Abandon all hope ye who enter here....

"Abandon all hope ye who enter here. Pull up a chair and be of good cheer. The artist awaits you.....Hello Fair Spirit of The Blog,
Alas you’ve come. We’ve been waiting for you. Oh, don’t bump your head on the door! Blood makes such an awful mess.

You are formally invited to join our very Private Artist Club. No. Not every sod is welcome. We’re very discriminating and only an privileged few will walk our hallowed grounds. But, Master Mike and I have decided …we want you.

We have a dandy place just for rascals like you. It’s rightfully called Dante’s Pub. But when you enter beware. You are entering the abyss of the artist mind and you may not find your way out.

You are welcome to watch from afar, sip on a glass of absinth, or pull up a chair and join us for a little chat. We’re a very friendly crowd.

But Be Warned: Blasphemers and Scalawags shall be lashed and burned at the stake! So watch your tongue, Sailor, or that may be removed also -just for fun.

Oh, you ask, ‘What’s in it for you?” You’ll just have to wait and see… now wont you?

Don’t dilly dally. It won’t cost you pence. Check out The Artist Challenge and Dante‘s Pub… that is if you fathom yourself worthy to be amongst the souls we've already claimed?

Be sure and register at the Pub and then log in. After all- this is a very private club. We don’t want just any wanderer in our midst, ...now do we?

Farewell ….until we hear from you……..
Master Mike and The Pub Wench
____________________

My (quick!) drawing of Master Mike and The Pub Wench is charcoal on paper. My partner in crime, Michael Edens also has a special up-coming blog about The Artist Challenge. Please visit him at MDE-Art.com

I’ve just put 13 paintings I’ve shown on my blog on Etsy at reduced prices. If there’s something you’d be interested in please contact me through Etsy.

Vikki: aka The Pub Wench

The Artist Challenge- http://www.theartistchallenge.com/
Dante’s Pub- http://www.theartistchallenge.com/art-forum/
Red Chair at Etsy- http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6808675
The Red Chair Gallery- http://www.theredchairgallery.com/

Things We should Say and My Inspiration

Afterthought-
As I think back on it now, the scene replays again in my mind. Every action and word is repeated and analyzed. I didn’t understand at the time, but clarity has found my thoughts.

This year I made a promise to myself. I want to remember to say ‘the things’ that we all stumble around and just assume other people know. You know, ‘the things we really should say?’

I just started this blog March 2008. An agent told me that 'I had to start an artist blog’ to get my work and gallery website visible online. I’d never even read a blog, much less written one. Quite honestly, I didn’t even understand what a blog was.

He referred to it as an online journal. Gag! I’d never even kept a diary as a kid! And who would want to read it anyway?

At first, I fought and dismissed the idea. It sounded like one more thing that would interrupt the only thing I wanted to do: spend all my time painting. But, as these things go, I eventually gave in and went in knowing nothing about blogging. I went in blind!

Oddly, I think that may be the best way. Coming from the entertainment field, my assumption was I should at least attempt to be entertaining. I wrote silly little shorts to go along with my paintings and hopefully grab your attention. I quickly found ‘what worked and what didn’t’ and bounced my way into blog world the ‘hard way‘.

As the weeks and months rolled by I began to notice something happening. Having the blog, and visitors actually kind enough to grace my little Internet space, -I was working harder in my studio. I was constantly pushing to have something new for the next blog. You were reacting and interacting with and about my work in ways that is invaluable to every artist. I was taking chances and venturing into subjects that I’d never taken the time to explore.

BUT, -this was the big thing: As I started visiting your blogs and reading your stories I was overwhelmed. You told truths about your hopes, fears and even secrets we usually only tell our best friends. You were brave enough to share your laughter and tears with the whole world. You gave insight into your deepest feelings and told me about your daily life. I still stand in awe.

About 5 months into blogging, I put the following on the front page of The Red Chair Gallery. It was about you. I should have told you. Don’t know why I didn’t. So I need to tell you now:

I am the artist whose original art you will see in this online art gallery. Capturing the truths that uniquely reflect our lives is my goal. You are my inspiration.


You are greatly valued and appreciated. Thank you.

Vikki
The painting at the top is called Afterthought.
32"x20" Diptych (translation-2 stretched canvases each 16"x20")
Acrylic on canvas. Orig. $500 plus S&H