MARKETING FOR ARTISTS SEMINAR; EXPERIMENTAL PAINTING

I have a very busy week ahead at the Casa de Linda Art Studio in New Braunfels Texas! In addition to my regular painting classes and some special workshops already underway, I'll be starting a 5-week EXPERIMENTAL PAINTING CLASS FOR ADULTS on Friday. I still have openings so if you are interested, contact me. We'll be doing some mixed media, playing with palette knives, learning new techniques and more! Great for beginners or if you are in a rut and need to break out. Space is limited!

On Sunday, April 19, I'll be offering my Seminar I: MARKETING AND PR FOR ARTISTS from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at my New Braunfels studio.

Here are some comments from artists who attended my last seminar:

"This seminar was extremely helpful to know where to go to get help" -Pam P.

"Linda is extremely well informed on marketing, drawing on her wealth of experience in the marketing arena and as an artist. Well done!" -Lotus M.

"Linda has such a tremendous background in journalism and marketing and add this to her expanding art career, this is a seminar that can jump start your art careen or give yourself a realty check to improve your marketing skills. You leave with strategies that have worked for Linda and can work for you." - Wendy Z.

What can you expect on Sunday, April 19?
Artists will explore writing a marketing plan; receive templates for creating press releases; learn when, how and where to pitch themselves to the media; get tips on creating "buzz" and getting free publicity; receive information on domain registration and web hosting; learn how to make the most of "social networking;" examine opportunities for creating multiple streams of income from their art; and more!

The fee is $75 for five and a half hours packed full of information and a ton of handouts to take home. HOWEVER, I'm offering a one-time special on April's seminar. Sign up and pay ONLY $35! That's $40 off the regular price. I will never again offer this seminar at this ridiculously low price! Space is limited. Save your seat today! Contact me today to sign up and take your art business to the next level!

By the way, soon, I will be offering Seminar II: "LICENSING FOR ARTISTS." To sign up for that seminar, you need to first take Seminar I, "Marketing and PR for Artists."

I am also booking my marketing seminars with outside groups and associations. Please contact me if you'd like information on having me set up a seminar in your area.

SUMMER ART CAMPS 2009 in NEW BRAUNFELS

For the most current art classes go to CasaDeLinda.com and click on classes


Summer is around the corner and at Casa de Linda Art Studio that means that our Summer Art Camps for ages 5 through 13 are open for registration! We've have added several new topics and brought back popular camps from the past for a fun-filled Summer 2009 Art Camp program New Braunfels Texas studio this year! More information is posted at our website plus a pdf brochure ready to download that includes a full listing, prices and a registration form.

Casa de Linda Summer Art Camps are divided into two age groups. Camps for younger kids ages 5-9 are held in the mornings from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Topics for Summer 2009 include: Prehistoric Times; Tropical Safari; Hurrah for Horses; Circus, Circus; and Pets Are Our Pals. Children ages 8 to 13 may sign up for the afternoon camps, 1-3 p.m. This summer will feature: Ready, Set, Draw!; Painting-Experiments with Color; Art in 3-D-Real & Not; Painting-Sunsets & Still Life; and Girl Power!

This will be the 5th anniversary for my Summer Art Camp program. And this May will mark the 5th anniversary for the Casa de Linda Art Studio and Gallery as well! I'll be posting more information on this later but you might want to "save the dates" of May 1-3 and plan to drop the studio to help us celebrate our 5th anniversary!

Bluebonnets Are Survivors

2009 looks to be a very lean year for Texas bluebonnets and enjoying a nice display at the Wildflower Center Artist's Show last weekend may be as good as it gets for this spring.

Linda and I have enjoyed a few fantastic wildflower displays with bluebonnets as the dominant flower over the last decade in the Hill Country. These along with childhood memories south of San Antonio are a great part of Linda’s inspirations for her contemporary wildflower paintings. Reflecting back over the last 10 years I can really think of two years where almost every where in the Hill Country we traveled we saw awesome displays of bluebonnets.

It seems to me that even though Texas is world renown for the sweeping vistas of bluebonnets the frequency of these displays of grandeur are fleeting and not at all something you can count on each spring as one might think. These realizations lead me to have even more respect for the tenacity and sheer ability of bluebonnets to survive as a species. This favorite flower so deeply identified with Texas can be decimated by drought and reduce these prolific fields of blue azure to tiny spots of color along such famous scenic drives as Willow City Loop near Enchanted Rock. Too much rain at the wrong time can be just as detrimental for these floral displays and the forthcoming seed that insure their very existence for future generations to relish.

The Texas Hill Country and bluebonnets seem to be perfect for each other. The extremes of weather conditions that the Hill Country is known for seems like the perfect training ground for the bluebonnets to evolve as a species. This land of extended droughts and infrequent but furious flash floods, searing summer heat and poor soil fertility, of winter months that can soar to 100 degrees for a day and the next week be below freezing. The Hill Country is a land of extremes yet the bluebonnets thrive in the few good years and survive the many harsh ones.

It all in the bluebonnets genes, they simply know how to proliferate in this land of extremes. As a human being in these uncertain times I take great solace and stand in awe of this ability to survive and thrive. Yes, times may seem harsh now but we will survive and in due time we will thrive. At least if we take a lesson from nature and our beloved Texas bluebonnets.

Wildflower Days Are Here Again!

It’s that time of year that the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin puts on its annual Wildflower Days. For 2009 it all starts March 21 with the Artists & Artisans Festival. Linda has been invited back this year and will be among the 20 artists that will be offering their unique Texas artwork for sale.

The days and hours for the event will be Saturday March 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday March 22, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. We invite you come by and peruse the artwork as well as all the wildflowers on display throughout the Wildflower Center. The Hill Country wildflower show may be sparse this spring but the vast variety of Texas wildflowers on display at the Wildflower Center along with the artist’s festival will make this the place to be to put a spring in your step and joy in your heart.

Artist Dalhart Windberg will be signing his newest print “A Spring Occasion” from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and the proceeds will benefit on-going work at the Wildflower Center.

Shou Ping will be on hand to discuss her wildflower watercolor sculptures that are on display at the McDermott Learning Center and Art Gallery from March 14 to May 31. Both Linda and I admire this very gifted artist and look forward to see her and her newest creations.

Linda will of course have some of her most recent large wild flower artwork, a great selection of smaller original wildflower paintings along with several of her newest designs from our online store. No rain needed to enjoy these floral delights. We hope to see you in Austin next weekend. Pray for more rain!

2009 SPRING BREAK ART CAMP - March 23-26

For the most current art classes go to CasaDeLinda.com and click on classes.

Last year's Spring Break Art Camp was so successful that I'm offering it again this year. I teach this art camp for ages 7-12 from my Casa de Linda Art Studio in downtown New Braunfels and it's scheduled for the week that both local school districts, New Braunfels ISD and Comal ISD, are taking off, March 23-26.

Parents can choose between half-day camp (mornings 9-12 or afternoons 1-4) or full-day camp (9 a.m.,-4 p.m.) Each camp is limited to 8 students maximum. Fee for the half day is $145 and that includes ALL art supplies as well as mid-morning and mid-after snacks. For the full day camp, which includes staying over for lunch, all of the art supplies and two snacks a day, the fee is $275. (Full-day campers need to bring a sack lunch).

Students will complete a variety of projects during the camp, including some drawing, some painting and some 3-D work. At the end of the camp, they will take home all of their projects. We'll talk about some famous artists, such as Andy Warhol and Vincent Van Gogh, as well as more contemporary artists such as William Wegman, which they may not be familiar with. Some of the projects will be inspired by the works of these artists. We'll also do a color wheel and explore how colors work with each other, experiment with various painting techniques and learn about composition.

If you are interested in saving a seat for your child, please call me at (830) 624-5302 or e-mail me (linda@casadelinda.com).

Incredible Floral Paintings:Austin

The wildflowers are blooming in North Austin as of March 3, 2009. Linda and I, with help from a fellow artist from the New Braunfels Art League, just finished hanging Linda‘s latest Wildflower Show. A dozen of Linda’s wildflower paintings are now on display at the newest Kerbey Lane Restaurant off Hwy. 183 at Anderson Mill. The décor and painting schemes for the various rooms seems like they were designed just for Linda's wildflower art . We posted a few photos for your viewing pleasure.

The dining areas that we hung the wildflower art in were mostly earthy tones of rusty brown, mustard yellow and lime green. I thought that shade of green was going to be a challenge but once we had some of the paintings hung we knew they were going to look great.

They have a state-of-the-art hanging system that made hanging the artwork a breeze. Allison who curates the art for all the Kerbey Lane locations was a pleasure to work with and we had all the artwork up in a little over an hour. One of the quickest art displays we have done in a while.

This new facility lends itself to large contemporary art pieces so we couldn’t be more pleased with the invitation to display here. Viewing the final outcome exceeded all of our expectations. Several customers made very positive comments as the art went up so that helped affirm what we were feeling. We do hope you will get a chance to stop by for a bite and enjoy the artwork.

WILD FLOWERS IN BLOOM, MARCH 2009

Wildflowers are in full bloom in Central Texas, as well as flowers of myriad varieties and colors, and it is only March 2nd. That’s not possible, you say. It is too early; we just had freezing weather last night. We are in one of the worst droughts in recent memory, you say. Well tell that to artists on display at New Braunfels Art League Gallery that just opened their special show today called “Art in Bloom”.

I worked at the art league yesterday and saw several of the entries as they were coming in so I know that if you come in during the month you will be impressed. Linda entered some of her newest wildflower paintings for the show. They are not even on the blog or website yet so if you want to see some of her latest artistic efforts you will want to stop by. The three wildflower paintings are called “Wildflower Paradise”, “Royal Assembly” and “Sunrise Serenade.” Each uniquely different, but they are all full of joyful expression.

March 6th is Linda’s birthday and as luck would have it that is also the date for the opening reception for the “Art in Bloom” show. The hours are from 5 to 8 p.m., so if you get a chance stop by, and maybe raise a toast to the birthday girl. Wine and hors d'oeuvres are being provided for your pleasure while you view all the incredible floral paintings, photography and mixed media. You will walk away inspired, refreshed and maybe with some new artwork to start spring out right.

This is David, Linda’s biggest fan and loving hubbie writing this post. Linda is going at a furious pace right now, trying to keep up with all the shows and events she is or will be doing this month, so I may be writing several more posts this month

You can always subscribe to her e-newsletter to keep up with all the happenings in Linda’s world of wildflowers or stop by this blog often as I will be trying to post every few days about this very busy month.

It may still be freezing and the drought may stunt the beautiful displays of wildflowers in Texas this spring but rest assured Linda is busy making sure that wildflowers in all their glory will be there to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Wildflower Art on Display in San Antonio

Linda’s wildflower paintings have a new venue in the Stone Oak area north of San Antonio as of last week. Taco Cantina is a newly opened, family friendly restaurant located in the Village at Stone Oak, just off from Stone Oak Parkway and 281. They had their Grand Opening last week and Linda was invited to hang several of her wildflower paintings. The art ranges in size from 30x 40 inches all the way down to some of her 8 inch squares in some of the narrow areas. The art has helped to create a very festive and colorful atmosphere.

Troy and Marisa Fulmer, owners of the 20nine Restaurant and Wine Bar at the Quarry, have created another wonderful dining experience. Linda and I dined there last Sunday while enjoying a rare play day in San Antonio. The service was excellent and the food was creative and tasty. Linda had the Pepita Chicken and I had the Venison Picadillo. Both were very good but at the end of the day we both liked the Pepita Chicken more. This dish is a pumpkin seed crusted boneless chicken breast, pan fried and served with a salsa verde and jalapeno crema. I am not a big fan of pumpkin seed, but, man, this dish was a great flavor sensation.

The venison dish uses ground venison and wild hog braised with potato, roasted poblano and tomato served with queso Oaxaca and fresh avocado. I truly enjoyed it and thought I had chosen a great dish until I tried Linda’s chicken. We like to order different things from the menu so we can share and explore at the same time. There are several more items on the menu we both want to try so we will have to allow for another play day sooner than later.

We hung most of Linda’s wildflower artwork early last week before they were actually open. This terrific new venue shows off both the Contemporary Wildflowers and well as her newer Summer of Luv series of wildflower paintings.

We are planning a “meet the artist” reception with a date to be announced later. Linda will be hanging until late May so we would like to invite you to come by and have a bite and look over her artwork, especially if you don’t get out of San Antonio much, because Linda’s wildflowers are more often on display in Austin.

Taco Cantina is planning to have a happy hour that will be from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday. They have an extensive selection of tequilas and Mexican beers and the margaritas and beers will have special pricing during that time. They are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. For directions or more info go to Taco Cantina.

This is David filling in for Linda as she is busy trying to keep up with all the other requests for her time. As always we would love to have you visit our website at Casa De Linda or join our e-news to keep up with all the wildflower happenings as it looks like it going to be a very busy spring for Linda.

UPDATE 4-1-09 Unfortunately Taco Cantina is closed as of March 26th and we no longer are exhibiting Linda's wildflower artwork there.

Artist Marketing Seminars

I've had so many fellow artists ask me about offering classes on marketing, PR and licensing. And the time has come! I've schedule the first of my mini seminars for early March. The first half-day seminar is titled "Marketing and PR for Artists" and will be held in my New Braunfels, Texas, studio on Sunday, March 1 from 12-5 p.m. and again on Wednesday, March 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can download my flyer for more information, or e-mail me at linda@casadelinda. com. The New Braunfels location is convenient for Central Texas artists. If you are not in the area but would like to study with me, I'm also booking these seminars for art leagues and other groups who would like to host me. Please let me know if you are interested.

Back from CHA Show in California

I must start by saying that I feel remiss for not having posted to this blog since early January. Both David and I were caught up in preparations for our booth at the Craft and Hobby Association's Winter Convention held in Anaheim, California. The show was Jan. 25-28, but we flew out a day early to set up and returned to our beloved Texas just yesterday (Jan. 29).

This was our first time to exhibit my wildflowers for licensing at a CHA show. As you may know, we have made three trips to NYC, twice for Licensing International (which, by the way, will be relocating to Las Vegas this year) and once to Surtex. The CHA show gave us a chance to reach out to both the markets we have been in touch with before and new markets, most specifically scrapbooking and papercraft.

We couldn't be happier with the results of the show. We made some great contacts and will now be following up with each of them. We were also able to take advantage of CHA's great educational program, including seminars and consultations. We attended a couple of CHA business meetings, walked the show floor and learned about new products in the crafting industry. Beyond the great business prospects, the highlight of the trip was getting to hear a keynote presentation from Deborah Norville. You may know her as a TV personality, but her life long passion is crafting. She is also a very inspiring speaker and author of "Thank You Power". She also just introduced her own line of yarns! She told us that quality yarn feels soft to your lips. Now you know the way to tell great yarn from average yarn!

We also enjoyed the CHA Winter Show Event and Dinner, which featured a live stage show performed by three Elvis impersonators, each representing a different stage of the King's singing career. David and I even cut loose on the dance floor. What a treat!

We are now back in the Texas Hill Country, preparing for a very busy Spring! Check back often for the latest news. And if you haven't signed up for my e-newsletters, please do so. It's FREE, it's EASY and you can cancel at any time. Just click on the "Click Here to Join" section to the left of this posting.

And don't forget to visit my website to learn more about my wildflower art and how it can brighten your home...and your heart!

More about my Art Classes in New Braunfels, Texas

For the most current art classes go to CasaDeLinda.com and click on classes


Want to improve your drawing skills, learn a new painting technique or explore your creative side? Do you have a child in your life who might be the next Van Gogh or Warhol? Well, if you are within driving distance of New Braunfels, then check out my "Art Explorations" schedule for this spring! Download a pdf brochure, or e-mail me at linda at casadelinda dot com.

Welcome 2009!

Today is the 4th of January, so we are firmly into a new year. I don't know about you, but I welcome this year and look forward to it. The last 12 months was a roller coaster ride in so many ways. Let's put that all behind us and make this year one that fills our heart with fond memories when we reflect on it in the future. I wish for you your personal best, whether that be improved health and wealth, creative and mental growth, love and companionship...or some of everything! I believe that all have the power in us to visualize our lives as we want them and then make it happen.