ART HOP SPECIALS

Happy Friday, friends!

I'm wrapping up a few things before I head to my sweet little studio at S.P.A.C.E. in Burlington. Site 41-C in the Soda Plant building and we'll be there Friday, Saturday and even Sunday. Check here for more art listings. It's the biggest art party in the state. Join us!

Society6 Free shipping good thru 9/13/15!

So before I go, here's item number 1: 
Society6 just offered a free shipping promotion for most of my items, it's good through Sunday September 13th at midnight. Click the link to get the promotion!
https://society6.com/kristinrichland?promo=VG3GX4X7MQYG   

Cards and prints!

Secondly, I'm offering 20% off in my ETSYshop to celebrate Art Hop and all of you who support me in this endeavor. Use the code ARTHOP202015 when you make a purchase in my Etsy shop. Lots of cards and prints available right now, and I'll add more listings in the next week or so. Wondering if a painting is available as a print? Contact me and I might be able to make a special listing just for you.
(ARTHOP202015 coupon: min. purchase $25, expires September 30th 2015.)

Hanging the show...many, many ghost rabbits

Thank you so much for all the orders and support, my cat Bernie (almost as talkative as our favorite Senator) is grateful whenever I spend time in the (home) studio. Here I am setting up the studio in Burlington. Bernie is putting up with a short absence if it means I'll be back later to paint!

Bernie and friends.

Why bother? Why not.

I am one of those artists who struggles to put her energies in the right places.  There are always so many new and wonderful projects to start, that I get choice-lock.  So many fun and enlightening things to read, so many friends to check in with, good food to try and make to keep this body going...
and suddenly it's time to go to bed.

And then I find myself only using my studio for a computer room.  Or a catch-all.  And that's just bloody depressing.  Especially when I'm looking at (and let's be honest, feeling green with envy because of) skilled artists who are making a good show of it online.

It's good to remember that I can't do it all.  (Thank you Alyson Stanfield!)

It's good to remember that there will always be artists whose careers I aspire to, and that maybe I'm one of those to someone else.  We all struggle sometimes.

It's good to remember that no matter how horrid humans are to each other, or how horrid you might feel, there are always humans putting in a stake for good.  And that my art is one of those stakes, because apparently it (often*) makes other people feel good too, not just me.

                       *sometimes it freaks them the heck out.  But that's good, because it's important to                                     widen one's experiences.

And now that I've done what needs doing today, I'm going to get off this computer and use the next four hours for actually making art.

The view from over my laptop screen:  Two easels, each with two paintings in progress.  Time to get cracking!

creativity in the wee hours

It never fails:  the closer I get to an event, the more REALLY AWESOME IDEAS start coming as to what I could create for said event. 

But as I get older, I am at least able to let some of these ideas go, and thus remain somewhat relaxed.*  "Next year," I'll whisper as I pat them on their little heads and send them out the door.  "You're a great idea, really great.  But let's try for next year.  Bye bye!"

Still, the idea of completing these 18 new small paintings just cannot be let go of.  I have tonight (and it's almost 11 p.m.) and tomorrow night in which to finish them.  

Here's a view of what I did to our living room last night.  Camped on the couch while installing hanging hardware and roughing in colors. The lights are low to protect the innocent.

Now, off I go to attempt this crazy goal.  


*I am fairly certain my guy will attest to this.


Bonus picture from my archives!  Here's what I look like after way too many hours spent painting and staring at screens.  Well, it could be worse, I suppose.

this is actually from 3 years ago.
I don't want to see an updated version.

  

What's up Portland?

Portland, Maine, that is.  I'm headed there for the Picnic Music & Arts festival this weekend.  Looking through the vendors I'm both excited and a wee bit worried:  Excited to be selling alongside some great-looking vendors, and worried that I am going to buy too much stuff...

Still, it's a great experience, and I'm going with local art maven Beth Robinson of Strange Dolls.  And I will be debuting my new panel paintings!

here's just a few...

Next stop, Art Hop September 6-8th at the S.P.A.C.E. Gallery, where Jess Polanshek and I will be sharing this awesome space:

Yours truly, always smirking

Hmmmm...what to do with that niche?


thanks to Polanshek for the studio pics!