Abstract Landscapes & Britney

Everything I create, really, is abstract... something or other. So many of my paintings through the years have begun as "sort of" a landscape. This has been often more of a departure point; a place to begin, rather than saying they are abstract brainscapes. Brainscapes don't pull in the huge Google and Scrub the Web search engine crowds like "abstract landscapes" and "Britney." Those keywords really bring in the masses.

Getting Busy as a Professional Artist again...

I'm back for sure. Robert Terrell artist is alive! Dr. Frankenstein has done his thing.

Now is the time when I focus on my creative life (and spiritual life). So I'm all about these sorts of things now. And I'm finding more and more online resources to support who I am as a professional artist and spiritual being.

I hope to share these resources with others, too. That would be you, any readers of my blog. So here is a link to my rss feed at Terrell Art Studio, in case you missed it! I will be adding it to my links here, as well:

Terrell Art Studio RSS feeds

I have two feeds currently: NYTimes art feed, and Art Marketing Secrets. I hope you enjoy them...

Add to Technorati Favorites

Keeping on ... Keeping on ...

It's rather late now...more like early. My computer clock say 3:02am. So I really don't need to be up still. But I was determined to get a few things accomplished on my new-old website: terrellartstudio.com

I did get the RSS feed working I believe. There will be an art feed from the NYTimes on it - so far. Pretty exciting, I think. My plan, for now, is to add one more. That should really be enough. I may just stick with one, though.

I am not creating Terrell Art Studio site for people to log on and just read (of course reading is a good thing, Martha). It is to be my art production and art sales website. The first art site originally was about selling art, and branched out, but TAS will be entirely focused on sales of my art. This move will make Abstract Art by Robert Terrell a bit more fun for me. Hopefully.

So I'm keeping on, keeping on. As I was looking for a link to replace Reactiv Zone on TAS, which seems to be gone (too bad if it really is) I found two other sites gone, too. Blue Glass Rabbit and Cove. Well, Cove is still around, but is now a dedicated poster site.

Not a problem, but not a site trying to sell art anymore. Of course I am trying to sell some posters occasionally, too. I do understand the need to make some actual money online. I've been trying for quite a while. It's not so easy in art, it seems.

But I am still trying, and so are many other people. We are keeping on..keeping on...

What else is there for us to do? Perhaps they are also bored with television, too?

My new Facebook Group

It's for Boomers, of which I am one. There is a topic which has been ongoing for a while. I just got in on the tailend of it, really. It's about creating a top ten list of your favorite songs from "way back when." We all go back that far in the group, and a lot of members felt inclined to make a list, including me!

And it is a topic that always interests me. I enjoy seeing what sorts of music people like. I really did have a good time reading the topics. And what was just as interesting was to see where all the group members are living. Of course many were not living where they are now, 40 years ago or so. But the topic really helped me link up in my mind the idea that people from all over the globe, or much of it, were listening to a lot of the same music that I was. And, were enjoying it, too.

I found this quite enjoyable and enlightening. So it's my first really good group experience at Facebook.

I hope there will be many more. I still only have two friends. I'm glad I do. Mark McBrayer has been my friend since those days way back when, too. And Bobby Fried is my friend for about 5 years now. He's a very creative artist - musician and writer.

So I'm not dissing on the fact that I have two friends on Facebook. But I hope to find more people I know, and perhaps a few new ones, too. I doubt if I'll ever be someone with hundreds of friends, like some of the people I've seen. That's a world I can't really imagine.

Synchronicity Strikes Again!!!

Yes, it did today. Very interesting, too. I was sitting in my office at work, having an art discussion with Mark. He's working on his MFA in studio painting. I'm working on getting the port numbers for the "illegal" routers all fixed. ha ha

They aren't illegal, just against the University O.P's. We are getting everything copacetic, now, and we'll have a super ethernet system in place! 8^) Anyway... we're discussing the recent events regarding a certain gallery inquiry into my art status, etc. etc. Perhaps you read in a recent post here? ?

I'm working on new paintings that will be easily shipped, in cardboard boxes, and in certain sizes, also to make shipping easier. That can get out of hand in a hurry. Especially with my artistic goals, which are to sell sell sell. That's right, I'm a triple sellout artist! Well, a wannabe!

Mark pulls out a Uline catalog to check out box prices. I'll need to purchase some shipping boxes to have on hand. In case anyone is wondering, they are rather reasonably priced. And UPS will pick up boxes, too. So that all looks very doable; looks very good at this point.

So the synchronicity is for later in the evening. I finish my shift and pedal my bicycle home. What's that in the mailbox? Why, low and behold, as mom would say if she were still here on this planet, "It's a Uline catalog!"

ha ha I was a little surprised by the synchronicity of it. It was a nice touch, really. I have never bought anything from them. Just got on their mailing list, from work. And today, a Uline catalog meant just a little bit more to me than merely a way to make the shipping work better. It had a message of hope for me.

So there it is. Use it if you want.

50 years of Art Experience

Yes, it's true. In my first year of school, I had an assignment. Create art! I am not sure what the teacher, Mrs. Fincher had in mind; probably just keep the children occupied until 3:30. But I took that art assignment seriously. Very seriously.

I remember working on it with great intent. My crayolas were melting in my hand as I feverishly slaved over that manila paper. Other students were pulling their desks away from me. Static electricity was being generated in the air around me, as clouds gathered. Lightning struck and as I recall, some rain did fall!

Well, it's my story, and I want to embellish it a little bit. That's because I did work quite hard on my first art masterpiece (well, by 6 year old standards) and Mrs. Fincher held it up for the entire class to see! She even said she was going to keep it and show it to other classes!

Hmmm, well this is the part of the story that gets twisty. I got a big art ego rush out of having my work held up by the teacher. I was only 6! It's not like I had been singled out for things like that too many times.

It is obviously something that made an impression. And I'm glad there was all the thunder, lightning and rain, because it was the last time I ever saw my beautiful drawing again! So you will just have to take my word for it, won't you?

Maybe I just made up the story of "Kids at the Farm" - crayola on manila paper - 12 x 18 inches - 1960.

But now I can see that none of that matters really. What I can take from my little memory is the fact that I became a real artist that day. I have been an artist since 1960, for sure! It doesn't matter what critics say. It doesn't matter what I heard yesterday from a student at Texas Tech University, where I work. (A juror said that at her "art hole" they don't even consider artists who don't have an MFA - like me)... Oh yeah, it was Bite Me University. Now, I remember.

What I take from my first real art experience is the struggle, the feelings, the effort, the "PROCESS" going on in my 5-year old brain and soul. I made that drawing WORK! I had no art professors, teachers, critics, jurors (that's right!!) museum professionals, ANYONE at all, to help.

It was me struggling through the art process, learning how to make it work. For the FIRST TIME. And I pulled it off!!!

After that, I sort of crashed as an artist for a while, partly because I didn't understand what I had done. But NOW I do. I still have Bobby the 6 year old inside me. He is an artist, STILL.

He knows how to make art that WORKS. He has been doing it since 1960! Doesn't need ANYONE to tell him how to do it. He knows inside!

Hand of Providence is Upon Me !

Yes, I said it. It's true, I believe. I have been struggling with my office computer as of late. You see, my blogging friends. it was week before last when I made a "somewhat difficult" decision at 4:55p.m.

I wanted to show Mark, who shares the office with me, one of the "Real Men of Genius" ads by Budweiser. I had been looking at them for far too long the previous evening, without incident, other that a lotta hooting, laughing and guffawing on my part.

So the story continues ... I tried to search for one ... but for some reason my computer went to MS search, not Google which I usually use and prefer by far (where is my commission, Google? ha ha).

And what came up was not much in the way of good search results. But I clicked on the first one, thinking it was hopefully a youtube.com video of Real Men, that I was looking for. And, now, my story turns dark and dangerous. (you may need to put the children to bed at this point !)

I got a "message" saying I needed to load "Active X." Well, people, in case you don't know about Active X, you need to hear a couple of things about it. It is a program that MS developed to help with "interoperability." It's like Java, but just for MS, and not as good (my opinion). Plus, it is dangerous sometimes. We are to the action part of the story now, so I hope you have the popcorn ready ! ! Here it comes! !

I have heard for years (being a web designer, and computer semi-geek) that Active X can spell trouble, and it should be used with utmost caution! ! ! Since it is a program that enables "interoperability" between the MS operating system, Windows, and other programs.... well, think about that for a minute. It can be used to enable "operability" between Windows and "evil" programs, such as viruses, Trojan Horses, etc etc.

And so, it's five minutes until my office mate is leaving and I'm hurrying... I have a weird looking program on the MS search result page. Nothing is looking quite like I am familiar with, and a window comes up and tells me that I need to load Active X. AND I DO!

Well...as soon as Active X starts loading, I can see in the address bar that no "Real Man of Genius" is behind the wheel of my computer at the moment!!! Some sort of "adult" website is beginning to load. Alarms are going off in my head, and practically instantly, also, the antivirus program is trying to fix what I did!!!

It's busy trying to get rid of the TROJAN HORSE VIRUS I JUST LET ON MY COMPUTER through the Active X program I installed.

And I'm busy trying to click off the window that's trying to open... but alas...too late. The damage is done. The antivirus program, Semantic, is busy as can be, taking about 3 Trojan Horse viruses off. I'm really worried now, of course. Not too sure that everything is fixed, so I'm trying to run a scan.

Then I noticed that I have a NEW desktop, that says my computer may be infected with spyware and if I "click here" it can be fixed. Of course I'm not going to do that. I already did the damage and it's obvious that a virus (Trojan Horse) is on my system.

To make this story shorter...our computer supervisor was unable to help me. IT help desk at the University was unable to help me. I tried loading a Spyware destroyer software, but that didn't get it because it was not spyware.

If you are still reading this you may be wondering, "Where is the Hand of Providence in all of this?"

It's here... I had to have Windows reloaded. When I got it all back, with a brand new (well new - old operating system) I started things up and of course the first thing I did was to take a look at two of my websites: my two main art websites. And, they looked seriously messed up!

This is the Hand of Providence because...the reason they looked wacked out is that the computer is now running Internet Explorer version 6. I don't have that on my web design computer. I run version 7, the latest. The websites look fine in it, and Firefox, too.

But there are who knows how many millions of computers that still run IE version 6? And since I am still determined to work on websites, I need to know these things. It's important to me! so, through a very convoluted and "mysterious" labyrinthine process, I found out how they look, and now I have a computer that I can check websites out for compatibility. I don't "have" to make them compatible. I can just let it go if I choose. But I needed to know, and I needed this capability.

Funny how things go. A Trojan Horse Virus helped me out? Weird

One Last Poke at the Art Bear - this go round

Well, the gallery finally did respond to the email I sent over a week ago.
They didn't respond to any phone calls, I sent, but anyway, I finally did get a reply to the email.

Just remember, folks, THEY CALLED ME FIRST. THEY SAID THEY LOVED MY ART.

Why do I really do this? I don't know, but I feel like doing it. Here is "part" of the email...

"Hi Robert:
Thank you for taking the time to send over all of your available works. We would like to consider introducing your work into the gallery in the near future, but at this time we don't have a specific time frame. We would like to stay connected with you as the gallery comes into a position where we can showcase your work. Please keep us updated on your newest pieces."

From calling me, and saying that they had been looking at my work for a couple of days; that they loved my work, that they pay soon, that they call the artist as soon as they make a sale because they are really excited when they do; that I should send all my available works so they can cherry pick the ones they want to display...

I'm not stupid, but ... it was a polite way to say that after looking more closely, they don't LOVE MY ART as much now. ha ha ha...

Will I keep them updated on my newest pieces? Of course I will. I went through a "you don't love me anymore "junior high thing" for a little while, but I'm way passed that.

And now, those of you who are reading this blog, all five ! ha ha, of you (maybe a few more) I am signing off to do my thing, which is work on websites, tonight. I like that, even when it is totally frustrating. Art is a good thing, too. Sometimes it gives my ego a good whacking. That isn't much fun, but it helps in the long run.

Yanking on the Art Bear's Chain!

Did I fall off the art dummy wagon, yesterday? ha ha First rule of being an artist ...

Rule #1: Believe it when the check is IN YOUR HAND!

I was told this by a wise artist, Ron K. Smith, back in Houston, Texas in about 1983 or 84. Yes... that was the year of the big snows. All the livestock died that year and we were snowed in until spring. We had to boil our shoelaces and eat dirt. Barely stayed alive! Yes, things are different, today.

No, wait! They aren't. It's still the same. I still hear lips moving, whether they are lips "in my face," "on the cellphone," "online" (lots of e-lips flapping the b.s. like sheets in the wind!), and if the telegraph system was still really in operation, I'm sure there would still be plenty of dot dot dash dash blah blah blah (translated something like, "We LOVE your art, and as soon as we get some money .... we are INTERESTED in your art ... how much for this piece? ... etc. etc. etc.)

There are so many variations but it's mostly the same theme coming out of "ordinary" people. The final result is almost always, well..... NOTHING WHATSOEVER.

And of course there is the other "tack" used by the "well-wishers." (good thing hardly anyone I know reads anything I post online, or checks out any of my websites! har har!) This is the "helpful" advice. It is fulla permutations . . . Use the bright colors, landscapes, shiny, smaller, lighter, etc etc.

But now I gotta apologize . . . Because, I may help in the "cause" of helping me. But not entirely. So I sort of take it back. Sort of. It seems that it is important for me to be labeled an artist by the world, like an ex-con gets labeled and can't get a job.

Yes, I am one of those I guess (ex-con? no) Artist? Well, I am what I am. Who said that? An artist can't change his dots, I guess. Good thing I have always liked dots. You can see a lot of my dots here:

Robert Terrell Artist

And, since I have decided to continue down the dotted line of life as I have been, even though the "gallery" I was referring to in a previous post didn't ever call me back, or return any calls, or emails (Thank you so much you lovely gallery people - for making the life of the artist so much really fun!) ... they did poke the art bear hard enough to get him outta hibernation. Even the gen-public couldn't do that, it seems.

And now, after my little mini-pontificato-ranto ... I will say, honestly, I am cranking up the Terrell Art Studio machine again. It was a tiny bit creaky (not too much really).

See the new website, which isn't new exactly. It is a resurrection, a phoenix resurrected from the ashes. Why do I keep saying that? hahahaha

Terrell Art Studio

I am very happy with it at this time. And... not to be outdone by myself. I have some art projects in imminent approach to the runway. On the taxiway, that is. Soon to take off!

How's that for all the poking and prodding. See, friends, family, strangers, less-strangers, gallery fun folks, etc? Maybe your influences have been good, even when they weren't.

Robert Terrell Artist - Rises from the Ashes

I'm sitting in my office - day job office, yesterday. The cell starts vibrating, but I can't answer because I'm in the middle of a work deelie. hahaha (I just wanted to say deelie cause who says that anymore).

After the coworker leaves, I check the phone, and on the voicemail it's a gallery calling me from the west coast! What the .... uhhhh? They are saying they LOVE my art, and are interested in talking to me. And I don't mean just having a chat, no not even.

So this post is going to be short because I have to get motivated now. I am getting the list of all my art that is available for sale together so they can look through it. This might actually be a real "something." How about that? Not just an internet scammer emailing me pretending to be interested in one of my artworks.

Well, for anyone who might be reading this post...wish me luck with this. It's not that often that a gallery contacts me! I hope to make a go of this. If you have actually looked at a few things on this site, you will notice that I do create art from time to time. And actually, I am a "for-real" artist, ready to start up the full-time production with a gallery, and several galleries. Whatever the situation turns out to be. That's Robert Terrell Artist!

http://www.robertterrell.com/

That's me! Go take a look if you are interested. Apparently a gallery out in California IS!