Penciling things in…

December 3, 2015 by Nancy

Alphabet Pencils – I guess I will always be fascinated by the very idea of this!

It’s been a few months since I’ve posted anything and now I feel obliged to get back into it. I think I still have one subscriber (Hi Carol) and I see that people still occasionally Google – How to Draw a Snail and Madrone Tree/Marin County. That’s about it. It’s more “hits” than my other attempted site – Cyber Pencil.

Somehow I have to keep telling myself I am making some kind of Cyber Sense or Success or Progress. I have clearly walked away for the idea of working with SquareSpace and that clarity feels good. I haven’t given up on WordPress but am now curious about Adobe Muse. It’s new to me and I have developed an unexpected attraction to it. I’m told it is the replacement for Dreamweaver and they offer a free trial which I think I will go for. I’m now predicting that 2016 will be a Website/Blog year for me and I sure hope I am more comfortable with it if that’s the case. I’m getting a little tired of Starting Over but I do realize I don’t seem to be able to walk away from it.

I’ve set up a new Drawing practice plan that’s a;long the order of what I did with hammers a year ago. The subject kept me focused and this time it’s Apples for my Focal Point. I’m calling it the 21 Day Apple Challenge and am now on Day 11. So far they are all pencil drawings but the main thing is I have not skipped a day.

Filed Under: Blog, Lingering Logs, Pencils, Snail Mail, Squarespace, WordPress

How to Copyright your Artwork

October 26, 2015 by Nancy

© is easier than you may think.

I attended a Copyright Workshop on Saturday and learned some valuable information. The main thing that really shocked the entire group was that when an artist crates an original work of art she/he owns the copyright to it for a life time plus the next 70 years. It must have a “copyright notice”, © , placed somewhere but it can be on the back of the art and still be valid. It’s best to take a second step to register it with the Copyright Office.
www.copyright.gov See especially Circular#40 (Copyrights Registration for Works of the Visual Arts)
There were many other things I was totally unaware of that came up in the workshop. If you sell a piece of art the buyer cannot reproduce the work or use it without your permission.

Filed Under: Lingering Logs, WordPress Tagged With: copyright for artists

Getting Outside of Myself

October 9, 2015 by Nancy

Seedpod Birds are handmade in Zimbabwe.

My trip to Nevada City/Grass Valley was inspirational and adventurous. Plus, getting away provided some needed objectivity.

Tagua is a seed from a palm-like tree that grows in the tropical rainforests. It is a versatile material that has the innate ability to absorb color brightlyd

The community continues to expose me to art that triggers my imagination and gives me new insights. This time I was drawn more to artists from other cultures. That reminded me of my original intention for this BlogForArt website. It was going to be a spotlight for artists who inspire me.

I still like that intention. I pretty much went off track and BoloForArt became a testing ground or my personal sandbox for playing with and learning WordPress. Now it seems to have become central collecting zone for my art and puzzling thoughts. I’m feeling greater pressure to clarify What it’s All About and then just get on with some obvious blogging theme. I enjoyed having new art catch my eye but I’m trying to narrow down my expanding horizon.

I feel like there is a way to blend my art desires and my website work together with hopes that the merging will create something even bigger —something more. And, I will still feel like I’m in touch or connected to my true self. I want them to work hand-in-hand and not keep picking fights with each other.

Filed Under: Blog, Lingering Logs, Squarespace, Websites for Artists, WordPress

How to draw a snail – picks up pace

October 6, 2015 by Nancy

Snail Mail draws search engine ranking — my experiment is working. If only at a snails pace. How to draw a snail for snail mail is now getting one hit per day. I’m still testing the waters of How to draw with coffee but there’s not much action yet. Now I’m asking myself more questions. Am I just fooling around with search engines or do I really want to go deeper into website design?
Maybe I don’t want to paint anymore. Why do I always feel a need to verify my creativity with a painting? If I can’t paint am I still an Artist? Did all of this “need” start in my childhood? I remember the intensity when my father was clarifying a hot point and would say “Do you understand or do you want me to paint a picture?” — I would silence my screaming answer — “Yes, please paint me a picture” – and obey his request without a word. Did this trigger my first spark of wanting to paint? Maybe I need another creative focal point. Coffee? Website Design? Blogging for Art?Collage/Installation? Writing?

Filed Under: coffee painting, Lingering Logs, Snail Mail, Websites for Artists, WordPress

How to draw a snail for Snail Mail – revisited

September 28, 2015 by Nancy

Snail Mail – Save the Snail – March 2012

Ok, this could be very boring or at least a very unexpected topic for my blog post. I pressure myself to explain even though I know, for a fact, that only an average of 2 or 3 people ever read this blog in the course of any day. I guess I feel an obligation to address these followers because they click-on-me. I know these minimal figures are correct because all visits are charted and I can easily see how many have come to my blog. I can also see what page was visited. What did they Google to find my site? After over two years people are still interested in How to Draw a Snail or how to Save Snail Mail. I still care about the topic but it was never intended to be the focal point of my blogging.

As I jump back into my daytime job of website/blog design for artists I am trying to put more effort into How to get blog followers. Isn’t that what the main point of websites and blogs is suppose to be? Next step – I need to offer something that will make them want come back again, and again. Ideally to sign up for my email subscription.

Now, this is all connected to How to draw a snail for Snail Mail. I posted this information on March 29, 2012 and several times per month I see people continue to link to my page for information on how to draw a snail – even if it’s not for snail mail. Check it out!

Now I realize I should include the instruction sheet.

Ok, now to my point. I’m using this post as a test to see if the title and key words will bring even more unknown visitors to the blog. Not just my two friends that have already signed up.
Another marketing technique I have come across in my recent research is the popularity of How to information to be found on the Internet. Lots of interest in How to books, Tutorials and instructional videos. Now I also realize these Snail related posts have survived in the Google searches for so long because they have “How to” in the title.

Hopefully this will encourage me to put together a How to Paint with Coffee tutorial. You can paint with coffee.

Filed Under: Blog, coffee painting, coffee painting workshop, Lingering Logs, Snail Mail, Websites for Artists

Shifting into first gear…

September 18, 2015 by Nancy

It’s clearly time for me to leave neutral in the dust. The recent crossroad see ahead in the headlights is now a green light on the horizon. I will repack my “Been there done that” experiences and use them as supportive success stories to help ground my future. Is this just full circle once again? It’s sounding like a version of my last New Year’s resolution of “Don’t throw out the baby with the bath water” and it still rings true. I can call it repetition but it’s really reassurance that I haven’t wandered too far from my path. It’s not the first time I’ve felt lost. At least I’m moving forward.

2015 Unity In Marin Gala: The Roaring Twenties with a silent auction. Last year I donated a painting. This year I am donating a Coffee Painting workshop.

This time last year I was intentionally closing the door on designing websites for artists and allowing myself to plunge into my my own art— a part of me I felt like I had left far behind. I painted. I drew. I experienced and created far beyond what I could have imagined. Actually, I wasn’t even trying to imagine any sort of out come. Just Art For Art’s Sake. That would be enough for me. But, I was unexpectedly exposed to exposure. There was a spotlight on me and my darkness was unavailable. I participated. I was rejected. I was accepted. I learned and I grew. These past events contain the leftover lessons I am now packing into my new journey. Once again I’m not clear where I am going but I know it’s time and I’m not lost—I’ve just been working in the back room. My current theme for the road is “Start taking advantage of yourself“ and I like the way it sounds. I have a huge stash of hidden treasures.

Filed Under: Blog, Lingering Logs, Websites for Artists, WordPress