Studio Visit

I love it when my Collectors stop by for a studio visit. Of course, I always appreciate a quick phone call of warning first! My art studio is in my home, so it's nice to have a few minutes to shoo the kids out the door, and straighten things up before a collector walks in. Yes, I am a professional artist I remind myself as I quickly change out of a t-shirt where my 18 month old daughter had lovingly embraced me with her yogurt face and hands. One of these days I will make her wear a bib, I promised myself! I emerge from my closet a transformed woman in classy black slacks and blouse--all traces of 'Mommy' erased from my person. Now I'm ready to talk some art business! It's an interesting combo--this Mother/Artist thing. Both are full time jobs that require a lot of time and attention. But both are very rewarding. My best time to work is late at night after the kids have all gone to bed.

So today, Pam Giles, owner of "Health Way" stopped by with her sister. This was the first time I had met either of them, and it was a delightful visit. Pam wants to commission a painting for her home, so I showed her various samples of my paintings and the current commissions I'm working on. Commissioning a painting from an artist is the best way to get exactly what you want. Often times a collector will give me a color swatch from the furniture or wall color, and ask me to include that in the painting. Artists are flexible. They can include any colors, or do any size. It's true, we artists don't like to think of our artwork matching a sofa! But that is the reality of an art business. Who wants to be a starving artist anyway?