Hughbanks Art

". . . a brush with nature"

6/30/2014 5:05:16 PM

Spark of Inspiration

Debbie Hughbanks / Comment on this

You never know just how, where or when the spark of inspiration will ignite. A recent example comes to mind when inspiration and opportunity came together perfectly to produce two pieces that had been simply vague ideas lurking in the back of my mind for years -incomplete concepts for paintings I would like to do "sometime."

I have always been fascinated with the American Civil War and wondered how I might incorporate that interest into my work. It was not until I recently saw a prospectus that it finally became clear to me. Of course! The focus had to be on the horses of that particular time in our history.

I had no reference photos to work from, so I set out to find a reenactment, hopefully well before the submission deadline for the show. Amazingly there was one scheduled within a few weeks relatively close to home. This is where opportunity met inspiration!

I was able to get wonderful photos to work from, saw a great reenactment put on by dedicated folks who really know a lot about history specific to the time and learned even more than I could have ever hoped to. Combining all those elements produced two pastel pieces I am proud of . . . finally, after such a long wait.
I have no idea if my paintings will be accepted in the show or not, but my longtime dream of creating these works has finally been met. I am pleased to have accomplished it.

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6/13/2014 5:43:49 PM

Galleries, Artists . . .Teams

Debbie Hughbanks / 2 Comments

Just a couple of days ago, Pacific Flyway Gallery and Framing (a gallery I have worked with for years,) sent out the following announcement (excerpt below) to their clientele.
“June is here! With the official start of summer we are happy to feature new art works by Debbie Hughbanks, Tom Hanson and new works by jeweler, Stacy from She-Rah Designs.
Debbie has recently been working with scratch board. She has a great affinity to this medium. We feel fortunate to have some of her latest pieces to offer to our clientele. These small pieces are a great fit anywhere and at a price you can't pass up. This award winning artist's work reflects her passion for wildlife and nature.” 

I appreciate gallery owners, Holly and Charles Swanson, doing this kind of promotion and advertising of my work. This kind of publicity is invaluable. Encouraging collectors to find a piece of art that will be a “perfect fit” for them is a true talent and it is nice to know your gallery is working for you in this respect.

I have a great team working with me to bring my art into the hearts and homes of collectors. Thank you to my galleries!

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6/2/2014 10:19:27 AM

From Collectors to Friends

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I, like many other artists, love it when something I have created really "speaks" to someone. Especially when they like it enough to purchase it . . . making my work a permanent part of their collection. What a wonderful compliment it is to us as an artist when someone wants to see our work on their wall each and every day . . . to know that piece will continue to bring them joy for many years to come.
Not every collector can purchase your largest, most expensive piece- no matter how much they may love it. They may be on a fixed income or a young couple just starting to collect original art for their first apartment. Maybe this particular buyer has limited wall space or will soon be down sizing to a much smaller place. Whatever their story is, they still "love" your work and want to add a piece of it to their existing or fledgling collection.
At times like this it is a good idea to have work available in many sizes and price ranges to offer potential clients. A miniature may be just perfect for that tiny niche now, but they will have the painting to remind them of you and your work as their circumstances change over the years. And the less expensive piece that reminded them of a special event, vacation, pet or childhood memory could very well bring them back to you with a request for a commission years down the road.
It isn't the size of the purchase that is important. It is the fact that what you created with your heart and your hands moved someone enough to want to treasure it . . . to keep it close each and every day. And by having that piece of you there, you are there, too.
So many lasting friendships are built when "collectors" first meet the artists who create the work they love.
I now have a wonderful new friend in the person who just purchased, "Adoration," from me. His two marvelous dogs were my models for the piece and now all three of them have become great friends of ours. Shown below is a detail of my acrylic painting, "Adoration.".
 
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