Hope's Art Journey

If you have been following my blog, you know I constantly try to evaluate my work especially when something doesn't sell.  There can be many reasons - the size is not right for the space, the frame is wrong, the price is too high.  Also, there seems to be certain subject matter that is more appealing than others.  The original painting (top) has a little boy with a bag.  It appealed to me because it reminded me of my grandsons and some nephews.  But, I seem to be selling to hospitals and health care facilities and  sometimes figures are considered to be sentimental.  Anyway, I decided to remove the figure.

The second painting is the revised version.  I had some great shots of herons on this beach at Washington Oaks so  I decided to put this Snowy Egret in the boy's spot.  There are two things wrong with this.  The first  is that the space behind the bird repeats the shape of the bird.  I can fix this by extending one of the rocks behind the bird.  I sure did not see it until I started this blog.  Since then, I have talked to a couple of gallery owners and have found that health care facilities don't like to buy paintings with birds in them.  It scares some people.  So, in a year or so (if the painting doesn't sell), I will take the bird out.  I would always accommodate someone if they ask.  I have a painting with racoons tucked under overhanging leaves.  I think it is a good painting.  But, I did have someone tell me they would not buy it because of the racoons.  So, I will probably paint those out.  I aim to please.