Tag Archives: art

Visions of Sugar Plums

Snowflakes

We haven’t seen any real snowflakes at our house yet. But I have been in the holiday spirit because I have been working on pictures inspired by the Nutcracker Ballet.

My mini sketches that I paint every morning have been characters from the famous ballet.

I also have been working on a picture book idea about a little ballerina’s first performance. I am using one of the images from that story for my next promotional postcard. Here is a sneak peak.Postcard Peek

If you are not already on my mailing list and you want me to send you a postcard let me know. Tell me your address at moiraswiatkowski@gmail.com .

A couple of picture book authors I know, Debbi Ohi and Josh Funk wrote blog posts about how you can support an author besides buying the book. So I was inspired to make my own list of ways you can support me in case you are not in a position to publish my book or to hire me as an illustrator.

Number One: Buy Some Merch.

I have items for sale that are either handmade or print-on-demand from four online retailers.

Etsy

 

My Etsy shop has original watercolors and pen and ink drawings on paper. https://www.etsy.com/shop/atlanticmo?ref=l2-shopheader-name

 

Society6

 

My Society6 shop has quality prints as well as other merchandise such as fun t-shirts, tote bags, mugs and leggings. https://society6.com/atlanticmo

 

Spoonflower

 

My Spoonflower shop is for my pattern work which is available as fabric, wallpaper or gift wrap. http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/atlanticmoira

 

CafePress

 

OK, the main reason to go to my CafePress shop is for the Breaching Mermaid Shower Curtain. http://www.cafepress.com/atlanticmo

On demand printing requires a couple of more days to receive since they aren’t sitting ready to go in a warehouse so keep that in mind if you are holiday shopping.

Number Two: Share

Ballet Bag from Society6 Moira Birch Swiatkowski

If you do buy something, please take a photo and share it on social media or send it to me to share. I love to see that stuff out in the world.

I also appreciate it when you share links to my shops, website, blog posts and pictures.

Pinning something to Pinterest from my website or shops is also greatly appreciated.

Number Three: A Kind Word …or Heart or Thumbs Up

I do truly appreciate all of your encouragement whether it is in private or on social media. I mostly talk to myself up here in the art studio and those little bits of encouragement from my friends goes a long way.

Now I will pirouette my way back to the drawing board.

xo

Moira

 

 

 

Watercolor Memories

I was excited to sell this little painting (3″x4″) at the reception for my “Quick Mini Morning Sketches” show.

As much as I was happy to get the money. And I was delighted that I successfully managed to charge the buyer’s credit card by using my phone (for the first time). These weren’t the things that gave me the most joy about the sale.

miniAll of the paintings from this series are done on a small scale without a lot of contemplation (as explained here https://moiraswiatkowski.com/2015/06/16/coffee-and-watercolors/). The idea for this one quickly came to my mind. I had recently heard a friend talking about their kids camping in the back yard which made me think of my own memory of pitching a tent in the backyard with my sister. Those fresh thoughts were right there for me to grab and put on paper.

The man who bought the painting saw the picture at the reception and it reminded him of his own childhood and an experience with his sister.

His sister is a friend of mine and that’s how he happened to be at the reception with her. While he was holding the painting in his hand he shared the story of how he and his brother would play army and make the sister be the red cross nurse. This role mostly involved sitting in the tent waiting while the brothers ran off and played.

I could see as he was telling the story that he was putting himself right back there and that’s what really made me the most happy. This little painting that was created out of a few sparks from my own mind could act as a little window into the mind of someone else.

To see more paintings for sale from the “Quick Mini Morning Sketches” series follow the link to my Etsy page https://www.etsy.com/shop/atlanticmo

Just Checking In

In between swimming and ice cream eating  this summer, I was able to sneak off to the art studio just about every day. Here is an update of what I’ve been up to up there.

I finished a new promotional postcard and sent it out. If you didn’t get one and you want one email me your postal address at moiraswiatkowski@gmail.com and I’ll send it right out.Dog Postcard

I also finished some portfolio pieces from the Peter and the Wolf Story.

Peter and the WolfDuck and CatWolf and Bird

 

 

 

 

The one thing I was able to do almost every day was my “Quick, Mini, Morning Sketch“.

It is a good thing they are small since they are really stacking up in the art studio. I am still doing a daily sketch almost every day. The best way to follow that is on Instagram.

In an effort to get some of those little paintings out of the studio I am going to have a show of some of them at the framed minisDennis Public Library  for the month of October.  All of the framed originals will be for sale.

There will be an opening for the show on October 15th at 4:00pm at Dennis Public Library. I hope you can make it.

I have updated my Etsy shop with some of the Mini Sketches, framed and not framed for sale. Buy one, give it a decent home.

Check them out https://www.etsy.com/shop/atlanticmo?ref=hdr_shop_menu

I was tmini cardsrying to figure out a way to print some of the Mini Sketches when I remembered that Moo lets you make cards with up to 50 different images. So, I uploaded 50 of the Mini Sketches and ordered their square business cards.

Now they are even more mini. I have enough to give away at the opening and to mail out to anyone who wants one. Email me your postal address if you would like one. moiraswiatkowski@gmail.com

Specify if you want a particular one and I’ll see if I have it otherwise I will take the next card from the deck.

In other news; Did you know I had a YouTube channel? Well, I do. https://www.youtube.com/user/atlanticmo/videos

Thats about it for now. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you at the opening of the show.

See you in Inktober,

Moira

 

Society Row

Thank you so much to everyone who has made purchases at my online shops. XOXO

Buying something from one of my shops gives you a chance to cyber shop, shop small and to get a unique item.

This week my Society6 shop is going to have a bunch of good deals each day for the next seven days. I’ll let you know about those through my Instagram account as they come.

Today is the first deal. Through Dec. 14, 2014 midnight PST, I have an artist promo for my shop.

Use the link below to get free shipping* plus $5 off everything in my shop.

http://society6.com/atlanticmo?promo=7P923WR7PF86

*Offer excludes Framed Art Prints, Stretched Canvases and Rugs

Don’t forget about my other shops and thanks again,

Moira

society6

society6