I recently completed this fun, colorful set of four art blocks that are inspirational and uplifting. But the best part is the sides, they are fully decorated with little flowers, swirls and hearts!  

These would be perfect little blocks to have recreated as canvas block prints for people to place on walls, mantels, side tables, etc.  But, the front design can also be used on numerous other products from greeting cards and journals and even coasters and other home decor products to inspire on a daily basis.

In addition to the work that I create for licensing with layered icons in Photoshop, I also paint fine art originals that are bold, colorful and have a pop art style.  These aren't traditional style licensed paintings, but they have met with quite a bit of success in the licensing industry over the years and I hope to continue to add more of these paintings to my portfolio.  

These new paintings are definitely applicable for wall art in any shape or form, but I can also see them translating onto other products such as home decor, ie pillows, shower curtains, coasters, and more, and also stationery products such as journals, greeting cards (add in some text), and even gift/fashion products such as purses and bags.

One of the newest collections in this style that I am working on is "Celebration of a City" that will feature fun and funky skyline paintings of famous cities and their landmarks.  In the studio right now is the Eiffel Tower, below are some photos of the painting in progress; I'm hoping to have it completed within the next couple of days and will post it under the NEW ART! navigation tab for October. 

Stay tuned for more pop art style paintings to be posted to my portfolio and for mockups showing how they can translate into everyday products.

It's been a busy week here at MADART Studios after returning from my annual summer vacation in Alaska!  Lot's to catch up on and lot's of new work to be created.

I've started adding to my inspirational line of designs/paintings with some hand drawn typography art, a new concept for me, but one I'm thoroughly enjoying!  These designs can be used on just about any product imaginable, and will be shown on some product mockups soon. Here are two of the recent word art designs created this past week.

I'm also working on a submission for Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search!  The opportunities for this challenge are amazing, especially for the winner, but also just the process of being involved with such an amazing art licensing agent and the opportunity to stretch my abilities even more. The brief is something I've never drawn before and I'm delighted to say it's extremely fun and inspiring!  I may have to do more along these lines; here's a sneak peek at my submission in progress, lot's more work to be done :)

And finally...I have A LOT of new images for coastal, rooster and Paris art to be designed.  I sketched literally HUNDREDS of icon elements while in Alaska, on some dreary rainy days, and can't wait to get some paint put on them and full completed designs and mockups presented! 


Here is a sneak peek at the drawings patiently waiting for me to get to them :)  So I will be busy, busy, busy for some time with all of these goings on, oh, and painting an octopus on my daughter's surfboard too!!

I've been working away on rounding out a collection of 12 whimsically elegant designs that are both fun and sophisticated at the same time ~ "Ethereal Whimsy"!  I love the juxtaposition of the more whimsical, almost funky design of the bird and butterfly/dragonfly elements in these designs, against the very soft, elegant feel of the backgrounds and borders.  It creates a mood of happiness and fun that I think will appeal to women across the board, particularly with colors that always do well.  

These designs can be applied to so many different products, from calendars (hence the 12 images), journals, mugs, hat boxes, pillows, notepads, greeting cards, wedding invitations, you name it, they will work!  I've mocked up some designs on products just to show how well they translate and love the way they turned out :)  

Each design also has an inspirational message or word to inspire and motivate women to live a life full of promise and passion.

Not only have I been working on new Christmas and Inspirational art, but I have a new elegant, whimsical design collection for at licensing that I'm very excited about!  I can just imagine so many different products these designs would be perfect for, everything from stationery to home decor.  I started out with a butterfly design, then a peacock and now adding hummingbirds and there will be dragonflies and more to come!

Here are some sketches of more peacocks and hummingbirds, always fun to show the beginning stages of new art.  I think it would be perfect to complete a collection of 12 different whimsical designs to create a calendar, hmmmmm....got me thinking of what other icons/elements of animals, etc. I can use...Stay Tuned!!

It always seems odd to be painting holiday specific or seasonal art that really isn't in season, but so goes the life of an artist in the licensing world!  But, I don't mind in the least, I enjoy breaking out of the ordinary and mixing it up, and I did just that last week and this weekend with 5 new collections for Christmas and winter :)

One of the top requests for new art I received at the Surtex Licensing Show last month was to create more, more and more Christmas art!  I don't think I will ever have enough, but I will certainly try. Coastal and inspirational were the next two top requests, I've created a couple of inspirational and will be working on more coastal as well over the next few weeks and months, so stay tuned!

In the meantime, here are the new collections just created, all of which are available for licensing across all product categories.  And...I also have poinsettias painted and ready to create new designs with, so this will be available shortly.  To see all of my Christmas images click here.  Have a Wonderful "Christmas in June"!

Surtex 2014 was a success!  And by "success" I am very, very pleased with all of the great contacts with new, and current manufacturers I've wanted to work with and have previously or currently worked with. It was also a fantastic opportunity to meet so many artists I know from online groups and social media!

Now, the most important part of the show is upon me, the Follow Up.  The whole reason I went to the Art Licensing Surtex show was to put my art in front of manufacturers who might not be aware of my art.  Now that I have made those contacts, it is of the utmost importance to connect with them and provide them with more information about me and my art and how my art can be beneficial to their products and company.  And if needed, create new art for new product lines and/or work with current designs I already have.  

At this earliest stage after the show I am focused on organizing my contact list and prioritizing everything. The VERY first thing I am doing is taking all of the notes from my little book and backing them up on my computer, if something were to happen to my book the whole show would be in vain, all of my contact information would be gone and I cannot, will not let that happen!!

I hope the show was a great success for everyone who exhibited and attended.  I made notes during the show of things that worked for me and of things I can improve upon next year, and will write a new blog post once I'm caught up on all of the current demands from the show :)

Everything seems to have fallen into place and almost all the details are finalized before the big Art Licensing Surtex Show in New York this Sunday.  Finishing up my press kits today; I ended up going with something a little different and hope the media will enjoy :)  On the front of each of the folders I actually hand drew a fun, whimsical design, that can be enjoyed as is or used as a coloring page.  Fun for me and fun for them!  Yes, a little time consuming for sure, but my daughter Aroon is helping out with the final pen outlining and putting all the folders together.  Thank goodness for some help, it's a lifesaver!! And my daughter will also be accompanying me to New York and helping to (wo)man the booth and also share in some of the attention as we collaborated together on the New Inspirational "Happiness Is..."™ line.

I have a couple of days left to soak it all in and double, triple check my list and packing and make sure I have everything I could possibly need, and more!  But, it's also important to take these last few days before such a big event and business decision, to relax and not stress too much, it's supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience, and to go into it with a positive relaxed mindset is key!  Make sure to take some time for yourself the next few days, whether it's to get outside and exercise (going for a run myself today :), have a spa day/massage, get your nails or hair done, take your dogs for a long walk in the park and/or anything that customarily relaxes and rejuvenates you.

Here's to everyone having a very successful and FUN Surtex!!

Press Release ~ MADART Studios

Surtex Booth #217

Brighten your life with "Art that Colors the Soul"™ from contemporary, licensed artist Megan Aroon Duncanson. Megan's art sends a positive message with unique, colorful and inspirationally uplifting art and quotes to guide you through life with positivity and hope.

Megan is the creative force behind MADART Studios™ that features her work along with collaborative designs with her mother and daughter. Three generations of creative women working together to design art that is uplifting and fun for everyone. In addition to the inspirational collections there are also designs in many categories from coastal, Christmas to kitchen art. The creativity of three generations has its first beginnings in the tiny little Alaskan Bush/Fishing village called Meyers Chuck, just 40 miles North of the Alaskan Gateway City of Ketchikan. Megan was raised in the wilds of Alaska where she found inspiration in the beauty of Alaska and was encouraged by her mother's own creativity. The youngest of the three, Aroon duncanson, was born in Alaska and spent several years growing up in the same village as her mother and creatively inspired by both her mom and grandmother.

Megan is experienced with art licensing and currently has licenses with 25 different manufacturers from Deny Designs (home decor) to Gango Editions (prints). Nine of these licensing deals were signed in 2014, many procured by Megan's licensing agent "Art Licensing", with plans to hopefully add more partners from the Surtex Art Licensing show. The majority of designs are hand painted elements that are then collaged into a final image in Photoshop; this retains the unique hand painted feeling to the art but at the same time allows the designs to be manipulated to perfectly fit a variety of products. New images are created daily with thousands to currently choose from, including a new line of designs specifically created for Greeting Cards that will be debuting this year.

Megan will be at Booth #217 for the Surtex Show in New York on the 18-20th of May, stop by and see all the new designs perfect for a variety of products!

http://www.madart-studios.com 
http://www.artthatcolorsthesoul.com 
http://www.madartdesigns.com

FINALLY feeling like I'm getting things accomplished for the Surtex Art Licensing Show in New York in less than two weeks!  Banners completed, ordered and on the way, ads placed in various publications, miscellaneous things I will need to set up my booth purchased and sitting in piles ready to be packed and many more check marks on my to do list, it feels good!

I am now just working on creating more tear sheets of collections with some mockups, borders, patterns, etc. to show how different designs and collections can look on future products.  And of course organizing all the files on two tablets to show over a thousand different paintings, designs, patterns, borders and icon elements.  Whew, I should actually go through and count exactly how many images I've created over the past 6 years when I first decided to make art my career, there are A LOT!  

Here is a collection I just put together utilizing my mom Romi's "Hot Cuppa"© cup icon elements and my backgrounds and borders, it's called "Tea Party"©.  Now back to the computer to create and organize some more art licensing collections for the big show!