Daydreaming Over My Art

in Sketchbook3 years ago

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Daydreaming Can Strike At Any Time ..

I used to think that daydreaming only occurred when I was sitting in a high school class, years ago. I’ve come to find out over the years, that that’s just not 100% accurate. Daydreaming can occur anytime, any day, at any age.

Today was one of those days for me. I have been feeling under the weather and spent a few days home off of work. I didn’t feel much motivation or inspiration as far as creating goes, but I did do a lot of daydreaming. Trying to heal and recover from this illness, gave me some time to sit and shuffle through art pieces that I had created a while back.

Once I wrote a post about the artists paradox. In the post I explained how this paradox worked. To sum it up, I basically said that an artist has a hard time parting with his or her work, even though he/she creates his or her work to sell. So you can imagine that this pertains to me in sort of a big way. I’ve collected so much art and most of it is my own. I have art stacked on shelves, under beds, in closets, on the walls, and in the basement. I just have a hard time parting with those things that I create. After spending sometimes hours or even days with paintings, pouring my time into them, I find it hard to separate and let it go. Maybe that’s why I’ve tried so unsuccessfully in selling anything.

Once upon a time BDMillerGallery was an actual website. I created a website from scratch, bought a domain name and ran my own website. I also used to know a little code as well but since I haven’t played with it in a while I don’t think I would remember much at all. I guess there are plenty of options for people now where are you don’t have to build your own website. There are so-called cookie-cutter websites available for almost anything that fit any need available. I never sold a single piece of art from that website over a five-year period.

I’ve given up on trying to sell my work on websites even though it’s still available on a couple of them. I’ve come to the realization that I will continue to create when I feel like it and save selling things for a later point in my life. Maybe in retirement I’ll be able to go to craft fairs or things like that and maybe sell a couple. Time is my enemy these days, So ideas like that will have to wait.

I’m sort of getting off track here now. Again daydreaming about something art related. Like I said I had some time to sort through art that I created and found the picture above hanging on my wall in my home office. I sat back in my chair and stared at it for several minutes. I found my mind drifting back to a time when my wife and I were fortunate enough to have taken many trips to Hawaii. Although the trip is quite long from the East Coast, we were able to make it and enjoyed every last minute of those trips. Some of my best traveling memories are from those trips to Hawaii. I guess those memories came out in a creative form in the oil painting above. Not only do those memories still give me pleasure but obviously my art does the trick too.

I guess the artists paradox really isn’t a concern. It doesn’t matter. I’m daydreaming and getting lost in the original memories that inspired it. Right now I’m comfortable with that.

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I have art stacked on shelves, under beds, in closets, on the walls, and in the basement.

Yeah, I hear you. That's why I have after the FIRST canvas decided to limit myself to one reasonably sized format (30cm x 40cm) painted only on PAPER. That works out fine as I prefer watercolor, gouache, and soft pastel anyway, which are paper media, so to speak.

I have begun painting only in 2019, but that's 2 productive years so far, and my entire stack of art has only grown to about 6 inches in that time, including the thickness of the cellophane envelopes I protect my art with. I expect to fill no more than two moving boxes in the next 10 years, which puts me in my seventies.

So the big advantage of my strategy is, my art is coming with me, even when this big house is sold and we're moving into something smaller! In the meantime, I have 5 paintings in frames over my desk, which I exchange occasionally as the mood strikes. It makes me happy to look up from the computer and reflect: "Was that REALLY me who painted those? Damn!"

By comparison, my wife @caro-art paints mostly on canvasses, and those darn things are all over the place! The staircase and hallways of our 4-storey house: FULL! A ground-level gallery store (we live in a downtown townhouse) is also FULL! Our living space, although not as cluttered as the hallways: FULL! I have tried to convince her to take the canvasses off the frames to save space, but no dice so far. Her acrylic works are going to make either a nice donation to somebody, or a flea market, or a bonfire one day...

The only sales effort the both of us have been making is the American art fairs at nearby Ramstein AFB (Germany). That "got rid" of some excess, but unfortunately these fairs have been canceled lately due to COVID. Trying to sell via the web is not much of an enterprise unless one is willing to promote the living daylights out it, on Instagram, Facebook, etc.. Too much work - and a small Hive account isn't cutting it for that. The store is generating a sale on occasion, but it's not staffed (appointment only) and our small town doesn't have an art scene, nor is it touristy...

So you're not alone, Brad, with those troubles :-)

Oh wow.. I see that I am NOT alone in this journey. I figured that at least one or two artists would know what I am talking about. I too made a move to more easily storable painting surfaces. I use hardboard and paper most of the time, although I must have 50 or so canvas paintings here and there.

Sounds like I would enjoy a visit to your home. I would be wondering around looking at the art for days! lol. Sounds like your wife has found her passion, regardless of whether or not she is making sales. Sometimes I struggle with that. I ask myself "Why am I doing this? Why do I continue to create just to store it away?" Then I will also have those days where I know why I do it and don't give a crap.

I suppose it's all part of the artistic process.. but validation is nice from time to time.

I'll have to head over to your wife's blog and check out what she's been up to.

Thank you for the comment and the assurance I am not alone in this dark cold artistic world. hehe.

Up here where I live in Alaska, a lot of the small coffee places support local artist, where thy kind of use the store as an art gallery, paintings and sculptures and other art than can be hung on a wall or placed on a shelf. The artist leaves cards puts a price and sometimes sales one or two. The small restaurants do the same thing.

When you get ready to try selling again, maybe approach one of the small restaurants or sit down coffee place with semi-bare walls and see if they would be nameable. Also our small home town paper sometimes does an "about town* story featuring the artist their work and where to view.

I actually thought about this a few times and was even approached by a friend of mine that owns a café near by. I was all aboard then thought none of my stuff is framed. I tried exploring inexpensive ways of framing or displaying my art and got frustrated with it. At that point I started to doubt if what I was even creating was any good.. All part of the artist thing. I have my highs and then my lows. I know I shouldn't care what others think, but then again that's why I create.. not just for myself, but for others to enjoy. I'll have to get over my own self doubt one day and take this friend up on his offer (if it's still on the table at that point).

Not all the pieces displayed here in Alaska by the local artist are framed, in fact most are leaving the frame choice and styles to the buyer. I think that is a good choice as they can match their frame choices with what they have at home instead of a mix and match metal and wood frames. Some prefer wood, (myself), some the metal.

No, I totally agree. I just have to figure out a way to hang them on the wall without a frame. Maybe just some Hot Glue and a small piece of wire.

I just draw or paint as a hobby and I've been doing so on and off since I was young. The oldest one I kept was when I was in high school... The drawings I made in elementary flew with the flood. 😭 Anyway, your artwork is amazing .. I'll continue practicing and improving in the days to come.

And with regards daydreaming, it indeed occurs anytime anywhere. Hopefully the things we daydream about becomes a reality... Though in your case, to reminisce happy memories through your art.

Have a great one!!! 😊

Great hobby! Sorry to hear that you lost several pieces in a flood.. That's terrible. I love my daydreaming, and your right that one day they may come true. Hopefully I find more time to create more art from memory. That's the plan anyhow.

I can attest to this, cause most of the drawing and painting on my wall makes my mind drift at times too.
It's good if the memories you have are good ones especially moments spent with your wife in a place you both love and again your artworks too.

Glad I am not alone in both daydreaming and collecting my own work. The memories are the big thing and the thing that I value more than anything else I would be able to create or maybe sell. 😊

Yeah you rent alone in this. I hope you are able to sell them someday

Really impressive colors you use. ❤️ Magnificent scenery!
Gorgeous artwork my dear friend @bdmillergallery
Thanks for sharing.

I'm pretty sure that photo is taken on Oahu - and it's called Chinaman’s Hat on the east side of the island right!? I've been there a few times! Just randomly came across this.

I believe you are right! The picture above is not a photo though.. Well it sort of is I guess.. It's a photo of an oil painting that I made a few years ago. If you were serious and thought it was a photo, then I did good! 😁

My wife and I have been blessed and lucky enough to have traveled to Hawaii many times. We have also quite the hefty collection of photos. I remember using one of them as a reference for this painting. So you are most likely spot on!

So awesome! My wife and I lived there for 3 months during the summer of 2019 and loved it. I too have tons of footage and photos that I have yet to go through and post but I'm glad I have Hive and Den to post them on.

I tried finding you on NFT Showroom but the search doesn't seem to pull up usernames. How do I find your gallery?

Here is the link. Don't get to excited.. I don't have a lot on there. Maybe I'll add a bit more sooner or later. https://nftshowroom.com/bdmillergallery/gallery

Omg amazing artwork

Thank you! 😁

Beautiful art work. @bdmillergallery!

Awww.. Thank you! Glad you liked it 😊

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