Delay in further painting for Journeying With The Totems - July 11, 2015

I wanted to update everyone as there haven't been any further progress journal entries recently. The harsh reality for an artist is supporting oneself and family. I invested over a year in creating the totem series in the hope that once the exhibits started, that with a bit of luck, sales could sustain us as I continued working on the series. Not being able to afford the Arts Vancouver Show last May was a blow to building the momentum. The old expression that you need money to make money is apparently true. The upcoming exhibition which opens on August 27th will hopefully re-kickstart the momentum again after almost 5 months since the last. But in the meantime, sales outside of the exhibition periods have been as hoped and I don't have any studio or gallery space where the paintings can continue receiving the exposure they deserve. I know that many have looked through the paintings in the gallery here on the website, and checked out the Store. But I understand that it isn't the same as seeing them in real life. I'm considering offering a special for a few weeks where I would cover the shipping cost. Would love to hear from you if the shipping was a concern.

I've also recently confirmation that I have enough in stock for the series to put on a great exhibit at the Port Moody Arts Centre. So rather then continuing on the 2 new paintings that I had started, I will need to set these aside until September and adjust my icon commission schedule and complete them before the exhibit. The funds from these two commissions  are urgently needed for the home front, and exhibits have no guarantee of sales. And even with exhibition sales, you don't receive those funds until after the exhibition closes. So it remains the challenge in the gallery circuit: 1) finding galleries that will exhibit your work and 2) not having funds coming in until after an exhibit closes, and if there were any sales.

As an artist, I too am concerned about losing my way in the momentum with this important series, as times goes by, and I remain hopeful that the August Exhibit will get me and the series back in circulation again.  I applaud any artist who has succeeded in comfortably making a living in his or her art. It is a major hurdle to do so. But I take one month at a time and so far have been able to cope with the stresses of being on that edge of making ends meet. Art is a risk and a passion. It is one thing to be a starving artist as a single person, but quite another with supporting family.

This artist much appreciates your support and wonderful comments which you have shared with me. It sustains me.