Serving artists in Oregon City and surrounding communities

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1 Serving artists in Oregon City and surrounding communities Volume 7 June 2014 Member Newsletter Linda Merry Gross President president@threeriversartistguild.com Tara Choate Vice President vp@threeriversartistguild.com Webmaster webmaster@threeriversartistguild.com Joe Escriva Treasurer treasurer@threeriversartistguild.com Marianne Ryder Secretary secretary@threeriversartistguild.com Issue 6 It s Time to Paint! This month s meeting will see your creative juices, and a lot of paint, flowing! It s time once again to paint wood cookies for art abandonment at TRAG s upcoming events. Hopkins Demonstration Forest has generously donated a few thousand small wood disks, and TRAG is providing paint and brushes. After a brief meeting, we ll break out the supplies to you can have fun! Be sure to wear clothes that you don t mind getting messy. See you Monday at 7p.m.! Ellen Nawrocki Gallery Chair gallery@threeriversartistguild.com Sue Thomas Membership Coordinator membership@threeriversartistguild.com Cherilyn SunRidge Public Relations Coordinator publicrelations@threeriversartistguild.com Kerin Dimeler-Laurence Newsletter Publisher newsletter@threeriversartistguild.com Got an idea for TRAG? Let us know! suggestions@threeriversartistguild.com In this Issue Mark your calendars! The next TRAG General Member meeting will be on Monday, June 9 at 7PM at the Pioneer Community Center. Guild News... 2 May General Meeting Minutes... 3 Gallery News... 4 Artist of the Month... 5 Community Happenings... 6 Calls to Artists Articles Sell More Art! Increase Online Sales p. 10

2 Get involved in your Guild! Robin Berry has a new job with increasing hours, and needs to step down from TRAG Plein Air committee chair due to time constraints. Would one or two people like to step up to co-chair the Plain Air committee? (Organizing and scheduling Plain Air events) If so, please let us know. Looking for some expert advice? Below is a short list compiled of some experts in their field. If you know of others, please let webmaster@ threeriversartistguild.com know, so we can post it on our website. TRAG is seeking volunteers to help with Carnegie, First City Celebration, Hopkins Forest of Arts, and Holiday Show. Anyone interested, please let me know so you can get on the list. When the events near, you will be contacted to see if you still have available time and what positions we would need volunteers for. It might be as simple as helping a few artists with their canopies, unload a few cars, booth sit for bathroom breaks, pass out water, et cetera. Does anyone have experience posting on ETSY and Craig s list? We are wanting to get the TRAG event postcards uploaded to more social media. TRAG was published in the OSU Extension Service of Clackamas County Community Report 2013/2014, See page 15 of the following publication to read about the 2013 Forest of Arts event at Hopkins Demonstration Forest files/pg_news/osu_extension_community_reportclackamas_ pdf Some artists have asked where to get Custom designed jewelry or display items. Here s a great made in the U.S.A./Oregon company that creates displays: Reflections Design Shop 2140 NW Jetty Ave Lincoln City, OR Timothy Shinner Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014 Artsy Shark (Gallerist) - Holly Sugrue (Videos) - Jessica Kupferman (Branding) - Launch Grow Joy (Pintrest) - Laura C. George (Facebook) - Living a Creative Life (Coach) - Stahle Law (Art Legal) - Sue B. Zimmerman (Instagram) - Tara Reed Design (licensing) - The Abundant Artist (Coach) - The Art World Demystified (grants/funding) - The Thriving Artist (Coach) - Zenplicity (Virtual Assitant/Mail Chimp) - Laura Valenti (Portfolio Building) - Information for artists to get on the free advertising site in Willamette Weekly newspaper: Submit your art to be featured in Willamette Week s I Made This. For submission guidelines go to wweek.com/ imadethis They will need to a photo, description, price. I recommend checking out the Willamette Week when it comes out on Wed, I Made This to see other submissions at the very back of the newspaper. Sue

3 Carnegie Art Show I want to thank all the TRAG artists that stepped up for this event. We now have Carnegie Park full of art booths. We ll have over 30 booths this year compared to a little over dozen from the 100 year Celebration in There is much to celebrate this year for the Library as the move into their next 100 years and a much needed expansion project. On May 20, 2014, Oregon City residents passed a 6 million dollar Bond Measure by 67% to fund the renovation and expansion of the current library. Andrew Carnegie s vision of over 100 years ago is becoming a reality in 2014! We are in need of volunteers for this event. If you are going to visit the show, please consider giving us a few more hours of your time to help with booth sitting for the artists. A major need is for volunteers to help with the children s hands on art booth. If you can donate 2 to 3 hours to help with this really fun project, please Lynda Orzen at orzep@comcast.net. In 2013 the children made beaded jewelry and created their own books. If you have a fun project, please pass it along. All the proceeds from this event are being donated to the Library Foundation to help fund the expansion project. Thank you once again for participating in this great event and supporting your community library. -Lynda Orzen TRAG General Meeting Minutes Three Rivers Artist Guild General Meeting - May 12, :03 PM, at the Pioneer Center Welcome: Linda Merry opened the meeting and welcomed guests and visitors. Guests and new members were introduced. There were 33 members and guests present. Secretary Report: Marianne Ryder gave the Secretary report. No corrections or additions. Minutes are approved and filed. Treasurer Report: Joe Escriva gave the Treasurer report. Membership Report: Sue Thomas was not in attendance; Linda Merry gave the membership report in her absence. Newsletter Report: Kerin Dimeler-Laurence gave the Newsletter report. Gallery report. Ellen Nawrocki gave the TRAG Gallery report. May Meeting: Guest speakers/presentations: Face to Face to Facebook Rusty Brown and Tara Choate discussed how to use a Facebook business page to increase exposure and sales for your art. Kerin Dimeler-Laurence discussed how to create a consistent brand & image for your art booth, and how to present your work in public at fairs and shows. Several members announced shows and events: Lindsey Lyons is graduating from the Masters School of Art, and is having an art exhibit there with an opening on 5/23 Linda Merry encouraged people to sign up for the Carnegie Art Show event on June 21st, and First City celebration on July 26th. Mark has an art show at the Public Services Building in Oregon City until mid-june. Anita is exhibiting art at Providence Milwaukie Hospital. Susan has a show at the Public Services Building in July. All three artists got these shows through the Clackamas County Arts Alliance Artist Exhibit Program. Cherilyn is showing her art at the Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Portland as part of A New Heaven & A New Earth exhibition. Linda Orzen has art on exhibit at the Living Room Bistro in Oregon City. Linda Merry encouraged any artist who is not familiar with the Clackamas County Arts Alliance or with the Regional Arts & Culture Council, to get on their lists to learn about the many opportunities they offer. Next Meeting: Monday, June 9, 2014 at the Pioneer Center. Meeting adjourned, 8:18 PM. Volume 7 / Issue 6 June

4 Gallery Spotlight Three Rivers Artist Guild operates a gallery located at 502 7th Street (Corner of 7th and Center Street), in Oregon City. We share a space with The Friends of the Library Bookstore. Gallery News Five New Artists at the Gallery TRAG Gallery s 2nd quarter rotation hosts five new artists with fabulous art and far-flung inspirations! Rosie Long and Thomas Tietze bring unique perspectives to their jewelry designs. Rosie started with a bead loom as young girl, but her passions moved far beyond her Native American beading heritage to the sinuous curves and smoky colors of Art Nouveau design. Her lavish bead earring designs are mounted on portrait cards of her period muses, echoing her logo, The Art of Adornment. Thomas brings the allure of the ocean to his fine art jewelry. Pendants and rings are crafted in the form of ships, sea turtles, fin-backed fish and bold seahorses. A variety of pearls accent his work, along with precious stones and vibrant silver alloys. Lindsey Lyons and Billie Shults both choose 2D art to bring a positive message to their viewers. Lindsey s watercolor illustrations tell a story of joy and faith. Come Fly with Me portrays an amorous couple with hearts as buoyant as the hot air balloon lifting them over the landscape. Run Free beckons us to join a carefree barefoot girl, leaving shoes behind. Billie s greeting cards carry the message handmade with love and infused with healing Reiki energy. A Reiki practitioner and photographer, her intimate close-ups of a frost-tinted rose or opening tulip can bring a quiet, healing calm to a hectic day. Jo Dee Post brings new life to old items! She recreates vinyl (LP) records by forming them into undulating bowls, brightened with strong colors and geometric designs. And in her hands, beads and wire are woven into innovative baskets! Suspended on their rounded wire frames, the beads capture light from all angles, orbiting with carnivallike color and sparkle. Come share in the multi-faceted art forms these five bring to the gallery! Their fascinating creations can add a fresh spark of inspiration to your day. Are you currently showing or have shown in a gallery? Share the gallery name, address, telephone number and/or website with our webmaster@threeriversartistguild.com and we ll keep a handy list for all our members to peruse and use. 4 Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014

5 Want to be the next Artist of the Month? Contact Ellen Nawrocki about showing your work in the Three Rivers Artist Guild Gallery! Don t forget! You must be a paid member to show in the gallery! Please bring your payment to the general meeting or contact Sue Thomas: membership@threeriversartistguild.com June 2014 Artist of the Month: Stephanie Gillette Stephanie Gillette Bright Art Oil Paintings My bright art are the key words that Stephanie uses to define her work. The phrase highlights her laser-like search for the essence of her subjects. It heralds her signature use of the bright colors that give her art such pop and presence. And it identifies her website ( com), her blog ( and her on-line sales ( Stephanie received classical training in what she describes as old school methods but left her training behind for the shimmering light and striking colors of stained glass. Her business produced custom stained glass windows for churches, homes and businesses for ten years. When she returned to painting in 1996, she viewed her art through a new stained glass lens. Like panels of leaded glass, large blocks of bright color now illuminate her both her representational and abstract compositions. I use oil painting to represent something one cannot see with the naked eye, she offers. Ironically, many paintings begin with subtle color. Starting with a soft overall hue, she then draws her subject in charcoal before fleshing out the entire painting in monochrome. This unites the color scheme, she explains. Finally, she adds the characteristic bright color layers. Her paintings have been popular in Portland galleries and are currently being shown at Gresham s City Hall as well as the TRAG Gallery. You can see her painting there on Fridays through June 14th! My bright art sparks a dialogue between the observer and the observed, Stephanie tells us. Let it spark a conversation for you! Volume 7 / Issue 6 June

6 Community Happenings Bonnie Burlew and Bill Burlew will be showing their artwork at R.Blooms Flowers at 267 A Avenue, Lake Oswego. Dates of these events are June 21, July 19, August 16th and Sept 20th. Textured Touches at the 221 Gallery Four artists bring a 3-D feel to the 221 Gallery s 2nd quarter display! Surprising textures and new dimensions add a unique perspective to the installation. Rusty Brown s Celtic-style wood carvings seem to leap off the walls with a gold-winged griffin (in the wall plaque Griff ), intertwined dragons (in Dragonstwo ), a woodwoven cross (in Fortress ) and an intricately-carved plate with a Brazilian banded agate slice dangling freely in the center (in Brazil ). Bob Bresky s breathtaking photographs are presented on a wrapped canvas, adding texture, depth and a bit of surprise to the compositions. Look around the corner of his Baja Sunset and you ll find a building s silhouette hidden on the side. The gangly pair of giraffes featured in The Mating Game seems even more real with the rough-surfaced canvas highlighting their mottled fur and surrounding savannah-like grasses. Susan Schenk s oils rely on thickly-applied brushstrokes to add texture to her subtle landscapes. Beach Grasses and Newport Estuary draw you in as the thick blades of grass gleam yellow in reflected light. Her frames one of grainy wood and one partially shadowboxed add another layer of depth to her work. Tamara Muldoon relies on her camera to supply her textures. El Capitan whispers in spare sepia tones, but a rough-stoned cliff face, wispy fog and spiky conifer limbs nearly explode with dimensional contrasts. Don t miss this fascinating installation at the 221 Gallery! Its varied textures will touch the mind and the heart. 6 Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014

7 TRAG Artwork Glows at Citizens Bank The light-filled lobby of Citizens Bank (19245 Molalla Ave. in Oregon City) offers a stunning setting for TRAG s current rotation. I remember when they came in to set up, says employee Kristofer Habeger, speaking of Karla Piatti s fused glass abstracts. My first thought was impressive! The way the light hits them it s the perfect place for them. Karla s flowing glass shapes are mounted on acrylic canvases, bathed in sunset hues of pink and gold. Metallic-toned accents sparkle in the sun. Pointing to the title Plume, Kristofer adds, It could be a plume of water, or fire, or a feathery plume. The glowing abstract forms spark imagination. Closer to the conference rooms, Lindsey Lyons paintings spark the imagination in a different way. Like favorite book illustrations, they hint at storytelling. Her painting Books takes us to a dark Victorian-style den, with red drapes pulled to reveal a sunnier scene outside. Fairies, dwarves and a dragon move about playfully in the somber room story characters coming to life and giving new life to their surroundings. A quiet corner gives focus to Rebecca Evans photography. She memorializes her time in Cuba with the composition Laundry/Havana. The washed, worn, mostly white clothing hangs neatly above a battered wrought-iron balcony, its white reflected light contrasting with shabby surroundings. Rebecca captures the scene with a timeless dignity. Nearby, Kathy Mitchell s painting Reaching for the Light sets red geraniums and their intense green foliage against a velvety-black background. Petals and leaf tips stretch for sunlight, bathed in a golden glow that echoes the walls around them. By the door, Susan Schenk s oil Distant Light takes us to a shady woodland scene with a subtle sunny backlight. Like her works currently on display at the 221 Gallery (see companion article in this newsletter), her distinctive textured brushwork adds a special dimension to her work. This rotation will be on display through July 8th. Take time to see it and let the special light-filled walls of art brighten your day! Volume 7 / Issue 6 June

8 Mark Your Calendars! Saturday, June 21, am - 5 pm OregOn City Carnegie Library Park Friends of the Oregon City Public Library and the Three Rivers Artist Guild are hosting the Second Annual Carnegie Art Show at Library Park on Saturday, June 21, 2014 from 10 am till 5 pm. Please join us for this second Annual Art Event with local artists in the park. Come and see your favorite TRAG artists on the beautiful grounds of the Carnegie Library! Oregon City Carnegie Library Park 606 John Adams Street Oregon City, OR Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014

9 OregOn s First City CelebratiOn! July 26, am to 9pm In historic downtown Oregon City. Learn more at thefirstcity.org Local Wine Art Entertainment Family Fun 169 Years Looking for Call to Artists information? Be sure to sign up for: RACC (Regional Arts & Culture Council) at Clackamas Arts Alliance at Both sites offer a phenomenal call to artist section. Volume 7 / Issue 6 June

10 Moonrise Bruce Hudson How to Close More Art Sales Online by Carolyn Edlund Is there a way to reach customers online as effectively as you can in person? What if you could provide a shopping experience that meets or exceeds your collector s needs? Then it would be easier than ever for them to say yes. There is no perfect substitute for meeting potential collectors of your artwork in person. Shaking their hand, sharing your story and your inspiration, listening to their impressions of your work and their questions are critical parts of the sale. Especially with original artwork, the texture, size and color are best shown when you can meet face to face. On the other hand, the market is now global and you simply won t have the opportunity to meet most of your prospective collectors in person. More and more, art buyers are making their purchases online and it is where the future lies for many artists. This is why you must know how to maximize sales of your artwork for the virtual consumer. Buyers shopping on your website won t make a purchase unless they have sufficient information and a comfort level that allows them to make the commitment. You as the artist must overcome those challenges. Fortunately, technology has provided some very effective ways to do this. Choices include various image sizes, canvas, paper, framed, unframed and more. Courtesy: Art Storefronts I recently had the opportunity to try out Art Storefronts, a new artist website provider that allows you to give just that type of experience to your customers. Art or photography can be offered, and shown, in both color and black & white, on multiple surfaces paper, canvas, aluminum and other substrates. The best part, though, is the visual in situ experience that the artist can give to the buyer. Your uploaded image 10 Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014

11 is translated instantly into any of hundreds of options, showing various framed and unframed looks in virtually any size. The shopper can change wall color and room views, which helps them imagine owning your art in as close an experience as possible to bringing it into their own home or office. In situ options instantly adjust to image size, wall color and even type of room. Courtesy: Art Storefronts As an individual artist selling your work, using this type of technology gives you the edge to compete in the big leagues on a robust platform that can really wow your customer. If you want to construct an online offering that closes more sales, you will need to: Provide an easily navigable website Present your work with impeccable professionalism, using multiple views and in situ photos that inspire trust in viewers Create an About page that builds credibility and speaks to the needs of the buyer Add value by telling your story in a compelling way, and sharing benefits to your customer Show prices of your work and provide a shopping cart An art website with these elements will show your work beautifully and create a comfortable environment in which to make a purchase. Then, stay in touch with your customers on an ongoing basis to encourage more sales and drive referrals. Once you have cultivated new collectors, selling them more of your work is easier than ever. Volume 7 / Issue 6 June

12 The Power of Repeat Sales by Carolyn Edlund In your business planning, be sure to create a marketing calendar that includes ongoing communication with your existing customers. I ve seen case after case where artists simply don t consider their existing customers to be a priority thus losing out on what may be one of their biggest sources of income! Use these strategies to grow sales from your existing customer base: Give excellent customer service. Thank your customer for their purchase; over-deliver on their expectations. And in your communications, mention that you appreciate them becoming a collector of your work. Set the stage right away for future contact and also future sales. Create ongoing income through repeat sales to existing customers and grow your business. Perhaps you run a production studio and ship your work regularly to wholesale accounts. Or, you might be cultivating collectors of your original art, encouraging them to purchase more as time goes by for themselves or as gifts. No matter the situation, making repeat sales is a powerful use of leverage to grow your business. It isn t easy to land new customers. Usually it s a numbers game. You have to reach out to many people who may be interested in your work, narrow down your hot prospects, and close the sale whenever you can. This process takes time, money and energy which does not diminish over time when all of your customers are new. Selling to existing customers is easier; it takes less investment from you. Repeat customers are already fans. They know you and they like your art. You have created a trusting relationship by delivering work that pleases them. So of course you don t have the resistance that you must always face with new potential customers. Those repeat customers are not only perfect prospects for more sales, but they can provide testimonials for you, and refer you to others, thus giving you warm leads. You may not be selling to your existing customers again right away, but that doesn t mean that you don t stay in touch. In fact, you should be reaching out regularly so they remember you, and when they are ready to make future art purchases, your name comes to mind. Stay in touch. Ever notice that when you make an online purchase, the company keeps in touch? That s because they understand the power of repeat sales. You can do the same thing, too. You don t have to harass your customers just send them occasional, but regular s and direct mail, and invite them to connect on social media to let them know you are still around, and that your art is still wonderful and available. Create new work. As you continue to produce in the studio, share this with your customer base. Who doesn t love to see what is new and exciting? Bring your newest art to the attention of people who already appreciate you. Present work that is a fit for your customer. Keep track of the type of work your customers purchase. Then, you are in a position to suggest similar work, perhaps the next piece in a series that you are creating. When you customize your contact, it gets noticed. Write an individual that relates to your customer s last purchase and invite them to see what else you have. Most people love the fact that they know the artist and are happy to hear from you. Ask for referrals. Let all your collectors know that much of your business is referral driven. Then, politely ask your good customers if they know of anyone else who would appreciate your art. There are a lot of strategies to drive referral business, which will give you even more existing customers to sell to again! 12 Volume 7 / Issue 6 June 2014

13 Calls for Artists Paint Out, June 26 - July 10, 2014 Art Show, July 12-13, 2014 Paint the lavender fields of Oregon from June 26 - July 10, You may enter up to five completed paintings in the Yamhill Lavender Festival & Plein Air Art Show. The show is held at Beaulah Park in Yamhill, Oregon. This public show and sale is part of the annual Oregon Lavender Festival. The lavender fields are located in NW Oregon, The Southern Willamette Valley, Central Oregon, and Southern Oregon. Maps to participating farms will be provided to registered artists. Preregistration for the Paint Out is required. Paintings must be produced between June 26 and July 10, Paintings are required to depict visible lavender plants or flowers in the painting. Cost to register is $25 which admits three paintings to the show. Two additional paintings may be entered for $5 each, for a total of five per artist. Painting sales during the Festival will be conducted by Festival Staff. Payment for sold work will be made to the artists by July 31, A commission of 20% will be retained by the Festival to assist in covering costs. With the artists permission, paintings may be selected from the show for use in future Yamhill Lavender Festival and/or Oregon Lavender Festival promotional materials. Additional Paint Out information and maps will be sent to all registered artists via . Please provide an address. LavenderPaintOut@gmail.com Painting by Karen Whitworth Questions? Name: Mailing Address: City, State, Zip: Phone: Your FB (for marketing): Your website (for linking): Your Medium: Mail registration form with $25 to: Yamhill Lavender Festival PO Box 166 Yamhill, OR Make checks payable to YCRC ($35 after June 1, 2014) Volume 7 / Issue 6 June