Busy

Ok... I'm back. It has been a month since I have written. In that Time I have received a Third commission from Tufts U. In Grafton. Their latest Dean will be retiring in July and they asked me for a delivery at the end of June. It is a bit of a crunch to get that one done but it is a good kick in the but to get myself to paint faster.

We also have hung the show at Quinsigamond Community College (QCC). The reception was a bit of a disappointment. Very few people showed up. I contribute it to the fact that it was on the same day as the Wine Tasting and Networking event that had over 160 people RSVP'ed. (including us) And the fact that it was a Tuesday. We didn't have to do the Gallery Walk though because they decided there wasn't enough people there at the time.

Although the reception was small I have gotten many great written responses in the guest book. One of them is for a Forensic Dentistry Resouce Center in Worcester that is interested in showing my work in their offices, and I just received a call today about someone wanting to purchase one of my drawings (LOVE I) at the QCC show. I will need to get a better picture of it before it is taken away.

Cindy was just informed by WAG (Worcester Artist Group) that her painting in the Worcester Windows event at the Chamber of Commerce Building might be sold.
They are not sure if hers is the piece that the Law firm is interested in but it sounds like it is hers. I guess we will be finding out soon.

I have also been in contact again with the FreeMasonStore.com. I informed them of my new Ben Franklin Products including the framed giclee and the smaller canvassed prints. The wrote back promptly and told me they would be posting them. I assume all of the products I listed on my new products page.

Franklin Library

The Franklin Library just sent me their check for the Giclee Print that they ordered. I have already cut and assembled the frame but needed to order the matts. I should have the matts waiting for me on Tuesday of next week. I will probably be able to deliver it next Saturday as I will be in Franklin to help my Sifu (My kung fu teacher).

I was told by Bright Water Gallery that they had figured out a price for my prints, but they needed to meet with me. We talked at the Blank Canvas Release Party (not very private).

I still need to call back my contact from the Mall in the Historical District in Philly to see how the print of Ben worked out for them, and if he would be interested in more prints. I was waiting to hear back from the Bright Water Gallery but I realized that the last prints I sold him were not from them. I didn't need to iron everything out with BW before talking to them. I will call him tomorrow.

I have sent the requested 25 postcards that were requested from the Bruce Museum. Of course with an invoice. I am still waiting for a check. I new that the show was only temporary so I thought it was imortant to get them the postcards ASAP. Maybe that way they will need to order more by the time the show is over.

Franklin Celebration

The 4th of July event in Franklin Mass is going to be a great opportunity to get my name out there. Today I started to make the matted prints. 29 now under my belt. I need to make an educated decision on how many I need to make for this event. Any extra will be available on my site. Seeing all these products makes me feel like I am really getting myself in gear. It only took short time to make and they look great!


This Weekend we will be hanging our first show at Quinsigamond Community College. The show is called TRANSITIONS. It is a PaintingLoft Solo Show. Just Cynthia and I will be displaying our work. Cindy will be showing some of her smaller pieces and I will be showing mostly drawings ending (transitioning) with 2 paintings. For myself the title TRANSITIONS means the transition of more content in my drawings. Most of my work that will be in the show is older work. The drawings are surrounded by "pseudo" text. In the beginning of this Holy Relic Series, I used the text as a pure graphic element. Looking at Leonardo and Michelangelo's drawings; I was unable to read any of the text. I saw it as purely a graphic element. That is why most of my drawings contained "babble". I have since "Transitioned" from that to actual literal content. My Love Series contains anatomical text about the human heart, and my Adam Series contains text relating to Adam and Eve. From the drawings I have also included two paintings. They relate directly from the drawings. They can also be considered "Transitions". I will probably hang them next to the corresponding drawings.

This marks the first of several shows that Cynthia and I will be in this year in Worcester. I have planned to make this the year that PaintingLoft gets it's and our names known in the local community and It seems to be working out well so far.

*Cynthia has a spot in the latest Issue of Blank Canvas Magazine.

*I am also spotlighted in the Pascarelli Gallery article in the magazine. (giving him the idea to write the article)

*We will be participating in the 4th of July event in Franklin MA with a booth selling Ben Franklin prints, t-shirts, buttons, mugs etc.

*We will be having another solo show in the Aurora Gallery at ArtsWorcester in September.

*I will be having a solo show in the Italian American Cultural Center at Mount Carmel also in September.

*We will be participating in the stART on the Street Event ALSO September.

*WAG (Worcester Artist Group) wants several pieces of work to be included in their "Other Worldly" Exhibit. Again; in September.

This Friday will be the Blank Canvas Magazine Release Party. All the artist are welcome to hang a piece. I will be hanging one of the framed Franklin prints 7x7. I think it has a better chance of selling than an original as our originals are usually considered "high end" prices. (and rightfully so) Cynthia will be hanging one of the paintings that was in the magazine. "Worcester's Green Hill Park at Sunset".

Why Celebrate Ben Franklin?

This article should put things into perspective as to why we should all be getting into the celebration of Benjamin Franklin's 300th birthday. The next founding father (George Washington) was the same age as Ben Franklin's son. Who is gonna be around to celebrate that?!

Ben Franklin PodCast

This is a great podcast about Benjamin Franklin I just found on the Museum of Science in Boston. I was just searching for BF on their site and found this. Only the first half of the podcast is about Ben. For some reason two interviews are on this file. The second one is about weather and evolution. So just listen to the first half of it.

Anyways; It is a great conversation about his achievement if you don't feel like reading. (like me!)

A funny thing about the Museum of Science I just found out. I found an article about them stating that they had the opportunity to have the "Benjamin Franklin; In Search of a Better World" but decided to take the starwars exhibit instead. I guess they decided that starwars would bring in more money. It is a shame that the exhibit has no place in Boston.
article 1
article 2

I have been looking up as many museums of science to hit their gift shops with my products.

I just came across this site. "On This Day in History"

1628 Massachusetts colony founded by Englishmen

1822 Boston, Mass incorporated as a city

other findings:
Ben Franklin radio spot 35 minutes long. Interviews of Ben experts. About the traveling show, books about him, etc.
the Ben Franklin Story a 2 part story about his life and achievements. Slide show format
History Podcast 44 - Ben Franklin's 300th Birthday.mp3 22:29 minutes long. Another bio of his life.

Ben Franklin Print

I just got a response from the Franklin Library. They decided to take my offer and frame the print with me. I was worried about dropping the giclee off with them and it getting damaged because it was not framed. Giclees are just like prints from an inkjet in the way a small drop of water will ruin them. The difference being a giclee costs a lot more to replace. I was going to ( and still should for the future) write up a waver stating that I am not responsible for any damage after the print is dropped off. The customer can inspect the image and sign the waver. I will probably end up doing this for the next customer.

The Bruce Museum just decided to pick up some of my postcards. It isn't much of a sale but it gets my stuff out there which it good.

Tercentenary Products

wow! Just doing some research and finding this:



Benjamin Franklin Bath Salts!
wow! That sounds great!

or how about this:


Ben Franklin Neon. Yellow, Green, Orange or Blue
Only $3500.00

I am not an expert on these things but I think this is more marketable. while I was in Philly; I had a meeting with the manager of the Independence Visitors Center while I was in Philly and she talked about the image acceptance process. The painting of Benjamin Franklin flying a kite with white hair would never have passes with today's strict acceptance criteria. I only hope that I have is eye color correct. This bust was done while he was in France. They believe that this mask was used to create the famous bust. I thought it was a death mask but I was wrong.

Ben Franklin Products

I just ironed out a new product that I will be selling. It is the framed 7 1/2 square print with a canvas texture. It looks great. The canvas texture is a laminate that is melted onto the print with a vacuum press. A real piece of canvas is squished against it in the press. The end result is a glossy print that is protected from the elements and looks like a painting on canvas. No need for glass.

I have been marketing the new product to the museum shops down in Philly while I was down there. They responded positively to it. Ben Franklin is such a huge part of that city. I just wish I had more time while I was down there.

I am also in the planning stages of a couple of other products. One of them being a 4 x 6 print, matted for an 8 x 10 frame. I will probably sell this product without a frame as an 8 x 10 frame can be picked up anywhere and it will be cheaper for the customer this way. This will be the cheap alternative to the other framed and textured product. This image isn't even a real matte. It is just a mock-up with a photo shop program.