SALE to bring in the New Year!

"Nurtured," 2010 by Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

Time to clear out my studio a bit to welcome in the New Year! From now until midnight on January 2, 2012 (2012!) all of my 8.5 x 11" prints are on sale for 30% off. Want 10% off everything else in your order, too? For my blog readers only, enter "BLOGSALE2012" in the coupon code area during checkout for 10% off your whole order (that includes the discounted prints!).

xo

Lea

The Big 200 next Saturday!

Next weekend is going to be huge! I'll be at Crafty Wonderland both days, and the opening of the Big 200 is Saturday afternoon! I'll definitely be stopping by after Crafty, and I have 10 new paintings there so I hope you will too.

This is the Big 200 (previously the Big 100)'s 4th year, and the 4th year I've participated. Every year it's bigger & more fun than the last! Each artist is given 10 wood panels, and when they are finished they are hung anonymously throughout the venue. Last year it was at the Goodfoot, but this year it will be in the 4 gallery spaces on the 3rd floor of Pioneer Mall. ALL of the paintings are only $40 a piece, cash & carry! Here are a couple of the paintings I made that will be there--will you be able to find them all?

"Lovely" 8x8" Mixed media on wood. c. 2011 Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

"Light As A..." 8x8" Mixed media on wood. c. 2011 Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

"Plume" 8x8" Mixed media on wood. c. 2011 Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

I will also have prints of all 10 in my etsy shop, and will be posting images of them all on my website, so keep your eyes peeled! xoxo

New StudioooooooOOooo!

Call me corny, but I have the best-i-est boyfriend in the universe! Over the past few months, he's been re-organizing his studio/retail space and clearing out a room for me. After some re-building and painting it's finally ready for my very own studio!! I moved in last week, and I've already experienced some of the most focused art-making of my entire life. I love it! I left my office at home so that when I'm in the studio, there's no marketing or facebooking or laundry or email-checking or *enter name of billionth distraction here* to get me off-track.

Not to mention my tiny apartment is starting to look a lot more like home instead of insane-crazy-space. Yay! *I may even get a COUCH!! Did you hear me, people?! A couch!*

Those of you who know about this move have been asking for photos--here you go!

My Sweetie painting the ceiling

Yikes! My old dining-area studio all packed up.

Here it is! I still have a bit of unpacking & decorating to do.

Aaaa!! Don't look at this corner!! It's not finished yet!!

Mmmm...organized cabinet in it's new home :)

Studio Doors <3

Mo' Flow Plumbing

Speaking of logos...who thought I would get to design two in one month? Considering I've never done this type of work before, it's funny that I had two logo commissions in a row. (In case you missed it, the other one was for the Support Our Sisters campaign--you can see it HERE). This one is for my little brother's biz, "Mo' Flow Plumbing & Heating." Mo' Flow--how awesome is that name?! I love it :) If you're in the Longmont, CO area and you need a plumber, you should look him up!

p.s. My logos are designed, drawn, and colored by hand!

Support Our Sisters

Recently, I had the honor of creating this logo for an amazing cause--"Support Our Sisters," a campaign started by AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees) District 11 superhero...*ahem*...National Women's Advisory Coordinator Amanda Schroeder.

When Amanda lured me over to her house with offerings of cake, I had no idea that I was going to become involved in such an inspirational and exciting project. She explained to me that October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Support Our Sisters (SOS), is about collecting new bras for survivors of domestic violence (to anyone who may think this is weird, please realize that for any woman going through a crisis, the last thing she is going to think of is buying this necessary item for herself; it is also quite possible that she will not be able to afford it even if she does think of it). When I heard all of this, I got very excited, and inspired. All night I dreamed about it, and when I woke up the next morning, the logo just popped out onto the page.

When doing a commission, there is no greater feeling than working for a good cause AND finding that you are able to express the client's vision. I was so proud to get this comment from Amanda, "I was looking for something instantly recognizable, inclusive, and empowering. Her design captured the spirit of solidarity that I was hoping it would. The three sisters in the logo are strong, supportive, and represent all."

Thank you so much, Amanda and AFGE! It was a pleasure working with you. For all of my readers, please consider checking out the SOS Facebook Page for more information on how you can help and/or donate.

Illustration Friday--Boundaries

"Boundaries," 2011. 9 x 9" Mixed media on paper. By Lea Keohane, All Rights Reserved.

DIY Business Cards

Oops! I made a *little bitty* mistake and didn't order new business cards in time for the Buckman Show & Sell this weekend! But it all worked out because I just spent the evening making these little cards instead, so everyone that picks up my card gets a tiny original piece of my art.

I started the same way I start all of my work on paper--with a soft but colorful watercolor wash on a nice heavy watercolor paper. Then I cut them to size, covered all of the edges in ink, and stamped each one with a collection of hand-carved stamps I made for a new series of paintings I'm working on. I'm thinking of doing a little experiment and leaving them slightly mysterious--there is no extra information on the back. I may change my mind though before the show starts. What do you think?

2011 Buckman Art Show & Sell

Kids need art in school!! We all know it, but now it's time to step up and support a great school--Buckman Arts Focus Elementary. Indigo is in her final year there (yikes! Middle school is just around the corner!), and it's thanks to great events like this that she's had exposure to so many great art experiences & teachers.

I will have a booth here this weekend along with 140 other artists, and 30% of all sales go straight to the school! Plus there is tons of awesome art by Buckman students, art activities for the kiddos while you shop, and some yummy catering. As if you needed any more reasons to go, you can also see my mural in person! Yay! I'll be hanging out all weekend--hopefully I'll see you there! For all the details visit http://www.buckmanelementary.org/artsale

Standing Up

I have been struggling with what to say in this post. It is never my intention to offend anyone, but I guess sometimes it just can't be avoided. Especially when you are talking about something you really believe in. As you may know, Planned Parenthood is in danger of losing it's federal funding. I am not talking about abortion here (by the way, did you know that as it now stands there is actually no federal funding for abortions?). I am talking about basic sexual health care--cancer screenings, std testing, and birth control. Thanks to federal funding, Planned Parenthood is able to offer these vital services at a sliding scale to millions of women who are un/underinsured.

I am one of these women. I work for myself. I'm a single mom. I have no health insurance. When something goes wrong, if it can't be fixed by my acupuncturist then I am basically S.O.L. I go to Planned Parenthood for my annual exams and birth control because I can afford to go there. Without Planned Parenthood, I would never see a doctor.

I am extremely thankful for the services, privacy, and respect that Planned Parenthood offers, and I want to do what I can to help. I have signed every petition I can, and I would like to contribute financially as well. You can help me do that. I've listed several of my newest paintings (encaustic collages, actually--new technique for me!) on eBay, and thanks to eBay Giving Works, 10% of each sale will automatically go to the Planned Parenthood Foundation.

Click here to take a look, and thank you so much in advance for you support!

Last sale of the year!

It's one week before Christmas and my shopping is about done, but how about yours? I will be at Presents for Procrastinators today from 11-5 at the Art Department, 1315 SE 9th. I've got original paintings from $28, prints, magnets, card sets & some limited edition, hand-drawn ornaments & pendants! See you there!

It's Crafty!

Crafty Wonderland!!! This has been the busiest holiday season of my life so far, and THIS is the show to check out and catch up with what I've been doing! I have new paintings, prints, and magnets. And as if that's not enough, I also have some brand-spankin'-new card sets and pendants! Not to mention the other fantastic crafty goodness that will be there :) TODAY and TOMORROW http://craftywonderland.com

Live too far away to come? I have lots of new stuff in my etsy shop!

Greeting Cards

It's been such a busy Autumn for me and I have so many things to share with you...but first I want to show you these awesome cards that I made from some of my latest artwork. They make a perfect gift or stocking stuffer, or buy them for yourself. Hey, you'll be sending them off to people you love anyway, right? ;) You can buy them right here for only $15 a set!

What's your story?

One of the most difficult things to do as an artist is write your own story. Art school training--if you have it--may give us the vocabulary to discuss art, but getting to the heart of your own work is something entirely different. Just last night one of my friends and I were joking about this same topic when she threw back her head and laughed, "Well, I kind of painted it so I wouldn't have to talk about it!" I couldn't agree more.

But the fact of the matter is that you are never going to get anywhere without a good story. At the very least, your journey is going to be a lot more difficult. Without a story, you are just another face in a sea of faces. Yes, your images should speak for themselves, but people who buy art usually want more than just a pretty picture, they want to know Who-You-Are and Where-Your-Art-Came-From.

I have been writing and re-writing my own story over the years, without ever feeling satisfied. I had a lot of facts about myself--born in Loveland, CO in 1976, B.A. in Drawing, Painting and Printmaking from Portland State in 2002, single mother, blah blah blah--but I couldn't seem to pinpoint the heart of the matter and put it into words. I read other people's bios on Etsy, on artists' websites, at gallery shows. Many struck me as awkwardly as my own, many others used pretension to plow through. A glowing few struck my heart and actually explained where in their souls their art really came from. Then, finally, a few days ago, my own story came to me:

~~
Lea's mother gave birth to her on the principle's desk, which sent her sailing on a long career of following rules and being an excellent student. Nevertheless, Lea spent her childhood sucking her thumb and twirling her curly hair through her fingers while staring off in the distance into her her far-more-daring-than-reality imagination. Her playmates were frequently imaginary as well--she had so many of these that she was often caught playing tag or hide-and-seek "by herself."

Today, Lea's art work continues to explore the places in her head. These are places where all women hold their own beauty, and each possesses a power so strong it surges through her long electrifying curls. Places where friends come in all sizes and their forms are often surprising. Most importantly, places that are free of rules and ever-changing, where anyone and everyone can find that wild piece of themselves that they have always been seeking.
~~

When this story came to me, it gave me a sense of power that I did not expect. It tells something of my roots and how I came to be where I'm at, but it also gives me a reason, an explanation of who I am and why I do what I do. Something I planned to give to my patrons, so I was incredibly surprised when, as the words flowed onto the page, I found I was really discovering something new of myself.

Art and Life

"Alice," 2010 by Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

Occasionally I feel like being an artist is Too Hard; I feel anxious wondering if what I'm doing is really worthwhile or just selfish; I fear that I'm not good enough to make it. Those are moments I've struggled with all my life, in between bouts of confidence in Who I Am and What I Do. Moments that rear their ugly heads and pop my daydreamy bubbles of All That Could Possibly Be.

I know those moments of self-doubt are perfectly natural (albeit incredibly annoying). They are little tests, poking me with reality checks. Sure, they make me second guess myself at times, but all of that second guessing can either scare you away from your dreams--if you let it--or bring you even closer by helping to focus your energy on what you REALLY want.

It has been 8 years now since I graduated from college, a soon-to-be single mom bullheadedly determined to find her way to being an Artist. I've come a long, long way in 8 years. I recently found an old portfolio that I brought around to shops to try and sell my work and...wow. My work was immature, the photos were bad and the prints of them were even worse. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was determined enough to do it anyway. And you know what? It has paid off. I have been working for myself for over 5 years now, my art has seriously improved and I'm selling more of it all the time, and I am moving steadily closer and closer to being a full-time artist every day.

Lately I've been more focused than ever, feeling like I am on the brink of something important. I'm clearing out my life and making room for all of those daydreamy bubbles to come into existence--self-doubt be damned. I don't know what it all is or what it all means, but I want to share it. I owe a debt to everyone who has helped me on my way, and I would like to pay it forward in my own little way by writing about my experiences as I move into the next phase of my art and my life in the hopes that it will help you with yours.

Work in Progress--Kitchen Mural at Buckman Elementary

Buckman Elementary, where Indigo has been going since Kindergarten (only one year left, omg!!) is a fantastic arts focus school. Art is integrated into every aspect of the curriculum. The kids have tons of great experiences with visual and performing arts.

But to be honest, for an art school there is very little permanent art on interior of the building. So you can imagine how excited I was when the PTA approached me to create a mural spanning a huge wall in the kitchen! The wall is about 10' x 23', and the mural wraps around onto the doors on either side, plus I'll be adding some smatterings on the hood above the oven, a door in the back of the room, and an area of the wall in the hallway. Holy huge project, Batman!

As an arts school, naturally it attracts a lot of parents who not only appreciate the arts but are artists themselves, so I am incredibly honored that someone thought of me to do the work. There is such a grand lack of funding in the public schools, especially for the arts. I don't need to tell you how many schools are losing their art programs altogether. Which makes me feel even luckier that my daughter goes to such a great school, and that, even in times like these, our school sees the value of art and is willing and able to fund new projects.

The kitchen may seem an unlikely place for a giant mural, but it is one of the mose deserving. It is an interior room with no windows, mind-numbing fluorescent lights, and horrible yellowish industrial paint (DREARY). But it's a place where children comes every day to get their nourishment and energy for the rest of the day--it should be a cheerful, energetic place! I hope that by the time I'm done, that's exactly what it will be.

Rockin' the product photos!

My good friend Ryan recently gave me some advice: "Drive to the store, buy a frame, and take pictures of your prints in the frame so people know what they will look like on the wall." She gives good advice (she does consultations--if you need help with your shop, look her up!), and my Etsy shop has been needing some tlc, so I decided to follow it. (Thank you Ryan!!!)

First, I bought an inexpensive little frame. Then, I decided where I wanted to shoot. I wanted an area that looked welcoming, but not too busy. A bit of color, but not enough to distract from the print. I finally decided on my dining room table. I put out a nice place setting, and a bowl of fruit, then put a small nail in the wall where I wanted my prints to hang. Finally, I set up a couple of clamp-lamps to get the area well-lit.

I have to be honest, there is a part of me that hates that Ryan gives such good advice, because to follow it means WORK. You should have seen me during the photo shoot. I had to turn up the music to get me motivated, and at least every other minute I had to give myself a little talk, "Lea, you are NOT going to stop now and finish tomorrow! Do you really think you're going to keep all of this set up until tomorrow? It will just be in the way! If you take it down you'll just procrastinate putting it all back together again." I give myself pretty good advice, too.

So I stuck to my guns. I pulled every print I have out of its plastic sleeve (I would recommend, if you carry prints, to keep a stock of them on file that are not in plastic sleeves, because it was really annoying to do this), and carefully took turns placing each in the frame, shooting, and replacing it with the next. I should mention that I took some time carefully placing my tripod at the beginning of the shoot so that I wouldn't have to re-position my camera every time.

Viola! It took a good bit of work, but it was worth it. Now all of my prints have a nice setting so that my customers have an idea of what they could look like on their wall. Plus, of course I kept the close-up scans in each listing so they can see the prints in detail.

Now to update all my listings!

Morning Ritual Re-visited

"Flyaway," 2010, by Lea Keohane. All Rights Reserved.

There are certain times of day when the Muse is strongest. For every person it is different. For me, I learned a long time ago that early in the morning and late in the evening are the most creative. Then one of my teachers in college said to me, "Schedule a time every day to create, and your creativity will just start showing up." It took me a long time to get a regular practice, but I have found that for the most part she was right.

As a single mom who runs her own business, plus picks up a lot of odd jobs cleaning and helping out other artists and artisans, my days are incredibly irregular. Finding blocks of studio time on a daily basis is next to impossible, so I fit them in whenever I can. But I do have one block of time every single day--the early morning.

About 2 years ago I started this ritual: I set my alarm for at least an hour before my daughter wakes up for school. Dreary-eyed and fighting against every ounce of myself that wants to stay in bed, I pull myself up and put some coffee on (I am an addict, I admit). I flip through my iPod to find some music that fits my mood (TIRED), and pull out my sketchbook. I used to just draw anything that popped into my head, but recently I started something new.

At the end of every morning session, before I go wake Indigo up, I put a watercolor wash on the NEXT page in my sketchbook. The next morning, I pull out the watercolor from the day before, and stare into it to see what I can see. Whatever image appears is the one I draw. Once I have divined the image, I spend several more mornings on the piece until it is finished. I also use this morning time to play with different mediums and mix them together in new (for me) ways.

What about you? Do you have a daily ritual that helps support, maintain, or inspire your creativity?

Helping Haiti

Like I told my boyfriend a few days ago, I can't listen to NPR in my car until the tragedy in Haiti is over (well, at least until it is not being reported on anymore). I tear up as I listen and before I know it my eyes are so filled with my own mascara that I can't see the road anymore. I am a great big sobbing hazard. Worse than someone on their cell phone. Just to be clear, I am not ignoring the issues, nor am I advocating that anyone else does. I just can't be informed and drive safely all at the same time!

All of the problems in my little world seem to evaporate as I hear about the horrible, terrifying conditions in Haiti right now. If it was possible I would go there and put in some real-time help. I would foster as many children as I could until their families are found. But that is not possible, so I am doing what little I can from here by donating 50% of all of my online sales to Save the Children. To learn more about them, click on the link.

In the meantime, support the arts and help me raise money for charity either by making a purchase in my Etsy shop or placing a bid on some of my original artwork on eBay. In both instances, I will donate 50% of the sale to charity, and with your purchase you will receive a thank you noting the amount of your donation.

Original paintings on eBay!!!

Fearlessness and focus. Two things I'm working on in all aspects of my life. This is not a New Year's resolution (I don't believe in those--I think they set you up for failure), but a long-term resolve. Something I've been working on for a long time now. Qualities that I know exist within me, but that I sometimes have a hard time digging out and utilizing. I have inspiration and support, and lots more to talk about on this subject, but for now I want to keep it about my business as an artist.

What does this have to do with selling paintings on eBay? A lot. For a long time, all of my adult life, I can safely say, I have been struggling to make my art my central focus. And no wonder. I had my daughter at 24 years old, while I was still finishing school, left her dad 3 years later, and worked one crappy job after the next for what seemed like ever trying to make ends meet. I was trapped in that void of single-mom-working-raising baby-no-time-for-myself-land. Finally I was able to work for myself, but the ends-meeting part was, and is, still a bit of a mystery to me.

So is the focus. I feel as though I am constantly pulled between 2 equally strong yet opposing forces: making money and making art. In between those two forces are many other competing realities--for example, having control over my own time so that I CAN make art and so that I can spend quality time with my daughter vs. working a "real" job, making (theoretically) better money and (theoretically) getting benefits but having to depend on daycare to raise my daughter and having no energy left for my art. I choose to continue working for myself, but I am constantly fighting the urge to accept every single opportunity at the cost of focusing on my art. When I fall into that trap, I am driven by fear. Namely, fear that I won't be able to pay the rent.

At the same time, somewhere inside I KNOW that making money and making art don't have to be opposing forces! So one of my primary goals for 2010 is to work harder than ever before on merging the two. Next time I'll tell you some of the steps I've already taken in that direction, and I'll keep you updated for the year. Think of this post as a little introduction :) In the meantime, help support my work and score yourself an awesome deal by bidding on my one of a kind, original paintings on eBay. A great big fearless step for little me, putting them there!

New Magnets Listed!

I'll be getting the rest up today, but as of this posting I have 6 of my new magnets listed! Just click on the photo above to link to them all.

Also, can you believe it's April already? What happened?!? Today is April 2, my friend Josh's birthday. Happy Birthday Josh! He & his wife live all the way in Australia, so I won't be able to celebrate with them, but I'm sending all of my good wishes anyway.

It's funny how inspiring it can be to have a goal...when it is attainable. I am working really hard on giving myself goals that are big enough to be real accomplishments, but small enough to actually achieve. I have a problem of setting huge goals, making crazy-long to-do lists, and ultimately scaring or frustrating myself straight out of achieving anything.

With that in mind, I haven't been posting my goals at the beginning of the month lately, but this month I have a big one for my art shop--get up to 100 listings! For a long time, I have been lingering between 70 and 80 listings, and it's just not good enough. My long term goal is much higher (400-500 listings), but I think 100 is a good start. That means I have 21 to go for the month (more if you buy stuff! I wouldn't mind that at all :) ). It will get me off of my butt and list some things that are finished but unlisted, and inspire me to make more art to reach the goal.

With that said, it's time to list some more magnets and make some more art!