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Contemplating Meaning: The Musings of an Artist

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Digital Printing Has Killed the Limited Edition Print.

Art Naturally Posted on September 2, 2009 by Mary AhernSeptember 3, 2009 1

The historic use of limiting editions of prints was during a time when prints were made from art carved or drawn onto stone, wood or other surfaces that degraded with use. As more impressions were made the surface wore out and the image became less crisp. Limiting the quantity of the printing run helped to control the quality of the print and of course the value.

Digital printing does not suffer from this problem since there is no degradation in resolution, or crispness, from one print to the next. In fact, what can happen as technology evolves and equipment gets better and faster, later prints may be of higher quality then original prints made years earlier in the cycle.

New Technology Offers New Forms of Creativity

So how do I offer my customers a solution to their desire for a unique piece of my Art rather then the Open Edition pieces I generally offer?

red-rose-custom

Custom Art Work Created Just For You

Custom Editions brings my customers into a collaborative effort in the artistic process of helping me to create a unique Art Work specific for their home or office design ideas.

Here’s how:

You select a piece of Art from my array of Standard Digital or Traditional Paintings.

  1. I can print your selection on different surfaces like Fine Arts Paper or Canvas.
  2. I can put different finishes on each canvas print, i.e. Matte, Semi-Gloss or Gloss.
  3. My standard work is designed in a 3×4 aspect ratio, i.e. the height to width relationship. I can customize the composition to fulfill specific sizing.
  4. I can print at any size that would work for the space you have in mind. Super-size up to 64 inches and mini-sizes for grouping.
  5. I can customize the colors, most particularly, the backgrounds, to suit your design ideas.
  6. I can combine traditional paint with your digital print to make a truly one-of-a-kind Art Work.
  7. I can customize framing or do away with framing altogether using the Gallery Wrapped canvas style.

If you can think of it I can probably do it.

Let’s get started on your Custom Editions collaboration. Visit my website for additional information.

Call me, Mary Ahern at 631-757-9459

Or email me at mary@MaryAhernArtist.com

Let’s make Art together!

______________________________

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Posted in Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art | Tagged Art, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art, Creativity, Design, Digital Art, Selling Art, Traditional Art | 1 Reply

Westhampton Beach Fine Arts Festival. Day 2.

Art Naturally Posted on August 4, 2009 by Mary AhernAugust 4, 2018  

Today was the second and last day of the 37th Annual Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce Mary O. Fritchie Outdoor Juried Art Show

The overcast weather encouraged many customers to come out and enjoy purchasing Art

The overcast weather encouraged many customers not to go to the beach but to come out and enjoy purchasing ArtThe weather took quite a change from yesterday’s very sunny and overly hot and humid conditions. The humidity stayed but the sun and extreme heat disappeared.

The show opened officially at 10am and was very busy for quite a few hours. People were in a buoyant and buying mood, which was very nice to see. The current economic environment is still oppressive but many folks seemed to be carrying home their treasured purchases, large and small.

Behind the scenes is my husband Dave prepping additional Designer Prints for sale

I enjoyed so much seeing customer/friends who stopped by to catch up on life. Some of these collectors began buying work from me when I was showing my traditional Botanical mixed media paintings at Art Shows and Festivals. That was quite some years ago. I love hearing that they’re still enjoying seeing my Art hanging in their homes!

About 3:30 while standing talking to visitors, I could feel the weather abruptly change. Apparently so did many others since there was a slow but steady departure of customers over the course of the next half hour. After checking by phone with various friends living around Long Island, we knew a storm was coming through.

The weather changed and you could feel rain coming even before the drizzle started

I made the decision to break down an hour earlier than the official end of the show. Good thing we did. My husband Dave and I have the set-up and take down very well coordinated and we packaged the Art, the furniture and the tent very quickly. We completed the dissembling and loading of the trailer in an hour and a half. By the time all was loaded into the trailer and I was sitting in the truck starting the engine, the rain came down in full force.

We knew the storm was coming and the customers weren’t so we packed our things and left.

We were both soaked but the Art wasn’t. We drove towards home through torrential rain and pulled safely into our flooded driveway. The storm was traveling from west to east so as we got closer to home the rain had begun to subside. By the time we showered and changed, the sun was out again. We went to eat at a restaurant with an outdoor terrace and celebrated another great Art Show.

Life is sweet!

____________________

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Westhampton Beach Fine Arts Festival – Day 1

Art Naturally Posted on August 1, 2009 by Mary AhernAugust 4, 2018
Mary Ahern artist booth at Westhampton Beach art show.

The customers came to see the show early in the day before or later, after they visited the beach

Today, August 2009 was the first day of the 37th Annual Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce Mary O. Fritchie Outdoor Juried Art Show

The weather was very humid and in the high 80’sF which made it extremely uncomfortable when bringing in the Art from the trailer and setting it up in the festival booth. We brought in the furniture which helps to complete the showroom aspect of the booth. I bought the desk from Pro Panels, the print racks from Richeson via Blick and the bookcases Home Decorators.

We hung the awnings to keep the sun off the Art and the Artist but it really didn’t provide any relief from the heat. If I didn’t move at all I could tolerate the heat but that didn’t happen for most of the day.

The bad thing about a sunny day in the Hamptons is that the customers spend most of their time at the beach rather than shopping. Traffic was heavy when the show opened at ten and again at 3 when the heat started to calm down.

It is very tricky to do an Art Show in a vacation beach resort. You want slightly overcast so no one goes to the beach but no rain or wind. It is hard to book the exact perfect weather for an Art Show, but I keep trying.

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Westhampton Beach Fine Arts Festival Set-up

Art Naturally Posted on July 31, 2009 by Mary AhernAugust 5, 2018  

What: 37th Annual Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce Mary O. Fritchie Outdoor Juried Art Show.

When: Saturday, August 01, 2009  10:00 AM
Sunday, August 02, 2009  10:00 AM

Where: The Westhampton Beach Village Green
& Mill Road between Main Street & Church Lane. Westhampton Beach, NY 11978

Side curtains are attached to the frame by a system of zippers and straps

Side curtains are attached to the frame by a system of zippers and straps

So since we checked the weather report and noticed that MORE RAIN is expected later in the evening, my husband Dave and I drove out to Westhampton Beach, (about an hour from our home) to set up our show booth earlier on Friday than usual. We’ve been doing this show now for a few years and pay for it a year in advance so we can get the same spot on the Village Green. It is space #47 in case you’re dropping by.

As you can see we were among the earliest Artists to show up. Considering how the wind picked up I’m hoping we made the right decision. We like setting up the day before since it is so hectic in the morning with over 120 Artists trying to bring in their tents and move in their Art. The amount of parking is minimal and the amount of trucks, vans and trailers is great.

 

At Art Festivals we try to set the booth up the day before and bring then the Art in on Show day

At Art Festivals we try to set the booth up the day before and bring then the Art in on Show day

We have found over time that once we set up the EZ-up tent and zip up the 4 heavy-duty side curtains the wind blows around it rather than under. We bought the mesh panels and side curtains from Flourish.com. We also have 4 bags, each filled with about 45 pounds of sand, suspended from each strut holding down each corner. This park has an underground sprinkler system so you can’t use stakes to anchor the tent as you can in some shows.

 

Setting up the tent, mesh panels, side curtains and weights took us about an hour. We’ve really streamlined our workflow.

____________________

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Krinkled White Peony

Art Naturally Posted on July 23, 2009 by Mary AhernJune 9, 2016

I’ve just created a series of digital paintings of a Krinkled White Peony that was blooming in my garden this past June.

For my inspiration I chose an herbaceous white single peony that was introduced into cultivation in 1928. The plant grows to about 3 feet tall and wide. This year with all the rain it grew so very tall that I had to add a peony cage to one of them since it was so heavy due to the huge amount of flowers that it produced.

A single white "Krinkled Peony" which grew in my garden this June.

A single white “Krinkled Peony” which grew in my garden this June.

The petals are so delicate they remind me of crepe paper that I used to use when I made my paper flowers as a child. The golden yellow stamens add a dramatic accent.

One of the very rare sunny spots in my garden hosts the peonies

One of the very rare sunny spots in my garden hosts the peonies.

I’ve been tending this plant for over a decade and a few years ago moved it from a rather shady location where it bloomed each year but didn’t flourish. Though most of my garden is in some percentage of shade I decided to divide and transplant this perennial into the sunniest part of my garden. Since then it has more than tripled the amount of flowers it produces.

In this series of work I’ve decided to augment the dramatic simplicity of the single peony with different colored backgrounds. Each of these pieces will work individually but they also work as a group.

Single White Peony series of digital paintings

Single White Peony series of digital paintings.

As with many of my other works, I offer these digital paintings in a variety of sizes and framing treatments. These Fine Art works are available on Fine Art paper and also on UV treated canvas either framed or gallery wrapped.

If a specific design plan comes to mind, I can also customize the color backgrounds to suit the creative intent.

I will be showing these Art Works for the first time at the Northport Art in the Park, Saturday, July 25, 2009 from noon until 5pm.

Hope you can stop by the show and say hello. If you can’t and you would like to find out more about my work, you can contact me on Facebook, Twitter, my website MaryAhernArtist.com and here on my blog by posting a comment.

——————–

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art, Garden Artist, My Garden | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art, Digital Art, Exhibitions, Flowers, Garden Artist, My Garden, Selling Art

The North Shoreian Magazine Cover and Article

Art Naturally Posted on April 8, 2009 by Mary AhernApril 8, 2009  

The North Shoreian has just published their April Home and Garden issue with my “Single Yellow Daffodil” on the front cover.
A delightful article about my work is featured inside this publication which is a magazine covering the North Shore (of Long Island) Arts, Culture & Politics.

The Column is called  “The Creatives”

Mary Ahern: Capturing a Moment in Art

by Shaughnessy Anne McKenna Dusling

If you’d like to read the whole article please click here and visit the Press section of my website.

If you’d like to see an online version of The North Shoreian  magazine please click here.

The North Shoreian April 2009 Home & Garden Issue
The North Shoreian.  April 2009 Home & Garden Issue

This is an exerpt of the article:

Classically trained painter, and Northport native, Mary Ahern, has spent the past twenty-five years studying and mastering digital painting and design. Mary’s interest in digital painting was stimulated when she was working for a company that created graphic technology for use in the television and production industry. Beginning as a salesperson in the early 1980’s, Mary began learning about the newest advances in this medium. As technology progressed, these high-tech digital systems became a practical expense for the small business owner and were readily available. In the early 1990’s, Mary invested in her own system and created her own graphic design company, Online Design. Her company was 100% digital which was unique at a time when paste-ups and mechanicals were still the norm in graphics.

Champagne Poppies on a Brown Background
Champagne Poppies on a Brown Background

In addition to graphic design, Mary has combined her interests and talent in painting to create her own style and method of art. Her digital paintings are created by using the computer as her medium. Mary trades in her paintbrushes and paints for a pressure sensitive stylus and graphic tablet…
Mary’s abilities as an artist are not limited to digital painting. As a traditional painter, Mary is very talented. Mary mixes mediums, such as watercolor, oil paints, pastels, colored pencils and graphite, to create her works of art. She has been doing traditional painting and drawing for over thirty years and her work reflects many hours of time and commitment to the art.
In addition to art, Mary is very devoted to growing a private garden. She spends many hours cultivating the soil, planting, pruning and nurturing her flowers. Not surprisingly either, she adds a degree in Ornamental Horticulture to her already impressive resume.

The Artist Mary Ahern with some of her Digital Paintings
The Artist Mary Ahern with some of her Digital Paintings

Finding something that inspires is one of the most important steps for Mary as an artist. Mary states, “It is very important that I really like the subject that I choose because I spend so much time with it…

Mary’s clear dedication to her garden transpires into her devotion to her art. On Mary’s impressive and self designed website, you can visit her two blogs. One is devoted to art in general, touching on her visits to various locations, book reviews and her journey as an artist. Mary also has a blog devoted to gardening, in which she posts photographs of her beautiful plants as they grow and transform, and even shows the plants alongside her art that she has created in homage to the specific bloom…

If you would like to learn more about North Shoreian Artist Mary Ahern, her garden, her masterpieces or to purchase her work, visit her website: http://www.MaryAhernArtist.com

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Posted in Art Shows, Art Technique, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art, Garden Artist | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art, Digital Art, Exhibitions, Garden Artist, Selling Art | Leave a reply

Art League of Long Island Show Opening

Art Naturally Posted on January 13, 2009 by Mary AhernJanuary 13, 2009  

The Art League of Long Island, also known as, ALLI,  has a show titled, “Double Take” from January 10 through February 1, 2009 in Huntington Township, NY.

The juror for the show is Peter Sloggatt, an artist, editor and freelance writer.

Art League of LI two tiered art gallery, Huntington NY
Art League of LI two tiered art gallery, Huntington NY

All media are represented from oil painting, to watercolor, digital painting and photography. There is sculpture, graphics and mixed media work on display as well.

The reception for this show was Sunday, January 11, 2009 from 3-5pm. Considering the extreme cold and ice, the attendance was extremely high.

Huntington is an art loving community and it is reflected by the vast contributions and involvement by the residents of this town in NY.

I entered my digital painting, “White Rose Pyramid” in a 16×20″ format, which was on display on the ground floor. I stayed awhile at the reception meeting folks and discussing my work.

By the time I headed for home the Giants had lost the playoffs and NY fans were in mourning.

Digital Painting, "White Rose Pyramid" by Mary Ahern
Digital Painting, “White Rose Pyramid” by Mary Ahern

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Business of Art | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Bricks & Mortar Galleries, Business of Art, Digital Art, Gallery Shows | Leave a reply

Jacqueline Penney Art Gallery & Studio

Art Naturally Posted on December 12, 2008 by Mary AhernNovember 29, 2017  

I was lucky this cold winter week in December. I went to the beach, hung out at the marina, and gazed at flower gardens in full bloom.

You think I’m kidding? Well, I’m not. I was lucky enough to visit the Jacqueline Penney Art Gallery & Studio in Cutchogue Long Island NY.  Now this is an Artist who loves sunshine! Take a look at her work at her website http://www.jacquelinepenney.net and then make an appointment to go see and collect her work.

Jackie is a real renaissance woman. She paints, she teaches and she writes books helping others to enjoy the experience of creating Art. She is a sharing and giving human being and it shows in her work.

Her beautifully re-designed 1840’s barn is at once her home, her studio working space and the gallery where she sells her work to the public. This seamless breaking down of boundaries defines a truly creative person. There is no beginning, no end, just the all-encompassing act of creating.

The way she lives and the way she lives her life describes a true Artist.

JACQUELINE PENNEY ART GALLERY & STUDIO

Jacqueline Penney Art Gallery & Studio

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The Art of Doing Business in the Arts

Art Naturally Posted on November 5, 2008 by Mary AhernJanuary 12, 2009  

As an invited speaker I will be joining a distinguished group of professional Artists to present a program directed towards The Business of Art.

The Art of Doing Business in the Arts

The program is hosted at The Southampton Cultural Center, Long Island, NY.

Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 8am – 2pm.

For add’l info go to the website My Career in the Arts.org

The theme of this event is:

BREAKING IN IS HARD TO DO

Talent alone guarantees nothing.

Talent doesn’t guarantee professional success in the arts. Whether your intended career is in dance or theatre, writing or painting, you need an entrepreneurial mindset, good contacts and competence in basic business skills: selling, negotiating, writing contracts. No one is better qualified to teach their skills than Long Island’s top visual and performing artists.

Come for the breakfast. Stay for the lunch.

8AM-8:30AM Breakfast/Registration

8:30AM-8:35AM Welcome

Kirsten Lonnie, Executive Director, Southampton Cultural Center

8:35AM – 8:45 AM The Economic Impact of the Arts

Michelle Stark, Commissioner, Office of Film & Cultural Affairs/
Suffolk County Department of Economic Development

Live music, art exhibitions, independent films and theatrical performances are revitalizing Main Streets across the country. A look at how cultural activities drive economic growth.

8:50AM – 9:00 AM Brand Me – Where Your Career Starts

Cindy Smith, ImageQuest Communications, Inc.

Not every brand comes wrapped in plastic. As a creative professional your brand creates expectations, defines your identity and expands – or limits – your opportunities. Learn how to take charge of Brand Me from the onset, and maintain control throughout your career.

9AM – 9:15AM Act I: My Career in the Arts

Josh Gladstone, Artistic Director, Guild Hall/John Drew Theatre, East Hampton

9:15AM – 9:45AM Myth-Busting: The 10 Big Lies That Keep Artists Poor

We don’t pay our contributors, we  offer exposure.” “All great artists suffer for their art.”  “We acquire  all rights.” Sound familiar?  Hear how our panelists deal with these and other myths.

Moderator: 

Bonnie Grice, radio host and director of cultural programming, WLIU-FM

Panelists: James Faith, Faith Ent., producer, Great South Bay/American Music Festivals 

Shenole Latimore, jazz musician 

Jim Lennon, photographer

Bunny Hoest, cartoonist, “The Lockhorns”

9:45AM – 10AM The Interview

Vic Skolnik, co-director, Huntington Cinema Arts Centre

One of Long Island’s most influential cultural figures, Victor Skolnick co-founded the Cinema Arts Centre in 1973, bringing year-round, top-quality international films to Long Island. He screens hundreds of films a year and showcases about 200 at the centre.

10AM -10:25AM Getting to Yes All creative people must sell. Here are three approaches.

Panelists:

Agnes Ehrenreich, owner, Chrysalis Gallery, Southampton

Lisa Kende, Manager, The Kende String Trio, Manhasset

Jacueline Penney, painter

10:25AM-10:45AM Making Friends with Technology

Today’s digital media, including the Internet, CD-roms and podcasting, enables the entrepreneurial artist to produce, market and sell his or her own work, find gigs, get media attention, find collaborators and more.. Learn strategies for successful online self-promotion; how to be part of online communities, and more.

Panelists:

Mary Ahern , Digital imagery

Rob Dircks, co-founder, Acoustic Long Island podcast

Shenole Latimer, jazz musician

10:45AM -11AM BREAK

11AM:11:15AM You’ve Got a Mouth – Now Talk

Saralee Rosenberg and Ellen Meister are both Long Islanders with new books out on the suburban female experience. They met on the book promotion circuit. They talk about how they fuel sales, one listener at a time, and how silence is decidedly not golden for authors with books to peddle.

11:15AM -11:30AM Spin Control: Gettting and Keeping Media Attention Learn what journalists look for in cultural  stories and how to get in front of them.

Panelists:Bonnie Grice, Director of Cultural Programming, WLIU-FM

11:30AM -12:15PM It’s The Law. A handshake and trust  – good. A solid contract – priceless. Learn to write enforceable contracts, to license and protect your intellectual property, and other important legal stuff..

Panelists: Kathryn Dalli, Attorney with Twomey, Latham, Shea, Kelley, Dubin & Quartararo LLP, in Riverhead Jim Lennon, Jim Lennon Photography

12:15PM – 12:45PM  Breakouts – Speed Mentoring Meet informally with speakers and other creative artists or business specialists. Exchange ideas,  ask questions, meet mentors.

1-2PM LUNCH

Keynote: Success Starts with You. Emmy-award winner and founder, Wainscott  Studios, Mitchell Kriegman Mr. Kriegman began his diverse career as a short story writer, performance artist and video artist. In the early 1980’s, he joined the team of Saturday Night Live as a performer, writer and filmmaker. Soon after, Kriegman began creating, developing and producing series for Comedy Central, Nick at Nite, Disney Channel and other cable networks. He has written for such publications as The New Yorker, National Lampoon, Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar. As the creator of shows such as, Clarissa Explains It All, Bear in the Big Blue House, and Book of Pooh, and executive head writer and developer of numerous other signature television series including Rugrats, Ren and Stimpy, Doug, and Life with Derek, Kriegman is the creator and executive producer of It’s a Big Big World, the Emmy-nominated PBS preschool series focusing on environmental awareness. Today, he owns Watermill Studios and employs a growing staff. He discusses how he did it.

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MOCA-Museum of Computing Art-Inaugural Exhibition

Art Naturally Posted on September 1, 2008 by Mary AhernAugust 20, 2018  

I was pleased to join an international group of digital artists at the inaugural exhibition of their brick-and-mortar gallery at MOCA, the Museum of Computer Art, in Brooklyn NY. The show was on display at this well lit and airy space located in Park Slope from Sept 2 – Sept 18, 2008. Though no longer there the amazing work of digital artists worldwide can still be seen at the MOCA online virtual gallery.

Don Archer & Mary Ahern at the inaugural show of the MOCA:Museum of Computer Art.

Don Archer & Mary Ahern at the inaugural exhibition of the MOCA:Museum of Computer Art

MOCA was established in 1993 by computer artists Don Archer and Bob Dodson to promote digital art in its various forms and manifestations, including 3-D rendered art, fractals, enhanced photography, animation, mixed media, computer-painted and -drawn art, etc. Many talented artists have given them access to their work, and what you see in their archives and exhibitions are some of the best work that they have solicited. Some of it may be of technical or historical interest, some of it may be innovative and unusual, and some of it may have potential (dare we say it) as high art.

As an online museum, MOCA is host to hundreds of world-class digital artists and thousands of their images, all available for viewing online. It is one of the most heavily-trafficked, comprehensive, frequently-updated and respected computer art museums on the Web. The goal is to keep abreast of the latest and best in digital art. Both beginning and advanced artists frequently visit the site, if only to see what the competition is doing.

Visit the MOCA Virtual Museum at: the MOCA Museum of Computer Art and take a look at what’s new in the world of Digital Art.

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Anemone coronaria in the Garden and in Art

Art Naturally Posted on June 12, 2008 by Mary AhernJune 12, 2008  

Anemone coronaria in the gardenMy Garden and my Art work side by side. Both require me to make aesthetic judgements about composition, scale, color, texture and style. When I’m deciding where to plant the flowers I’ve hauled home on my endless trips to the nurseries it doesn’t seem that much different to me then when I’m deciding how to compose them on a two dimensional surface.

I think about what style I’m looking for, what colors will work together, whether the scale of the placement works for me. I think about the type of flower and texture of the leaves. I make decisions about the 3D composition of the garden much like the 2D composition decisions on a painting.

Anemone coronaria in a Watercolor PaintingThe garden adds so many additional layers of complexity since the artwork is moving in time with nature, the seasons, the elements, and time. The painting remains caught in a moment.

Capturing that ephemeral moment is so gratifying to me in my Fine Art. I control it, unlike my Garden which is usually out of control.

You can visit this Watercolor painting on my website in The Work or you can buy a print of it in The Store.

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Posted in Art Technique, Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Garden Artist, My Garden | Tagged Creativity, Design, Garden Artist, Garden Design, My Garden, Traditional Painting, Watercolor | Leave a reply

Looking closely

Art Naturally Posted on May 28, 2008 by Mary AhernMay 28, 2008  

Muscari armeniacumGrape muscari, otherwise known as Grape Hyacinths live close to the ground. For years I never took much notice of them except for the little spots of brilliant purple that bounced so nicely against the bright yellow daffodils they bloomed along with in April.

Then I got down. Hands and knees down.

What a surprise! How intricate the little flowers are. Little bells dance around a central stem forming a small pyramid. This inflorescence changes shape as it ages and can be more and less tightly knit.

The individual purple doesn’t seem to change on each bell but the overall purple varies when viewed at a distance based upon the tightness of the overall flower.

Muscari azureumI enjoyed these 4″ bulbs so much in my garden that I bought a bag of them from Costco one year and low and behold the next spring the flowers that bloomed were very different from my originals. They were more blue then purple and had a more rounded then pyramidal over shape.

So I googled Grape Muscari and found a world of cultivars I didn’t previously know existed. That’s one of the things that is so much fun about gardening. You are constantly in a learning mode. You are in for surprises every year and every season. The knowledge and information you acquire just keeps on growing, along with your garden.

So now I know that so far in my garden I have Muscari armeniacum and M. azureaum. Next year I’m sure to have more.

Digital Mixed Media Painting - Grape MuscariWhen I made my Digital Mixed Media Painting of my Grape Muscari I was careful to recreate the basal growth of the leaves. It would not have been accurate if I’d placed the leaves higher on the stem. The painting would have looked like a plant Frankenstein. As a Garden Artist, that is not what I’m trying to create.

You can view this Grape Muscari piece in my Store.

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Posted in Being an Artist, Botanical Art, Garden Artist, My Garden | Tagged Art, Bulbs, Creativity, Design, Digital Art, Flowers, Garden Artist, Garden Design, My Garden | Leave a reply

Art Festival Booth Walls

Art Naturally Posted on March 3, 2008 by Mary AhernAugust 3, 2018 3
Northport Art in the Park. July 2008. Mary Ahern the artist.

Northport Art in the Park. My first art festival in July 2008. Notice there are no walls to hang Art!

In June 2004 when I did my first outdoor Art Festival after a 30 year gap since my debut at the Floral Park Art League shows, I bought a tent and some shoji screens to hang my work. What was I thinking?

I wanted the booth to look classy so I didn’t want to use metal frames that I’d seen at other shows so I figured that I’d hang my paintings on the screens and it would give an upscale look. Wrong!

The first gust of breeze at the show in Northport harbor blew everything down. I resorted to folding the screen around one of the legs of the booth with bungee cords and hanging a few pieces on them. The wind was unrelenting but I sold $150 that day and I was hooked again.

Westhampton Beach Art Festival, August 2004 with the artist, Mary Ahern

Westhampton Beach Art Festival, August 2004. New booth with Flourish mesh panels.

I quickly rallied for my next show two months later, which was the Westhampton Beach Art Festival in August of 2004. By this time we had gone to other shows to scout out booth strategies and decided on the mesh panels made by Flourish. Since we had severe transportation space restrictions at the time, we needed to conserve space in our SUV and these panels did that and more.

I really like the white walls. It is a nice sleek modern look. The panels are easy to put up and take down. The booth is cooler in the summer since the breeze can go through the mesh. I can endlessly fidget with my arrangements since the hooks I use are simple to reposition. The panels roll up and fit in a bag which makes for very easy transporting. They are amazingly strong and I’ve been known to hang a lot of very heavy paintings with glass on them.

CT Flower & Garden Show in February 2007. Indoor booth frame with mesh panels by Flourish.

CT Flower & Garden Show in February 2007. Indoor booth frame with mesh panels by Flourish.

We’ve used the same panels on our outdoor EZ-Up booth and also on our indoor booth frame which we got from Flourish. The choice of booth sidewalls was one of our better equipment decisions.

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Musings | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Exhibitions, Musings, Selling Art | 3 Replies

Art Festival Booth Chairs

Art Naturally Posted on February 29, 2008 by Mary AhernAugust 3, 2018  
2004-08 Westhampton Beach Art Festival with the artist, Mary Ahern

Westhampton Beach Art Festival in 2004. Notice the webbed beach chair.

As with all the other aspects of your booth design finding the perfect chair is extremely important. Much as you may not think so you need to have a very comfortable chair available for you to rest during the inevitable slow times in the booth at an Art Festival.

My first chair in 2004 was the same one I had used at the beach and at softball games prior to exploring the world of Art Festivals which now keep me hopping on the summer weekends. It was a standard webbed chair that is really too unprofessional for a sales situation. Fine for behind the booth but not in it.

My next chair was a high folding Director’s chair which I got at Pier One. It was very comfortable and the style of wood and fabric I picked looked good in my booth. It kept me up high when I was sitting so that if a customer came into the booth I could speak to them eye to eye without getting off the chair. Sometimes potential customers feel intimidated when you get off the chair to speak to them so the higher design of the Director’s Chair worked very well.

One problem though, the wind kept knocking it over since it wasn’t heavy enough. We kept repairing the split arms until they were too ugly and then we’d buy another one. This worked until 2007 or so when the chairs were discontinued at the chain.

 

Conecticut Flower and Garden show with the artist, Mary Ahern.

Tall bamboo chair for art festivals makes a big difference for the artist and the customers

So I cruised the internet and found the chair of my dreams with Hollywood Chairs which is sold by Totally Bamboo.
http://www.totallybamboo.com

 

I got the Tall Deluxe Hollywood Chair and I didn’t forget to get the cup holder for my Starbucks. It is soooooo very comfortable, good on my back, good for my feet. Even if I don’t sit on it I lean my bottom on the seat and it relieves back pain. It is a bit large for the trailer but we put it in first and take it out last and store it in a carton to keep it looking brand new. The wood is really bamboo and smooth and soft to the touch. It makes you feel rich just sitting in the chair. The seat is padded. It has never blown over in the wind and it is easy to wipe off any food that get on it. This Hollywood Chair was a great investment!

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Garden Artist | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Exhibitions, Musings, Selling Art | Leave a reply

Art Festival Folding Desks

Art Naturally Posted on February 27, 2008 by Mary AhernMarch 27, 2019  
2005-01-Hicks Nursery Winterfest with the artist, Mary Ahern

Hicks Nursery Winterfest January 2005. Flimsy tables didn’t last long.

Finding the right furniture for your Festival Show booth is not an easy task and for us it took quite a few twists and turns. Granted the work I’ve been showing over the last four years has also taking dramatic zigs and zags, I spent more money, time and energy trying to get my sales desk right.

In 2004 when I started doing Art Show and Festivals, I bought some extremely cheap folding tables for $11 each. They had aluminum legs and an almost cardboard top but they served the purpose for a few shows. I put some tablecloths over the top of them and they seemed to work fine. I was even able to store inventory underneath. Then the moisture got into them and the tops warped too much to be useable.

I replaced them with foldable molded plastic tables which have adjustable legs for height variations. They were much heavier and could store less underneath but they were much more durable. In fact, I still have them and use them once in awhile with tablecloths when I can display more outside the booth.

2007-02 CT Flower & Garden Show with the artist, Mary Ahern.

Desk set up at the Connecticut Flower and Garden show in February 2007

 

In 2005 I thought I found the perfect solution. On the internet

2008 Connecticut Flower and Garden Show with the artist, Mary Ahern

February 2008 Connecticut Flower and Garden Show with the ProPanels desk

I found a folding crafting desk with flip up sides and drawers in the center to hold all my office material like stapler, tape, pens, sales forms, my credit card reader, lunch, etc. Well, after two shows the flakeboard cracked and fell apart from the back and forth transportation in the trailer. The look of the desk was fantastic but the materials weren’t made for the rigors of road travel. Even collapsed into the size of a night table, the desk took too much room in our trailer so we discarded it. Money down the drain.

We bought a pedestal desk from Pro Panels. Lightweight enough, fully collapsible and it has two shelves inside. http://propanels.com

I created a curtain with some fabric to put on the open back of the desk to hide my paraphernalia. At the last show I didn’t realize until it was too late that people were just reaching into my desk to steal my shopping bags because they didn’t want to carry their literature even though some huge company was handing out free literature bags at the entrance to the show. Every single show is a learning experience. I guess that every day of life is too.

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Garden Artist, Musings | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Exhibitions, Selling Art | Leave a reply

Art Festival Storefront Considerations

Art Naturally Posted on February 25, 2008 by Mary AhernAugust 3, 2018  
Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, before set-up by the artist, Mary Ahern

Connecticut Flower & Garden Show, 2/2008 before set-up

Doing Art Festivals, whether they are indoor or outdoor, are quite grueling events.

Basically what you are doing is building a moveable, temporary store. All the requirements for showing, selling and packaging your work are amplified since you must be able to set-up within an hour or two hour time frame in a temporary location. When you’re done you need to do the same in reverse and leave the location as you found it.

You need to design your store to be reflective of your style, visually inviting, easy to navigate & clearly representative of your body of work. You need to be able to give out information, write up and process sales, and provide packaging for customers to conveniently take home their purchases.

Connecticut Flower & Garden Show booth set up in February of 2008 for the artist, Mary Ahern.

Connecticut Flower & Garden Show booth set up in February of 2008 for Mary Ahern.

Your booth and all your furnishings must be collapsible and able to be moved from your vehicle to the staging area you have been assigned. Desks, racks, tables & chairs all need to be lightweight and folded for transporting. The selection of your display needs to take into consideration the space requirements of the work you’re going to sell and the total amount of space available in whatever means of transportation you will be using.

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Posted in Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Selling Art, Time management | Leave a reply

Blogging is hard to keep up with

Art Naturally Posted on February 13, 2008 by Mary AhernSeptember 9, 2017  

I really enjoy writing my blog. But I really enjoy making my Art. I also really enjoy
gardening, family, friends, cooking, reading and studying. So where do I find the time to do it all? There is only so much time management you can do to be more and more efficient. Eventually you actually have to make choices of what your priorities are and eliminate tasks from your action item lists.

Today the maintenance tank in my Epson 4800 was full and refused to print. I foolishly had forgotten to order a replacement when I ordered my last slew of ink. I found a company on Long Island about a 45-minute drive from my home, Ardito’s, who had it in stock and immediately planned to drive over to pick it up. Then I thought about it an extra minute and ordered it delivered for an additional $8. I figured that my time and gas for the 1 ½ hour round trip drive was worth more than that. This is purely learned behavior on my part and it doesn’t come easy.

I have to work constantly on making smart time management decisions. I go through a process each day that goes something like this:
What is the most productive use of my time today?
What is going to cost me if I don’t do it?
What is going to make me money if I do?
What are the most immediate deadlines I can’t miss?
What are the upcoming deadlines I need to make steps toward?
Do I have the food in the house to cook dinner tonight or do I have to shop?

Blogging seems at times like a complete waste of my time. But guess what? It actually helps to keep me organized and I always feel better when I write and post something. It helps to clear my thinking process.

Now if could only keep up with it…

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Chasing Dreams, The Long Hard Road

Art Naturally Posted on January 30, 2008 by Mary AhernApril 1, 2009  

You would think that if you were given the gift of reinventing yourself into a career which would be more personally satisfying emotionally and without consideration of financial income, you would instantly jump into the deep end of the pool.

Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t work like that. When my new husband Dave, gave me the gift of reinventing myself at the age of 50 I felt overwhelmed. What I found was that for all the years as a single parent when I was working without a net, I put my blinders on and just charged forward.

Yes, I had morphed my career repeatedly to keep it tailored to my strengths and to keep it as interesting as I possibly could. Yes, I had given up corporate America to form my own company when I got a concussion on the glass ceiling. Yes, I was more aware than most of what parts of my careers I enjoyed and what parts I did not.

So here you are at midpoint looking for a new career that will fulfill you in a different way than your original career. You may have enjoyed your work and the environment and friends you made along the way. But you may have outgrown it or outgrown the need for the tradeoffs you made in order to pursue the work.

My Garden BootsYour children may have grown and college is paid for. Your health status may have changed or you no longer want to be on planes four days a week like I did for many years. Your marital status may have changed for the worse or for the better as mine did when I married Dave after 17 years between my two marriages.

Chasing your dream is not easy. It takes courage to look deeply inside yourself. It takes courage to be honest about your long and shortcomings. It is a long and often hard journey to rediscover yourself.

The journey begins with just one step. Take it.

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Searching for the Dream Seems Easy. It is Not.

Art Naturally Posted on January 29, 2008 by Mary AhernApril 1, 2009  

On January 5, 2008 I was featured in an article in Newsday titled “Dream Chasers.” The subject was the choices and sacrifices some people make when deciding to step off the corporate treadmill in order to pursue more emotionally or spiritually rewarding careers without regard to financial restraints.

The author of the article, Arlene Gross, wrote about the choices, decisions and sacrifices of five different individuals. The various paths we chose to explore in our second careers are as different as our paths in our initial and primary wage earning pursuits.

Noel Rubinton, the editor of the Act Two section of Newsday, however, hit on a different issue when he encouraged people to use the New Year as an opportunity to explore yourself even if you couldn’t at this time make the giant leap of a whole new career.

Noel wrote that, “A line that really resonated in our cover story came from Mary Ahern… finding that switch took work. ‘The hard part at first was trying to find inside myself what that dream actually was. You spend so much time marching forward and doing what you do, you lose the essence of yourself’.”

When my husband Dave gave me as a wedding gift, which coincided with my 50th birthday, the opportunity to re-invent myself you would think I would have immediately jumped into my studio. Instead I whined and anguished for a months over what I wanted to do with this great new vista open to me.

I was so overwhelmed with the immense possibilities I now had available to me that I suffered each day trying to make the right decision with this precious gift. I spent so much time trying to fathom what makes me tick, what intellectually interests me, what direction would support my value system, what new career would be feasible and sustainable for the next 30 or so years, what would not impinge on the home life that we had just found together and cherished so much.

I talked about it endlessly. I beat it to death. I’m sure there were times that Dave wished he hadn’t made the offer since I was so annoying in my pursuit of the “what if’s”. Massage therapist? Lawyer? Chiropractor? Quite frankly, I never even considered Artist.

I knew one thing for sure. I was tired of computers and wanted to become a Luddite. And then one Saturday morning, sitting on our deck, having coffee while surrounded by the gardens I designed and have worked on for decades, Dave suggested that since we loved the gardens so much and they gave such joy to people, why not design gardens for others.

BANG!

2002-05 Mary planting her tropical garden Ten days later I was enrolled as a full-time student in the Ornamental Horticulture Program at Farmingdale. I knew I wanted to be a landscape designer and this was the best beginning. Two years later I graduated with my degree and a new career.

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Posted in Being an Artist, Garden Artist, My Garden | Tagged Career Changing, Dream Chasing, Garden Artist, Garden Design, Gardening, My Garden | Leave a reply

Over Thirty Years of Chasing My Dream

Art Naturally Posted on January 28, 2008 by Mary AhernAugust 4, 2018  

After seeing the photos and reading the article Dream Chasers, written by Arlene Gross for Newsday, which featured myself among others who have turned in mid-life to careers which are more personally satisfying, I have enjoyed revisiting my journey.

Mary Ahern showing her oil paintings at the Floral Park Art League in 1976

Here is a photo of me with my Award winning oil paintings at the Floral Park Art League in 1976. I painted them all before I began my college Art education. For a year I took oil painting classes on Wednesday evening at the YMCA in Bellerose Queens NY and from this experience I found my life’s calling.

Each year I looked forward to showing my work at this outdoor art show and each year I sold some of my works. What a wonderful experience it is to realize that work you created from your own imagination and from assorted colors in tubes moved others in such a way that they will give you money that they earned so they can hang your vision on their walls. I am still moved that my skill and vision will enhance their lives each and every day.

2007-05-28 Mary on cell phone answering questions at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Show, NYCThirty-one years later I’ve returned to selling my Artwork outdoors at festivals. This shot of me was taken while I was taking a call on my cell phone at the Washington Square Outdoor Art Festival in New York City in May of 2007. I still enjoy getting out of my studio and meeting people. Speaking to my customers energizes me and personalizes the selling experience. At shows I always enjoy seeing some of my former customers who come by to say hello and tell me where they hung the Art they’ve bought from me and how much they enjoy seeing it everyday.

It doesn’t get better than that!

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Posted in Art Education, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art | Tagged Art, Art Shows, Being an Artist, Business of Art, Career Changing, Dream Chasing, Selling Art | Leave a reply

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