An Artists Year in Retrospect – 2008

I like to do this in December of every year as my way of acknowledging and giving thanks for the blessings that have come my way, and to look forward to a new year of artful adventures.

Working as a professional artist definitely requires a lot of passion, ingenuity, and plenty of endless energy. This career is not for the weak of heart!! And with some luck all that spent energy lends itself to a good night sleep in order to rejuvenate and start all over again.

A.C.E. Art Group
I started out my year in search of other professional artists to join me in forming a new art group – a different kind of art group. This was a real challenge, because I knew that each of the members of this group would need to have similar goals, high standards of professionalism, and each member’s artwork would need to be completely unique from all the other members. I’m happy to say that the group is now six members strong. We will remain a small group (maximum 12 members). Our goal is to exhibit together in various small venues throughout Arizona. We call our exhibitions “intellectual entertainment” where we partner with corporate businesses and/or charitable organizations for their special events. We also exhibit at "invitation only" parties located in the private homes of art collectors.

This is a fun group of artists, and so far the experience has been great! If you know of any business, organization, or art collector that might be interested in such a group for their next event, please have them contact me, or at the very least encourage them to visit our website at www.AceArtGroup.com


The Launch of my MiliGirl Collection Product Line
This was a dream come true! I have dreamt of having my own greeting card line for many, many years, and 2008 was the year this dream came to fruition. I wanted to create a line of cards that were truly inspirational with deep feeling prose. My MiliGirl Collection card line officially launched this past July when my online store went live. www.MiliGirl.com

It took a lot of work to get this project done, but it was worth every frustrated brain cell to make it happen!

I cannot describe in words the feelings I felt when I discovered that people were buying the cards not only to give away, but also to keep for themselves. I was very surprised when people began to open their hearts to me and share their stories about their own journey through recovery - - recovery from divorce, loss of a loved one, cancer, abuse, addiction, and so on. Also, many parents were surprised to find cards that matched up with each of the personalities of their grown children, “Do you know my kids?” they would ask me. One father bought a dozen cards, explaining to me that he had three daughters in their 20's, a girlfriend and an ex-wife, so he was stocking up for those necessary moments when he needed to communicate with them - he felt my cards might help him. All I can say to him is that I really hope they do! LOL!

So many people come into my booth at art festivals and pause in reflection as they look at the paintings on the walls, then they begin to read my cards. They end up reading each and every card on the rack, and when they finish reading them some feel impressed to come give me a hug, while others find themselves in tears, “This was like therapy!” a few have exclaimed. It humbles me in many ways and brings tears to my eyes knowing that the messages are touching people in all the ways I hoped that they would, and even in ways I never imagined.

I am now set up to sell my cards wholesale to businesses. If you have a business or know of someone with a business that might want to carry my card line please contact me and I will send you wholesale information. Any female oriented type business makes a perfect location: Salon, Day Spa, Yoga Center, Florist, Bookstore, Boutique, Hospital Gift Shop, Coffeehouse, etc.

My Fine Art Collectors
One of the best parts of being a professional artist is connecting with the people who experience a heartfelt connection to my art. It gives purpose to what I do. This year was exceptional in terms of all the new people I have met and the people who have supported the arts by investing in Fine Art.

To all of my art collectors I want to say thank you for choosing to surround your life with the beauty of fine art – particularly my art!! IMAGINE ME WEARING A BIG SMILE! LOL!

My Art Giveaway Winner
I held my first Art Giveaway this past October, and gave away a giclee print on canvas of “Mother & Child”. The winner of the print sent me the following response:

I am so excited that I won your wonderful mother and child print. Thank you so much and I want to keep updated with any future art drawings that you may be doing because I adore your work and would love to have a collection hanging in my home. I do not know if you are famaliar with "The Secret". I used the principles of that teaching philosophy of envisioning that you already have what you want and then basically waiting for the universe to bring it to you. I attached one of your notecards which happened to be the mother and child one, to the wall near where I planned on hanging the print once I received it from you. Every time I walked past it I would thank the universe for the painting that was hanging on my wall in a beautiful black or dark wooden frame (had not decided how to frame it yet) and envisioned that I already had it, just a matter of time until the end of the month. I want to thank you again for creating such beautiful work. As a fellow artist and Graduate of The University Of Arizona with a Bachelor of Fine art, I truly admire that you create what inspires you and follow your dream. I hope to do the same once my children are a little older and I can finally have the time. I eagerly await my print and look forward to future drawings and hope to be able to see your work at a show again soon. Thank you, Heather

I will soon have another art giveaway right here on my blog. Join my RSS Feed (which is a free subscription to my blog) so that you don’t miss my next art giveaway! Just look in the sidebar on my blog where it says, "Subscribe to this blog" and join - it's FREE! My next art giveaway is coming soon!


Grayleaf Galleria
What a blessing to be represented at the Grayleaf Galleria in Prescott Arizona; I joined the gallery in September. Katherine Koenig has truly added a top-notch gallery to the Area, and Jerry Von Schott has done a great job managing the gallery. A total of three new galleries have opened their doors here in Prescott this year and the new Arts Center is scheduled to open this coming Spring on Cortez Avenue, making Prescott a real destination hot spot for visual art with Seventeen different locations to find a wealth of Fine Art right in the heart of Prescott!

New Arts & Entertainment Columnist
Wow! I just started doing some freelance work for a local Prescott Publication, 'Read It News'. The editor was looking for someone to write an insider's viewpoint column on 'The Arts' in the Prescott area. How cool that she chose me! What I love about this column is that I get to interview other professional artists, art consultants, and art collectors – I love it! Check it out online at www.ReadItNews.com

New York, Here I come!?!?!
A great opportunity has presented itself to me just a few short days ago. If all works well I may be headed to the National New York Stationary Show this coming May. This could open the doors to National Distribution of my MiliGirl Collection card line.

Articles, Interviews & Press
I want to thank The Courier, The Monsoon, and Pop Rocket Press for writing about my work in their publications this year! All of this free press has been one of the greatest forms of publicity for my work. Those articles can be found on my www.MiliGirl.com website under ‘Media’.

Oh yeah, Jerry Barrett from www.inklessmagazine.com has recently interviewed me for his online magazine. Watch The Video.

Coffee Table Book
I’ve been encouraged time and time again to write a book, and believe me I have wanted to do a book for a long time as well. But first things first – and of course it all takes time. 2009 just might be the year for my first book. I’ve been working on it in between everything else. We shall see . . .

New Original Art Work
As always, I have a stack of ideas waiting to be immortalized onto canvas. I look forward to creating more inspired works in my art studio and exhibiting them as often as I can, and in as many places as possible. I thoroughly enjoy being able to go out and exhibit my work in person at different venues, because it gives me a chance to connect with art enthusiasts and gain more inspiration from the people I meet.
View some of my latest works


Thank You!
I’m grateful for my health and the gift that I have been given, which is a passion to be a life long expressionist of the human spirit through fine art. I’m grateful for all the people who have fallen in love with my work and to those who spend their hard earned money investing in it. I’m grateful for the roof over my head and the people in my life that love me, lift me, and keep me going. And I thank God for this intriguing and challenging life!

Live an Artful Life!
Peace & Love,
Melanie

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

An Artists Year in Retrospect – 2008