New Calendar!

The new 2013 wall calendar is out!  I have used MagCloud, my trusty book making company, to compile the top 12 images for this years calendar.

This is a nice size, 8x8, not too small, not too big.  Beautiful color images, and only $12 plus shipping.
Here's the link:

Blog Tune Up

The inspiration continues and the ideas are flowing!
I've been tweaking the blog today to ease navigation, organize and de-clutter!

I've added new pages:  Nature Cards and Books, and renamed others.  What used to be the Mission Statement page is now simply called About New Pioneer, and NP Styles is now About NP Styles.  

This makes it easier for newcomers and general reference.

The Nature Cards page is a big deal!  I first took the best of my recent images and created a new gallery on my artist website at Fine Art America (you can view it here ).  These images are only available as greeting cards at this time.  If you are interested in enlargements please contact me.

Then I created the new Nature Cards page on the blog (view here ) which is the full collection with several links for purchasing.

I have been with Fine Art America for almost three years and they do beautiful printing, timely shipping, and secure purchasing.

The Books page was a terrific way to get them all in one place!  I have several photo collection books available through MagCloud;  great coffee table books or gifts.  I also have my second poetry book and the Backyard Bird Sighting booklet available.  You can view that page here .

I'm gathering recent poems for a third book, coming soon, and I plan to reprint the first book from 2004 in this new format on MagCloud - so stay tuned for that!

Additionally, I have cleaned up the side bars on the blog.  The images to the left under the first house photo are all available as greeting cards and click-able to that page.

On the right side bar under recent posts I have added easy access links to the pages as well.

Other new surprises coming soon will be a Nature Kit, The Shift oracle cards, and several new ideas for quick downloadable guides!!

Whew!  What a great day for cleaning blog house.

Thanks for being here!

New Images, New Projects

(imported from my former photo blog)
It's been a fascinating couple of weeks in the making, but finally it has all come together.

After reading a great new book Choice Point, I was inspired to create some new abstract images to use in a tarot style card deck.

It was one of those projects that just flowed easily, the ideas came, I wrote them down.  I worked on the images only when I was inspired to.  

 It was almost spooky how the text part of the project came.  I sat down with the images and started writing, it just flowed out of me.

This tarot style card deck is uplifting and positive.  The messages are created to enlighten the reader and give them positive guidance.

It's called the Shift tarot.  It's a 12 card deck.  There are 8 Master cards and 4 Element cards. 

This is the cover card for the deck.

In a reading you pull one card from each deck while focusing on your query.  The messages written on the back of each card will give you clues to how you should proceed. 

I have also included a numerology equivalent to the messages, along with an additional pleasant quote for guidance.

"Cycles" from the Master deck

"Water" from the Elements deck

This is really one of the most inspired projects I have created since the 2012 project I created in 2010.

I'm still working out the best way to have them printed and waiting on the first order to arrive.

Ultimately, of course, I would love to connect with a publisher who could fine tune the details and create a final package.

If you find this interesting, please comment or leave any suggestions for printing that you have had experience with.

Meanwhile I'd also like to promote the book Choice Point, Align Your Purpose, by Harry Massey and David R. Hamilton PhD.  A very interesting and new approach to the concepts in the title.

Photo Art

(imported from my former photo blog)
Manipulating photos brings out the artist in me.  Especially when the photo is not a stand alone work of art.
I love the many functions that enhance details of an image or change its structure completely, when manipulated in a program.

I have four photo editing programs I really enjoy.  I couldn't do all the things I've done with just one of them.  I use PhotoShop 7, Paint Shop Photo, Paint Shop Pro, and Picasa.

For this post I'm going to talk about just two images I have been working on lately.
The first one is this serene setting I shot last Fall of a rare sunny day here in the Pacific Northwest.
I was working at a clients home and just couldn't resist capturing this shot, which of course I took over ten frames of, but this one I used for this project.

  I decided it just didn't have the punch I was looking for, so I experimented with the PS artistic effects.  I chose the colored pencil effect and some sharpening for detail as well as cropping.

I left it like this for a couple of weeks.  Recently I decided I didn't like the gray background, after all, sky and water and hills are not gray.
So I took it into my Paint Shop program and added color here and there.

While some of you artists who know how to paint and draw may gasp with distaste at this, I feel it is all in the eye of the beholder.
I'm still not sure if I'm done with it, but it is fun to play.

Because I love black and white, of course I had to try this in a monotone as well.  I'm not sure which one I like better!

For my next trick I thought I would play with the trees.  (You'll remember these from a previous post).  Same location, same day.

While I actually like this image on its own, I just wanted to apply the same process and see where it would go.

I used the same colored pencil effect in PS, along with some contrast and saturation tweaks.  I love how it brings out the lines and detail in the tree trunks.

Next was to add some color to the sky and water.

Too fake?  Unrealistic?  Surrealistic?  The sky's the limit here (pun intended!).
I visualize this image large, printed on metal with a glossy finish.  I wonder what Picasso would say.

In all fairness to our image of the chairs, I of course wanted to try this in monotone as well.

What projects have you worked on that inspire you?

Art Marketing Guest Interview

(imported from my former photo blog)
As a follow up to my post Art Marketing for Beginners , I was graciously allowed to interview my dear friend and blogger, Jennifer Rydell at Plushpussycat .  I asked Jennifer to tell us a little about herself, her product and how she is marketing them.  I think you will find this quite inspiring!

http://www.plushpussycat.com/

1)  Please tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Plushpussycat . 

Hi! I create whimsical photo stories, and greeting cards from them, using my own handmade plush characters, recycled and repurposed materials, and dollhouse miniatures. I also make miniatures and am working on several dollhouse projects.

2)  Why did you decide to create greeting cards from your photo stories?

I was making these little scenes, taking photos of them, and putting the stories on my blog. I printed some favorite photos on business cards, and within a few days time I'd had two people tell me that specific photos would make wonderful greeting cards. I took it as a sign and just went for it! I had my first greeting cards printed not long after that.

3)  How do you create the scenes for your cards?

First there's an idea that gets in my head and just won't go away! I start imagining characters, gathering supplies, and refining my ideas. Finally, a certain mood will strike me and I set up the scene and start taking photos. Sometimes I get just what I want the first time, and sometimes it takes days of photo shoots to get what I want. It may be months from initial idea to final product.

4)  How did you go about marketing your cards?

I started out blogging about what I was doing and gained a precious, dedicated following. I added an Etsy shop, a Facebook Page, and Twitter and Google+ accounts. I post regularly to all of the above, plus I frequently hold blog giveaways. I also give out my business cards, which have my images on them. The last business card I gave out helped me land my first brick and mortar location (a lovely bookstore called Green Bean Books) for selling my cards. I was also asked to do a diorama at Green Bean, which should hopefully introduce more people to my work. 

5)  What advice would you give someone who is just starting to market their cards?

Believe in yourself! Do what you love to do, and share about it with others. Start a blog--you can make wonderful friends, and it can open your world in so many ways!   


I found Jennifer's words and advice very inspiring, didn't you?  Please visit Jennifer's blog at Plushpussycat and see the wonderful images and stories she has been creating - as well as links to her sales venues.