National Gallery of Art Furniture and Portraits

It seems we have been going to the National Gallery of Art a lot lately. I participate in the 52Frames photo challenge every week and the subject matter has been generally suited at this place. Last week was “Women” and this week is “Men.” Between the portrait gallery and the American History Museum there are a lot of options for “nostalgia,” and “texture.” Although I spend a lot of time narrowly focused on the project at hand, sometimes I try to look beyond my purpose and take in all the other sights in the galleries. That includes finding the first floor that includes sculptures and early American furniture. I’m not the kind of person to read about every article. I prefer to walk through the galleries without a lot of gazing. If something becomes interesting I’ll take a photo and maybe look it up after the fact. Aside from the furniture are all the lovely portraits. The Monet and impressionists are my favorites, but the Gilbert Stuart portraits of the early presidents and other pieces are really nice. The colors and tones are quite beautiful. I think I prefer the west building to the east, but the underground walkway feels like space mountain. There is definitely something there for everyone. Maybe that’s why we end up visiting so much. 

Too Much in One Week

The weeks fly by - and usually while doing nothing. It’s the same routine - get up, coffee, walk, breakfast,  read, dinner, tv, sleep. This week was rather busy. Monday was a virtual doctor appointment for my husband; Tuesday was a Subaru visit for a spring recall that ended up being a new battery, rear wheel ball bearings, windshield wiper blade, an estimate for front bumper damage, and to address a gas gauge issue that left us running out of gas on the Savannah freeway during rush hour. The power went out at the shop so everything was delayed and the car wash didn’t work. Good thing we got a loaner. Wednesday we had to pick up the car, the dropped off the glass bottles at the recycle bin before our walk, and then wipe down a boat load of delivered groceries in the afternoon. The best part was I finally got a bouquet of fresh flowers. Thursday the HVAC and water heater were “spring” serviced after a considerable delay. Every day I was working on two custom pet portraits that were ordered on the same day after a “drought” in business. I shirked my dusting and vacuuming duties but at least ran the robot mop. I used to say the same thing about work - when you’re busy all the time you just get used to it. But when you’re doing nothing, having to do something becomes a hassle. The last few days have been a bit melancholic too. My mom’s “estate” is still in process and I feel the loss. It’s been five months since she passed away. It feels like we are living a secluded life compared to everyone else. Some days are better than others - but this week was just a bit too much. 

Cézanne Portraits at the National Gallery of Art

You could call this week a tourist week for us. We haven’t been out of town for quite a while so we decided we would start going to touristy places in town while on our morning walk. Yesterday was Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum which we knew would be quite cheesy - and it was - with breakfast at the Lincoln Waffle Shop. That was cheesy too. Today was the National Gallery of Art to see the Cézanne Portraits. I’m not an art connaseur, but do like to see the paintings when there are special exhibits. It can actually be visual overload after a couple of galleries. I may be wrong but most people seem to like impressionist art - or maybe I’m just used to seeing it more in popular culture. It’s just pretty all around. And if I recognize one of them, that’s something. We arrived right at 1000 and it got more crowded as the time passed. Someone was scolded for getting more than twelve inches close to one of the paintings. I just used my zoom lens to avoid the embarrassment. I can’t imagine standing around there all day watching passers by - particularly in the less visited areas. It’s nice to be able to walk on over to the national gallery, have lunch in the cafeteria, and walk back home. Not everyone can say they did something like that for morning exercise. 

Digital Art Portrait Feedbacks Are So Heartwarming!

I just finished a whopping 31 pet portraits and have one more to go. November and December are exceptionally busy months, and I was happy I could accommodate as many requests as I could, but I had to turn down a few to keep my sanity! Each hand painted digital portrait takes a lot of time to get just right, and the set up and communication throughout the process is time consuming. But I really enjoy it all, and look forward to each request because they are all so different! I am also humbled to receive such wonderful feedback from my customers. I suppose the biggest form of flattery is to have repeat customers! But it is so heartwarming to get such sweet comments as those noted here. If someone tells me I have captured the soul of the pet, I know I did what needed to be done. I spend most of my time on the eyes. If I get that right, the rest doesn't matter as much. And to think these portraits are displayed somewhere in someone's home, or worn on a t shirt, or some other non traditional way, enriches my soul! We had two dogs in our lives and they really have a way of getting under your skin in the best of ways. If I can create that sentimental attachment through art it makes me feel so wonderful. Thank so much for the positive feedback! It's really inspiring!

Customer Feedback and Etsy

I've been working on twenty plus digital art pet portraits for Christmas and am still getting requests. My customers come from all over the US - and even outside the US. It's been an exceptionally busy season compared to past years and I'm not sure why? Once the project is completed, Etsy asks for feedback. Yesterday I received a really nice comment from someone I just completed two projects for. They were two memorial gifts for her mom of her favorite pooches. Last night, for whatever reason, she was having difficulty uploading and sizing the images to a smaller scale. So I worked with her until we got it resolved. This had never happened before, so I was glad we could get it fixed - especially since she had no problem with one of the images! Anyway, I received a notice that there was feedback posted again for this project. I always like to think I provide great service to my customers. Several of my projects are from repeat customers - which is probably the best feedback. I spend quite a bit of time setting up the portrait with the buyer and then sharing updates throughout the process. Sometimes that is more interesting than the end result! Nevertheless, it is always heartwarming to read nice comments in black and white. Thanks so much for the feedback L! I really appreciate it!