2011 Scratchboard Calendars NOW Available!

This beautiful over sized 2011 wall calendar (measures 9.5"x12.25") is printed on glossy paper and makes a perfect gift or a beautiful accent to any house! Each calendar is hand signed by Cathy on the front cover with a custom inscription available at no extra charge (please include what you would like it to say in your paypal notes). Every month has a different scratchboard image from Cathy's work. This years calendar features both color and black and white works. Reasonably priced at just $15 (plus shipping of $5 in USA, $8 elsewhere) they are sure to delight!


Last year's calendar sold out, so order early to make sure you get one!

To buy one please go to: http://www.aphelionart.com/2011calendar.html

More Art Fair Fare

I spent most of today working on more stuff for my art fair which is 10 days away.  Coffee cups, travel mugs, aluminum bottles, and candles all with my work on them took up most of my day, though I did get a little bit of scratching done tonight too.

A bit of progress on the pair of wolves.  I Have started on wolf #2 though there is still quite a bit of work to do on #1 as well.  This is the full board pretty much.

The other project I have been working on is a piece that I will use for a demonstration for Society of Animal Artists in California at the start of Sept. at the show opening.  It is another wolf - size is just 11"x14" for this one for ease of traveling with it.  I'm thinking about the title of "A Hopper and a Pouncer" for it, as he is looking at a grasshopper.

The tale of the plastic bags

So last year at my first art fair all and all things went very well.  However on more than one occasion I had people ask me for bag for their merchandise - something I had not thought to bring along.  So recently I have been trying to find where to buy plastic bags at a reasonable rate.  I tried local hobby stores with no luck.  I asked at various stores and no one knew where to get them.  Sure, I could buy them online, but it was expensive and I just had not gotten it done and now the art fair is right around the corner!  OMG plastic bags are everywhere... so I started to think about just saving the ones I had... but thought it would be a bit tacky to be putting my work in target and walmart bags.  This dilemma seemed to be much more complicated than it should have been. 

Today I went to purchase a product for my gridwalls for hanging the mugs I will be making.  They deal with a lot of people that do art fairs and thought they might know.  They suggest a local retail store.  I drive over there and am quoted $125 for 1000 bags!!  Well I was not planning on spending over $100 for bags thank you very much.  I stop at party city on the off chance that they sell them.  They have small 12"x6" bags, but nothing larger.  However I explain what I am looking for and FINALLY I get a lead that they think Sam's club carries them.  Fortunately I joined Sam's club earlier this year and am now out just $12 for 1000 bags... now that is what I am talking about!!  They won't be large enough for my biggest prints, but should be able to accommodate all the other sizes.

Now I wish it had not taken me like 4 hours of running around to find them, but that should last me quite a while and now I know where to get them :)

Art fairing it :)

Art fairs are a pretty new thing for me.  I did my first one last year, a large outdoor show, and then one smaller one this spring.  They are also a fickle beast I have found just in the two I have done.  The first one was outdoors, nice weather and quite well attended.  The small one was indoors and poorly attended.  My sales reflected this.

Anyways the big outdoor one I am doing again and it is August 28-29 in Parker, CO at O'Brien Park.  If you live in the area please stop by!  Last year I mostly just had prints for sale (plus original work) and did quite well, but this year I am expanding my inventory and will have more variety of things carrying my art as well... this year will include calendars, bookmarks, magnets, mugs, prints and more!  I have been having quite a bit of fun making all of these things and hope it will be time well spent :) 

Here is a picture of just a FEW of the bookmarks.  I think they came out looking pretty good overall.  I should have everything else done by next week and will post a few more pictures.  After the art fair I may post some of the left over inventory on my website and etsy too.

Featured on "Illustration Pages" :)

My work is being featured on the highly regarded blog called Illustration Pages. They did a very nice write up and if interested you can read it at: http://www.illustrationpages.com/2010/08/scratchboard-artist-cathy-sheeter.html

I spent today getting ready for my art fair and very little time for art :(  My days go by too quickly and not enough time to get my art done recently it seems.

About time for a picture!!

I know if has been too long!  I have been working on a commission that I can not show here, but also a bigger piece 24"x24" (unless I decide to extend it to 24"x30")

This is about 1/3 of the board (or less) and I feel like it is going very slowly!  No title ideas yet, but I am sure something will come to me soon.

The Unexpected Show

Well my frame shop is loving me, so much that they asked me if I wanted to show there through August.  I jumped at the chance and enjoyed good crowds and lots of conversation last Friday, for the first Friday art walk in the Santa Fe Art District in downtown Denver.  I forgot to take my camera and was busy chatting (last people didn't leave until 11 PM), but the frame shop took some pictures.  You can check them out at Furthur Frames Gallery on facebook.  One of the most fun things is listening to people talk about your work when they don't know you are the artist.  I heard at least one person say that each of the about 13 pieces I had there was their favorite!  Thanks Corey and Al for all your help and allowing me to show!  Most of the show will be up through August 26th.

The approaching Society of Animal Artists 50th Anniversary show is right around the corner (Sept 1-5) and I am getting very excited.  I finally bought my plane ticket and "The Interrupted Drink" should be in San Diego by Thursday!  I also set my reservations to go to Cody, WY at the end of Sept for the Rendezvous Royale.  While up there I will travel through Yellowstone and the Tetons and enjoy my birthday in one of my very favorite places in the world!!  I will be trying to go visit the Pryor Mountain wild horses as well- but only so many days to play before I have to come back home to work.

In other news and events... mark your calendar for my one art fair of the year!  I will have prints, calendars, magnets, bookmarks, originals and more at Art In the Park in O'Brien Park in Parker, Colorado August 28 and 29th.  Please stop by and say hi!