Resources for Marketing and Selling Original Art Online

I am an artist: I create original acrylics and sell them on my website, in art galleries, and at art exhibits.

A brush in hand, tubes of vibrant paints, a blank canvas and divine intervention is my formula for visual, beautiful and colorful artworks.

~ Shirley Monestier, artist

Last year, I made the decision to dedicate more time to selling my art, and decided to increase my online art marketing efforts. During the past year I have:

• reactivated my blog. I hadn't blogged in nearly 2 years, and decided this was a good way to connect with others interested in art
• restarted my newsletter:  this is a great way to share special sales and information that isn't on my blog to friends and fans who asked for more information
• social media: I was active on Facebook and LinkedIn, but am now also on Twitter and Pinterest and Google Plus.
• opened an Etsy Store: I'm just uploading my first paintings this week!
• Saachi Online: I have created an account, and will be uploading art very soon.

As I researched information and ideas for marketing art online, I discovered some great resources for selling art online:

• Total Art Soul: Creative Ways for Selling Your Paintings 
• Living My Dream: An Artistic Approach to Marketing by Synthia Saint James
• Ask the Experts: Facebook marketing tips for visual artists
• Marketing Art Online: Social Media Advice
• Empty Easel: Selling Art Online 

As part of my research on marketing art, I discovered the Creative Insurgents Podcast. Here's a recent episode on living a creative life on your own terms.

I also started a Pinterest board: Marketing Tips for Artists: visit it here.

I'd love to hear from other artists on tips and ideas for marketing their art online. 

And of course, in addition to marketing my art I'm also happily in my studio. Here's my latest work:

JEWELS OF THE SEA  (SOLD)
Acrylic on Canvas
21” x 29”
Prints available soon!

à la prochaine,

Shirley

The Artist's Way for Parents: Raising Creative Children

Art brings such joy and purpose to my life, I can't imagine living in a world without art. And yet, I understand that not everyone shares an artistic view of the world. But I believe art can be nurtured and encouraged, particularly when started at a young age.

I recently discovered the book The Artist’s Way for Parents: Raising Creative Children by Julia Cameron. I was not familiar with Cameron's book The Artist's Way, but understand that many parents wanted her to write this book to help them encourage raising children to be creative and to practice art.

I also understand that for some, encouraging creativity in their children does not come naturally. So I welcome Julia Cameron's efforts to provide a how-to book for parents who want to raise their children to experience and appreciate creativity.

The Artist's Way for Parents is written in a very straight-forward, easy to understand way; with exercises and activities parents can use with their children:

• storytelling
• a walk in the park
• making music
• creating art

Julia Cameron is an artist (poet, playwright, and filmmaker), and many of the ideas she shares are activities she used in raising her own daughter. 

Every child is creative. And every parent is creative. Your child requires joy, and exercising creativity, both independently and together, makes for a happy and fulfilling family life.

~ Julia Cameron

I think The Artist's Way for Parents would make a wonderful gift for any parent and child in your life!

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Private Preview of Vietnam Orchids Series

Ambassador Mattie Sharpless (Left) and Ruby Singleton Blakeney, Art Curator 

I was honored by the Private Preview of my Orchids of Vietnam Series held on May 25, 2014 at D'Art Gallery, Washington, D.C.

To contact D'Art Gallery:

                                 

    www.thegallerydart.com

    Ruby@thegallerydart.com

    443.336.1043

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Creative Ways to Display Art

As an artist, I don't think your house becomes a home until you fill it with art: art is a representation of your feelings, your travels, your interests. Every home should have an ORIGINAL art whether decorative, meaningful or just a piece that catches your eye or piece you just love. There's nothing that brings color and life to an empty room faster than a large vibrant painting on the wall.

But hanging a painting on an empty wall isn't the only way to display art. Here are some creative ideas for displaying and sharing art in your home.

Anyone can put a photo on a bookshelf. Here House Beautiful shows how beautiful art looks hanging from a bookshelf.

Build a living green wall to frame your art like Boka restaurant in Chicago.

Make a collection by using the same matting and frames on different pieces like Coastal Living did.

Copy, shrink and mount children's artwork on a mat and frame says Little Moth Design.

Art displayed on chair backs turns average chairs into artistic decor at Home and garden.

For more creative ways to display art visit my Pinterest board.

You can never have too much art! But sometimes, you don't have enough wall space and need to find creative ways to showcase your treasured works.

How do you display your art?

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Using Technology to Stimulate Children's Interest in the Arts

Children have a natural interest in observing and creating art: every parent knows that providing their child with crayons and paper can occupy an entire afternoon, and the art produced can decorate an entire refrigerator! Every parents prepares for the day their child gets their first harmonica, or toy piano: and the endless "music"

As children become older and their schedules are full of gymnastics, swim lessons and play dates there is less and less time reserved for creating art. In previous generations, the kids had "Art" and "Music" as part of their school schedule. Now budget constraints have eliminated the arts from many schools.

Kids today love technology and are very comfortable using smartphones, tablets and laptops. I'm excited to learn about new apps and games for kids that stimulate their interest in the arts.

Here are some art and music apps that will develop your child's love of the arts:

1.  MoMA Art Lab is a free app from the Museum of Modern Art in NYC for kids age 7 and up with nine activities to create artwork inspired by MoMA's collection, including Henri Matisse and Alexander Calder.

guides you through different styles of modern art and then lets you give it a try yourself, just like a great teacher would do.

~ Cool Mom Tech

The MoMA Art Lab app is free at the Apple Store.

2.  Mini Monet Creative Studio and Art Club for Kids is a free-form drawing app where kids can join the art club to share their drawings and earn point for drawing. The system for earning coins for sharing is a little confusing, but its not necessary to participate to use Mini Monet. Designed for ages 4-8.

Mini Monet is $1.99 at the Apple Store. 

3.  Mibblio is a music app that combines stories and music to form MIBBLETS: illustrated songs with loads of musical features that enable kids to read along, sing along and jam along.  

Download the free Mibblio music app for kids for iPad at the Apple Store. The first Mibblet is free, additional Mibblets are $.99 each.

4. Zebra Paint is a coloring app for young children - around age 3-5 - to fingerpaint with their fingers and choose their own colors for the 24 templates.

Zebra Paint is a free Android app, Zebra Pro is available for $.99.

I love how technology and art come together to help children appreciate the arts. How do you foster a child's interest in the arts? Tell me: I'd love to share your tips!

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Fabergé Big Easter Egg Hunt in New York City

by Jeff Koons

275 giant Easter eggs are scattered around New York City for Fabergé's Big Egg Hunt! From April 1 - 26 giant eggs by famous artists are part of an interactive egg hunt. Participants download the free app on their smart-phone, then take a photo and share as many eggs as they can find.

Each day there is a roaming "Where's Waldo" egg to find and photograph, or one can simply enjoy the spEGGtacular display all around the city. Participants can share their photos on Twitter and Instagram with #thebiggegghuntny. There are dozens of family activities around the city as part of the Big Egg Hunt.

Artists participating in the Big Egg Hunt include:

• Jeff Koons
• Tracey Emin
• Bruce Weber
• Julian Schnabel
• Carolina Herrera
• Peter Beard
• Zaha Hadid
• Ralph Lauren

Each week 1 winner will win a gem-encrusted Fabergé egg pendant, and contest details are available at Fabergé's Big Egg Hunt. The artist's eggs will be available for sale at auction after the contest ends. Big Egg Hunt mini-egg souvenirs and a Big Egg Hunt children's book are available for sale at Saks. The Big Egg Hunt raises money for Asia’s endangered elephants and children in New York City through Studio in a School. 

London hosted a Big Egg Hunt in 2012, while Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin hosted them in 2013.

What an exciting way to introduce art to children, and make art free and available to everyone!

Fabergé eggs are ornate jeweled egg-shaped artworks made for the families of Russian czars in the 19th and 20th centuries. Many of the Fabergé eggs, about the size of a real egg, opened up to reveal elaborate tiny treasures inside, such as photo frames. Many are on display at museums around the world.

by Faig Ahmed

by Liane Ricci

Humpty Dumpty by Joanna Moore

unsigned

by Molly Hatch

by Elyn Zimmerman

I love programs that introduce art to children in new and exciting ways, and I especially love that kids will get excited about combining art and technology. What a fun, creative idea!

à la prochaine,

Shirley

Fashion and Art: Iris Apfel

When you don't dress like everyone else, you don't have to think like everyone else.

 ~Iris Apfel

92 year old style icon Iris Apfel has decided to de-clutter and downsize her years of collection fashion, art and home furnishings. And her fans of all ages can't get enough of the tiny design legend, and rush to buy pieces worn or designed by the former interior designer.

• HSN jewelry and shoe line Rara Avis by Iris Apfel
• 800 pieces of vintage furniture and accessories selling on One Kings Lane 
• personal jewelry pieces Apfel has worn and loved sold on Yoox.com

Her quotes on fashion are as legendary as her style:

I absolutely consider fashion a form of art.

I think dressing up or down should be a creative experience.

 No amount of money can buy you style. It's just instinctive.

My passion for color in fashion, art, food and nature inspires my artistry. Like Iris Apfel, its instinctive.  I glean many of the colors used in my artworks by viewing fashions on the catwalks. Colors featured in the 2014 Paris Fashion Week runways are varied from Easter-egg pastel to primary red, blue and yellow.  Love the shoe colors!!

Vanessa Bruno's colorful shoes

I hope you have color in your life!

   à la prochaine,
    Shirley