Tips for Artists | Beverly Shipko, Artist

Candy Anniversary Commission

October 26, 2021 by Beverly

For weeks I’ve had this odd feeling that there’s a special anniversary I have to remember in October. I looked it up both in my hardcopy birthday/anniversary book and digital contact file, and found… nothing.

It took a while, but last week it finally hit me. The date I was trying to remember was October 27th, and it is Debbie and Mike’s anniversary! A few years ago, Mike commissioned me to do this vending machine painting as a surprise gift to his wife on their 6th wedding anniversary – which was their candy anniversary! Who knew?

**“Candy Anniversary”, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 10 x 20 inches, by Beverly Shipko**

At the time, I kind of kicked myself for not knowing the 6th anniversary was the candy anniversary given my confection background in advertising (a marketing opportunity missed!) and my addiction to painting candy.

Looking at Candy Anniversary now, I am pleased with how this vending machine painting came out. Maybe it’s because I can feel all the love that went into it. There isn’t anything I would change, and I can’t say that about all my paintings. As my mother used to say, artists have high standards and are a tough bunch to please, especially when it comes to their own art.

The Process

Mike gave this painting a lot of thought.

Once we decided on the size, I ordered a specially stretched gallery wrap canvas (1 1/2 inches deep) from SoHo Art Materials in New York City since Ampersand no longer makes a 10 x 20 inch canvas. This was the first time I used a canvas stretched on aluminum stretchers (vs. the typical wood stretchers) so the panel would never warp, and framing is truly optional. A real advantage. I’ve had many a canvas warp in me through the year.

From an artist’s perspective, aluminum is much heavier than wood to carry and transport (4 of these were very heavy!), which will increase shipping costs. I don’t know what’s more expensive – the cost of a frame or the incremental cost of shipping. Fortunately Mike picked the finished work up.

His vision was to use bright, colorful candies like M&M Peanuts and Reese’s Peanut Buttercups that they both liked to eat. Then Mike focused on making it personal and meaningful by embedding their wedding date, 10/27/2012, into the vending machine visual. The prices are the same as in 2012 when they were married. Note that when I painted my first vending machine in 2015, candy bars already cost $1.25.

Sketching is a critical step in any commission since it’s easy to make changes in pencil that won’t be visible in the final painting. As you can see above, initially I put in the anniversary date in a prominent place where it was easily readable.

Mike had a different concept in mind, more of a subtle “Easter egg” that you might not notice at first. (FYI. The term “Easter egg” in this context refers to a secret message, joke or screen buried in a software application; in this case a painting.) We moved the anniversary date under the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, where it is partially covered by the wrapper.

Once the sketch is approved, I start by painting the black acrylic background, as I have in previous vending paintings. I prefer acrylic to oil for the background since it has less texture and better simulates the smooth black metal of vending machines.

Notice that I take the painting off the easel to paint on a flat table. Usually it takes several thin layers of black acrylic paint to obliterate the texture of the canvas – and knock out those telltale little white spots that you would never find on a vending machine. This gives me more leverage to paint the details and avoids dripping onto the images.

I start with the logos in the center and move outward, defining the salient features of each bar, which also minimizes the chances of smearing the logos. The challenge is always to find a dry spot to brace my hand. That’s another advantage of using the acrylic background – it dries completely in an hour or two and offers a “safe haven” for bracing. Then I moved to the rest of the wrappers.

At this point, I’m refining the logos and doing little touchups. I like how the dimensionality of the bars comes through. Mr. Peanut M&Ms looks like he’s alive!

And here is Candy Anniversary in its new home.

Happy 9th Anniversary, Debbie and Mike! I certainly will remember the date next year. It’s forever printed on my psyche.

Hope the 9th anniversary is as sweet as the 6th. Next year your 10th anniversary is aluminum or tin. Maybe there’s a Warhol-type Campbell’s Soup Can painting in your future…

Wishing you love, laughter and happiness for many years to come.

Ringing in the New Year!

December 30, 2020 by Beverly

My New Years’ present to myself is to resume work on Choices, an ambitious vending machine painting that I began two years ago. While I was in the middle of it, I had to dismantle my home studio to sell the house and downsize. Then Choices went into storage for an extended period.

Vending Machine Series: Choices, by Beverly Shipko, Acrylic and Oil Painting, 30 x 30 inches, Work-in-Progress

I call this painting ambitious because it has 15 unique logo packages, plus 5 oversize vegetables, and 20 vending rings in it! I’m thinking I must have almost been insane at the time to tackle this painting. However, when I read my old blog, I seem totally rationale and approached the development of Choices very methodically.

From the outside looking in, this 3 x 3 foot painting looks finished, and my neighbors keep telling me it must be almost done. Even my youngest daughter, Bonnie, and artist friend, Linda, thought so.

But it’s not. I mistakenly bought into the party line that it was almost done. I was disappointed.

Here’s what happened.

I decided to paint the top row of chips. Often I find it’s best to work in oils from the top down so I don’t smear the paint below when I brace my hand on the canvas.

Signaling my serious commitment to painting, I put on one of my favorite CDs, Aaron Copland’s inspiring Celebration (yes, I confess I still have quite a CD collection, which is great when the power goes out.)

And I cranked my easel as low as it would go to bring the chips down to eye level. The beauty of a crankable easel is its ability to reach the tallest parts of large paintings without standing on a step stool – which resulted in several mishaps in the past, most recently January. It was the best art purchase I ever made! I would highly recommend making the investment in a easel with a crank by Mabef to all of you painters. (Tip: Find a big sale at an online art supply store.)

Alas, now that the top row of chips are at eye level, I see how rough and sketchy the chips are, especially the graphic Cheetos package. Previously, I had been looking at this painting but not seeing or processing its interim status.

Ok, I was prepared for the chips. But what I wasn’t expecting to find – under direct sunlight – was that the black acrylic background had lots of little white canvas spots peeking through everywhere at an unacceptable level. I shifted gears and spent two days repainting the black acrylic background.

After finishing the background, I had to face the unpleasant fact that the black vending rings are barely sketched in. My eye saw the rings the way I wanted them to be, rather than how they are. Painted very tentatively and barely there. Fragile. Hardly looking like strong metal vending rings.

Unfortunately, it had been so long that I didn’t remember if I used acrylic or oils. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, oil-based paint and water-based acrylic don’t mix – like oil and water. Oil paint can go over acrylic, but acrylic can not be painted over oil.

I thought I could tell the medium by feeling the surface since oil has more texture, at least the way I paint.

Since I couldn’t feel much texture, I tried acrylic on the rings. Alas, the paint pooled up and I knew I guessed wrong.

At this point, my assessment is that I’m 60-70% finished. Way lower than I thought before starting.

I knew I had to paint all the rings before I could move onto color. As anyone who has tried to paint ovals and circles knows, capturing these shapes with flowing lines in the right perspective on a slight textured canvas is difficult. Even my hero, Wayne Thiebaud, slips up once in a while. Note the awkward angle of the spiral topped cake.

The rings require the most concentration.

They are such an integral part of the rhythm of composition. The rings have their own reflections, cast their own shadows on the packages, and reflect the colors. I used to paint them last, but I learned that painting them earlier in the process – in acrylic – results in a more integrated composition. Unfortunately, one slip of the hand often means a major repair job on the oil-based package. After conquering the rings, I’m confident the rest of the painting will come more easily.

Don’t get me wrong, I can handle the rings. But I would much prefer working on paintings with one big ring per canvas as in this ongoing vending series.

Now I don’t have to wonder what I’m going to do this holiday week.

My new goal for rest of New Year’s week is to finish all 20 rings using Ivory Black and Titanium White oil paint, which will be a major accomplishment!

Of course, the rings will need additional touchups once I start applying color. That’s part of the process.

For now, it’s somewhat fitting that painting them is how I’m ringing in the New Year.

We’re coming full circle, and I hope that means much peace, joy and health for you in 2021. Happy New Year!

Repurposing A Relic from the Past

July 31, 2018 by Beverly

I remember how excited I was years ago when I finally found a slide cabinet that fit perfectly into this space on my bookshelf. And there it sat for over 15 years. Until today.

Since the house painters are coming next week and I need to empty the shelves anyway, I am taking this opportunity to say good bye to a system that helped organize my life when art galleries were still asking to see slides of your artwork.

I would walk into a gallery with 20 slides in a sleeve (typically gallery computers couldn’t even open CDs!). That’s how I got my first show at OK Harris in Soho.

I used to make at least 10 slides made for each painting, and had hundreds of slides lying around in slide boxes. When the slide cabinet arrived, everything easily fit in, my slides took up less space, and I threw out a stack of slide boxes with tops that never stayed closed… For the first time, I could quickly find what I needed. Marie Kondo would have approved.

Each drawer was configured to hold 5 rows of slides, with movable custom tabs separating each section of identical slides.

In a labor of love, I bought mini labels (1/4″) for each slide so my presentation looked professional. It took me days to figure out how to squeeze the information on this little labels, print and adhere them to each slide.

With so much of myself invested in this slide cabinet, perhaps you can understand why I’m finding it hard to let it go – even though we live in a world where slides are obsolete and slide cabinets are a relic from the past.

Then I thought about repurposing the cabinet (15’W, 12 3/4″ H, 11 3/4 D). I’m hoping maybe someone can find an alternative use for it. I have been thinking that maybe another artist or craftsperson who does mosaics, beadwork, metalwork, or collage using little stones or charms, can use this as a storage cabinet for raw materials. The flexible divider system is a definite plus.

I would love to pass this on to you. If you would like to have this cabinet as a gift, please contact me and it’s yours.

P.S. I’ll be hanging on to several slide sheets. When I lecture, I discovered that showing slides gets a good laugh when my audience is young. They know about downloads and clouds, but never slides! Ah, technology marches on.

Lessons Learned from Portland Herald Press Feature

February 22, 2018 by Beverly

I just registered for the RiverArts® Studio Tour 2018 and had to update my artist statement, resume and website in the process. Notably absent was my summer 2017 solo Maine show, You CAN Have Your Cake and Eat It Too!, at the Michael Good Gallery in Rockport, ME. So I have some work to do.

How time flies! I need a better plan – my first lesson learned. The next time I come across an outdated art website, I’ll have more sympathy for the artist.

My friend Lori, who was in charge of Maine public relations (PR), did a phenomenal job of getting press coverage for this show. Her outreach to the press resulted in my having two stimulating and fun phone interviews for newspaper articles. Both far exceeded my expectations! The first awesome article, Shipko Shares Her “Sweet Revenge” was by Dagney C. Ernest, appeared in the Arts and Entertainment sections of The Courrier-Gazette and Camden Herald. The lively phone interview comes through in her writing, and she included our discussion on how my work has evolved because of technology.

The second interview was with Bob Keyes, arts writer from the Portland Press Herald, the closest large city to Rockport. Bob’s thought provoking phone interview somehow managed to cover almost my entire artistic life in 45 minutes. It turned into an extensive, insightful feature article with a shoutout on the front page! Here I am, the proud artist, right after buying the paper in Cape Neddick Light, ME.

Photo Collage by Bonnie at Cape Neddick, ME

Webmaster Laura is always reminding me to insert links. Laura – I’m listening! Being a conscientious student, I decided to put a link to this feature on my resume and website. This morning when I googled the article, I discovered the newspaper wanted $2.95 to download it.

One of the reasons I decided to write this particular blog today was to post the article so you can read it for free. Just click on the following link.

PORTLAND HERALD PRESS PDF 7/4/2017 FEATURE ON BEVERLY SHIPKO

I was lucky enough to have a friend who was a Portland Press Herald subscriber and put a pdf together for me. Thank you Gary!

Being a former business school newspaper editor and high school yearbook editor, I was delighted to find my Strawberry Kiwi Blueberry painting in the masthead! Totally unexpected. A true honor. And I was pleasantly surprised (an understatement) that coverage dominated the front page of the Food and Dining section, with more on an inside page.

My strong presence in the Food & Dining section changed how I view my work, opening the door to new possibilities. As a former marketing person, I am embarrassed to admit that I had never approached food editors. Nor had I seriously considered the fact that Portland, ME is such a foodie town. Luckily Lori did!

There were several lessons learned for fellow artists:

The Story. Have one. Talking to Bob and Dagney helped me clarify my story in my head. Because of these two phone interviews, I researched my grandfather’s gourmet grocery store in Michigan, got more details, and realized how much more of an impact it had on my psyche as a young kid than I thought. The experiences helped me take a step back and reconsider my work in a broader context, first autobiographical and then art historical.
Be Open. Don’t limit yourself. Be positive. Get rid of your preconceptions about your art. That’s what Lori did – she realized Portland was a foodie town and went for it. It paid off in with great exposure to a larger audience, in an unexpected section of the newspaper.
Maintain your website. Just do it! Be more vigilant about this. From now on, I’m going to put regular check-ins on my calendar. Somehow this got away from me. And don’t forget to ask for digital copies of all PR! You never know when you want to post them in your blog…

I wasn’t the only person who learned something from this PR experience. Chef Bonnie (whose day job is teaching) realized that it was time for her to do something with her own dining experiences, whether in restaurants or in her own kitchen. She and I tentatively played with the idea of collaborating together in the future. Maybe one day Bonnie and I will be on the Today show as a mother-daughter duo…. Or maybe it will be a trio with Laura talking about promoting the book with a new algorithm she developed. We can dream, can’t we? As a first step, Bonnie decided to separate her personal Instagram posts from her foodie posts. And so @BonniesBitesOfLife on Instagram was born in Rockport, ME.

As I look back on last summer, I realize there were some big lessons learned, with implications for years to come. I shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, isn’t every new experience a potential learning experience?

Tips on Displaying Small Paintings

May 9, 2017 by Beverly

Today I wanted to take a few minutes to share my experience hanging little panel paintings with you.

Problem: Now that I have over 60 small panel paintings, displaying them has become challenging. For several years, my piano did double duty as a display case. But it only holds 20 panels.

Solution: My framer, Joe Sablow at Artistic Services in White Plains, NY, came up with a solution for displaying small panel paintings, similar to display concepts at crafts fairs.

He made large wooden boards that hung on the wall, and glued black fabric down to velcro the panels to the fabric.

Next Problem: As a test, I tried sticking a few panels on and they were so crooked! (And every time I put them down, they kept sticking to my tablecloth!)

Next Solution: In the middle of the night, I came up with the idea of wrapping the boards with black yarn as guidelines for the borders, rows and columns. So I tried it. And it worked.

The End Result: These two panels were the first I put together on Thursday, 2 days before the Open Studio. I was pretty proud of how straight the rows and columns were. Not perfect, but pretty good. You can’t even see the black yarn against the black fabric.

The Details of Process: To my fellow artists out there seeking solutions to their own display problems, my apologies for not taking photos of process (what a mess it was in the dining room for 2 days!). I was so far behind in getting ready for the Open Studio that this post was the furthest thing from my mind.

The morning after I came up with the yarn idea, Jay ran to A.I.Friedman to get supplies, while my friend Eve and I put black velcro on the back of all the small panel paintings. First we had to peel (using pliers!) the old velcro off. I had being used the loop side instead of the hook side!

My advice when using velcro: plan ahead and put the hook side on the panels to leave yourself the option to hang your panels on fabric.

The yarn placement took a lot of measuring and experimenting to figure out.

In the end, I wrapped 8 pieces of yard, 4 vertical (2 on the borders, 2 between the columns) and 4 horizontal (2 on the borders, 2 between the rows) around the first board – being careful to run the yard under the picture wire in the back.

By Friday night, I finished 5 boards and we had a family bonding experience hanging them.

Since I was still nervous about pounding nails in my newly painted walls, I approached this task gingerly – actually using a tape measure instead of “eyeballing” the placement.

Each family member was in charge of holding a board as we explored spacing on the wall. As you can see, I ended up on the step ladder.

We got pretty lucky the first time. Here we are assessing our handiwork.

In the end, I was thrilled that I only had to punch one extra hole in the wall to adjust the left panel.

In case you think they are going downhill from the above photo, here’s how the wall with 27 panels came out.

I still had the piano and two other boards like this one for my non-dessert Challenge pieces.

So I’m ready for next year!

If you have any questions about specifics of the process, let me know and I’ll do my best to help.

Reflections on the Challenge

February 15, 2017 by Beverly

I miss the Challenge.

There’s great satisfaction in starting a daily project and finishing it in a short period of time, with a clearly defined beginning, middle and end. After 10 days, I’m still working away on this Blueberry Cheesecake painting, a unfamiliar time frame in the post-Challenge world.

Admittedly, I’m not painting 8 hours a day. I had set a goal to finish this today, and missed it. Unlike the Challenge, there are no immediate consequences.

So I’ve been thinking about why I like doing the Challenge, even if the pace is grueling for 30 days – and some people think I’m nuts. Here’s what I came up with:

Structure. The Challenge imposed a clear external discipline on my daily routine. You know what you have to do, make a plan, execute the plan.
Single Focus. I’m the kind of person who likes working one one thing at a time. With focus, I really internalize and see what I’m painting. Multi-tasking is overrated when it comes to my painting.
Escape. For 30 days, I put the mundane chores of everyday life on hold (thanks to Jay and Bonnie). January was my stay-cation. I lived in a proverbial bubble – and didn’t want to come out.
Momentum. The more I paint, the more I want to paint, and the better I get at it – and more confident.
Experimentation. This is a low risk (defined as low time commitment) way to explore a variety of subjects, within the world of food and beyond. I pursued variations on some of my favorite themes (Stack of Oreos, Egg on Stove).
Dialog. I enjoyed the exchange with other artists and explored new concepts (Super Foods aka Healthy Choices by so many people) while getting feedback from fresh eyes.
Wet-on-wet. While I often talked (sometimes complained!) about paintings getting too wet, I love painting wet-on-wet (aka alla prima in Italian). I miss the flexibility and ability to wipe the slate clean with a paper towel. I’m getting frustrated with the fact the blue paint on my blueberries dries so quickly, decreasing my ability to make big structural changes.
Memories. The Challenge gave me the excuse I needed to spend time going through my large photo collection (rationalizing all my picture taking…) and relive so many forgotten moments. I chose images that resonated with me, and in doing so took many trips down memory lane.

This Challenge felt easier than others. Why you may ask? Here’s what I learned:

Planning was everything. In December, I printed out hundreds of photos that inspired so many ideas, and ordered all the materials I needed.
Practice makes perfect. I knew what to expect from previous challenges and how to pace myself better (i.e. limited social media).
I kept an open mind and found inspiration where I least expected it (in a Lobster tank!)
You can’t always anticipate when a painting will be successful (Koi)
Keeping my cool paid off and got me to the end with all 30 paintings (ok, ok, 2 drawings out of 30).

Bottom Line:

While I was off the grid for a month, and passed up an evening with Charles Osgood (someone I admire tremendously), I would do the Challenge again next January.

What a wonderful way to spend the heart of a cold NY winter!

Now that the official Challenge is over, my unofficial challenge begins: applying this newfound insight to the process of creating art on an ongoing basis.

Attention Artists: Beware of This Artist Scam

July 3, 2016 by Beverly

The purpose of today’s blog post is to:

1. To tell my own story as the target of a scammer
2. To provide tips to help other artists avoid being scammed (see list below)

My Story: The Anatomy of a Scam

The initial contact

Hello,

My name is John Murray from CA. I actually observed my wife has been viewing your website on my laptop and i guess she likes your piece of work. I’m also impressed and amazed to have seen your various works too, You are doing a great job. I would like to purchase the icecream painting from the cookies,cupcakes and icecream series (couldn’t get the name), if it is available and ready for sale as a surprise to my wife on our anniversary. Also, let me know if you accept check as mode of Payment.

Thanks and best regards.

When I first read the email below while Jay and I were vacationing in Maine, I was really happy I had a new potential buyer who had taken the time to look through my paintings online. Here’s the Cookies, Cupcakes and Ice Cream section on my website that John referenced.

My website and social media efforts were finally paying off!

I didn’t question this email which was remarkably similar to one I received a month ago from an old friend, Bob – except that the painting was a surprise for his wife’s birthday. Bob (full disclosure: can’t use his real name and spoil the surprise) even asked me to ship the painting to his friend’s home.

I figured that maybe I had met John’s wife during one of our recent California trips. Perhaps she had seen my work the the LA Dwell on Design Show, or at VMF Winery in Healdsberg, CA.

After hitting send, I realized John never asked me about the price. I decided to let it go until the next email so Jay and I could be on time for our ranger tour at Acadia National Park.

The second email. That night I wrote back describing the painting, and asked when his anniversary was. This was his response:

Thanks for the message, Yes, its the piece am talking about! I must tell you I intend to give my wife a surprise with the immediate purchase of the piece. If you’d like to know, I’m relocating to the Philippines soon and our wedding anniversary is around the corner, precisely on the 8th of July. We are having a few of our new friends over, so I’m trying to gather some good stuff to make this event a surprise, and am planning to make the unveiling of the piece the main event of the day.

As regarding payment, my wife handles the family credit card and Paypal transactions, so i will authorize a check to you for the payment as soon as i have your full name and contact address (preferably for FedEx delivery no P.O box). Also, as soon as you receive the check and it clears your bank, my shipping agent who is also moving my personal effect will contact you to arrange shipping/pick up of the piece from you (this is to avoid my wife receiving it, if been shipped directly to my address which would ruin the surprise for this event). You both have to sign a proof of pick up at the most.

I would have handled this much differently if I’d been at home but i am actually offshore and won’t be back for another couple weeks, and do not have access to a lot of cash over here to expedite this transaction… trying to kill two birds with a stone. 🙂

Have a Positive Day!
John

What a nice idea to celebrate this special occasion! I was flattered that my painting would be the center of attention. Sounds like a nice friendly email, right?

John’s explanation of why he didn’t want to use credit cards was just like my friend Bob’s. Both wanted to mail checks so their wives wouldn’t see the purchase on the monthly statement and ruin the surprise. And what a coincidence – July 8th is my anniversary too!

So I quickly and enthusiastically wrote back again, providing the price, along with my shipping address (Jay’s office) and cell phone number since we were on vacation.

That night, I looked up John Murray on LinkedIn and didn’t find an obvious match. I started wondering if this could be a scam. Immediately, I regretted giving a stranger my cell phone number, and telling him we were away (a robbery in the making?) I told Jay I was uncomfortable with the information I had disclosed, and glad I hadn’t said more.

The 3rd email full of red flags. This message waiting for me at 6am:

Hope you are good. Thanks for the details which I’ve noted down, it’s so nice to hear we share the same anniversary date, and I do hope you have a memorable one too!

My shipping agent is due in the U.S on Monday, so i have contacted a client of mine to issue out a check which will include my shipping agent fees to you right away. This is done to avoid delay or any inconvenience that may arise from his part and to allow check to clear before pick up. However, courtesy demand i must first appeal to your self interest and ask for your help in remitting the extra (after deducting your fee for the piece) to the shipping agent as soon as the check clears, I would have handled this much differently if I’d been at home but am a bit pressed for time as our anniversary is fast approaching and do not have access to a lot of cash over here to expedite this transaction… Kindly deduct any IRS tax incurred on the extra before giving the balance the shipping agent. As i do not want you to involve any of your personal funds in this transaction, that is why all fund is made available to you. As an aside, they are not sending any bill or hold you responsible for the payment of my shipping contract with them.

I am really sorry for the mix up and will appreciate if you get back to me asap to know if i can entrust you with this transaction.

Many thanks and talk to you soon

Did I read this right, I wondered? Maybe I just needed to go back to bed and clear my head…

I was thinking: What’s this about the shipping agent who just happens to be arriving in the U.S. on Monday? Why is John going to send a check for more than the purchase price? It struck me as odd this was the second time he mentioned he doesn’t have much cash, which he doesn’t need if he’s sending a check. With my accounting background, I zeroed right in on the “IRS tax” wording. Anyone living in California would know it’s called sales tax. And what’s all that gibberish about not holding me responsible for the shipping contract?

When I showed the email to Jay, he immediately googled “artist scam”. What he found was that this “purchase” has all the characteristics of a typical artist scam, My particular scam went beyond many in its ingenuity by describing my website and somehow coming up with my exact anniversary date!

I decided to shut this whole thing down by politely explaining that this transaction would have to be handled through PayPal. I never heard from John again – as expected.

Tips on How to Spot an Artist Scam

Here are some tips on what to look for in an internet scam, some of which probably apply to social media and phone scams too. Not all of these items by themselves would indicate an scam (e.g. Bob’s birthday purchase was legitimate; sometimes good things happen!), but taken together they make this scam easier to spot.

The scammer has a deadline coming up quickly. He is hoping that you’ll ship the painting before you find out his check has bounced.
The purchase is a surprise gift
Payment must be made by check
The scammer creates an emotional, heartfelt story that you want to believe (e.g. birthday, anniversary)
A third party is involved in the transaction (e.g. the agent)
The scammer is willing to pay more than the asking price. In the real world, this just doesn’t happen.
A “reimbursement” check is requested of the artist for the agent, before the buyer’s check has cleared
The scammer wants to handle the shipping (unlikely since buyers usually avoid having anything to do with shipping)
The scammer includes just enough personalized information to make this believable, the latest twist in email scams enabled by using sophisticated technology (e.g. a specific reference to my website was included)
The buyer lives outside of the U.S.
The message is poorly written with grammatical errors, misspellings, and inaccurate information (e.g. IRS tax)
Beware of coincidences such as shared birthdays and anniversaries. Don’t let yourself be sucked in!

I used to think that scams were reserved for the unsuspecting sick and elderly who didn’t know any better. I assumed I would always know better. Not any more!

Having said that, I won’t blame myself too much for not recognizing this scam right away since I was in vacation mode. And no damage was done. I just feel silly for letting it go as far as it did, which was 2 days.

Key Lessons Learned from a Artist Scam: How to Protect Yourself

Just remember to keep your eyes open and your checkbook shut
Only accept checks for the purchase price. Stay out of the check cashing business.
Make sure the buyer’s check clears before shipping artwork, or use traditional payment vehicles like PayPal. Be patient and don’t rush the process.
Stay objective and don’t let your emotions interfere with your judgement
Listen to that inner voice that’s telling you something doesn’t feel right. Find that balance between being too trusting and too cynical.

And read this excellent article on How To Recognize an Art Scam in the Agora Gallery blog, which describes my scam perfectly and reinforces everything I have learned.

There’s definitely an upside to this story. This was a wakeup call. I’ve learned some things that will carry over into my internet life for many years to come, if not a lifetime.

If I missed anything, please feel free to post comments that will help other people in the future. Thank you!

The Elusive Lighthouse Photo

June 24, 2016 by Beverly

Jay and I just came back from a 2 week vacation, starting in Nantucket and driving up the beautiful Mid-Maine Coast to Acadia National Park. Along the way, we decided to visit the infamous Maine Lighthouses.

I had an image in my head of brilliantly lit lighthouses perched on dramatic rocky cliffs. It didn’t seem like this would be too difficult to find since they appeared on every website, tour book cover and tourist center brochure. Wrong.

Little did we know that I wouldn’t take that iconic sunny photo until the last few hours of our trip to the Portland Great Light in Cape Elizabeth, ME before returning to New York. Even then, I only had 15 minutes of sunlight before the clouds and rain moved in. I love this view from the southern trail, with the craggy rocks so typical of the Maine coastline!

By the time we went up the northern path, the sun was fading and the entire mood felt more subdued.

Our previous effort to photograph this site by boat the night before was thwarted by unexpectedly heavy winds and choppy water, so the captain couldn’t get close. My chance at that epic Portland Great Light sunset shot never materialized.

However, I did get this beautiful photo of the Portland Breakwater Light (also called Bug Light) on the way back.

Our Most Distinctive Lighthouse Award went to Breakwater Light in Rockland, which we could see from our window at Samoset Resort (admittedly using my maximum zoom; the real view was quite distant and tiny). Jay and I walked carefully along this mile long breakwater, focusing on avoiding deep crevases (talk about having to be present! almost meditative), to reach our destination. It was a wonderful experience, and made this Jay’s #1 lighthouse of the trip.

Fortunately, the town thoughtfully installed a dock off the breakwater (thankfully no need to climb rocks!) that allowed photographers to get this view.

Our Most Disappointing Award went to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse in Acadia, perhaps because the park ranger over-promised iconic views. Or maybe because the trails weren’t well marked and we never found them. I was hopeful until we started walking up these stairs. Then I realized the lighthouse was perched on a very small cliff that offered only close up views of the lighthouse itself.

Coming back down, I was still determined to find the trail that would take us to a panoramic view of the lighthouse perched on its steep cliff. My optimism returned as we wound around to the northern path. However, my hopes were dashed as we were confronted with this intimidating pile of boulders at the path’s end.

I considered climbing out for just a second – until I remembered that a fellow photographer died in Acadia a few days before. No way, I thought. I’ll look at the views on the internet.

Other visitors were far more adventuresome, and rewarded with a better view (although morning would be optimal). From this vantage point – without climbing on big rocks – you can see a hint of the lighthouse in the upper right hand corner. It still wasn’t enough to tempt me.

More typical lighthouse views from the water were like these. The first was on the way to Little Cranberry Island in Acadia, and the second was Brant Point Light on Nantucket (never did walk out to the lighthouse because of the weather; next time).

So I have a few tips for your self-guided tour of Maine lighthouses:

Weather is most important. If you have a sunny day, make a beeline for the closest lighthouse. Don’t wait. The Maine weather changes so dramatically and quickly.
Time of day matters. Morning and late afternoon offer the most striking light. It also depends on where the lighthouse is situated.
Check the hours carefully to see if and when the lighthouses are open. Most had limited hours, some had museums, and all closed by 4pm. If we had visited in the morning, we would have gotten help with directions.
Look at photos ahead of time, see where the good vantage points are, and plan accordingly
Read the descriptions of the trails. Allow yourself extra time to explore the surrounding area. I still get the feeling that we missed a trail at at the highly rated Bass Harbor Lighthouse; so did the other visitors.
Take boat rides. Many of the most popular lighthouses – and mansions – were best viewed from a boat.
Look closely at the map for neighboring lighthouses. We almost passed up the Two Lights lighthouse (and Lobster Shack where Jay grabbed his last lobster roll), also in Cape Elizabeth and only 10 minutes from the Portland Head Light.

Most importantly, just enjoy the experience of the chase.

P.S. Here’s a great photo for my album, which was taken from the Nonamtum Inn in Kennebunkport. But don’t get too excited…

It’s a fake. Now I have a better understanding of why these are scattered all over the place! It gives us amateur photographers our easy photo ops! 🙂

Day 7 of 30 – Vending Machine

September 7, 2015 by Beverly

There are a lot of firsts in this painting.

This is my first vending machine painting, my first food related painting on a black background (a color I rarely), the first work where my subject is half-submerged in shadows – and my first unfinished painting for the Challenge.

“Vending Machine” by Beverly Shipko, Oil sketch on wood panel, 5 x 7 inches

Vending Machine is also the first wrapped candy painting of this Challenge, a potential series I have been thinking of about since I did a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup during the January Challenge. I’ve had a Twix Bar lying around since Halloween, which I intended to paint since it was my account at DMB&B Advertising in my previous life. You can read more about my sentimental attachment to the candy industry here.

The choice of subject was actually inspired by a detour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to a student show, where Jay and I saw a drawing of a whole vending machine. And that was the ahah! moment right before we moved on to the John Singer Sargent exhibit, our intended destination. Afterwards, the search for the right vending machine began. I never realized that all vending machines aren’t created equally. Jay found this one with the most iconic candy brands lined up all in a row, which is exactly what I was looking for.

Getting the initial sketch right was critical, so I studied many photos and actually packages, taking extra care setting up the structure and putting in the details.

I painted from the inside out, starting with the vibrant colors that brought the iconic logos to life, minimizing the chance of colors bleeding into one another. Then I put in the black rings, followed by the black background, which changes everything so it’s important not to wait too long.

There were so many details in those logos and wrappers that by mid-afternoon I was thinking maybe I bit off more than I could chew, that this was at least a 2-3 day painting, and I must have been crazy not to practice on a simpler vending machine painting with just one bar, like the Twix photo I was using as a reference. I even considered just doing a Twix drawing (which I used to call dinner during those late office nights) and just calling it a day.

But the 4-bar composition intrigued me from the moment I took the photos of our old office vending machine. The repetition of the circular wires holding the candies add a rhythm with their cast shadows and provide a unifying pattern – so I kept going. I drew on some lessons learned from my first Challenge:

Stay calm
Simplify the details
Focus on the net impression; don’t look at every crooked line
Plan a strategy,
Be bold not timid
Just hunker down to pull the painting off
Put aside your skepticism

This was one of the pivotal decisions I faced: Do I paint the bars as if they completely lit in the foreground, or stick to my original vision and put in shadows so they recede and are dramatically lit, which seemed to be more difficult than I had time for? I decided to go for the drama – and it’s drama that I got for the next few hours as I experimented with one color after another… after another…. for the shadows (while secretly wishing I had bought that metallic oil paint for the Twix wrapper.)

The question for all you artists out there: What would you have done? In retrospect, I was in a pretty good place at this point, but maybe didn’t know it. Perhaps I should have skipped the shadows or changed the background and the bottom strip colors to charcoal grey. I would appreciate the feedback.

Here’s where I was when I got up the next morning. The Reese’s was still muddy and the Twix was just sitting there.

I spent a few more hours experimenting with the shadows, and decided to call it a day since I was jeopardizing my next painting. At this point, the paint was too thick and wet, and I wasn’t adding any value.

I wish I had more time on this painting so I could have let it dry before reworking it right away (so what else is new), and kept the painting surface smoother. But then I wouldn’t have learned as much as I did about what I’m capable of under pressure (self-imposed, I admit) – something to keep in mind when I get my next commission. Full disclosure: I plan on trying this one again as a 2-day painting with a less severe background after the Challenge is over.

I’m proud of how I moved ahead and didn’t give up – and then wondered what would have happened. Bonnie would call this a learning experience. That’s what I’ll remember when I look at Vending Icons.

What do you see you looking at this one?

Day 3 of the 30/30 Challenge – Blake’s Bite

September 3, 2015 by Beverly

“Blake’s Bite – Oreo Cookie” by Beverly Shipko, Oil on cradled panel, 6 x 6 inches

I decided to paint Blake’s Bite – Oreo Cookie. because of the distinctive teeth marks. Take a second look at the painting and you’ll see what I mean.

Despite my best efforts to remain unbiased, maybe I couldn’t help but be influenced by fact that Blake the Biter is a good kid who has been a regular visitor at my annual April Open Studio. He has been an enthusiastic participant in my Oreo Cookie Contest the last few years.

For the first time, Blake’s entry is one of the finalists. Congratulations, Blake!

In addition to his biting prowess, I was impressed by how he matured since I last saw him only 12 months ago. Blake was so full of new ideas about what to paint and how to market my paintings to reach a wider audience. His enthusiasm was contagious!

Blake was particularly proud of this year’s entry when he showed it to me. You would be surprised at how infrequently teeth marks actually show up on the cookie, but they did here and gave the cookie character. That’s what makes his painting a portrait, albeit untraditional, representing a moment in time in Blake’s life as a kid. As he grows up, his bite will change and so will future paintings (think the opposite of Dorian Grey please).

In fact, some of my best paintings depict cookies bitten by kids, who have smaller jaws and more rounded shaped bites. My first Oreo painting in 1998 was of my daughter Bonnie’s bite when she was just a little younger than Blake.

I try and paint during daylight hours to get a better look at the variety of subtle brown colors that I use. As I found out in January, here’s really no substitute for natural light when you’re painting, even using my natural spectrum lamp at night, especially when you’re near the end and adding in the subtle details.

As you can see in the above photo, I went back to my round bristle brush to give more texture to the paint surface of the background. My newest filbert brushes (shaped like those on the right below) are better for straight lines and details, but result in a smoother surface – which is highly desirable when you’re painting candy wrappers, but maybe not as much here.

Round, Flat and Filbert Brushes courtesy of http://www.oxlades.com.au

I used more paint than on Days 1 and 2 on the Oreo filling and the crumbs. As I always tell people, it’s all about the crumbs.

While I was working on Blake’s Oreo, I realized that I’m warmed up and feeling comfortable again with painting on wood so it’s time to be more adventuresome. And since I completed this set of three Oreo paintings, I’m ready to move on.

Days 1, 2 & 3 of the 30/30 Challenge, Paintings by Beverly Shipko, Oil on cradled wood panel, 6 x 6 inches

Stay tuned for Day 4.

The Devil Is In The Details

May 3, 2015 by Beverly

Every year I conveniently forget one of my New Year’s resolutions, which is to think ahead and start getting ready earlier for my April Open Studio. This year was no exception.

Maybe I should start a master checklist of all the details, and at the top I would put “Remember to spray the paintings with Damar retouch varnish the week before going to the framer” – rather than days before.

Then there’s the haircut and flowers for the front porch planters, which took a beating this past winter and will need to be replaced next year.

The push to finish new work needs to start earlier.

And then there’s making space for people to move around in my studio. Here’s the before with 4 easels with no room to walk.

Here’s the after. Maybe this summer I’ll turn over a new leaf and simply donate some of the stuff in boxes that I never use.

To keep it real, I decided to leave my paints out in their gloriously messy state.

Getting the details out of the way sounds like a good plan, doesn’t it?

I just have to remember to focus on the big picture and not get too bogged down by the details that are less important. After all, I don’t want the devil to rear its ugly head.

Simple Solution for My Open Studio

April 19, 2015 by Beverly

With one week to go before the Open Studio , I am confronted by the usual problem: Too many paintings and not enough wall space.

Since the floor plan of our home is open and airy, the walls are chopped up. So how do you hang all the work you want to show? Maybe you can’t – at least not on the walls.

It turns out that there was an option that I had never even considered in past years. When Beverly from Gallery 52 came over to pick up paintings for her window display of my work, I quickly put some of the small paintings on the front stairs to take this archive photo to go with the consignment form.

I worked fast and didn’t think about what I was doing. Then Beverly suggested using the stairs to display my work during the Open Studio. It’s a well-lit location and the work “greets” people when they first walk in.

Wow, I thought, as I stopped dead in my tracks. This is such an easy and obvious solution to a problem I have had for years. Yet this option never even occurred to me.

And those stairs sure can hold a lot of paintings that otherwise would have stayed in boxes. Thank you, Beverly! It will be fun to try something new this year and experiment with possible arrangements.

Sometimes the simplest solutions are right in front of you.

Beverly’s Top 10 from the 30/30 Challenge: When Less is More

February 20, 2015 by Beverly

I must thank my friend Lynn for reminding me that less is more on so many levels.

Last week, Lynn and I met for lunch at the Beverly Hills Grill in Southfield, MI – our tradition when I visit my mom (Lynn likes the idea of “Beverly at Beverly Hills Grill”). How’s this for a paintable entrée?

When I told Lynn, an old art history buddy from the University of Michigan, about the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge, we started going through my blog posts on her phone. You can read about the 30/30 Challenge which began on New Year’s here.

I was pretty shocked by how intimidating those long paragraphs looked on a cell phone screen (vs. my large desktop). While I had seen my posts on my iPhone, I had never tried to actually read them. Lynn gently suggested shortening future posts for mobile devices (less copy, more photos). Good advice, don’t you think?

It turns out that even in this digital information age less is still more! This applied to my blog, my painting and the rest of my life during the Challenge.

So here are my lessons learned from the Challenge in a list which I call Beverly’s Top 10: When Less is More (missing Letterman already?):

10. Less copy means more involved readers.

9. Fewer diversions = more painting time.

8. Laboring less over my paintings translates into fresher work.

7. Using less paint can result in a more realistic impression.

6. Painting smaller allows for experimentation with more new subjects (like the double yolk egg paintings on Days 14, 30, and 31).

5. Less shopping = more money.

4. Less cooking = more painting productivity. (Thank you Bonnie and Jay!)

3. I ate less, weighed less, and was happier with how I felt and looked.

2. Less time spent cleaning = more focus (mentally and physically) = more clutter – oops! A subject for another day.

Try this instead: Cleaning less somehow resulted in more motivation now to de-clutter and get organized (go figure…), if nothing else, for the next challenge. I got so much out of this one that I will do it again.

I saw that for a month that I was very happy without using any of that stuff lying around my house, just like the Happiness Project book promised (which I highly recommend). By ruthlessly focusing on one thing that mattered, I enjoyed painting more than I had in a long time. And so, I will end this blog with something important for you to consider:

1. Less complexity = more satisfaction and fulfillment = more fun.

The New Year’s Challenge

January 1, 2015 by Beverly

It’s New Years Day, and today is the day I am taking action instead of giving lip service to my resolutions.

Every year I enthusiastically make of list of resolutions with the best of intentions, only to watch my commitment gradually decline over time. This year is going to be different. It’s time to live up to the spirit of my Bev’s Bites of Life blog and take a bite (at least start with a nibble…). So I signed up for the 30/30 Challenge starting today, when I will return to as I finish writing this post.

The 30/30 Challenge stands for 30 Paintings in 30 Days, which is hosted by Leslie Saeta. I intend to do a small painting a day, and started my first one this morning on Day 1.

A creative top-down view taken by my webmaster, and daughter, Laura Sloofman. January 1, 2015.

After finishing each painting, I’ll post my work along with other participating artists (over 800 registered from all over the world) on Leslie’s blog. It will be interesting to see how many other artists post, and what they are doing. The challenge is very exciting and a bit intimidating at the same time, since I tend to work methodically. In fact, at first didn’t even want to tell anyone I was doing this challenge, but now I’m going public.

I realized the 30/30 Challenge is a wonderful opportunity to explore new paths and to pursue the many things I have been thinking about painting for years, both in the food arena and beyond. Over the years, I took photos of everything from orchids to Sedona red rocks to classic cars, which are accumulating way too quickly on my computer (Oh, did I mention desserts?). Clearly I am a digital photo junkie who needs to buy another external backup drive just for photos, which are coming in handy now as I contemplate what to paint. Suggestions are always welcome, and would be especially timely right now.

The other day I was actually thinking that I should try painting healthy vegetables, perish the thought! While I won’t know what I am going to actually paint each day, I do know that I will be pushing myself out of my comfort zone, which is a good thing to do once in a while.

As I prepared for this painting adventure last week, I spoke with my artist friend Cristine Kossow, the pastel artist who introduced me to the challenge (thanks Cris!), and I realized that I needed different materials. The very nature of the challenge requires that you work small and quickly (unless you’re Picasso…). I decided to use small gesso panels, both 6 x 6″ and 5 x 7″ formats, with a smooth surface instead of using my usual stretched canvases, so I wouldn’t have to fight the “tooth” or texture of the canvas each day. I wanted the paint to glide on the surface effortlessly (like icing on a cake) like it does when I use lead-primed linen canvas, without the expense.

Three problems emerged:

1. I needed 30 small gesso panels.

2. Since I paint standing up, it was important to find a way to mount these small boards, so they would stay still on my large easels.

3. The “lip” of my easel covered 1/4″ on the top and bottom of each panel. I needed easy and unencumbered access to the entire painting surface.

Off I went to AI Friedman in Port Chester, NY to use the gift card that I won as August Artist of the Month, and was lucky that Tony, the art supplies manager and talented artist in his own right, was there. He is a creative thinker who always helps come up with solutions to any painting dilemma. When I got to this panel aisle, I was overwhelmed with all the choices. That’s when Tony came to the rescue.

He helped guide me to these cradled panels, which can be hung as they are, and best met my needs.

Together Tony and I devised a system for mounting the panel, using a velcro and/or adhesive putty, to a larger masonite board which the easels could securely hold securely. Here’s what the solution looks like. Now I am good to go.

I plan on posting my work here so you can follow my progress – and root me to the finish line! As I embark on this new challenge, somehow I feel like a pioneer exploring the new frontier. Cristine assures me I will be a better artist for it. I am confident that this is worth the effort and commitment, otherwise I wouldn’t be doing it.

I believe my painting will evolve in some positive way, and I will learn something about myself along the way. If nothing else, I will feel what it’s like to be more free in my approach, which is a wonderful thing. I am open to whatever comes – which is what taking that first bite out of life is all about. And what better time to start than January 1st.

Wish me luck!

It’s The Little Things In Life

November 23, 2014 by Beverly

Sometimes little things can make a big difference.

I was reminded of that today while I was cleaning up after a painting session – which only lasted an hour but created a big mess! For many years, this was a huge issue since it took a half hour just to get the paint off my hands, let alone my brushes. If I had a free hour, I wouldn’t even think about picking up a paint brush since the cleanup time was so long.

Anyone visiting my home studio can see that I am not the neatest painter in the world. I use a lot of brushes and have a nasty habit of not putting the caps back on my oil paint tubes. While I tried many non-toxic cleaners through the years, none of them seemed to work well with oils, especially on my hands. I walked around with stained hands and kept my nails short so the paint under my nails wouldn’t look so obnoxious, often dreaming about the good old days when I used water-soluble acrylics to avoid the whole cleanup issue.

Little did I know how my life would change for the better when my friend Janet, the office manager for my nutritionist, recommended a new non-toxic household cleaning product called Branch Basics. A week later, I was painting in the late afternoon and had totally lost track of time. All of a sudden, I realized that my husband and I were supposed to leave for a party in 45 minutes. I looked down at my hands and groaned out loud because they were covered in red, blue and green paint, all primary colors that stain the skin quite badly (I was working on a cupcake with sprinkles on top). In desperation, I spotted the bottle of Branch Basics next to the sink, grabbed it and began spraying my hands, just like I did today when they were covered in Oreo Cookie brown paint.

Then I used paper towel to start wiping the paint off. To my surprise (and yes, I am still surprised every time!), the paint actually began coming off easily.

Voila! It’s really quite amazing that it only took 3 minutes to get my hands completely clean! I had the feeling I was watching a magic trick that collapsed 30 minutes into 3 minutes – and did the job better too. (Please excuse me if I am starting to sound like an infomercial. By the way, we did make it to the party on time.)

I decided to share this wonderful product with all of you so you can stop your search for the perfect hand cleaner. As far as I know, Branch Basics is only available online. I would recommend purchasing the Starter Kit shown below at http://branchbasics.com/shop/starter-kit-small/

Branch Basics Starter Kit

The product comes in a concentrated form that can be diluted for various uses that are discussed in the user guide that comes with your shipment, and which is posted online at http://branchbasics.com/user-guide/. I use the 1:1 ratio on my hands, which means mixing 1 part Branch Basics concentrate with 1 part water. If you decide to try the product and would like a 15% discount, please contact me and I’ll send you the code.

I am starting to experiment with cleaning my brushes using the undiluted form. For the moment, I am still using a combination of olive oil and The Masters Brush Cleaner. I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, I have a busy day scheduled tomorrow, and look forward to picking up my paint brush for the limited time I do have between commitments – hopefully more than once. It’s still hard to believe how this one little thing has given me so much more flexibility to paint in short intervals throughout the day, and how dramatically it has changed my attitude toward painting with oils. I hope it does the same for you.