Vintage Charm

Palette Knife Painting by Leslie Saeta

"Vintage Charm"

Oil, 8" x 10" framed.

Click here to purchase this painting.

I am in Minneapolis at the Junior National Boy's Volleyball championships. This is a really wonderful town and a terrific place to visit. If you recall, I was here in late March but the weather was a bit cooler (ok, that's an understatement) and we didn't get a chance to explore the city. My husband and I are about to head out to visit some art galleries so I am very excited to do more exploring!

I hope you are following my fanpage on Facebook as I am offering a Daily Marketing Tip for Artists that you do not want to miss! Just go to my Fanpage and click LIKE and you can follow the tips! 

Break of the Day - SOLD

Palette Knife Painting by Leslie Saeta

"Break of the Day"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

Sold.

This painting was a painting commission completed today. I painted it kind of as a "demo" for my summer intern so she could understand my style of painting and see how I paint.  Later this week we are going to paint together.  I enjoy "explaining while I paint" (I guess they call that teaching) and I loved her comment at the end ... "How do you do that and make it look so easy?" All I could do was remember all the times I have struggled and scraped and wiped off paintings ... and it made me laugh.


I made some major progress today on the plans for the Carriage House Workshop Studio remodel. I am getting excited as we are going to remove the ceiling and open up the rafters so that the ceiling is exposed and goes all the way up to the top - which is really high! I came up with an idea to build tiny shelves on the wall for my students to display all of their completed paintings where I can actually take a great photo. I can't help but think of all of the times in my previous workshops when we would put the paintings on the floor (and they would often get stepped on) and then I would have to climb on a ladder to try to get a good photo. I won't miss those days! I have also picked out the pendant lighting and just need to finalize the paint color before we get started on the project. 


I was reminded today that my dear friend Dreama is mad at me for the fact that I not only have an intern but also that I am remodeling the Carriage House for a workshop studio. She told me today that she can barely talk to me ... so please try to be nice to her. She is fragile and you never know ... tee hee ... I am just afraid that I might receive a box in the mail one of these days with a "meow" noise inside ... she is threatening to send Eddie to California so he can distract me from my fun projects!

Sweaty Palms

Palette Knife Painting by Leslie Saeta

"Sweaty Palms"

Oil, 6" x 6" on canvas panel.

$200.00 with display easel.

I have spent the last three days doing what I love most and enjoy the best ... watching my kids play sports! This time I have been at a volleyball tournament watching my youngest son compete as well as watching my husband's team play. It's been a blast. And we are heading out today for the last day ...

This little painting was fun to paint. I enjoyed mixing the blues and greens for the water. It worked well to create some depth. You can really see the edges created with the palette knife in this photo.

We have been in Balboa all weekend for the tournament and we took a long boat ride with some friends on a glorious Saturday afternoon. I took 480 photos which were mostly boats. So I am set for paintings ... for a long while!

No Wind

"No Wind"

Oil, 14" x 11" framed.

$650.00

Available at Gales' Restaurant.

Email me if you are interested in this painting

Another busy day today ... but unfortunately it didn't have much to do with art. My youngest son is playing in a four-day volleyball tournament so we are going to be in Anaheim and Balboa for most of the weekend.   Balboa Island is one of my favorite places in the world. It's quaint with tons of character and the people are wonderful. Plus there are great scenes to paint absolutely everywhere you turn so it's a "painter's paradise" too!
I have my camera and hope to shoot a few hundred photos tomorrow for more painting inspirations ... I can't wait!

Moving Forward Again ... SOLD

Palette knife painting by Leslie Saeta

"Moving Forward Again"

Oil, 11" x 14" framed.

$650.00

Available at Gale's Restaurant

Sold.

I painted a small 6" x 6" study titled "Moving Forward" shortly after my mother in law passed away and the response was wonderful. So when I was painting a few paintings for Gale's Restaurant earlier this week I thought it might be fun to try a larger and more finished version. I still love the colors and am very happy with the larger version.

Today's Artists Helping Artists show was a really important one for artists and kind of goes against the advice I have been giving some of you about creating a Business Fan Page on Facebook for your art. After spending MANY hours researching all of the new things happening on facebook I can tell you ... you must listen to this show. A Business Fan Page is really important if you want to increase your visibility and let more people find your art. You can even sell your art (and anything else) by opening a store on Facebook and "brand" your fan page to look more like your website or blog. So do yourself a big favor and listen to the show!

Finally, you might want to LIKE my Business Fan Page as I am offering Daily Marketing Tips for Artists. Today's tip shows how you can link your Profile page to your Business Fan Page as see in the photo here. 

Nightime Reflections on the Pavillion

"Nightime Reflections on the Pavilion"

Oil, 8" x 8" 

$450.00 framed.

Available at Gale's Restaurant.

I have a last minute opportunity to show some of my paintings at Gale's Restaurant so I have been living in my studio finishing up some new paintings. This is one of the three new paintings just completed and I love it. There's something about the colors that I really love.
I am also excited because as of tomorrow I will have a summer intern helping me with my art business. She attends the same high school as my boys and I am thrilled she will be helping me out three days a week. I have an exhaustive list of what I hope she can accomplish. The good news is we will be documenting her role as Dreama and I hope to discuss how to use interns or "virtual assistants" in your art business on one of our "Artists Helping Artists" radio shows.

And The Winner Is ...

"Hawaiian Sun Reflections"

Oil, 8" x 10" framed.

$500.00 framed.

Click here to purchase this painting.

Sorry it took me so long to select a winner for the free painting. But ... I have been busy with my son's graduation. And a million other things. But thanks for the many birthday wishes and incredible comments. I went to random.org and found a winner.
So ... the winner is Ann Marie from Burbank. She is a mother of three sons so I am thrilled she won. It feels like we have a lot in common!
Thanks again for making my birthday week so wonderful and congrats to the seven of you who won all of the prizes!

Free Birthday Giveaway - Day Seven (and it's a free painting ...)

"Safe and Sound"

Oil, 6" x 6"

This painting could be yours ...

Congratulations to Susan Walker. She won the free video featuring her art!

At last. The final day of the birthday giveaway. It has been so fun sharing so many things with you this past week and thanks to all of you for going along for the ride. To win the painting listed above, you don't have to do anything. Well, actually you do have to comment on this blog post so I know that you actually want to win the painting! I'll announce the winner tomorrow, I promise. Good luck. And thanks for letting me celebrate my birthday by thanking all of you for another great year. You guys are awesome.

Free Birthday Giveaway - SOLD

"Sunset at Berkeley"

The perfect gift for a CAL grad ...

Sold.

Congrats to Patti Vincent as she is the winner of the Day Five Birthday Giveaway. It's a one-hour consultation on selling your art through Facebook.

It's hard to believe there are only two more days left of my Birthday Challenge. It's been really fun and I really appreciate that so many of you have participated! I spent most of my day doing busy work. I actually lost my sling, and I am not kidding, so I couldn't wear it today either.  I just finished a video of the CIF baseball championship win for the banquet tomorrow night. It was a lot of fun and it gave me an idea for today's birthday challenge prize ...

The Day Six Birthday Free Giveaway is a video of your artwork. That's right. I will create a short (up to about 8 minutes) video featuring your art. All you will need to do is provide me with photos of your artwork and I will create the video for you. The process to create these videos is not difficult and it will be one of the first on-line classes I will be teaching in the fall.

To enter, all you have to do is spread the word about my favorite radio show, Artists Helping Artists. You can do that by placing a "badge" on your blog or website. It's really easy to do: Go to the AHA Blog  and find the badge that looks like the picture on the left. Then click SHARE and add it to your blog. You can also share our showon your Facebook. Don't forget to go to the Artists Helping Artists page on BlogTalkRadio and sign up as a follower of the show.
 Please comment on this post so I know you have let everyone know about the show. That way I will enter you in tomorrow's drawing. Thanks!

Free Birthday Giveaway - Day Five

"Garfield Park"

Oil, 11" x 14" 

Sold.

Congratulations to Martha Kisling as she was the winner of the free three day workshop.  And thanks to so many of you for sharing my Workshop webpage - wow!

So ... what a weekend ... Matt's team won the CIF Championship baseball game yesterday. The final score was 10 - 0, which was amazing. It was the first baseball championship in school history ... and the school is 101 years old. So I guess it was a long time coming ...

Graduation festivities are gearing up and its hard to believe we will have yet another high school graduate. Must mean I am getting old ... oh gosh ... I forgot that is this week too.

Which reminds me ... my shoulder is a bit better and the sling is nowhere to be found. Seriously, what doctor in the world thinks a very busy mom/wife/volunteer/birthday-girl/mom-of-a-graduate-this-week-who-is-making-a-tshirt-quilt-for-her-son-this-week-too/artist/business-woman/party-planner can wear a sling on her right arm when she is right handed? We had about 60 people over last night after the game for a bbq/celebration and how did my doctor think I could pull that off without my right arm? Anyway ... I kind of forgot to put my sling on this morning at 7:45am on our way to a volleyball tournament. I am sure it will be fine. (Well maybe it will be in a week or so when things slow down.)

Now it's time to get down to business and announce the Free Birthday Giveaway for Day Five! Actually, the truth is I hadn't thought of anything for today's giveaway so I figured if I just kept typing something would actually come to me. So, the giveaway is ... um ... um ... kidding. I actually planned all the giveaways last week and today's giveaway is a one hour consultation on How To Use Facebook To Sell Your Art. I promise this will be one of the most informative hours you will spend and you will learn a lot - especially when it comes to building your fan base!
So, to qualify for the drawing, all you have to do is LIKE my Facebook Fan Page which can be found at Leslie Saeta Fine Art. You can leave me a comment here too ... it makes me feel very loved!

Free Birthday Giveaway - Day Four

Palette Knife Workshop Demonstration

Congratulations to Nancy Laliberte who won the Day Three Birthday Challenge which was a 90-minute marketing consultation. Way to go!

The Carriage House Workshop Studio

I just finished updating my workshop page and have all of my 2012 Workshops scheduled. (Please note that iweb was acting funny this morning so if you see anything out of place ... it is not me!) I am really excited because my husband and I have decided to convert the Carriage House in our backyard in to a permanent workshop studio. We will be adding french doors and doing a bit more work this summer but the space will be ready for the fall. All my workshops will be held here except for my workshop with Dreama ... as the group is just too large.

Today's Birthday Giveaway is a FREE three day workshop held in 2011 or 2012. It's very easy to qualify for the drawing, just go to my workshop page and click the RECOMMEND link at the top. Also PLEASE leave a comment here to let me know you have done this because if you are not a facebook friend of mine, I won't see your name. Thanks and good luck!

Free Birthday Giveaway - Day Three

"UCLA Reflections"

Oil, 11" x 14" framed.

The perfect gift for a UCLA Graduate ...

$850.00 framed. Click here to purchase.

Congrats to Debra Davies for winning yesterday's giveaway - a Blog Marketing Consultation!

Today's giveaway is one of my favorites. The prize is a private 90-minute on-line consultation that will be custom designed to fit the winner's request (valued at $200.00). We can review your blog, your website, learn how to add LIKE buttons to your site, whatever you want! This prize is based on a new "project" I am going to introduce this fall.
Beginning this September, I am going to start offering on-line classes that will teach artists very specific things .... such as how to create a blog, how to add the Facebook Like button to your blog and website, or even how to create a video from still photos of your art in imovie. The classes will be on-line, which means you will sign-in on your computer and have exclusive access to my computer screen as I teach the class. The classes are cheap (less than $20) and will be very specific to artists.
In order to be eligible for the Day Three Giveaway, all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog with a suggestion for an on-line class topic. I have about 30 ideas already, but I would love to hear your ideas!  

P.S. I am now wearing a sling for a week and not supposed to be using my computer ... but it sounds like my shoulder will be ok after some therapy and TLC. Hopefully my doctor doesn't read my blog or I will be busted for using my right hand ...

Free Birthday Giveaway - Day Two

"Arroyo Seco Parkway"

Oil, 11" x 14"

$850.00 framed.

Sorry that I don't have any new paintings to post right now but I re-injured my right shoulder and can barely lift my arm. Hence, I can't paint. Or do the dishes ... or cook dinner ... or basically raise my arm above my head. It's a bummer because I have determined you need to be able to use your right arm. Especially if you are right-handed.
The Day One winner of the Free Birthday Giveaway which is a set of my favorite palette knives is the person who has an ID of "Magrit" on my blog. I am just waiting for them to respond so I have their full name and address!

The prize for the Day Two giveaway is a Free Marketing Consultation in which we will review your Blog! Today's Artists Helping Artists radio show was all about ways to improve your blog. Dreama and I looked at five blogs submitted by our listeners and it was so much fun that I would like to do one more! To be eligible for this prize all you have to do is ... you guessed it ... click the LIKE BUTTON on this post to share my blog! Please leave me a comment that you shared this blog post so I don't miss you (if you are not my FB friend your name will not appear ...). Thanks so much and good luck!

Free Birthday Giveaway Week Starts Tomorrow!

"All Things Nice"

Sold.

Yep ... it's that time again ... seven days of giveaways so I can celebrate my birthday in the right way by sharing some free stuff with all of you! For seven days leading up to the big day (although I have to admit that 52 is a really boring birthday) I will be giving away something free on my blog. And to be eligible for the giveaway you won't have to do much, I promise! 

To be eligible for the first (June 2nd) giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog! If you feel like it, tell us what you are thankful for. If you don't feel like it, just say hello!

The giveaway tomorrow is a set of my three favorite palette knives. Enjoy!