Cat Portrait or Cat Painting... Yours and Mine or Mine and Yours?

This cat painting is my latest piece, 6" x 6", in acylics on a fat, gallery wraped canvas.  Could be a portrait, but it's not...it's not a commission.

This year will be different from all of my other years as an artist; this year will be the one where I sell "live and in person" at shows and so I am painting what I like and hoping to find someone who likes it as much as I do!

This is so different from relying on commissions, only.  Before I start a cat or dog commission, it's been sold and the client has had as much input into the decisions surrounding it as they want.  I KNOW they will love it because it stars their pet or kid.

Art like this?  A little on the scary side!

But it's very rewarding, too.  There's something about just reaching deep inside myself and pulling out what I want, what I like, what I hope to accomplish that's exhilerating...sink or swim!

My gut feeling is that there is an "audience" for this type of work from me, but that means putting on my salesgirl cap and finding them.  It is a total reversal of "ownership" from commissions.  I feel like commissions are yours, then mine, then back to you.  With painting on the hope of selling, it's mine and it's yours. Hopefully.  So a key comfort zone portion is gone.

I think, though, that growth is so totally necessary for artists.  I have seen the by-products of artists who never take a chance, who are painting or drawing exactly the same way they did 15 or 20 years ago because it worked for them then.  They can't see the staleness and lack of verve in the art itself and blame the economy or other artists charging less than they do or Chinese copyists or too much competition or something outside themselves.  I don't want to fall into that trap.  I truly believe there's a home for art that's exciting and fresh and comes from the heart and YES, takes a bit of a chance.  You'll notice this isn't my usual medium, it's acrylics on canvas.  And I don't know about you, but I LOVE THIS!!!  Robin

My Commission Dog, Cat, Pet Portrait Site is http://robinzebley/
This piece and others like it are in my shop at Etsy or by contacting me.
My up to the minute Facebook Page is http://facebook.com/artistrobinzebley

I welcome your comments!!

The Beginning:

That's my dad and me. He and my wonderful, late mom loved me and encouraged me, pushed me and enjoyed me. And by example taught me how to be a wife and how to be a mom and how to just...be interested in the world.

I'm not all quite sure why I'm doing this blog, except that I talk about my life and art a lot both in real life and on the net, and think this will be an interesting way to share my art with you, but to push me creatively as well. Plus, my friends have been encouraging me, they say it's so much fun, so let's give it a go!

I do have fun stories to share, thoughts about "second bloom" artists like myself, will do some demonstrations and even have some art for sale. If art and animals and creativity in later in life interests you, I'd love you join the conversation!