HI from Seattle

[pizzuti]

Anybody here?

[icreate]

yes, do tell us about yourself

[pizzuti]

Hi Bridgette. I have been scultpting for almost 15 years but just for me really, sold a few but not many. I have recently decided to make a real go of it - if not now, when right? Anyway, here I am. Just started casting and tried plaster, thought I could get some help with that here.

You?

[icreate]

you are certainly welcome and also note that I have just begun a forum on my web site were I post a lot about marketing in the arts and creativity. What type of work do you do? Is it figurative?

Bridgette

[pizzuti]

Thanks Bridgette - yes the sculptures I do are figurative. I took a look at your site last night , very nice. I certainly could use some help with marketing! Not even sure where to start , except here on the Internet.

[icreate]

Many artist's have a hard time with both the business of art and marketing. Feel free to post any of your questions on the forum and I'll see what I can do to help. Someone posted on my forum yesterday introducing themselves and asking about wanting to get more serious with business. I posted a response with many, many links for resources. Do you have your art on the internet anywhere, or can you post some pictures?

[pizzuti]

What is the link to the post? I looked at your site again but I didn't see it.

I am on the Internet - http://pizzutistudio.com Mainly it's my paintings though. I think I am a terrible painter but people like my flowers so I paint them! I don't have too many sculptures up. Like I said, I mainly did it for myself up until now. I cant afford to bronze anything so I thought it might work to do some casting. I just did my first mold and plaster cast and (hopefully) will do bronze powder and resin at a later date.

Sounded like you have a foundry - I am so jealous!!!!!!!!!

Dorothy

[icreate]

Wow! I love your paintings! I am curious how much they sell for? I remember when I started in sculpting I was just like you are. I wanted to sculpt in bronze so I could not afford it. My saying was, "I sculpt small children, just old enough to fit in my artist oven." Then I proceeded to making molds of my children and casting them in concrete. I had a television station that came out and filmed me ( I am trying to get those old video clips on my web site ) and then began to receive commissions for bronzes. The rest is history! All of my work is through commission. I don't really create anything out of my head unless it is for my gift line http://www.godsword.net, which is so different from my fine art bronze.

were you looking for the link in my forum that I was talking about here it is http://www.creativesculpture.com/for...topic.php?t=39

I wish you had more paintings on your site that were for sale. I do love the flowers!

[pizzuti]

That's so funny! I think I am a terrible painter but the people that like them just love them. I have fun painting them.

The prices range from $25 to $500 (highest so far). I developed a little following and the same people would buy them all the time but then I got out of it for a couple of years, was busy with other things, but I am back into art almost full time now. Hopefully, my people will come back. I was planning on selling the flower paintings until the sculpting took root, maybe I should just go with the flow and stick with flowers!? I can't do commissions with the flowers though, it just doesn't work out well, they come out better when they aren't planned.

I wanted to buy a kiln but I don't have room for it so the molds were the next best thing. "James" hasn't sold though so we'll have to see what happens. Typically, my sculptures sell for much more so it would be better if I could get that going. I have all the business stuff in place - maybe I should call the local news to see if they want to film me casting in plaster? I was thinking of applying for a commission for the city here but I just read that the artist has to foot the bill until the project is completed and then the artists are reimbursed - so that knocks me out for that one. I don't know how anyone would get started with bronze unless they had a commission........

[icreate]

Yes, the commission thing does help with the bronzes. Being that I am not a studio artist or an artist that creates for galleries, I have nothing to add here. Maybe someone else can join in on that one. As far as the kiln goes... A long time ago. ( another long time ago story?) When I was just beginning I posted a sign in my studio. Wanted Kiln any condition. Believing it will come. Don't you know one of my students moved to hawaii and could not take her kiln. I truly believe that stuff does happen. You might also post on a free cycle forum or in your local art supply store. Kilns are a great thing to have, however now that I cast all of my pieces I don't really use it. The flowers are great! Don't worry about commissions on those, just keep painting and then do the sculpting the painting might feed the sculpting. Great job!