Mary Hubley's Power of Paintings

Comparing Artist Websites

2011-02-14T12:09:00.005-05:00

As well as being a painter, I'm also a website designer. Here's a bit of info I answered to an artist friend recently about how to deal with websites as an artist:

Mary, Hi!
I need to get a website and don’t know much about them. I know you design websites so could you help educate me? How much do they cost to have someone do them? Is there a maintenance fee? I know there are ones you can get for free, but are they professional enough? Can I add new paintings by myself once it is designed? I am not too computer savvy—can I do it myself? --J.S.

Answer:

Yes, all of us artists need websites -- mine is useful to have samples of my work to show potential customers and galleries. But be aware that most artists never really sell from their sites -- people seem to need to see your work in person before they buy. For most of us, websites are marketing tools rather than sales tools. I've had my customers review my website and come back to me and ask me to do a painting of their daughter based on poses they saw there. I also had a book publisher find me and include me in one of their art books. But I've never actually sold a painting online.

Most artists don't have the money to have sites professionally designed. But even without professional designers, there are still endless possibilities. Mostly, they opt for one of three things:

'Free' sites. You get the good with the bad. A totally free site is one where you don't own the site -- the hosting company does, so you cannot have a myname.com URL -- you basically have their hostingname/myname.com as the URL, which makes you one of thousands of artists they represent, making this ultra competitive, with many artists who sell for cheaper than you. Even if they claim to have wonderful search capabilities, your site ends up being impossible to find in terms of google searches. And if you pay $0 for this kind of site, there are always 'premier' artists who pay something to the hosting company, which places these artists at the top of the pack in the hosting company's client searches. Many of the free sites often only let you display three or so paintings, and don't give you many pages. And free sites don't make sales. Beware of claims -- many free sites are actually free to start, but require a monthly fee.
Managed artist fee-based sites. The deterrents here are the same as the free sites, but you are able to have many paintings rather than just a couple. Not a bad way to go, but make sure you are allowed to get your own URL, (A domain name usually costs about $10 per year) and compare the real costs.
Your own standalone site. You get your own URL (again, about $10 per year), and you can have as many pages as you want, depending on how your site is hosted. You can get a site that comes with a template and that you can adjust and edit yourself, or have someone create it for you, where you can't go in and edit it yourself. Many artists would rather go in and do it themselves, so I'd recommend template sites.

--Mary Hubley
www.webhubdesign.com

Beach Stroll

2010-10-04T10:08:00.005-04:00

Beach Stroll is my newest painting, sofa-size (24" x 48" oil on canvas).

Strolling along the shoreline is rejuvenating, walking for miles at the sandy edge of the world. I often bend over to study an especially attractive piece of seaglass or moonshell, rubbing off the sand, and placing it in my pocket for later.

St. Augustine has a long sandy coastline. We can drive on the beach here, but I prefer to walk and muse and enjoy the breeze against my face. The weather here is heavenly this time of year, and I am compelled to be out in it. Just getting my feet wet, moving ahead slowly, watching the birds, and enjoying just being alive.

Red Sailboat Painting

2010-09-17T10:35:00.005-04:00

Painting of Sailboats

I love sailboats. In this area of the world, there's lots of water, lots of hidden coves, and lots of sailboats to explore the incredible environment.

There is such serenity to find out on the water. It can be overwhelming sometimes -- too much sky, too much water, too much air to breathe. It's a lot to take in.

Sitting on the deck of a boat is a great way to enjoy the wild places. And when the sun gets too hot, you can jump off the side and get wet. When the sun gets too intense, you can go inside and make a sandwich.

The best times on a sailboat? Early evening, when the day cools off a bit, and you can sit and watch the dolphins swim by and play in the waters that have become still and glassy.

This painting is a new piece that celebrates the life of a sailboat .

"Red Sailboat" is available for sale at Fairfax Gallery, Ponte Vedra, FL. 904-285-1121. $720.

Sand Play

2010-08-26T11:58:00.003-04:00

Here's a new small oil painting I created -- a small girl playing on the beach in my home town, St. Augustine, Florida.

I paint lots of children playing on the beach -- they remind me of days gone by, when I would spend hours digging, running, and just wallowing in the sand and salt water.

Oblivious of anyone else or the hours spent just doing nothing, children have the ability to create new worlds and adventure from seashells, sand castles, and water buckets. Hopefully we all have such stunning memories of childhood.

The original of this painting, Sandplay, 6 x 6 oil on canvas, is currently available through Fairfax Gallery in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Florida Light

2010-05-24T11:06:00.005-04:00

Hot Day at Dock, 20 x 16 Oil on Canvas

The sunlight. It reminds me of Southern France, where the impressionists of the 1800s lived and worked. It's bright there and here, allowing many more aspects to be explored in its the depth and brightness than in the North.

The light is so different here than in Philadelphia, where I grew up. It's hard to define -- brighter, more vibrant, humid, ... In the North, colors were softer, muted. The difference in light and color can't be defined as the color names -- all places have aspects of as pure cerulean, ultramarine, and cadmium. I've used the same color palatte all over the world.

My latest painting shows the light in the heat. It's misty and cool at the same time. The light is more of a feeling than a color. I can't remember ever feeling this way growing up -- this is an afternoon that is specific to North Florida. Hot-cool, bright-misty, lonely-serene.

What Recession? Sotheby's and Christie's are Selling Art Again

2010-03-11T11:39:00.007-05:00

Beach Boy, 12 x 12 oil on Canvas

This week's art headlines scream, "Confidence has surged back into the art market faster than predicted, and although contemporary values were hit hard by the credit crunch, auctioneers are confident that this week's sales will cement the recovery."

Wow! Finally after months and months of no confidence! Last week, a world auction record was set of $104.3 million was for a Giacometti statue. And the ArtTactic research group said the contemporary art market had returned to levels last seen in the autumn of 2007. Sotheby's and Christie's was already seeing sharply higher numbers six months ago, indicating that at that time, wealthy collectors were over their financial crisis.

So, what's that mean to us artists who don't sell works through Sotheby's and Christies? And what about smaller collectors who may not yet have managed to crawl beyond their own personal financial speedbumps? Are they buying anything but a small print here and there?

Could be. While I don't have any hard and fast numbers, the galleries with which I work seem to be a bit busier with real buying customers. I've noticed better sales lately of my own work. Rather than just settling for smaller paintings, my collectors are beginning to purchase some of my larger, more expensive work.

Could be it's spring. Or that people just need a lift. Or it could be a sign of good things to come.

Painting Children: Lessons from Joan Walsh Anglund

2010-02-23T11:29:00.006-05:00

In The Sand 2, 6 x 6 oil on canvas
by Mary Hubley

I remember reading in an article years ago about how difficult it is to follow a child long enough to draw him. In the article, which profiled one of my favorite childhood illustrators, Joan Walsh Anglund, she said that it was difficult for her to capture a child's features because they move too quickly. You can't get a child to pose. Before you even draw your first line, the child has moved on as fast as a rolling wave. Joan said that that's why she never drew childrens' actual facial features -- thus, her trademark emerged as children with just a couple of eyes, no nose or mouth.

From A Friend is Someone
Who Likes You,
by Joan Walsh Anglund

My style is much different from Joan's, as I often include facial features (although I love my paintings where the child is turned or has her head down). I guess my point is that artists who do the same subject matter face similar challenges, whether illustrating children for books or selling our paintings of children in galleries -- children as subjects just don't lend themselves to long plein air work lasting all afternoon.

Children on the Beach

2010-02-13T16:07:00.002-05:00

I'm always amazed at the reaction little ones have when they experience the ocean for the first time. The little ones take it as if it's just another amazing day of many amazing days. Their short lives have brought treasure troves of new experiences and new awesome places.

The beach may be scary for some at first, but for this little one, she tiptoed into the edge of the water in the protective grasp of her mum. She giggled and stomped her feet and splashed in the shallow waves.

Tiptoe, 12 x 12 oil on canvas
by Mary Hubley

Best of U.S. Oil Artists

2009-12-22T16:48:00.004-05:00

Here's another painting, called Summer Shade, that's being featured in Kennedy Publishing's new Best of America - Oil Artists book. The paintings in the book, as well as all of my best works, are places that I've been and people that I've seen. They combine my memory of 'being there' with all of the senses of actually having been there - the woodsy smell of the air, the heat of the day, and the background sounds of birds singing and kids laughing.

In Summer Shade, I found a group of kids in the area trying to keep cool on a hot August day. St. Augustine has lots of big live oak trees that meander forever through the woods. While most kids would rather sit at home and play video games, this group seemed to love to get together and spend time outside. Climb trees, jump in the watering hole, explore the woods. This was a quiet, hot day, but satisfying for this boy as he watched others settle in and explore the branches.

Check a larger size of this pictuere in the online version of the new book: Best of America Oil Artists Volume II

Best of America - Oil Artists

2009-12-10T13:31:00.006-05:00

Waterboy, 20 x 24 oil on canvas

This is one of my paintings being featured in Kennedy Publishing's new book, "Best of America - Oil Artists". My work was chosen as one of 200 oil artists around the country to be featured in the book. I'm on a 2-page spread that showcases several of my paintings.

It's such a boost to have been chosen to be part of this book and be given the designation as one of the top 200 oil artists in the U.S. The other artists in the book are top-notch artists, all of whom have an overwhelmingly beautiful body of work. It's a real delight to be featured as part of this incredible talent.

Check out the artists in the book here: Best of Oil

What's That in the Water?

2009-11-27T17:36:00.002-05:00

Wading in the water -- that's where to get the best stuff! I love to walk the beach -- it's been a lot colder now, and don't see too many people who want to walk and beachcomb as it's cooling off. But there's still lots of wonderful stuff to find in the shallows. Some of my best subjects come from just down the end of my street, which is the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Here's a new one!

Painting Through a Slump

2009-09-30T14:31:00.004-04:00

I'm painting like crazy again! You never know when you're going to hit a dead wall. Other things in life start to take over, and before you know it, it's weeks since you touched your last paintbrush.

I've just gone through a dry spell. One where I did paint every week, but without much enthusiasm. I've been involved elsewhere, and I've been a bit lazy.

I look on these times not with frustration, but with a sense of rest. I take rests occasionally from my work. And it's OK. I don't mind at all. It gives me a time out. A respite from having to push. I allow myself this.

Then, as quickly as the desire to paint has left me, it comes again. This time, I was inspired by a recent trip to Savannah. The galleries there are wonderful, and the owners of many of the galleries were the painters displayed, and many were there at their galleries, so I could talk to them. We went on a ghost tour, played by the river walk, and ate glorious Southern food.

The paintings there reminded me there was world-class art around. And I am once again painting. I've become more interested in children again, and people playing at the beach. That's where my energies are going, at least for now.

Beach at the Inlet

2009-04-22T14:11:00.006-04:00

Beach at the Inlet, 30" x 40" oil by Mary Hubley

I've been painting large paintings lately -- all of the beach. This painting is of a place at the very bottom of Anastasia Island, where you can walk south on the ocean side beach, down under the bridge at the A1A inlet, and up north along the river side. You know you've left the ocean because there are no longer lots of waves. We've seen manatee here, and lots of sea turtles swimming by. It's magic. The locals go here, but the vacationers seem to like the bustle of the ocean beach rather than a little hidden part of the Florida shore.

Paintings for a Reality Series

2009-03-11T11:23:00.005-04:00

National Park, 4 x 5 foot original acrylic on canvas by Mary Hubley

This abstract painting is a departure from my regular work. I usually focus on impressionistic views of wild places and people. This was inspired by a wilderness scene, with mountains, trees, and fields. But realism ends with the red, black and blocks of color.

This painting is being featured as the living room backdrop for Wife Swap's 100th episode, which premiered in March 2009. I've done Wife Swap before -- in 2007, when I showed my work in Mystic Gifts, which was featured in the show. Click here to see what the paintings look like in the 2009 episode as well as the 2007 episode.

Sunset at the Beach

2009-02-10T15:11:00.006-05:00

Sunset at the Beach, 48" x 28" orignial oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Low tide at the beach in St. Augustine, Florida. This is the time the locals come out and take their evening walks, enjoying the night air as it turns shades of gold, pink, and deep purple.

Changing Ocean, Changing Art

2008-10-29T09:50:00.008-04:00

Getting My Toes Wet, 18" x 24" original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Every once in a while, a person needs to take a walk on the beach, breathe in the salt air, stand at the waters' edge and take in the immensity of the world. The ocean is vast, constantly changing. Such inspiration; every second is recreated into something new. I am overwhelmed by such power. I walk back to sit on the dry sandy dunes, and gaze up at the cumulus formations dancing across the far horizon. I'm lulled by the sun's sweet warmth and the sound of the gentle surf.

I come here when I need new direction. Nature is my great spirit guide. It is the master of change, and always gives me perspective when I am looking for guidance.

Today, I realize I'm achieving the goals I'd set for myself a couple of years ago. I never thought I'd get to this place in my life, and I'm loving it. It hasn't taken me long. But to continue my bliss, I cannot simmer here for too long, because good things go rancid quickly. I'm a traveler in life. Once I reach a destination, I must have a new one to work toward.

So, I listen. The ocean whispers to me -- it says, "dream large." The sky says, "make your creations dance." The breeze and warm sun smile at me. They say, "have great joy. Close your eyes. Enjoy simple pleasures." The immensity and power of the place remind me, "large dreams require much work." I feel refreshed. The world's strength is my own, and I travel on. While I'm still not sure exactly the direction I'll travel just yet, I do know how I'll do it --I'll travel powerfully and create large, dancing joy in my future.

August Shells

2008-10-10T10:57:00.005-04:00

August Shells, 22" x 28" original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Small treasures that wash up on our beaches are such a incredible opportunity for art. I have always been one of those people who walk down the beach, hunched over, squatting, picking up and discovering new treasures. There's such a magic display of wonder at our feet. I am a beach comber. I swoon at the menagerie of scallop shells with ridged fans, soft pink moonshells with their deep pockets (which sometimes house visiting hermit crabs), bleached white clam shells, and even broken remains of mystery crustaceans. All of these wonderful seashells endeavor to place themselves at my feet, as if they were destined to find a great spot on the beach to hold their daily parade of sandy wonder.

The Scallop

2008-09-12T09:09:00.004-04:00

The Scallop, 6 x 6 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

My paintings sell well. Lately, it's the seashells, lily pads, frogs, and butterflies. Beach things are especially wanted . . . of course . . . I live at the beach and this is what the galleries here sell. Take a little piece of the beach home.

Just as much as I enjoy the process of brushing the buttery colors onto a canvas, I enjoy living with a painting before showing it. I hang it in my living room for a season. Eventually, I move on. Eventually, my paintings make their way to one of my galleries, and from there, they're whisked away to live with someone else. All my paintings remain with me, though, as part of my life's travels, a memory everlasting.

Beach Shells

2008-06-07T10:10:00.002-04:00

Beach Shells, 6 x 6 original oil on canvasby Mary Hubley

Every season in Florida is shelling season. There are shells scattered on the beaches from the north shore to the south shore of every barrier island. Here, there are moonshells and scallops, tiny clams and sea glass. Pink hues and tan stripes. I often go walking on the beach and comb it for wonderful finds to bring home, becoming main characters in my paintings.

Last weekend, my husband and I sat on the beach for a few hours reading books and watching other people enjoy the sand and the water. The children revelled in the sand. I watched kids build sandcastles, decorating them with scallops. One little girl just sat there in the sand, touching it, picking up handfuls gingerly and feeling it sift out between her fingers. Magic.

Sand and shells are great subjects for painting. Living in a beach house, you want to be surrounded by seashells. And your wall art often reflects the love of the beach.

Dragonflies

2008-04-15T09:56:00.003-04:00

Dragonfly, 6 x 6 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

I go on evening strolls around my home in St. Augustine, Florida with my wonderful husband. We linger as we pass a tiny waterway full of frogs, turtles, and fish. We've been watching the little dragonflies buzzing around the tall grasses recently, an ode to Spring in Florida.

Selling Art in a Recession

2008-04-10T09:11:00.005-04:00

Lagoon, 6 x 6 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Nobody's buying much art right now. The first thing that caves under recession is art; instead, people would rather buy groceries.

But there are exceptions.

I live in a gallery town, where there are lots of great places to buy art. And a few sales are still being made by a few artists who have established names. One artist said she just sold three paintings as she was hanging them for a new show last week. Another artist sold a $3,000 painting through a show at the art association. I'm actually doing quite well with my smaller paintings; I've sold quite a few of them in the past couple of months.

There are also ways other than gallery sales to make a buck in a recessionary time for artists. And during a recession, while waiting for the buyers to come back, it's a prime time to do work and to market. Here's a list of things artists can do while they're waiting for the market to come back:

Keep doing art association shows and galleries.
Find other places to show art--banks, restaurants, pet groomers, accountants, etc.
Create or update your website.
Look to where the money is. Find collectors by volunteering where they volunteer, attend art lectures, and network, network, network.
E-mail your collectors to let them know what you're doing.
Give classes.
Find niches in other countries where collectors are looking for inexpensive American art.
Sell overstock through e-bay. You don't get lots of money here, but it's a way to sell things that you might otherwise bonfire.
Be willing to do commercial work, where businesses still need artists to produce images for products.

Creativity Presentations

2008-04-04T09:30:00.004-04:00

Palm Sunset, 6 x 6 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

I'll be doing a few "creativity" presentations to groups over the next week. All of the talks are different, but all of them are workshop-style, with group writing and drawing exercises and lots of interaction between me and the audience. Here's the lineup:

April 5 2008 -- "Inspiring Wild Creativity" Pen Women Authors' Showcase at the Art Advocate Gallery (3-4 p.m., 76B San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL).

April 10 2008 -- "Feeding and Watering Your Muse" Pen Women meeting (5-7 p.m. St. Augustine Beach City Hall, 2200 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL).

April 12 2008 -- "Unleash Your Wild Creativity: Leaping Head-First to Free Your Creative Genius," Jacksonville, FL. Journey to Empowerment conference (10:30-11:30 a.m., Ramada Inn, Hartley Road, Jacksonville, FL)

Studio Painting versus Plein Air

2008-03-28T09:19:00.005-04:00

Rowing Home, 11 x 14 original oil on canvas panel

I kayak to find remote locations. I find little shallow side creeks that large boats miss, where there are island chains with no houses. I find places that only the wildlife and sunbeams know about. These places are where I get my inspiration and my best painting subjects.

Finding great locations is my passion. I always have my camera with me, in case I pass something that I want a quick snap as a reference. Painting plein air, out in the wild, is a wonderful experience, but bringing my hefty oil palette, turpentine, canvases, rags, easel, and brushes is unweildy in a kayak. These accessories are necessary for oil painting. I guess I could strap the things to the side of the boat, but I lose immediacy when I have to lug out all the gear.

Plein air painting means I can feel the sun and the wind, breathe the humidity, hear the waves, and smell the salt water. My plein air paintings are wonderful. But just as wonderful are my studio paintings that I base on my plein air photos. I experience perhaps even more of the immediacy of a place when I'm taking photos, because I'm not distracted by the mess of the painting process. I take time to listen, feel, and smell the environment, and remember these things if I decide to paint in my studio. I've talked to many an artist who swears that plein air paintings are superior, and that they can tell the difference between something that has been painted plein air and something that was done in the studio. But I find that after spending the day out in the marshes and then come home to paint them, my mind is still there, and the result is even better than if I'd been standing at the scene. Placing my plein air and studio paintings side by side, no one has yet guessed correctly which one is plein air, and which is a studio painting.

Art Opening in St. Augustine

2008-03-20T09:29:00.006-04:00

I'm Getting ready for another art opening next weekend. The week before an opening is a whirlwind cataloging paintings, labeling them, framing, and packing them to go. My studio is in shambles as I grab for tape, drop the box of eye hooks, and wrangle with wire. But, once a show is hung, the studio eventually makes its way back to its normal state of assortments of new paintings being developed.

These are a couple of the small paintings I'm showing in my opening next week: April's show at the Art Advocate Gallery in St. Augustine. (Showing from 3/24/08 to 4/18/08.) These "mini" paintings are 6" x 6" and they fly off the wall. They're popular. While the bigger paintings attract lots of lookers, these little paintings sell.

Why? Because people aren't investing too much money in large paintings right now. Instead, they look for less expensive alternatives. I see other artists selling lots of notecards and prints. I'm selling these mini's like crazy. The nice thing about them is that they are original paintings, but they're the same price as larger prints.

So, here's an invitation -- come and meet me. Buy some of my minis! The reception is on March 29 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Art Advocate Gallery in St. Augustine.

Illustrating Versus Fine Art

2008-03-11T09:16:00.007-04:00

Pen & ink illustrations by Mary Hubley

Just when I say I'm going to be spending less computer time, I decide to add a new page devoted to my illustrations. So, check it out: maryhubley.com/illustrations.

Illustration is a much different process than fine art. For me, fine art is a study of the heart of a subject and its fleeting light, color, and mood; while illustration requires careful up-front thought. With fine art, I seek out a subject that calls to me. I reference real places, either from sitting in front of a subject and painting it, or from photos that I've taken. I can't help but paint the magic of the moment. The subject dictates what it wants me to see and show the world. Painting a scene, I commune with my subject and it speaks to me.

With illustration, on the other hand, the application dictates what and how something should be painted. For instance, when illustrating a book, I first have to communicate the most powerful image that is happening within a set of pages. Rather than working directly from nature, I design my illustration around the story. Most of my illustrations don't use a photo or nature reference -- they are composed solely from my imagination. A painting is never done in one sitting. Rather, I develop a storyboard, go through review cycles with the customer, develop large sketches of each page, go through more review, and then finalize my art. Feelings and mood are not inspired by the painting, but rather by the story.

Thus, fine art is much different than illustration, even though the technical aspects of placing pen to paper are very much alike. I continue to do both, and I happily juggle between the two extremes of real-life inspiration and imagination.

Escaping the Computer

2008-03-04T09:32:00.008-05:00

Help! My computer has taken me prisoner. My website screams for updates. My blog's getting old. New art articles demand to be read. Games must be played. My marketing plan tries to wrest control, but it, too, eventually succombs to jailing me by strong-arming me to doing even more more useless tasks.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't that I'm not getting paid to do all of this.

So... it's time to break away from my computer prison and become unfettered by its obsessive tyranny. It feels a bit like slitting my wrists, but I'll do it. My new habit: start the day painting. Find great locations to paint. Talk to galleries. The big benefit is that now, I'll be free!

St. Augustine Architecture

2008-03-03T09:43:00.005-05:00

Walking Street, 9 x 12 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

The colonial architecture in St. Augustine, Florida dates from the Spanish, the first European settlers here. Many of these buildings in the downtown area are open to tourists, where you can stroll the Spanish-era courtyards that feature banana trees and palms.

St. Augustine Stables

2008-02-29T09:16:00.005-05:00

Carriage Stable, 18 x 24 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

I live in St. Augustine, Florida, a place that was settled by the first Spaniards who crossed the Atlantic. This is where Ponce De Leon found his Fountain of Youth. Fort Matanzas was the scene of many fierce battles between the Spanish, French, and English. And where 500-year-old ghosts still roam the old city.

The compact colonial town is a place to find real American history. Every nook and cranny hides ancient architectural treasures. Just stroll down the patchwork of alleys to find archeological digs, colonial structures, and stables jammed with old horse carriages. This town is a wonderland of artisitic opportunities for a painter, and I'm priviledged to live amongst one of the most beautiful cities to paint in America.

Capturing Impressions

2008-02-26T09:50:00.004-05:00

Cello Concentration, 12 x 16 original oil on canvas board by Mary Hubley

I could have captured a photo-realistic image of this young girl, but I chose instead to paint my impression of her, involved in the moment, deeply concentrating on playing her cello. Impressionistic yet still realistic, I blurred areas around the edges and bumped up jewels of color and sharp edges where I wanted your eyes to flow, around the painting in a cirle from her eyes looking downward, down the cello, and around and back up around her arm.

Toescapes: Art For a Beachcomber

2008-02-21T09:37:00.004-05:00

White Shells and Stones, 8 x 10 original acrylic on hardboard by Mary Hubley

I like to bring the outdoors inside. It's the next best thing to having a window with a great view. Most of my work is of landscapes, looking out at the long view and seeing the horizon. But as I'm painting, just like the beachcomber that I am, I look down at my toes and find another treasure at my feet -- small stones, seashells, and reflection pools. Toescapes like these make powerful compositions.

Marketing Art

2008-02-19T09:16:00.005-05:00

Last light, 6 x 6 Original Oil on Canvas by Mary Hubley

I'd rather shoot myself than leave my studio and market my art. Approaching a gallery owner or a decorator is tantamount to my climbing Mt. Everest. I eventually suit up, put on all my protective gear and do it, but it takes a lot of self-coaching and time convincing myself I'll actually come back alive.

Artists aren't trained for marketing. We didn't learn about writing press releases in art school. While we were being coached on composition and line, the Wharton School coached its MBAs on how to work in teams and bring a product to market.

Our products are more likely to be found in the back of our studio closets than on paying customers' walls. So what to do? It's actually very easy. This is the secret that all artists need to know: Just do it. Climb the mountain. Market. Start with the basics:

Commit a few hours a week to learning and doing marketing.
Read some marketing books.
Develop a marketing plan based on what you learn from those books.
Move. Act on whatever you've outlined in your plan. Gear yourself up and actually pick up the phone, walk into galleries, and write those press releases.

What to do with Too Much Art

2008-02-13T09:26:00.003-05:00

Long View, 6 x 6 Original Oil on Canvas by Mary Hubley

I know collectors who complain that they don't have another inch of wall space left. I love these collectors. They fall in love with art and they can't get enough of it. But they often end up with a home that's crammed and cluttered. Each piece deserves to be cherished, but nothing shows well because each piece competes with the other. Collectors sometimes have the problem of owning too much art.

So, do what the galleries do. Revolve your work. Rather than hang all of your pieces in a cluttered menagerie, leave only a few things on the walls. By minimizing, these few pieces are your showpieces. They'll stand out. The rest of your paintings can be placed lovingly in a closet, to be pulled out to replace your current showpieces in a month or two. Essentially, this redecorates your home every time you revolve your collection, and you will enjoy your art much more.

See also, "Too Much Art"

What to Look For When Buying Giclees

2008-02-11T09:54:00.000-05:00

I always suggest buying original art, but occasionally you may be in the market for something less expensive. What should you look for in a print?

Buy a Giclee ("zhee-CLAY"), a digital scan of a painting printed with high-end ink-jet printers. It's more expensive than traditional offset lithography on paper, but it can be printed on canvas or watercolor paper, and the quality is superior, producing brighter, longer-lasting colors.
Buy Giclees from a gallery or direct from the artist. This way, you are more likely to get a quality reproduction.
Consider an enhanced/embellished giclee. This is when the artist paints dabs over the giclee with oil or acrylic paint, to capture the texture and feel of the original painting. Not all embellished pieces are embellished by the artist him/herself, and they're more expensive, so ask before you buy.

Buying Paintings: Prints versus Originals

2008-02-07T09:21:00.000-05:00

Gentle Surf, 6" x 6" original oil on cavas by Mary Hubley

Why do artists sell prints of their paintings? To offer a lower price point. To make them more affordable to a wider range of people. To sell more. Prints mean extra "bonus" money for the artist. While it could take months to sell a $500 painting or longer for a painting in the $5,000 range, artists can sell ten $80 giclee prints during that time. And they can still sell their originals when the right buyer comes along.

When buying a print, however, the collector gains little more than a pretty image for his wall. He hasn't purchased art -- rather, he's purchased a copy of art. Serious collectors simply don't buy copies -- they buy originals.

I haven't gotten into selling prints. They may work well for some artists, but I'd rather sell originals. For the same price as giclees, I sell a series of 6" x 6" original paintings that I start and finish in a day. My small paintings sell quickly in galleries. And, rather than offering copies, I offer my clients real art. It represents an entry point for customers to build interest in my work. Later on, when these customers are ready, they come back and start collecting my larger works.

A Walk on the Beach

2008-02-03T18:19:00.000-05:00

Beach Palm, 6 x 6 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Jeez, what a wonderful day. They sky was pink. It's always pink--at least at the horizon. My hubby and I walked on the beach and enjoyed breathing new air. Warm for February. Kids were jumping in the tidal pools and building sand castles. There were a parade of kites being flown a mile south of us. We ran into Gayle, with her camera hanging around her neck and we lingered, talking about her wonderful photography. We watched the seagulls and the sandpipers scoot past the people walking along the edge of the little waves. We breathed in the salt air and watched the waves for a bit. Then, at the end of the day, we made our way back through the dunes and home to make dinner.

The Art of Giving Up Art

2008-01-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

Morning paper, 12 x 16 original oil on canvas board by Mary Hubley

Once, I gave up art. I was forced to.

It was a time in my early 20s when neither my husband nor I could find work. To save on heating oil, we heated the whole house with a tiny kerosene heater. We rented out our upstairs bedrooms and made the first floor into a tiny apartment for ourselves. That was a cold, dark, strange winter. We finally found great jobs, which meant we could have our house back, but it meant I came home too tired and cranky to produce any art for my pleasure for a very long time.

There were upsides, though. The new job gave me opportunities to do commercial illustration and graphic work, and I traveled extensively to exotic places that expanded my world. I spent weekends and vacations hanging around galleries and museums.

I've finally returned to producing fine art. And I realize that giving it up was actually a good thing -- it was an essential step in my artistic evolution. Life experiences have meant everything to my painting quality -- my work is much deeper and soulful. The years of strolling old-world cobblestone alleys and museums, sipping espresso in outdoor cafes, and even doodling in corporate meetings have made my painting come to life.

Bold Brush Strokes

2008-01-30T11:01:00.000-05:00

Standing Palms, 18 x 24 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley
I usually work with large brushes to create big, broad strokes. These strokes aren't whimpy -- they're very bold. I am sure of what I want before I place my brush on the canvas; the effect is so much more powerful than painting every leaf and every piece of grass. This technique suggests shapes and subjects -- an impression rather than a photographic realism. My paintings then come to life with well-placed jewels of red, yellow, and cerulean.

Red Marsh Grass

2008-01-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Red Marsh Grass, 8 x 10 original oil painting on canvas by Mary Hubley

This is the North Florida wilderness. There's lots of marsh, tiny waterways, sawgrass, and tree hammocks (islands in the middle of the grasses). Perhaps I've made the reds more vivid than what most people see, but it's very earthy and increases the intensity, which adds to the painting's interest.

"Red Marsh Grass" is showing currently at the Art Advocate Gallery in St. Augustine, Florida, and made the centerfold of Compass magazine this week.

Painting Children

2008-01-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

Yellow Sailboat, 11 x 14 original oil on canvas board by Mary Hubley

Children are such interesting subjects to paint! They enjoy moving around and getting into things. I love to capture them in their natural surroundings. Rather than make them sit and force them into unnatural poses, their inner wonder comes out when they are asked just to play.

Black Beach Rocks

2008-01-22T10:07:00.000-05:00

Rose Moonshell, 8 x 10 original acrylic on hardboard by Mary Hubley

Black beach rocks are quite rare where I live, but occasionally, I'll find one and add it to my collection. I sometimes pick up little moonshells and colorful pieces of shells that have been broken by the waves.

Top 10 Reasons to Go to a Gallery Opening

2008-01-18T18:50:00.000-05:00

Marsh Palms, 20 x 24 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

1. You get to buy paintings.
2. There's lots to drink (while buying paintings).
3. It's a good place to have dates (while buying paintings).
4. It's a nice place to escape from the snow (while buying paintings).
5. You can meet new people (while buying paintings).
6, 7 ... 10 -- You get the idea. Gallery openings are especially wonderful places to be (for buying paintings).

(Subliminal enough?) I like to attend my own gallery openings. But I never actually buy my paintings. So, I must invite all my friends, family, and acquaintences to come to do that for me.

So here's your invitation: Come to my opening!

Where: 130 King Fine Art Gallery in St. Augustine, Florida.
When: February 1, 2008 from 5 to 9 p.m.

The Separate Reality of Painting

2008-01-17T09:49:00.001-05:00

Awakening, 12 x 16 original oil on canvasboard by Mary Hubley

Did you ever find yourself totally engrossed in creating, so that you look up at the clock and hadn't realized that hours had passed? That's the power that art has over the artist. It's devious.

Everyone who gives into their creative muse experiences lost time. I often look up after long hours of painting to find that my studio is cold, it's dark outside, and I'm hungry. I've given in to total concentration and become totally wrapped in the world of my creation. It's kind of an Alice Through the Looking Glass experience -- I live, during my painting hours, in a separate reality.

I choose to make that separate reality beautiful; a place where I meditate with the landscape I'm painting. I choose to give that place vibrant colors, serenity, peace, and joy. I live there as often as I can -- I paint almost every day. And it's interesting that when I stop painting and come back to the physical reality, beauty still pervades my life. My painting is a way of self-hypnosis, where I program myself to snap my fingers to wake up, yet still perceive the beauty remains all around me, all the time.

Emotional Force of Paintings

2008-01-15T15:31:00.000-05:00

Sentry Tree, 20 x 16 original acrylic on canvas by Mary Hubley

Did you ever hear of "Stendhal's Syndrome"? This is an actual psychosomatic illness that is caused by too much art. While most of us are emotionally moved by master works of art, those of us with Stendhal's Syndrome actually suffer dizziness, confusion, rapid heartbeat, and even hallucinations. The syndrome is named after a 19th century French author known as Stendhal (pen name of Henri-Marie Beyle), who wrote about how he became confused and dizzy while viewing Florentine art.

(A few of us may remember what it's like to hallucinate while viewing the art of Peter Max, the psychedelic poster-painter of the hippie generation. But this not the same--Stendhal's syndrome happens to otherwise drug-free individuals.)

What an amazing problem. I often watch people at galleries take in a quick breath when they see an incredible painting; their faces gape at the beauty as they stand and stare. I watch smiles appear. They point at the work and step back for a different view. This is when an artist knows they've captured an emotional spark.

My job as an artist is to paint emotion. I, for one, wish that everyone who sees my work will feel the emotion, and stop, stare and have happy hallucinations.

Florida Marsh

2008-01-14T13:40:00.000-05:00

Butler Park, 16 x 20 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

Florida wilderness is slowly disappearing, but there are some areas that will probably never be bought by developers. This little marshland is in St. Augustine, off the beaten path. It's right by the intracoastal waterway, and it's shallow here. I walked across this little stream that disappears when it's low tide and sat on the far bank to watch the tiny sand crabs dance.

Buying Art On-Line

2008-01-12T10:31:00.000-05:00

Old City House12 x 9 original oil on canvas board

I've just started uploading some of my portfolio to an on-line gallery, Boundless Gallery. Something new to my mode of doing business is selling my paintings on-line using a shopping cart. It seems many artists are able to sell their work on virtual galleries. I like the idea, and we'll see how it goes. Check out my paintings on the virtual store: Mary Hubley on Boundless Gallery

The Beginning Year

2008-01-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

This is a "beginning year," one of those times when the world seems to stand up, shake itself off, and say, "let's start new things!" I'm doing the same. Shaking off those old paintings and moving on to even better ones for 2008.

So, I separate my paintings into three piles: worthy to sell, storage, and burn. The worthy ones are paintings that keep growing on me. I appreciate them even more with age. I stuff the ones that are boring in the storage space under the steps. I'll take them out again in a few years to decide their worthiness then. The burn pile is the hardest. Those poor paintings. I might have thought them to be masterworks at one time, but not any more. I go through a grieving process for those.

Grieving only lasts a day, though. Then I start working on new things. Past pieces were important in getting me to "now," but bad ones really should be ripped out of the scene, replaced by new masterworks. 2008 promises to be even more wonderful than last year. Here's to sloughing off the old works to make room for the new!

Painting Wild Places

2008-01-09T09:15:00.000-05:00

Deep water, 16 x 20 original oil painting on canvas by Mary Hubley

Sometimes it's a trick to get to some of the places I paint. Many of them, you cannot drive to or even walk to. In the marshes, it's even hard to boat to these remote locations.

How do I get there? I Kayak. My husband and I kayaked to this spot near our home in St. Augustine, Florida. We paddled inland, underneath the tiny Route 1 bridge south of town, slipped over some shallow sand bars, and found ourselves in wild marshes where civilization never reaches.

Still Waiting for A Call From Sotheby's . . .

2008-01-06T11:20:00.000-05:00

Rose Reflection, 12 x 16 original oil on canvas, by Mary Hubley

World markets are poor, fuel and food are expensive, artists are starving. If we don't sell our paintings, we don't eat much. Next home: the woods. Next meal: digging for grubs. Next car: Birkenstocks.

Here's a glimmer: word on the street is that the art market is apparently immune to recession. Art buyers are flocking to the U.S. from places that are experiencing new wealth, such as China, Russia, and India. New York auctions are lively, with new records for sales.

Funny, though. Sotheby's hasn't called me recently. I can'tunderstand why upstart artists such as Matisse, Warhol, and Rothko keep getting all the attention. Hmm . . . We could even feel sorry for poor Van Gogh, as his "The Fields" was estimated to sell for $28 to $35 million, but failed to sell. Another starving artist.

All I need is a simple $1 million for a painting. Then, I could afford to eat Chinese.

Sunset over the Marsh

2008-01-05T09:42:00.000-05:00

Rose Evening, 16 x 20 Original acrylic on canvas by Mary Hubley

The marshes in St. Augustine are spectacular. The fresh water meets the salt water here, and you can see manatee and alligator in the maze of little islets and oyster beds. In the winter, the horizon has a rosy cast for most of the short afternoon, and the water reflects the pastels of the sky.

Sleepy Afternoon

2008-01-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

Sleepy Afternoon, 9 x 12 original oil on canvas board by Mary Hubley

Painting children and animals has to be done quickly because they move so fast. Children can't sit still for more than a few minutes, and it's impossible to make animals do anything you want. So, I take a few photographs, make a quick sketch and take color references. I usually finish up doing the actual painting later on in my studio, based on these references.

Evolving From Prints to Original Art

2008-01-03T10:39:00.000-05:00

Misty River, 12 x 16 original oil on canvas board by Mary Hubley

Eight years ago, my friend Shandi fell in love with a Waterhouse print, La Belle Dame Sans Merci, a dark, moody 1893 pre-raphaelite painting of a knight bending over a beautiful young maiden. Prior to that, her walls were bare white. This was her first baby-step in her discovery of art.

Five years ago, we were browsing a craft fair, and she was excited to buy a small brightly-colored giclee of a sailboat from a local artist. Her taste was changing as she exposed herself to art. The Waterhouse had been quite a safe bet; the art was magnificent. But the little sailboat was more attuned to her personality and decor.

Two years ago, Shandi made an investment in a large, very bright abstract painting from a gallery for $8,000. It was similar in style to her little sailboat print. It matched her taste, her home, and her energy level.

Her home is now abundant with art; some prints, some originals. By starting out with prints, she was able to explore, to better define her tastes, and to learn about art. When she finally started buying originals, she knew exactly what she was doing, and has never looked back.

Watergatherers

2008-01-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

Watergatherers, 16 x 20 original oil on canvas by Mary Hubley

What I wouldn't give for a bit of summer heat right now. Until now, the winter season had been quite warm in Florida. Tonight, it might freeze. I stay away from the beach when the wind is gusty and the temperature is raw. Maybe I'll go again in February.

I painted these girls late last year, on the beach at Anastasia Island. They spent some time entering the water, taking a good five minutes standing there to get used to the coolness of it before they committed to actually getting wet. A wave finally snuck up on them and they gave in to the pleasure of the coolness with playful splashing. I sat up near the dunes and watched as they fetched their water and spent an hour building a sandcastle.

Too Much Art?

2007-12-30T15:03:00.000-05:00

Mary Hubley standing with her paintings at Holborn Gallery

A couple of years ago, the town elders in Carmel, California noticed there was "too much art" and proclaimed a ban on new galleries in town. The problem? The galleries pulled in tourists, but locals just wanted to find a place to have lunch or buy new sneakers. And because tourists shipped art purchases out of state, sales tax was eliminated and brought in no revenue for the city. City leaders screamed foul; galleries are "A real and impending threat." Santa Fe, Key West, and Aspen, among other small art meccas, are also struggling with the fact that there is simply "too much art".

Thus, we are all left to deal with the threat of art. It's devious, if not evil. All of us should watch it closely, else we may see it pull down the financial fabric of our own small towns. Um. Here's a option: Wal-Mart. There, you can buy cheap art. Every household can own the same images, and you can do your weekly grocery shopping at the same time.

You get what you pay for.

The Emotional Story of a Painting

2007-12-28T14:53:00.000-05:00

Sunset Stretch. 11 x 14 oil on canvas board. By Mary Hubley

When I approach a new painting, I look for its emotional story. Of course, I base everything on a good foundation--composition, color, line, subject--everything I've learned along the way. Beyond that foundation, though, I look for what a subject screams to me--its mood, spirt, intention. Intangible, untouchable. That innate thing that makes something more than just lines and colors on a canvas.

When I started painting this child gazing out over the marshes, I wanted to touch the fullness and satisfaction of a day well played. It was a moment in time--a reluctant, lazy goodbye to the magic of sand and water. I felt the girl's desire to remember this day for the rest of her life. Sunset Stretch glimpses a girl noticing the sweet beauty surrounding her, perhaps for the first time in her life.

Intracoastal Boathouse

2007-12-27T14:53:00.000-05:00

Intracoastal Boathouse. 11 x 14 original oil on canvas. By Mary Hubley

This scene was painted at the edge of a favorite boat ramp on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine, Florida, just a couple of miles from my home. My husband and I are avid kayakers. We enjoy paddling and gazing out at the wild intracoastal waterway, with its salt marshes, wind-swept trees, alligators, and manatees. The North Florida sunset is extroadinary. At this time of year, a pinkish hue appears in the sky in the early afternoon as the sun takes its long slide to the West. The color intensifies as it reaches for the horizon.

About Toescapes

2007-12-21T13:23:00.000-05:00

Pebbles, 8 x 10 original oil on hardboard. By Mary Hubley.

A Winner! Pebbles has won the 2007 POW Award for 2D art!

This painting is one of a series of "toescapes" that I've painted. Toescapes are what I see at my toes when I go out in the wild -- usually a spectrum of shells, sand, and pebbles. They're a piece of the landscape that you can sink your toes into. You can pick a toescape up, put it in your pocket, and take it home with you.

When I walk on the beach or take my kayak through the marshes, I look for scenes in front of me-- salty marshes, pink skies, and turquoise reflections. The scenes close to my Florida home are spectacular. They're wild. Peaceful. Wonderful. I take the time to stop and gaze out. And then I look down, and the World's still life at the ground is just as spectacular as the landscape at the horizon.

I paint toescapes as well as landscapes and the people who enjoy them. I hope you enjoy them, too! Take a look at some of my other toescapes at http://www.maryhubley.com/paintings_toescapes.html.