"Convoluted", 30"x22" Watercolor on Fabriano paper.
This is a demonstration painting that I recently did as a video lesson for the Artefacto Art School in Russia. I have been commissioned to do a three part series of video demonstrations and lessons on watercolor abstractions that will be marketed throughout Europe. This is the first lesson of the series. This particular painting is a demonstration of Abstract Expressionism.
Right Brain vs. Left Brain; Who Wins?
Remember the old days when all you had to do to sell your art was get it framed and drive it to a gallery? All of us artists could focus most of our attention and energy on producing new works of art and maybe do a show once and a while. If we were doing a show we could get some fliers printed and mail them to our preferred customers ,which was not that expensive because back in those days printing and stamps were not so expensive. Boy, how things have changed!
Nowadays we need to become somewhat of a computer whiz to get our name and our work in front of our customers. Even if you have your work in galleries, you need a sure fire way of letting people know what galleries your work is in and be able to show some images of the art to entice them to go to the gallery. I always recommend that the artist has a website that allows interested people to see his or her work, read their biography, find out where they are exhibiting their work and so on. The website is also a way for folks to contact you via email. But it takes a lot of time and energy to build and maintain a website. It also requires the artists to learn how to use a digital camera and an editing program such as Adobe. You also need to have a process in place where potential customers can make a purchase from your website, if they desire. PayPal seems to be the program that most of the artists I know use. Yep, more left brain stuff. But it doesn't stop there. Once you have your website you need to find creative ways to get people to the website. Many of the social networks such as Facebook and Instagram are an excellent way to promote your website. You can readily upload images of your work at no cost and even include a link to your website. Most of this is relatively easy but it robs us of our mental energy and creative time. There are always people that we can pay to do this for us but in all honesty, we need to maintain control of these things ourselves to see that they are done properly and in a timely manner. Lets not forget about the brochures and fliers that we need to design and write to hand out at different events. That means we need to learn to use a word editing program such as Constant Contact, more left brain stuff. Many of the professional artists that I know also write a monthly newsletter such as this one. I have never found a better way to showcase my new pieces, educate my audience about my views and processes, keep people informed of my schedule of events and link people to my website. It all goes in a big circle of technical things that we need to drudge through to get someone to our website, or at the very least, get our work in front of them. It all takes time to learn. It all takes time to execute. It all wears us down and takes the vast majority of our time and energy; specifically, our mental energy which is the backbone of our creativity. That's just the price we pay to be successful.
I don't think that most people realize just how much of our mental energy is needed to create a piece of art. In my case, I almost need to go into a zone where I am oblivious to anything that interferes with my thought process. This is typical with most of the artists that I know. I often hear them talk about losing track of time while creating. I do that too. Sometimes I feel like I've been working on a piece for an hour or so only to find out that I've been working for three or four hours. There are so many times that I wake up in the morning with an idea for a painting but I need to get my emails answered first because some of them may be time sensitive or urgent. I could always ignore the emails and check them later but that may not be good for customer relations if a sender has been stressing over something that is important to them. This may take anywhere from ten minutes to an hour but, even if it only takes two minutes, it is an intrusion and a distraction on my creative energy. If I just get right to work on a piece without checking my messages I find it difficult to focus on my painting because I am concerned that there might an email or something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. It's always a constant battle between my right brain and my left brain. Unfortunately, my left brain wins most of the time. When your entire livelihood relies on your art business you really have no choice but to think of yourself as a business person as much as, or maybe even more so, than an artist. Let's face it, I could always ignore the business side and just focus on the creative side but I would eventually lose customers which are the life blood of any business.
The really great great thing about making a living as an artist is the pleasure I get from doing something that I love and getting paid to do it. So it's not all bad and I get to meet and work with a lot of like minded people. All of this right brain/left brain stuff essentially narrows down to a coping situation that each of us needs to work on to find the right balance. In a perfect world, neither the right or left brain would win and everything would automatically balance itself. Also in a perfect world I would win the lottery and retire filthy rich. Speaking of which; I need to wrap this up and go buy some lottery tickets.
Special Sale!
ALL of the ORIGINAL paintings on my website
Have been reduced by 20%
(This does not apply to prints)
and also on my NEW companion website:
Yes, we now have a NEW Companion Website:
For several years we have received numerous requests that we offer prints of some of my paintings. To accommodate these requests we have designed a new website that is a companion to our current site.
This new site allows us to offer a large selection of prints of my paintings and even some prints of my photography. Yes, unknown to most, I'm also a photographer. There are also two galleries that feature original watercolors and original acrylic abstracts on paper that are available.
Another great feature of this new site is that you can choose from a variety of sizes and surfaces that you would like for your prints. We hope that you will check it out and be as excited about it as we are.
Gift Certificates
We have received several request for Gift Certificates recently so Diane and I have decided to offer Gift Certificates that can be redeemed for Videos, Live Classes, Art Supplies, and Paintings. (Not redeemable for workshops)
To purchase a Gift Certificate go to www.sterlingedwards.com. Click "Contact the artist". Let us know that amount you would like to purchase and the recipients name. We will send you an invoice.
On a personal note:
(Please read)
Lately I have seen more and more artists selling copies of my paintings on their artist websites, at my workshops, and in small shops and galleries. This is both illegal and unethical. It is also illegal and unethical to enter a copy of someone else's painting in a competition.
All work that you sell or enter in a competition should be of your own design and execution. Not a copy of someone else's work.
I really don't like having to even write this but it is becoming a big problem and it needs to STOP IMMEDIATELY.
It's theft of Intellectual Property and can result in severe consequences.
