More fun with Ebay

Click on the link below to see some paintings I have up for auction on Ebay. I know many artists turn their nose up at Ebay, but I have always sold small studies there, not my larger work. These are not paintings that I usually frame up and put in a gallery. They are usually small studies for my larger work. I produce over 100 of these little paintings a year and have found Ebay a good way to get them into homes across the country.
I have had a buyer of a small study on Ebay come to me and buy a larger gallery work, so it is a good way to advertise my studio as well and I enjoy the direct contact with the collectors.
They tell me they enjoy buying the small studies because they can get something original for a good price and they don't want prints.

Click HERE to see what's up for auction. Don't forget to search "Holdren art" from the Ebay home page anytime to see my auctions.

3rd Friday artwalk and Chatham Camera Club exhibit

At the 3rd Friday Artwalk in Siler City, I participated in a joint exhibition by the Chatham Camera Club and local gallery artists. The "Double Exposure" exhibit allowed painters to choose a photo from the photographers to interpret and then the painters interpretation and the photographers' work were hung together. It was a really cool exhibit and some photos were interpreted in paintings, and even sculpture and glass!

My painting was an odd custom size, and the frame I had to fit it was damaged so I went with the gallery wrap canvas with painted sides which was allowed for the show. It gives a sort of more contemporary look which the art community in Siler City seems to like.

 Patrons starting to arrive at the gallery

 A view from the front of the gallery

 My painting next to the photo I interpreted in my work

Some patrons checking out my painting

A FREE FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY!

I am havning a fun contest for this month. Anyone who joins or "likes" my Facebook Art business page before October 31, 2011 will be entered in a drawing for a FREE ORIGINAL PAINTING! Just click the link HERE or search "Justin Holdren Fine Art" when you are logged into Facebook and "like" my page.
My blog feeds to my Facebook page and you can sign up for my newsletter, shop prints from Fine Art America and do many other things right from my facebook page. I also post new work there and update eveyone on upcoming events.
I will draw a name from my fan list on November 1, 2011 and announce it here.

Blog changes and deadlines!

Well, as you can see I did a bit of changing on the blog design here. I added a new pic to the header and changed to a simple clean format and I think this is my favorite of all the formats I have used. I might eventually add tabs at the top with links similar to my main website.

I haven't been posting regularly as I am working on multiple painting deadlines for group shows while trying to juggle family and my day job. That means the blog takes a back seat sometimes.
In addition to gallery shows, I have been selling my small study work from my sale bin in the studio on Ebay. Ebay is a great way to sell my small studies while advertising my studio and I have used it off and on for years. I have sold to buyers across the USA this way, and some have come back and purchased my larger work that I sell in my studio and galleries.
Hope to have some more things posted soon! Back to work!

New Marsh Painting

"Afternoon on the Marsh"

16" x 20" Oil on Canvas

$350 Unframed, $400 Nicely Framed

This is one that is still wet I just finished from some photos and on location sketches done in the marshes near Calabash, NC. If you wish to purchase before it goes to a gallery, just email me at justin@justinholdren.com and I accept credit card payments through Paypal.

These coastal marshes are just beautiful and peaceful. This day was clear and sunny and you could hear the call of wild birds in the distance.

I have been busy packing sold Ebay paintings (I sell my small studies there sometimes) and getting pieces ready for some exhibits. I hope you enjoy viewing this piece, no back to work!

Flower sketches

"Tulips"

5" x 7" Acrylic on Canvas

$50 unframed, FREE shipping

Click on the buy now button to pay through Paypal

SOLD

Been having some fun with done some simple flower studies and sketches. This is a study for a larger painting. I will probably work up a larger painting like this with more detail and contrast, but still keep it impressionistic in style.

New Outer Banks paintings

I am working hard on some new pieces based on my photos and plein air paintings done in my travels near the southern coast of NC as well as the outer banks. Some of the paintings will be finished soon, but here are some photos I took that give a clue to the types of scenes I am working on. Stay tuned to see the paintings!





Summer Sunflowers on Ebay

"Summer Sunflowers"

11" x 14" Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas

1.5" thick sides are painted black so no frame is needed. This is wired and ready to hang!

Normal Retail Price: $250.00

Starting bid on Ebay: $34.99

I am still listing some older work on Ebay. This is an original oil from my studio. This is an older piece from a couple years ago, and I am clearing out some of the older work for low starting bids. This was an unusual sunflower as the face was a bit smaller and the leaves were longer. I was told what variety of sunflower it was but I don't remember. Click HERE to view the auction and get a great deal on a ready to hang original!

As always, email me at justin@justinholdren.com with any questions.

Annual Studio Sale

I am having a studio sale of a lot of my older work, small sketches, and small studies on Ebay. I use to sell all of my small paintings on Ebay, but only sell the occasional pieces there now.
These will be sold at incredibly low starting bids to encourage bidding, and I am offering FREE SHIPPING on all pieces. Click the link below to see the items I have for sale. I will be adding more sale items as well as regular works at higher prices too. In the past, the pieces have been bid on early, so be sure to go ahead and bid the max that you are willing to pay! Click on "see sellers other items" when on the auction pages to see all pieces for sale.

Click HERE to see the sale items. More will be added through the end of this week.

Marsh Reflections

"Marsh Reflections"

6" x 6" Acrylic on Archival Canvas Panel

$75 unframed, $150 Framed

Email me at justin@justinholdren.com to purchase. I accept Paypal if you prefer to pay with debit or credit card.

I really have been working, jut not posting like I should! This is a small painting I did recently to work out a composition for a larger work. This marsh near Calabash, NC was breathtaking when I was there and I snapped a photo and did a pencil sketch. It was too hot and mosquitos the size of small birds were all around, so I didn't paint it on site! The day was real hazy and you could hardly see the distant treeline in the background. The trees reflecting in the water were real dark and not getting much sunlight either.

I'm working on a bunch of coastal paintings and also playing around with some still life work as my wife seems to think those that I have done are good and I should do more. I have also had positive feedback on the still life work from buyers.

I am also currently trying to work out a place to sell my work near the coast, more about that later!

Sunshine Lavender Farm Harvest Celebration

"Lavender Farm In June"

10" x 10" Acrylic on Canvas

$200 unframed, $250 Framed

Email me at paintinglandscapes@yahoo.com if interested. This is one of the plein air pieces I painted on site during the festival.

Artist Thomas Heggie of Greensboro, NC. Great person and a fantastic artist!


Artist Brenda Behr from Goldsboro, NC paints a portrait of the musician on the front porch! You can see more of Brenda's work at http://www.brendabehr.com/ .




A beautiful sunflower in the garden behind the farmhouse. Annie has a great garden! Always beautiful things to paint....and eat!

People gather near the field to take a tour given by farm owner Annie Baggett, one of the nicest people you will ever meet! She is also so supportive of local and regional artists which I appreciate!


This past weekend I attended the annual Harvest celebration at Sunshine Lavender Farm in Hurdle Mills, NC. Annie, the owner of the farm always invites the artists to come and paint during the celebration. She also has some of the artists work in her art collection, which is great!

She gives tours of the farm throughout the day, and they also have lots of lavender items and great food by local vendors for sale at the event.

To see an entire album of photos from the event go to my Facebook art page HERE and click on photos.

Germanton Gallery & SCAC ART Auction

My painting getting ready to make the viewing rounds as it is auctioned off

"Afternoon on Town Fork Creek "

7" x 5" Acrylic on Canvas

My finished painting done on site. It was auctioned off to a buyer to raise money for the Arts Council of Stokes County.

Well known Stokes County artist Frank Duncan blocking in his painting "Friendship Bridge"

Artists Addren Doss and Julie Hayes of the Piedmont Outdoor Painting Society get their paintings started

I returned late Saturday night after attending the Stokes County Arts Council's annual art auction held near Germanton Gallery on Town Fork Creek in Stokes County.

I was invited by artist Frank Duncan (http://www.artworkoffrankduncan.com/ ) to come and plein air paint during the auction. Frank, myself and a few other artists did plein air paintings on site that were then auctioned at the end of the day to benefit the arts council.

I had a blast and was able to see paintings from the gallery done by artists I have admired since art school. All in all it was a great day!

Staycation - Lazy 5, Bob Timberlake Gallery, Zoo

Feeding the Llamas at Lazy 5 Ranch

Shot of the waterway near the Asheboro NC Zoo

The huge Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington

Well, we took a short 4 day Staycation last week. My 4 year old daughter had to have outpatient surgery for some dental fillings, and she was pretty tired, so we did some things near home. We went to the Asheboro Zoo and she fed the giraffes and I took lots of pictures, some to paint from later in the studio.

On our last day, we headed to Lazy 5 Ranch in Mooresville, NC but stopped off in Lexington, NC and had some great barbecue, which was out of this world! I also stopped in the Bob Timberlake Gallery and it is an awesome display of a lifetime of his artwork and furniture designs. Find out more at http://www.bobtimberlake.com/ .

Tomorrow I head to King, NC for an event at Germanton Gallery that I will be painting on site for. I will have pictures of the event on the blog here in my next post.

Summer schedule is heating up!

As many of you know, I still hold a full time job with a local rescue mission in addition to my slowly growing job of painter. The Piedmont Rescue Mission held a craft and vendor fair this past weekend that I took part in. Since there were also yard sale items and food for sale, most craft or art items had slow sales. But having these vendors and taking part helped the rescue mission raise some much needed cash.

There is a quick pic at the bottom of this post of my setup. I just brought a simple display for originals and some bins with matted prints as well. I also met and networked with some other artists and might be taking part in a street festival thay told me about later in June.

Some upcoming events:

Saturday, June 4th - Stokes County Arts Council Wine, Bid, and Boogie festival and art auction. I will be painting on location behind Germanton Gallery in King, NC and paintings will be auctioned off later in the day. This is a great chance for me to see work at the gallery there by nationally known artists and I can't wait!

Double Exposure Exhibit - I will be taking part in this exhibit at the Chatham Camera Club Gallery later in the year. It is near the large Arts Incubator Gallery in Siler City. The photographers post photos and the artists have to choose a photo and create their interpretation of it. The art and the photographer's photo are then exhibited side by side. I will post dates when I have them.

My setup for the Craft, Vendor, and Community Yard Sale day

Vendor Fair this weekend

I will be at Piedmont Rescue Mission in Burlington, NC this weekend for their Craft, Vendor, and Community Yard Sale. It is a fundraiser event for them and I work for them but will also have a booth there with items for sale. I will have larger originals for sale, but will also offer some smaller miniatures at an affordable price and I will have some matted prints/reproductions for sale.
The event is from 9-4 this Saturday, May 21. You can find out more at www.piedmontrescuemission.org - Hope to see you there!

Small Ocracoke Oil Study

"Ocracoke Surf"

6" x 6" Oil on archival Raymar panel

Click HERE to view the auction

This is a small oil study of the water near the shoreline of Ocracoke Island in NC. I produce so many of these small paintings because they allow me to work out ideas for larger paintings before I commit to a larger canvas. This one shows a crashing wave and there was a bit of sunlight reflecting in the curves of the wave. Follow the link under the image ot go to Ebay and place your bid.

Some North Carolina Scenes up for auction

Outer Banks Dunes - 6" x 6" Oil on Raymar Panel

Click Here to View Auction

Ocean Isle Marsh - 6" x 6" Oil on Raymar Panel
Click HERE to view auction

Here are a couple small paintings that I have up for auction on Ebay at an extremely affordable price. I have sold many small paintings over the years on Ebay and am going to start putting my smaller work and minatures and prints on Ebay and Etsy again. More about that to come in the next post!

Yes I'm Still Alive

I've been traveling with my smallest paintbox in the car to paint small studies when I have a few minutes - It's been really hectic lately!

Well, I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. Life has been crazy the past month! I had to finish paintings to submit to a juried show, we had to plan my daughter's 4th birthday bash, and I am working on a commission and new paintings for a interior designer's new shop in Southern Pines that will open in June or July.

I am also participating in the Local Color Gallery Paint out this Saturday, April 16th in Raleigh. We will be painting around town on location and we have to turn in two framed and completed pieces by the end of 6-8 hours. The paintings will then be exhibited in May at Local Color Gallery in Raleigh. You can visit their website here .

6 x 6 paintings submitted

Well, I submitted my paintings to the 6"Squared juried exhibition at Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, California. There were almost 1200 entries into this popular exhibition and they only select a few hundred, so I may not get accepted, but I'm OK with that. I am going up against nationally known artists who have been at this a lot longer than I have, but I can always use these in a local gallery if they don't get accepted. Any time spent painting is a learning experience, so it is not wasted time.

I will know by the end of this week. Fingers crossed!

"Ocean Isle Marsh"

6" x 6" Oil on Raymar Panel

"Outer Banks Dunes"
6" x 6" Oil on Raymar Panel

"Calabash Boats"

6" x 6" Acrylic on Raymar Panel

I'm thinking 6 x 6!

Hello friends. Well I got my shipment of 6 x 6 inch museum quality canvas panels from raymar (www.raymarart.com ) today and I am sketching out ideas for 6 x 6 inch paintings.

Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa California is having its second show of paintings that are all 6 x 6 in size. The first one was hugely successful, so I thought I would submit a few for this show and see if they get juried into the show. There are hundreds of super talented nationally known artists submitting as well so the competition is fierce, but I thought I would at least try.

Randy Higbee is owner of King of Frame - www.kingofframe.com and sells awesome frames as well as being owner of Randy Higbee Gallery - www.randyhigbeegallery.com . Wish me luck and I will post some of the paintings soon.