OOPS!

Rosebud by Joyce Brandstetter Couch

This is not just a ''oops'' but a major ''oops!'' I have been working hard,'' taking advantage of the world wide web'', to get my art seen. I built a website, took to blogging, got on Facebook, entered Facebook art groups. Now, I find out that it is not appropriate to use the word ''gallery'' in an artists website or blog. As I have used the word ''gallery'' in both my website and my blog. My website and blog are also on my business cards. I have some major decisions to make and work ahead of me if I decide to give them both a new name. I can either act innocent and leave things as they are or make all the changes that are necessary to be appropriate. While I want to appear professional and do things appropriatly, if I change my blog name the result will be that I loose my followers. And there is the wasted business cards. I think I will need to think this over and weigh the pros and cons. I would like to hear what other artists and galleries think about this.

A Quiet Place

A Quiet Place by Joyce Brandstetter Couch

Here in Texas, there are little hidden streams on every country road. Dry streams most of the year, but after a rain they come alive. Small and overgrown they are hidden from view by all except for the most curious passerby. I found this one in San Saba County, Texas. The bright sun seemed to cast a golden sheen on the rocks and water and a small patch of blue reflected from the sky. A Quiet Place is a 16x20 acrylic painting.

Crossroads

Painted from a photo that I took in the spring. This is a crossroad in San Saba County, Texas. 16x20 acrylic painting. I knew something was not quite right with this painting, so I posted it to be crytiqued on an artist magazine site. I got a lot of ideas on improving it, some negative remarks and also some positive ones. The negative remarks brought me down for a while, but I will not let them keep me down. Eventually, I will work on this again and see if I can improve it, if not it will not be a wasted cause as any painting I do can still be a learning experience for me.

Little Artist

Little Artist by Joyce Brandstetter Couch

She was setting there on the floor, lost in her drawing. The sun was coming in the window behind her highlighting her hair. She looked like an angel. I don't think she was even aware that I was taking pictures, so deep was her concentration on her task.The more I looked at the photos the more I wanted to paint her.Little Artist is a 16x20, pastel.

A Texas Spring

A Texas Spring by Joyce Brandstetter Couch

A friend and I went on a day trip this spring to see the bluebonnets and take pictures. They were exceptionally lovely this year. As soon as I saw this scene, I knew, I had to paint it.

Why do I paint

‘’Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures’’ ~Henry Ward Beecher




Why do I paint?


I remember one of my grandchildren asking me this one time. At the time I was a little offended as the question was actually,’’ Why to you just set around and paint all the time?’’ I knew in my heart that that question was being repeated from an adult. Recently I have been working on my artist statement and BIO. Everything I read says to tell why you paint, so that got me thinking about the reasons. Painting is a form of expression, how the artist sees the subject and how the artist feels about that subject. I paint what I love. Inspiration comes as an overwhelming feeling to express oneself about a subject, to put on paper or canvas, your most personal feelings about the subject. A writer will tell the story. A visual artist draws or paints the story.

Country Road

Country Road by Joyce Bandstetter Couch

Country Road is an original 16x20 acrylic painting on cavas . My inspiration came from a near by curve in a rocky dirt road . Where is it going ? That is left up to you , the veiwers imagination !