What I Did on My End-Of-Summer Vacation

I'm having a difficult time getting back to work. Vacationing on the Maine coast was so relaxing and inspiring that I'm beginning to understand the term "retirement." Michael and I brought all our own food and camped as close to the shore as possible - twice we woke up to lapping waves right on the beach.

Acadia National Park

Although Acadia National Park possessed stunning scenery, we were turned off by the commercial aspect. Buses dropped off tourists at all the choice scenic locations and it got so crowded I couldn't even set up to paint. Two days of that annoyance and we were off to explore a bit further south.

Harbor at Stonington

Artist studios and galleries were flagrantly abundant. Every town, and I mean every one of 'em we visited hosted several art galleries. In the outskirts, signs that appeared to be county or town appointed indicated individual art studios located down this or that road. Even dirt roads. Which begs the question: how can so many artists and galleries survive here along the Maine coast? Is it that lucrative? Do they stay all winter or leave for warmer climes?

The highlight of the trip was taking the boat over to Monhegan Island. With equally stunning scenery as Acadia, it's understandable how the island has held a long tradition as an artistic destination. It was almost a religious experience as I payed homage to the artists who have painted there for generations. There they were: all the subjects, scenes, landscapes and seascapes that have been painted by some of the greats...right before my eyes.

Artists at work.

Teel Island, owned by the Wyeth family, on the way out to Monhegan.

The bluffs of Monhegan Island.

Sigh. I've got to get back to work sooner or later. After all, paint is paint and a muse is a muse.
Sharon

Trouble in Paradise

I meditate every morning. If I can shut off the incessant chatter in my brain and get truly quiet...that's when inspiration manifests.

After an exhausting and challenging summer as an artist vendor for the entire Saratoga meet, I'm heading to the Maine coast for a few days. My lodging of choice is to camp. I want to hear it, smell it, taste it and feel it...my way of returning to my source.

Working hard is my nature, and the series of events we encountered made me grateful for dogged perseverance. It wasn't just me. Last May the State of New York took the helm from NYRA leaving a beautiful ship tossing aimlessly with no clear course of direction. By the end of the meet I could hear the weariness in the voices of most everyone. My wish is for this Grand Dame to return to her former glory, rejuvenate her beauty, integrity and pride because Saratoga is special and elite and so many of us, past and present, love her dearly.

When the Inaugural 2012 Steeplechase Festival at Saratoga was cancelled I could only imagine that the organizers were swept up into the chaotic maelstrom that was the Summer of 2012.

But I survived, I got through it, and this week I'll be meditating to the sound of crashing waves.

Ommmmm...
Sharon

Catching Up on a Dark Day at Saratoga

We're almost two weeks into the race meet here at Saratoga.

For my artists peeps: imagine working a weekend art festival times six weeks. It's a challenging grind but worth every minute. Double the pleasure as Michael and I attempt to keep the studio open during normal visiting hours. It's amazing what can be accomplished with determination and drive. The trick is to stay healthy by eating well (not easy for Michael) and getting enough sleep (not easy for Sharon). Fourteen to sixteen hour days are the norm.

My little riddle book is selling a bit. I haven't had the time to properly promote it but think I'll have a better chance come the holidays. We've received a positive review on Amazon.com where you can also purchase via the link on the sidebar to the right. A reminder: I'll be at the National Museum of Racing on August 23rd signing copies from 10am to 1pm.

I managed to finish the artwork for the program cover of the 2012 Inaugural Steeplechase Festival at Saratoga a few days before the meet began. Posters are available. Here's the original painting followed by the poster designed by graphic artist extraordinaire Maria Miller here in Saratoga:

So luvs, if you don't hear from me much this summer on this blog, know that I can be found by the horse path across from the jockey silks room at the Spa. I'm having the time of my life!
Sharon

Got a Horse Crazy Kid?

The book is published!

My multi-year project of illustrating the equine-related riddles for children that were written and compiled by my book partner Dale Sue Wade is complete. In hindsight, the drawings were a respite from my usually formal painting. The goofy, silly me was given free rein to have fun and revel in the fact that I'm a fairly decent draughtswoman (yes that's correct, I looked it up). I'm learning to accept and honor the positive aspects of me. It takes an entire lifetime.

In a few days the book will be available at Amazon.com. Extended distribution will take on countries across the pond and translations will occur: ¿Qué tipo de caballo de Picasso se prefiere?

A bit of a snafu has occurred in transferring the files to Kindle but that will be handled later. Call me old-fashioned, but I still love the tactile experience of holding a book in my hands and thumbing the pages while inhaling the aromatic scent of ink.

Dale Sue is an educator and wasn't satisfied with the just the riddle and it's accompanying answer. She's compelled to teach and harnessed the riddles as a learning opportunity. You'll find puns, wordplays, idioms and homophones plus a history lesson or two thrown in for good measure.

Got a horse crazy kid and need a little gift? You can pre-order at the publishers website here. It's only $9.95 and I promise you'll love it as much as your kid. Think of me when you chuckle at the nonsensical drawings.

Drawing on life and love,
Sharon

101 Whinnying Riddles for Horse Crazy Kids

Three solid weeks. That's how long it took me to format the children's riddle book I've been working on for years. Why now? An offer from the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for a book signing during the Saratoga race meet was incentive enough to pull the project back to the front burner. Again.

Being a painter, my knowledge and understanding of publishing software is limited. A very old version of Quark, 5.0 to be exact, somehow keeps getting transferred over to the next generation of computers in our office. After a brief frustrating struggle, I downloaded the trial version of the latest QuarkExpress 9.0.

It was easy to import the text and images and compose the pages. However, the entire book had to uploaded to the publisher in one pdf file and that's where the insanity began. My book partner, Dale Sue Wade (who wrote the overly clever riddles that only children can solve), my VP of Sales, Research and Accounts Receivable (Michael) and I decided to self-publish. After intensive research, we chose CreateSpace, a subsidiary of Amazon.com. Many, many revisions and several hair pulling sessions later, the book is in "review" as of this writing. I felt like I was trying to build a mansion with toothpicks, the toothpicks being my lack of knowledge about anything book creating.

Revisiting the ink drawings did put a smile on my intense grimacing. Humor me as I share this ridiculous drawing with you:

What do you say to a horse when they sneeze?

Horse-SHOE!

101 Ways to Drive a Horse Artist Mad,

Sharon

Please! Don't Go!

Experiencing a couple of unsubscribes last week has me wondering. Perhaps I've not painted a race horse in awhile, but this is a great gig for me and has me leaping out of my oil-equine-big canvas-wild eyed box. I know some of my friends are getting a kick out of my documented struggles as I gunk up acrylic paint while ruining good brushes and misting water on anyone who passes too close.

Or, maybe I've not been clear regarding the greyhound project. The subject of greyhound racing can elicit assorted opinion as I've discovered...some of them rather passionate. So, let me explain.

I have a client who has commissioned me to paint several fiberglass life-size greyhounds. These art pieces are being auctioned off across the country to benefit various greyhound rescue groups. Be happy for me as the project has mushroomed into opportunities that neither my client nor myself foresaw. For instance, remember Waguar, the greyhound painted with the team colors of the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars?

That number 32 was personally autographed by Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville's star running back. My client, who is an avid sports fan, not only experienced the fun of meeting the renown player but also went out to breakfast with him. Very happy client = very happy Sharon.

As a former race tracker I could be droning on and on about I'll Have Another's trainer and his drug issues or the threatened strike of NYRA's maintenance union right before the Belmont blah blah blah. But I'll spare you all that noise as I quietly create my own controversy...

It's a fund-raiser for greyhound rescue,
Sharon

Finished Chief Greyhound

This is an artist blog, after all. I've been remiss with my artwork updates amid the chaos of my website troubles.

Here's one of the last two greyhounds that I completed and delivered. In a previous post I shared some of the process of creating "Chief". Lots of research, kids, goes into fulfilling the requests of my client. However, I'm learning new things that make me go "huh" in an inquisitive way.

After finishing up this particular greyhound, I'm also understanding (finally!) how to handle acrylic paint. I have great admiration for artists who produce beautiful paintings with this plastic fast-drying goo that I've cursed during many a painting session. How do they do it? Check out my good friend Robert Stebleton who applies it with ease and agility. That's how they do it.

Four Indian Chiefs representing the Sioux (Oglala and Lakota), Nez Pearce and Cherokee, and seven clans of the Cherokee are represented. Also, lots of totems and traditional patterns.

Chief Joseph and Chief Sitting Bull were derived from historical black and white photos readily available on the web.

View from above looking down on the greyhound's head. The Eagle and Blue Sky are two Cherokee clans.

Potato Vine and Bear sometimes represent similar clans.

There is no word equivalent for goodbye in the Sioux language because it would break the bond of connectedness. Therefore, I'll meet you all again in the blogosphere.
Sharon

Website Hacking Update

Google has removed the dreaded "Reported Attack Page"from my website and e-mail.

My biggest concern was losing the trust and confidence of the very people to whom I've worked so hard to create relationships. Clients, collectors, potential collectors, people who just like my artwork, my friends and fellow artists. I know if I landed on a page blasting that red-text warning, I would click away as fast as my spastic index finger could tap a mouse. That possibility was so disheartening - over and above losing several years of work.

Time to move on. I'm pleased with FASO, the website hosting service for artists, and I've put up a very simple site just to get back online. It's so easy even Michael is helping me. Not much design flexibility, however, did I mention I wanted to simplify? I'm determined to enjoy this.

Thank you to everyone who was supportive through this ordeal and I'm grateful for all who have stuck with me. Change of subject:

Oh no! It's Dave on the loose in the studio!

With relief,
Sharon
www.sharoncrute.com

Horrible Hidious Heinous Hackers from Hell

At first I was furious. I took it as a personal assault. What sick, twisted freak would do this to an artist? When I clicked to my website sharoncrute.com, a window popped up stating "Reported Attack Page!". What the....?
 

 

After contacting Yahoo who has hosted my website since 2000, they proceeded to pass the buck to Google. When I finally reached a genuine human within the vastness, I was directed to a website that would provide step by step instructions to help. Uh-uh.

If you have a website and you've never authenticated it with Google, I strongly advise you do it now. Google does have useful webmaster tools but your site must be authenticated. How was I to know that? And...I can't accomplish that step because my site is re-flagged and I've become a whirling dervish.

So, I've been hacked. I pulled my entire site down, all 857 files and 27 folders representing six or so years of work for my designer Julie K and myself. I don't have time nor do I care to allot resources to rebuild from scratch in Dreamweaver. I've signed on with this site building service for artists: Fine Art Studio Online (FASO). I won't have the flexibility and control to appease this perfectionist, but the templates are clean, simple and showcase the art.

Please hang in there with me. I'll be back up and running ASAP.

We're Jumping! Revised Steeplechase Schedule

The Saratoga race meet is my yearly golden show. With the entire scheme is place, we're building an impressive inventory for the six week gig. We'll be more than ready.

We plan events, shows and exhibits at least six months out. Which is why it's unusual that Michael would add to the schedule so last minute. The VP in charge of marketing, research and accounts receivable is busy readying for two more steeplechase shows while I paint to complete yet another greyhound.

Here's the revised schedule where I'll be set up showing my artwork for the next three weekends:

• Sunday, May 13th - Willowdale Steeplechase in Kennett Square, PA
• Sunday, May 20th - High Hope Steeplechase in Lexington, KY
• Saturday, May 26th - Fair Hill Races, Elkton, MD

If you live close to one of these venues and you've never attended a steeplechase, I can recommend a hoot of a good time. In addition to the races, the day is packed with all kinds of family-friendly events from frenzied Jack Russell races to the craziest very non-couture hat contests. Tailgating is an art unto itself.

Clearing 20"x26" Limited Edition Giclee Fine Art Reproduction on stretched canvas.

Hope to see you at the races!
Sharon