Artists, Should do Art the RIGHT Way, or YOUR Way?

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Will Terry

Artists Don’t Always do Art THE RIGHT WAY

The right way, or the WRONG way, or better yet, do art YOUR WAY. Remember when owning a home was a mandatory part of a healthy financial portfolio? I think this is the first time that financial planners are backing off and saying, “owning CAN also be a good addition to a financial portfolio.”

Do art right, or do art wrong.

I bring this up because when I’m teaching people to do art, I constantly hear students telling each other things like, “you’re supposed to do it this way” or “that’s not the way that so and so said to do it.” I believe in obeying the rules most of the time…wait – that sounded like a rule!…how bout: “Obey some of the rules some of the time but not all of the rules all of the time, unless you want to, but if you want to break all of the rules that might be good too, however that probably won’t work either so don’t listen to me. But you should listen to some people if you feel they’re giving good information. hmmmmmmm. How bout some examples”:

Bill Gates – laughed at by IBM executives for only wanting to license his operating system. In other words he was laughed at for “doing it the wrong way.”

John Lasseter – Fired from Disney for wanting to introduce computer animation to Disney productions – Started Pixar – Now chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is also currently the Principal Creative Adviser for Walt Disney Imagineering…pssssst – he did it the wrong way.

Steve Jobs – How many times do you think he was laughed at for all the innovative ideas he implemented. It’s easy to think, “why would I laugh at Jobs? – he created so many wonderful products.” Before he attained his unimaginable success he was often branded a nut for his strange decisions.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin created a search engine their way – a different way – they broke the rules. They were also late to the search engine party and couldn’t get anyone’s attention. All the big search engine companies showed them the door when they tried to sell their technology…. so they started Google.

The other night in my watercolor class I kept hearing students talking about using watercolors “the right way.”….

Your Brand is the Artist’s new Job Description

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Will Terry

Hey Artist, what does your BRAND look like?

Branding: The word ARTIST should be curved a bit shouldn’t it? It makes the can look flat.

Along with change, comes opportunity for artists

I hadn’t really developed brand for myself like I should have. I’ve been a freelance illustrator for almost 25 years and for the first 20 or so, it was business as usual. In the last five to seven years I’ve seen more changes in our industry than ever before. In some ways I must confess that if given the choice to see big changes or keep business as usual I would have ignorantly chosen the latter. Change isn’t fun. Change can be hard, change is usually painful. Change is scary because not knowing feels insecure and most of us crave security. But the reality is that change is on the menu to stay – so our choices are to dine or leave the restaurant and starve.

Being your own boss can be tough, “I hate my boss?”

In the past you were odd if you called yourself a freelancer. To most of the “normal” 9-5 crowd a freelancer was synonymous with freeloader or at best someone living on the fringe. Over time freelancers have become more mainstream. Most freelancers (myself included) own their job. In other words, they get an assignment from a company and then through their skills, crafts, or abilities satisfy that assignment. If they aren’t working they usually aren’t earning so while they have more freedom they still have to work to earn. And often, they/we work longer and harder.

Branding, A new job description for Artists

Now we’re seeing a whole new job description – The artist as “The Product”. Greg Spalenka a world renowned illustrator calls it “Artist as Brand”. In the past and present artist relied on companies to function as the liaison between them and the consumer. For gallery artists it was the gallery. For book illustrators – the publisher. For video game artists – the studio. These entities provide big money to produce and market products using art – the kind of money few artists could generate or commit to themselves. The artist’s risk is time – the companies risk is money. A symbiotic relationship that was virtually the only way – until now.

Artists now have a direct line to the consumer

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that the days of these entities are over by any means but their roles are changing very quickly. The internet has in many ways leveled the playing field. Artists now have a direct line to the consumers for the products they create. “Never before in the history of the world have artists had the opportunity to reach their audiences so efficiently.” ~Wayne Andreason If you’re a fine artist you can develop a following through a website, social networking, blogging, emailing, etc. And don’t forget Pinterest. The same is true for children’s book illustrators, Picture book artists, graphic novel and comic artists, as well as art educators and so on. You say you want to produce your own video game? What’s stopping you? Many iphone games are now being produced by solo tech savvy artists or artists teamed up with a tech person. A simple upload to itunes and if the game is good they could start raking it in. “Were going to need a bigger rake!”

Nobody will hire me is no longer a valid excuse

The idea is that you can no longer use “nobody will hire me” as an excuse not to produce your own products. Many companies will go out of business in the near future. Many will adapt and thrive. For me I’m looking at each new request for my services in a different light. I’m trying to balance my freelance assignment time with time spent on producing my own projects.

So Write and Illustrate the children’s books

I’ve realized that even though I’ve been illustrating children’s books for over a decade and sold over 750,000 books (all combined) a very small percentage of my audience associates Will Terry with the books I’ve illustrated. This is a huge problem! We usually buy name brand products because people associate the brand with quality. I need to be constantly working on the Will Terry brand and for me one of the easiest ways to do that is to also start to write some of the books I illustrate. The reality is that it’s an authors world and illustrators really take a back seat in many ways. As I see it an illustrator can complain or become an author. Or take a backseat.

Take control of your own branding with technology

Last year as I was getting my brain around the changes I was seeing in art related industries I became frightened and depressed. The insecurity was really getting to me. Now that I’ve started to take control of my own branding I’m finding the future exciting and I’m always thinking of new ways to take advantage of the technology that has fallen in our laps.

Change is coming and it will keep coming. Go with it. Create your brand. Use the technology that is so readily available. Promote yourself. If needs be, start writing.

Could ART Have Saved Six Million Lives? Hitler Wanted to be an Artist?

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Wayne

What if Hitler Would Have Been an Artist instead of a Nazi?

Adolf HITLER started out as an innocent, lovable little boy.

127 years ago today, on April 20, 1889 a baby boy was born in Austria-Hungary, a town on the border with Bavaria, Germany. He was the fourth of six children, his parents named him Adolf and the rest is history. Or is it? It’s hard to imagine Adolf Hitler as an innocent little boy playing in the yard with his five brothers and sisters.

Little Adolf was strong willed and refused to conform at school

HIs dad, Alois retired and moved to Lambach, where he farmed and kept bees. Hitlers dad was a bee keeper? So is mine. Hitler attended a nearby school. He was soon impressed with warfare after finding a picture book that his father had about the Franco-Prussian War. Hitler refused to conform to the strict discipline at school and this caused a lot of father-son conflict. When Hitler was eight he took singing lessons and sang in the church choir, he even considered becoming a priest. I wander how that would have changed what we know as history.

Tragedy hit the Hitler home, changing little Adolf for the worse.

In early 1900 his little brother Edmond died of the measles and that realy affected little ten year old Adolf. “He changed from a confident, outgoing, conscientious student to a morose, detached, sullen boy who constantly fought with his father and teachers.” ~wiki

Hitler’s dream was to be an ARTIST but dad won’t have it

His dad wouldn’t allow Adolf to go to a classical high school and become an artist. In fact he sent him to some other, more rigid school and the young Hitler rebelled and did poorly, like so many artists do, but on purpose, hoping his father would see “what little progress I was making at the technical school he would let me devote myself to my dream“.

Three years later his dad died quite suddenly, Hitler’s grades got worse and his mom allowed him to leave that school. Two years later, in 1905, Hitler passed a the final exam, he left the school without any ambitions for further education or clear plans for a career.

given the chance, he is Rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts… Twice

From 1905, Hitler lived a bohemian life in Vienna, financed by orphan’s benefits and support from his mother. He worked as a casual laborer and eventually as a painter, selling watercolors. The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna rejected him twice, in 1907 and 1908, because of his “unfitness for painting“. The director recommended that Hitler study architecture, but he lacked the academic credentials. On 21 December 1907, his mother died at the age of 47. After the Academy’s second rejection, Hitler ran out of money. In 1909 he lived in a homeless shelter, and by 1910, he had settled into a house for poor working men on Meldemannstraße. ~Wiki

Follow your dream, & encourage your children to follow theirs

At Folio Academy, we say, “follow your dream”. Well, if art is your dream, we really say “follow your dream”. I know so many artists who love what they do, who were often discouraged by other’s, from going into such a career. “You’ll starve!” “You won’t make any money until after you’re dead.” I am not a big advocate for college and university educations either. I know a lot of would be artists that may have done very well and loved life as an artist or professional illustrator had they not been “Kicked Out” of school for “unfitness for painting“.

What if…? Could Art Have Saved 6,000,000 Lives?

What if poor little Adolf had a loving father who encouraged and nourished Hitler’s desire to be an artist and devote himself to his dream? What if The Academy of Fine Arts accepted him in 1907 or 1908, because they had room or they didn’t need to worry about their high academic standards? What if he would have had the internet and he was able to learn from other artists who didn’t care if he was fit for painting, and went on to be a happy, even semi successful artist?

There is good in everyone, even Adolf Hitler?

I am not saying that I love Hitler or that I condone any of his CRAZY and ruthless act. I believe he became an evil man. But I know he started out, innocent and pure, he was a lovable baby and a child, he was a brother who probably loved to play outside in the dirt with his siblings and little friends and his little brother Edmond. I believe there is good in everyone, even ADOLF HITLER. He liked to color and draw and water color. He wanted to be an artist, what’s wrong with that? but NO…

Was he one of those lefties made to be a righty?

He was right handed but… was he always right handed? I wonder if he was one of those frustrated left handed kids who was forced to be right handed. No wonder he cracked.

Room for 1 More Piece by Adolf Hitler

Courtyard_of_the_Old_Residency_in_Munich_by_Adolf_Hitler

Courtyard of the Old Residency in Munich ~Adolf Hitler

P.S. Happy Easter.

Online Art Schools vs University

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Will Terry

Art Lessons Online or University?

– I’ve been asked about the difference between online courses like we have at Folio Academy, interactive online schools like SVS and attending an illustration class at a University or art school -(I will give you my opinion next week, March 28, 2014) – I’d love to know what you think. One thing I will say is that we have quite a few art teachers at art schools and Universities using our videos to enhance the learning experience. We aren’t any better than those teachers, and they aren’t any better than us, well not a lot better. Often teachers want their students to hear the same things from other teachers and in different words. I do the same thing when I’m at University – I often show videos from other artists and teachers to reinforce the principles I’m teaching.

Alicia VanNoy Call’s Apocalyptic Nursery Rhymes

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Wayne

Freelance Fine Artist, Illustrator, Alicia VanNoy Call, & her Adorably Disturbing Apocalyptic Nursery Rhymes

The Zombies are coming, the town must be warned…

We salute our former student, our friend and colleague, Alicia VanNoy Call who is not only an artist/illustrator but also a writer and an all round creative person. She is truly one of those artists that is defining herself. Alicia first caught my attention with some extremely, strait out of the tube, colorful portraits of animals and family pet portraits. Dawgart. But lately I’ve been seeing her apocalyptic nursery rhymes and I was so impressed that I asked her if we could blog about her. We will get to some Q & A with Alicia and what makes her tick, but I want to start with her apocalyptic fables here to catch your attention rather than make you scroll down or read the whole blog before you see what I’m bragging about.

Zombies and Little Boy Blue

Wayne: W (question)- Which one started this series?

Alicia: A- This [Little Boy Blue] was the first. You can see the difference in the art from the rest of the series. I will probably do this one over, and change the trumpet to a trombone. The biggest gripe I got from a few different viewers was that he could definitely still play the trumpet with one arm. That it’s physically possible. I think they’re missing the point. I personally don’t know that I could play a musical instrument after my arm had just been torn off, what with the pain and all.

Jack and Jill were Eaten for Lunch

W- This rhyme made me laugh. It still does.

A- It’s one of my favorites. It’s so gruesome and funny. I went back and forth with what to do for the image. I debated showing people actually eating them, piles of bones, etc. But I eventually decided that the image would be most interesting in the moment before the tension breaks. Just before Jack and Jill lose their innocence. And everything else.

Little Miss Muffet’s city was wiped off the map

W- I love the relationship that she and the rat seem to have. Great design.

A- This is the one that started the series gaining attention. I think it’s just the flat out ridiculous nature of it. That and the pitiful tragedy of this kid left all alone with a rat named Dave. How sad.

Rock-a-bye Baby, The Battle is over, we lose.

W- ?

A- I love how with just a few simple lines and some value, you can convey so much. This one is particularly creepy to people. It’s like, look at this nightmare world these babies have inherited.

Doctor Jack Horner it’s the end of the world

W- How do you maintain the fresh, loose look of spontaneity?

A- One of my goals with these drawings is to keep them quick (I have an art business to run after all), and to deliver something immediately legible and humorous. I couldn’t decide what kind of monster to put in this scenario; I thought zombies initially. But it could be anything, couldn’t it? So I just went with a couple of tentacles and left the rest up to the viewer.

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, it’s fallout.

W- Which one is your most popular?

A- This and Georgie Porgie are the two most popular so far. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s just the expression on his face and the ripped umbrella. Like, “I’m going through the motions of keeping dry, but really, what’s the point?” The Lady Liberty head was an afterthought.

Georgie Porgie Came out of the John

W- What do you think this one is so popular?

A- People love this one. I think it’s the underwear, another doodle afterthought.

Continue reading →

WHERE ARE ALL THE FREELANCE JOBS FOR ARTISTS?

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Will Terry

Where Are My Freelance ArtJobs?

Will Terry you are a man much wiser than your age. You could not be more right about the times we live in and what we each as both artists and businessmen must do to earn our share of the profits out there. ~Steven Watson

I’v been blessed as an artist but…

I have been blessed with many connections in the illustration world and many more since I started this blogging a few years back and those connections seem to be growing. Every day I get asked questions related to the freelance illustration markets -from how to improve the craft of illustration to how to find markets and clients and I spend a fair amount of my time answering them. I enjoy this time each day.

I’ve turned down Projects.

In the past month I have been offered three different freelance projects for publishing companies all of which I turned down due to the lack of budgets. I don’t want to seem ungrateful – beyond the fact that it’s flattering to be wanted – I realize that I’m in a different position than many illustrators since I’ve been at this a while and have spread out my income streams. I defend the right of our clients to offer what’s in their own best interest as we must decide to accept or reject based on our best interests. Some people complain about the price of a water bottle at the gas station…but they don’t have to buy it. But it’s the latest offering that I wanted to discuss.

While art ed is still costly, Commissions are dropping.

If you’ve gone through an illustration program on a University or art school level you know that illustration rates have either stayed the same over the last 100 years or gone down. The offering I received this week was half of what I used to get paid from that particular client. This made it very easy to turn down but that’s not the point. The point is that what I’ve been saying (see my “Tips for Illustrators” blog posts) is coming true. Prices that have at least “held” for decades are now going the other direction. We are competing on a global scale at many levels. With the ability for individual artists to publish their own music, books, videos, etc the big companies are having to adapt to the competition. It’s one reason entertainers like Jimmy Kimmel are releasing anonymous videos on youtube (like twerking girl catches on fire) to generate traffic back to his show. And have you seen the new “Cary” ad? My favorite prank yet. Our clients – the people we want to hire us are suffering from the noise just like we are – they are competing with us when we release our own products.

but wait, there’s more. Continue reading →

Tips for Illustrators & Students Part 2: Why Are You an Artist?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Will Terry

We are Artists Because IT USED TO BE FUN!

I became and Artist cuz art is fun.

I want to start this by asking you, how did you get into art? What made you start producing art? Was it just for fun? Were you just a kid? Did you get into art because people asked you to draw things for them? I honestly doubt that you got into art because other people asked you to. Most of us got into art to make cool stuff and because it was fun and fulfilling.

There is much amazing stuff out there, and we looked out at it and decided we wanted to make our own and show it to the world.

Do you want to be an Illustrator, an Artist, or an Employee?

Art is fun.

Yet so many artists who have spent so long learning, and practicing get to a certain point, like when they’re about to finish school, and they start thinking about getting out of school, becoming an Artist, an illustrator, or just thinking about how to make money with their art skills.

After that all of a sudden we want to get hired. So we can get paid. So we can eat. We want to be employees. We start looking for someone else to tell us what to do (or draw) so we can make a living, and so we can eat.

We get asked to draw something that isn’t fun or we get asked to do something that takes away from our vision.

What can I do To Make Money as an Artist?

I don’t want to discourage you, there is nothing wrong with working with and helping other people. I want to help open your mind to other possibilities.

It started with students across the country, and now it’s students all over the world. People want to be hired.

The main thing I am asked is, “what can I draw to make money?” I think it’s backwards, is that why we became artist? I’m not saying it’s inherently wrong, but it’s not why we started.

I’m in a position now that I can pick and choose. I’ve put in a lot of work that I ended up hating but I’ve also put a lot of work into my children’s books that I’ve really enjoyed, and I enjoyed the people I’ve worked with.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS.

But is that the only way or are there other things that we can do? Have you ever thought that musicians, authors, actors, videographers, and gallery artists are more entrepreneurial than illustrators. Think about that, are they?

What is wrong with Illustrators. And this is a generalization. Musicians move to Austin, or Nashville, or they record in a friend’s house, and now with the internet a lot of them are starting their own YouTube channels. Comedians are starting their own YouTube channels. Actors move to Hollywood or start YouTube channels, Gallery-Artists make something and try to get someone to buy it. Writers write something and hope publishers buy it, or they publish it on Amazon and sell it directly. Like Amanda Hopkins.

Illustrators Want to be hired, commissioned, or just get a job.

What’s the difference between us Illustrators, and all the other artists? Ask yourself and try to answer that question. A graphic designer decided to publish his own small books. I have a friend who owns a graphic design studio, and we first started working together about ten, fifteen years ago. And he would hire me, he was getting contracts from Children’s book publishers, and he would hire me to do covers and inside spreads.

A couple years ago he hired me to do some work for a children’s book with a publisher I had never heard of before, why because it was new, it also happened to be him or his publishing company. He decided ‘you know what, I can make one of these myself’. And he’s still publishing books, and even some e-books online.

The Internet has Been a Real Game Changer.

If you are a teenager or in your mid-twenties, you probably grew up with the internet. Not knowing life without it. I wonder if the internet is more impressive to me someone who lived without it. I can’t speak for someone who lived without cars, or plains. But I worked without the internet. I don’t want to just assume that I appreciate something more than you, but I wonder how I ever got along without it.

There are thousands of people on YouTube who picked themselves. People who just decided to utilize this wonderful tool. Some decided, “Hey! I’m going to broadcast the news, and I’m going to make money doing it”, and they’re doing it.

You got the guys who did kid history, (Bored Shorts) and the guys who do honest trailers, (Screen Junkies) look them up, or click the link. But don’t get sucked in, your focus is here right now.

Prank vs prank, there’s that guy from Utah “tipping servers $200”. Video recorded it, and put it on Youtube. By my calculations I’d say he cleared $20,000 just posting that one idea.

Now you don’t “NEED” the middle man.

You can now make a free service like Youtube, get your own channel (FolioAcademy has one right here that is grossly underutilized by the way).

My Kid History friends at Bored Shorts are talking to Disney right now, who may end up buying their channel of videos and if they do it’s going to be big. By the way That guy who filmed the tipping video has over a hundred million views, when you do that, you get noticed, and even make money with advertising. There are tons of review channels too. Someone decides “Hey! I am going to review this product.” Have you ever noticed that whenever someone decides something they start by saying “Hey!” My friend Jedd Henry who did Yukio Heroes. Michal Dowdled who makes his own puzzles of all the famous cities. He picked himself, Kazu who made flight, People who made their own web comics. That oatmeal guy (I love that guy) Music, everyone in music is getting involved, Indie Music, it’s when YOU decide that Hey! you are a musician, you don’t wait for it.

They don’t teach this stuff in public schools.

The guy’s running public school never taught this, because so many of them didn’t create anything.

My slam on public schools, they do not teach creativity. They teach people to obey the rules and math and language and science. And WE need that, OK we do but we also need creativity.

We have not been equipped for this world, and public schools haven’t either, our parents and friends and the world is all telling us what to do. Go to college, get good grades so you can get a job. It makes sense, it’s safe. But ask these guys who have “picked themselves”, they don’t worry about safe.

This is starting to run long so I’m going to have to have a part 3 and maybe part 4 and more.

Okay my next posts will share some strategies, like: Things that I’ve learned, Things that I’m trying to apply now, and ways for an artist to be more entrepreneurial.

Don’t Let “THEM” Define YOUR Success!

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Wayne

Don’t Let Them Define Your Success!

A Self Defeating way of thinking.

Too often I hear up and coming illustrators, animators, and comic book artists say, “Hopefully I can make it someday and get freelance work.” This is a self defeating way of thinking…if you never get hired does that mean you didn’t make it? Is there a such thing as all or nothing as an artist? Is this easy for me to say because I make a living with my art?

Keep Creating even if you aren’t “working”.

I don’t think so because I remember those very discouraging times when I wasn’t getting work. But more importantly I would be creating art even if I wasn’t getting hired to complete freelance assignments. I don’t create for my clients – I create for myself. My publishers get to publish my work. I own it and stand behind it and even though I work closely with them they don’t own it – I do. I take responsibility for the quality of my work and place a higher standard for myself than my clients demand – therefore – it’s mine.

Do Commissions Equal Success?

The problem with thinking that assignments equal success is that you let forces outside of your control define your value. It’s a dangerous game to play because at what point to you throw in the towel and say, “well, time to quit – nobody hired me.” Success can be defined in many ways and I understand the need to generate income with your craft. I think it’s important to remember that some artists start earning a decent income within a year after school. Some might take 1-5 years. Some much longer.

What if you don’t find work right away?

I once had a student who stated, “I need to start earning money with illustration right after graduation.” I didn’t know quite how to answer that and I failed to give a good answer at the time. What I would say today is this: “So, what if you don’t? does that mean the past four years was a waste of time? What if you could see the future and you are able to generate more money than you could imagine but it takes you 10 years to get to that point – is that worth it? Do you have the commitment to make it through the 10 years of below expected income levels? What if your experience was like my friend who struggled for 4-5 years after school and then was asked to illustrate: “A Series of Unfortunate Events”? Would that be worth it?

The tendency is to want the rewards with little sacrifice. If you really truly want it you will have to dedicate your life to it – this is good news for most because you’re in control of it! You have many years ahead of you of hard work! Embrace it. Fall in love with it. Cherish the time you have with your craft.

What does “success” mean to you?

If being successful means being chosen to work for someone else – you might be disappointed if your work is easily good enough but you aren’t being seen by the right clients.

If being successful means earning enough money to pay your bills – you might be judging your potential before your work is marketable.

If being successful means winning awards – you might be creating art that is unappreciated by the trend police.

If being successful means selling a certain quantity – you might be disappointed if the right audience never sees your product.

The previous is inspired by Seth Godin who says we’re now living in a time where you can’t afford to wait for someone to pick you – rather you must pick yourself.

Nobody hired me to make ebooks but I picked myself and published them.

Nobody hired me to make video tutorials and online classes but I picked myself and created them.

Nobody hired me to run my youtube channel but I picked myself and publish videos every month.

Nobody hired me to write this blog but I picked myself and now I have a place to share my ideas.

If you set attainable goals you can be successful every day, month, and year. It starts with a commitment to excellence and improvement. It ends when you die. I can promise you that I will be creating art until that day. I don’t work -I create. I live and breathe knowing that I have much more to give. I am successful because what I create makes me happy. Do you want to be an artist? Then be an artist and be successful by your definition, not THEIR’s.

Fine Artist, Simon Winegar is Still Painting

Posted on August 2, 2013 by Wayne

Simon Winegar is still painting fine art and doing a great job.

FolioAcademy salutes our own, extremely talented artist and instructor, Simon Wineger. He is still painting and still loving it. Way to go Simon!

Simon Winegar is one of our many wonderful artists offering their talent, tips and training at folioacademy. He can paint, he can teach he can sell.

Simon Winegear is just finishing up this fine art oil painting.

This one is part of his “Bones of America” series. The barn comes from an area north of Logan Utah near the Idaho border. A great structure with slight remnants of it’s original red color streaking down the front.

from my “Bones of America” series

Are people still buying Fine Art?

Apparently they are still buying fine art. Sorry folks, this beautiful piece is already sold to a collector who just can’t get enough of Simon’s work.

Lavender Fields 8x10 Oil by Artist, Simon Winegar

“Lavender Fields” 8×10 Oil by Artist, Simon Winegar

This Oil Painting of a red quaky didn’t last long at the gallery.

The Red One, Represented by The Mission Gallery, it Came in…Spent the night…and Sold in the morning morning! February 2, 2013

“The Red One” Oil 9″x12″

Last I heard, the following piece was still hanging.

Another fine piece, possibly available, by Simon Winegar.

Painting of a tree in front of a reddening sky

As the Sky Goes Red

This piece titled, As the Sky Goes Red, may still be hanging in the Mission Gallery.

Season of Undoing,’ Oil on Panel, 8″x10″

So Get out and Paint!

Makes you want to get out and paint. Or buy some nice work. You know what they say, “If you can’t paint, buy from someone who can.” Or Learn from someone who can. Be it Plein air, out doors, oil or what ever, it is never too late to get started.

See more on page 2.

Pages: 1 2

Fold 1000 Origami Cranes and Your Wish Will Come True?

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Wayne

Artist and iPad designer/developer, Heidi Berthiame, is putting the legend to the test.

It is said those who fold 1000 origami cranes will have their wish come true.

Heidi Berthiame, has been working hard toward her goal or wish, (we are yet to discover what that is) for the past two and a half years. Perhaps in a last ditch effort to see her wish come true, she started folding 1000 origami Wish Cranes in January of this year.

Because getting the Crane folded is not the end goal, but rather the end results, it takes her about six minutes to fold each Wish Crane. That time is spent thinking about her wish and how she can best do what ever it will take to make it come true. That time is a break from what has to be done to contemplate what could be done. That time is well spent, every day.

She currently has over four hundred Wish Cranes completed. In November, she will finish folding the final one.

She said, “I do not know when my Wish will be granted, but I do know …

I will have *a lot* of origami Wish Cranes.”

Thus she has started a Kickstarter project. And yes, it has funded.

FolioAcademy salutes Heidi Berthiame. Congrats and way to go!

You can give a Wish Crane a home? There are about two days left for the Kickstarter but you may be-able to contact her as for a Crane at the same Kickstarter page.

If you pledge, you will receive one of the origami Wish Cranes that Heidi has personally hand crafted this year. She says that she will rejoice that it has a new home, and perhaps that Wish Crane can aid a wish of yours to come true, too. So if you can provide a good home. . . make a pledge.

The origami Wish Canes are created from 3 inch x 3 inch patterned paper, which comes in five designs.

Each Wish Crane is folded by hand, therefore they lack a machine’s precision but have a craftsman’s uniqueness.

All Wish Cranes are numbered under one wing, ranging from 1 to 1000.

The number and pattern of the Wish Crane you receive will be randomly chosen when she reaches into the flock and closes her fingers gently upon a single wing and withdraws that crane – kind of like The Claw in the movie Toy Story, but with less vocalizations for her origami Wish Cranes are all silent species. At least whenever there are people around.

The Funding Goal was only $25 because that is how much she needed to pay for the additional paper necessary to fold the remaining Wish Cranes.

The Pledge Reward is set to $3, which covers supplies and shipment of one Wish Crane to wherever you are in the world. (even Utah)

The Pledge Limit is set to 999 because Heidi will keep one of the Wish Cranes for herself. So she is folding 1000 origami Wish Cranes and hope to send 999 to new homes, where they can live happily ever after and perhaps help fulfill a new Wish.

It is possible a Wish Crane may go missing after it leaves my house and before it reaches yours. I will pay to ship a replacement Wish Crane if yours does not arrive within 30 days of being shipped. Replacement Wish Cranes will not be numbered but will be folded from the same kind of patterned paper as the original 1000 Origami Wish Cranes.

And if her wish comes true, maybe she will tell us what that wish was.

P.S. I just re wrote (plagiarized) what Heidi already said on her Kickstarter page.