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.

Freemason site POST!

The Freemasonstore.com site posted my product!! I just discovered it! It looks a little rough in the enlargement but I guess that is the way they have been doing things. I had just written then about 10 minutes ago and told them that I would be letting them know about a framed print 10" and 7 1/2 inches as well as offering framing for the Giclee print.

What a surprise it was to see the print on the site right after writing to them. I hope it drums up some sales.

Selling Rights

I just sold a giclee yesterday to Oteri Funeral Home in Franklin Ma. He asked me if he could use the image on his website that he is in the process of creating. He told me that the name of the funeral home was "Oteri Funeral Home", but that title was already taken by a funeral home in CA. I could relate to that and we talked a little about my name being taken by a photographer in GA.

He said that his funeral home was also known as Franklin Funeral Home by the locals and decided to use that for his site title as it was not used yet. He also asked me if he could use my image on his site. I told him that I would have to get back to him about that. I need to figure out the pricing for selling limited rights to the image for advertising. There is little written about it on line and nothing mentioned in my book "Artist's and Graphic Designer's Market". I still need to find out more from him like; is he going to want it for letter head or brochures, etc.

I had a thought that maybe he could pay a monthly fee or a yearly fee for the use of the image. Just thinking of getting steady income in every month or year really appeals to me!! (Thinking of the big picture.) If I could license this image out and continue to receive royalty check every year would be great!

After the sale was finalized he asked if I had considered buying a booth for the 4th of July event in Franklin. He told me that he thought I would do very well at the event. I am not sure if I will do this event. I will need to invest probably $500 into this event, and I am not sure if I will make it back + profit. I have worked out one design though for a home made t-shirt. It consists of using transfer/ iron-on prints. I figured out a design that I can print 2 designs per page.

Cindy wrote a letter to our Kung Fu teacher Sifu Maury of Maury's Kung Fu and asked him if he would be interested in splitting the $300 for the booth as our Sifu has a location in Franklin Ma. He could easily be in the 4th of July parade with a lion dance team again and then share a booth at the common where Cindy and I would sell t-shirts and he would solicit new members.

Worcester Windows Reception

Tonight was the reception for the Worcester Windows Reception. We thought it was only for the Chamber of commerce Building that Cynthia has a painting showing in but it was for the whole Worcester Windows project which included the Telegram & Gazette building that I am in. So we arrived thinking it was a reception for Cynthia and found out it was a reception for both of us.
There was a great reception sponsored by the CofC including a lot of things you would find at Trader Joes. But that was all good because Jan (I guess was in charge of the food) bought some sushi, and it was good!! After the reception which ended at 7:30 a few people walked the worcester windows walk. We drove a block to check out the artwork hanging at the Telegram and Gazette building. The people were very impressed with the first painting of Cindy's and really like the other painting she did. Turner was mentioned as a comparison.
Looking at the way they hung the paintings I am curious why they used easles for Cindy and wires for my work. More specifically; why did they only use one table top easel for her first painting (which is solid wood) and three table top easels for her second painting which is a lot lighter because it is masonite.
Once again; all the artwork was wired and ready to hang, but they only hung my work. Curious.

Slap in the Face!

I can't believe the Town of Franklin! I just went on their site and saw that they posted a pic of the new town seal Rocco and I created. It was a pic taken by an amateur with a flash glare totally destroying the look of the painting. Even the white ring around the painting is actually gold leaf but it is so overexposed from the flash it appears white. I can't imagine why anyone would consider using this picture. I was so insulted that I wrote the webmaster and told him to remove it. Just look at it!!

The reason I went to the site was to try to find info on Franklin Week which is March 1 - 7. Big surprise that nothing is posted or planned.

While down in Philly talking to people I was asked several times what the birthplace of Benjamin Franklin was doing to celebrate the 300th birthday. I had to tell them that "You're looking at it." They were all surprised that the city of Boston did nothing.