08 Thursday Oct 2020
Posted in Abstract Art, Art, Gift Ideas, Spirituality
Tags
Artist, bright colors, colorful, Colorful Art, creating art, creative gifts, creativiity, creativity, decorating ideas, home decor, home decorating ideas, imagination, mandala, mandala art, sharon cummings
Imagining new art, a World without Covid, peace in America and healing for so many…
See MORE Here…
28 Tuesday Jul 2020
Posted in Art, Gift Ideas, Spirituality
Tags
awakening, creativity, Holistic Health, hope, inner healing, inner strength, inspiration, inspirational art, inspirational quotes, renewal, strength
Life is not about finding yourself. It is about creating the YOU that YOU want to be!
25 Saturday Jul 2020
Posted in Abstract Art, Art, Gift Ideas, Spirituality
09 Monday Jun 2014
Posted in animals, Art, birds, Uncategorized
Tags
abstract, abstract bird, abstract birds, Angelou, animals, art, artwork, avian, aviary, beach, beach home, beach house, bird, birds, books, canaries, canary, contemporary, contemporary art, contemporary bird, contemporary birds, creativity, dancing, emotional, faabest, Fine Art, freedom, hope, I know why the caged bird sings, Maya, Maya Angelou, modern, modern art, modern bird, modern birds, Music, muted colors, nature, ocean, painting, paintings, pastel, pastel art, pastels, pink, play, prints, sea, sharon cummigns, sharon cummings, sing, singing, songs, tropical, tropical bird, tropical birds, vacation, wall art, work, writing, yellow, yellow bird, yellow birds, yellow canary
With the recent passing of Maya Angelou, I was inspired to go through my books and find a few of hers for a reread. A favorite is “I know Why The Caged Bird Sings.” It has been said that a caged bird sings because it wants freedom. I’ve had a bird and he sang whenever he was in his cage, but he also sang when he was freely moving around my home. He sang on my shoulder as he nuzzled my ear. He sang when he was having his bath. He even sang when he was eating. In fact, the only time he didn’t sing was at night when I would cloak his cage in darkness. Only then did all go quiet. I believe we are all like birds. We sing because we must. Whatever your song is be it art, music, writing, cleaning, building things, dancing, speaking, etc. it is something that you MUST do. A deep yearning within that moves you without thought. I do not ask myself why I create art. I simply do it.
Rest In Peace Maya…
.
.
.
.
.
.
29 Thursday May 2014
Posted in Art, Uncategorized
Tags
abstract art, art, artists, artwork, blue, blue and white, blue and white paintings, blue and white prints, blue and withe art, blue art, blue paintings, blue prints, contemporary art, creativity, faabest, flow, light, light art, light prints, modern art, original art, original painting, originality, painting, pure water, secrets, sharon cummings, tips, water, water art, water paintings, water prints, wave, waves, white, white art, white paintings, white prints
The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.
Albert Einstein
Every few days I open an email from another artist asking me “how did you do that?” They want to know my techniques, my materials and…if I am not too busy…some personal instruction. I have never felt an obligation to share my secrets with others. To me the joy and fun of creating is to explore…try unusual things….find your art. Copying may be the greatest form of flattery, but somehow I never feel flattered when I see someone attempting to duplicate my work. It’s almost like seeing your husband with another woman. I feel violated. I developed my styles the hard way….by trial and error. I have spent many years marketing myself and building a strong following. My work is branded well and people recognize it as mine. So if you want to know my secret…it’s this….be your own artist….find your own voice….spend some money on a variety of materials and explore what is inside you. Be inspired by others if you must, but always be original. Like the quote above says “hide” your sources. Make your inspired work so much your own that it will not be identified as someone else’s. 🙂
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
07 Wednesday May 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
a live without limits, abstract, abstract art, abstract art canvas prints, abstract art print, abstract paintings, abstract prints, art, artwork, black, bold art, bold prints, colorful, colors, contemporary, contemporary art, creativity, healing, high contrast, imagination, landscape art, landscape painting, landscape paintings, landscape print, landscape prints, landscapes art, landscapes paintings, landscapes prints, large paintings, large prints, limitations, limits, modern, modern art, no limits, overcoming limitations, painting, primary, print, red, sharon cummings, spiritual, spirituality, vibrant, yellow
On this beautiful planet called Earth, we are limited by many laws. Some are man-made and others are physical constraints that we are all subject to. Every person has to deal with gravity and so far no one has come up with a way to completely halt the aging process. Those are just two examples. However, there is one place where our visions, actions and abilities are boundless. Imagination is the key to a limitless life. And it’s also been scientifically proven to keep you healthy. The more you use it, the better you will fare.
You might think of imagination as something that is “not real”. But studies have shown that what we think in our minds can have a profound physiological response in our bodies. Your brain often cannot distinguish whether you are imagining something or actually experiencing it. I have been using visualization techniques in my life for many years now. When I have a goal or desire, I spend time each day focusing on what having that particular goal will look and feel like. I imagine that I already have it and I feel all of the good sensations that come along with attaining it. I believe this is how my business has gone from 20.00 worth of art supplies to a full-time thriving career. Just a little over a year ago, I set my imagination to having a job where I could create whatever I wanted for fun and I would make my living off of the sales of prints of my work. That vision has come true exactly as I imagined.
Your imagination can also be a very powerful resource in relieving stress, pain, and other unwanted symptoms. I have a chronic neurological disorder, but I am not ruled by it’s symptoms. I visualize my good health every day and I do not limit my activities. I exercise daily and enjoy all of the interests I always have. I still have symptoms, but I choose to see them in a creative way. I even have fun with them sometimes. If my world is bobbing up and down….I am on a boat in my head having a blast! My mind sees me well, so I am.
Imagination…………………………start using it…………………………it has no limits!
.
.
.
.
.
22 Wednesday Jan 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
affection, anniversary, be mine, be my valentine, boyfriend, creative gifts, creativity, cupid, Day, engagement, fear, flowers, gift, gift ideas, gifts, gifts for her, gifts for him, gifts for lovers, girlfriend, great valentine's gifts, heart, hearts, how to be thoughtful, how to propose, how to say I love you, husband, I love you, ideas, jewelry, love, love gifts, love notes, lovers, Neruda poems, perfume, poetry, romance, romantic gifts, show love, thoughtful gifts, unique gift ideas, unique gifts, valentine, valentine's, valentine's day 2014, valentine's day gift ideas, valentine's day gifts, valentines day, wedding, wife, worry
A Slam Dunk!!
This year you’ve got this……bag the traditionally hyped up gifts or if you must, make them REALLY SPECIAL. It’s time to think outside of the box. Consider a beautiful piece of artwork that will show your love and affection! It will last a LIFETIME! Every time your love looks at the piece hanging on their wall or sitting on their desk they will swell up with a warm feeling. Seriously….you will blow them away!
http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=136728
Wanna pump it up a notch and SCORE major points? Sure you do! Write a love note on the back of the gorgeous print you just bought them. Perhaps a Neruda poem (look it up….they will melt!)?
Planning on proposing or giving jewelry? Why be ordinary? Tape the engagement ring to he back of the romantic print!! Imagine that…..a beautiful ring and a piece of artwork to mark the occasion for the rest of their life! Any jewelry can be taped to the back with a love note hand written by you in permanent marker right on the canvas.
http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=135009
Do they love the way you smell? This idea will knock their socks off! Spray your scent on the back of the print before wrapping and presenting….mmmmm It’s all YOU plus oh so romantic!
Or how about this? She has been jonesing for a really expensive perfume….spray it onto the back of the print. Give her the art first and let her take in her coveted smell. Then present her with the bottle!
http://fineartamerica.com/weeklypromotion.html?promotionid=136283
Planning on Giving Flowers? Go ahead and take it to the NEXT LEVEL! Add a sweet and thoughtful little canvas print with the bouquet. And do not forget to write the love note on the back!
Other Great Ideas!! Write some lyrics to your “couple” song on the back. Tape a picture of the two of you to the back with a special note, date or concert ticket.
Flowers die, candy disappears and perfume runs out. But art is timeless!! These great DEALS on beautiful gallery wrapped canvas prints will guarantee a SCORE on Valentine’s Day!!
Just click on the links below each piece for your KEY to a great V Day!!
You can find even more beautiful love themed prints displayed conveniently in one place below:
30 Monday Dec 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
art, art career, art selling, Artist, artwork, career, creativity, facebook, google +, google plus, hard work, how to promote your art, how to sell art, how to sell prints, learning, original art, patience, perseverance, photographers, photography, pinterest, practice, print selling, prints, promoting, self promotion, self representing artist, selling art, sharon cummings, skills, social media, strength, stumbleupon, twitter
If you are an artist or photographer who has a dream of making a career out of your craft, you will need three things: practice, promotion and patience. And you will need them exactly in that order.
Practice means that you will be painting a lot of paintings. Many will be thrown right in the trash because they just didn’t work out. Photographers will be taking many photos in a single shoot only to find that none of them work or if you are lucky one is good enough to list for sale. You will try new things that will either be total flops or lead you to something really cool and interesting. You will invest money that seemingly never pays off. These days I sell about 5 prints a day on average from the various POD sites I am on and about 2 originals per week. The majority of what I am selling now is work I have created in the last year. Since I have been selling my art professionally for over 10 years this means that I am a much better artist today than I was back then. I have removed 100’s of images from my portfolios because as I practice and improve, I realize they aren’t my best work anymore. If you have just started creating photography or any kind of artwork within the last 2 years, I guarantee you that you need a lot more practice before your work will sell really well. If you look at the famous creatives most of them never sold early work while they were producing it and many never made a dime from it at all…money was only made after they were dead. In the Internet age we have so many opportunities that they never had. So keep creating regularly. The more you produce the better you will become and eventually sales will start rolling in. Babies do not come out walking and neither do artists. We crawl first.
While you are busy perfecting your art, there is a key ingredient to success that cannot be overlooked. Much like creatives of yesteryear we have to have someone believe in us and “get us out there” in order for our work to sell. For them it was luck and chance by being discovered by the right person at the right time. These days that someone is ourselves. You must believe in your work and be willing to share it with the World. Social Media provides us with instant access to millions of people from the comfort of our own studio computer, laptop or phone. We can connect to a mind boggling amount of followers with a few clicks. As an artist or photographer who lists on online galleries, if you are not using ALL of the FREE social media sites available to us, you are completely missing the boat. This post would be way too long for me to delve into all of the ins and outs of Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, etc. but there are tons of free resources online to get you started. Check out the link to my social media in my blog and see what I am doing.
Once you have the discipline to create new work on a regular basis and you are willing to put in some hard work promoting yourself what you are left with is time. It takes time to become successful. Patience will be your best friend for awhile. A year ago today I was only selling about 1 print a week and 2 years ago only 1 a month! Now it is 5 a day! But that did not happen overnight. It took about 2 years to get moved up in searches and it took about 6 more months of creating new and better art than I was used to producing and HEAVY social media promoting to see the magic start. And I am still learning and improving myself.
Not everyone is cut out for the kind of hard work and perseverance that an art career requires. But if you can commit to at least 3 years of constant creativity and as much promotion as time will allow, you can definitely find your market and succeed!
20 Friday Dec 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
abstract art, art, art marketing, Artist, artists, artwork, career, challenges, contemporary, contemporary art, creativity, hope, inner strength, life, marketing, modern, modern art, painter, perseverancec, sharon cummings, strength
You hear it said often that success “looks” a lot like hard work. I disagree. The most successful people I know make it look easy. It doesn’t look like work at all. It would be more accurate to say that success “feels” like hard work. To make it as an artist you have to have a lot of “inner strength”. Yes, you will be praised but you will also be severely criticized. You will make sales, but you will also spend countless hours emailing/talking on the phone with people who never buy. You will create amazing pieces but sometimes sit back in disbelief each day as the days turn into months or years without that work selling. You will make artistic friends and creative enemies. You will have days when you are so motivated to create that you feel as if your soul and brain will burst out of you into the Universe and you will have days where it feels an effort to sign your name. Mostly you will have to market yourself like crazy. You will eat, sleep and live marketing. Social media marketing. Business card marketing. Brochure marketing. Art show marketing. Cost per click/pay marketing. It has gotten to the point that when people ask me what I do for a living, I pause because I am a “marketer” more than anything else. But dig down deep during these times and find that core fortitude…you are an artist. Never lose sight of that….keep creating and tell them “I am an artist.”……
Find “Inner Strength” here:
07 Saturday Dec 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
art, art for sale, Artist, artwork, be your own boss, buy art, career, create, creatives, creativity, hard work, hardworking, home, how to be successful, job, painter, painting, sharon cummings, success, successful artist, work, working from home
“I work from home.” Most people really like the sound of that, but after living the “dream” for over 10 years, I can tell you that there is definitely a dark side. Most people probably picture me drinking wine, smoking dope and cheerfully splattering paint around my studio. I might be listening to some classic rock while I work and taking frequent naps as desired. They might assume I only work a few hours here and there and that I can go on vacation anytime I want to and just leave it all behind. I am an artist, so people are always nice to me too.
The fantasy above could not be farther from the truth. The fact is that this “working from home” career has been the absolute most challenging and stressful job I have ever had. There are things about it that I absolutely love and wouldn’t trade for any other position. Creating is my passion and if I could afford a team of employees, that is all I would do most of the time! Let me break down my experience:
Pro: I get to set my own hours. Con: I work all of the time.
Pro: I can work in my jammies if I like. Con: All my clothes look like Ernie the paint man’s rejects.
Pro: I get to do what I love…paint and create. Con: I also have to do everything else including but not limited to cleaning, purchasing, marketing, customer service, technical support, etc.
Pro: I have no pesky coworkers mucking up my productivity or causing drama. Cons: It is very lonely and I have no one to talk to all day.
Pro: Since I do it all, I can always make sure everything gets done to the highest of standards. Con: When things go wrong, there is no one to blame but myself.
Pro: I can run to the store, do a load of laundry, exercise the dogs, fix meals, etc. during the day. Con: The family often expects me to do all of those things on top of my demanding job because I am “home”.
Pro: There is no bad hair day. Con: Without the critical eye of female coworkers 5 days a week, I often go way too long for haircuts and pedicures often scrambling at the last minute when invited to a dinner party.
Pro: I have running water. Con: My job is a very MESSY job!
Pro: When a lot of work comes in I can make a lot of money in a short period of time. Con: I cannot delegate or share my load so at times I get overworked and exhausted. Also, there can be long dry spells without any work (i.e. cash flow)
Pro: I do not have to drive, fight traffic and worry about being late. Con: There is no con here!
Pro: I have been able to always be home for my daughter after school, every single day of her school life. Con: Again, there is no con here and ALL of the cons above are worth having been able to do this for my girl. 🙂
Abstract Art by Sharon Cummings 
