| | | | Final Newsletter of 2023 + Year in Review! | | | | Dear friends, family, colleagues and art-lovers:
As always, I hope this message finds you well! and I appreciate you even taking the time to open this email! This will be my last newsletter of the year, as I will be locked in my studio feverishly working on custom paintings for the holidays: Holiday Commission Season has officially begun!.
If you're considering a custom watercolor as a holiday gift please order NOW to ensure on-time completion and delivery. **Please note: because I have been busy working on a mural, I have not yet implemented holiday pricing but will be doing so within the next few days..... This is your last chance to order under the standard pricing!! Gift certificates are also available upon request.
If you're interested in giving a handmade gift but a custom painting is not in your budget, please check out my Etsy shop where I have hundreds of already-existing paintings and watercolors for sale. Pre-existing work generally ships the same or next business day and is typically priced at 20-30% less than custom orders! Scroll down for more information about purchasing custom-made and existing work! :)
2023 had its ups and downs, for sure. I had so many potential projects fall through or get postponed until next year (here's hoping, at least!). My work as a scenic artist has been directly and indirectly affected by the writers' and actors' strikes this year and I've had horrendous luck with outdoor events: 4 of my last 6 events were canceled due to extreme weather! At the end of June my studio- which rarely floods- flooded an *unprecedented* three consecutive days and led to an entire week of cleanup. I continue to struggle with growing my social media and I've all but given up on having a social life in the real world. And yet I am EXTREMELY grateful to have been able to support myself as a full-time artist for the past 17.5 years and I am proud to have another year of projects and experiences under my belt.
I wanted to close out my last newsletter of the year by taking an extra moment to thank YOU for your continued support!!! Whether you've bought a painting, commissioned a painting, convinced someone else to commission a painting, sent me a picture of one of my paintings that you have hanging on your wall, left a positive review on my Etsy shop, gave out one of my business cards or hung one up in your office cubicle, sent a video of a painting being opened by a gift recipient, followed me on social media, liked/commented/shared/tagged my posts on social media, referred me for a mural or other project, sent me a call for submissions that you thought I'd like, purchased and/or read my book, visited me at an arts fair or a job site, attended an opera that I painted, read my newsletter, forwarded my newsletter, clicked on a link in a newsletter, browsed my shop or website, saved one of my Pins, sent me a note of appreciation or a happy follow-up story on a painting, intentionally overpaid for a painting, hired me for a gig or selected my design, inquired about a site visit, primed something for me before I painted it, invited your friends over to see a mural I painted for you, washed my brushes for me, helped me set up (and/or take down) a festival display or a scaffold, edited my book, attended my exhibition, surprised me at my exhibition, visited me while I gallery-sat for the Lansdowne Arts Committee, gotten me into an exhibition and/or introduced me to a gallery, picked up or dropped off a painting for me, packed my lunch and/or delivered meals/beverages to me while I worked, helped me with my taxes (which get filed 5x per year!), ran an errand for me, given me business advice/guidance/mentorship, supervised me while I worked (while sitting on my lap, if you're my cat!) saved boxes and packing material for me, helped to improve my studio or kept an eye on it while I traveled, I THANK YOU for your support in any form.
Scroll down to see a few of this year's highlights and achievements, made possible with YOUR help. THANK YOU for an overall great year!!!!! Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season. See you in 2024!
Erica
If you're interested in more behind-the-scenes images and insights into my practice, please follow me on Instagram (@erica_harney_artist) or Facebook (Erica Harney, Artist). You can also follow my cat @rufus_theodore_barleysheath (yes, for real! ;) )
Featured image: Leaf 130
| | | | | | | | HOLIDAY COMMISSION SEASON IS NOW!
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year......Holiday Commission Season! I would love to create a special painting for your friend, neighbor or loved-one! I accept custom requests for paintings of homes, businesses, landscapes, schools, backyards, pools, vacation homes, places of worship, playgrounds, even the occasional pet or vehicle! I have hundreds of examples to share on my website. :)
*Please note- I no longer paint portraits of humans (please don't ask, I hate having to say no!!!) but I can refer you to someone that does!*
You can either order directly from my website (recommended if you're local to Greater Philadelphia and want to pick up your painting from my studio) or from my Etsy shop (recommended if you require shipping).
*Because I have been busy working on a mural I have not yet implemented holiday pricing.....order now to get locked in at the standard rate!. Prices will be updated at some point before Thanksgiving*
Images (by row): Custom Business, Custom House, Custom School, Custom Vacation Home, Custom Landscape, Custom Vehicle
| | | | | | My Book, Houses of Lansdowne: An Artist's Pandemic Project is available for the holidays!
I only have about 50 remaining copies of Houses of Lansdowne: An Artist's Pandemic Project, so this may be your last chance to order yours as a holiday gift!
*$30/copy when purchased from my website: *$35/copy when purchased on Etsy.
*If you own and are enjoying a copy already, please send me a photo, post a review on Etsy, or just shoot me a message! :) I will eventually be adding a section of reviews on my website. | | | | | | | | | | New and Available Work
If a custom painting is not in your budget but you still want to give a handmade gift (...or treat yourself!...) I have hundreds of available paintings and watercolors ready to go at a moment's notice. Pre-existing paintings ship the same or next business day and generally cost 20-30% less than a custom painting of the same size. Browse available work on my Etsy shop.
*Please keep in mind that all of my work is original, hand-made, and one-of-a-kind. No prints or multiples!!* | | | | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: New Orleans Research Trip!
I spent the first few weeks of 2023 in New Orleans (one of my favorite cities) doing research for future paintings and projects. After the mania of the 2022 holiday commission season, this was an incredible way to recharge and get inspiration for a new body of work! Several paintings from my 2023 "Carnival Series" are still available. Visit my website to see all of the new work I made this year!
| | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: "The Friends Experience: The One Near Philadelphia" In January, I had the pleasure of doing some paint work on the set of "The Friends Experience," a touring, interactive display for fans of the TV show. This exhibition ran at the King of Prussia mall from January-May.
Chandler was always one of my favorite characters: Matthew Perry's timing, delivery and dry wit elevated sarcasm to an art form. He will be missed. <3
Click here to see more of my past scenic, mural, and other large-scale projects! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: "Houses of Lansdowne" Exhibition
Over the summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to exhibit the remaining 40-ish paintings from my 2020-21 "Houses of Lansdowne" watercolor series (my "Pandemic Project!"). The show took place at my neighborhood's newest exhibition space: the Utility Works Kiosk Gallery on Baltimore Ave in Lansdowne, PA and ran from July through September.
| | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: I Wrote (and self-published) a Book!
I know, I know, I already had a blurb about the book at the beginning of this newsletter but it felt weird not to include it in my "Year-End Review!" So, here it is again ;)
Learn more about my book!
| | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: Faux Potatoes for Agricultural Museum
Over the summer I spent about a month with my old friends at Universal Services Associates, a Philly-area fabrication company, working on some museum displays for an agricultural museum in the midwest. My favorite of these projects was painting 200 plastic potatoes (manufactured in Germany) to be used in an exhibit about industrial farm equipment. My spuds came out pretty well, despite the telltale seams ;) Check out these "before" and "after" photos above!
Click here to see more of my past scenic, mural, and other large-scale projects! | | | | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: Backyard Oasis mural in South Philly
Shortly before Labor Day I finished up a new residential mural in South Philadelphia, not far from where I used to live! It was such a joy bringing this space to life and I can't wait to see how the homeowner continues to transform their backyard oasis.
I have many murals tentatively scheduled for 2024! Let me know if you're interested in a custom mural for your Philly-area home or business: I will start conducting site visits again in January after the holidays. Meanwhile, you can check out my starting rates as well as other factors to consider on my website. | | | | | | | | | | | | 2023 HIGHLIGHT: CONTROLLER BOX MURAL for Upper Darby Township
Despite the cold temperatures and short days, I was able to sneak in one final mural for the year in early November! This project is part of Upper Darby's initiative to begin a mural arts program. Click here to learn more:
About my design: Inspired by Upper Darby’s motto, “The World in One Place,” my design begins with a background of overlapping shapes and colors loosely inspired by the international flags that reflect Upper Darby’s diverse ethnic and cultural heritages. Unifying the patchwork of this abstract and colorful background are the branches of a white flowering dogwood tree, one of our area’s most beautiful species of native trees. The design celebrates the natural beauty of southeastern Pennsylvania and emphasizes the environmental importance of protecting native species. It also represents the beauty and diversity of people and cultures that have helped to grow, shape, and add character to our community. The painting implies the harmonious balance between the natural environment and those that inhabit and care for it.
| | | | | | SNEAK PEEK AT NEW WORK....
In my "free time" this year I have been slowly working on a new body of oil paintings- my personal studio work. I HAVE uploaded these new paintings to my website but I have not yet announced or shared them publicly. My hope is to continue working on this series, "The World Without Us," in January after the holidays. Learn more about this series here:
Meanwhile, thank you as always for taking the time and energy to read this newsletter! Your continued support is greatly appreciated (my dedicated readers, I know who you are, and I am grateful!!!!) and I hope to cross paths again soon!! Enjoy the rest of 2023!
Erica | | | | | | | | | | Our mailing address is: Erica Harney Studios Lansdowne, PA 19050
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