Introducing...

I've decided it's time to reveal a project I've had in the conceptual and developmental stage for the past 2 years. TravelingArtists.TV

As many of you know, I make my living traveling through out the United States showing and selling my art at some of the most prestigious art festivals around. I drive to nearly 30 fairs around the country and log sometimes 40,000 miles on my truck and trailer each year. This extensive itinerary not only allows me to make a living with my art but it also puts me in touch with many of the best artists in the world. It takes a special personality to be a traveling artist and this shows in our art as well as the way we communicate with our buyers.

Art festivals are our stage and our performances are held under our white canopies where we display our art and engage our customers. This direct contact between me, the artist and the attending patrons of the festival often times is all it takes to validate why they should buy from me. Not only do they walk away with a piece of my art but they leave with my story, one they can remember every time they look at it hanging on their wall.

There are thousands of "Me's" out there and my new blog TravelingArtists.TV with bring you their stories through lens of my video camera. I'm in the process of editing the dozens of videos I've already taken and hope to be able to interview many more of the interesting characters I come into contact with at every festival I do. I intend to cross post these videos both here on my personal blog as well as on my new, yet un-launched TravelingArtists.TV as soon as my new blog platform is complete.

Well, now the cat's out of the bag. I hope you enjoy theses artist's stories as much as I have capturing them.

Just one word....

A good friend of mine and fellow artist, John Ashley has just created a very poignant short video clip that I'd like to share with you. A very talented photographer whose works can be viewed here on his website John Ashley Fine Art Photography. Thanks for sharing John.

New artist discoveries

One of the things I do that makes my life as a traveling artist so fun and rewarding is that I am constantly meeting new (at least to me) and exciting artists. Each weekend during the "season" set up my booth amongst hundreds of other artists some my friends, others are artists that I have not had the pleasure of meeting and exploring their art yet.

Because 95% of the time I travel to these shows solo, leaving my wife to act as the sole caregiver to our horses, goats, cats and dog back at home, I don't often get a chance to stroll the isles of the festival I'm selling at during actual show hours. Sometimes I get the rare opportunity to have a "booth sitter" spell me for 10 or 15 minutes during the day for a quick trip to the restroom or to grab a bite to eat. These breaks are never long enough to allow me to browse booth to booth checking out other artists works.

So, the majority of the new art I'm exposed to are the artists that are set up in the near proximity to my own booth. Depending on how busy the show is will determine how much time can be spent examining these new found work.

A habit that I've gotten into for the last few years is when I discover a new artist that I would like to check out further, I grab one of their business cards and "surf" their website either later that evening after the show is done for the day or once I return home. It's becoming more rare to find an artist I like that DOESN'T have their own website. By the time these artists I meet get to the level of shows that we're doing together (normally the top 600 US shows) they have discovered many different way to succeed in their art careers and a variety of ways to promote their work and their own website is high on the list.

That said, while checking out some of these artist's sites, I've often find links to still others art sites that I was previously unaware existed. I love that. Some of the most creative artists showing today, I've discovered this way. I've decided to share some of these "finds" with you here on my blog. Some will be links to their websites but others might be videos I've embedded here for you to watch. Either way, I hope to turn you on to other cool artists that you otherwise might not have had the opportunity to see.

Sketch Tuesday

While researching ideas to help jump start a gallery that I show in located in Sandpoint, Idaho, I came across this unique event held at the 111 Minna Gallery in San Francisco. Check it out, very cool and fresh. If you enjoy this video you can find others over at a "must see" site that I check out daily called SFGate.com. These videos are done by Matt Petty in the "Art Adventures" section.