Salon de Maria Blog

If you're looking for a very inexpensive way to get exposure for your art, take this idea from Barbara Rush. [via the Art News Blog] This is a very good idea to get seen by hundreds of people a day - depending on how much you drive, of course. I've actually done this with my old car. All I did was buy those letter stickers that you can get at any office supply store and put my website address on the back window of my car. Not only is this a very good for marketing vehicle (no pun intended), but now your car has become a tax write off! Ask your accountant how this could work for you...

For some more ideas on how to market your art business, I published an article over at Associated Content which offers a couple ways to get more exposure as an artist.

Also, here are a couple more tips to market your art business:

• Get free business cards from VistaPrint and always, always have them handy.  This is one way to market your art business that is so obvious, but is often overlooked.   You just never know who you're going to meet on a daily basis. 
  
• Print your art and website on a few t-shirts and give them to friends and family to wear around town.  CafePress is currently running a promotion - buy 3 t-shirts and get 1 free!
  

Do you have any marketing ideas to share?

Posted by Maria Palma at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Back in May I started a new painting, but at the time I really didn't know what was going to come of it...

Well, not too long after writing up that post a memory of my mother's doodles came to mind. Whenever she used to talk on the phone, she would start doodling with a pen and paper.  Most of the time she would draw flowers that look like the ones that I painted here. I realize now how much of her creative talent she passed onto me.   

This painting is still a work in progress.  I'm not sure I want to keep the background on this one...I have titled it "Tessie's Flowers" in memory of my mother, Teresita, a.k.a. "Tessie". 

Posted by Maria Palma at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I logged into my Technorati account today and realized that I have 75 fans for this blog!  So, I just wanted to take some time out to thank all of you who are reading my blog! 

Being an artist can sometimes be a little lonely, so I find much comfort and inspiration in knowing that I do indeed have some fans out there!  I would have never known just by looking at my feed stats and blog stats that there are people actually read my blog.  I guess sometimes we just want a little recognition ;)

With that said, I think I will turn comments back on so that some of you fans can leave comments and we can exchange some dialogue here.  I had received quite a bit of spam comments which is why I only allowed trackbacks.  

Anyways, thanks again!   

Posted by Maria Palma at 05:58 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I’ve come to realize that doing nothing is ok.  Spending time with family and nurturing my relationships has taken precedence in my life. Making sure that I blog, write, or make jewelry everyday really isn’t as important as it used to be.

Perhaps I’m growing up.  Perhaps I’m a little burned out.  Or maybe it’s a little bit of both.  For the past year I wrote everyday and probably averaged about 1,000+ words a day.  That’s about 365,000+ words I wrote in one year.  

It was the overachiever in me.  However, because of that I did reach my goal of becoming a full-time freelance writer, so all that work did pay off!  

I was reading an article in last month’s issue of Forbes Magazine titled "Confessions of a (Recovering) Overachiever" by Alexandra Robbins and this quote stood out:

“Fulfillment leads to achievement, not the other way around.”

With that said, I’m going to really slow down - for real this time!  I’ve cut down my “To Do” list, I’m focusing on finishing my ebook, and I’m putting my jewelry and art business on the side for now.  Of course, I will still be there for my customers if they want to purchase something, but for right now I’m not going to put so much effort in marketing and doing shows.        

Posted by Maria Palma at 01:21 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

My former Type-A personality didn’t really like to cook all that much.  My boyfriend can attest to this.  For many months he succumbed to eating chicken and plain white rice for months on end.  Cory, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry!  

I always wondered what the big deal was about food.  For hundreds of years artists used food as a subject.  But now I know.  My attitude towards food has definitely changed in recent months.  I now enjoy cooking and find it to be a great destresser - especially when I’m drinking a glass of wine in the process ;)

During my trip to Chicago, my friend Karyn (who’s an awesome cook by the way!) made a great meal with this absolutely delectable tomato and cheese salad.  The colors of the food were so bold and bright that I had to take a picture of them.  Here’s my Photoshop rendition of part of the dinner we had that night.  Yum!  I'll title this piece "Tomato Salad and Spinach". 

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Posted by Maria Palma at 06:11 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The beauty of the internet is that at the touch of a button you can visit other inspiring artists around the world!  It’s been a few weeks since I’ve painted, but checking out other artists’ work has fueled my creative painting energy ;) 

My first stop tonight was Wendy Ryan’s Folk Art blog where she has posted all these absolutely gorgeous paintings!  I adore Wendy’s angel paintings like the one pictured here…

 

Next stop was The Art Blog where I discovered Ryan Sanchez's website.  There's something profoundly "deep" about Ryan's work.  For instance, this piece titled "Minor Adjustment" definitely has a message...

Posted by Maria Palma at 07:47 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

 

 

I believe that every artist should take time out to explore and see other beautiful sights.  As for me, well, I’ve been away in Chicago all last week and I’m just now able to recover from my travels!  I took so many photos, a few of them I’ve posted here.  These are only three of 100+ photos I took of the beautiful city of Chicago.  It was my first time visiting and I was in awe of all the tall buildings and the architecture - absolutely stunning!  I don’t know what it is about tall buildings that catches my eye…perhaps it’s the linear lines. 

My first day there my friend Karyn and I visited the Art Institue of Chicago.  We probably only saw about ¼ of the museum before my feet started giving out.  The place is just way too big and there is soo much to see!  I was quite fascinated with the French art of the 1700’s because it seemed like the artists were either very perverted or women back then just felt that showing their breasts was the in thing to do. 

Anyways, I will be posting most of the pictures over at my Flickr album within the next few days…stay tuned! 

Posted by Maria Palma at 10:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)