From H.U.M.B.L.E. Beginnings….

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art, Artist, artwork, blessings, blue art, career, career change, contemporary art, eBay, encouragement, faabest, goals, hope, modern art, painting, paintings, sharon cummings, Sleeping Beauty, tampa artist

Since this week has been dedicated to artwork of the past, I thought I’d share a little about the history of my online art sales.  I have always been an artist.  But I have only been creating professionally for about 12 years.  Before my career transition, I was a personal trainer, kick boxing instructor and nutritional consultant.  I enjoyed working with people and inspiring them to make healthy choices in their lives.  It was very rewarding and I had no plans to do anything else.  However, a nasty fall that broke my left foot and a car accident that left my shoulders and neck in disarray provided me with an opportunity to choose something different.  It took my body about 3 months to heal enough to even consider working again, but what happened next proved to be the best healing of all.

When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a writer, but art seemed like a more viable option.  I couldn’t have been more wrong “at the time.”  I signed up for art school with the excitement and delusion of youth.  I worked hard and did well.  With a degree in hand and a few interviews under my belt, I soon realized that there was no money in art “at the time” so I put my dreams on the shelf and pursued other ventures.

It’s funny how a tragedy like a car accident can sometimes lead to something wonderful in your life.  That is exactly what happened to me.  I was broke, disabled and too stubborn to take financial aid.  Then my husband asked me if I could just find a way to make 1000 per month so we could pay our bills.  Personal training was off the table as my body has never been the same since my injuries.  One night while searching the Internet for inexpensive business clothing, I discovered something that I had never even considered.  People were selling their art Online!  I was pumped because I knew it was something I could do with hard work and perseverance.  I had been there and done that already.  So I got that old dream off of the shelf and got going!

This piece above titled “Sleeping Beauty” is the very first painting that I listed for sale Online.  It sold for 75.00 on eBay.  I was hooked!  And I have never looked back……

You can see more of my artwork here:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

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From Humble Beginnings….

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art, Artist, artwork, blessings, blue art, career, career change, contemporary art, eBay, encouragement, faabest, goals, hope, modern art, painting, paintings, sharon cummings, Sleeping Beauty, tampa artist

 

I have always been an artist.  But I have only been creating professionally for a little over 10 years.  Before my career transition, I was a personal trainer, kick boxing instructor and nutritional consultant.  I enjoyed working with people and inspiring them to make healthy choices in their lives.  It was very rewarding and I had no plans to do anything else.  However, a nasty fall that broke my left foot and a car accident that left my shoulders and neck in disarray provided me with an opportunity to choose something different.  When I graduated from high school, I wanted to be a writer, but art seemed like a more viable choice.  I couldn’t have been more wrong “at the time.”  A degree in hand and a few interviews later, I realized that there was no money in art (at the time) so I put my dreams on the shelf.  It’s funny how a tragedy like a car accident can sometimes lead to something wonderful in your life.  That is exactly what happened to me.  I was broke, disabled and too stubborn to take financial aid.  So I got that old dream off of the shelf, dusted it off and got going!  This piece above titled “Sleeping Beauty” is my very first painting that I listed for sale.  It sold for 75.00 on eBay.  I was hooked!  And I have never looked back……

You can see more of my artwork here:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

Is Digital Art Real Art?

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abstract art, abstract art for sale, abstract paintings, art, art for sale, art mediums, butterfly wings, buy abstract art, buy art, buying prints, canvas, canvas prints, christmas gifts, computer, computer art, computer generated art, computer paintings, computers, contemporary art, digital art, digital artist, mixed media, mixed media art, modern art, modern paintings, paintings, peacock feather, prints, selling prints, sharon cummings, tampa artist

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about Digital Art.  He wanted to know if I was going to be taking a mix of all my work (i.e. acrylic paintings) or more of my computer art to my upcoming show.  Throughout the chat the words were never said, but the implication was there.  The acrylic paintings were “real art” and the digital stuff…well….not so much.  I myself was resistant to computer generated artwork for years.  I did not think it belonged in the same category as paintings or drawings.  To me it looked “different” and as a traditional painter, I was having trouble with that.  I also did not understand how much hard work it was!  There is also the argument that states that you cannot get a “one of a kind” piece with digitally produced media.  This is true!  But you also cannot get a one of a kind photograph either unless you have the negative or file yourself and then you can only enjoy it as a small inverse image or on your computer.  To fully enjoy photography you must have a print made of it so you can hang it on your wall.  It is the same with digital art.

I do not create ANYTHING entirely with my computer.  I do not do fractal work.  I always start with one of my original paintings or a photograph.  I copy my own hand painted patterns from original works.  I draw designs.  Every piece I create on my computer starts with something I did with my hands away from the black box.  My mandalas start from my paintings on Yupo.  My Stone Rock’d Art starts with patterns from my Labor of Love pieces which I painted by hand.

I am sure that the charcoal and fruit ink painters were incredulous when oil painters came along.  It was something new and untested. How could something so radically different from charcoal ever become popular?  To me “real art” has nothing to do with the mediums used.  If you lock a creative person into a room without anything, they will make art from dust particles.  Art is the expression or application of creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. But is it “real art”? Is it collectible?  In the last year I have sold over 1000 prints that I produced with the aid of my computer.  Now to me that is beautiful and oh so powerful……and undeniable real!

Digital artists….rock on!

Enjoy all of my work here…both traditional and contemporary:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

I Did It!!

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abstract art, art, art expo, art for sale, art prints, art show, art shows, Artist, buy art, contemporary art, Family, friends, friendship, fun, love, paintings, prints, sharon cummings, sharoncummings, support, tampa, tampa artist, ybor city, ybor city art show

 

 

Yes I did!  I’ve got my first art show under my belt and it was a great success!  It was a very small show, but I still sold 3 originals and 30 prints.  Other artists around me who have done many shows said I did amazing….phenomenal and outstanding.  I’ve got my eye on something for March or April and then next year a BIG show (you have to apply to the big shows up to a year in advance).  

I learned a lot going through this experience and that wisdom is priceless.  Just like online sales, art does not sell itself.  It is not enough to just set up your tent and hide to the side.  Of all of the tents I could see and the two on either side of me, I was the one making sales and getting people into my space.  And the phrase “getting people in” is similar to what I do online.  I had to invite them.  Smile.  Engage them by talking and wave them in.  Once inside they relaxed and looked around and many bought.  I found just talking to folks…..including their kids…..laughing…..this is what made sales.  I sold prints to two people who bought because their children liked my work.  I engaged the kiddos too by addressing them and showing them work I thought they would like. Their parents seemed to love this and out came the credit cards when the wee ones had made their choices.  That’s the sales person in me talking, but all of that was not the best part of the show.

I was touched by the friends who came out to support me.  Some bought, but most just came to say hello and let me know that they wanted to be a part of my big day.  My in-laws also made the drive up to help make the day special.  One friend especially made me smile because I had not seen him in over 13 years.  It felt really good to see the love and friendship.

So yes….I did it and I will do it again. 🙂 

I Am An Alien…

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abstract art, alien, aliens, art, art for sale, Artist, buy abstract art, buy art, career, Christmas, galaxy, holiday, holiday season, milky way, moon, moons, nasa, outer space, planet, planets, sharon cummings, shop, Shopping, space, space ship, success, tampa artist, time travel, ufo, ufos, work

 

It’s been suggested in various groups that I might be an alien.  Why?  Other artists see how much work I produce and how much I market myself.  They wonder how I can do so much and be human.  I’ve addressed this in other posts, but it all boils down to focus for me.  Some experts might even call it OCD. 😉  I will say that as I am ageing that my focus has gotten a little blurry sometimes and I do forget to do things on occasion.  I also get tired.  But this time of year I am hyped on the excitement of the season.  I absolutely thrive on painting gifts for people to share with the one’s they love.  The thought of the joy my work will bring is out of this world!  And getting ready for my first show has me smiling at the speed of light.  It’s a full creative moon! There are UFO’s everywhere (unbelievably fun objects).  It means more hours of painting and more hours of promoting, but just maybe the Mother Ship has a spa waiting for me come mid December…..

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/night-sky-landscape-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

It HURTS…Thank you.

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abstract, abstract art, abstract fine art, abstract modern art, art, Artist, artwork, big, big painting, blue sun, brown, brown art, brown canvas prints, brown paintings, brown prints, buy, buy art online, colorful, colorful artwork, decorating, disappointment, fine, geometrical, gold, gold art, gold canvas prints, gold prints, gratitude, happiness, happy, heartache, landscape, landscape art, landscape canvas prints, landscape paintings, landscape prints, metallic, modern, office, office decorating, online, painting, paintings, sharon cummings, sun, sun art, sun canvas prints, sun paintings, sun prints, tampa artist, thank you

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/invisible-blue-sun-sharon-cummings.html

 

It hurts when an artist has a painting returned.  For me it is very rare.  In fact, I can count on my hands the returns I’ve had in 10 years!  Considering I have shipped out over 3000 originals, those are pretty good statistics.  The piece you see here was returned recently.  That stings bad enough, but the people were nasty and mean about it.  They said it was ugly in person and that I didn’t do a good job in creating it.  They saw it as a “product” and not an expression of joy and creation.  They treated it like something they bought at Target.  I knew in my heart that they were just unhappy people inside and that nothing would satisfy them.  There would be no art from any artist good enough for them.  But it still hurt. I also knew that one day this painting would end up in it’s rightful home where it would be loved and appreciated.  That someone found this wonderful piece last week and this is what they had to say: Sharon, The piece arrived safe this morning. It is more beautiful in person than it is online. I can’t tell you how great it makes me feel. My life is turning a corner and this piece of art will be front and center. Thank you again for allowing me to purchase this piece. Thanks for bringing this light, life and beauty to my life. Yours, S.D.  I have a great gratitude.  So to the couple in Texas who returned my “Invisible Blue Sun” I want to say thank you.  Your return made someone else VERY HAPPY…….and that is priceless!  

Is Digital Art Real Art?

Tags

abstract art, abstract art for sale, abstract paintings, art, art for sale, art mediums, butterfly wings, buy abstract art, buy art, buying prints, canvas, canvas prints, christmas gifts, computer, computer art, computer generated art, computer paintings, computers, contemporary art, digital art, digital artist, mixed media, mixed media art, modern art, modern paintings, paintings, peacock feather, prints, selling prints, sharon cummings, tampa artist

 

I had a conversation with a friend the other day about Digital Art.  He wanted to know if I was going to be taking a mix of all my work (i.e. acrylic paintings) or more of my computer art to my upcoming show.  Throughout the chat the words were never said, but the implication was there.  The acrylic paintings were “real art” and the digital stuff…well….not so much.  I myself was resistant to computer generated artwork for years.  I did not think it belonged in the same category as paintings or drawings.  To me it looked “different” and as a traditional painter, I was having trouble with that.  I also did not understand how much hard work it was!  There is also the argument that states that you cannot get a “one of a kind” piece with digitally produced media.  This is true!  But you also cannot get a one of a kind photograph either unless you have the negative or file yourself and then you can only enjoy it as a small inverse image or on your computer.  To fully enjoy photography you must have a print made of it so you can hang it on your wall.  It is the same with digital art.  

 

I do not create ANYTHING entirely with my computer.  I do not do fractal work.  I always start with one of my original paintings or a photograph.  I copy my own hand painted patterns from original works.  I draw designs.  Every piece I create on my computer starts with something I did with my hands away from the black box.  My mandalas start from my paintings on Yupo.  My Stone Rock’d Art starts with patterns from my Labor of Love pieces which I painted by hand.  

 

I am sure that the charcoal and fruit ink painters were incredulous when oil painters came along.  It was something new and untested. How could something so radically different from charcoal ever become popular?  To me “real art” has nothing to do with the mediums used.  If you lock a creative person into a room without anything, they will make art from dust particles.  Art is the expression or application of creative skill and imagination, producing works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. But is it “real art”? Is it collectible?  In the last year I have sold over 1000 prints that I produced with the aid of my computer.  Now to me that is beautiful and oh so powerful……and undeniable real!

Digital artists….rock on!

Enjoy all of my work here…both traditional and contemporary:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries

Are you ready for Christmas?

Tags

abtract tree, Artist, Christmas, christmas card, christmas tree, crimson, gift, gold, green, green tree, holiday gift, holiday tree, labor of love, red, red art, santa, sharon cummings, sharon cummings art, silver star, star, tampa artist, tree, yellow

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/christmas-tree-twinkle-sharon-cummings.html

Tis the season for sure around here….commission work hanging on every wall….prints being readied for a show.  Tons of emails to answer from eager people wanting the perfect and unique gift for their loved one on Christmas or Hanukkah. It’s like this every single year and I love it!  The addition of the show preparation is new, so I am even busier than usual.  At some point I will need to find time to decorate my own house and get festive with my family…only another 5 weeks or so…..For now I will get my original Twinkle out to start to mentally prepare.  The original is not for sale, but you can have your own decorated tree using the link above!

Collaborations

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alice in wonderland, art, art collaboration, Artist, beach, bears, butterflies, butterfly, collaboration, collage, collage art, collage work, creating, creativity, mixed media, mixed media art, muse, ocean, Paint, painting, photography, photos, pretty art, sea, sharon cummings, tampa, tampa artist, Teddy bear, teddy bears, the mad hatter, women, women's issues

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/on-the-rocks-teddy-bear-art-by-william-patrick-and-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

Do any of you other artists ever collaborate?  Work on photography together?  Paintings?  Music?  I tend to be a loner when it comes to my work, but I have had some really great opportunities to work with some amazing artists from around the World on pieces of art that really challenged me but ultimately brought me great satisfaction.  

The piece above is a joint effort between me and my husband William Patrick.  We headed to the beach with his box of toys and I handled all of the choreography and staging while he snapped the shots.  I also handled the post processing.

 http://fineartamerica.com/featured/down-the-rabbit-hole-sharon-cummings.html

Down the Rabbit Hole was a very interesting project that I shared with a Canadian artist named Geraldine Gracia.  What we did was each sent each other a package filled with all sorts of bits and pieces of things we collected.  The rule was we had to use EVERYTHING in the package in a mixed media piece.  We could add to it, but we could not subtract.  It really got my imagination going and the end result was a surprise to me.  I to this day continue to sell this piece regularly…so glad it speaks to so many.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/balancing-act-sharon-cummings.html

Balancing Act was another collaboration piece.  I have done these many times with other artist and it is always fun to see what we create!

 

Mirror Mirror….

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abstract, air, alternative medicine, arts, aura, blue, celestial, chakra, chakras, coral, crow, divine, divinity, dream, dreamscape, eco, energy, enlightened, enlightenment, fantasy, figurative, gold, guardian, healing, healing arts, health, holistic, indian, kaleidoscope, live, meditation, mirror image, modern, mystic, mystical, mythical creatures, new age, orange, sacred, science fiction, shakti, sharon cummings, spirit, spiritual, symbol, symbolism, symmetrical, symmetry, tampa, tampa artist, third eye, tribal, vibration, vibrational, wicca, yellow, yoga, zen

 

I’ve been looking through The Looking Glass again…..actually I’ve been playing around in it for quite some time now.  I had 22 images to share with the World and got them all up yesterday.  Whew!  I am getting ready for the Holiday season and promotion and custom work will be the names of the game for the next 6 weeks.  I will not have much time to create new paintings let alone list them!  So enjoy these NEW pieces until the crazy time ends!

THE LOOKING GLASS SERIES:

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-sharon-cummings.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=344305