Painting Acceptance and Sales

Well this has been a wonderful two week for news of acceptance into shows and painting sales.  Two weeks ago I received my acceptance letter into the Pastels in Light show. This is a juried show that is being put on by the West Coast Pastel Society at The Gallery, 48 Natomas Street in Folsom. I will enter two paintings, one of the wine country called "Kiss of Spring on the Vineyard" and the other " Morning Sun on Monument Valley." This Wednesday I also received my acceptance email from KVIE Television for my painting, "Where Eagles Soar", that I donated as an entry into their juried Art Auction to be held September 19th.  2011. We will receive two tickets for the black tie event, and also a years membership with KVIE Television.

I made the decision a few weeks ago to have new business cards made professionally. I went down to talk to Drew Lord at Printmasters here in Auburn. He was friendly and helpful and said he could make several samples for me on the photos I provided. He said he would call me when the designs were ready then I could choose the one I liked.  Several days later I had terrific samples and chose one with a vertical format of one of my recent wine country paintings. Drew did not flinch when I asked if it was possible to have some the next day for the Artwalk. He said they would be ready at 3:30 PM, and so I was able to go by and pick them up. They were very nicely done and I was pleased would have them for the Auburn Artwalk that evening. While I was at Tsudas in Old Town Auburn I handed out several cards to interested people who liked my work.

Now that I have the cards, I carry them with me, and when I went to the dentist on Tuesday for a teeth cleaning I handed one to my oral surgeon who had just checked my teeth, and said "Doctor Hakima, when you have time check out my new website." To my surprise, she went to her office computer and pulled my site up right away. The next thing I know, she is calling to me, asking me how much this painting or that painting is while I am still in the chair with the hygenist working on my teeth.  Then she said, "Oh, I love this one called Afternoon's glow on the Vineyard, I want this one, how much is it?" I told her the size and the price and said it was matted and framed and she said, oh great, I'll have a check for you tomorrow if you want to bring it to the office." I happily delivered the painting the next day and collected my check. I took it home and copied it, and then took it to the bank and deposited it in my art account.

Today I went by Tsudas to check on my paintings and to see if I needed to replace my business cards and immediately saw that one painting was gone. Alexandra, the owner saw me and said, "Hi Paul, I sold one of your paintings the other day and the buyer used a Mastercard for the purchase. I waited for it to clear, which it did today, so I can pay you since you are here. " I was delighted with this good news, and will have to take a new painting down to Tsudas to replace the vacancy. My art account finally has some cash flow and I can purchase more supplies and some items I have wanted for some time. It is such a good feeling to paint things I love painting and have people purchasing them because they like the finished product. Life really could not get any better.