In my previous post regarding my latest impressionist landscape paintings for eBay auction I mentioned the psychology of color. I thought it would be fun to list some of the positive traits associated with certain colors. So what color are you?

If your favorite color is RED you may have these positive traits:
You likely possess an optimistic outlook, as well as being confident and action oriented. The vitality and energy you emit can draw others to you. You also show an enthusiasm for life and you don’t fear pursuing your dreams.
If your favorite color is ORANGE you may have these positive traits:

Being a combination of red with its energy and yellow with its cheerfulness the color orange gives a measure of warmth and happiness. It also is an optimistic color which can uplift and rejuvenate a sagging spirit.
If your favorite color is YELLOW you likely have a happy disposition and people like to be with you because you’re fun to be with. It also resonates with cheerfulness and creativity. You are often the one to come up with new ideas as yellow also relates to the mind and you tend to be analytical.

If BLUE is your favorite color you likely possess the characteristics of reliability, trustworthiness, being genuine and sincere. You’re also friendly and approachable being sensitive to the needs of others making them feel welcome when with you. Another trait is being sentimental and a somewhat nostalgic loving things of the past.
If PURPLE or VIOLET is your favorite color it shows you are are sensitive and compassionate, and supporting of others and often putting the needs of others before your own. You have a peaceful and tranquil quality about you. You can also inspire others with your creative thinking and how you deal with adversity with a positive outlook. The color purple is also associated with royalty therefore it creates an impression of luxury and opulence.

And as an artist this is one of my favorite colors:
GREEN
This color is associated with growth and is the color of spring. It has a rejuvenating quality renewing and replenishing energy by being a haven from the stresses of our hectic lives restoring our sense of well being. Green is a relaxing color and is associated with nature where it’s found in abundance.
I love painting the landscape with all its varieties of green and employing other positive colors in my paintings which brings enrichment to one’s life through art. I hope you will be one of them!  My eBay auctions and commissions are a great way to acquire one of my paintings. Contact me today and I’d be happy to discuss it with you.

So what is you’re favorite color?

Here are my latest impressionist landscape paintings for eBay auction from my alter ego “Byron” ending on September14, 2014 6PM Pacific Time.

These two landscapes features a field of flowers. One red and one purple.

I was thinking about the psychology of color. Red is a stimulant and can increase enthusiasm and seems to provide a sense of protection from fears and anxiety. The color purple is red tempered with blue. Psychologically it can uplift as well as be calming to the mind and nerves. In the garden red has an energetic effect while purple has a calming effect.

You can feel the energy of the scarlet red blooms and the tranquil effect of the purple verbena covering the ground. Either choice is a great way to enhance a room.

These two impressionist landscape paintings for eBay auction start at only a penny with no reserve. It’s a great way to start an art collection! I should clarify that even though bidding starts at a penny, this is NOT A PENNY AUCTION. In other words no one is required to pay a fee in order to bid. I simply do not put a reserve price on the painting. A penny was as low as I could set the starting price. In this way I let the individual bidders drive the price. So you can bid freely without being charged to bid. So for example, if you were the first bidder and you placed a bid of $10 and no one else bids, then you won the painting for that price. But if someone else comes along and places a higher bid and you still want it, then you have to out bid them. Here’s an interesting article on how bidding works on eBay and how to win.

Here’s my profile with the current listings.

http://ebay.com/usr/hagermanart

The two paintings below successfully sold at my last eBay auction! Thank you to my wonderful collectors! The cactus flowers were photographed in my backyard. Those red flowers were so captivating, I knew they would be painted one day. The autumn painting is just one of the many views of the Guadalupe River in Texas which I’ve painted and photographed several times and from different spots, different angles and times of day all giving me a variety of moods to choose from. I especially liked the late afternoon light making the water shine!

I’m also happy to report that the previous set of paintings seen below all sold and one is on it’s way to Virginia. I’m very happy to have gained new collectors and followers on eBay and to have them among the Hagerman family of art collectors. They’re all a great group of people.

I hope you can become one of them as well. Be sure to check out my profile page which will give you access to my listings. Remember, all my auctions start at just a penny with no reserve!

http://ebay.com/usr/hagermanart

These are so much fun to paint and working with vividly rich color!

I mentioned in my artists statement and alluded to it in my blog title that when we experience the scenic outdoors, we feel drawn to it, nurtured by it, and we seek its solace whenever we can. Our senses become engaged. We feel alive, while savoring the slower pace in order to fully experience the beauty around us! It’s the outdoor landscape that fuels my art.
Recently I came across the American Hiking Society National Trails Day held the first weekend in June. Seems like there’s a day for everything! What I found interesting and wanted share here is their interactive map that showed all the hiking events being held in all the different states. I thought it might be a nice tool to scout out potential areas for gathering material for future paintings or doing some plein aire painting.
Living in Texas I clicked around on the map and found a state park I had not heard of near San Antonio called Government Canyon. So what does a person do when you don’t know about something? Google it like others do. What I learned was the Government Canyon State Natural Area has more than 40 miles of hiking and biking trails that range from remote rugged canyon lands to gently rolling grasslands.The rugged canyon description caught my attention. Although I won’t be visiting it the first weekend in June, it’s something I plan to do to see if it includes possible subjects for future paintings. It looks promising.

Maybe there’s something that will inspire you nearby where you live by checking out the website for the American Hiking Society National Trails Day.

Perhaps you too can get out and enjoy the beauty of the landscape and seek its solace and recharge. If you find a landscape that inspires you and you’d like a painting of it, check out my art work commissions page. It’s a super easy process to get a painting made just for you.

A wise king once said that “everyone should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.” It goes hand in hand with the saying of enjoying the fruits of one’s labor.

I was able to experience that at the reception for my small works show at Folger Gallery. (see my previous post)

It was a pleasant intimate reception with several friends, family, collectors and others who enjoyed viewing my work. Several paintings sold at the reception and others afterwards.

I thank all those who attended and for Therese Folger Sitzman and those who assisted that evening in making the event a success. The gallery looked great!

Here’s one photo of three of my paintings displayed before guests started arriving showing one already sold indicated by the red dot next to the painting on top. One of my dear collectors was the first to arrive and purchased it and one other painting. A nice surprise upon my arrival to the show.

Three of twelve works by William Hagerman at Folger Gallery

Additionally, the refreshments and wine were just right for the evening as was the nice flower arrangement of orchids.

Thank you Therese for letting my wife and I take the flower arrangement afterwards. Here are a couple of photos after taking it home.

Orchid flower arrangement from Folger Gallery

Another view of the flower arrangement from Folger Gallery

Yes, it is nice to enjoy the fruits of one’s labor.

2013 certainly seemed to fly by and here it is almost at the end of January 2014. Before I know it 2015 will be here, yet it’s been a slow start this month as I endeavor to get caught up on a few things including necessary 2013 bookwork which I generally have completed by now. ( Not my favorite task, but a part of the job of being an artist.) I made a comment on the art biz blog  that posed the question “If you were the boss and had you as an employee, would you be happy with your performance, or would you fire yourself?” I quipped that I found a pink slip on my desk. Although kidding I recognize as it is with any business endeavor there’s a need of focusing actions to completion.

With that in mind I wanted to share with you my Guadalupe river plein air painting (not for sale) that is the basis of my next studio painting currently in progress. A while back my wife and I along with a group of friends rented some cabins along the Guadalupe River in Texas. This scene was directly out the back of the property and I set up my easel and painted. It was perfect weather and I liked how the late afternoon light was catching the fall tree against the backdrop of the canyon wall which was in shadow.

Additionally in focusing actions to completion, this study and the forth coming studio painting will also be the subject of my next art instructional eBook, which I have wanted to do for some time. I currently have one eBook titled: Creating a Sense of Place in Landscape Painting and this will make my second book.

My goal is to provide the book in more than one format including ePub to make it available on different electronic devices. If I get all the technology right the book will also contain some short video clips. I did a test run in ePub format and was able to view a video clip on an iPhone after adding it to iBooks and it worked. However it did not work on using an ePub reader on a PC. Needless to say this project will require some technological testing.

Like my first eBook which included a photo sequence of the painting from start to finish, this eBook will also show a sequential progression of the studio painting from start to finish.