Seahorse duo

So the show season acceptances have started, much to my delight! 

I have been accepted into 2 new shows, been wait listed for one that I will probably get into as well.

 I have to set up my tent for a new booth shot that is leaner and cleaner, with no decoration or furniture visible. Funny thing though, one of the shows I've been accepted into used the booth shot I gave them and gave approval, while the same festival company for a later show wants a new booth shot. Such is the life of an artist trying to expand their horizons. The shows I've applied for involve another swing into Florida, this time on the West coast. All in all, if accepted, we'll be down into Florida for about a month in January. We will spend our 40th anniversary 

down near Tampa and at a show.

 I am so grateful for a husband that supports the shows and the trips. 

He views it as a vacation with a little work in between. He also gets to eat well at shows, that is if I do turn a profit. If I don't do well, we eat sandwiches at a local sub shop. 

If I do well, it's steak on the menu!

Most people don't realize the shows that a lot of artists apply for are juried. This means we pay a separate fee for a judge to look at our images and either invite, decline, or wait list. The wait list can be nerve racking as it means you may not get a call until the night before a show. Fortunately, I have been accepted into the majority of the shows I've applied for this year, being wait listed only once for our local show only to get in at the last minute. I am currently wait listed for a show in North Alabama as well in October. Then there are the booth fees. Artists will have thousands of dollars tied up in booth fees for months in advance if they apply to several shows. 

We throw the dice, but God decides where they land! Proverbs 16:33

Artists may have some issues with getting reservations for a show at a hotel as well.

 They either require a deposit or payment in full, if you can get one at all! 

Our problem is even greater in that we camp to save on expenses. 

The snowbirds usually have the campgrounds filled up to a year in advance. I once had a note recently to reserve a campsite on a specific date for next year. When I got to the site for reservations, there were only 2 sites left in the entire park! Fortunately, I got one of them. I also tried to get a campsite for a show in October in Destin Florida the day I was accepted. The campsites were ridiculously priced, but also full! I finally got a lead on a new campground on a horse farm that was surprised when we made a reservation for October. I have also booked a site for a show I cannot even apply for until November as the show is not until May! I've also prepaid for a campsite in April of next year as the show is in the same park. (fingers crossed I get in!) 

We stayed at a delightful family owned campground this year and made reservations for next year in advance. I was then able to book a site on the island at the state park! This site will  cut our driving time down to about 5 minutes instead of 30 one way. Unfortunately I need to call and cancel our other reservations, fortunately they did not require a deposit in advance.

We may even be able to ride our bikes to the show!

Many hours searching for shows, applying, paying , then praying!

Anyway you look at it, an Artists life is an adventure. 

I cannot imagine the one's that travel all year, going from show to show and state to state.

I get a headache just thinking about it!

Today's painting is "Seahorse duo".

 I took an extra photo to show the way the big seahorse works into the box portion of the canvas. I paint these works in place, which has a tendency to shock people as they think I paint then stretch the canvases. It's what I do, painting in, out and around!

Seahorse duo, Acrylic on custom shadowbox canvas, 12 x 24

Day 25 of the 100 days~100 paintings 2018