I can't believe I haven't been here for a couple of years...

Does anyone still blog, with all the social networking sites?

I am working on a new laptop, which makes writing somewhat easier, but I don't have access to all the artwork and images I have stored on the old computer.

It's been a really difficult winter, with a lot of snow. Right now, we are waiting for yet another snowstorm...who knows how much we will get?

I also haven't had much time to paint or draw, and haven't listed anything on ebay, etsy or bonanzle for a while. The economy crash was felt first by artists and designers, so I have been working at a Barnes and Noble for the last couple of years...Entering the "slow season" there, so I may have time to create, but a lot less income.

Worldwide eBay Boycott makes this relevant...

On May 1, 2008, another Boycott of eBay will begin. So many changes, so many new problems.

Sellers with Feedback numbers under a hundred - such as myself at 63 FB/ 100% positive - will find themselves in the unreachable back of the line of listings. To eBay, the smaller Seller is not worth supporting. Although we will be paying the same fees as everyone else, we will see significantly less exposure, and therefore fewer sales.

In addition, eBay's partner PayPal will be able to put a hold on payments to smaller Sellers - for up to 21 days. Sellers are expected to ship items without having received cleared payment, or risk a Negative Feedback from Buyers. Oh...and here's the big one:

Sellers will no longer be able to leave anything but Postive Feedback for Buyers.

Here's a bit of editorial comment I did for an Art Contest on eBay a couple of months ago. It seems appropriate to post it now. (I will be finishing the next two pages in the next couple of weeks.

Since listing this for auction on eBay seems dicey right now, the only place you may be able to see it is here in my Blog.

A HUGE Thank You!

I haven't posted in this blog for a long time, so it's long past time to do so...

The very first order of business is a huge THANK YOU to Melia Newman of Be Mused Art Studio and Gallery, for featuring an interview of me on her website! It was a wonderfully kind and generous thing to do! Melia plans to interview two artists a week on her site - please follow the link at the right to see the artists she has featured!

I "met" Melia on the Art & Artists Discussion Board on eBay. She is one of many marvelous artists who sell their original art on eBay and on other online venues. (If you are looking for original art at extremely reasonable prices, search the Self-Representing Artists category on eBay!)

Please check out bemusedart.com to see Melia's lovely work!

New Work

Rapunzel and a "Bad Hair Day" - NibbleFest

Did you ever wonder if Rapunzel got heartily sick of all that climbing? Up and down, up and down, the constant tugging and pulling...Imagine all the work required to maintain that 'do...just keeping the split ends trimmed was a full-time job! To say nothing of how long it took to blow-dry...I imagine that one day, she just snapped, pulled out the scissors and snip, snip! An emancipated woman!!! Too bad about the prince, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...

This is my entry for the monthly Nibblefest Art Contest on eBay, which is a themed contest that begins on the 20th of each month and ends on the 27th. This month's theme is "Fairy Tales." Search NFAC to see all the entries. Starting bids must be just 99 cents, so this is a great time to purchase art at a bargain price!

This is an original watercolor/mixed media painting. It was created with Winsor & Newton watercolors, Dr. Martin's Transparent watercolors, and Colerase colored pencils. It was painted on 140 lb. Arches Aquarelle Coldpress watercolor paper. The image size is 13.75 x 8.5 inches, on a sheet of paper measuring 17 x 12 inches, which leaves a generous margin for matting and framing. (The painting is offered without a mat or frame.) I hope you enjoy looking at my work!

Here is the link to the eBay auction:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=110095689927&rd=1&rd=1

Right smack in the middle of an eBay Boycott

And I list this:







This is my latest - and currently, only - auction on eBay. It is a 15 x 18 inch original oil painting, done on stretched, gallery-wrapped canvas, titled "Hydrangeas."

I took a series of photographs of the hydrangeas blooming in our yard last summer. I am fascinated by the intricate structure of the blooms, the lush, exuberant colors and the sheer size of the flowers, as well as the color contrast between the blooms and rich green leaves. I plan to do a series of paintings of this subject - this is the first.

Here is the link to the auction:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=110085464714&rd=1&rd=1


Now, why is there an eBay Boycott?

eBay has recently instituted a new protocol for auctions. Whereas, before the id's of all bidders - and therefore their feedback and history on eBay - were visible to all, now when the bidding goes over $200, bidders will only be identified by number; as in "Bidder #1," "Bidder #2," etc. eBay says they have done this to make the auction process more "secure," and to safeguard the privacy of Bidders.

There is a spirited discussion of this issue, and information about the Boycott on the Bidding Discussion Board on eBay:

http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.jspa?threadID=1000426413&tstart=0&mod=1170360908192

A number of Buyers and Sellers believe that rather than making the auction process safer, this new protocol will foster "shill bidding" by making it impossible to detect. eBay relies on its users to help police the site - this will certainly make it harder to see if shill bidding is occurring.

A number of buyers and sellers are refusing to participate until this new protocol is changed. The boycott began today, Feb. 1, 2007 and will continue until Feb. 14, 2007, unless eBay relents.

Since I have an auction running - and one for which I paid enhanced listing fees - I cannot participate in the Boycott yet. I understand the viewpoints of the Boycotters, and hope that eBay will listen.

eBay Nibblefest entry - The Guitar Player

This is my latest entry in the monthly Nibblefest Art Contest on eBay. This is a themed contest which begins on the 20th of every month and ends on the 27th. Each auction must have a Starting Bid of 99 cents, and have no listing enhancements other than a Gallery picture. Search NFAC to see all the great artwork! This month's theme is Music/Musicians.

My entry is a 20 x 15 inch oil painting on gallery-wrapped stretched canvas. The subject is my son, who is a Jazz Guitar Major in college.









http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=110082035569&rd=1&rd=1