After a moderate success on ebay, they started charging me listing fees, which, given the gamble of actually selling (paired with the fact that I can't predict what people like and buy) I can't risk--they already get 10% of the sale as Ebay, and another 3% or something as Paypal (which they also own!)
So while looking for actual exhibition space to do a show (hah, you and every OTHER bay area artist!) I came across the artpal website--they only take 35 (or is it 3.5?) but also allow downloads for people willing to pay for a digital download of your work--kinda cool (I currently don't offer this, because I don't have good-enough resolution images.)
So, I'm listing slowly here--because there's a lot more to the listings than on ebay and it takes a little longer--check it out if you're interested :)
I should also explain that back when I started producing art-for-sale, rather than personal enjoyment, I decided to start painting under a pseudonym. My best friend used to call me Mika (after Mika Haakinen, the race car driver...possibly a commentary on how I drive?) so I took up that moniker, and like Banksy, I keep using it. I'm sort of stuck with it now. Somehow, I found this alter-ego personality to be freeing; I didn't have to worry about anyone judging me or what they thought of my work--so I paint and sign Mika now, and have since the year 2000.
Check out the ARTPAL website here!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Add to the "soon to be on Ebay" pile
I have been cleaning house, and listing everything on ebay that I don't use, or want anymore.
This includes my old sketches.
Why do I keep these things? I have become the greatest collector of my own art, as they say you should never be. So, in an effort to get off my butt, and START taking myself seriously as an artist, I thought--what better way than to clear my sketchbooks and walls of some of my own work?
Letting go is a difficult lesson. Either I really like the way something turned out and I can't part with it, or it's not great, and therefor, unworthy of being given or sold to anyone. What I'm actually doing is paralyzing myself this way--by parting with the stuff I love, I am saying that it was not a fluke that the work turned out well; that I AM in fact, a good artist. By letting go of the stuff I don't think is perfect, I'm releasing my self-criticism and allowing others to judge if they like the work or not.
Surprisingly, I can't predict what is going to sell, or not--I've been wrong about what people like. The lesson I've learned is that everyone has their own taste, and will find what's right for them--and that's better than my own preconceived notions about "good" and "bad" or "less good."
Here are some new pieces I'm going to be matting and listing soon:
This is a negative space drawing of my two favorite teapots--sort of like the way the pen was running dry and gives some texture to the drawing.
This is a quick sketch I did of Le Corbusier's Carpenters' Center. SOLD ON EBAY Click here to see more images of the Carpenters' center at Harvard.
The Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier, again. Click here to see more images of The Villa Savoye in Poissy, France.
The Ronchamp monestary by Le Corbusier--what an architect he was! Click here to see more images of Ronchamp
Why am I posting all of these? Because of guilt, mainly. I know the Urban Sketchers only like representational works, and lately I've found an audience selling abstract expressionistic pieces on ebay. I didn't want to disappoint them and make them think I wasn't one of them ;)
Here's some more representation, examples of stuff I don't love:
The Duomo in Florence--I didn't like this rushed sketch, but I will mat it and maybe work on it a little bit more. I don't like to work on stuff after the fact, because I feel like I'm working on stuff in a way to fix mistakes, or drawing what I wanted to see, not what I actuallly saw. I know a lot of artists don't have a problem with finishing stuff later on int he studio, but I always sort of feel bad doing it, or like I'm just cheating.
This was done VERY quickly, on the traghetto on the way to one of the islands of Venice. I didn't like the colors; it was a very dark day and about to rain...somehow, I always choose to represent things EXACTLY rather than embellish and get the gist of things...then I hate the way things turn out, so why don't I start out with an editing eye? I don't know...I'm learning this just now.
I hated this one when I did it--I forget where I was but I never feel "free" sketching indoors--too many eyeballs on my work and I focus away from what I'm doing and on the fact that someone is looking over my shoulder. I used to have a teacher that had "you may look, but talking is going to cost you" or something like that, written on his watercolor sketch board. He felt that distractions took him out of his "zone" and I now get it. We don't walk up to anyone else, in any profession and feel free to stare at them and what they're doing, and then talk to them, why do we do it to artists? "excuse me officer...I notice that the crime scene tape is put up at about 3' height off the ground...why is that?" Or "Chef, I notice you put the oregano in just after the onions have become transluscent...why is that?" Or even better "doctor, I notice you're using a retractor instead of getting your assistant to hold this part of the greater omentum out of your surgical field...can you tell me why this is so?"
Of course, this is ridiculous--artists aren't Peace officers, Chefs or surgeons, but still, it's an odd observation that we feel artist can and should be interrupted while they work. So, getting back to what I was saying--I wasn't happy with this because I was being distracted a lot, and I never finished it, or did a slap-fast job on getting most of the idea down so I could move on. (*to somewhere less trafficked, I would imagine!) Thanks for checking out my post :) I hope you liked it.
This includes my old sketches.
Why do I keep these things? I have become the greatest collector of my own art, as they say you should never be. So, in an effort to get off my butt, and START taking myself seriously as an artist, I thought--what better way than to clear my sketchbooks and walls of some of my own work?
Letting go is a difficult lesson. Either I really like the way something turned out and I can't part with it, or it's not great, and therefor, unworthy of being given or sold to anyone. What I'm actually doing is paralyzing myself this way--by parting with the stuff I love, I am saying that it was not a fluke that the work turned out well; that I AM in fact, a good artist. By letting go of the stuff I don't think is perfect, I'm releasing my self-criticism and allowing others to judge if they like the work or not.
Surprisingly, I can't predict what is going to sell, or not--I've been wrong about what people like. The lesson I've learned is that everyone has their own taste, and will find what's right for them--and that's better than my own preconceived notions about "good" and "bad" or "less good."
Here are some new pieces I'm going to be matting and listing soon:
This is a quick sketch I did of Le Corbusier's Carpenters' Center. SOLD ON EBAY Click here to see more images of the Carpenters' center at Harvard.
The Villa Savoye by Le Corbusier, again. Click here to see more images of The Villa Savoye in Poissy, France.
Why am I posting all of these? Because of guilt, mainly. I know the Urban Sketchers only like representational works, and lately I've found an audience selling abstract expressionistic pieces on ebay. I didn't want to disappoint them and make them think I wasn't one of them ;)
Here's some more representation, examples of stuff I don't love:
The Duomo in Florence--I didn't like this rushed sketch, but I will mat it and maybe work on it a little bit more. I don't like to work on stuff after the fact, because I feel like I'm working on stuff in a way to fix mistakes, or drawing what I wanted to see, not what I actuallly saw. I know a lot of artists don't have a problem with finishing stuff later on int he studio, but I always sort of feel bad doing it, or like I'm just cheating.
This was done VERY quickly, on the traghetto on the way to one of the islands of Venice. I didn't like the colors; it was a very dark day and about to rain...somehow, I always choose to represent things EXACTLY rather than embellish and get the gist of things...then I hate the way things turn out, so why don't I start out with an editing eye? I don't know...I'm learning this just now.
I hated this one when I did it--I forget where I was but I never feel "free" sketching indoors--too many eyeballs on my work and I focus away from what I'm doing and on the fact that someone is looking over my shoulder. I used to have a teacher that had "you may look, but talking is going to cost you" or something like that, written on his watercolor sketch board. He felt that distractions took him out of his "zone" and I now get it. We don't walk up to anyone else, in any profession and feel free to stare at them and what they're doing, and then talk to them, why do we do it to artists? "excuse me officer...I notice that the crime scene tape is put up at about 3' height off the ground...why is that?" Or "Chef, I notice you put the oregano in just after the onions have become transluscent...why is that?" Or even better "doctor, I notice you're using a retractor instead of getting your assistant to hold this part of the greater omentum out of your surgical field...can you tell me why this is so?"
Of course, this is ridiculous--artists aren't Peace officers, Chefs or surgeons, but still, it's an odd observation that we feel artist can and should be interrupted while they work. So, getting back to what I was saying--I wasn't happy with this because I was being distracted a lot, and I never finished it, or did a slap-fast job on getting most of the idea down so I could move on. (*to somewhere less trafficked, I would imagine!) Thanks for checking out my post :) I hope you liked it.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Blessings
I'm lucky enough that I have so many supportive friends and family, but lately, I posted dozens of doodles on ebay to raise some cash to help pay my Ivy-League student loan debt this month while I try to find a new job--the old one was killing me, and I had to leave asap. (* a funny aside, I just got a class action notice that the nurses are suing the hospital for the exact time frame in which I was employed, for not providing breaks, for not providing lunches, and for disturbing us on our lunch breaks when we DID get them...so I thought that was interesting.)
Anyway, I'm working on the redesign of my contact card today, complete with QR code to this blog :) but I wanted to share what I was so lucky to have sold--actual people who think my doodles are worth their hard-earned.
I was sorting through an old sketch book and pulled out a few old sketches from architecture school that I'll mat and list soon, as well. If anything, this has motivated me to be less shy about my work, and more willing to let it go.
A friend told me I was way underpricing my work, which is ok, because it's selling in volume. I will probably slow way down once I start working again. I'm waiting to hear from one hospital this week; keep your fingers crossed for me!
Anyway, I'm working on the redesign of my contact card today, complete with QR code to this blog :) but I wanted to share what I was so lucky to have sold--actual people who think my doodles are worth their hard-earned.
I was sorting through an old sketch book and pulled out a few old sketches from architecture school that I'll mat and list soon, as well. If anything, this has motivated me to be less shy about my work, and more willing to let it go.
A friend told me I was way underpricing my work, which is ok, because it's selling in volume. I will probably slow way down once I start working again. I'm waiting to hear from one hospital this week; keep your fingers crossed for me!
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