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Six Hundred Sales!

I can hardly believe it myself! On Tuesday I sold my 600th painting via the online gallery www.artfinder.com. My sales total had been stuck on 599 what seemed like an unbelievably long time – it was a week in fact. I have actually sold more than that either directly or through other online galleries. All of those paintings were unique too.  I have never gone in for mass producing generic scenes. I believe that novelty keeps my work “fresh”.

My work may explore certain themes such as the Brecon Beacons, Gower Woodlands, Swansea people, the Gower coast, but each painting is an individual. Each painting is of a real specific place or of real people. Perhaps that shows a failure of imagination on my part, I don’t know.

Although I may have had periods when I have felt a bit “flat”, such as after an exhibition, but so far I never actually run out of inspiration. This is partly due to the world around me constantly inspires me but also, more importantly,  because of the unfailing encouragement, inspiration and support provided by my artist husband, James Henry Johnston (known to his friends as Seamas – pronounced “Shay-mas”).

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Seamas

Seamas founded our Art business in the midst of one of the most difficult times of my life. I had developed PTSD after a car accident and this contributed to a breakdown. Painting was an essential part of my recovery (and still is). Not only did he give me crucial emotional support through an incredibly  difficult time, (all whilst sitting his Psychology finals) he set up a website and put some of my paintings on an online gallery called Artfinder. To our delight I started selling. Like many artists, I find the marketing side of the business challenging at times. I was terrified that people would be rude about my art and that would then affect my fragile confidence. Happily that has rarely happened.

So in those early days Seamas acted as “shield” and would write all those upbeat posts on Facebook about sales and upcoming exhibitions. He would also work on direct sales, face-to-face and online, negotiating terms with collectors. I have only really come to appreciate the sheer amount of time and effort he has put into promoting my work since I started working as a full-time artist and had to tackle platforms like pinterest and instagram. That term “full-time artist” is a misnomer as it might give you the impression I spend all say in the studio. I spend at least half my time working on social media and marketing.

Artfinder has been a massive part in being able to make that leap and become a full-time artist. Being self-employed is full of ups and downs, it’s very much “feast or famine” so to look back and see 600 sales over 5 years is quite amazing. Long may it continue. I was going to end this by quoting Samuel Butler, Victorian novelist and satirist who said; “Any fool can paint a picture but it takes a wise man to be able to sell it”, but I want to rephrase that with “Any fool can paint a picture but it take a genius to sell it.”

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Tenby Tide
Tenby Tide  Large professional quality signed and mounted print £45

[wpecpp name=”Tenby Tide Large Print” price=”45″ align=”left”]

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Backstage at Noah’s Yard

Let’s catch up…in the next days and weeks I will be posting on some of what I have been doing in the last few months of my blogsite inactivity…

The following painting, now sold, was painted for Noah’s yard solo exhibition in December 2015. Back Stage  At Noah’s Yard.

“This expressionist oil painting has taken some inspiration from Degas and his paintings from the perspective of being back stage, waiting in the wings and observing the performers, usually dancers in his case, onstage.
The question here is who is onstage? The musicians in the far distance? The people being served drinks who out to play for the evening or the lovely barmaid serving the drinks? And who is backstage for that matter? The barmaid again or the creator of this image or you, looking at this created image?Perhaps we are all backstage and onstage as someone was no doubt “backstage” watching me catch all this too?

Back Stage at Noah's
Back Stage at Noah’s
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The Cloud Vanishes

 

Delighted to say I have just SOLD the painting “The Cloud Remains” via Artfinder !
Now off to live in Leicestershire, England!

https://www.artfinder.com/…/emma-cownie/product/the-cloud-…/

“This painting is of the straggling wisps of cloud left on the hills in the Black Mountains after a passing storm. It was an amazing scene, this steam-like vapour rising out of the backs and humps of the hills. It looked as if the hills had just had a shower and the appearing sun was drying them off. I loved how the low lying clouds combed the trees and hedges as they floated past. The sun, shining through to illuminate this effect, seemed also to grow patchworks of colours from the fields around the surrounding landscape, as if the light was a nurturing spectral beam. The colours in the Black Mountains after the weather breaks on the hills are heavenly and this is what I hoped to convey. ”

the cloud remains005

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Two’s Company

Delighted to say I have just SOLD the original oil painting of “Langland Beach Huts” which will be going to the same loving home as “Pobbles Bay” – they will look lovely together in their vibrant hues!

langland beach huts
Artist’s description: I love these cheerful summer colours, representative in their way of Swansea and the Gower coastline, painted across these quaint beach huts, looking onto the glorious bay at Langland, near Swansea, Wales. There is a touch of the 1930s postcards and tourist posters about this painting’s graphic feel and joyful colouring; unconsciously inspired by them no doubt.
Materials used: oil painting on linen canvas

 

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Swansea from Mumbles

Swansea from Mumbles

 

Delighted to say I have just SOLD this lovely oil painting “Swansea from Mumbles” direct from my Art gallery and via a visit from the buyers to my art website at emmafcownie.com – great how artlovers are now contacting me directly to buy artwork.  The collectors are from Swansea originally and will have a lovely reminder of Swansea on the walls of their home in Wiltshire, in the West country to remind them of home. They are also collecting the painting personally which will give us a chance to enjoy each other’s company again. The best thing about selling direct is getting to know very interesting people who love one’s work. It is a much more personal and rewarding experience for both parties. Plus if art lovers make the effort to buy art this way, I am more inclined to reduce the price to reward that effort.

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Swansea from Mumbles

 

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Wound Up – a Welsh Landscape painting

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I am delighted to say I have just SOLD this oil painting “Winding Valley” direct to a lovely couple from Wiltshire who visited my Art Gallery yesterday.
I am so happy I am beginning to get art sales via my own website emmacownie.artweb.com and art gallery.

The gallery is available for viewing just give us a call and we can arrange a private viewing?

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On reflection…

Delighted to say I have just SOLD this giclee print of “A Tenby Reflection” via Artgallery.co.uk

This was one of my first oil paintings as a professional artist.  It is still very popular as a giclee print. You can buy direct from me here.

[wpecpp name=”Tenby Reflection Large Print” price=”45″ align=”left”]

Tenby Reflection
Tenby Reflection  Professional Quality Print signed mounted print

 

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