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I love fall!

 

It is by far my favorite season. It's hard not to look forward to spring in areas where winters are unforgiving. But you have to agree, spring is such a short experience and then summer hits! But even after a miserable heated summer, fall seems to silently creep in just when you need it and softly soothe the soul. The sultry hot mornings of summer are suddenly replaced by crisp early hours that remind you of apples, falling leaves and the urge to stay outside.

 

As an artist, Fall also motivates me! Big time! Sometimes in too many directions but that's just me. I begin by cleaning house in my studio/gallery/retail space. It's a cute but tiny house venue and I will admit, I initially make more of a mess than I do leeway. But after a summer of revolving tourist, in and out my doors, it's a relief when my little historic town has a breather in the fall. A quiet spell in-between events. That's when it's time to clean the cobwebs from the vaulted ceiling and corners. It's time to rehang the gallery, adding new paintings and adjusting others. By rearranging your gallery display you not only visually change the appearance of your space but the perception of your visitors. New interest is suddenly shown on various pictures that may have been overshadowed by another.  A gallery wall must be pleasing to the eye foremost. You do not have to have similar paintings --- sometimes that can be boring. But you do need to have paintings that play off of each other. They shouldn't fight for importance but share the wall space that can often be limited. You may very well have a few of those "stand alone" paintings, we all do. But consider placing them in their own little space --- on an adjoining wall, in an alcove that they can happily rule.

 

Fall for me is also a time to sit down and evaluate my business plan -- how did the gallery do this past calendar year. What sold best? Landscapes? Animals or still life's? Small paintings versus medium to large? Framed or not? I enjoy evaluating my galleries sales trend but I know from my brief experience in this retail field that the answer to what sold best does not necessarily mean that next year will follow. We all know art is personal and each patron brings his or her likes and dislikes through the door with them. But what does follow on the heels of reviewing my year to-date is a motivating urge to have a serious discussion between me, myself and I. Am I doing .  .  . whatever?  

 

Am I taking full advantage of the e-commerce opportunities out there for artist?  In this day and age, it is a viable consideration. But it is also an ongoing effort to keep up with the "how and where" the market is moving in that area. .

 

Am I aware of the upcoming shows and/or juried competitions in my area or my medium/specific genre? I come from a research background in my past career and I have always found that the best way to stay grounded and to attempt to prove that you are on the right track is to participate in venues where your peers evaluate your work. I find applying for juried shows a way of doing just that in the world of art.  As always, art is subjective, but if you don't attempt to put yourself out there and offer your work for evaluation by other artists, you have no yardstick to measure your progress.

 

 Are my paintings priced right or should I consider an increase. Pricing is so hard when you are living and exhibiting in an area where fine art is limited. But I believe in the theory that you must first trust in your own skills. I try to keep abreast of what other artist are selling their work for and how it relates (or doesn't) to mine. This means being aware of galleries in my area as well as trying to be exposed to artists elsewhere - thank goodness for online websites. In the end I have to go with my own opinion but an informed opinion helps. Pick what you think will work for you pricing-wise. Try it for a limited time. Re-evaluate your effort. Adjust your plans if need be. In the beginning, I was totally weak in the knees when a close friend or family offered to buy a painting. What should I charge this specific group of art patrons. My decision was this, and I still stand behind it --- I offer them a "first time purchase" discount of 20%. That makes them feel special (and they are); it alieves my "should" anxieties; and it clearly sets a boundary that outlines that after the first purchase I will be charging full price. Afterall I am in business to sell my art. I am not in business to give away my art to my relatives and close friends. And they understand.

 

Fall is a busy time! And again, I love it. The days are shorter but they are crammed with natural beauty and invigorating essence!
The sun often glows red as it rises as well as when it sets and the sky around it is encased in a spectrum that runs from orange to purple to pink. It's Fall. I am busy reorganizing my studio/gallery space and evaluating my business plan for 2018 and considering various upcoming competitions. And I am busy making registration and travel plans for workshops in 2018. I am sooooo looking forward to attending the Plein Air Convention in Santa Fe April 2018. Santa Fe has been my muse for years and years. And I'm looking forward to painting in the South of France in July 2018. Viva la France! And lastly, in between all this motivating and educational busy work, it's a beautiful time to be in my tiny hamlet of Arrow Rock MO. Plein air painting is a must on these fabulous fall days. And when those needed fall rains come - it's a cup of java, a paint brush and my playlist shuffling in my cozy little studio. I love fall!

 

Life is good and Fall is beautiful!

 

 

 

Georgia O'Keefe quote "Flling a space in a beautiful way, that's what art means to me." As artists, as painters, we are constantly finding and challenging ourselves to create - to push the bar higher or simply in a new direction. That need to produce does not always come as easily as others may think. Sometimes we find ourselves struggling to express a feeling that continues to build from within but for some reason we can't easily let it out onto the canvas. But just as likely, we have moments or periods of time when we can't stop the flow of creativeness. Artists - we are a complicated bunch! I have finished packing my suitcase, I am catching a plane this afternoon and heading back to my tiny studio and gallery in mid-Missouri - home. I'm about to leave a place that has always filled me with creativity and an extremely strong sense of renewal -Santa Fe NM. I've been coming to SF since 1982, typically once or twice a year. On my first visit I was shocked at how easily I fell in love with the landscape; to say it was in total conflict to my beloved wooded hills and patchwork fields of the Midwest is an understatement and to Texas where I lived for 30+ years with it's grandiose scale. But love it I did - every soft blue-green bush, strong yellow yarrow plant or scraggly tree with purple to red bark jutting at odd angles from varied shades of green leaves. All this and more appeared as multi-colored outcroppings or dotted objects along the hillsides or even the breathtaking kaleidoscope of colors ascending in a mesa vista. I found my muse in Santa Fe. It revives me. It makes me want to paint. It makes me want to breathe. Do I paint New Mexico images? Very seldom. I live in Missouri and even though I use a website as a business tool, sales are limited there for such images. But that's fine, I'm adaptable, I'm an artist. No trip to SF is complete without a mental nod to Georgia O'Keefe, especially for female painters. Do I strive to paint like her? Not really. Do I love all of her paintings? Not really. But I respect and admire her desire and lifelong attempt to be just Georgia. Santa Fe and the surrounding NM area were her muse and that's where Georgia and I agree completely. She was fortunate to immerse herself here. It was her salvation. I hold tight to some of her personal quotes and the hope that someday, in the time I have left on this earth, that I too can wake up to the perfect mix of blue sky and live among the beautiful palette that surrounds one here on a day to day basis. But until that day I hold fast to one of her quotes: " Where I was born and where and how I have lived is unimportant. It is what I have done with where I have been that should be of interest."

A blank canvas is ahead of us for 2017 and I'm estactic envisioning what's to come! Big things are going to be happening in The Little Studio and Gallery in historic Arrow Rock, MO. It's so exciting to be able to dream, create and experiment - there are no constraints, it's a new year! The winter months in my tiny town are peaceful and from my viewpoint, very special. Yes, town and tourist events are over and basically all activities are at a complete standstill. All we have is Mother Nature and her wonders to focus on - what could be more relaxing. This quiet, slow paced time is a great time to paint, both in studio and plein air when Jack Frost allows. It's also a time to hone ones skills and I definitely plan to work on my own. I am enjoying being a part of several private FaceBook sites where artist share works, problems and critiques with peers. Based on ideas and suggestions shared I have a mental catalog of various things I want to try and ways I feel I need to improve my own work. And becoming friends with people from all corners of the world is the cherry on the top of this yummy sundae! It's also a great time for online courses, time to chat and paint with neighboring artist friends or visits to galleries and museum. So much time in 2017 ahead, so much to do! I'm also very busy shopping! Yes, shopping for you! I'm researching and ordering unique items to offer in my gallery when "the season" begins again. This is so much fun!! I'm looking for special, mostly artisan handcrafted items to delight those that visit my little tiny house spot. I'll admit, finding the perfect items is not an easy task so if you have a connection to such an artist or suggestion please let me know! Wishing each of you health and good fortune in 2017. May your blank canvas look appealing to you and ideas come easily to help you "paint" your lifestyle as you most want it.

The calendar may have turned over to 2016 in January but in my teeny tiny historic town of Arrow Rock Missouri "the season" is just beginning in May. I'm talking about our tourist season when our village of 56 residents begins to swell. And this year The Little Studio and Gallery has joined the other retail businesses in town in welcoming day travelers, bed & breakfast guests and Missouri Park campers.

My new sign is up at 418 Main Street - just enter through the blue picket gate and follow the flagstone path back to the Studio. You'll pass hostas's, begonia's and impatience - just beginning to take up residence in my flower beds. A gurgling fountain is the next addition to the peaceful garden setting surrounding the gallery.

Besides oil paintings, one can purchase a variety of art supplies, fun and fabulous "coloring" books and a selection of markers in lucious colors. Along with notecards and miniature paintings on tiny easels we have several other gifts ideas. We're even offering what I fondly (and seriously) have dubbed "Arrow Rock Perfume No.#5" - i.e. mosquito repellant bracelets. Don't leave without one!

Please visit Arrow Rock for the 2016 "Season." Come for the professional stage productions at the famous Lyceum Theater; dine next door at Chez Trappeur Bistro ( we have a gate from their patio to the studio) or down the street one direction at the J. Huston Tavern or the other direction at Catalpa's; shop at the Grand Yarn, the new General Store and the Arrow Rock Antique Store; don't miss the newly renovated gift shop at Friends of Arrow Rock and their guided tram and historic building tour or the Missouri State Park Visitors Center and Museum. And don't forget to come see me at The Little Studio and Gallery!!! Tis the Season!

I'm sooooooooo lucky!  I have a great place to enjoy painting!

 

Welcome to THE LITTLE STUDIO AND GALLERY located in the teeny tiny historic town of Arrow Rock, Missouri!

Come visit (personally or electronically) my little spot of heaven, my little she-shed studio and gallery.

 

The Little Studio and Gallery just threw open its doors to the public this past weekend at the 47th Annual Heritage Festival but the town of Arrow Rock dates back to the early 1800's when it was settled and became the first stop on the Santa Fe Trail heading West from the origination point across the wide Missouri River in Franklin, Boone County. The river in those days ran at the base of bluffs that edge our little town and ferry service as well as river boat travel was a major activity. Once across the Missouri, travelers lingered while they watered their livestock in our natural spring and out-fitted their wagons for the long trek west. Much of our town remains significantly the same as it did in those days. The entire town is on the National Historic Register, including my home and the original J. Huston Tavern which is still serving lunch and recognized as the oldest continuously run tavern west of the Mississippi. Just up the street a few doors is my personal little Victorian cottage (circa 1900) where the studio and gallery are now open for business just steps behind the cottage. Enter through the picket gate at 418 Main Street or contact me via this website or Facebook (Karen Avery Miller Fine Art).  

 

If you are an artist too and love to paint en plein air -- come to Arrow Rock -- the natural rural beauty and historic aspects will spark your creative senses. Contact me for possible accommodations in my cottage or local bed & breakfast referrals. And if you don't paint but have time to visit my studio, please stop by. It's a lazy quiet town that bustles with ongoing activities throughout the summer and early fall --- excellent professional stage productions at the Lyceum Theater, ice cream socials, craft fairs, fine dinning in award winning restaurants, shopping, historic home tours, fishing, camping (Missouri State Park facilities), museum and historical lectures, etc..Our winters are truly a time of silence and beauty and those of us lucky to live here enjoy the year-round peace and tranquility that descends on us daily from dusk to dawn.

 

Again, I'm soooooooooo lucky! It makes me want to PAINT!!

    

 

Feeling pretty excited and fortunate to see my work shown in the December/January issue of The Artist Magazine AND in the January issue of Southwest Art.

I entered the 2015 Artist Magazine Annual Competition, Student, Animal category and won third place! My painting of a crowing rooster, entitled "Good Morning" is shown on page 74, and was great fun to paint. He certainly has attitude and color, lot's of color!

Southwest Art also featured the winners of this contest and ironically my painting and blurb are on page 74 again. See my ad on page 79!

Love both of these magazines!!

I can't help myself - I always seem to have a project going!!! I love to paint, antique shop and junk hunt and then re-purpose, design interior spaces and my forever love of genealogy. This past summer I wanted to just paint! And while that is what I mostly did, I also took on the project of designing and overseeing the creation of my own little studio space. LOVE IT! What fun!  

 

I love interior design, it's just something I've always done and don't plan to stop doing. I don't think I could stop if I tried and luckily for me, my husband has learned to like it too. He likes my doing it, within reason of course. ha! I continue to test those boundaries!

 

And truth be known, I really hadn't intended to jump back into any interior design project so soon after renovating our 1900 cottage in historic Arrow Rock.  That was a 12 month project, through a hard winter, and while I loved the experience and mostly all that came with it,  it was challenging at times to put it nicely. Some days you can't help but wish you hadn't gotten up that day!

 

And as wonderful as the cottage turned out, in my not-so-humble opinion, it had quenched my need to remodel for quite some time. Or so I thought! My plans for the rest of 2015 was to paint at leisure and spend the evenings sitting on the Victorian front porch and watching the world pass through our hamlet.  

 

BUT .... I needed space to paint. To really spread out and paint. This town is so inspiring to an artist and our little cottage home is so cute but it's exactly that -- little. I didn't have a space to call my own and I had left studio share behind in Kansas City, 2 hours away. Once again, my ever burning desire to remodel surfaced. My first instinct was to see if I could repair the little shed in the backyard that came with the house. Hmmmmm. It had been cute and I can only assume useable but upon closer inspection that idea was quickly eliminated. Too long ignored and not properly built to begin with, I was truthfully scared to set foot inside, at least not much past the door. Afraid I'd meet up with something that slithered or clawed back, it was evident it wasn't big enough to begin with or simply not worth salvaging. So down it came and a tiny house, a "little studio", close to that spot became my new project. 

 

With the memory of a full house redo still fresh I had a brilliant thought, let's go with a pre-made structure. Of course that had to be researched thoroughly and presented to the AR Board of Architectural Review. They passed my plans and I ordered my little building (Classic Buildings, Linn MO) in April. I wanted this project wrapped up quickly. It was spring and I wanted to be sure to have a place to use no later than the official start of summer.  Missed that deadline! As it turned out, on my birthday, August 10th, the interior was officially finished and I started moving in. New front steps soon followed but they will have to "cure" until next spring when they can be painted. Bruce and Rick did a fabulous job with the interior finish-out, Cody handled the electricity and  Juan the landscaping. It's true, it does take a village and I appreciate the contractors in this village for sure!  A new gate is expected to be installed today and signage should be complete by the holidays. 

 

THE LITTLE STUDIO AND GALLERY is now open. It will be open by appointment mostly in the late fall and winter months when our town reverts to a sleepy little spot. Once the season starts in the spring and throughout the summer it will be open on weekends and probably theater days. But selfishly speaking, and best of all, a now have a perfect haven.  If anyone has any questions about this tiny house building, feel free to contact me. I did not finish it out to stand alone as a functional house because I have a cottage just steps away. But it can serve as additional sleeping and entertaining space.  It's big enough for me and my family and what we need and I couldn't be happier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 July 2015

 

Come on in!

 

Today is the first day of my new blog and you are my first reader! Well . . . I hope it will be you X many more readers but I'm happy you came.

 

This is a dream come true for me. Not the blog, that's definitely a new avenue for this old girl and one she never, ever, thought she would attempt. The fact that I am finally pursuing life as an artist is the biggie. No, I'm not ranking myself with Monet or Degas! Not even Grandma Moses although I may be her age before I accomplish what all I hope to attempt. I'm just living life and enjoying it and hoping you are too. 

 

Did I do a good job of keeping my secret? Did you know that an artist was what I wanted to be when I grew up? Okay -- maybe to some of you I haven't grown up yet but a few well placed facial lines and sags say otherwise. I'm guessing very few of you knew my secret.  When one does not get support or encouragement as a child from those individuals responsible for shaping and promoting opportunities, one tends to keep certain precious thoughts close to the heart.  That way, the disappointment is only known to you.  And I will be the first to say aloud that as much as I dreamed of being an artist, I was never sure that I could create paintings that I would want to share with others -- such a risk to put ones self out there. But I 've decided to go for it! No use waiting or wanting anymore! I'm painting! I'm even trying my hand at blogging! And lucky you are in the position, thanks to modern technology, to read on or  hit delete at anytime. It's a Win Win for all!  :))

 

This blog is intended to simply be an expression of joy. Fun things shared. Happenings happening in my world. Please feel free to share this with others - I will appreciate the exposure. And I'll be happy to pass along your positive and wacky remarks too-- just comment and send them my way.

 

Okay, you are probably wondering by now  -- what any of this have to do with Paris? After all, it is the title of this blog!  I've already shared a tad bit on my FB page so some of you know that I recently got home from PARIS where I spent 3 days painting with artist girlfriends. It's where I ate myself across town and back, a new restaurant every night and breakfast prepared in a tree house every morning. Go figure! And where I saw the Eifel Tower not once but several times -- a 6 foot replica that is and even designed in sequins on a ball cap (did NOT buy that). I spent almost a week, including traveling, to and from Paris KENTUCKY (outside of Lexington) for a workshop with artist Dreama Tolle Perry. It was great - even if it wasn't "the Paris." 

 

Dreama was named by her grandmother and I can't help but wonder if she had a vision that someday her granddaughter would be an accomplished artist and be able to sign her paintings with such a descriptive and beautiful name. Lucky Dreama! Karen does not roll off the tongue so softly and I've opted for signing my paintings with my maiden name, Avery.  Dreama's style is all about the use of translucent colors and letting them shine through and/or around the opaque's that are applied on top. She strives to maintains her brush strokes, using them distinctively to tell the story of her painting. The are happy, bright, full of life and I love her style! I loved Dreama the minute she first spoke. She's as kind and funny and intelligent as she is talented. Thank you Dreama for a dreamy class that is going to take me a long way towards fulfilling my dream.

 

The trip was not all paint and paper towels (NEWS FLASH - buy stock in Viva paper towels, I use them by the bushel full, many artists do). We stayed in a little cottage on a horse farm in the middle of blue grass country and ate breakfast each morning in a treehouse. It was a slice of heaven, for us and for the lucky horses that were born and raised there. The ranch, Hunterton Farm at Stoner Creek, is a 900 acre breeding farm for Standardbred horses. These horses are raised and sold for harness racing. They are sooooooooo beautiful, check out my new studio Facebook page (The Little Studio and Gallery). We were told there were 130 colts born at Stoner Creek, which means the same amount of mommies in the fields with them, watching them play and serving up dinner on the hoof. We walked the long tree lined lanes and petted big brown noses that came to the fence. We watched them play, running with tails straight up or snuggling with heads entwined.  And they took our breath away when they were silhouetted against the early morning sunrise or the sky inflamed by the setting sun. It was truly picture perfect!  Four artists couldn't have asked for more visual stimulation or more photo opportunities.  Yes, there will be paintings coming out of this experience I imagine.

 

But before I move on, let me drop a few names here. It seems genealogy and cemetery walking will follow me all the days of my life, this time it was the graves of horses. Buried at Hunterton, which was originally the Stoner Creek Stud Farm owned by rental car magnet John D. Hertz before he sold to the Woolworth's, is the "Count Family" - 1943 Triple Crown winner Count Fleet, his sire (daddy) Reigh Count and dam (mommy) Quickly. Our farm (for a week) abutted Claiborne Farms, one of the most famous of Kentucky horse farms. It was where Seabiscuit was raised and is where Secretariat is buried. Pretty cool wouldn't you say!!! And the Treehouse?? Captain Pat, the commander of a mean pontoon boat on Stoner Creek is the proprietor and manager of our rental cottage and a lovely B&B named the Treehouse and nestled in the tall trees along the river bank . He served up a delicious breakfast as part of our accommodations and we scurried over there every morning on the way to the workshop to dine and play with his darling Westies,  Fergie and Fiona. They got my love and attention, I was seriously missing with my precious Beau ( male Shih Tzu) back home.