...sometimes it just needs to be fun...

I have been feeling a bit worn out and overloaded having a flu bug of some sort that doesn't seem to want to shake... I know I should have likely just hung out in bed and did a little 'sleep it off'...but I know with the holidays coming I won't have as much time as I want to paint...so I headed into the studio for the weekend... I wasn't there the entire time, I don't sleep there... living close to home is handy...and with the school right across the street helps a ton, too. I also want to mention a huge thanks to all who have viewed, and even supported my kickstarter project... last I checked the funds raised are 28% closer to reaching the goal.. and about 43 days left or so... Off and on I catch myself dreaming about how grand it would be to actually go to a painting class...AND be able to study high end work...IN PERSON... for a whole TWO WEEKS!!! DREAM ....sigh.... :) I am all for taking the positive out of anything I can... so in the end...which ever way it goes..there will be good.


...and now for some of my weekend fun...... the 2 smaller paintings (oil on gallery wrap canvas) are approx 12 x 16 inch.... the tall painting, titled 'FRAMED', is 12 by 48 inches... gallery wrapped...oil painting..
Remember...you can always click on any of the images to view full screen.

Recently Sold...

The following paintings were paintings that were recently sold...A HUGE Thank you to a few very kind individuals! for the record...I like to track where they are going so from left to right..top to bottom.... Lamont, FL... United Kingdom,... United Kingdom,... Park Rapids, MN...Atlanta, GA....Texas...

For future use, it doesn't hurt to keep track of a few uplifting testimonials either.... (I love it when customers...or even those that browse leave those little comments on my blog...right on my gallery page @ Ugallery)

I too am an artist. An artist who admires works of many of my fellow artists. However, I like most artists are stingy with our cash because we usually like to eat and have a roof over our poor talented souls. So, when an artist makes an effort to pry open their wallet in order to purchase a piece of work from another living artist it must mean there is something special about the work and the artist. - I purchased Kayleen Horsma's 'A Good Cup' and was excited to have received it last week. Kayleen's style and compositions are in a class of their own, truly unique. The subject matter of Kayleen's paintings appear to be a snapshot of pensive repose with an undercurrent of unresolved emotion. Kayleen's use of the pure and unmuddied brush-stroke work exudes that ‘Less is more’. This artist has the gift of sublime understatement, a gift that few artists are privy to understand, much less able to master. I will cherish this fine piece of work always.
- W Luchsinger after purchasing work by Kayleen Horsma


If you havn't had a chance to check out my slide show and project... this is the link for 'An Affair Of The Art' at Kickstarter.com

Remember... you can always click on any image to view full screen.....

My Art Affair... kickstarter...

I am running a bit of a fundraiser on a great site - Kickstarter.... Thought I would share just for fun. The last thing I want is for people to feel obligated to back my project, though if you would be so kind as to pass my project along I would so appreciate it. There is a slide show of my work as well as a video.....hope you will get a little entertainment out of it at the least :) ...this is the link

Going With The Flow .....lithograph print

'Going With The Flow' lithograph print hand signed (rolled in a tube) actual image size is approximate 12 and 3/4ths inch by 16 and 1/2 inches. (posting for my kickstarter project)



CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW FULL SCREEN

...A Flip Book.......

...just working on a little project and needed to host some pictures online... soon you will know...the rest of the story ... :)

Her Own Tune.....

" Her Own Tune"
Oil on gallery wrap canvas...36 x 48 inches.. ready to hang.. Available at $1200- click on any of the images to enlarge.


...........................

The Finish American Reporter.....

(the insert below is what was written
on the cover about my work..or click on
the picture for a closer view)

"Let It Ride" illustrates why Menahga,
Minnesota Kayleen Horsma is a
rising star in the Finish-American art
world. The painting is derived from a
photo that her father Chester took of his
siblings at his parents'- Jack and Edna
Ylitalo -farm in Wolf Lake, Minnesota.
Watch for a feature about Kayleen in an
upcoming issue.

...when the tire goes flat...

I have been working on a new project, as well as trying to keep up on what needs to be done at home, and finish up on some commissioned work...AND get some new work done, meanwhile...adding to the pot..being sick now for about 8 or 9 days.  We have had a flu and sinus bug going rampage at our house.  Now, is it a coincidence, or is there more to it?

My project has been forcing me to review where my artwork is taking me... and at times I get so frustrated that I feel like the air is being taken out of me.  Well, not literally, but I kind of liken it to the explanation.  I was trying to think how I would describe it, a few days ago, so people would understand.  My thought was that, if the air goes out of a tire, it doesn't quite go around and around.  It stops.  Then the metal part of the wheel gets all banged up and pretty soon all kinds of things go wrong.

So today my daughter calls from the school, she is sick.  I drive to town in our little but trusty subaru.  On the way there, things are going ok, except I noticed the car not driving quite the same.  It was pulling a little funny..like kind of going where it wanted to.  I kept it on the road.

I stopped by the sidewalk when I got uptown and some nice man told me I had a flat tire.  I of course then had to go fill it back up.    It isn't hissing... and appears to be staying in there just fine.

I am not sure if someone, or what let the air out of my tire, ... but I guess the moral of this story is...when your tire goes flat... just put a little more in.

As for the project... I will be sharing the goods on that soon... so stay tuned......

... close up of  'A Good Cup'... a 6 inch oil...sold today and is moving to Texas... 

SHADES OF BLUE

I seem to be having a problem loading my images so I am going to, until I figure it out, post links to my work..... Shades Of Blue is a 30 x 40 inch gallery wrap oil painting...ready to hang... 1.5 inches deep, sides are painted deep umber....

The piece will also be available, as well as a few other works of mine, this weekend during the annual studio arts tours that stretches from the Menahga area, Park Rapids, Nevis, and even Detroit Lakes. Maps are available at any of the studios, or downloadable at the PRLAC site on line... havn't been there yet, but heard on the radio. (prlac.org) .... My work will be mingling in the great room with the old 16th and 17th century works at the Nemeth Art Center, previously known as the North County Museum of Arts...

You can view Shades Of Blue by clicking HERE

Discerning Prudence available in print...

...Just thought I would share with you the first of limited edition prints... Discerning Prudence now available in various sizes view by following this link.... here ....

'Elusive' .....from this ...to that.

From this...to that...
'Elusive'.... gallery wrap oil original painting 1.5 inches deep sides painted deep brown...36x 48 inches.../ 91.4 cm x 121.9 cm x 3.8 cm deep ...should post on Thursday at Ugallery retail $1200-
Of the 4 photos...one is the beginning stage..3 are finished...click on any image to zoom to full screen.
SOLD ...(Singapore)

...A field of dreams ....in progress....

... A few paintings in progress to share... and a link to my newest piece @ Ugallery... Feminine Mystique .... or if you want to get to the front page with all of the goodies and collections... follow this link :)

A Field Of Dreams is roughly 12 by 36 inches... gallery wrap on canvas oil - in progress... The young lady with the red hair is also in progress... roughly 36 by 50 inch oil on gallery wrap canvas...

...Click on any image to get a full size zoom ... enjoy :)

Mystique of Midsummer...

...24 inch oil on gallery wrap canvas... click on the images to zoom..........'Mystique'.... still wet, can be viewed during the Midsummer Celebration (this coming weekend)- I will be open on Friday in the early afternoon and likely there up into the evening... (the little miss contest at the school starts at 7) ...Saturday I will be with the guild uptown during the Art show from 9 to 4.... I will be open for a few hours starting at 4.:30 . If you see the lights on... take it as a good sign that I am there ....feel free to stop in and take a peek... My studio is faces the beach parking lot...(just off of 71) ...my cell is 218-639-2251... I live close by and can easily open for your convenience....

WARNING: ENTERING MY STUDIO

...Thought I would take you along to see a bit of my studio...
While I was loading up these pictures I was reminded of how nice it is to have my OWN space. I know. I worked at the table for many years... or maybe we were just eating on my easel?

...I remember when I was a tad bit younger liking space.... seems that I have always had a bit of an issue with that sort of thing, come to think of it. This may come as a bit of a shock to you, but I SOOO badly wanted to have my own bathroom...

...At least one of my sisters liked space too.. though she didn't really appreciate that I liked her space... especially when we set up our play house in her closet. It was a perfect size.. had our own window, kitchen, and all.. no bathroom, but that didn't really matter.

...and there is one more story that is kind of humorous now that I am reminded of space. I was sponsored by the local Coop as a midsummer queen candidate. We were given a list of questions to prepare to answer on stage. One of the questions was, 'What are the pros and cons of being from a large family?' ... WAAAY too obvious... I would never be asked that one. Right. So I walk the walk, and wait prepared for the big question. Right? .... Well, what is a person supposed to do, but be honest and give a very queenly styled answer...'The cons are that If you live in a small home there might not be enough room, and the pros are that if you do, you learn to cooperate quickly.'
The audience was a bit more entertained than I had intended.

Needless to say, I am thankful to have some space.

I think my kids are too. Although, Owen, my 7 year old- just today asked about the meetings that I go to... 'Why do you have so many meetings? Do you go have a meeting with yourself, huh?' (I had met with a reporter and his wife from the Finish American Reporter this morning at the studio.)

I can be reached by cell at 218-639-2251 for one of those meetings that I have with myself :)
....right off of HWY 71 in Menahga, MN

(** paintings on the easels are in progress)

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO ZOOM

...just finished...A few 6 inch oil on linen panel

A few 6 inch oil paintings on linen mounted on panel... along with some detail photos - click on the photo to enlarge

...we ate the cake, too...

This past Monday there was a reception in Staples for the grantees of 2010. It was a nice event, good conversation, and great cake!

If you are a resident of Minnesota and an artist likely you might be interested in knowing that the Springboard For The Arts offers career counseling services. I have re-posted the original article below and can be viewed at the Five Wings Arts Council website.

I would also like to say that after having a few articles written on my work I can affirm the saying ...'you can't believe everything that you read'... such as a very small example here... 'She knows that sales there as well as via Ugallery have been stimulated by her participation in Artprize.' My attendance at Artprize have resulted in sales both on and off Ugallery, though I can not claim for a fact that sales at the Affordable Art Fair in NY were a direct result of Artprize. A minor 'mistake', but none the less, it is still a very nice and well written article.

Mingling, Munching and Mentoring

Monday evening, June 13, 2011, the Five Wings Arts Council hosted a reception for the Grantees of 2010 exhibit currently on display in the Middle Ground Gallery. Visual and literary artists whose careers have been enhanced by a FWAC Individual Artist Grant in 2010 were invited to display three items each. As a result, the work of seven artists from the five-county region has been on display since the beginning of May and will continue through July. Those artists include: David Rickert, painting; Douglas Wolff, photography; Kayleen Horsma, painting; Candace Simar, writing; Charmaine Donovan, poetry; Kent Scheer, sculpture and digitally manipulated photography. (Visit our gallery page to see the work of these artists.)

The 6:00 p.m. reception, billed as Mingling, Munching and Mentoring was an opportunity for folks from the region to meet the artists and for the artists to get acquainted with each other. Attendees munched on fresh fruit and a one-of-a-kind art cake while viewing the work and voting for their favorite piece. Kent Scheer was chosen to receive the People’s Choice award: a commemorative plaque and a $50 stipend.

Always on the lookout for ways to optimize mentoring, FWAC invited Springboard for the Art’s new regional career counselor Mary Warner to give an overview of her work in a presentation at 7:00 p.m. followed by Kayleen Horsma who discussed her experiences at Artprize and Ugallery.

Warner, a fiber artist and writer from Little Falls, completed Springboard’s Work of Art workshop series last fall and received additional training for her position with them. She’s prepared to assist artists in setting goals, working with time management, budget planning and writing artist statements. She is also an experienced blogger and will offer online tips and tricks. To schedule an appointment

with Mary, go to the Springboard website www.springboardforthearts.org, click on the “for artists” tab, then on “consultations.” The website is being updated and though you might not see Mary’s picture, she’s available for appointments by clicking on the “Sign up for a Consultation” button. The $45 hourly fee is tax deductible. Five Wings may offer a free consultation, one per artist, in the future. Call 877-654-2166 if you’d like to be on the waiting list.

Kayleen Horsma, the FWAC Master Artist of 2011, is constantly on the lookout for ways to increase her visibility as an artist. She credits a recent uptick in the sale of her work to her exposure at Artprize and through her representation by an online art site, Ugallery.

Artprize is an open art competition with what the Grand Rapids, Michigan, organizers claim as the world’s largest top prize at $250,000. Horsma decided that her participation in Artprize 2011, the third year of this event, even without winning the top prize, could be a career altering experience. Her research showed that large scale works gained the most attention and that her choice of a venue was also important. Artists choose from among the galleries, restaurants, and other sites available for display during the three-week spring run of the show. Horsma’s 5 foot by 5 foot oil on canvas titled “The Right Stuff” was seen by an estimated 30,000 over the course of the event. She drove her piece to Grand Rapids, saving a $1000 shipping cost, stayed with a host family and spent most of the days of Artprize with her painting, meeting viewers and talking about her work. She was interviewed for both radio and television programs, gaining the valuable exposure she sought.

Horsma’s online searches also turned up Ugallery, an initiative started by students at the University of Arizona. The founders explained how that happened: “For a class project, we ventured to solve a fundamental problem in the art business - how can promising artists connect with people looking to buy reasonably priced, original artwork? Our solution was Ugallery.com, a virtual gallery that does that and more. Upon graduation in 2006, we decided to take the leap and turn Ugallery into a reality.” Learn more about these young entrepreneurs at www.ugallery.com. (You’ll even see Horsma’s work on the Ugallery website’s “about” page, in a photo of the founders taken while they attended the Affordable Art Fair in New York. Look on the right side of the photo.)

How it works: artists are invited to submit their work for consideration by Ugallery. Upon acceptance, images of the artwork are uploaded to the site. Sales are handled by Ugallery and artists who are located near a UPS store need only take the work to the store along with the shipping label provided by Ugallery. Ugallery gets a 50% cut but also works with artists to set prices that are agreeable to both the artist and Ugallery. Since Horsma doesn’t live near a shipping center, she handles her own packaging but is reimbursed by Ugallery for those expenses. She says Ugallery is a good business and responsive to phone calls.

Horsma’s representation on Ugallery led to an invitation to show her work at the Affordable Art Fair in New York. She sent 14 pieces. She knows that sales there as well as via Ugallery have been stimulated by her participation in Artprize. Her diligent work in “getting out there” is paying off. She proves that the distance from a small town (Menahga, Minnesota, population 1306) to the rest of the world isn’t as far as it used to be.

The last mentoring bit offered at the artists’ reception was about the online funding resource Kickstarter www.kickstarter.com . This pledge system for supporting creative projects is an innovative approach to gathering financial support. Project planners provide a detailed profile of their project, the cost estimate and their reward system for supporters. Pledges are made by visitors to the site. When the total is met, supporters are charged via credit cards, Kickstarter gets a 5% commission and the project is off and running. Brainerd’s Phil Holbrook of Egofest fame, has funded movie projects through Kickstarter and is happy to talk about this experience. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/PhilHolbrook/tilt-an-independent-thriller-from-brainerd-mn

These marketing ideas are only the tip of the iceberg. They reflect the 21^st century philosophy that artists and creative thinkers will be the driving force of economic recovery.

Looking Back........

" Looking Back " headed to Louisville, Kentucky, a 16 inch oil on gallery wrap canvas sold today at Ugallery.

The title, along with the move to the new studio location inspired me to contemplate. Should an artist look back? Does future success ride on looking forward?

One could say that it is good to look back, to remind yourself of where you have been, and what you have succeeded in. However, when I do just that, I am for the most part, reminded only of the frustration.

Yes, there were moments of 'I got it'... but the 'I don't got it''... is what keeps me moving forward.

It isn't about being the best. That isn't a goal that would even be an interest me, let alone the fact that there is a super amount of fabulous artists in this world to add to the ones that have since passed on.

My goal is to keep looking forward, to see what will come next. Though even in that, there could be an element of frustration directed toward the obvious. If one is to keep looking forward, and get only a moments pleasure from the work that was achieved, likely there would never be the 'aha' moment of achieving an 'end all' in which I could say that it is time to look back.

CALL FOR ARTISTS... MINNETONKA, MN AREA...

THOUGHT I WOULD PASS A CALL FOR ARTISTS ON FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE GALLERIES...

We are super excited to have a reprise of the clean show this year. For those who were unaware, last year we honored National Recovery Awareness month with a show about recovery from 5 artists in recovery (from chemical dependency). The show had such far reaching benefits for many of our community members and we committed to growing upon our experience.

The call for artists has been out since mid April, but we are doing a more concerted networking effort through our current artist connections. Please consider submitting work for this show if you or someone you know has been affected by chemical dependency...or better yet, spread the word with artists you know.

As you can see, we have joined forces with Minnesota Recovery Connection and the Recovery Works! committee to bolster visibility and speak more directly to the recovery community, and we have only great hopes for this year's exhibition.

Thank you for your consideration, and any networking you would be willing to do.

Melissa

Your Art's Desire
952-988-9772
PLEASE NOTE OUR NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS
mail@yourartsdesiremtka.com
Visit www.yourartsdesiremtka.com
Become a fan www.facebook.com/YourArtsDesire
Follow us on www.twitter.com/Yourartsdesire