FOCUS: art licensing and Surtex 2011
I’ve set myself some solid goals and even created an action calender for the next 6 months – all based on my commitment to exhibit at Surtex in May 2011! I’ve had the art licensing dream for over 25 years and have dabbled in it intermittently over that time period. I’ve created a lot of art for hire – logos, t-hirts, custom designs for client products and events; have a respectable presence on Cafe Press where I share my art on calendars, mugs, shirts, hats, magnets, cards, ornaments and more… and of course there are the Cortese Design Bags, but I ultimately want to create art that gets seen every day!
Many artists I know cringe at the thought of having their art reproduced on ‘God forbid – a shower curtain!’ and I do understand where they are coming from. I have many paintings and images that I am very emotionally invested in for all kinds of reasons and would not want these reproduced on placemats or paperplates! However, because of my experiences when observing the nature elements that I photograph for my art, I know that the energy of the forest, trees, fields, plants, flowers, and wildlife is not only palpable, but the vibrations that they emit can profoundly affect our physiology. Have you noticed how much better you feel after even a short walk in nature? Granted, the physical movement of your body is a major aspect of this experience, but a walk along a mountain stream is infinitely more refreshing and energizing than a jog down the cement sidewalks of most city neighborhoods.
I’ve been hiking, gardening, and walking in nature and enJOYing this for as long as I can remember. I have delightful childhood memories of helping Nana in her huge vegetable garden along the Delaware River; of playing along the banks of the pond my father carved out of stream beside our home in Narrowsburg, NY and picking wildflowers along the country road walk home from our neighbor’s farm where I’d visit as often as possible to see the animals and help weed the gardens 🙂
Every day I visualize my work on thousands of home, garden and personal items. A huge part of this vision is to share the magic, the powerful energy that I feel when I’m working with the nature images. I know many, many people are avid gardeners, flower enthusiasts, nature lovers and I’m pretty sure they will all agree that there is no better feeling than being ‘in’ nature, whether tending a garden or hiking a new mountain trail. It is so much more than it appears on the surface. The vibrations of our physical bodies align with the vibrations of the plants and we literally ‘feel’ better, happier, healthier. I believe that the images and designs created from nature’s palette of vibrant colors and shapes produce similar vibrations and when people use a product that features a Nature’s Energy design they will be able to experience some of the magic and power of nature.
For fellow artists or anyone who is interested in getting or staying focused on something you are passionate about, I’d like to recommend listening to, or reading any of the work by Esther and Jerry Hicks and Abraham. They are releasing a new CD this week – Getting Into The Vortex: Guided Meditations CD and User Guide
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