My 1st Feature!

I'm having a really good time at Etsy. Recently, I've been actively promoting Ashton Atelier within the Etsy community, and I've had a lot of visitors and positive comments. So far, my shop has generated 26 hearts! I must be doing something right.

The best part came this week. I was featured in a "Color of the Week" blog article by Charan Sachar, aka "Creativewithclay". Each week, she chooses a color and posts items from various Etsy shops that fit the criteria, and encourages readers to visit. Her blog has over 900 (and growing) readers each week, and with each visiting a featured shop...well, lets just say that being featured is a huge deal for shop owners, so I was so excited to be included. My painting, "Inferno", was in this week's group. This week's color feature? Magenta! Here's a few comments about it:

What a great selection, Magenta is such a vibrant color !! I love the Inferno painting, it's so intense !!
-- goodhartshoes

What a gorgeous array of items! Love the glasswork inspired painting - just magnificent!
-- Tapestry Design Studio

While all are lovely, AshtonAtelier's painting is, hands down, my favorite! -- knitsburgh

YEAH, BABY!

My Shop!

Ashton Atelier is now open for business!

If you're you a regular reader of my blog, you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a few days. Okay...months. I've been handling several projects at one time, so my monthly updates have suffered.

In the meantime, I have opened an online store. Yes, its true. Etsy.com is a place where you can buy and sell handmade things, such as paintings! I decided to check it out when my sister-in-law, Jenni, told me about it. Its a pretty cool site. I took some time to research what opening a shop involves, checked out a few shops, and even asked a few questions from shop owners. It seemed like a unique opportunity, so part of my hiatus was due to increasing my inventory.

The shop had a 'soft opening' on the third, but I've already been "hearted"! That means that someone out there tagged an item and/or shop as a favorite. In my case, both! I carefully staged each painting to appeal to those with a discerning eye. This is one of the items that will soon be featured. Look familiar? What do you think? Please check out Ashton Atelier, and spread the word!

Thanks, Jenni!!

My Second Auction!

My second auction was right here in my backyard. Well, not literally. Jefferson Dollars for Scholars expands educational opportunities to students in the Jefferson Parish of Louisiana. The Rising Stars Golden Tassel Gala is an event held every spring. New Orleans' top business, culinary, and community leaders were invited to attend this fundraising evening, which included a silent auction. I was excited that my painting was one of the items featured among such prestigious artists like George Rodgrigue, Bill Hemmerling and others.

Can you find my painting among these fine items? I'll give you a minute...

No?

Don't worry, a closeup if shown below. "The Blue Balcony" is an 18x24 painting that features, well, you know. Because the theme of New Orleans was so successful the last time, I decided to stick with that. Again, it was a success! Yay!! Here's what Lisa Conescu, Executive Director, said:

Nichole.... Thanks so much. Your painting is gorgeous and the people who bought it are really excited to have it. I loved it! I just am too busy to ever get to bid on anything.

I can't tell you how much we appreciate that you sought us out and wanted to be a part of us. We are always thrilled to have artwork for our auction.You are welcome to do it again next year, if you want. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Hmm..maybe I will... What do you think of the featured item?

My First Auction!

You'd never believe what happened to me!

I've been a fine artist listed at GURU.com, a freelance jobsite, for quite a while now. Guru is a great way to market yourself to prospective employers. While I don't bid on each project --(why should I sign up for to do a sculpture when I know nothing of sculpting?!) I do submit a quote for projects that interest me -- one in particular.

The project posting was from an employer who needed a unique painting of something related to New Orleans for a charity auction in November 2008. It was the only painting that would be auctioned at the live event. They didn't want any subject matter dealing hurricanes or anything inappropriate. It was perfect for me!

In keeping with the southern theme, my initial bid was for a magnolia painting. To my surprise, I was chosen! Yay!! Although my employer, who I later found out was the ASCP Foundation, liked my magnolia theme, they wanted something based on the Garden District. They supplied me with a few photos of what they were going for and wanted my imagination to run with it. So I ran!

After the project was completed, I was anxious about how everything turned out. How did my painting do at the auction? Did they like it? What were the comments? Did anyone buy it? If so, who? I was later told that the painting, Springtime in New Orleans was "a BIG hit!!" I'm so happy! Stay tuned for what else I'm doing.