Julie T. Chapman - ArtBlog

Just a warning - another art scammer on the loose. This email showed up in my Inbox today:

“Good day to you out there.

I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you…………………

Larger Than Life
bighorn
Snowdog
coyote
Fox Focus
red fox
Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hanged in our new home in South Africa. As well, I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives.
We are traveling from our Dallas home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks.
I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day.

Take care,
Frannie Brandsons”

… which also led me to discover a site called Artscam, with some examples of art scam emails.

In general, pretty much anytime I get an email with such incredibly bad grammar and language use I am immediately suspicious. Plus, these emails always ask me for the prices of these paintings - yet my prices are right on my website with the images, so this is another red flag.

Stay safe, everyone!

OK, I’m deferring the “Beating the Economic Slump II” post until after New Year’s, mainly because I think we’re all absorbed with holiday things (eating too much, drinking too much, catching up with family and friends) that should be our focus right now. I’m having trouble keeping up with everything myself due to juggling holiday obligations of all types, year-end stuff, AND occasionally doing some art.

So instead, I’m delighted that Kelly Singleton - a workshop participant, a blogger, and a fabulous watercolor wildlife artist - let me know that I’d been “tagged”. The rules:

1. Put a link in your posting about the artist that tagged you.
2. Write 5-7 unusual things about yourself.
3. Tag 5-7 other bloggers and let them know.

I’ve accomplished #1 already, tho Kelly probably gave me up for dead after tagging me … geez, at least 3 weeks ago. (Mea culpa!). Awright, #3. I’m not gonna follow this strictly, because some of the artists I want to mention aren’t bloggers - but worth knowing about:

• Joni Johnson-Godsy: also a workshop participant, she’s stimulating ideas for ME (one of the best benefits of being a workshop leader!). And a fellow dog handler/trainer/nut.
• Susan Fox: a frequent contributor to my blog, another workshop participant, an adventurer, and someone whose work I’m enjoying watching develop as she explores her off-the-beaten path.
• John Potter: a delightful, wonderful man; a Native American who makes lots of jokes about himself (and others) and is one of the kindest, most humble souls I know. Won the Bob Kuhn award for drawing at the Western Visions show at the NMWA this fall.
• Greg Beecham: most of you know (or should know!) about Greg’s work, which is gorgeous and beautifully rendered. And Greg himself is a lovely person.
• Rich Loffler: a fabulous sculptor; you think he’s just a country boy (can of snuff, rifle, etc.) but he’s extremely literate with art/sculpture history and can lecture with the best of them. A Canadian, and currently working on a monumental commission from the NMWA. Always interesting to talk to.
• Andrew Denman: one of my most favorite people to hang with at events; extremely original, thought-provoking, kind, interesting - a wonderful person. I deeply admire Andrew and his work.

Wow, I got carried away there - could have kept going (Michael Godfrey, Ned Aldrich, Jim Morgan…) but I better stop.

And finally, #2. Hmmm. This is probably stuff everyone knows:

1. I have German Shepherds and am an agility addict. Serious case.
2. I worked as a lumberjack in high school.
3. My first date with my now-husband was flying aerobatics. He’s an extremely competent pilot. I didn’t throw up, so probably passed some sort of test.
4. I love horses, and spent 15 years riding dressage and cross-country. Amazing how many ex-horsepeople are to be found in agility. Agility’s a helluva lot cheaper and easier than keeping horses.
5. I’m an engineer by training, ex-high tech, and still love messing with computers and software - do my own website and several others as well.

Whew.

Today’s post: beating the BOWS (Beginning of Winter Slump), per our discussion several weeks ago. Part 2 will be about “beating the economic slump”, next week. By then I hope to have thought of something to write.

Suggestions for dealing with BOWS:

• Do something different. Do you normally paint large? Paint very small (4×6, 6×8). Normally work in oil? Use watercolor, pencil, or watercolor pencil. Do a whole image with palette knife. Etc. Try Yupo!
  The image on this post comes from a little experiment I did a while ago: laid a piece of rice paper on a plate rolled with printing ink, then drew on top of the paper. The cave-art quality of this was a surprise to me, and charms me.
•  Do something even more different. I’ve been crocheting like crazy - something about the colors and textures of all those yarns and fibers fascinates me. It’ll stimulate me in the studio, too. At some point. I hope.
• Look at other art. Go to the library or bookstore and flip through every art magazine there, including ones you wouldn’t normally. The abstract stuff (in ArtNews? American Art Collector? can’t remember them all) is visually very interesting for me. I happened to see a magazine new to me (Horses in Art) and look through it last weekend; much of the work was pedestrian, but there was at least one artist whose approach fascinated and inspired me.
• Clean the studio. We already talked about this.
• Visit artisan fairs and studios. What a great time of year to see what other artists - of all types - are doing! So many craft fairs and similar things happening; fine crafts also get me visually inspired. Even better, make a purchase and support other artists.
• Sketch from life - pets, spouses, trees. Try doing something really unusual, like a study of the reflections in a shiny glass ball ornament.
• Mess with your images in Photoshop. I have so much fun playing with my images - whether artwork or photos - and Photoshop’s filters and plugins. And sometimes it inspires me to try a different approach. Plus, you might end up with something cool enough to print onto a card or shirt.

OK, enough from me. Other suggestions?