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art, artbygordon, Articles on travel, graphics, review

2025- A new year for success

I am looking ahead to local art events as 2025 has just begun . I will attend and get involved in local art organizations as well as displaying and entering in contests.

Join Contests: Biafarin

I have entered the fight against Cancer contest and got into the exhibition. Cancer- Never Give Up

Cancer 2024 never give up
Window of Hope 2024 Pastel on paper- 12×18
Elemental
Elemental was created for a contest on elements of nature

I am about to enter the Light contest as well with recent pastels.

It is a totally different feeling to create specifically for a prompt though it really depends, can I see the image in my mind and if I can will it capture the idea that I am trying to describe. It is a great
challenge and experiment for my creative eye.

I am starting to allow myself the privilege to paint, sketch, create, whatever moves me at the moment without any need to censor. I am better at not censoring my words rather than my art.

I’ve always been skeptical of inspiration by prompt. The inspiration finds its image in its own time and place and does not allow for deadlines or prompting.

Local Involvement

Recently I  joined the Rockwall Art League- =
I haven’t participated but I am excited to start joining and participating in local art causes and events. I had previously  joined the Rowlett- Artist Round Texas and have competed in their plein Air show- Paint Rowlett which I plan on entering this year as well.

The gull image won a purchase prize as well as third place in its category and the horse image was from a previous year and won an honorable mention.

Laughing gulls in black ink on paper
Original ink on paper of laughing gulls-sold -paint Rowlett
Sketch of horse-original art on paper
sketch of horse

Wisdom of Sages:

I have embarked on an exciting journey to find my passion and it can be very overwhelming. I believe with the help of Kira Day from the The Passion Centre Inc.– we might be on to something.

I have already begun writing a new series of poems called The Landlord-Passion Sessions and it is a collection of poems about finding all the different elements in my creativity and allowing them to coexist.

Local Art Involvement

This next Thursday, I will be attending the LBT Gallery at the Tower Club in Dallas. I attended the Dallas Business Council of Arts  Canine Conversations art show and it was very enjoyable event.

 

art, artbygordon, Articles on travel, artwork, critique, emotion, emotional, emotional, exploring, inspiration

First Published on 12/12/12: Sunflowers: Inspiration

Sunflowers pastel

Inspiration : Evening Sunflowers
What I loved about this pastel is that the image was almost directly from memory but it was so clear. I saw it and created it quickly. I don’t often get that satisfaction to create with spontanaety.
Sunflowers are a favorite flower of mine. I have raised them for many years, they are very photographic and bold. I need to do a post on sunflowers-photos and paintings. Standby.
Sunflowers on Fence
This is a large pastel inspired by the image of a single light illuminating an upstairs room at a nearby townhouse in Rowlett-actually the scene was pretty much unchanged only simplified.
I felt a feeling of haunting when I first saw it. I wanted the viewer to question the scene-who’s in the room?-there is a mystery about a window in the darkness. The sunflowers brings your attention in and lead your eye along the fence.
 
Sometimes images create themselves and all the artist does is capture what they see-parts of the scene are simplified or exaggerated for the effect and to control the eye of the viewer and how they perceive the scene.

What the Artist Sees and Shows the Viewer

What is obvious to the artist is not always what the viewer will see-they make their own impression from the image and hopefully a hint of what the artist inspiration remains in the final rendering.
 
Below is the second in the series, again a very large pastel. Each of these include plants that are my favorites in the garden, the sunflower and the passionvine-each are symbolic in their own right and although I don’t often paint flowers, the ones I choose tend to be significant to me-either I have them in my wildlife garden or they have a symbolic meaning to them.

Passionvine is Another Favorite Flower

The passionvine represents Christ, although there is nothing specifically religious about the bottom painting, I like the passionvine for its uniqueness and symbolism.
 
I still feel like both of these will probably be revamped as paintings. My initial image of the bottom pastel was originally darker and the passionvines stood out larger and more vibrant. I kind of got lost in the clouds, I will paint probably a smaller version of it with larger flowers, a less awkward smaller house and a late evening time frame.
The following images are more sunflower paintings that have been created since this initial group of paintings.

Blogger article on Sunflower Painting

Here are some photographs of the sunflowers, both in my garden and on the road.

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So you have an audience: Now what? Part 1 of a 5 part series

muirwoods

Navigating a landscape, it’s okay to ask for directions.

Social Media 101 – This is an update to the article, So much to learn, so little time. I’ve learned much about the social media landscape and the hills and valleys of finding and marketing to potential clients. One thing for sure, it takes a time, lots of time.

If you expect to sell your product or service through strictly free social media, realize it will be a long road, with many highs and lows. One thing great about it, you learn so much by trying, experimenting, by failing and experimenting again.

I now realize how important it is to learn from others who have taken the path and discover some proven shortcuts. You have a finite amount of time and content and if you don’t learn how others have made it, you will spend much time learning and less time reaping the benefits.

So learn from others who have lots of followers that are attracting the same audience you seek. Ask lots of questions, take classes that have been valuable to others in your field and learn from the vast amount of experience at your finger tips.

Tomorrow’s post: A changing Landscape but still the same landscape