I hope you are enjoying the new and improved Red Easel! After 2 months of hard work behind the scenes to create a site and design that I was proud of and hoping that you would be too, I think I have succeeded.
This is my goal - that you can find everything easily and that you like the links and the visuals on every page. That you find the information and inspiration you need as an artist, and if you have something to share or add to our collection of information and inspiration, that you will contribute to our online magazine. From quotes to tutorials - we appreciate your story contributions here at Red Easel.
Also, every month I will choose an artist to Feature. I am still trying to figure out a way to choose an artist that is fair to all who are part of the Red Easel Gallery and also take the time to contribute to our collection of stories and tutorials and more. The nice thing about being featured is that this artist will not only have a prominent place in the left sidebar with a link to their site, but the featured artist will also have one of their paintings featured on the Red Easel Masthead for an entire month and also on the cover of that month's magazine. Can't get much better than that! This is great promotion baby! Go for it!
Contributing stories - personal stories, art business stories, gallery stories, tutorials, art history, stories of creative struggle and artistic success - anything that would be of interest to the fine people and fine artists that stop by Red Easel would be great. That is what we are here for - you - and we need "you" to contribute your stories with us so that we can share them with the visual artist community.
I want every artist to have an opportunity to share their experiences. Of course, your story will go through a little bit of an editorial pre-run before publication, but all-in-all, we are anxious to hear from all of you. That is what will make Red Easel so great in the long run - your stories and more.
I want to help you to promote your work, and put "life" behind the canvas. In other words - I, personally, believe that it is just as important for people to know the artist as it is for them to know the art. If they know your story, I believe they are more apt to collect your work. It will be something more than just a work of art on the wall - it will be a "story." So share. Your stories will grow and so will your collectors.
Sometimes marketing and advertising help too. If you would like for me to design a banner ad for you, I'd be happy to design one for the left or right sidebar. Dimensions are flexible. We can work out something, but I'd be more than happy to help you create a banner ad that you can use on Red Easel, your own site, and also on other sites as well. If you would like to advertise on Red Easel, contact me at susan@redeasel.com to work out a personal campaign. Especially here close to the holidays. This is a perfect time to think of advertising and marketing your brand and your work. Let me help you along the way.
I am also running a special promotion on my new palette - The Red Easel Master's Palette. I don't know how much longer I will be making them, but I am enjoying the process now, so you need to order one! The holidays are right around the corner too, so a quality, handmade palette would make a great gift. I make every palette by hand, and I am proud of every one. Right now, I am selling them for the promotional price of 49.95, and for all the hours I spend making them, that's a steal. I promise you this - it will be the most comfortable palette you have ever used, and unlike every palette I've ever used, it will fit your arm and the bend of your elbow.
I hope you enjoy the new Red Easel! Enjoy the cooler weather and stay cozy every chance you get. Tomorrow we are having our fireplace inspected and it can't come soon enough. I want to build a fire so bad my toes ache. I'll bet we burn 4 cords of wood every winter. How about you?
