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Lin Wellford's Rock Art News- Spring 2007
 

Hello and Happy Spring! As I sit here at the computer, the sliding glass doors are open and balmy breezes are blowing through the house. In fact, it's hard to stay inside when there is so much to lure me outdoors; the new leaves are giving the tree limbs a hint of color to go with the vivid splash of redbud blossoms, and, just today, the dogwoods are peeping out as well.

But here I sit because I promised a prepublication special on the upcoming book in my next newsletter and the time has come to get it written.

People sometimes ask me how I keep coming up with ideas for my books. I would have to say that for Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do, the answer is- from you, my readers and friends. The one question I have heard most often since my very first book came out in 1994 is; “But what if there are no rocks where I live?”

And one of the challenges I face in creating new projects is finding things that can be done on common and easy to recognize rock shapes so everyone will be able to succeed in painting them.

That is how the notion of painting on manufactured stones and landscaping pieces began to take root. Even in places with no natural rocks, there are landscaping centers and home improvement stores with garden departments that carry these products. I started to study the various manufactured items available, asking myself what I could make of them.  What I like about this raw material is that it is consistent in size and shape, so that full size patterns are possible. I also like the fact that it is a tough and durable material that is likely to be around as long any regular rock will be, and that the different kinds of cast pieces have dimension just as rocks do, making them easy to transform in the same way.

I will be the first to admit that it is a thrill to pick up my art material off the ground for free, but having to buy these cement pieces still costs far less than just about any other art material you can name, and it will never need framing or matting, either!

Some of the projects are ones that people have been requesting for years, like the Faux Fish Pond and realistic iguana that were both originally featured as “More Ideas” pieces in previous publications.

Others, like the Garden Gator and Fishy Flower Beds grew out of playing around with the various elements until ideas began to come.

Rock painting purists will be glad to know that there are options for using natural rocks as well. In fact, many of the projects can be painted on either kind of material.

What has been most exciting is the feedback I’ve gotten from people who don’t paint. “I think I can do this!” they exclaim in amazement.  The idea of adding garden art to their yard may just transform a whole new group of people into rock artists.

Through the years I have gotten letters and email from people who started their own businesses painting rock art. It is always fun to hear about such ventures. Most recently, I received a batch of awesome photos from a couple in New Mexico who are creating the most charming constructions using rocks and pebbles to make rock house vignettes, complete with painted rock trees and painted gravel waterfalls. They call their company Ruidoso Rock Art.

Another note I received was from Terry D. She wrote, in part: I've added another reason for which you deserve my thanks.  I've learned much from your books and have created my own designs that I have sold.  I've sold enough to pay for my 2 boys to participate in an expensive extra-curricular educational program that in turn inspired at least one of my boys to pursue a career in politics.  Never would I have guessed for this to be his future.   Add to that I donated 2 pieces to a local non-profit for an auction.  One fetched a handsome $563.00.   While the other a whopping $620.00.  Its almost crazy how people react to painted rocks and how quickly they sell. ,

Marcy J. sent me an email and here is part of what she wrote:

 I think of you as my teacher and mentor, even though we've never met.  I had never thought about painting, didn't consider myself artistic, before I discovered your first book.  Now I belong to two artists guilds and sell my rocks and paintings at local Arts & Crafts Fairs and two art galleries.  I get more commissions than I can handle for rock pets and pet portraits.  People are constantly telling me what a talented artist I am, and I've even had other canvas artists tell me they could never paint animals the way I do.  I tell everyone that it doesn't take talent, all it takes is a really good teacher who can teach step by step, and that I learned everything I know about painting from Lin Wellford. .

After giving a demo on painting stepping stones, I got a note from a person who had been in the audience. She wrote the following:

   I told you I would report back to you in regard to my first exposure of just stepping stones. I brought 10 stones to the English flower festival at my church. 6 sold before the show opened. So I quickly made 3 more the next morning. 11 sold at the show and there were orders for 6 more... I charged $15.00. But now the price has gone to $20.00. My children and people from the church said they were too inexpensive. I just got an order for 3 today @ $20 

Don’t I get some great mail? Please share your success stories with me. They keep me fired up and may end up inspiring others.

OK, here is the pre-pub deal I can offer for Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do- For orders within the US, a signed copy, including postage via media mail for $17.00 total, payable by check, money order or through PayPal to my account, Stone Menagerie. The regular price will be $25 and even the on-line discounters will end up charging more with postage (and they won't sign 'em!)

For my Canadian friends, the price is $19.00 to help defray the much higher cost of mailing it internationally. Orders from Canada must be paid in US dollars, either by postal money order or checks payable in US funds. I discovered the hard way that my small town banks do not want to handle foreign checks and charge a hefty fee to do so.

This offer is only good until May 1, so please have your envelopes postmarked before that date.

One more thing—I have been told that it is very helpful to have reviews posted on Amazon.com and you do not need to have bought the book from their site in order to post a review, so it would be super if as many people as possible would add a review to page where the new book is posted on the Amazon website. If you do, please email me a note with your mailing address. I will print them out and hold a random drawing around the middle of June and send the winner a surprise package of fun and useful stuff.

Heartfelt thanks to all who have written and emailed me. I so appreciate your notes of encouragement, tips, painting tales, requests and suggestions. You guys rock!

Almost forgot:.  Wandra Dees is again planning to have a Rock Painter’s Get-Together at her home on Table Rock Lake near Golden, Missouri. If you are thinking of attending and would like more information, please email me and I will pass on your note to her.

All my best for tons of rockin’ fun!

Lin

www.linwellford.com
www.ArtStonePress.com

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