Back of beyond

Like it or not, we're all in this web together. This particular web was at Wahconah Falls in the Berkshires, where I plan to stop to paint on my way to Maine in two weeks.

Non-New Yorkers always seem skeptical when we tell them there are vast tracts of our state that are uninhabited. Hamilton County, for example, sprawls over more than 1800 square miles of land, but its population is fewer than 5,000. That gives it a population density equal to North Dakota.

Since I leave—shortly—for the duration of the summer, I took a short trip this past weekend. I’ll be off-grid for much of the time I’m in Maine. I needed a better sense of what was negotiable with these old bones and what I can’t live without. I haven’t done any back-of-beyond camping in more than a decade.

My 2005 Prius--which went over 200,000 miles on Friday--has a perfect smartphone holder in the door. Amazing, since there were no smartphones when it was built.

Yes, I can still sleep in a tent and get up the next morning and be (relatively) limber, providing I have some kind of air mattress. Yes, it’s still a lot of work to camp, what with pitching a tent, hauling water and food and rolling and rerolling bedding. And although I used to like to cook over a campfire, I find it a pain these days.

Since I almost never paint from photos anyway, there is a declining advantage in hauling around my Panasonic DMC-LX5. If I'm just testing viewpoints for a painting--as here--I might as well use my pocket-sized computing device, a/k/a 'phone'.

What has changed since I last went back of beyond is the nation’s cell phone network. I was on the top of a hill with no running water, no electricity, no septic, no artificial lighting of any kind—and an absolutely stellar 4G signal.

I’m thinking that will change how I interact with you while I’m on the road. Daily blogging without wi-fi or electricity may be difficult (although there are open wi-fi networks everywhere) but Instagram and Facebook are available everywhere. Does that mean my camera, with its beautiful, fast Leica lens, is obsolete in favor of my cell phone? Perhaps.

Of course, going off-the-grid with a party of youngsters is a little different from going with a party of painters. Mainly, the toys are noisier. (What we have here is a convoy.)

I have two openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

Getting Debt Consolidation Loans With Bad Credit: A Superior Solution To Financial Crises?

The impact of a slow cash flow can be highly destructive, leaving debtors in facing serious financial crises. It is not so much a payment or two is missed, but the late payment fees that stack up make catching up very difficult. At a certain stage, a solution needs to be found, and a debt consolidation loan, with bad credit pushed aside, can be the perfect one.

We say that poor credit scores are pushed aside, it is not because they are completely ignored, but because their significance is not enough to have an application turned down. However, securing large loan approval is far from easy when credit scores are low, making consolidation a more practical option than a large personal loan.

There is a variety of advantages that a debt consolidation loan has over other loan types. And if the right terms and conditions can be secured, it can provide the perfect solution to a financial crisis.

Consolidation: The Ideal Solution

It can seem counterproductive to take on a large loan when already struggling to clear existing ones, but it must be understood consolidation does not simply mean getting another loan. It actually means completely restructuring debts to ensure a more manageable repayment schedule is adopted.

Of course, getting a debt consolidation loan with bad credit does not have quite the same hurdles that other loans might. It is, after all, designed to aid those already in financial hot water. So, while securing large loan approval might be difficult normally, the fact consolidation is the purpose of this loan makes it more accessible.

The key advantage of a debt consolidation loan is that all existing debts are cleared, and replaced by a single debt. When 5 or more loans are involved, it makes debt management easier, reduces the risk of missed repayments, and ultimately lowers the overall cost of the debt.

Consolidation: Source Options

Applying for a debt consolidation loan with bad credit comes with no kind of guarantee, though the chances of approval are very high if conditions are satisfied. However, consolidation is provided through two different sources, and the right one depends greatly on your particular financial situation.

The first option is an independent lender, whether a traditional bank or a private lending firm. These involve an application process, with an application completed and submitted. But even after securing large loan approval, how the funds are used is left to the borrower.

The second option is to use a professional debt consolidation company, which does not actually provide a debt consolidation loan but effectively takes over your finances. The company will buy out all of your debts then take payments from your account as reimbursement. The service can be very strict, but it ensures discipline.

Consolidation: Source Decision

So, how can the right source option be decided upon? Well, as mentioned, it comes down to the extent of your financial crisis. In many cases, simply buying out the existing debt and replacing it with a single loan is the move that is needed. And with the chances of getting a debt consolidation loan with bad credit so high, is the most common.

But this is really only a practical option when the debt is not too high and the practical aspect of buying debts out is pretty straightforward. In more complicated situations, with debts of $75,000 or more, a consolidation company is best.

Securing large loan approval independently is very difficult in this case, but a company can more effectively negotiate terms for a buyout and then offer a rigid repayment program, thus ensuring a more effective result than just getting a debt consolidation loan could produce.

I may make rotten frames, but I have a perfect nose

My perfect nose. Eat your heart out, Georgia O'Keeffe.

So, it was another bad day, which I won’t go into, because I’m sick of cataloging failure. But when I finished twelve hours on my feet, I consoled myself with reading the Daily Mail, which has to be both the most ridiculous and most entertaining ‘news’ website out there. And the Daily Mail tells me that the perfect, sexiest nose is tilted at 106°.

So I take a selfie and, lo and behold, my nose is perfect. Never mind the wrinkles, the grey hair, the aching feet and legs… according to the Daily Mail, I am hot.

That certainly makes up for a bad day at work, doesn’t it? 

A few other dames with perfect noses.

I have two openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

This hasn’t been one of my better days

Usually making frames is my happy place. Not yesterday. This beautiful and perfect gilded frame? I mis-measured the painting.

In my father’s later years, he was a sad guy. Every evening he would say, “This hasn’t been one of my better days.” My husband and I both tend to run on an even keel, but when one of us has had a bad day, we find ourselves telling the other, “this hasn’t been one of my better days.” That’s both a private joke and a reminder that we are, in the bigger picture, blessed in ways my father couldn’t imagine.

Having said that, yesterday was not one of my better days. It started with the tedious business of cleaning and wrapping paintings to go to RIT-NTID’s Dyer Art Center. (I clean every painting with Winsor & Newton’s Artists’ Picture Cleaner before it’s shown.) From there I went into my shop to make frames.

Wrapping and tagging paintings is part of the glamour work of an artist. Mostly for local moving, you worry about the corners.

I love making frames almost as much as I love painting, but yesterday I mangled everything I touched. I made a perfect frame out of some luscious gilded stock, only to realize I’d mis-measured the painting. I had some lovely gunmetal frame stock I’d used for previous figure shows, and I cut a frame for my 36X60 nude and glued it, only to discover that I didn’t have a clamp large enough for it. I ran to the hardware store, which was out of the screws I needed, and ran home with mending brackets, with which I supported and reglued it. Frankly, it looks pretty bad.

Why am I messing up left and right? I want to go to Massachusetts to see my daughter this weekend and if I’m not done prepping for this show, I have to stay home. When I mix family and work, the ante rises fast. I don’t have a solution to this problem, nor would I want to. We should care more about our family than our work.

Then there are those lucky few paintings which have their own fitted packing crates. Those are usually paintings that travel a bit.

Meanwhile, my husband (he’s a programmer) went back to his office at 8:30 PM because he has a project that isn’t working and he also wants to go visit our kid. Some times, you just have to keep your head down and weather the storm.

I have two openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

How Bankruptcy Can Help Your Financial Troubles

When you are in a bad financial situation, you could feel afraid and unaware of where to get help to try to get your financial life back on track. However, there is certainly hope for those looking for ways to their head above water. Filing for a bankruptcy in Akron is achievable and will help you start anew. It is true that bankruptcy is not something to take lightly, but it is not a horrible process. Many individuals worry because bankruptcy will stay on their credit for up to 8 years, but chances are, your credit is already bad and it usually takes that long just to fix it if you continue to only make the minimum payments on your debt. That's when bankruptcy can be a wise decision.

There are several different forms of bankruptcy. You will need to apply for the bankruptcy process that will fit your situation, so it's imperative that you hire an attorney who can advise you of the right steps to take and guide you through them, too. Filing for bankruptcy is a big deal with many things to consider and understand. If you would like to go about filing for bankruptcy the right way, don't be afraid to ask for help from a professional. When it comes to bankruptcy, you will need to know your state laws and how that will affect your application. Additionally, you will need a list of the money you owe, assets and exemptions. There will be fees that are connected to filing for bankruptcy. A legal professional can advise you about the fees you've got to cover when filing for bankruptcy.

That's why sitting down with someone who can represent you legally a very good idea when it comes to filing for Akron bankruptcy. Going at it alone can be quite a big chore. The laws can be daunting and confusing, and you don't want to miss something important that will cause the court to deny your application. A bankruptcy professional is skilled in filing for bankruptcy and can explain to you everything you need to know as well as all that you will need to file for. They will discuss the different options as well as benefits and drawbacks to filing.

The most significant benefit of filing for bankruptcy is that most of your debt will be cleared and you will be permitted to begin anew. The collection agencies will cease calling and you can finally get some peace. But the moment you file for bankruptcy, you must stay on the right track and avoid going down the same path you followed that caused your previous debt. After some time, you will be able to correct your credit, but it's a great idea to note that people who file for bankruptcy are at risk for needing to file for it again. This occurs because they fall back into their old undesirable habits, and they don't bother to get credit counseling help after filing the first time. It's essential to seek credit counseling following your bankruptcy so that you can move forward, instead of running into the same issues on your own.

If you feel filing for bankruptcy will be right for you, contact legal representation in Akron to help you through all of the necessary steps. While bankruptcy isn't something that anyone should take lightly, obtaining the help you need to get you through it will be very beneficial.
At zero cost for you, the Rubenstein Law Firm offers a consultation with an experienced

You can paint anything if you can paint greens

View from Catherine's gazebo, by Anna McDermott. (The color of these paintings is somewhat overblown because it was almost dark when I snapped these shots.)

There are places with gazebos in Rochester, but when there’s electrical activity on the horizon it helps if they’re not too far from a parking lot. Yesterday was a humid, dark day with thunderstorms forecasted for 5 PM. I went over my list of options with my student and pal, Catherine, ending up with the Fairport Library gazebo.

The actual scene she was painting. The greens of summer can be acidic and unvaried in New York.

“No, not that again!” she responded, and I had to agree. Although it overlooks the canal, it’s got boring sightlines.

View from Catherine's gazebo, by Sandy Quang.

So we met in her gazebo, which overlooks a 10-acre pond. The trouble is, there’s a rain forest between the gazebo and the pond and no amount of chopping seems to keep the sightlines open.

The actual scene she was painting. 

All of which I knew before I got there, but I still love the view, since you’re looking across a thicket of sumacs to a far hillside. Of course, it’s all green, but greens are an excellent challenge. If you can sort out a painting from a thicket of scrubby trees, you can paint anything.

In the Forest of Fontainebleau took Camille Corot five years to complete (1860-65). I gave my students three hours.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

The first day of summer

Poplar Grove Along the Shore, 9X12, oil on canvasboard, $395, by Carol L. Douglas.

The first day of summer found us huddled up against a cold wind off Lake Ontario, none of us sufficiently insulated against the cold. I’d recommended that my intrepid band of painters—sadly depleted now that the semester is ending—stay out of the direct sun so as to avoid overheating. Foolish me! I should have recommended we wear parkas instead.

It was a mistake to wear shorts. It was a mistake to not wear a parka.

The Great Lakes achieved record ice cover this past winter and we’re still feeling it. The water temperature off Rochester is 58° F, and the winds off the lake pick that up and throw it at us. So even when it was in the high seventies at my house—about five miles from the lake—it was in the low sixties in the shade near the lake.

In Rochester, it's not too freaky to go to the beach wearing a parka and a bathing suit.

My students borrowed my car and drove to Don and Bob's for hot drinks and fried food. It didn’t help that Anna then promptly dunked her brush in her tea (it happens), but the onion rings apparently sustained her.

Sandy painting in the poplar grove.

Eventually, we all went home and took hot baths, but it was worth it. A great day of painting!

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

How I'm spending my summer vacation

My show, God+Man, is at Bethel’s AVIV Gallery, 321 East Avenue, Rochester, until the end of June. This is a reprise of a show created for the Davison Gallery at Roberts Wesleyan, and it’s easy to visit: just enter through the rear Anson Place doors across from the Body Shop.

Our student show runs to the end of the month at the VB Brewery, 6606 Route 96 in Victor. (It’s still possible to bid on one of the abstractions there to benefit the Open Door Mission. The brewery is open Wednesday-Sunday.

On July 11, Stu Chait and I open “Intersections: Form, Space, Time & Color” at Dyer Arts Center at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The show runs July 7–30. This includes more than sixty paintings. From me, that’s both my studio nudes and plein air paintings; from Stu, that’s mostly abstraction, although he does include a few plein air pieces from back when we first met.

From there I go to Maine, where I’m participating in Castine Plein Air from July 24-26. This event draws 40 juried artists from around the northeast to the historic city of Castine, home of the Maine Maritime Academy.

Next on the docket is Camden Plein Air, hosted by the Camden Falls Gallery. The painting dates are July 31-August 8, and the work will be hung in the gallery during the month of August.

Then my workshopruns from August 10 to 15 in Belfast, ME. There’s still room, but not very much, since I’m only teaching one of them this summer.

Then—after catching my breath for a day or two—I drive to Saranac Lake, New York, to participate in the Adirondack Plein Air Festivalfrom August 21-24. My friend and student Carol Thiel has been telling me about this for a while now, but what really clinched the deal was realizing that many of my Lower Hudson Valley PAP pals would be there.

I’ll be home for Labor Day!

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

Insurance Marketing: Take Your Bio From Stale To Stellar

How well does your professional bio showcase your abilities? Does it tell your personal brand story? Is it current and compelling?

Unfortunately, most insurance professional bios are stale and boring. They lack heart, depth and inspiration. Company profiles are often riddled with tired clichés and insurance industry jargon. And the typical executive bio is no better than a resume - a bulleted list of jobs and skills that can easily be forgotten.

A descriptive and well-written business bio puts a personal face on your offering and makes insurance prospects feel more comfortable and at ease. It clearly conveys your credibility and demonstrates your success, giving your prospects faith that you can really deliver on your promises.

Professional bios are multi-talented insurance marketing pieces. They can be incorporated into insurance websites, brochures and sales sheets. They can also be used for:

• Insurance article bylines
• Speaking engagements
• Professional introductions
• Networking
• LinkedIn and other social networking profiles

Professional bios are highly recommended for insurance executives, insurance agents and anyone else who strives to develop and market a personal brand. In fact, some innovative, service-driven insurance companies display bios for all customer-facing employees on their websites.

BIO Dos

• Use vivid examples of your capabilities.
• Include objective measures of your successes.
• Incorporate a few interesting quotes.
• Keep the writing formal and in third person.
• Customize your bio for each potential audience.

BIO Don'ts

• Avoid long resume-style lists of job titles.
• Don't write in the first person.
• Resist the urge to be verbose. Most bios can be completed in one to two pages.

Isn't it time to tell your professional story in a way that's relevant and interesting to your target market?

How to Get Online Liability Insurance Quotes

Public liability insurances are imperative for any business venture, big or small. However, getting a public liability insurance is not as easy as 1-2-3. Owners need to determine the cost of insurance coverage for their company. There are conventional ways to do it like going to the insurance company directly or calling them one by one through phone. Yet, these ways are time-consuming. Business owners are busy people who need to attend to a lot of things. To make things easier and convenient for them, they can get online public liability insurance quotes straight from the net

In order for a business owner to get online public liability insurance quotes, they need to provide information regarding their business. The following which will be discussed are the 8 most important details needed by the insurance company. The first detail is the type of business. The next point is the incorporation of the business whether it is a sole proprietorship, partnership or, a limited company, among others. The third detail is the ratio of annual sales to the inventory.

The fourth information required are the particulars regarding any liability claims that the company had dealt with the past, if ever there are. It includes details on the case such as the situation, date of occurrence, and the cost paid. The next detail is the location of the business - whether it is in a commercial or an industrial area. It is then followed by points wherein the business will take in subsidiary organizations.

The seventh detail required to get an online quote is the information about the exact number of employees so as the agent can identify the premium. It includes the number of clerical employees, directors, and business partners. And the last, but definitely not the least point, is the preferred starting day of the policy.

After the completion of the public liability insurance online quote, the owner is expected to get a quote conformation sent directly to their e-mail address. Business owners can send information on their enterprise and get online quotes from several insurance companies. That way, they will have a chance of selecting the best insurance company that can provide their business the appropriate and most suitable public liability insurance.

Businesses and its owners should not be easily enticed to get the cheapest insurance policy: getting these types of offers are not all the time efficient as expected. Yet, expensive insurance policies are not advisable as well. It will be beneficial for them to make an online research for reviews on different online professional liability insurance quotes to get the best among the rest.

It's all about Michelle

Michelle will be happy that she finally has a face in this painting. (From my upcoming show with Stu Chait at RIT-Dyer.)

The other day I wroteabout photographer Terry Richardson and allegations that he abused his models. I said, “Artists and their models can be friends; sometimes they're even lovers. But every artist-model relationship also involves an implied balance-of-power calculation.”

I’ve worked with a lot of models over the years, and I think my relationships with them have been professional and courteous. Over the years, several of them have become my friends, including Kate Comegys, Gail Kellogg Hope and Michelle Long.

Michelle as a sort of Madame X character. (From my upcoming show with Stu Chait at RIT-Dyer.)

Michelle is as close to an international model as Rochester has. She collaborated on a project with Keith Howard called “Eve’s Garden: The Lost Creation.” I wish I’d thought of this idea, because it revolved around the idea of printmaker Howard sending his painting work offshore to China. The result was visually pleasing and perfectly in tune with the zeitgeist.

Usually my skin-tones are modulated with grey, but I want the illusion of florescent light, so I'm using blue. Note there is no true red on my palette right now.

I’m finishing a painting of Michelle for my upcoming duo show with Stu Chait at RIT-Dyer. True to form, Michelle won't be there; she is leaving to work in Uganda. If you want to support her at the Ugandan Water Project, go here.

This painting has been sitting unfinished for a long time, because I was mad at it. It taught me the limits of drafting huge paintings in my 18X18 studio. I ended up having to redraft her head and shoulders to correct the severe foreshortening.

Yep, those are my skintones. Along with my modulating colors, they gave me the faces above.

Occasionally someone asks me how to mix skin tones for different races. I think that’s a funny question, because I use exactly the same paints for everyone; only the proportions change. For that matter, I’m using the same paints I use to paint foliage.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

Things To Consider Before Installing A Credit Card Machine

It is a well known fact that the business owners must accept the credit card payment. The customers do not carry the cash along with them. They prefer paying through their credit cards. If a business owner does not have this facility to offer, he would be discouraging many potential customers. However, a few things must be kept in mind before installing a credit card machine. They are elaborated as below:

Installation and Usage

The machine must be easy to install and use. You should check if the merchant account provider would assist you in the installation. The manuals are provided by these providers. You should read them properly and ask providers about the correct usage.

Reputation of the Merchant Account Provider

Various companies are available in the market offering these services. It is highly recommended to choose the one with a good reputation. The company must have a clear record with Better Bureau Business (BBB). You may find that the registered and legitimate companies are unable to satisfy the customers. You should check the reviews of the company on the internet. After doing a proper research, you can choose the best one.

The Supplies

It has been noticed that the merchant account companies may offer you better deals. They sell other supplies such as paper rolls, printing heads along with the card machine. You may get attracted to opt for these offers. However, if you buy from a wholesale office supplier, you will be able to save a huge amount. Moreover, you will have better and more options for these supplies.

Warranty

It is suggested to check the warranty conditions of the seller. You should not buy the machine if the seller does not offer the warranty. The terms and conditions must be clear before you buy a card machine. It is also a good idea to review the terms of more than one company so that you can choose the most appropriate provider.

After Sale Service

The after sale services are vital for any business owner. If there is any problem with the machine, the provider must be able to rectify it on time. The business should not get affected by any technical fault. You should only choose a company which is known for it’s after sale services. This will ensure the smooth business operations.

Benefits of Credit Card Machine

It is important to get a credit card machine for every business owner. A few of the benefits are mentioned below:

• The business owner will experience more buyers.
• The sales will increase with the rise in the number of potential customers.
• The business will grow with more profits
• The customers would have more confidence in your services
• The reputation of your company would be built

Credit card has become a vital part of our life. It has made our lives much easier than ever before. Now, card machine has facilitated both the customer and business owners with its advanced features and functionalities. If you want to search a reliable provider, you must connect to the internet.

What you do when nobody’s looking

Ellwanger Berry Garden, 12X16, $650, by Carol L. Douglas.

Sure, I get to drive around and visit with fascinating people and go to interesting shows and occasionally pick up a brush and paint something, but I spend more time than I’d like on bookkeeping and that bugaboo of all sales: inventory control.

Stu Chait and I are putting the final details together for our upcoming show at RIT-NTID’s Dyer Arts Center, which opens July 11 from 4-7 PM. If you’re in town, you should really find a way to get there, since this is a sprawling show.

Manipulation in Red by Stu Chait.

Stu and I met at the Ellwanger Garden here in Rochester. We were the only painters there, so we stood at opposite ends of the garden and painted facing each other. I’ve long since sold that painting, but I painted another painting with him at the same place, which will be in this show.

It’s been years since I pulled out all my work to organize a show, but since the passage of time is part of our theme, I inventoried every piece of work I have in play right now. That is nearly a hundred pieces, which is less absurd when you consider that I have three separate bodies of work: landscape, figure, and faith-based. (Even with all those paintings, I am actually scant on work to meet specific summer commitments.)

The Servant, 36X40, $3000, oil on canvas, by Carol L. Douglas.

What surprised me even more is how many paintings are no longer in my inventory.  Next winter I’m going to go through my photo archives and sales records and try to piece together a comprehensive catalogue. I loathe that kind of task, but if I don’t do it soon, I’ll never get it done.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

High art, 2014-style

Submission, 24X20, by Carol L. Douglas. $1500.

We have two competing views of women here at the start of the 21^st century. Neither is healthy: woman as casual sex object vs. woman in a burqa. I painted Submission, above, at the beginning of the 2003 Iraq War. Sadly it hasn't gotten any better in the last eleven years.

Terry Richardson is an American fashion and portrait photographer whose clients and models include the glitterati of New York. He has repeatedly been accused of inappropriate sexual behavior. “Is Terry Richardson an Artist or a Predator” tells us that he’s both. However, he’s also a product of our culture.

  

Richardson’s assistant, Alex Bolotow, has been photographed fellating her boss many times, starting in her very early twenties. “There was something exciting about being involved in something that feels just really freeing,” she said, “like, ‘Oh, I’m totally expressing myself, and this is great.’ I remember being like, ‘I’m just glad to be alive in a time when this is happening.’”

Artists and their models can be friends; sometimes they're even lovers. But every artist-model relationship also involves an implied balance-of-power calculation. In the case of Richardson and his models, that varied depending on who was in front of the camera.

“Miley Cyrus wasn’t asked to grab a hard dick. H&M models weren’t asked to grab a hard dick. But these other girls, the 19-year-old girl from Whereverville, should be the one to say, ‘I don’t think this is a good idea’? These girls are told by agents how important he is, and then they show up and it’s a bait and switch. This guy and his friends are literally like, ‘Grab my boner.’ Is this girl going to say no? And go back to the village? That’s not a real choice. It’s a false choice,” said an agent (who chose to remain nameless).

Terry Richardson likes to photograph his models in the nude, by which I mean he is in the nude. Here he is with Kate Moss in a shot from Terryworld. Sadly, that's as innocuous a photo as I could find.

Richardson is an amazingly messed-up guy. He was the child of a broken marriage. His father was schizophrenic and drug-addled; his mother was brain-damaged. He’s taken his trauma and driven it brilliantly through a culture surfeited with sex. It’s what the public clamors for: used copies of his books sell in the thousands of dollars.

Is repugnance at his working methods a sign that our attitude has changed toward casual or even coercive sex? Not at all. Terry Richardson is just the sacrificial lamb for a culture that is still wallowing. Anathematize him, and he'll be replaced.

Yes, the burqa is abusive, but so too is our current western approach to sex and relationships.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

How To Get The Most From Your Tax Return

There are many things that you can do to help maximize your tax return without doing anything that could be considered tax fraud. Tax time is often one of the most stressful times of the year because everyone is trying to gather their information together in order to file be able to get some money back to use for regular household goods and other items. Many people feel unnecessary anxiety and stress during this time of the year. So if you are going to be able filing your taxes you might as well learn how to get the most money back possible to make it all worthwhile.

There are many different tax tips that can help you to maximize the most out of your return and make the most money that you possibly can. For most people the reason that they feel so much stress is that they have not properly prepared prior to figuring out how to file their tax return. If you know what you are doing and are prepared and ready for it then it can be easier than expected to get things done. The following are some tips that can help you to get the maximum return.

One thing that you can do is hire someone to file your taxes for you. Professionals know what they are doing and get paid for being able to maximize your return. In some cases if you find out that you could have gotten more back then you will actually get your money back so you are really not going to lose anything. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to do their own taxes and they end up committing tax fraud which can have strict penalties under the law.

The next thing that you should consider is making sure that you write off all of the necessary expenses. This is something that can be confusing when you are filing but once you take the time to learn more about it then it will be easily understood. You can actually deduct travel expenses that are work related, union dues, and a variety of additional fees which can help you to get the most money back each year.
Another thing that you can do is claim the medical expenses that you have each year. If you have paid a considerable amount of money out because of an injury or illness then you might be able to get more back on your return to help with covering some of these expenses. This can even include travel to and from MD appointments and other medically necessary things.
Finally you can claim your charitable contributions. Any money that you give to charity is helping to qualify you for a big tax break. You should know that you have to keep detailed records and that you have to give a certain percentage of your income in order to be able to claim this expense but it is something to consider because you can use your money to help others or organizations that are helping others.

Folk wisdom says

Red sky over the Duchy says I'll have an opportunity to catch up on my studio work today.

Red sky at morning, sailors take warning;
Red sky at night, sailors' delight.

Dawn this morning featured a lovely rose-colored sky. Since I trust the ancient couplet, above, as much as (or more than) I trust the Weather Channel, I’ll be teaching in the studio tonight.

How old is that couplet? It’s quoted in Matthew 16:2-3, making it at least two thousand years old:

[Jesus] answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

For those who don't read sky signs and don't trust their arthritis, there is NOAA's weather page, with its hourly graphs. They include sky cover, which makes them the plein air painter's best tool for predicting sunsets.

Joseph Mallord William Turner had a great interest in painting atmospherics. Here is his Sunrise, with a Boat between Headlands, c. 1835-40.

This wisdom works where there are strong westerlies, which happen in the middle latitudes (in which both Jerusalem and Rochester fall). Of course, I also use NOAA’s website; their hour-by-hour weather graph is the plein air painter’s best friend.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Barnyard at G and S Orchards, by Carol L. Douglas. 9X12, oil on canvas, $450, framed.

During Saturday’s class at G and S Orchards, my goal was to solidify the lesson from the prior week about painting into a monochromatic grisaille. This was something I used to do but had abandoned until I painted with Jamie WilliamsGrossman earlier this month. Then I remembered how much I enjoyed it.

Step one is a very rude value study. This gets simplified and refined with brush and rag.

One student went from his drawing right to masses of solid color. Nothing wrong with that, but I was a bit frustrated that he was totally ignoring my instructions. Eventually I realized he’d missed last week’s class because he had to sit for his SATs. But it was too late to show him on his canvas.

Step two is the addition of thin masses of color.

I quickly set up a demo for him. It was a small class so I was able to do rounds, come back and paint a bit on my canvas, call my student over to discuss what I’d done, and then repeat—over and over. I like being very busy and this was energizing. We did run over (about an hour and a half) because of this but nobody appeared to mind.

Here is Nina Koski's monochromatic painting. She was able to correct a composition problem very early on, rather than have it dogging her through the whole painting.

Meanwhile, Nina Koski had taken my instructions of last week very much to heart and was turning out quite a lovely painting of roses along the barnyard. I managed to get some intermediate photos of hers as well, so you can look at two different painters using the same technique.

Here Nina Koski is starting to add color.

Nina, by the way, painted a small plein air painting almost every day last week. She’s an exemplar of that old joke:

“Excuse me sir, but how do you get to Carnegie Hall?”

“Practice, practice, practice!”

And here is her finished painting. She's only been painting a few months!

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

What To Think About When Considering A Self Directed 401k

Working hard throughout life creates a great opportunity to increase income and funds gained throughout those years. Nonetheless, protecting and providing for a business or individual’s future with larger amounts of money is sometimes equally as complicated, if not more so, than using a modest income. There are many different types of retirement programs and 401ks available, but some feel that they do not have all the control over their assets that they need with some of them. A self directed 401k might be the best option for you if you are looking to handle your own assets. A self directed 401k will not only provide the security associated with other kinds of 401ks, as well as still allow the individual or company to maintain control over the investments. It usually is necessary for an individual or company owner to engage a knowledgeable professional to help them navigate through the process of establishing and implementing the use of a 401k. With the service of these experienced professionals you will be able to have any questions or concerns addressed about what decisions will need to be made, control of the money and where your investment funds are going.

The writing and planning process is among one of the ways that an individual can take control of their own finances with a self directed 401k. By creating your own plan you can fully utilize the freedoms and flexibility that a self directed plan offers. An agency will help, of course, with explanations of terms and direction for what types of decisions are most likely in the best interest of those writing a 401k. The ultimate decisions and power rests, nevertheless, with the plan holder. This allows those who are assisting in the writing of the self directed 401k to remain as helpful and unbiased as they can be. The agency could also help lay out what factors may affect the available options to a person. One example is, if you are 49 or older you could contribute at a higher level to your 401k and those that are younger then 49 are limited in the amount they could contribute. This is all focused on helping to provide for the longer term and ensure that all who are involved are taken care of. Additionally it is much easier for individuals to bring investments for different companies or firms together and merge them into one 401k. This allows the person or owner to successfully make decisions that concern their assets, allowing for greater control while lowering the red tape.

One of the main functions of agencies that assist in planning this style of 401k is to help in keeping them current. This is an important function of a 401k, because once the details of where investments should be and what to do with them is worked out, all the documentation will have to be kept in compliance with all government rules. This makes it much easier to retain control of assets and ensures that the documents written reflect both the newest legislations and also the most current decisions of the plan writer. Agencies that help to write these documents completely understand the need for all of these services to take place on a regular basis, which is why they monitor the documents or plans and notify individuals of changes that may need to be made. People are able to fully retain control over their earnings for their entire life with a self directed 401k due to the fact any detail associated with it can be monitored and taken care of as the need arises.

Social media and selling

Boats, by little ol' me. Social media allows you to get your work out to a larger audience.

Last week I got into a spirited discussion with other painters about social media and marketing. As I frequently do, I cited one of my favorite painting students.

In his other life, Brad VanAuken is a brand consultant to Fortune 100 companies and the author of a texton the subject that’s going into its second printing. (In fact it’s his success in his chosen field that somewhat slows down his progress as a painter, since he’s always jetting around the globe instead of coming to class.)

Using photos of myself painting on location helps my audience understand what I do. Standing in creeks will someday also give me pneumonia or a broken ankle, but I try not to focus on that. (Photo courtesy of Mitchell Saler, a painter you'll be hearing about in the future.)

Brad is the person who made me understand an essential truth about social media: it works more like a mesh than an arrow. I can’t cite a particular connection between, say, a Pinterest post on Tuesday and the sale of a painting on Friday, but there is no question that—somehow—it works. I’m completely booked from now until September with invitational paint-outs, shows, and classes.

Sunset in Maine, by little ol' me. I try to be transparent, to let people see my failures as well as my successes, because I want people to understand that painting isn't a question of genius, but of plugging along.

One painter suggested that platforms like Tumblr and Twitter were a waste of time because their target demographic doesn’t buy paintings. This is untrue. I need look no farther than 22-year-old Anna, who not only owns her own home (which contains purchased art) but takes painting lessons from me to boot. And even if it were true, her age cohort is in some ways the arbiter of taste for the rest of us.

I have three openings left for my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.

My White Trash Family

Rawlings Lowndes, 2013, by Kim Alsbrooks

I tend to take artist’s statements with a grain of salt, so when Kim Alsbrooks writes, “The White Trash Series was developed while living in the South out of frustration with some of the prevailing ideologies, in particular, class distinction,” the skeptic rises in me. But the work is more fun than the artist’s statement would have you believe.

Jane, 2014, by Kim Alsbrooks

After all, the artist is like a bowerbird, always collecting and repurposing junk. Who hasn’t seen flattened aluminum cans in the street and wondered how they could be useful? Like all metal painting surfaces, they’re inert and stable, so I guess they’d make a great painting surface.

Adriana on Fanta Orange, 2014, by Kim Alsbrooks

I really think her work is more about the juxtaposition of old and new than about Southern class distinctions. But as a base for landscapes, they would be awfully powerful. I see flattened cans all the time on my perambulations; maybe I’ll give this a try. After all, art is largely appropriation, right?

There are still a few openings in my 2014 workshop in Belfast, ME. Information is available here.