End of year and Five on a Prairie, daily painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Five on a Prairie, 2012, Jo-Ann Sanborn

acrylic on board, 5"x7"

 

 

UGH, the end of the year is coming.  Why does it have to come so soon after Christmas?  I'd love a few weeks to remove the Christmas debris and get ready for the New Year properly, but there's only a few days.

It's the time of year when I look back, to see what I've accomplished, and look ahead to see what comes next.  I choose three words to help guide me along the path I've chosen.  Courage, patience and discipline were my words for 2012.  I've got courage down pretty well, and have worked hard on discipline but patience could really use some work.  UGH,. I'm not done with this year yet! 

It's also the time of year when I rewrite all my promotional materials to reflect any changes.  It has really paid off to have them ready when someone asks.  If they are all redone and dated with the new year it's easy to find them quickly to send out when there's an unexpected request. 

I've been thinking about changes to my website.  FASO, my wonderful website provider, has a new template that looks promising.  I'd love to find the time to try it for myself.  I have to plan quite a body of time for new web adventures because I'm only barely literate in computese, get quite frustrated, and often have to use "support" services.  Luckily, FASO's support is extraordinary. 

Trips to the Everglades and have given me several ideas for new paintings, in addition to the ones lingering in my mind.  I can't wait to get back to the easel.  That's really where I'm happiest these days. 

Still, I'll put all this aside and family will take priority for a few more days.  That's how it should be.  The studio will be closed today and open at noon on Thursday and Friday so I can be with them.  Maybe we'll attend the Naples Botanical Gardens "lights in the garden" tonight.  Sounds magical.  The rest can wait. 

Unexpected Exhibition Opportunity, On the Beach painting by Everglades Artist JoAnn Sanborn

Beach Walkers

20x20

$800

Yesterday's small daily painting didn't get finished, so I'm showing you another in the elongated palm series I've been working on on and off for several years. I'll take it to be framed tomorrow, since it's not a standard size and will have to be custom framed.

I started my "daily" with high hopes in the morning, then put it aside to attend the Marco Island Foundation for the Arts fashion show, thinking I'd get back to it in plenty of time. The event was a fund raiser, where artist friend Joyce Kachapis showed off her beautifully creative handmade jewelry on wonderful Roxy mannequin centerpieces, and Island Woman boutique presented a fashion show full of delightful island wear. The centerpieces were really great and I'm going to order one and paint it myself although the already painted ones were lovely!

Home to a message from the United Arts Council that their scheduled February artist had backed out from a planned exhibition at the Norris Center, and did I want the space? My mind went around this question very quickly.

Did I have enough paintings to cover? I'm doing two important outdoor shows later this month. I would have enough if I used some paintings that were too large to take to outdoor shows. Could I be ready? I'm working on a commission that I promised to be ready by Friday, but my client is a kind, understanding person. I could do it if I got right to it. So with a gulp I said "yes."

Luckily my Art Marketing Salon group was into the eighth week of Alyson Stanfield's free Art Marketing Salon, so all my materials had been updated for the new year and were ready to go. It was just a matter of making a painting list, fresh off Flick, my organizer, and printing enough handouts and cards. Leftovers for dinner, and everything is now ready to be packed into the car for delivery today. Phew.

It would have been easy to say "no", that the notice was too short, that I couldn't possibly be ready in time. But if I worked at it I could do it, and did! It was nice to be able to help the United Arts Council out on such short notice, and a real opportunity to have exposure at the Norris Center in downtown Naples in February. Will sales come of it? Who knows? But I'll be "out there" showing my work and getting some publicity, and very grateful for the opportunity!

Hey, there's even be a reception! I'll let you know the details.

Conservation Land, Trustee's Meeting, Daily Painting by Everglades Artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

I was dismayed to read in this morning's Naples Daily News that nearly 200 acres of Everglades wetlands under consideration for purchase by Conservation Collier has been sold to a private airboat operator. This land lays in the center of lands that are already protected and would have saved a block of wetlands into the future. Selling to a conservation group takes time and takes patience, but well worth the effort when it's the right thing to do. It seems that a box of cigars turned the deal from good faith to a sham. Now the land will have noisy and disruptive airboat tours tearing up the fragile wetland grasses. This land is on the south side of 41 to Everglades City, and will be the closest airboat tour for Marco Island and Naples, but let's not go there!

On a lighter note, here's a turkey trivia quiz for you to enjoy. How much do you really know about the bird? Turkey Quiz How'd you do?

Trustee's Meeting

sold