutie and had an australian accent that I also love!  He has since begun speaking with an American accent - Boo!

I have to admit that I have met Rick and had my pic taken with him and have several autographs. He really takes care of his fans!    He puts on such a great show too. He comes into the audience when he performs 'Human Touch' - remember that one from the 80's!   He climbs on tables and signs autographs. He shakes hands and many women take this opportunity to grab his leg, butt whatever. He is such a great sport!  I think that is why he likes the Turning Stone Casino - there are tables for him to stand on rather than the back of chairs.

I am not alone in this way of being a kid again!  The concert venue is always full of  ladies my age.  It is such fun to let loose and just have a great time where noone willl judge you! 
I was curious what you all do to feel like a kid again.  Do you crank some of your fav tunes from growing up or play a rousing game of hide and seek?  Feel free to comment on your favorite way to turn back the clock!

Everything gets in the way of painting!

The title says it all!  Life, social media, money, online shops - these things get in the way of making art!  Let's Start with social media.  I am sure you have heard of  Facewook, Twitter, Google+,  Pinterest, Blogger and that is just the core group, I am sure.  How in the heck am I suppposed to keep up with all of this?    My Google+ account has been ignored since March and my blog (that I am going to revive starting now) has been  too long as well.  I tweet a couple times a week and Pin when I finish something new.  I do visit Facebook daily though.  I am so in awe of the artists that tweet daily all day long and still manage to get someting accomplished!    Facebook sucks too much of my time as it is :)!  If anyone has any suggestions to this dilema, I would love to hear it!  How do you balance social media and doing art??

My latest completed painting~  titled Gilli's.  Yummy window I photographed in Florence.  Prints available on Fine Art America.
               
Money is another thing that gets in the way of creating art.  Canvas, classes, memberships, entry fees, paint and other supplies all cost mucho dinero!!   What is a girl to do?  When I retired to pursue my art I really wanted to be able to fund myself.  I started garage and estate sale shopping, scouring for collectibles to sell on Ebay.  This has worked quite well, but I lost all control of the clutter in my house and can no longer take it!  One bedroom was completely dedicated to all my finds and packing material.  This quickly spilled out into other rooms to the point that if we had any guests, I had to find a place to stash so much stuff so they had a place to sleep.  I finally had to stop the madness and cut way back on my Ebay selling and be so much more selective.  This hopefullly will allow me some more time for art and my on-line shops!

 

That brings up the on-line shops!  I have a shop on Etsy, Cafepress, Zazzle, Fine Art America and other places I can no longer keep track of.   My plan was to cut back on Ebay and spend more time on my shops.  This is supposed to replace the Ebay income if I can get my shops making more money.  I know this will take a lot of work and I need to start focusing on this goal!


But none of this matters if I don't have new paintings to show, put on new products, sell.  I would love to hear how other artists, atisans, crafters balance all this with creating! 


Thanks for reading!