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!!

I've been busy creating new art for the Surtex show as well as for my agent "Art Licensing".  I also decided I wanted to create a new collection/line of inspirational art in conjunction with a blog to inspire people to live life full of happiness and joy.  The new blog is called "Art for the Soul"™ and hope that these new designs will inspire people to live life to the fullest.

I'm creating each design in a 5"x7" ratio so that it can easily translate onto greeting cards, and I also offer in 8"x10" and square ratios as well to apply to different products and offer as fine art prints.  Each design is created with hand painted elements and than collaged into a single design in Photoshop, perfect for applying to any size/shape product imaginable. 

Please visit my new BLOG and I hope you are inspired by the art and message ~ "BE Inspired".

I woke up at 4:30 this morning, couldn't go back to sleep so I figured I would get up and work on some new designs I had quickly sketched out the night before.  My inspiration for the new designs is actually kind of off the wall. I was watching the movie "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and near the end I caught a glimpse of a purse hanging on the wall with some pretty flowers and felt inspired to create some ethereal art with pink flowers, so here is one of the designs I came up with, that I'm now going to turn into a full collection for art licensing. It's funny where inspiration can come from sometimes, I just go with it and see where it takes me...

Florals seem to be what's trending in the MADART Studios these days :)  Lot's of different variations accented by colorful dragonflies, whimsical butterflies and cute little ladybugs.  I must be looking forward to spring and all the beautiful flowers and creatures that come out.  Even though I live in Florida in the winter's we still have a small winter and look forward to when all the birds singing and the hummingbirds buzzing come back.

I'm in the process of organizing my plans and new collections for the upcoming show in Surtex this May in New York City.  I will be in Booth #217 and very excited to once again share my art with manufacturers looking to license art for their products!

I have a checklist I am working on of things I need to do, some deadlines, collection ideas, etc.  Here is what I have so far, but it can and will change over time, I'm sure!

NOTES FOR SURTEX 2014

1. Advertise in Licensing Report art for Summer Edition

2. Postcards, first small one send out in February then in March send out a larger one

3. In April/early May make appointments to meet with manufacturers in the booth

4. Work on Press releases - debuting new collections, etc. one in Feb. March and then April?

                -use the Alaskan angle and three generations of women artists in the family?

5. Hotel, use rewards points

6. Plane Tickets - Jet Blue

7. Order some Deny designs trays maybe magnet boards to use for display in Surtex Booth -  Shelves?  Woobie book on display

8. Bring phone cases to display?  what other products can I share?  Metal art piece?

9.  Order another Tablet for sharing art

10. Organize images on tablets in collections

11. Create sell/tear sheets, do a blurb book or how to show more art, ideas?   Create more Mockups 

12. Aroon's art 12 images for calendar, etc.  "Happiness is..."© collection

13.  MAD outfitters collection, see if Tervis, other co's are going to be there, make specific appointment

14.  Order extra table and chair(s) for meetings and order extra stool/chair if Aroon goes for main table

15.  Design Banners and have printed

16.  Decide whether to ship direct to site or bring everything on the plane with me

17.  Booth signage custom created

COLLECTIONS:

Christmas, Coastal, Floral, Inspirational, flower pots, woodland, garden fairies/angels, bird houses, Birds  ~ Mom coffee cups, Aroon...Decide which one's to share early on website and safe some for debuting at the show.  

Here is what my booth looked like in 2010, I had an 8'x10' corner booth, but this year I am going with a larger 10'x15 corner booth (#217) , because I have more art to show, which is a VERY good thing!

The next four months are going to be ALL about prepping and creating for SURTEX: Selling & Licensing Original Art & Design!  I will be creating lot's of new art and collections to share with manufacturers to offer beautiful, colorful and uplifting products.  Currently working on flower pot/vase paintings in a collection of 12 coordinating images that can work as a group for calendars or individually or in sets of smaller amounts.  Each painting is going to be created in layers of hand painted designs and elements that can be rearranged to fit any product dimensions.