I'd almost forgotten

My Christmas was good, as good as I'd hoped for. Quiet on the day itself, which is what my man and I had wanted as it was our first proper Christmas together. But after that, we had various visitors, including my new muse and her husband. I always enjoy their company, as much as they appear to enjoy ours. But it is sometimes in quiet moments that I look at her and view her beauty on an appreciative level. And it was at one such moment on this visit that I looked at her upper lip. And noticed it had the tiniest of points to it, almost imperceptible in its delicate formation. I know that it was the angle of the light that had caused it to be noticeable for me - and I commented on it to her. She heard me and listened to me waxing lyrical about it without much of a realisation of what I was referring to - but perhaps its an artist thing that the tiniest details are suddenly of great interest to be explored and examined in minute detail by serious study. I was pleased when I thought about it afterwards, because it meant I was training my artistic eye to see again.... 

We talked of many things during their visit, but it took me my surprise when she said that her mother had asked me if I could do a print of the painting I'd done of her. It took me aback to be asked. But why should it? I paint. I sell my artwork. I sell the originals and prints. It was a typical question to ask of an artist and one I've been asked many times before. But, with all that has been going on in the last few months, I'd almost forgotten that I'm in the business of selling artwork! So, the answer was "Of course I can do a print, what size does she want?"

Other visitors came up from Essex to stay overnight with me, and the woman in particular enjoyed looking at the artwork I'd got hanging on the walls, and asked to see specifically the room where I paint. I took her to show her my studio , and we talked about art and painting as part of our varied conversations on many subjects. And again I was taken aback when she said in the last couple of hours of her visit "I wish I lived closer to you, I know you could teach me a lot about painting". I looked at her with some small surprise. Of course, I could do that. I could teach others to improve their art....

So, now I've been artistically prodded, I need to start focusing on it again! To get back into my arty life!!

Connections reconnected

The coffee was deeply delicious, rich and luxouriously strong, with just a touch of cream and sugar, and tasted more than sweet on my tongue, as I'd just unveiled the watercolour painting of St. Wystans church in Repton, and the elderly woman who had commissioned it had just told me how pleased she was with it! And had clapped her hands in delight at the first sight of it.     YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Success!!! We sat and chatted about Repton since it is a village I know very well, and infact I was fascinated with her appartment since I had known the large building she lived in many years ago in its previous existance and was fascinated to see how it had been adapted for multiple living quarters. Her  gorgeously appointed appartment in particular was filled with natural light on this warm March day, with sunlight streaming through the large south facing windows. We hadn't met before but got on extremely well as we discussed our lives and interests. Only a brief time together, but we made a good connection, as women sometimes do. As she walked me back to the front door, she commented on the two mediocre watercolour paintings of Repton that had recently appeared on the communial hallway wall and said, in dismissal of them "I don't care for them much". "I'm not surprised" I said in agreement "They're not very good". We shook hands as I left, and headed out into the welcoming spring sunshine again.

Whilst I was in the village I popped into the local bank and ended up having another long chat with the two friendly women behind the counter there. One of them commented on my surname and its pronunciation, and through that we ended up chatting about the reason I was in the village, to deliver a watercolour painting I'd done and then because of their interest I went on to tell them about the goddesses painting I'd recently done, and other paintings I've created and the reasons behind them. And to say that I wanted to speak to the chap in the post office since I'd been told by the woman I'd met with earlier that there weren't any decent pictures of mine in the post office when she had gone in specifically to look for them as she'd seen my work before and wanted to purchase it.

And then on to the third reason for being in the village. A visit to the post office. Which should have been a pleasant experience based on the previous conversations of the morning. But the instant I walked through the door, I was greeted by.....................a dull and heavy greyness that pervaded the shop, the light, and the atmosphere. After the sunlight and into .........well............a netherworld. Of uncared for merchandise sitting forlornly on dated wornout shelves, cardboard boxes piled up on old racks, abysmally ameraturish paintings that were well above anyones eyesight, and should be deleted off the face of the earth rather than exist in any art appreciating world.  It took me a full two minutes to gather my shocked thoughts together, and go up to the counter where a shady character sat in the deepset gloom. I peered at him through the glass partition.
"Can I help" he dully enquired
"Are you the Post Master?" I asked cheerfully
"No, I'm not" he said
"Can I speak to him?" I asked hopefully
"No, I'm the only one here" he replied as the atmosphere deepened another notch.
"Ok" I said, a little less brightly "Well I'm an artist and have done pictures of Repton in the past and I was wondering if you'd be interested in having some of my pictures on the walls here but, er, you seem to be, er, having some er, building works done" (That was the politest way I could think of, of putting it!)
"They're lowering the ceiling soon" he explained, as if that made up for the lack of any interest shown in marketing anything within the confines of the shop. Then he roused himself and said "You'd better speak to the Post Master. He's next door. In the grocery shop"
"Ok, thankyou" I said, wondering WHY he had been incapable of telling me that in the first place, and gladly left the gloom of the shop, its sole inhabitant, and the sad forlorn merchandise.

I almost didn't bother to go to find the Post Master, since if he could leave his shop in that state, was his shop really the place I wanted my paintings to be?

But, I thought, at least I'd have closure on the idea and could forget about it after I'd confirmed my apprehensions. So, into the grocers shop I went. And behind the counter was a handsome, smiling face of someone who knows what he's doing and has "purpose". Things looked considerably brighter! I explained who I was and the fact that I'd had a conversation with the guy behind the counter in the post office who appeared to be "bewildered". He noddingly said "he spends most of his life like that" (which went some way to explaining things for me!). Anyway, after a short but incisive conversation it appears that he is indeed interested in having my artwork in his shop, is in the process of updating the shop, and that I've contacted him at exactly the right time regarding getting my artwork in there. So, I need to get some more paintings done, and return in a couple of weeks so that we can get it all organised.

The sun was still shining on me, after all!

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Go on, spoil yourself!

Weary but upbeat

Well it was hard work, but it was worth it. Worth spending  eight weeks working and planning for it, worth spending five hours setting it up, worth chasing up the need for lighting (that I had been promised in the first place!) worth standing on my feet for 10 hour days trying to sell, worth my knees, ankles and feet burning with aching, worth the mental and physical tiredness.

It was worth it for the reaction I got for my "Fantasy fannies" banner, and the fannies paintings themselves. And for the tarses paintings. It was worth it for the conversations I had. It was worth it for the commissions I will get from it. It was worth it for the connections I've made. It was worth it for the promotion I've had. For the radio interview I was asked to do. For the praise I got. For the work I'll get out of it. And the sales I made.

It was worth it for the friends I saw there, particularly the ones who had travelled to see me. I've not seen the Erotic writer Lucy Felthouse since the last Erotica and it was really good to catch up with her.

It was worth it to see the outfits of some of the visitors - women in sexy oufits and tight corsets, men with boobs, women with cocks, the human dalmation, the leather, rubber and fetish gear.

It was worth it for seeing old friends made last year, and new ones made this.

It was worth it to see the other artwork, and meet up with the other artists. To see my various friends from the Guild of Erotic Artists.

It was worth it for the conversation I had with the guy who was only there because it was too wet to play golf that afternoon, he had never been to Erotica before and would never go again, and wondered how a "nice girl like you" got into erotic art. So I explained, with a smile, that I'm quite happy to paint dog portraits, landscapes and houses if he wants to commission me. But I get far more feedback from doing erotic art!

And it was worth it for the convesation I had with an attractive couple of my acquaintance who had been invited to a dinner party and were taking a bag full of goodies they'd bought at Erotica, along with them. The bag, on closer inspection contained three pink vibrators and other smaller vibrating devices. It also came with an invite to join them which I had to decline with regret as I was too tired to be sparkling company. But I am intrigued as to how their interesting meal went, and how well the vibrators went down...............so to speak....................... :)

Its Erotica time......

I'm always hyped up before an art exhibition. The thrill of knowing that now is the time to show the art that I've been working on since the last one. To take the stuff that has meant me working late into the night, and missing weekend fun, to continue working on. The confidence in knowing that the art is the best I can take, that there is something for every price range, that there is a good diverse selection on offer. The joy of looking fowards to seeing my artist friends again. Knowing that I'm going to have some interesting chats with different people I've not met yet. Meeting new viewers. Some will look quietly at my work and walk quietly away. Some will look with lots more interest, poke around for ages in the browser and then will walk off (whilst I've been holding my breath thinking they are DEFINITELY going to buy SOMETHING!). Some will look with more interest, find something they like, and buy it. And some will RAVE over what I do, will tell me that its fabulous art, that I'm a clever girl, and will be REALLY excited about all of it and place large orders for commissions from me.

 But there will also be conversations that I am not expecting. There will be offers for things that I hadn't considered before. Some will take me my surprise. And you can never really be ready for those, because you never know what they're going to be....

Last year I was offered cheap advertising that turned out not to be what it first appeared, and caused me a lot of aggro having to sort it out afterwards. I was offered the chance to hang my fantasy fanny paintings in a selection of international night clubs, and that didn't take off either. I was told I would be painting a picture for a sheik, and that didn't happen either (well, not yet, anyway!). But also I had a long and most interesting conversation about erotic art with a lovely man in a dress. And the best bit was when I met the bloggers who had come along. The ones who had their "fantasy fanny" on the wall. The ones who quietly said "I'm -------" and looked with great interest at the bright and beautiful artwork that was their fanny. They knew. And I knew. That it was theirs. But no one else did. Whether there will be any others who come along this year, I don't know yet. But if you do..............come along and say hi..............

Even when you're bunged up, things flow

I've realised its been a while since I last did a blog post. And its been at the back of my mind for the last couple of days to do one. I hadn't realised that it has been a week since I last wrote. And in that week I've had a cold. I wouldn't normally mention it, as I've had colds before and they are usually an annoyance rather than anything else. A cold is a cold......your nose is full of snot and your head doesn't work properly.

But when I think back over this week, and remember that I kept thinking I've got "nothing to write about", I remember that I've been working hard on the "living flame" erotic couple painting which is almost finished, I've attended a meeting for one of the art groups I'm in, looking at the years exhibitions and poor sales (due to the recession) and have looked at ways to find exciting new venues, and have other artists on the waiting list wanting to join the group and hopefully will benefit from any future associations with them. I've had some lovely chats with some of my artist friends, and have benefited hugely from a couple in particular, I have exhibited at two local exhibitions, one a weekend one, and the other a month one, and although I didn't sell anything other than a small print - IT IS A SALE, and proof that someone likes my art enough to want it hanging on their wall. Ok, I may not be feeding on caviar for the next month from the sale, but it is a positive step forward and one that I appreciate and am grateful for.

And I have also been on a shopping spree. One that I thoroughly enjoyed. One where I bought some exciting blank canvas's (when I think of the wonderful paintings I'm going to paint on them!), some mounts, and a large amount of industrial velcro......................

...........................now, why would she want velcro, and not just that, but INDUSTRIAL velcro, in large quantities...........?

HMMmmmmm..............................

Well..................I'll let you ponder that one for a while, and maybe I'll tell you, if you can't guess.

And I shall be very very interested to know if you can................ :)

What makes a price a price?

I've updated my website with a few new images recently and decided I ought to put the prices on the paintings that are for sale on it. Because no one is going to buy them without a price on them are they? LOL Even though a lot of the artwork there is in private collections, some in distant lands across the seas, I want to display them as an example of the sort of artwork I do and am capable of. People often see something they like there and say "Can you paint me like that one there" (but not the dog pictures, I hasten to add, before I get into trouble! LOL ) If I only put the "for sale" art up, it wouldn't be half as interesting (I think, but then I'm biased!) as it currently is........but the thing that struck me as I looked at the prices on my website is the difference in some of them. How can I have some artwork at less than a £100 next to art in the high hundreds? And I wondered if others would think the same and think that the balance of prices is uneven. But it isn't. Its very fair. The low prices are due to the artwork being either a lot easier (by comparison) or older artwork that was completed some years ago, and hasn't sold yet. Newer artwork WILL be more expensive. The more famous an artist gets, the higher the prices go. Its the way of art. So I'm not planning on my art prices going down. Infact I'm working hard on them going UP.

As well as the regular art on my website, I now have a "special offers" page. Its the page where the art is *currently* under £100. Now, that's got to be affordable, hasn't it? The artwork there may be working drawings, or practice pieces, but its still art. And some of it may appeal to you.... go and take a look and see what you think......................

I've also got the Guild of Erotic Artists volume 2 book for sale there too... for anyone who wants to buy one.... its a beautiful book, in which I am featured alongside 31 of The Guild's artists, photographers and sculptors. Each person has six pages detailing their work and the background behind their skills. Approximately A4 size, this beautiful 200 page limited edition paperback has been written, produced and published by The Guild of Erotic Artists. Whether you are interested in erotica, photography, or figurative art, this book has great appeal. With a run of just 5,000 copies, the book is a Limited Edition - a collector's item and an ideal present. Copies bought from me can be signed on request.Price £22.99 plus postage and packing.

So, I think what I'm saying here is, if you see some art you like on my website, that has a price on it that you like, contact me, before it goes..........

Snakes an all

It was another lovely sunny Event day for the Guild of Erotic Artists, so when I arrived a few people were already sitting outside enjoying the warmth of the sunshine.

As I walked in the Guild Secretary was busy taking membership fees for the new year, so after sorting mine out, I decided to place my order for a bacon butty and a cup of tea before the rush. The bacon butty arrived very quickly and I had a chat with a guy who always greets me warmly and asked how I’d got on at Erotica, since that was when I last saw him.

Chris whose seminar I'd been on last September was enjoying his lunch too so I sat with him as we ate and I told him about the latest artwork I’ve done, selling paintings to Canada and USA recently. He was interested to hear about the paintings, and we talked about selling art and the all important artist/customer relationship. Another artist joined us - I always enjoy his quiet unassuming but dryly amusing sense of humour.

Not as many people were there as last time, but that might have been partly due to one of the founder members having an open house over the weekend to sell his body casts, so maybe a lot of clients were there instead!

I spied a photographer I know and went over to have a chat with him; he was carrying his latest set of beautiful photographs, and I was delighted to be offered a look at them. I liked them all, especially the black and white ones that are similar in style to the “white on black” drawings that I do too. He and I had a long chat about contacting galleries regarding selling art and the subject of creativity. We decided that its possibly better having a day job as well as being creative as a photographer or artist, because then you have the luxury of having money in your life for the things you want and also the joy of being creative without being desperate to sell art to makes ends meet. There's no doubt it's a big decision a lot of artists have to make!!

Because the person who was due to do the demo had dropped out there was a quieter atmosphere at the Event day, and instead a striking blonde model dressed prettily in a 1940s style pink and turquoise floral summer dress sat in a chair whilst a few people sat around drawing her. Prior to this, a pretty Asian model had sat for a photo shoot in the same place.

In the corner the artist with the lovely sense of humour was starting to paint a models boobs with a beautiful large blue butterfly – I understand she was talked into modelling for the day for the price of a cup of tea, which sounds like a good swap to me!

I went outside for a bit to enjoy the sunshine too and had a brief chat with the Guild secretary about his plans for the Guild gallery now that it will be open six days a week. This reminded him that he hadn’t yet done his speech to the group, and he decided to go inside and do it then, spending time with the microphone making sure it was working, as he walked towards the stage his brother took the microphone off him and started to croon whilst the assembled crowd listened good naturedly. The Guild secretary was *eventually* given the microphone back and he was able to do his speech. As always it was upbeat and positive, thanking various people for their help and assistance in various things, and helping to pull us all together as a group.

I then started chatting to a man and woman who I’d seen before but didn’t know, and another guy overhead our conversation and joined us. After a while, I thought I ought to ask names, the American chap shook my hand and said he was called “Bob”, I turned to the English guy and he smiled and said “Bob” – so I turned to the woman with him and said “You’re not called Bob as well are you?” much to her amusement. No, she wasn’t, she was Sandra. We had a long chat about buying art, about posing as a life model, about people in your life who don’t know that you have erotic art hanging on your walls at home, and amongst other things, posing naked with poisonous snakes and the problems THAT can cause! The American Bob had come over from San Francisco to see the Guild, as well as a chap from South Carolina, although I didn’t know about him until he had left. The American Bob was just leaving when he was told that there wasn’t anyone to do a full demo and said that he’d have been more than happy to pose naked for the group if he had known! Maybe the next time he’s in England.

My photographer friend was there for about the same time as I was, but neither of us found time to chat with each other as we were busy talking to various others. When she was going, she came for a hug with me and said “I’m BOOKING a chat with you for NEXT time!” “Ok!” I laughed, and will look forward to it!

Just before I left, I had a quick chat with a couple of the guys who were busy discussing the next Guild DVD, which I will be featured in along with the others, as I was filmed on my stand with my Fantasy Fannies at Erotica last November. I look forward to seeing the finished item when it’s been edited.

Time to go, last hugs and kisses and I came away looking at a gorgeous bright red sky filling the horizon. I thought that it bode well, as I drove off into the sunset!!!

Whose fanny is THAT?

Its not often that I talk about actual sales of paintings, I talk about painting them, I talk about commissions, and I talk about exhibitions. And whereas I love painting, I also love selling my work too. And, is often the way with art and being an artist, you never actually know where a sale is going to come from, or when, or how or who with. And there can be large gaps in between, and then, there is what I refer to as the "batch theory" - in that there will be a batch of nothing happening, followed by a batch of lots of things happening altogether. This has indeed been the case recently - Sweat shop sissy wanted to commission a fanny painting, that became Queynte 14, but as well as that someone else wanted to buy her Queynte - I'm not going to say who it is, or which number Queynte it is, as the whole point of them is their anonymity. So, it was the case that I found myself wrapping two Queyntes this week to be posted off to their respective buyers. And that made me VERY VERY wary. Because............ I am careful to keep a note of who has contacted me to say they want their fanny painting, and then some of them will send me photos (some still haven't done yet - but are planning on doing at some point), some of the Queyntes have been painted and some haven't yet, and some of the women who have participated I only know by their blogger name, not their real name, but some I know by their real name too! So, whilst checking on the Queyntes in question that I'm posting out this week, I knew which one belonged to Sweat shop sissy, because I've only finished it this week, but the other one, I double checked and checked again, that the name of the real person who had contacted me matched the blogger name that matched the Queynte number before I wrapped it. Because I don't write the name of the person on the back of the painting, only the number. And I made DAMN sure that I DIDN'T wrap the two Queyntes together, then write the addresses on them - as one was going to Canada, and the other to an address in this country, as................can you imagine it...............picture the scene....................... Two women........in totally separate countries...................divided by a large Atlantic ocean................arrive home................ to find the post man has been........................ has delivered the exciting artwork that they've been waiting for................ as they smile to themselves..................... and reach for a pair of scissors...................... as they cut open the paper..................... as they open the package................. as they reveal................. the painting...............and hold it up infront of them............ and look at it for a long minute.................................... before saying.................................. WHO THE FUCKS FANNY IS THAT??? COS IT SURE AS HELL ISN'T MINNNNNNNNNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OOOHHH.... NO. I can't have that happening, can I ??????????????????!!!!!!!!!! LMAO

Life, love and art

I went to meeting for one of the art groups I'm in, last night. It was good to see everyone again, the usual start of chit-chat and pleasantries, then on to the meeting, not very exciting stuff, but it needs to be discussed with the group. Items talked over, decisions made, the usual stuff of meetings. Then afterwards, the usual dash for the door for some and the leisurely lean back and the comment of "Do you want a drink?" as the rest head for the bar.

Then the proper chat starts - the "What have you been doing recentlys?" as we catch up with news and gossip. I was sitting next to a guy who is a big friend of Stuart - the chap I drew two life portraits of in December, and funnily enough I'd had lunch with Stuart and his wife earlier on that day, and Stuart had kindly sent a very useful and interesting book about local interest, to me via our mutual friend. So we had a chat about what a nice chap Stuart is, and about the experience of my drawing him, and how odd Stuart had found the thought of it , but felt very comfortable in my company very soon after my starting to draw him. Then we moved on to other topics. And usually it gets around to my erotic art - since no one else in this group does erotic art, and I suppose some of my stories are a little more colourful and interesting than the usual art stories! So I quickly got them laughing with a couple of saucy arty anecdotes, and then started chatting with the younger woman next to me.

I've known her for many years as an artist, but am only just starting to know her as a friend. Her fella came to join the social group later on, and he's someone I've known for a number of years too through another connection, so it was easy chat between us..... and as the evening wore on, we chatted and chatted, and were the only three left at the end, and we easily conversed on many varied subjects from vegetarianism (they are, I'm not), to erotic art, getting paid by clients, producing art, making people happy, celebrity and all the problems it brings, painting nature, working as an artist, relationships, finding yourself as an artist and I suppose mostly about life and love and art. And what totally wonderful subjects to discuss! I have felt for a long time that my art is "spiritual" (especially after having many long and deep conversations with my spiritual healer friend) - I don't mean religious, I mean spiritual - in the way that it is therapeutic to the buyer, brings them happiness and it feeds the soul. I suppose you could argue the fact that all art is like that - but I seem to be able to paint pictures that people can empathise with, probably because of the erotic/sensual subject matter. It was good to explain how much I've changed this last year as I've focused on my art more, and the pleasure I get from painting. She said she could see how much I had changed within myself as a person and becoming more creative as an artist. And I was touched that she had seen that. We talked about our personal circumstances, and the way we created art from within ourselves, the creative spirit and how hugely important it is within us and forms the whole basis of our lives. It was good to bond with my artist friend, and hear her views on life - because her personal circumstances have changed hugely within the last year, but I can see that she too, is more relaxed within herself, and with the way she communicates with her art with the people she works with.

Time to go, and not because we had finished conversing on this subject but because the bar was closing, so we walked together into the dark night, and said goodnight, but after a couple of steps she came back to me, hugged me and said "I'm SO proud of you, Jackie!" and I hugged her back and said I was proud of her too, and was so touched with her words.

This is the way it is

Someone who is a big fan of my art made the comment this week that he was very interested in the abstract style that I've used for the "Living flame" painting and was interested to see what else I might paint in this style. Great that he's so interested in my work, but it also underlined the problem that I've had all my painting career. And its this:

I paint a picture. It will be something I like or what I think someone else will like. And if its good enough, I’ll put it in a gallery, and on my website, and someone may come along and may find the gallery, and may find the website, and may find the picture in question. And they may like it. And they might go home and think about it, and they might talk to their spouse about it, and if there is enough money, they might buy it. Or they might go off the idea, and talk themselves out of the idea. Which happens an awful lot. Sometimes, people fall in love with one of my paintings, and they buy it, and they love it. And that’s great. BUT I can only paint “best guess” pictures, that I think they might want to buy. HOWEVER, if someone comes to me, and says – I like this subject matter, this style, these colours, this size, this medium, then they get EXACTLY the picture they want, and I paint EXACTLY what they are looking for. Instead of “best guess” that usually doesn’t work (because I have cupboards full of best guess work). So, if someone is interested in this abstract style, and interested in seeing other ideas – it would help greatly if they can be a bit more specific, because the idea that’s in my head may not be the idea that’s in theirs! Plus, I’m going to put it on one side if its only a best guess painting rather than a specific commission, because commissions always take priority, and I have another fanny commission on at the moment, and if I have a commission to do I’m more focused on the painting because I know I’m painting a “specific painting for a specific someone” rather than a “best guess painting for anyone, maybe at some point in the future”. Having said all that – the idea I have in my mind is quite clear, its this abstract style, these pastel colours, of an erotic couple entwined. And I’m pretty sure it will work well as a picture. If you want me to paint it, I will, but it will be my “best guess” painting of this subject matter, that I hope you will like, because you know me as a person, an artist, and you like my style, and character. Of course, there is no pressure at all on you to buy the painting. So, do you want me to go ahead with my “best guess” painting for you – and see what you think when I do it?

Well, that's basically the question! LOL

Gone

She's gone.

Out of my life.

I'll probably never see her again. So, that's it - its final. Finished!! And I'm missing her already. She's been such a large part of me, and my life, even for the short time I knew her. But, she was mine, then. And I suppose, still is. And always will be, even though she's gone to live with another woman, in another country, on another continent. Gone. And I miss her. I loved her sooooooo much. I know I'll always love her. She's touched my soul and heart so deeply, with her ageless beauty, so I know I won't forget her. How could I? But, she belongs elsewhere. With someone else. I cannot keep her by my side. And I hope she'll be loved there as much as she was here. Loved and cherished. That's what she deserves. Because she was meant to be there, with the other woman. I understand that, and I accept that.

But.........

I still have the other one.

The twin. The twin that is as close to the other as makes no difference. And she is here with me still. She belongs to me. And that is where she will stay. In my life. Loved my me, daily. Looked at, admired, cherished, adored.

And hung on my wall.

Whilst the other goes to America, to be hung on another wall.

"Living Flame" - I really love her!!!!!! :)

Erotica'd !!!!

Phew, well I'm back, I did it, and BOY was it FUN!!!!!! and also bloody hard work - I'm not used to standing on my feet for twelve hours non stop, and trying to sell at the same time!

Right, to start at the beginning..........

When I arrived on my stand, I was firstly struck by how small it was, and secondly by how badly lit it was. I hadn't ordered lighting for the stand as I had been told that it was light enough up on the gallery where I was situated. Well, that was true, to a degree, and in some places it was light enough, but not where I was! So, off to pay for some lighting and even though it added to the overall costs by a large amount, it was well worth every penny of it! Because my stand "shone" with the lighting on the vibrant fannies! It took me five hours to dress the tiny stand (including hanging around for the electricians to do the lights). But at the end I was happy I had done the best with what I had. Then, back to the hotel for an early night, and then..........

The first day, and I had been told by someone who has exhibited there many times, to watch the body language of the people passing, and I learnt during that day what that meant. Because some people walked past my stand without even a glimmer of interest at it, me, or anything. Of course that may have had something to do with the fact that on the next stand were two gorgeous virtually topless girls (except for their tasselled nipple cups and very little else). But also, I know that not everyone likes art, regardless of the subject matter (and I thought it was reasonably interesting.......................... ) :)

Anyway....... I learnt during that first day to watch the people, and their reactions. Some smiled at the "Fantasy Fannies" title, some smiled at the art. A lot of them loved the bright vivid colours, and a few of them went a REAL WOOOWWWWWW over my paintings, and the concept they convey. One woman got really very emotional over the beauty of them, which deeply touched me. The fannies are everything I love in art - a unique personalised portrait of a part of your body that normally isn't painted, they are bright and vibrant, they are a private joke, and the most interesting of conversation pieces - how good is that!!!?? and certainly those who understood the concept, loved it!!!!! A success then! Well, yes, it was for the effect the fannies had on the viewing public. But not on the other artwork I'd taken with me. There wasn't a vast amount of interest in it at all, but that may have been partly due to the smallness of the stand and not being able to display it properly. It was certainly worth taking though, so people could see what I was capable of. One of the highlights of the show was when a complete stranger said to me "You're a clever girl aren't you?" and one woman said that my "fannies" were the best thing at Erotica! Wow! Really???

I certainly had a lot of interest in them. Women really related to them, and some men did too. I'm happy to paint "cocks" as well as fannies, but this project is so new, I haven't had chance yet. I was asked if I'd paint one of the fannies for an erotic museum, and if I'd like to exhibit them at swinging events in clubs in London, New York and San Francisco. I also discussed the possibility of the fannies being in an article for a raunchy women's magazine, so I think that the promotion of them has started now, and that will open other doors.

And as you would expect, there were some interesting visitors there. Most people were dressed quite ordinarily, and then there were the more, er, interesting ones - the man in the auburn wig and the "fat suit" dressed as an exotic female dancer, complete with sagging pointy boobs in a red pvc peephole bra, and matching thong hanging down at the back, with a wodge of black public hair at the front, was a scream. The girl as the "dog" on all fours being led around on a collar and lead was cute, the various slaves in collars and leads was to be expected, the girls in corsets looked luscious, the men in dresses, the transvestites, and the cross dressers, all added to the fun of the show. And that's what I love about it so much, the dressing up aspect, and "playtime for adults" aspect of it.

And of course, the friends who visited, some travelling quite some distances to go to the show. It was really really great to see them, and catch up with their news. And best of all, was the bloggers who went - six that I know 0f, and some of them had their fannies on the wall for the world to see. And of those who made themselves known, it was great for me to put faces and names to their fannies.

So, all in all, a good success. I just hope I've "sold" the idea enough for others to want to participate.

Oh, and most amusing moments - were .......

When I was asked why I called myself "Fantasy Fannies" - and I replied " I don't!!!"

When I asked a woman if she had ever considered having her fanny painted and her reply was "No, I haven't, I'm not very happy with it at the moment" (that left me non-plussed!)

When I asked two women swingers if they wanted their fannies painting, and one replied "If I ever want it painted I send you a photo of me flange!"

So, picture of an exhibition. A fanny exhbition. Well, that's different, isn't it???

Hope springs eternal

I could have spent the weekend drawing, or painting or doing something productive. Well, actually, I thought I was doing something productive since I was helping to steward a local art exhibition that I was exhibiting at. And it rained... No, to be more precise, it pissed it down. So for the two and a half hours I was there, the grand total of TEN people, (yes ten!) walked through the door to view the paintings. The whole total of visitors was only 239 over two weekends. So I the exhibition didn't do too well. And didn't sell many paintings. And I didn't sell any at all. Sigh.

But I know its the way it is with art exhibitions, and someone, may have just walked through the door and gone wow over my art, and bought something. They may just have done. And that was why I was there.....

I live in hope.

I have to.

Looking for magic

Well, its here again, one of the local exhibitions I get involved in. That time, when I chose my ten paintings, trying to pick the best ones that I think will sell, that will look good as a collection, that will appeal to the buying public. And I wrap them up carefully, write out the hanging label, take them over to the exhibition hall, and hang them up together, making the best of the space available to me. I write out the hanging cards, and pay my hanging fee.................... then I wait...... patiently. Like a fisherman on the side of the river. I wait. And hope. And wait, and hope that somewhere, someone, will walk through the door, and will walk around the exhibition, quietly surveying the artwork there, and then they will turn the corner, and see before them *my* artwork and they will go *W..... O....... W!!!!* over what they see before them, and they will stare in wonder at my art, my paintings, and they will feel a surge of some unexpected emotion, and they will instantly fall in love with one of my paintings (or maybe two, or better still ALL of them!) and they will instantly feel that they need to buy the painting they have fallen in love with, as their lives will not be complete if they don't buy it, so they'll go and pay a deposit on the painting, and will come back at the end of the exhibition to pay for it and collect it, and they will happily take the painting home and hang it on a wall somewhere where it will give them pleasure to look at for ever more......

That's what I'm hoping for.

But, will I get it?

I don't know.

Maybe I will.

.........And that's what keeps me ever hopeful........

And also I have to bear in mind, that there's talk of a recession. And that petrol and food has shot up in price. And that if people are struggling to buy normal every day living things, they're not going to be buying artwork. Are they? Ah. yes, its not a necessity, is it? And that's why the artwork I've chosen for this exhibition has some magic in it. I've chosen pictures of mine that depict fairies, mermaids, unicorns and dancers. Cos we all need some magic in our lives, especially if money is tight. We need to hang a picture on the wall that will fire us up with hope, and magic, and something that feeds the spirit and soul. We all need that, don't we?

Letting go

I've had two emails today from recent buyers of my artwork and its poignantly reminded me again of what it's like to create a piece of artwork - either as a commission or as an exhibition piece - and to sell it to someone. If its a commission I know what I'm painting as the client has specific ideas and I just have to find out what they want and create it for them. If its a painting for an exhibition I paint something that I hope may appeal to someone, as the idea has appealed to me somehow. But either way the painting is created and either short term for commissions, or sometimes long term for exhibition pieces, the painting will be stored somewhere where I see it regularly. And I get used to seeing it, and I like looking at it, and get pleasure from it. And then, suddenly, its sold. Its gone. I don't see the original anymore. I can see a copy of it but not the real thing.......

..... and then today I get an email from the buyer of the erotic landscape of New York, the painting I've entitled "Towering passions". He came to meet me and collect the painting at the weekend and he just wanted to say a big thank you for the painting and to say that he'll miss looking at it when it goes as a Christmas present to its intended recipient! And I realised that he was going through what I did - getting pleasure from the painting being in his view for a short space of time before it went to to hang on someone else's wall full time.

And then later on today I got another email from the USA - from a fellow blogger who has recently bought another of my paintings, and who received it this week, and wrote to say thank you and to tell me she is delighted with it. Which in turn delights me. I love it when one of my paintings goes to live where it will give pleasure to the people who now own it.

And the really nice thing too is that I'm meeting some lovely people through my art and the circle continues when my art brings people to me, to commission one of my paintings, or I advertise my art and the people come to me through that .... because it turned out that I know the buyer of the erotic landscape, although I had no idea who he was when he commissioned the piece. I had no idea who he was when he walked through my door at the weekend, it was only when he told me his connection with someone I know from years ago that I realised exactly who he was!! What a joy to meet him and say hi. What a powerful pull art is, to bring people to me, and for my art to be pulled to them through the images I depict.

Pleasing yourself

I did another drawing last night based on the pose I used last week, but I was far happier with the result this time. Instead of drawing the model from behind her head, I drew her from the side and was happy with the pose I had set her in and was just about to commence drawing when she commented that the spot-light was in her eye too much, and she momentarily put her forearm over her face to shield her eyes - and I exclaimed "That's it! a loads better pose, stay there, just like that!" so that's how I drew her, eyes hidden, and much prefer the outcome of it! The drawing is a nice body landscape showing feminine curves and plains, and is called "Pleasing yourself" which leaves no doubt at all as to what she's doing, unlike last week when I couldn't make my mind up if the drawing was fully erotic or not (and that's not usually a problem for me, I normally exactly know what's erotic!!). The model was happy with the pose and said she could quite happily go to sleep in this pose, so I agreed and said I'd find her some nice quiet music to listen to then. She was surprised as I normally like something with some *raunch* in it then burst out laffing when I put on AC/DC at full blast!!!!! We don't do quiet when I'm drawing!!!!

..............And I want to say at this point that I feel I have finally arrived as an artist. Sorry, I'll rephrase that - as an Artist. I love it when someone introduces me as "Jackie, the artist" - that use of the word "the" says so much!!! But I know I've worked very hard this year on my art, on promoting me and my artwork. I've built up my website, and started this blog, I've met some very interesting people both in real life and through my virtual internet life. I've talked locally to the WI and had in-depth conversations with people from different continents, I've sold artwork locally and to the USA, and joined the Guild of Erotic Artists which I know is going to open many other doors for me, through my connections with it and other artists. And during one of my recent conversations with a well established erotic artist, he said that people buy artwork for three reasons, and they are:- because you're an established name, and people buy your art as an investment; because they just like the painting; and because the artwork is decorative, but that's all it is. And I know I'm a long way past being "just decorative" and for some years now I've been painting and selling artwork because people have an empathy with a particular drawing or painting, but....... now.............. I feel I've arrived as an "Artist" - I'm just starting to become an established name. And how do I know this? Because I've sold quite a bit of artwork in the last few weeks, locally and abroad, and at no point has anyone quibbled over the price I've set. They tell me what they want, and if its a commission I explain how it will look, we discuss size and medium, whose framing it and any other pertinent details and then I give a price and they nod and pay me. Maybe they think they're getting a bargain and are relieved I wasn't as expensive as they first thought, maybe they just think it's a fair price. I know I'm not expensive as an artist, but neither am I cheap. But I also know I can paint things that many other artists can't. So I have a unique talent. I know my prices will rise as I get more established - its the way with the arts, whether you're a musician, writer, actor or artist. And, hopefully, my buyers will have an investment for the future........ I'm working on it, anyway!

Money money money

I'm a happy bunny today - I've just been told a local gallery has sold one of my paintings. Big smiles. I'll go and collect my money in a bit - the price of the painting minus their commission. It makes up for the lack of sales last weekend!

Selling art is a funny business. Pricing it is very tricky. I've always tried to be fair with my pricing - selling at the price I consider a good amount for the work done and expertise involved. I have a basic hourly rate in my head that I sort of work around to find the price. Its probably a lot higher than the majority of artists in this locale, but I know I'm better than most of them, or at least I value myself higher because I know I can tackle subjects and techniques that a lot of them can't. I spoke to a botanical artist the other day, who is incredibly talented, and sells his paintings very well. He knows he's good at what he does. He spends hours and hours and long hours on his artwork and works in directly opposing ways to my technique - he will glaze over and over many times on each area of a flower petal, a leaf or a piece of fruit. He wants the finished painting to look exactly the same as the item infront of him, and I think that's incredibly admirable. But I don't paint like that. I use splatter and fluid lines and lost and found edges in my work to show movement and life and much prefer the effect. But should I charge the same price as him? He will agonise for ages over the tiniest piece of colour, I spend ages thinking about the emotional effect my art will convey through colour and line and composition.

A few years ago I joined a local art group and asked the chairman a lot of questions regarding how my art should move forward. He helped me a lot with good wholesome advice based on his expertise and experience. One of the things I asked him was about how to price my work. His advice was "Double it!" which took me aback. "What? Double the prices? Will people pay it"? "Yes", he said, "They will". And he's been right, they have. But then if I join another art organisation which is of a far higher profile (and I'm working on that very thing at this very moment!) do I carry on doubling the prices? I think the answer is probably yes. People expect it. But the work is still of the same quality and calibre as it is now, the only thing that's changed is the price tag. And people will still pay it. I know of an artist who was selling his work through a VERY famous shop in London some years ago, and was asked his price for one particular painting that a member of another countries royal family was interested in purchasing. The artist named his high price and was told to put another zero on the end of it. ANOTHER ZERO????? Yes - it was expected! The price was too cheap otherwise and the prince wouldn't have been interested........ The picture was sold at the higher price. Point made.

So, I think the point I'm making is.......... get me now whilst I'm going cheap ........ so to speak......

Sliding Doors

Last night I was propositioned. Nothing unusual in that. It happens occasionally..... enough to make life interesting anyway. But this was different. Not a sexual proposition - but a business one........

A guy I met for the first time a couple of weeks ago and have not seen since, has offered to go into a business partnership with me. He's willing to invest a lot of money into building up my art business, promoting it and backing me as an artist. He knows, as well as I do, that I'm not going to sell my work in the area I live in, I need to go to London, Birmingham or Manchester - where the big money is, and the people who have the inclination to buy my sort of erotic art go. He's talking about a showroom, where people can visit and where I can exhibit my art properly. And his offer has come at exactly the right time - I've been looking for a good gallery for a while, one that is suitable to my needs, where they can promote my art and I can get a good price for my art, which I know is good, and has appeal to a wide audience. But if I go to a large gallery, they will ask a high percentage commission on my art - I'll be lucky to get 30% of the value they sell it at, my framing costs will also soar and I may get less money than if I sell my art privately. This has always been a problem for me - do I sell my art though a prestigious gallery and get less for it, but get fame and acclaim, or do I stay private and reach a smaller audience but keep a higher percentage of the proceeds? Plus there's my website to consider - technically I'm advertising to the world on it, and although my work resides in other European countries and the USA, I'm not known, as yet, as an international artist. I want to reach a wider audience. If I open my own showroom, I would be doing that and I would be taking the profits (or losses) and would be able to reach a richer audience perhaps, but would they be willing to spend the large amounts a venture like this would need to be profitable?

This businessman is willing to invest a lot of money in me, but he also wants a large slice out of it - he's in business after all, and that is to be expected. But do I go with him and invest a lot of money and maybe make a huge pile of money with his backing, or possibly even lose a lot through unforeseen bad decisions, or do I carry on as I am, slowly building up my business, pushing my work through the channels that are interested, and selling well enough to keep a steady income, but not necessarily a vast one. Or even keep on looking and maybe another offer better than this will appear around an unsuspected corner. Or is this as good as it gets? Should I snap his hand off and get him signed up before he changes his mind? I have to consider all angles, and run the two scenarios as parallel universes - as in the film Sliding Doors - one of these open doors leads to success and the other leads to ignominy - but which is which?

Split second decisions

Having spent the last two weekends gallery sitting I've had time to sit and surreptitiously watch the viewing public in an art gallery setting, and what surprised me most was how short a time people spend actually looking at art. Some people were taking two to four SECONDS to look at each painting! Now, I can do that too, for some art, because to me it might be a poorly painted piece, BUT when I see a painting I like, it'll stop me dead in my tracks and I will be transfixed for minutes infront of it, taking in its beauty and admiring the technical brilliance of it, or the choice of subject matter, the way the colours work together, or some other thing that makes it a stunning piece of work, for me. I love it when I see a painting that I couldn't improve on. But the majority of people obviously aren't artists so are therefore not looking it in the same way I do. And if I was to ask them about pictures they would say "Oh, I don't know anything about art!" to which I would reply "Oh.... BUT you DO!!" - in those split seconds their brains are analysing the artwork, deciding whether they like it or not, whether it appeals or repels, and making informed decisions about it. Sometimes you'll see a couple going around an art gallery and they'll stand infront of each and every painting and make loud comments about it "OOOh, I don't like this one!" or "That cat looks just like our neighbours three legged ginger tom, Lucky" or "Oh, we went there on holiday that wet Easter week when our Jane had measles and the dog threw up all over Grandma", and sometimes you learn from their comments......... and sometimes you wish you hadn't!!! (I stopped being sensitive years ago - I don't mind if people say out loud that they don't like a particular painting - at least they've noticed it).

But most people don't invite discussion with their companions, usually they make their own decisions in their own minds. Art's very personal. We either like it. Or we don't........

.........And what's really nice is after sitting in a gallery for two hours on my own, when for the first half hour there was a steady stream of people, then a WHOLE HOUR of not a soul, when the sun is blazing down on one of the nicest days of the year and I'm wondering why I'm stuck inside on my own on such a glorious day, until another steady stream of people arrives and no one says anything to me. I leave.......But the next day, when I went to collect my paintings, a woman who also stewarded the gallery at another time says that she adored my "A step above" painting and both she and her friend put it in their "Top Three" paintings of the whole exhibition and she loved it so much as it reminded her of her holidays in France, and asked me where it was of? I smiled and said "A tiny village in France, in the Ardeche". She said how much she loved it, and was very interested in buying it. She likes it and is thinking about it...............