Where will I be in the next month in person and another thrifty way I’m getting there thanks to my biggest fan…my hubby!

Click for my info under 2011 Artists! Nov 5-6

October 8th I’ll be at HandleyFest for One Day only…A short drive to Fort Worth! Come by and see me!

November 5-6 I’ll be in Winnsboro Texas for Winnsboro Fine Art Fest click above for the website with maps etc.   Only an hour and a half from DFW for a great day of art and fun. Come and stop by my tent!

Don’t forget to bring your coupon for 10% a purchase of $100 or more.

We’re still working on thrifty ways to do these shows and my amazing husband has built an incredible pegboard screen for me to hang goodies from and made these weights by hand using pvc pipe and concrete….I’m thinking my tent’s not going anywhere…we hope so at least! Here’s the website with full directions on making these weights.  Now did my husband follow these exact directions….NO of course not….he’s a man he doesn’t need instructions….but the weights turned out great anyway even without following the instructions….he cracks me up, but I couldn’t complain much.  He’s been my right hand man slash biggest fan in this entire journey from selling on the internet to selling at fairs so His support is enough to make any woman feel like a princess.  I’m extremely blessed!!  So here’s a pic of our weights and the link with instructions….

 The pegboard wall is almost finished and will be in my next post.  I’m in love with it…..picture chinese folding screen in a pegboard that is completely collapsible for easy transport.  Who knew what a CPA coul do with his hands!!  Hope to see you there and soon, peace and light to you and yours, WK.

We Can’t Help It!!

Is she really adding stripes? YES!!! Why?  I don’t know!!…..Do you ever have a feeling as an artist or a buyer that you have no control over what you do as an artist or like as an art lover?  It’s just there or it’s not and you can’t explain why. When someone asks you as an art lover “What do you like”, I most often answer, “I’ll know it when I see it.”

So for all those art lovers out there who can’t “help” what they like….just a little secret….we artists can’t “help” what we paint!  I may not be speaking for all the artist’s of the world but when I’m in my studio it’s this bubble of feeling like you can’t make a mistake because every drop of paint or encaustic or paper or any medium you use to create your work WILL without your consent END UP EXACTLY WHERE IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE.  I feel possessed almost and my husband will ask me, What’s it going to look like?, What are you going for here?” and I can’t answer him most often except to say…”he*% if I know!”  I’m just along for the ride!

And the ride is so exhilarating that you can’t breathe sometimes and you step back to look at your work and you think “where the He*% did that come from” or “Did I do that?”  “I couldn’t possibly have done that, I’m not that talented”, but there it is on the canvas and I love it.  Not another soul on the planet may love it, but I do and it came from a place inside me from which I do not know and that alone creates a sacredness about the piece that makes it ok if someone else doesn’t like it.  They don’t have to. The process was sacred to me.

So here we are with my latest piece and my first outdoor show (I’m used to indoor comforts) in one month and this piece literally came from nowhere in a matter of days.  It is very similar to my familiar style but there where some moments here and there, like the stripes and some free-handed painting that just happened and felt so familiar that I wanted to share with you all.

Artists, let your muse do the work for you today and art lovers, love what you love without feeling it necessary to explain why.  We like what we like and it’s all for the same reason….WE CAN’T HELP LOVING IT AND WE CAN’T HELP PAINTING IT!

As always, love and light  WK

Can be purchased at WindyKai.com Print at RedBubble.com

WindyKai.com

RedBubble.com

Why do I feel like I’m in Kindergarten again? And More ways to save at Home Depot!

Image via Wikipedia

First Squares themes in my work, then triangles and now I’ve move up to the elusive CIRCLE…. This was sosoooooo much fun!  The brown is a paint Sample from Home Depot, Martha Stuart Collection called Potting soil and now I know why…they texture feels just like rough dirt when paint smoothly or with a knife, I used both methods.  it cost me 5$ at Home Depot and will last forever, so check out the paint sample section that people use to “try out” paints on their walls to see if they like it or not, and DON’T forget to look at the remnant bin where all the “mistakes” go and you can get a gallon of paint for $5!!

So here’s my newest “work” which I hate to call my pieces “Work” because I have so much fun doing them!!  This one was a blast.  Think I might play with circles for awhile…..just like the good old days in the sand box….”dirt” paint and all!!

                                                                         This piece for sale at Art Span and prints available at Red Bubble

As always if you Like this piece click “LIKE”, if you want to comment…great, but most of all…say it with me…..HAVE FUN AND CREATE (and get a good bargain when you can)!!!  I’m all about the fun of the hunt and the lower the price tage the better and the better the secret “location” is….even better because that means I can share it with you!!  So Have fun and don’t go broke doing it!! Peace and Light  WK

What is inspiring me now….

I don’t know how to start talking about this book.  The quotes I’m afraid if I began listing, the entire book would be there for you.

It’s changed my life and my outlook and I’m so blessed that the Universe led me to this writer, whom I”m now in love with, and the words he had to share.  Thank you muses, God, Angels, or whatever you may call them, they wrote this book, they created my last piece.  The trick of The War of Art is how to get out of their way and your own and get to the work that they have planned for you..  I’ve never worked harder than while reading this book.  I just may have to read it again to get ready for a show 🙂 Enjoy and please take part in the poll below.  Would love to hear from other readers whether it affected you in the same way it did me or if it bored y ou to tears…. But for me one paraphrase….Our job is to find out who we are and get busy becoming that person.  How can I stay out of the studio after reading that!

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

The Frugal way to start showing at Art Festivals: The Tent

So let’s start with the basics…A TENT!

My husband and I go to art festivals all the time and yes I depend on most of my sales via the internet and galleries, but I recently was encouraged (thank you Jana) to apply for a show in Edom that is truly “Artisan” and they said my work would fit right in, so I applied and was lucky enough to get accepted….well now, the work begins…so my husband and I, while we still go to art festivals, As opposed to the art itself, we’ve started to look at tents, and panels and weights and the way credit cards are accepted….oh my Lord it never ends!!   So now that I’m terrified and we’ve realized how expensive this can get, we’ve decided to go the frugal route instead of throwing two grand into a full top of the line set up for our first show.  So I’m going to do a few posts on How to put together an expensive looking display tent for UNDER $500…yes it can be done!  We’ll cover Tents, panels, weights, taking credit cards,lights and Misc. things you don’t think about!

I preface this by saying if you use any of these expensive brands, please take no offense…believe me I’d love to as well, but for a first timer starting out and not knowing what I’m doing, we have to start frugal and none of this has come without lots and lots of research.  So if you’re a die hard Flourish Lover….I don’t blame you…they make a great product…just not one I can invest in, so these articlese are going to be about finding the deals and the tips and tricks to keeping it cheap, NOT to bash a great company.

We’ll start with the tent and yes I will, if I love the festival life, eventually invest in an $845 dollar Flourish tent with all the accoutrements which puts you well above $2500 and that looks something a little like this…

 

 Well after doing some research and looking at a lot alot a lot of tents and talking to twice as many artists we found this tent:

 

 

 

  

 

 WE found this EZ UP tent from Hutshop.com.  It has everything the Flourish has including the back door option, four sides that can be rolled up an awning (which is extra on the flourish as is the back door) along with your name or website printed on the tent above the awning for only $29 extra (pennies compared to what you pay for a professional sign and is not offered by Flourish)  and Four zippered sides.  All this for only $239.  AND the EZ up can be popped up literally by one person. 

I interviewed no less than fifteen “EZ Up artists” and one said he’d had his for 15 years….so durability seems to be added along as well.  Sure the fabric is not quite as thick, but every artists I spoke to with an EZ Up was as happy as could be.  So for this starter girl… EZ Up it is and maybe a fancy Flourish after I make the big time!  Or maybe not if it lasts as long as the 15 years claimed!

Peace and Light and next week we talk about Panels….my favorite part!!!

Don’t forget to comment or click Like or share this article on Facebook or twitter!

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In Support of Flourish, the following links are from Flourish.com who sells some of the best tents and supplies out there….but a bit pricey for this frugal first timer.

Lukes Show Essentials

“I’ve been doing shows for 25 years in every part of the country and in all kinds of conditions. Here’s a list of supplies I always bring with me, besides of course my inventory, charge card machine, plenty of change, extra pens, and my display. I hope with this basic kit you’ll be able to meet whatever challenges come your way.”

Item	Intended Use
Duct Tape	XXX Important – attaches anything to anything.
Bungee Cords	Hold a display to a table, or possibly hold up the table.
Spring Clamps	Good all around fastener.
Step Stool or Ladder	If you were tall, you would be in the NBA not doing craft shows.
Hammer	A must have for pounding in stakes and fending off unwanted visitors.
Nylon Rope	Keep it handy for attaching tie down screws or dragging your car out of the mud.
409 or Similar Cleaner	Because even despite your best efforts stuff will get dirty.
Waterproof Coat	I know it’s not gong to rain, just bring it.
Pliers	Tightens any bolt and converts Mesh Panels, so you don’t have to try with a spring clamp.
Did We Mention Duct Tape?	You will need it. Do not leave home without it.

 Links to Artist Resources

zapplication.org – Many shows now use this online application process

Mike Albin Photography – See Mike’s excellent marketing articles on his website

Art Fair Insiders – Reviews, Forums, Groups & more on this inside page for artists

National Association of Independent Artists – An organization by and for artists and dedicated to the success of artists who exhibit at shows – please join

Art Fair Schedule – Scheduling and Marketing resources and information

Sunshine Artist Magazine – Show reviews and articles by exhibiting artists

Community of Artists for Equity – An advocacy organization for artists exhibiting 2D artwork.

Don’t forget to comment or click Like or share this article on Facebook or twitter!

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• Craft Fair Postmortem: Cheat River Festival Art Market (jennjilldesigns.wordpress.com)

Affordable Art

I’ve recently made all my art available in print form in a VARIETY of sizes at www.WindyKai.com…just click on GALLERY SHOP above in the NAVIGATION BAR and any of my pieces are available in original or print form. You can also choose matting and frames in the frame shop!! Not to mention putting in your wall color to see how the piece will look on your wall! How great is that??

Well I also found some fun boutique items that are even more affordable…So when you click BOUTIQUE SHOP above in the NAVIGATION BAR…you’ll find….

Notecards & Post Cards

Bags

Mouse Pads

Even personalized Phone Cases

(And MUCH more than I listed here)….So if you want Prints and Originals click on GALLERY SHOP above in the navigation bar….if you want some cute cards, bags and sweet novelty items and gifts click on BOUTIQUE SHOP above in the navigation bar… You’ll love the things you find in either place! Enjoy!

New Canvas Swap

Ok you…I’ve decided to join in with some online friends and do a canvas swap. We’re each taking an 11×14 canvas board…putting whatever our muses dictate upon the canvas and then mailing it to the next person.

I’m working with
DJ : http://djsstudio.blogspot.com/

Malindabelle Brymer : http://malindabelle.blogspot.com

Mary Hicks : http://vermongelin.blogspot.com/

Check these ladies out…they are talented!

The first round is easy, it’s just a backgrounds…but here’s what I’m sending on to Mary….

Magazine clippings all about women and living a full life, gold paint combed over for texture and sprayed with india ink.  Now the hard part comes when I have to paint over someone elses work!!!

More Antique Finds…UGH! Do you LOVE the Box, or what???

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Yes the antique store owner almost cried when I bought the box.  They literally waved good-bye to it…not me…the box!! 🙂

Peace and light at always!!  Windy Kai

Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter and check out those that help me most like Heart Made Click here to view more details and Artella Land …they support me as I am creating me!

For a Multi-Media Artist ADD means Addicted to Amazon Desperately!! (Wait that AAD :-)

I am a book addict AND I’m ADD and it’s consuming my life! 

You see there’s this little place called Amazon.com and the little fact that I’m not only an artist but and art teacher so I am ADDICTED to ordering art technique books from Amazon!

Then I can’t just READ them….NO…I have to start every project in them…ALL AT ONCE…and at this point my studio might as well be divided with little walls of duct tape like a child dividing his room from his little brother….collage lab in this corner, abstracts on the rocking chair, illustrations on the easel, block prints on the table, Art at the Speed of Life on my bed in my journal, and even drawing lab on the floor of my studio…right smack in the center…

But you know what…I’m doing it…I’m doing it all…I’m a little crazy yes and anyone who knows me understands that fully, but I’m doing all these projects simultaneously and loving it!!!

So I thought I’d share.

Over the next few posts (whoever’s out there reading) I thought I’d share some work I’ve done with each book, finished or not and maybe even share the mess that’s gone along with it in my life and in my studio.

My goal is to show you that you can Multi-task as a Multi-Media Artist!  And you can Love it!

And Yes while copying and pasting these images from Amazon I ordered another book!!!

Related Articles

• Multi-media storytelling made easy (phillipadsmith.com)
• Bird Shapes (kaet.wordpress.com)

Antique Shopping!!

OH, I went to the antique fair, Funky Finds AND the weekly flea

market down in Ft. Worth today (with a budget from my husband,

of course) and got the greatest stuff to store my art supplies

in, (a type tray which I can never pass up and an old silverware

drawer set) not to mention some antique Milagros (Miracles) for

some very special people in my life, plus a few  for my art from

Honduras!

WOW…what a dreamy morning!

Catholic art from Honduras

Milagros

GREAT ANTIQUE STORAGE!!

Amazing box from India