Behind the Scenes

We're Not in Kansas Anymore!

There is so much we don’t know about all the details involved in any business, or undertaking. It isn’t until we literally get behind the scenes ourselves before we can truly come to appreciate what goes into the final presentation.

For a good chunk of time in my life I owned and operated, of all things, a fishing resort up in the Cascade Mountains with an amazing view of Mt. Jefferson right across the lake.


Back in the mid 90’s my husband (at that time) and I came across this piece of Heaven on Earth that was for sale.



I remember walking around the resort glancing at the dinky, half emptied store, the beat up boat dock with about 40 rickety wooden boats, 10 shabby cabins, and numerous other funky out-buildings, plus all the surrounding campgrounds all located on this picturesque lake straight out of an outdoor adventure magazine … and getting caught up in the excitement that I heard in my husbands voice, and the expression of a wishful little boy on his face. Less than a year later there we were – the new owners of a rustic high mountain resort.

Of course, reality hit faster than a New York minute on our very first day. WE WERE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE, DOROTHY!!! It was intensive work to keep that place operating like all was peachy keen to the customer’s eye.










Over the many years of working the resort I discovered that at least once a week during the busy season some new customer that I had never met before would come into the store and tell me that they almost bought that resort when it was up for sale a few years back. Of course they thought they were just talking to the hired help not knowing that I was the owner. They would carry on about this and that in a cocky, bragging fashion all the way up until our discussion revealed that I was the owner. It never seemed to fail -- their reply would usually begin with a deep clearing of the throat, and big, long, OOOOOOOH.



I would venture to guess that most of these men, who almost bought the resort, more than likely didn’t buy it when they realized that it wasn’t the dream business they imagined it being. Maybe they actually came to their senses knowing that they really weren’t going to have any time to pursue their passion for fishing, or hiking, or any other outdoor hobbies or interests.


















Being an “ARTrepreneur” is no different. It’s a lot of work, the marketing, the office work, the bookkeeping, the preparation for the exhibitions, the packing, the shipping, the traveling, the ordering, the constant search for representation at art galleries and with other art dealers, the meetings with printers and other various vendors, the set up and break down, and, oh, did I mention the marketing and office work (uhg!), etc, etc, etc… and the art studio becomes quite illusive even though it’s right in front of you – whispering loudly, “What are you so busy doing? Get in here, would you!”

A dear friend of mine once commented to me that she imagined my life as an artist being trendy and romantic -- Leisurely mornings at the local cafe', late night inspirational painting sessions, etc. Then when she helped me break down, re-package and load up my art work and cumbersome display equipment into the back of my truck after a 'low attendance' exhibition I think the expression on her face said it all. She finally saw that the life of an artist wasn't all she imagined it being. Bless her heart.


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Behind the Scenes

How to Collect Art in a Recession

I just love it when people pull together and think outside of the box, especially when the economy has everyone tightening up their wallets. I discovered a wonderful group of young art collectors who have come up with an affordable, creative, and social way to collect art.

If you think you could never afford to buy fine art – READ ON!



thecollective
Buying, sharing and living with contemporary art.
http://www.the-collective.info/

The Collective is a new, entry-level approach to collecting cutting edge contemporary art for the domestic setting. Enabling its members to share and enjoy works of contemporary art in their homes and tap into stimulating artistic scenes that have traditionally been open to more wealthy collectors.

The Collective aims to:

• Nurture the collection of contemporary art in a domestic setting as a more affordable and socially inclusive activity.
• Encourage adults, young people and children to build their knowledge of contemporary art by living with it, meeting artists, visiting exhibitions etc.
• Build bridges between new audiences, the art market and artists.
• Help to grow a larger, more culturally diverse population of collectors.
• Encourage direct support for emerging contemporary artists and curators.

Art is generally the last item added to someone's list of discretionary expenditures when times are good, and the first to be lopped when times turn tart and those discretionary dollars commence to curtail. Meanwhile back at the ranch, hardcore art lovers will continue to love art and will stay in the game regardless (they'd rather buy art than eat)-- impending events leaving them more art to choose from, and at better prices than they've enjoyed in years. They couldn't be giddier. – www.artbusiness.com

Click Here to find out about starting your own art collectors group.

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How to Collect Art in a Recession

Sweet Child O' Mine

I love my daughter. Sweet Mikhaila.






I love watching her grow into a beautiful young woman right before my eyes. She just got her driver's permit about two weeks ago. Eeeek! As she's been driving me around everyday I can't help but glance over at her from time to time in amazement. She's now taller than me, and so much more confident than I was at her age. It's her summer break, yet she gets herself up at 6 am every morning to go for her morning run, and she approaches her art with such freedom. I love this. Watching her. Even though she's a young woman now, she will always be my little girl. It made me think of this song.

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Sweet Child O' Mine

Start a Salon

During this economic crunch I've been online doing my homework like a lot of other people. What to do and what not to do? Don't cut back on advertising & promotion! Do keep yourself out there in the public eye. Etc... etc... etc... There is a lot of good advice to be found. The one piece of advice that I really liked was to join forces!

When I was living in Central Oregon there was a group of artists who joined forces as a co-op with a twist. They didn't have a gallery - instead they partnered with different businesses, galleries, events, and organizations to exhibit their work. So when I moved to Prescott, I figured I would look for such a group to join. No such luck. Ohhhhh. . . .There are plenty of art associations, and gallery based co-ops, but nothing like the group up in Oregon. I didn't want to be tied to a gallery with a large overhead. And I didn't want my focus to be on volunteering a lot of my time on community based charity events. That's all good, and I enjoy donating my art to charitable fund raisers - but I simply can't afford to spend half my time putting those events together. That's a lot of work! And I commend people who do it. Maybe that sounds a bit trite, but I'm trying to make a living here! I'm a full-time artist - making and selling art is what I do.

So I decided that I would form an art group myself. I have never done such a thing in my life. I was apprehensive about it, and wondered if other artists would even understand what I was talking about, since it was an "out of the box" concept -- not your typical co-op. I was right. Most artists didn't really get it. Hmmm? a traveling, nomadic group of artists? No solid foundation? Surprisingly, it has taken quite a while to find artists with quality work and similar professional goals; artists who are devoted to their mediums and determined to advance their careers. I mean, I've discovered that there are a ton of "artists" out there, but most are just part-timers or hobbyists. So, a year and a half later and I have finally formed an excellent group of artists. We are five members strong now, and we plan to remain small (maybe 8 members at most).

What I love most about the group so far is the social aspect. Artists are alone a lot of the time in their work. I hate to admit this, but I've been caught having conversations with myself, or my computer, or with my canvas many times -- the jokes have become commonplace. That's how I know I need to get out more! I have really enjoyed the Salon style meetings that we have. If you don't belong to a group like this already, I would highly recommend it.

Literary Dictionary: salon

salon, a French cultural institution consisting of a weekly social gathering at the private house of an aristocratic lady, at which social, artistic, and scientific questions are discussed. From the early 17th century to the early 19th, several important literary and philosophical salons provided a social base for French writers. The term can also refer to an exhibition of paintings by living artists, so that in a second literary sense the title Salon has been given to an essay on contemporary art and related matters: Diderot in the 18th century and Baudelaire in the 19th both wrote important Salons.

1. A large room, such as a drawing room, used for receiving and entertaining guests.
2. A periodic gathering of people of social or intellectual distinction.
3. A hall or gallery for the exhibition of works of art.

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Start a Salon

Blue Boots Story

The Long Day is Over


How Frida Kahlo, Lila Downs, and my Friend Bill Scholar are connected by my “Blue Boots” . . .
















My painting of Blue Boots appears to be a favorite for many people for different reasons. It has been fun to listen to people’s comments about what the painting means to them, or how it makes them feel when they look at it. Funny thing is many people never even notice the blue boots in the painting at first glance. They seem to like the peaceful repose, and or the sensuality of the pose. Of course, all of my paintings have a story behind them (usually a true story) that most people never hear about. I don't feel it's necessary to tell them, because all that really matters is what the painting means to them. So I usually don’t tell the stories. But here on my blog, I get to tell the stories for anyone who may be interested. This is a bit of a long one.













Frida Kahlo
After I studied about the life of artist, Frida Kahlo, in college I fell in love with the idea of story telling in art. Frida’s work greatly inspires my work through her poignant messages in the images she portrays on canvas. The movie, Frida, starring Salma Hayek further impressed me about Frida’s passionate heart.













Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo



Lila Downs














It was at the movie, Frida, where I saw the singer, songwriter, Lila Downs for the first time. Her voice was so powerful, and full of the same kind of passion that Frida exhibited in her life.















To watch video interview of Lila Downs
for the Movie, Frida Click here
















Bill Scholar

















Then I met Bill Scholar. Bill came to Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico in the Fall of 2006, which was the same time that I was living in Ajijic for six months. We were both there to heal. I was there to heal from emotional pain, and he was there to heal from both emotional pain from the death of his wife three years earlier, as well as to battle against his melanoma cancer through alternative methods. It was Bill’s mother who brought us together after she attended my art exhibition in Ajijic. She sent me the following email:

Dear Melanie,
I am one of the many people who were at your show last night. I spoke with you about how moved and inspired I was looking at them and reading the words you wrote re: your inspiration for them. My son is here (in Ajijic, Mexico) from California for 3 months with his daughter to begin to heal his life from cancer, the death of his wife 3 years ago and the incredible stresses he has experienced over the past few years. To make a long story short; I wish that I had told him about the show but I didn't and this morning when I described your paintings and writing, he said that he would love to have a viewing. If you are not leaving right away, could that be arranged? I would be so grateful to hear from you.
Rachel

I was certainly blessed to meet Bill and spend some time together with him for a short time. I was scheduled to return to the United States just three weeks after I met Bill. In those three weeks we spent much time together just relaxing and taking in life.

I found Bill and his life to be quite interesting and inspiring. Even though Bill and I did not have a romantic relationship, it was deeply heartfelt. We had some really wonderful conversations, a lot of laughs, and simply a good time taking in the moments as they came. I felt that it was important to him to just be able to enjoy each moment as it came at that time, so that's exactly what we did. No worries, no fretting.

Bill and I actually spent quite a bit of time together, more than I had realized. In such a short time we had gone out to dinner and lunch many times, talked on the phone a lot, and emailed each other after I left Mexico. But one of the most memorable things we did was go to the Lila Downs concert in Guadalajara, which lead to our cross-country trip over to Patzcuaro, in Michoacan, Mexico, to find me a pair of blue boots. This is why . . .









I've polished a few dance floors with these boots!









Lila Downs was wearing an amazing pair of Blue Boots during her performance. I commented to Bill that I would love to have a pair of Blue Boots like that. He leaned over and said, “Well Mexico is the place to buy a pair, since it would be a lot less expensive here than in the States.” So he suggested that we go shopping for a pair of Blue Boots together. A few days later we set out on our journey. On our trip to Patzcuaro we listened to wonderful music that I had compiled on some CDs, some of the music was music he had never heard before. The lyrics often sent both of us into silence as we took in the words and pondered upon them driving through the beautiful countryside, and all the many little villages.
















After a full day of searching through dozen’s of Zapataria’s in the picturesque city of Patzcuaro, we finally ended our day at this sidewalk café’ and resigned with no success. After a leisurely break, two glasses of wine, and two cappuccinos we worked our way back toward Bill’s SUV and passed one more Zapataria. As I glanced at the window in passing there they were – the “Blue Boots” I was searching for. Ok, so here is the cool part where Frida, Lila, and Bill come together in this story. Lila Downs is the beautiful young woman who sings to Frida Khalo in the movie, “Frida”. Well….the Blue Boots that we found in Patzcuaro has the name “Frida” imprinted on the bottom of the boots in the leather soul. It's the name of the company that makes the boots. I thought to myself, “how coincidental is that?!” Hmmmm?
















Bill and I talked about being “Travel Partners”. Meaning someone that we could travel around the world with without having any romantic ties. Just someone of the opposite sex who we got along well with, enjoyed doing many of the same things, and a willingness to be adventurous together. He invited me to go to Spain with him to be a witness to him “Running with the Bulls”. I laughed, but of course, he wasn't joking. So, that was the plan. I was going to go to Spain with him that following summer. Now whenever I think of him I picture him “Running with the Bulls” scared out of his wits and loving it at the same time! I truly loved his spirit.

I dedicate my painting, “Blue Boots” to Bill who passed away in February 2007 - four months after we met. Bill lived life to the fullest, and I feel honored to have known him even for the short time that we had together. The Long Day is Over, Bill. Salud. You are missed and remembered!
Peace & Love, Melanie


Click on the picture to see an enlarged image.

P.S. On my Blue Boots notecard I use the words, "The long day is over". Whenever I read those words on that card I think of both Frida & Bill. Frida suffered tremendously with physical pain for much of her life, and underwent numerous operations. In her latter years she often expressed that she was ready to pass on. I think of Bill when he expressed to me that he wasn't afraid of death. It was nice to hear the peace in his voice.

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MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat

Blue Boots Story

An Unquiet Mind

Events that change us . . .

Over the past six months or so I’ve had a rather large number of nightmares. Some have been pretty bizarre, where they would bounce from one crazy thing to another, and others played out like I was watching a movie from beginning to end, with a great deal of detail, and then there were those that would have five or six different versions of the same nightmare. Most of the dreams contain traumatic deaths of people that I love.


I have never really looked into the study and interpretation of dreams, but I’m beginning to become very curious about it. It’s disturbing to me why I’m having so many of these nightmares. Why?!?!?! Is there a reason for these dreams? Are they messages? If so, what? What am I suppose to do with all of this ugliness and fear? I wake up having cried in my sleep, along with an upset stomach.

I wake up and talk about my dreams to Greg, or the people that the dreams were about. I think of how any of these events that I dream about would change my life if they were to actually happen in real life.

What do all of these dreams symbolize? Are they really about the death of my loved one’s or something different?

I haven’t had much truly restful sleep in a long time. It seems almost ironic that I paint all of these peaceful images of women sleeping, or meditating, while I'm being plagued with all of these awful nightmares. I just don't know what to think about it. I wish I could just turn off my unquiet mind!

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An Unquiet Mind

The Unexpected

The unexpected is always upon us.

Jump with your eyes open!
In Life, Love, Art . . .
in everything we do!

Season of
Love I

30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Not knowing what paths our children will take, what’s behind door #3, or how our life will play out tomorrow is so damned scary and exciting at the same time.

I created this “Season of Love” series of paintings about 10 years ago. It was a simple concept – a way for me to illustrate to myself that the season I was in at that point in my life is where is was suppose to be – another opportunity to learn and grow. I did the series as a visual journal for myself.

Before I painted the series I looked at growing older as a disappointment in many ways, because each new year always seemed to play out differently than what I wanted or expected. I always thought youth was where all the excitement was, and in many ways it is so exciting, because everything is so fresh and new. But I do remember feeling anxious, and envious a lot of the time. Always wanting more, or something better, or, or, or, or ,or …..

Season of Love II
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

After I painted this series I could see that the older couple in the forth painting represented peace, acceptance, and comfort. I imagined someday not being so stressed out about my waistline, not caring about what other people thought about me, my possessions, my beliefs, or my social status, and simply being able to breathe in life one day at a time.

Now that my mother is in her 70’s, I can see in her much of what I saw in the painting of the older couple in Season of Love IV. She has not been in a truly intimate relationship with anyone for about 33 years now and I always worried about her growing old without having an intimate bond with someone. She put up walls around her to protect herself from pain - she kept everyone at a "safe distance" (even the man who has loved her through all these years, but she simply would not allow him all the way into her heart). Thank goodness in the last few years she has begun to remove some of the bricks in her wall. When I look at her now I see a woman who has finally learned how to laugh and even poke fun at herself. A nice, unexpected surprise at this stage in her life. She still worries about her health and becoming a burden to others, but I see something much different in her eyes these days. It's more childlike. She has even let her beautiful silver hair grow long like the days of her youth, and she likes it. She's lovely.

Season of Love III
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

Then I did a painting about 8 years ago of three teenage girls singing a farewell song for a young man who was going away on a church mission (Unfortunately, I never took a picture of it). I had sketched the scene from life as the event took place. The sketch held a certain quality to it that captured the emotions of the moment so well. I wanted to turn it into a painting as a gift to the parents of the young man who was leaving. I struggled for over a week to capture that same feeling in the painting that existed in the sketch. I finally decided to set the painting aside in the corner of my studio figuring that in time a solution would come to me on how to fix it. Instead the painting laughed at me as I worked on other pieces. So I eventually ended up turning it around to face the wall. That painting really pissed me off! Hah! A few months later I placed the painting back on the easel and decided the painting was no good, so I was going to paint over it and do something else with it instead. I grabbed a tube of raw umber and covered over the images. Then as I stood back to look at the canvas I noticed the images appeared like ghosts in the background. It sent a chill down my spine, and I got a lump in my throat. That was it! That was the solution. SO UNEXPECTED! So I took a rag and began wiping away some of the paint to reveal more. It was like magic.

Season of Love IV
30" x 30" Oil on canvas by Melanie Banayat

I don’t know what’s in my future, but even if I did know what was in my future I don’t know if any of it would be worth worrying myself sick over. I suppose I just need to jump with my eyes open and make the best of it.

“Be brave. Take risks. Nothing can substitute experience.” - Paulo Coelho

Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.
- Samuel Johnson

So what happens in your life when the unexpected lands smack dab in your lap?

- Greg Hickman



MiliGirl Note Cards make unique gifts for women. Find and send the perfect "Just Because" greeting card at the MiliGirl Collection online store.

Please share this post with others - Thanks! Melanie Banayat
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The Unexpected