My First Treasury on Etsy

This little gal isn't part of my First Treasury on Etsy...she's one of my recent listings. I think she is quite cute.

I was originally going to wait until after the first of the year to try to snag a Treasury and include some of my favorite picks. I went ahead today and grabbed a spot.

The title of my Treasury is 'Black, White and Red Hot'....and the items are are related to the titled theme.

There are some very talented artisans on Etsy and I am very happy with my selection. From now until very early Christmas morning you can view my Treasury at this link....

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=19894

'Tis the season...

I know this is the season for sharing, caring, reflecting, loving, giving....and I think it should be.

For me...I'm still working hard at trying to 'get in the spirit'...maybe I will...maybe I won't.

I found this wonderful image on an ephemera site, after doing a lot of searching. I wanted to find something vintage..and quite sweet. This just seemed to 'fit the bill.' Already I feel more festive.

It's going to be a very slim Christmas this year...not much I can do about that! But, I do look forward to the family get togethers...always on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas, my children...and their children...gather at my house.

I think I'll probably do very few new paintings until next year....instead, I'm going to work on 'finding my spirit'...I'm sure it's here somewhere!

Yeah...so...waiting until next year!!

I am not giving up on my 'Treasures and Trinkets'...but, for some reason I keep feeling pressure to get them finished and listed in time for Christmas.

And, well....that's just not going to happen. I think the pressure I've put on myself is hindering the results I am wanting to get from these pieces.

So...I'm taking the pressure off of myself and putting my experiments away until next year...then, I'll take my time and come up with some things I'm really happy with.

In the meantime....I'll do a few more original ACEO's and small paintings...some new 8 x 10 prints and Limited Edition ACEO prints and that will be it.

I've got some new series pieces coming that I'm pretty excited about...so be sure to 'watch' for these.

Just A Very Quick Note..and a Preview

I spent my week-end working on an experiment...and I wasn't able to list it.

I printed a few select pieces onto heavy watercolor paper and then coated the small prints with resin.

I have worked with resin for many years, but never purposely on paper pieces, so I wasn't sure how it would work. I was hoping for lapel pins...these are going to have to be magnets. I'm going to have to reinforce them as pins or pendants...but, I will keep trying.

Another problem I am having is how to get a good...clear...photograph of the finished piece. On this one...the color of the magnet is 'washed out'.

I think I have a bit more experimenting to do. I did list one..of my 'mother angels' tonight though. We'll see how she does.

Post Script

While I was posting my last blog...thinking about sending 'my own' Christmas cards to my late husband's family members, I came up with what I hope is a 'brilliant idea'....though, I certainly don't want to upset anyone.

My husband didn't paint a great number of paintings, but I thought the ones he did paint were 'the best'.

So, I thought....'why don't I do some Christmas cards with one of my husband's paintings'.

This is the one I decided on.

He sold almost all of his paintings and his siblings do not have any of his art. Maybe they would like a card with one of his paintings on it.

I'm going to do it...

I'm sending 'MY OWN' Christmas Cards This Year!

I forgot to take an actual photo of my Christmas Cards...but, I'm using this picture. They actually turned out GREAT! I'm very pleased.

I'll try to replace this photo..if I can remember..so you can see what they actually look like.

I'm thinking about going ahead and painting several, holiday themed paintings, that I can use for greeting cards for next year.

Who knows...I may actually come up with greeting cards for All Occasions. We'll see....

I've Got a New Camera....

I've been without my camera for a couple of months now. I got my little 3.2 Digital Canon, back in 2004...and it has taken such wonderful pictures...I really missed it when it quit working.

Wendy and John, my oldest daughter and her husband...decided that I needed to have a new camera...so they got me a new Panasonic.

I wasn't as 'grateful' as I might have been, I will confess. I wanted another Canon...after all, the other one had taken such good pictures.

So, I decided to 'play' with the new camera...John said he had two weeks to take it back if I didn't like it...and I WAS impressed.

I got some really good pictures (for me).

Thank you, John and Wendy!!

Taking the night off..

I have decided to 'take the night off'. I have been just getting to bed, when most people are just getting up to go to work, for the past few nights now.

I'm tired and probably a little run down...so I'm going to take the night off. I'll try to work tomorrow, during the day. I don't have the grandbabies, so I might actually be able to get a few pieces done.

I also wanted to pull out some pieces that I did a few years ago, that I think would go great in my CMZart Etsy Shop and maybe list those. We'll see....

Anyway...I'm up for a decent nights sleep. I need it!

I've been working my 'behind' off....

I've had some really cute new pieces in my CMZart Etsy Shop. It didn't take long for this little gal to 'fly' right out of the shop. I think she is really cute...I want to try to find some new things for her.

I listed eight new ACEO paintings yesterday in the shop...they are ALL sold.

I do have Limited Edition ACEO Prints available for each of them...please stop by and check them out. I will certainly list as many new pieces as I can possibly get done. Wished I could work a little faster...I'm going to try to do two or three per day if I can.

I am working on some of the cutest paintings.

This little gal is actually, one of my "new" original ACEO's I have listed. I had the picture of her, but couldn't find the original.."maybe I sold her"...I couldn't remember.

Anyway, when I started getting out some new canvas sheets for some BRAND NEW pieces, I 'found' her.

She's listed as an original, currently in my CMZ Art Etsy Shop.

Starting Sunday...I will be listing some really cute ACEO originals...provided I 'get busy' and finish them....

Putting some NEW - OLD Pieces On

I don't do many folk art pieces anymore. For one thing, they are VERRRRY time consuming...and that is something very precious these days.

I decided that I would pull a few of my older pieces out and turn them into something NEW...so I now have Limited Edition 8 x 10 prints of a couple of pieces.

I am limited the edition number to 25...I've decided that is the maximum I will do for both the 8 x 10 prints and the ACEO Limited Edition Prints on all of my pieces.

And I am only selecting a select few of my best selling paintings to offer the Limited Edition Prints.

This painting, 'Peace In The Valley' is now being offered in my CMZ Art Etsy Shop.

My Squidoo Lenses

I have yet another Squidoo Lens.

It's title...'Bug's Ear.'

I have decided to call these newest characters, 'Bug's Ears'...at least the series, that is.

Why....?...because I think they are as 'cute as a bug's ear'...that's what came to me in a dream anyway.

But, here is a link to my 'still work in progress' Squidoo Lens, featuring them...at present, I do only have three...but, plan to remedy that, very soon.

Have a look...leave a comment! Give me your ideas:)

http://www.squidoo.com/bugsear/

Dancing With The Stars

I admit...I did catch a few episodes of the show but, mostly when there wasn't anything else on and I had work to do on the computer. But I saw enough to figure out what was going on. I found myself rooting more for the professionals...rather than the 'stars'. I hoped the little gal who won last year, with Anton Apollo Ono...yes I caught a few episodes of last year's show too....would win with Helio...and she did.

Most of the TV that I do watch is, more or less, just 'company'. I find that I really do not like the quiet...even though I could probably go crazy with new ideas if I allowed it.

Not sure what it's going to take...

For three years, eBay has provided us a fair income. For the most part, we could pay our bills and purchase supplies.
Then, for some reason I do not understand, eBay decided to change the way our listings came up. Our featured listings (yes, I do go on about paying the $25 a pop, don't I) were buried, according to time listed and time ending, in the midst of both features and non-features.
What the hell.....? We were being buried by listings with an average cost of 1.50 per listing....what was the point in featuring????
Then, to top that off...the major power sellers figured out how to further bury the 'also-rans'.
They opened new shops and by doing this, they found that they could constantly 'revise' their items and keep themselves on the front page at all times. They linked their main site into their new one and voila...front page coverage 24/7 for both sites. But, who said life was fair...!??
For the rest of us...we could 'revise' all we wanted and all we got for our efforts was, further buried.
I go on about this...obviously, it is still bothering me. I rather felt like we were 'forced out' by the major sellers..and eBay's disregard for the smaller vendors. I know we chose to leave..but, it probably wouldn't have come up had it not been for the surprise changes and glitches!

With this being our primary source of income...it does create a bit of stress! (Damned eBay anyway!)


Anyway...with that out of my system, once again, I will say that I do enjoy my Etsy Shops. (I really do...though I still have a lot to learn...like when to list, how many items to list...and even, what to list.)
I also now have two Zazzle Shops, as well. I've had the Tuscan Art Zazzle Shop for a year now. I know because I made my first sale there last December. Of course, I've made twelve sales on that site and still haven't reached the minimum for payout. YIKES!!!
But, I'm also on CAFE PRESS...for longer than I've been on Zazzle...and still have never made even one sale there!

I really am 'out there' ... all over the place!
If you don't believe me...just 'Google' Charlene Zatloukal and see how many places I come up!

I don't know if I just need to change what I do...may it is just too 'ordinary'. Certainly I'm sure that I'm not marketing myself very well...but, I'm not sure how in the world to do that either.

On the plus side...Jaime has been approached by a Gallery in Burbank CA. Hopefully she'll have some originals in the gallery there soon! I'm glad one of us is having some success!

I Stay Up Far Too Late...

I stay up far too late. Most nights, or I should say mornings, I finally go to bed about 5:30. It started when I sat up every night with my husband. He had cancer and the last couple of months were pretty rough.

Now, it seems no matter how hard I try, I can't get to sleep any earlier, so I stay up until I get tired. I work as late as I dare, (if I work too late I find that I am still too alert when I go to bed and then it is usually 7 or 8 before I can get to sleep.)

Now that I have a couple of my grandbabies every weekday, I really need to try to turn my schedule around. Some days they come at noon...and four hours just isn't enough sleep to deal with little ones...at my age anyway!

Jaime and I started watching my youngest grandbabies about a month ago. My #3 son works the second shift and my lovely daughter-in-law just went back to the insurance company, we all used to work at, and works the first shift. This leaves anywhere from three to five hours, depending on my son's schedule, that we have the babies--they're not actually babies anymore--one is four and the other two--but, they're my 'babies'. I need Jaime to help...I did say they were four and two didn't I..???

One day last week, Ava suddenly 'came up missing'...I was trying to squeeze a little computer work in, while Jaime was busy with Simon...and no one noticed Ava quietly slip into the bathroom. She wasn't 'gone' for very long...just long enough to take the potty out of the potty chair, fill the toilet with toilet paper and proceed to dip and dump the clumpy water from the toilet bowl to the floor. She was soooo pleased with herself!! Luckily the water was clean!!

We usually try to have some kind of activities and change them up as often as possible, so that the time they are with us isn't too horribly boring. It makes life easier for all of us when we do this. Unfortunately, last week Jaime and I were both so tired and not at all creative...so we watched far too many cartoons and opened ourselves up to babies trying to entertain themselves. We'll have to do better this week!

I decided to switch things up a bit over the week-end. I haven't done collages in ages and I rather missed doing them. I ended up doing eight of them. Four for the CMZart on Etsy and four for Rustic Goth on Etsy.

I think I'll wait to do more until I can get some beeswax, so these may be all the collages I do until after the first of the year.

It's The 'Little' Things...

I appreciate more of the 'little' things of life than I used to. Here are two of those 'little' things...
Yes, my back yard could use some attention...it seems that, literally, one day the tree in my back yard was jam packed with beautiful yellow leaves, the next day...they were all on the ground.
But, it worked out fine for Simon and Ava...they wanted to 'jump in the leaves'...so they did.

Wishing You a Very Happy Thanksgiving.

I do have sooo much to be grateful for and sometimes it takes a day, like Thanksgiving, to remind me.

I am thankful for...

+being married to the same man for 35 years, though he is gone he gave me the best 35 years of my life...

+having the children that I do, each one of them is a true blessing...

+having the grandchildren I have, each with their own individual little personality, with so much love for their families, it's hard not to fall deeply, madly in love with each one...

+that my married children have been blessed to have the spouses they have, each one 'perfect' for that particular child....

+having the gift of creativity, it really helps during the majorly bad times, and with entertaining the youngest of the grandbabies...

+the fortitude to keep on keeping on, even during the most trying times...

+a most blessed life! It has been a truly GREAT one!!!

For these things and so much, much more...I give thanks!!!

Clarifying Who I AM

'Let Me Help You' is my first Precious Moments inspired painting. I love the figurine of a big brother helping his little sister learn to ice skate, at least that is what I see when I look at it. I was inspired to do my own 'version', and this is it.

I painted it on an 8" x 10" unstretched cotton canvas sheet.

It is varnished for permanent protection and I recommend matting and framing it for display. I kept the painting fairly small to keep it more affordable, plus it wouldn't cost as much to have it matted and framed. I think most folks could do that themselves.

It is available in my CMZart Etsy Shop and I will soon be making Limited Edition ACEO prints available as well. I will limit the number of prints to 25 and each print will be signed, dated, titled and numbered on the back of the print. They will be shipped in a hard plastic trading card sleeve for added protection.

I wanted also to clarify a point of confusion to some of my collectors. I am Charlene Murray Zatloukal, listing as both 'Rustic Goth' and as 'CMZart' on Etsy.
My reasoning for both shops is, that I felt the collectors of my 'dark, sad, surreal, macabre' art would not care for some of my 'happy, cute, abstract, Tuscan, landscape, floral' art... and vice versa.
After losing the 'love of my life' a little over a year ago...I have been mostly sad.

I cared not to paint anything hopeful or happy because, I didn't feel hopeful or happy.
And, though most of the art I have done since then has been very sad and surreal, I try very hard to try to find happy and hopeful moments, as often as possible. When I do find them, I paint them.
Maybe the 'separation' of the art is something I need to do for myself...I don't really know. But...
For now, I will keep them separate...I just wanted to let you know that I am one artist..with many dimensions.

I've Put a 'Primitive' Piece on Etsy

'Pass It On' is the title of this little painting.

It is on an 8" x 10" cotton canvas sheet. It's real canvas, primed with gesso, and I've decided to give this a go in order to keep my prices as low as possible for my collectors.

You can find this painting at.....
http://www.cmzart.etsy.com/


And, I've sold my first painting on Overstock.com. I wasn't sure if I liked that site or not...it is quite a bit different from eBay...there appears to be a lot of "paint by number" knock offs filling up the site, but I've got my first bid, so maybe I was a little hasty in my first impressions.
You can find me there quite easily...just type CMZart in the search and you'll find me.

A New Day...

So, today is a new day and my attitude is much improved. I will admit, my leaving eBay was not without some regret, but one must do what is best for themselves in the long run.

With that said, I am excited about my plans for my future paintings. I want to go back to my 'roots', so to speak. More primitive pieces, more figurative art...

I hope to start listing some of those tomorrow, on Etsy. I plan to concentrate on that site in particular.

I will list very little on Overstock...and somewhat more often on ArtByUs...the price is quite right on that site, but my main focus will be on my Etsy sites.

This little piece is a print I have listed on Etsy...from my 2005 Tuscan Folks series.

CMZ Art Now on ETSY...and MORE

My original art...and prints...can now be found on ETSY.COM.....see the ETSY 'preview' at the bottom of this page.

I am also now listing on..

OVERSTOCK.COM

and

ART BY US.

Check these sites out!

My Artist's 'Statement'

As a published artist, I find that I am asked, on occasion for an 'artist's statement'...here is a copy of one that I had to present recently. I read something similar a couple of years ago, though I can't remember now, where.

'Nebraska native, Charlene Murray Zatloukal, has spent much of the past 35 years, creating. In her creations she has found that life is a lesson in communication.

"We are what we think. And, we express ourselves in our thoughts, if not always in our actions."
"Painting is a dialogue that allows me to express myself without words. It is a silent witness of who I am and how I am feeling. I often find freedom in expressing myself in this manner, since I believe that more is said in silence than in words. Many things in life just "are."
It is my feeling that art does not need to be explained. If a painting does not speak for itself, no amount of explanation will convince the viewer of its value or justify its existence. I feel that a painting is a statement... good statements and bad statements and consistent with the 'inner' person.
My art is an opportunity for me to be myself without explaining myself. I am what I am. It is a personal statement of who I am and how I feel about the world around me."

For the past three years, my livelihood has come from online sales of my art.

For anyone interested in learning more about me, or my art, go to one of the following sites...

www.zoagroup.com

www.CMZart.etsy.com

www.zatloukaloriginalartists.blogspot.com

www.CMZart.blogspot.com

www.anotherpaintingblog.blogspot.com

My First Sale on Etsy

I made my first sale on Etsy today. I have only been on Etsy for four days, so it feels pretty good.

I'll have art featured in the Art Showcase on Nov 6th.

I am going to have one of my paintings featured on the Art Showcase on Etsy tomorrow, Nov 6th. The only problem is, I'm not sure which painting to feature...I'm thinking about featuring this one here..but, I know that my yellow Tuscan Landscapes are so uniquely mine, I'm considering one of those instead.

I know I'd better figure it out soon...decisions...decisions.

Check out my paintings at CMZart.Etsy.com.

Thanks.

Please Check Etsy Daily....

I will be listing something new on Etsy daily. Here is a little preview of a few new prints and ACEO limited edition prints.

I am just getting this site up and operational and it gives me a freedom that I have longed for since becoming part of my second group.

I need the freedom of deciding what I want to list...when I want to list...how much (or how little) I want to list. Now it looks like I will finally have it....YAY!!!

Ebay hasn't 'artist friendly' for quite a few months, so it is nice to find a site that seems easier...and much friendlier.

Time will tell, and I suppose I've become a little 'gun-shy' after eBay.....but I do look forward to a long and happy relationship with Etsy:)

It's already off to a really good start!

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I have also set this blog site up as 'my signature' in my email. Cool..huh!

It Needs Repair

This is an ACEO Print (with some handpainted embellishments) of my original ACEO painting,' It Needs Repair'.

The original has been sold.

This is a Limited Edition ACEO print of only 25.

This hand embellished print measures 2.5 x 3.5 inches and is printed with archival inks on heavyweight archival paper.

I have titled, signed, numbered and dated the back of the print.

The ACEO print comes in a plastic trading card sleeve for added protection.

!**************************************

ACEO (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) are highly collectible miniature works of art, created in a wide variety of media.

They can be originals or prints as long as they measure 3.5 x 2.5 inches.

**************************************

About the Artist:

Charlene Murray Zatloukal...a self taught artist whose paintings can be found in corporate and private collections worldwide. Painting styles include abstract, pop surrealism, Tuscan, and others.

"I consider myself multi-dimensional, which is reflected in my art and my styles."

"I paint 'possibilities' and 'impossibilities'... 'dreams and nightmares'... 'what is and what might be.'"

Contemplating Life

Title = "CONTEMPLATING LIFE"

Dimensions = 10" x 10 x 3/4"

Medium = Oils and Acrylic

Original and unique...directly from my studio...not a print or giclee.

Signed and dated by the artist on back of painting.

High quality gallery wrapped canvas wrapped around stretcher bars, with staples free sides.
Finished with a protective coat of high gloss varnishThe sides are painted black so framing is not required unless desired. (Shown framed in one picture, for example only. Frame is not included with purchase.)

High End Upscale Artwork from an established highly collected artist.

About the Artist:
Charlene Murray Zatloukal...a self taught artist whose paintings can be found in corporate and private collections worldwide. Painting styles include abstract, pop surrealism, Tuscan, and others.
"I consider myself multi-dimensional, which is reflected in my art and my styles."

"I paint 'possibilities' and 'impossibilities'... 'dreams and nightmares'... 'what is and what might be.'" Want to more of my paintings.... check it out at

http://www.cmzart.etsy.com

A Bit About Me

I am a wife (though widowed), mother (of six) and grandmother (of nine.

I am also a professional artist.
I have been painting and selling my creations for almost thirty years.

I have received no secondary or formal training in the study and development of artistic education. Everything I have learned about the creation and expression of art I have learned on my own. I frequently categorize my art in the genre of Outsider Art for this reason.

My art can be found in collections, homes and offices throughout the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

I am entirely self taught and draw the inspiration for my art from everyday life, from the recesses of my imagination and quite often from an accidental slip of the hand or an experiment gone awry.

I have created and sold original art, directly as well as commissioned, since 1975, with much success. I am committed to offering work that is unique, interesting and entirely my own.

I have neither the interest nor the time to follow or emulate what others are doing, as I am too busy trying to follow the visions and the 'voices in my own mind'.

I love to create art of all kinds and in all mediums and I hope others enjoy looking at my work as much as I have enjoyed creating it.

Thank you for your interest.

Other Places to Learn More About Me

You can find out more about me....

Charlene Murray Zatloukal...

by visiting any of the following links...

http://zatloukalartists.blogspot.com/

http://anotherpaintingblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.zoagroup.com

My First Post on this Blog

This is my first post to my CMZ Art Blog.

I have just opened a new site on Etsy.Com and I wanted to have a new blog as well.

My CMZ Art Etsy link is...

http://cmzart.etsy.com/

Thanks for visiting.