The Art Walk

Every first Friday of the month we have something called the Downtown Miami Art Walk, where almost all the artists in the downtown area have their studios open for everybody and all. For me personally that means that I need to "nice up" up my studio and turn it partially into a gallery so I can present my work in a professional way. 

Once every so many months I even fill the holes and repaint the walls, so everything looks fresh and nice again. Of course I only do this in a month when I do not have many obligations and deadlines. Then we (me and the 2 other artists) prepare the rest of the floor: besides 3 studio spaces, there are 2 gallery spaces, the bar, the hallway and the bathrooms.... and you probably guess it, no more time to work on a painting. 

We made it a rule on our floor that if we do not have an opening, we do not serve alcohol. The Art Walk for us artists means that we work. We present our art, we talk art with the visitors, and of course we hope that we will be able to sell work or at least have a potential buyer come back on another day.

Last Friday was a very nice Art Walk for me as I talked to a lot of new people who showed real interest in my work and I sold 3 pieces of art. 

And when a buyer is so happy to have bought your work that he wants to show that to the world, that makes it even better!!

Bad things that happen and Good things that happen too!

Sometimes I get that people think that artists party a lot and live the life of a 19th Century Bohemian in Paris... but many of us don't. We go to the studio every day and work. If you are lucky to be in a building with several studios - like I am - you share what you do with other artists... we have coffee together... and complain about all the bad things that happen and share all the good things as well. And then right back to your own studio and back to work!

Sounds pretty much like life in an office, doesn't it? In some ways it is but with one huge difference:
I love what I am doing... it makes me get up in the morning.. It feels great to see my creation come to life on canvas or wood. It makes me want to do more... and again and again... And every day is different!

Then there are days that nothing works... the days any artist should stay away as far he / she could from the studio. I had such a day last weekend. Did I listen to my gut feeling? Of course not. I was working on a commission and I really wanted to finish it. 

After a few hours of working I looked at it and to my horror I had overworked it... it looked awful (and that hurts me to say so). I freaked out, tried to correct it which made it look even more awful, and called my better half at home. He calmly listened to my rants and then asked "Do you want me to sand it down?" 
This commission is on a wooden panel and sometimes I ask him to sand it down if I am not satisfied with the result.... On canvas it is a little hard to sand it down but on wood.. I have him to delete my mishaps. And that is what he does and I start over again... doing what I love!

And good things happen too of course... like this morning when I opened my email and realize that somebody wrote an article and mentioned me. That makes me feel so amazing!

Here is the article: http://www.miamifashionspotlight.net/2014/01/the-real-life-of-viviana-g-mccormick.html
and the Examiner.com took it and made it part of their online publication. 

And I am back to work... getting ready for the February Art Walk or as I call it "The LOVE Edition" with some special LOVE-M's like the little fellow below:

Little Kurt Cobain... and so much more

After "Little Jimi" and "Little Janis" a "Little Kurt" could not be left out.And while painting this one, I learned so much about him, that I wondered how this genius had passed me by back in the 90's. 

At first I wanted to put the words "Come as you are" in the back ground but for some reason it didn't cover him enough.. so after long deliberation I decided to go for the Nirvana logo, even though he was way more than Nirvana. 

Little Kurt

11" x 14"

Acrylics and Resin Coating on

Italian gesso panel

And now back to paint more... 6 panels of 9" x 12" for the Art Fair in Mexico City and then starting with 2 canvasses of 55" x 46" for Art Basel. Oh, and also a small commission of 9" x 12" and a larger one of 16" x 20"... and somewhere in between I have to breath... I love my life!!!

DOGS ... Nine, Ten, Eleven....

After the 2 plates that I made for "Art That Feeds" I wanted to paint the little French Bulldog one more time and also two small commissioned pieces 

 

 

 

The French Bulldog

12" x 12"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

Pom Pop (Commission)

10" x 10"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

The Boston Terrier

12" x 12"

Acrylics and Permanent Marker on Canvas

 

 

And now I will start another commissioned piece which will be a Cairn Terrier named Joda.