back to work

      Odd that I would even consider teaching in the public school again, but here I am , subbing for now.  Looks like I can get my state certificate re-instated by the end of June, and if a position came open to teach art at one of the high schools, I could apply for it.
   
      I like the new program, and the art teacher that took my place, and I am sure I could do a much better job this time, and not be so stressed.  Robert is well now, his brain surgeries were successful, and his prognosis is good. So maybe it is time to go back to work while I wait for the economy to pick up.  Sales are certainly down.

        It is more than that, however, I want to accomplish something, do something important.  I feel like I am just spinning my wheels and getting no where these days.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the stress free days of not having to get up early.  I enjoy being free to paint en plein air, and I enjoy being able to go out of town or whatever, whenever.......

       I have to be smart though, I am not earning much, not putting anything away for retirement, and not reaching even my short term goals.  At the very least, I want to keep my options open.  Need to think ahead.

Lake Placid Show

This Saturday is the Annual Lake Placid Art League show, held in Sebring, Florida. This is one of my favorite shows because I sign up early and get an indoor spot. No setting up a tent!

I have been slowly working at getting new frames all year. It is fun having so many pieces to choose from now, and to be able to put together a very impressive presentation! The Judge last year let me know after the awards were given that the only hesitation he had in giving me the highest award (Best of Show) was because so many of my paintings were on Gallery Wrap and some of my framed pieces were in need of better frames. Gallery Wrap canvas has a deep edge, and the painting continues on the sides. This gives the art a contemporary look, which I love! But this year I have gone back to a more traditional look, with less paintings done on Gallery Wrap.

It is wonderful to be at a show in the midst of all the festivities, and have so many people to talk to about the meaning behind the paintings. Winning awards and selling paintings are very motivating as well!

It is just all the preparation, expense, set up, and brake down that make me hesitate in joining these shows.

Each time you do a show you put your art at risk. Frames get banged up and scratched from loading and unloading. Rainy days are no fun at all, but windy is worse. I have seen gusts of wind come out of no where and take tents down and destroy the art work. On top of all that, I have had art stolen at two different outdoor festivals. Quite discouraging.

I have also had some back problems off and on over the years. I am always by myself setting up and taking down a show, which I have gotten much better at managing by asking for help with the heavy stuff.

You can see why I am more selective these days: Indoor shows, gallery shows and on-line events are all great ways for me to still get involved without so much trouble.

Anyway, I have been getting ready for this show all year, and I am sure it will be well worth it to meet new people and see old friends.

positive feed back, up-dated

Updated Dec 2017

It's here! Arrived pristine, so beautiful! Thank You!
Nancy, Washington

Fawn,
The paintings arrived in perfect condition, you packaged them well!  They are beautiful! Thank you!
Karen,  Pennsylvania 

Hey,
Just wanted you to know they loved the painting!  Thank you for adding the extra details to make it special!
Ashley,  Florida

 Hi Fawn,

I picked up the painting today at the post office. It arrived in perfect condition. Wow, it is so pretty, I love it!

 Hope all is well with you and your family. Have a great weekend!
Thanks so much,

Carol,

Pennsylvania 

Fawn,
The painting is absolutely wonderful and as I imagined it to be! You are a brilliant artist Fawn and have become a beautiful blessing in my life. Thank you again for everything.
God Bless,
Jen,
New York　

Dear Fawn,
"Sun Dance" just arrived in perfect condition. It's beautiful!
I love it and I know Locke will, as well.
Thanks!
Chris,
California

Fawn,
I received the painting ("Hershey") this morning, was so happy to get it. It is BEAUTIFUL!

Patricia,
Louisiana

Dear Fawn,
I'm writing to let you know that "Endless Song Too" arrived today and in great condition. I'm very pleased and it's everything you said it would be like. I'm very excited about this next painting too.
Take care,
Mike
South Carolina

Fawn, I got the painting and it is beautiful! Thank you so much.
Rob Allen

Thanks so much for the beautiful painting!!!!! It arrived last Saturday safely and without problems.
Rhonda

Hi, Fawn:
I just want to let you know that your paintings arrived in perfect condition and that I'm delighted with them, as usual!
Thank you so much!
Barbara,
California

Hi Fawn!
We had a beautiful Christmas and trust you did too. I had the lavender paintings framed with double matting, dark purple closest to the paintings, and light lavender for the dominant mat, with a bold rich rounded cherry/mohogany frame. I had them framed together as a themed piece. It sits against our Dove Gray walls beautifully. My hubby was surprised and thrilled and that makes me very happy. Happiest of New Years to you and your family. May The Lord continue to have mercy on us all.......
God bless you,
Ceci

Hi Fawn!
Just a note to let you know the painting arrived today and it is absulutely stunning!!! The colors are fabulous! We will treasure this painting forever! Take care, keep in touch, have a wonderful holiday season!!
Pollie

Hi Fawn,
I received the painting a few days ago and had it framed already. It is BEAUTIFUL and I am so excited to give it to my husband. In fact, it has become difficult not to give it to him early. The oranges look so natural in the painting, like they were always there.
Thank you again for doing the touch-ups and for shipping so very quickly. I will definitely keep your work in mind for future gifts and pieces for our home!
Avian

Hi Fawn,
I got the painting today and it is just as lovely as I knew it would be. You really do potential buyers a favor by offering nice high-resolution images of thepaintings on your site! I will definitely keep an eyeon your site. Thanks for sending the painting so quickly, and have a great summer down there in Florida!
Katherine

Happy New Year!

Was a tough year last year for most everyone. I was not exempt. I find myself excited about a new year; a fresh start. Like most people, I have been re-evaluating what goals and plans of action I will take for a better outcome.

I am actually slowing down, enjoying things more, and finding ways to make my life less stressful. In the process I am doing things smarter, and becoming more focused.

After more than 5 years, I am no longer with DailyPainters.com, which was a very hard thing to let go of. It was no longer a priority to create a new painting 3 or 4 times a week, and the quality of my work was beginning to suffer. I am moving more toward realism again, which takes too long to finish when adding the extra details.

I am excited, however, about my new gallery site:
http://fawn-mcneill.artistwebsites.com/
I can post as much or as little as I want, and it links to my prints and greeting cards, which makes everything easier for my clients.

I am teaching more classes too, and enjoying this time with my students. Currently I am offering after school classes, adult classes, and even some private lessons. So you can see why it is harder for me to work on my own paintings in my studio.

I pray all our endeavors are blessed from above, and we have a much better year this year!

last year vs this year

A year ago I was unmotivated, easily depressed, giving up on most things, frustrated with life and most people.....

This year I am making new goals, excited about upcoming shows and events, and staying very busy!

Amazing how things can change when I get off my butt and do the hard work to generate some positive energy and be more disciplined!

Just had to share that.  LOL

motivated

The creative block has definately passed! Thank God for that! I have so many projects, new goals, and most of all: I have finally published my first book! I have tried to write my life's story again and again, but never seem to be able to finish it.... So this book is about the angel paintings, and some of my story is included. See the side bar for the link.

I don't remember ever being so excited about anything. I have even started planning the next book!

Hope you will check it out!

inspiration

I have been uninspired for the most part for a very long time. So I am taking inventory, trying to find things that will get me out of this creative block.

A few new foals were born next door to my house, and that kind of sparked some desire to get back into painting. I got some fantastic photos of one of little colt taking his first run around the paddock! perfect lighting, dust flying, and so much energy.....Wish I could have just a fraction of that little fire ball's energy!

Then I did a paintout, plein air paintings out on location, So many cool birds and interesting sights....I just loved it. I think I am back now, have gotten up early to paint, and wanted to work on some older projects too. I hope this dry spell is over now, it has been a few months of struggling to find myself again!

I go tomorrow to bid on some murals, and I have a couple of sales pending, plus I opened a new show in town, so things are looking up that is for sure!

I think the slow economy has gotten to everyone these days, and I finally let it get me down too. That and the fact that my son is in Afghanistan getting bombed while he works on the jets for the US Airforce. That has been very depressing as he and his wife just had their first baby.

So I must take it one day at a time, look for the good and try to get lost in my art again.

motivation

So hard to find inspiration lately. we have had several hard freezes already this winter, and it is just January! This is the second year in a row that we have had very cold weather in November and December. I live in South-Central Florida, about 2 hours south of Orlando.

We usually get a hard freeze or two in Jan. or Feb., and then that is about it, if we get any freezing weather at all. This winter has been cold, staying in the forties and fifties most mornings, and some mornings in the thirties and even the upper twenties......Needless to say, everything is dead around here!

Not too big of a deal, I know, but for me, as an artist, it has been very hard to get back to painting. I haven't been out in the field much, I haven't been taking nature walks, I haven't even wanted to sneak out of bed early like usual, to get a jump on the day with painting a new idea, or finishing up the details on one I have resolved.....

Not sure what happened to my passion for it all, but I am trying to find things to get me motivated again. A trip to the gallery in town, ordering some new supplies, attending some charity functions and donating to the cause.....

Please let me know if you have some suggestions!

Copyrights and originals

When you create something, (like a song, a story, a photograph, or a painting), it is copyrighted by law. People cannot legally use your creation without your permission. But of course many people break this law.

Artists often think they can paint from published images if they just change the colors or move things around. And for the most part they can get away with this. But if you are truly an artist why would you want to?

For me the creating of art includes my own experiences. Taking my sketchbook and paints out in the field, studying from nature, and taking lots of pictures of the wildlife and animals I come across are at the very heart of my paintings. They become expressions of things I have seen for myself, and memories that I want to capture in my paintings.

This makes my paintings more valuable and each one has a story to go with it. I can share these stories with those who are interested, and I can take pride in my work, knowing I did not copy things from someone else. This makes my work truly unique and original.

Students learn from other's images, and that is acceptable, but when you start selling your work you are no longer considered an amateur artist, and this becomes completely unacceptable. Go the extra mile, take your own pictures, study the anatomy of your subjects, practice drawing to gain better skills, create your own ideas! Then find a way to let your clients know what went into the making of your art! This makes your work much more valuable.

Good to be so busy

Started teaching more art classes last fall, and haven't slowed down! Now I start a new part time job at an art gallery, framing, painting, teaching.....just love it.

I am working on more serious paintings too, which are larger and take longer than my little daily paintings, but I have a publisher, and he wants me to do more wildlife.....

So many around me are struggling, and I am so very blessed.

My husband, Robert, has overcome so many health issues, and now has a shunt in his head, which has given him back his Independence. He drives again, goes fishing some times, and can take care of himself again. So that has given me back my life too....

I am so grateful!!!!!!!!!