Edmonton Expo 2014

I will be exhibiting at the Edmonton Expo again this year. 
September 26-28 - Edmonton Expo Centre
See you there!

Find me in the Artist Alley.

TABLE E17

SEPTEMBER 26-28

Find me on Tumblr

I have sort of abandoned my Blog! I recently signed up on Tumblr and I use that far more frequently.

Please visit me there. It's much more interesting.  TUMBLR PAGE

I also now have a Twitter, so if you prefer @tempeststudioss

Busy, busy, busy.

Time flies when you have no time to think!

Its amazing how you can fill your life up with a simple change like getting a new day job. That's what has happened to me. I started a new job and tripled the number of hours I was working. Gah!

On the art front nothing slowed down as I had planned it. I thought I was doing pretty well, getting my artwork done on time, and finishing up projects, but as soon as one project ended 2 seemed to replace it. I have had so many things. SO MANY THINGS!

I was lucky to participate in the In The Round exhibit at Graven Feather gallery/studio in Toronto.
http://www.gravenfeather.ca/

I finished a whole whack of artist trading cards, from swaps that I had joined months ago. You can see those in my gallery over at Illustrated Atc's.
http://www.illustratedatcs.com/forum/gallery/index.php?u=1041

The video game project was put on hold while we worked on a campaign for Kickstarter. I designed a great many things to give away as rewards to those amazing enough to donate. Wallpapers, buttons, stickers, posters, and original artwork.
http://www.sunsetoverlievnos.com/

PLUS, through it all I have been organizing and getting to the production of a whole new body of work for a solo painting exhibition, An Alberta Aviary, which shall be going on tour starting in February.

And then there are still a couple of things I just couldn't say no to.
Like this Exhibit for a Sailor Moon themed tribute show. I sent in my submission and i'm hopeful they will select me as one of the artists to represent my all time favorite Anime. :)
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/moon-crisis-a-sailor-moon-tribute-show

Lots of work!

I have so many tv shows recorded my pvr doesn't know what hit it.

Sunset Over Lievnos

Part of the reason I have only managed one post a month on my blog has to do with the insane amount of work I have been doing on this project.

Sunset Over Livenos is a medieval style video game a friend and I are creating for the Ipad. Follow the link and check it out. I have lots of posts there specific to my illustrations and also some work in progress stuff, and other info.

http://www.sunsetoverlievnos.com/

Calgary Expo 2013

I shall be in the Artist Alley of the 2013 Calgary Expo. So excited! :) This convention is shaping up to be the biggest in Canada, so its really drawing great guests, artists, and lots and lots of people.

http://www.calgaryexpo.com/

I shall be in G5 and G6, along with my pals, and also representing Crown Nation and our video game Sunset Over Lievnos (which will be demoing by then).

I will post more about my preperations for the show closer to the event. ♥

Just a block away from the Expo Store, and right near an entrance. :)

Edmonton Expo / Phase Three

What I learned at the Ed Expo.

- Star Wars is super popular! I would say the majority of costumes were from Starwars. There was also a good turn out of Steampunk, and Star Trek, as well as Marvel and DC comic characters (mostly Avengers).

- If you want to make cash, make Fan Art. I admit I was a little high brow with my attitude that I didn't need to make no fan art. Facts are that people go to an entertainment con to collect things, to add to the things, of the things they collect. One of my fellow Artist Alley neighbours put it best, that we need to have fan art in order to get attention. Once you have their attention you can segway into introducing the customer to your own, original work. Makes perfect marketing sense to me.

- Next time I shall be making art and taking commissions right there, at my table. A lot of the artists were doing it, and I think the attendees really like to watch the artists at work.

- Don't eat sushi at a Vietnamese restaurant. My brother (who was my helper for the weekend) got deathly sick from food poisoning after eating bad teriyaki chicken. It was really bad.

- Cons are expensive. The average attendee spends around $200.00. A small portion of this is for merch, including art. The majority of it gets spent on admission, photo ops and signatures from the celebs, and food/drink. Im going to make sure I have lots of small items to buy.

- Having a helper lets you get away to actually see the con you are at. I barely got a chance to walk around. I wish I had taken more time to see the sights. I was planning on doing that on Sunday, but my brother was food poisoned, so I didnt get that chance. Next time.

- I met great people. :) Everyone there wants to have a good time, so in general the atmosphere is really positive.

Edmonton Expo / Phase Two

The weekend is over! What a weekend. Totally exhausting, but I learned so much about this whole comic con thing. Thanks especially to my fellow Artist Alley artists. Most of you are old hats at this so I really appreciated the Yoda like knowledge you passed on to me.

Here is my table set up.

I will change a lot of this for next year (and hopefully the Calgary Expo in the spring). There are definitely better ways to execute a display, plus I had much less room than I thought I would have. The table was 6x2 feet. I seems most people like to be able to flip through a portfolio style book (of prints) so that's the first thing to change.

I did get a lot of attention with my "Drawing with Paint" technique, so that was great. I love texture, everyone loves texture. :) Most of this work is actually a few years old, and I'm a MUCH better painter now. I'm going to have to create some new paintings to showcase that.

I was so happy I had that sign made. It really looked great.

click to magnify
Taken early Saturday morning. Before the crowds.

Here is a 360 degree view of the Expo from my table.

The Expo was a huge success, in my opinion. They exceeded the attendance expectation at 14'000 people. Everything looked great. They had excellent celebrity and creative guests. I wish I had, had time to attend a couple of the Panels. Next time I'm going to make time for that.

Perhaps the best thing that happened was meeting Laurie B! Right at the end of the show she stopped by my table, and even bought one of my chapbooks. Awesomesauce! I admit I didn't know very much about her, but after reading her blog and checking out more of her work I am super inspired. She is really real, and honest, and authentic, AND she attended Red Deer College (like me)! What I think I like the most about her is that even though she has achieved a great amount of recognition and success, she is still striving for growth and seeking to achieve personal goals. Wow! You give em hell, Laurie!
http://www.artoflaurieb.com/

Edmonton Expo / Phase One

I set up my table at the Expo today, all ready for Saturday and Sunday. Here is hoping I have a great weekend for sales, and im sure the experience is going to be great.

While I was setting up (I was a keener and there really early), Camilla d'Errico was also setting up her table, so I just went over and introduced myself. :) She was very friendly, and after a brief conversation about Con's I told her I would wave occasionally, and she said she would invent an apperatus for throwing spit-balls my way. ^_^ I hope she is sooo busy she only has time to imagine one. ;)

Here is one of my favorites of Camilla's. Yeah, she's a pretty great painter.

www.camilladerrico.com

Edmonton Expo / Wares

So here are a few of the things I shall be taking with me to the Edmonton Expo on the 20th.

Artist Trading Cards. You collect those, right?
$5 each.

Pin Back buttons.
This is the cool bowl I shall be using for display.
$2 each. 1.5 inches each.

Yuki-Onna. I had this Chapbook printed specifically for the show.
Its 32 pages, at 8.5 x 5.5 inches.
Its totally awesome, with both the folk story and
my illustrations.
$12 each, black and white.

Ye ol Studio

I thought it was about time to post a photo of my studio.

Key features ...
- Big ass table, with glass top.
- Lots of blank canvas's.
- Chair with handmade pillows.
- Drawers and cabinet to put things in.
- Couch ... for fainting spells, and back stretching.
- Antique Chandelier, cuz its pretty. :)

Edmonton Comic Expo ... I'll Be THERE!

This will be my first time at a Comic Con, and I am so excited. This is the first year for the Edmonton Expo. You may have heard of its big sister the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo or CCEE which happens in April.

Last year over 60'000 people attended the Calgary convention (mostly because of the main attraction with a full reunion of the Star Trek: Next Generation cast!), so it would be totally awesome if both the Calgary and Edmonton become huge success's. What a boon to Alberta in general.

Anyway, the Edmonton Expo, which I am showin the ol wears at will be on Saturday October 20th, and Sunday October 21st.

CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE!!! www.edmontonexpo.com

I will be in the Artist Alley at booth F2.

More posts to come leading up to the Expo, so stay tuned.

Lacombe Art Exhibit and Sale / April 20,21,22

This year I will be returning to the Annual Lacombe Show. I will be displaying my work with fellow artist Jeri-Lynn Ing, so check it out! Its always a great show with lots of great art, and many people wait all year to buy art from the local artists represented during the weekend.

http://www.lacombe.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1892&Itemid=101

" The 13th Annual Lacombe Art Exhibit & Sale will be held on April 20, 21 & 22 at the Lacombe Memorial Center 5214 – 50th Avenue in Lacombe. Featuring the works of over 70 Alberta artists, this event runs from 1 – 8pm on Friday, 11 – 5 on Saturday and 11- 4 on Sunday. Admission is a mere $4.00! "

I will have some of my bird paintings, some of my Foliage work, a whole bunch of my miniature illustrations, PLUS greeting cards.

See you there.

New Website Design

I am pretty certain that I want to completely re-design my website.

Its about time that I did this, since I designed it, like, 7 years ago. The process is daunting however. I have gotten so used to the clunky thing, but its old, and too big, and lots of parts are unnecessary, PLUS the fact that I just dont update it ... at all anymore.

It takes soooooo much time to do.

Anyway, I have started making my wish list for all the changes I want to make and planning how im going to stream line it all. I am no longer attached to the idea that ever single piece of art I have ever created needs to be represented on my website. Some sites, of other artists, that I really like only have minimal artwork in the gallery. The best of the best. I LIKE THIS IDEA. Why am I wasting energy presenting artwork that isnt my best. The website is supposed to be a virtual business card, a portfolio, a first impression and I want it to show off my BEST. Plus I have new plans, new directions that are not the same as the ones I had 7 years ago, so my website should reflect that too.

Its going to be tough letting go of a lot of it. There are quite a few pieces that I wont show anymore, even though I really like them. How does one decide?!

Happy Belated New Year

I hope everyone had a great holiday season.

My holidays are always very busy, punctuated with moments of quiet. My family is very small so its always a relaxing few days over Christmas and the New Year. Not much goes on in the household except movie watching, sleeping and eating. I recieved some very nice gifts, which I am really looking forward to using, watching and reading. :)

I have some new artworks to show, which shall be posted soon. Just getting back into the swing of things. I always find my January is about organizing and tying up loose ends. So not much actual artwork gets done.

The weather has been absolutely outrageous. So warm and mild and sunny! Thats very strange for Alberta in the Winter. It's been plus 10 degees some days. I think it might have hit 15, but generally hanging around 0. The weather man keeps talking about all the records being broken. What snow we have is shrinking daily, and the flowering bulbs are trying to grow. Bizaarr.

The big news is that I have moved my art studio out of my home and into a space downtown. This is going to be a big change for me since im a bit of a night owl, and now im going to have to change my shedule to painting during the day. I think it will be good though. More will get done without those distractions that are inevitable when you work from home.

Awesome Week

... so far. :)

Not only is the weather totally awesome (20-30 degrees and sunny and warm and all Fall like), but I have been given a couple of great pats on the back.

First, my Bluejay Aria painting sold at the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond. I was sooooo happy that my blue friend finally found a home!

Second, the same painting (Bluejay Aria) was also featured on Deviant Art as one of their Daily Deviations. :) For those of you who dont follow DA, its a huge accolade as it gets placed in a premium spot on the website and many, many, many people are exposed to your (in this case my) art.

http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2010/03/2.html

My gallery has had over 2000 visits since the painting was featured. Thats pretty swell in my book. Not to mention the painting being sold gives me a big boost of self-esteem and motivates me to get painting (not to mention the nice boost to the ol bank account).

Prints!

Update! Update!

I have decided to make some reproductions of my atc's. Thanks to the amazing print shop I am working with, they are NOW available through my Etsy Shop.

The first ones available will be my "Creepy Girl" series.
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2011/05/girls-atcs.html

If there is a particular one of my atc's you would like to see made into a print, let me know.

Also, the Bluerock Gallery in Black Diamond has their hands all over my miniature Stone Icons. Check out their website to see which ones.
http://bluerockgallery.enstore.com/browse/erika,esc,schulz/1

New Gallery For Me!

So, today I made a drive down through Southern Alberta to a place called Black Diamond. It was with the purpose of visiting an art gallery called Bluerock.

Its such a great Gallery, and a really cute cowboy town, not to mention the beautiful scenery. I totally recommend the drive.

The other reason you NEED to visit the Bluerock is to check out my Bird Paintings in their new habitat. Yes, Bluerock is showing my work to the southern ab crowd. :) So happy.

Check out the website. http://www.bluerockgallery.ca/
"Like" their facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/bluerockgallery/
And while you are at it plan a trip. http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=110+centre+ave,+black+diamond,+ab&sll=49.891235,-97.15369&sspn=31.615483,91.494141&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=110+Centre+Ave+W,+Black+Diamond,+Division+No.+6,+Alberta+T0L+0H0&z=16

Get Motivated

I just havent had that feeling, that desire to be truely creative. I wouldnt call it an Artist Block, because I still have lots of ideas, and inspiration. When it comes to actually getting down to it my motivation evaporates.

I have lots of excuses. An above average work shedule, crappy weather, my house is getting a fresh coat of paint, but really I have to be honest because I think the real reason is still the lingering effect of my Grandmothers passing. I have been thinking about it quite a bit and its interesting how these kinds of things can truely change a person. I feel changed. Fundamentally. I dont know how though and in what ways, which is why I just cant bring my self to paint.

Now that all being said I am still really, really enjoying my escapades in my Miniature art cards. I love makeing them. I love being involved in IllustratedATC's and joining themed swaps, and doing custom trades. Its a real joy, and I am very fulfilled by it artistically. Maybe that more than anything is the real reason I havent tackled a canvas in 4 months.

4 months. That doesnt sound like that long of a time when I write it down. It certainly feels much longer. I am always very consious of the timeline of my year. They have been going by so fast lately. I watched Oprah's interview with Shirley Mclean the other week, and Shirley talked about our spiritual sense of SPEED. Of the world moving so fast, and it was so true. Thats exactly how I feel. Its like im standing in an energy wind tunnel and its all moving so fast, and im being swept along with it.

Getting back into the swing.

It has been a long time since I have updated this blog. Whats been happening? Well, lots of stuff. I have to go back a bit though.

I finished my last large painting "Falcon Allegro" on Nov 5th, the same day my Grandmother passed away. Today (Mar 8th) one of my goldfish died, and I guess im feeling a bit nostalgic, which is why I decided it was time to get back to blogging.

I will be going a bit backwards as I post new artworks and the like, since I like those to be chonological, so while this post will be at the top of the list, there will be a lot of new artwork poping up with earlier dates tagged to them (even though they have never been shown on this blog before). Confused yet? Its ok, its happens to me all the time.

So, last November I was wrapped up in family life, and Christmas, and all that jazz. I decided to take a little break from my art to re-energize. Those words were no sooner spoken to myself, when I "vollunteered" to create an exhibit to be on display in January. I spent the better part of December creating 10 new paintings all inspired by my Pop Jellies.
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2009/07/paintings-july-6-12.html

After I was done, I was totally ready for that break, and I haven't painted with my acrylics at all so far this year. Instead I have been having fun with my ATC hobby, and doing a lot of trading and collecting of little miniatures.

I dont know what the rest of the year is going to bring, but I have dusted off my paint and canvas, and I have started a new "Bird" painting. I have a large 36x60 canvas with Cedar Waxwings on the go, and plans for two 40x40 canvas's jumping off from this ... http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2010/04/3.html.

Keep your eyes peeled for more posts featuring ALL the art cards I have drawn over the last 4 months, and some deep sea creature paintings which were featured in my Jan Exhibit "Of Patterns and Sea Creatures".

Edit: Posted some photos. :)
http://tempeststudios.blogspot.com/2011/03/of-patterns-and-sea-creatures-exhibit.html

Of Patterns and Sea Creatures Exhibit

Here are a few shots from my January Exhibition, "Of Patterns and Sea Creatures". I haven't had a chance to do any real photography of the artworks because my camera has been on the fritz, but you get an idea of the work.
*Click on an image to magnify.*

The large hexagon canvas is a Nautilus.