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commissioning an original oil painting: how and what to ask

ksl studio 5 brooke walker and utah artist katrina berg

How to commission an original piece of artwork? It's no longer as hard as you think! What fun it was to share commission stories, ideas and suggestions for your first (or next) commission experience on Studio 5 in Salt Lake City! Thank you Brooke Walker and Stephanie Bryson for helping me "pull back the curtain" on obtaining a custom original painting! (Listen to episode 28 of my candy colored studio podcast to hear what my daughter thought about her backstage experience)

So what is a commission?! Anything specifically created with you in mind? Do all artists do commissions? No, but feel free to ask your favorite artists if they are interested and learn about their process. 

Do I like doing commissions?! YES! Sometimes they get complicated of course, but it's always a valuable learning experience for me to figure out how to serve you better and make your visions become a reality! Some of my favorite painting series (bees, birds, etc.) have come from doing commmissions! 

Email me at k@katrinaberg.com or visit my commission page to start one of your own!

11th international art competition: "meditations on belief" at the church history museum (temple square)

11th international art competition: "meditations on belief" at the church history museum (temple square)

 

Every 3 years, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints invites artists to submit artwork for a competition. It's a beautiful show and it was a treat to go with my parents, brother, and our lil' family to visit the exhibit and see my painting that was juried into the show. "Welcome Children to the Garden" is 30x30" oil on wood, and has a beautiful custom frame created by craftsman and artist Dave Brown (Springville & Orem...let me know if you'd like his number). The exhibit is open and free to the public until October 7th.

After his father Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life, Nephi felt a great desire to better understand the symbolism for himself. The angel showed Nephi the Virgin Mother Mary, “the mother of the Son of God”, and his understanding of the Tree of Life and it’s representation became clear. Throughout time, his musings & yearnings have inspired many to search and receive personal revelation.

As I ponder the culmination of the Garden of Eden...before Adam and Eve were placed there to learn, grow, and tend to it’s creations...I wonder what may have occurred in that sacred space. Before each of our sacred temples are dedicated, Open Houses welcome all to visit within. There they receive a glimpse into our Heavenly Parents’ plan for us, our potential, and the great love they have for each of their children. Cultural Celebrations are organized over months of planning, testimonies are planted & cultivated, and a night of festivities & worship culminates the event.  

Similarly, I imagine the possibility of the animals joining our Parents in welcoming each of their children to the Garden. I can see our Mother with Her arms outstretched like the many golden branches of the tree. There, might we have partaken and witnessed the great love of God: our parents & our Savior Jesus Christ, as we celebrated, sang hosannas, made covenants, and wished our earthly parents, Adam and Eve, all of our confidence, gratitude, and love. What a joyous and epic beginning to this great early journey we may have enjoyed.

candy colored studio podcast episode #28: pulling back the curtain - the dancer's experience backstage at studio 5

candy colored studio podcast episode #28: pulling back the curtain - the dancer's experience backstage at studio 5

what's it like to be on a tv segment? what does it look like behind the scenes? katrina's daughter discusses her experience as a first time visitor to Studio 5 in downtown slc and how it empowered her to pursue her dreams as a future creative entrepreneur.

i had the best time taking the dancer to studio 5 and seeing the experience through her eyes. when's the last time you've had a "pulling the curtain back" moment? what's something you've seen through fresh eyes?

tips for artists: how to wire original paintings, where to put the wire & hardware (candy colored studio podcast episode #27)

tips for artists: how to wire original paintings, where to put the wire & hardware (candy colored studio podcast episode #27)

how should i frame, mount, & wire my original painting? where do i put the wire? do museums and galleries have a standard distance and length to attach hardware & wire?

in my experience, galleries and museums i've worked with prefer 2-D artwork to be wired securely, prerably using D-rings (not sawtooth claws). for my artwork, i prefer to have the hardware and wire as close to the top of the frame or cradle as possible to avoid the top of the artwork hanging away from the wall. 

this is my first "crossover" podcast episode/youtube video! keep an eye out for future tips and FAQs asked by artists. email me your queries to k@katrinaberg.com or leave a comment below. 

for an epic journey, join my candy colored membership for artists! i know life is crazy! being a mother of 5 has taught me to make changes to my art biz, one at a time. i will teach you my process and gradually teach you all that i've learned. you'll find that small changes will produce great results! come join us! (enrollment ends in august)

subscribe to my youtube channel and/or to my candy colored podcast and never miss a quick tip or answered question. even better, get on my email list for all updates in my candy colored studio. 

candy colored studio podcast episode #26: jessica michaelson - mindfully pursuing our passions for the long haul, helping others in their unique journey

candy colored studio podcast episode #26: jessica michaelson - mindfully pursuing our passions for the long haul, helping others in their unique journey
artist, mother of 4, & art teacher jessica michaelson shares a glimpse into her artist journey. you'll hear all about:
* her search for art masters & workshops to continue her training outside of the traditional university art degree
* using her gifts to support her husband & their family while he finished school
* how she started teaching classes out of her home
* meeting the needs of adults and children at various skill levels & desires
* her recent trip to atlanta for the portrait society annual conference
* being spiritually mindful & making hard choices
* supporting others in their pursuits
* resources for parents of creative children
* where to find inexpensive or free resources for your art pursuit
* upcoming events and projects she's working on...and so much more!

midway art association's wasatch plein air paradise 2019 (katrina's latest landscape paintings)

midway art association's wasatch plein air paradise 2019 (katrina's latest landscape paintings)

each summer our lil' mountain town of midway, utah hosts a plein air event. it draws over 100 local utah artists (and neighboring states) to paint all over our valley for 2 weeks. 

painting en plein air or in the open air, has its own challenges: the wind, the sun & light changing rapidly, the bugs...oh the bugs! i love shadows...i have to commit quickly, or i get distracted & confused. honestly, all the shadows & colors changing with the light are so fun to paint! sometimes the wind gets super strong and your painting goes right with it! mostly though, the seeds and pieces of nature that tend to fly into the paint at the most inoportune times lol. this year we even had some sleet/hail/snow the first day...so you have to be prepared. you'll find me positioning my car so i can hide from the wind and sun. sunstroke can hit too quickly as i was reminded last month lol.

it's fun to live so close and be able to run home and take breaks, but i do need to make sure i have enough energy to jump back into family life as soon as i return. 

so many of the same artists return year after year and that is also so fun. i make new artist friends each year & discover new favorite paintings. it is a huge event with 2 weeks of painting & 7 ways to participate. 

a big shoutout to the midway art association team. they are simply a dream team with president jerry, his secretary norma, larry, cindy, bill, and so many more delightful supporters of the arts. special thanks to everyone who helped make this year and years past such a sucess! click on any of the photos to see more details and the framing for each piece.

hoping your 4th was fantastic. i'm excited to get back to the normal workings in the studio lol. text or email me if you'd like to come for a studio visit and see these in person. xo, katrina (435.709.2780 || k@katrinaberg.com)

candy colored studio podcast episode #24: feeling successful in your creative business at 85% (less stress and more joy)

candy colored studio podcast episode #24: feeling successful in your creative business at 85% (less stress and more joy)
what are some items on your business to-do list that are causing you stress? if you "gave some up" and switched to an 85% approach, could you accomplish more while finding peace and joy? would this change allow you to go after business goals that now seem unattainable? i share examples of how choosing 85% over 100% allows me more peace in my business. try it on for yourself!

candy colored studio podcast episode #22 - our secondary infertility journey, also: 15 years learning, serving & sacrificing together

candy colored studio podcast episode #22 - our secondary infertility journey, also: 15 years learning, serving & sacrificing together

episode #22, the 22nd of may: our 15th anniversary...details of how we met and a peek into our journey with secondary infertility: the darkness, how we survived, and later learned to thrive while experiencing hard things...together.

marriage/relationships/partnership, it's never easy. it entails so much hard work and sacrifice. soo much unselfishness, trust, and a great deal of listening...we're still figuring it out, lol!

house show at amy ashworth of perfect paisley design - may 2nd 10:30 in her spanish fork home

house show at amy ashworth of perfect paisley design - may 2nd 10:30 in her spanish fork home

a couple years ago, one of my favorite collectors and designers, amy ashworth of perfect paisley design, suggested we do an art show in her home. amy has quite the eye for design and is always finding divine solutions for her clients and ways to bring original art into their homes. 

what a fun day! we are doing a repeat of that wonderful event this next thursday, may 2nd at 10:30 in amy's spanish fork home. come meet amy, get plenty of flawless advice and ideas for your home, and enjoy with all of us! to rsvp for this event and receive the address, email me k@katrinaberg.com

an april peek into katrina's art studio; france plein air paintings all framed

an april peek into katrina's art studio; france plein air paintings all framed
come take a walk through oil painter katrina berg's midway, utah studio. pieces recently painted in france are framed on the shelves, and watch her latest 48" floral coming along. email k@katrinaberg.com to setup a studio visit or go to katrinaberg.com to join her email list & get the sweetest of candy color delivered to your inbox.

95th spring salon at springville museum of fine art, katrina's piece "le premier bonheur du temps" participating

95th spring salon at springville museum of fine art, katrina's piece "le premier bonheur du temps" participating
my husband, 5 kiddos, & i just returned from a month together in france. the charming farmhouse we rented sat amidst the rolling hills & farms of the garonne region. as we spent time with the locals: playing at the parks, attending the tiny branch at church, getting to know our hosts, and having new friends over for dinner...our family began to taste the “bonheur” or happiness the french describe: not a fleeting moment of pleasure, but the sustained state of being that connects these moments intensifying the overall experience. truly, it's something that is cultivated, curated, and savored.

candy colored studio podcast episode #18: nanette amis - 25 years cultivating relationships as the owner of the utah art market

candy colored studio podcast episode #18: nanette amis - 25 years cultivating relationships as the owner of the utah art market

meet nanette, owner of the utah art market in the sugarhouse garden center in salt Lake. listen as she shares how she's run a seasonal market for 25 years! the ups, downs, reasons to persevere, changes in technology & marketing. also, what she wish she’d have known, advice for artists and so much more. i just know you will love her. visit the spring market april 19th and 20th.

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