Coming Abstractions

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Ending 2010

It's been a LONG year for me and to be honest I'm glad it's nearly over. A lot of wonderful things have happened and some not-so-wonderful things too....but I guess that's what life's all about.

So while November may be my favorite month of the year -- New Year's is my favorite holiday of the year. It's a time of reflection and a time for setting goals for the upcoming months. New Year's Eve is when I write my list of things I want to do or achieve for the next year and also list the things I want to forget or file away in my "never-ever-ever-do-this-again" drawer in my mind. Believe me I think this year I'll be writing a book on the latter part of that previous sentence!

I'm excited about 2011 and am hopeful for many positive changes both in my life and the world around me. In January I'm treating myself to a long-overdue retreat to Esalen for a drawing class and am looking forward to spending 6 wonderful days walking the beautiful beaches of Big Sur, CA.

While I'm on my way down to Esalen I'm stopping by Hart's Desire Winery in Healdsburg, CA to install a show of my larger paintings and some of my glass art. Here's a link to their website: http://www.hartsdesirewines.com/WordPress/ Check out their award-winning wines and their wonderful tasting room!!

I hope each and every one of you have a safe and wonderful New Year -- here's to a fabulous 2011 for one and all!!!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

A lot to be thankful for

November is probably my favorite month of the entire year. For me, it marks the true beginning of the Fall season; is the month my niece Kim and nephew Richard were born; and is host to the fabulous holiday, Thanksgiving. November is the time I tuck away the cool cotton sheets and go for the comfy flannel ones. It's when I can wear my soft leather boots with the fuzzy fur inside. I get to pull out the knitted caps; leather jackets and gloves; and brightly knitted scarves and wear layers of old t-shirts. This month is also my time to slow my usual frenzied pace long enough to settle down with a hot cup of tea and a good book or magazine and exercise another area of my brain a bit......the part of my brain that sort of goes dormant when I'm off in Painterland.

As I look back over this past year I am filled with gratitude to all of my readers and collectors. Without each and every one of you I wouldn't be able to continue pursuing my dream of being an abstract painter. Knowing I have my "peeps" anticipating new work and blog posts makes me accountable and forces me to get outside of my head for awhile to recognize and appreciate the world around me right here and now.

Pursuing the artist's career is a lot of hard work and full of challenges -- especially during these difficult economic times. When I first began turning this lifelong dream into a reality I mistakenly thought I'd be happily painting every single day and night and collectors would line up on my doorstep vying for the opportunity of owning a "JJ" original. What I didn't anticipate was the extraordinary amount of time required to market my work properly in order to get people to see my art in the first place! This marketing includes photographing the art; properly finishing the piece (final touches; multiple coats of protective varnish; signing and inventorying the work; creating Certificates of Authenticity; listing the works on numerous internet sites including ETSY, EBay, FineArtAmerica, Daily Painters for Abstract Artists; my blog, etc.); answering emails and meeting with other artists/designers/gallery owners and networking like crazy. Sometimes it feels as though I'm spending more time marketing then I am painting -- and then there's the nagging little doubts that start to pop up in my mind....."are my compositions strong enough" "did I overdo something" "do these colors work OK or should I try adding...?" "does my art suck?"

At times these questions and more seem to scream in my mind and block out any semblance of reason. I feel like I'm spending more time in front of the computer than I am in behind the paintbrush and anxiety sets in. Lots of doubt follows quickly then a couple of self-inflicted blows to my ego show up to say "I told you so! What are you thinking leaving your day job to be an artist? You don't have enough training....you need to go back to school.....without an art degree you can't be successful....."

I know I sound like I'm whining and feeling sorry for myself but truth be told I knew it wouldn't be easy. I knew lots of hard work and sacrifice would be involved if I had any chance of being successful. I also knew it would take time to start building an art business and that if I could sell anything during these crazy times then I'm way ahead of the game. I discovered I needed to make some difficult choices -- should I spend more time at the studio painting and waiting for customers to find my studio/gallery? Or should I concentrate on trying to build more virtual galleries and create a stronger internet presence?

November 2010 answered these questions for me and more. In the past week and a half I have sold paintings on EBay, ETSY and FineArtAmerica. I just shipped my art to residences in Arizona, Ohio, Maryland and Canada. I was contacted by a local nightclub to hang my art for two months. I was featured in at least 5 Treasuries on ETSY and got some awesome feedback on new works from fellow artists whose work I admire greatly. Four of my paintings are going to be shown in the Art Foundry Gallery for December and January and I'm one of two featured glass artists for a show next month at Arareity Jewelers. Lastly tonight I was notified that this blog was named one of the top Abstract Painting blogs in America by "Online Graphic Arts School."

I don't know what December will bring for me but without each and every one of my readers, collectors and art friends I wouldn't be dancing this happy dance or giving oodles of thanks to the Universe for granting me this tremendous opportunity I've been given.

Many, many thanks and blessings to you all.
JJ

Sunday, November 21, 2010

All That Jazz -- New painting for November 21, 2010

"All That Jazz"

Acrylic on canvas

24" x 36"

Friday, October 22, 2010

I've been interviewed by Whopple!!!

Anne Marie Smith writes a fabulous blog about artists from all over the world and I was recently selected to be among these wonderfully talented people. I've been a follower of her blog for months and really enjoy learning more about what traits we all seem to have in common....for example: many artists start out by telling the reader that they've been an artist all of their life. I know that's how I began--maybe even before I could hold a crayon.....somehow I'm willing to bet I drew pictures inside my mother's womb!

Here's the link to my interview -- http://www.whopple.com/artist-interview-with-jj-jacobs.html

If you're an artist who wants to be interviewed too just let me know or shoot an email to Anne Marie with your portfolio information. She's a wonderful person and an excellent marketer for artists who highlights all different types of 2-D art including abstract; contemporary; mixed media; photography; collage; realistic; expressionistic and a varieity of other styles.