more than 1500 new items added to the soulbearing zazzle store!!

The tag and description updates throughout the soulbearing zazzle store still aren’t quite finished, but are close enough that I decided it was time to add more new goodies for my zazzle shoppers and promoters.

So, I brewed a pot of coffee and got to work on it, and there are now nearly 2000 new products, using some of the most popular and favorite images and designs. With hundreds of images available on dozens of products, there are now almost 6000 products in the soulbearing shop, just in time for the holidays!!

I added all sorts of goodies, from necklace pendants to kitchen towels, plates, and coasters to electronics cases and skins. Even clocks, ornaments, playing cards, and more!!

As an added bonus, I have reduced my own royalty rates (that’s the small percentage I get from each sale)  through 11/20, in order to offer shoppers lower prices before the holidays– but this reduction is temporary. (We artists have to eat too, ya know!)

And while you’re browsing, visit soulbearing.com to see the original art listings, and check out the current eBay auctions too!!

Happy shopping!!

authentic four leaf clover necklace pendant

the thank you sale: less than a week left!!

For the past couple of months, prices in the soulbearing zazzle shop have been reduced as a way of saying thank you to visitors and patrons. Order prints of fine art paintings, illustrations, and photography on posters, totes, tshirts, postcards, and more.

The reduced prices will be in effect until 7/20, so now is a great time to get the soulbearing merchandise on your wishlist!!

Car Cylinder Head Metallic Geometric Design Poster by soulbearing

Bouquet in a Vase Flowers Floral Poster Print by soulbearing

Orange Yellow Flowers Floral Print Wrapped Canvas Stretched Canvas Prints by soulbearing

Web Abstract Kaleidoscope Geometric Poster Print by soulbearing

coming soon: new paintings!!

my pc hates the new twitter

Some may have noticed that I am not so active on Twitter lately, and most of the recent posts under the @soulbearing id are the links to new blog posts.

This is because the “new improved” Twitter gives my poor old computer fits; it will work for a very short moment, then everything freezes. I haven’t been able to so much as look at my list of followers in several weeks. Hopefully, this will eventually be resolved, but it will probably be a while.

For now, it is set up to automatically post the links to new blog entries.

So, if you’re following, or you tweeted, and didn’t get a response, please accept my humble apologies.

Thanks for being patient, and thanks for following.

have you shopped at the soulbearing store on zazzle.com?

If you have, I’d love to hear from you!!

When I first started posting images and merchandise on zazzle.com, I was skeptical.  However, I’ve ordered several things myself, and the quality and service were great.  (Plus, my images are fabulous!!)  And, I continue to receive royalties from sales on zazzle.com, so I am guessing patrons are pleased with the merchandise.

My main regret with the zazzle site is that I do not often get the opportunity to receive direct feedback from patrons.  And, since I don’t get to see each finished product, feedback is important.

So, I am asking, have you purchased one of the items printed with my art and photography on zazzle.com?  What did you order?  How was the quality?  

I know you’re out there!!  I would bribe you, but that might create bias.  So, all I can offer in exchange is gratitude for your input, and the promise to consider it in future endeavors.

soulbearing store on zazzle reorganized

Visitors may have noticed that some sections of the soulbearing zazzle store have been reorganized.  The biggest change is the section titled “Symmetrical Designs“, in the “Abstract Art” category.  Items are now organized by color group, rather than title. 

Many descriptions and tags have also been updated throughout the store, in order to make shopping easier. 

Some sections are still works in progress, but those will be updated soon too.

There are over 3,000 products bearing prints of my art and photography, and dozens of new items have been added over the past few weeks, so have a look!!

hello 2012…

I know; I’m a little late for New Year’s. One friend teased that I am so late, I even missed the Chinese New Year. I hope my readers are having a fab 2012.

I have been preparing the studio and websites (and myself) for another busy year. Some projects have had to wait, but now I am getting back to actual art, after catching up on the mundane business side of things.

For the sake of reclaiming studio space, I will be auctioning some of my art cache over the next month or 2. Like many artists, I have a stash of artwork I finished but haven’t wanted to let go. However, with space being an issue now, and with no room to properly hang and display so many paintings and illustrations, it is time to find good homes for some of the earlier works– some at prices much lower than I normally offer.

Why do I need more space? I’m glad you asked. The current plan is to do a series of larger paintings. Of course, I don’t work for free, because starving as an artist is overrated. So, get your credit cards ready to help support your beloved painter.

For now, there are some of the framed four leaf clovers posted on eBay, in plenty of time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Framed Four Leaf Clovers on eBay

A portion of proceeds is donated to local nonprofit groups. Currently, 10% of my eBay auctions is being donated to Chesapeake Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad; the rest of the proceeds buys supplies and supports the artist, so bid high!

For those readers more interested in the art and photography prints, there have been hundreds of new items added to the soulbearing store on zazzle.com. There are even gallery-wrapped prints on canvas being offered at very reasonable prices, so have a look at soulbearing on zazzle

And, be sure to check soulbearing.com for new art postings in the coming weeks and months.

Thanks for reading, and may good fortune always find you.

Coming soon: an update on what’s coming soon.

the hermit and the social network

When I started my first blog several years ago, it was mostly a way to post news and updates for clients.  I was surprised to find people actually reading it and even posting responses.  However, when that particular blog site closed, I didn’t start a new blog right away.  After all, I’m a painter, not a writer.  Plus, I was busy with other things– and I might be a hermit.

So when someone suggested using social networking sites to help patrons find my artwork, I thought, ‘Social?!’.  I am typically very private and often go out of my way to be left alone, so the idea of creating more ways for people to find me wasn’t very appealing at first.  There are already so many things in daily life that require sacrificing privacy, and it is rare enough to be alone with one’s own thoughts. It isn’t a dislike of people; it is an appreciation for silence, solitude, and privacy.

Originally, I blamed my aversion to social networking and technology in general on the Mennonite upbringing.  Then I found many Mennonites on Facebook, including a number of Mennonite grannies with hundreds of contacts.  It totally blew that excuse out of the water.

Then a friend persuaded me to try Twitter, mostly to post news and updates for clients and potential clients.  When I registered, the first search I did was for “art”.  The first name to come up and one of the first people I “followed” was Yoko Ono.  I was tickled when later she not only followed me back, but also sent a message.  I think it’s great that she actually does this for most of her followers on Twitter.

But, as many of my followers have probably noticed, I’m not nearly as good at this social networking thing.  Although I usually add followers to one or more of my lists, I don’t always follow back and I’m not sure I’ve ever sent a “direct message” to anyone.  I don’t always read direct messages on Twitter either; they’re usually advertisements. 

However, I do frequently look at the posts of followers, even replying and retweeting sometimes.  I also look at and reply to most tweets addressed to @soulbearing.  It’s a start, at least.

Maybe one day, I will master the art of social networking.  Meanwhile, I’m glad to have understanding followers who find my tweets and blogs meaningful and/or useful enough to overlook this fault.  And, if you’d like to contact me directly or view my artwork, visit  http://soulbearing.com

soulbearing art store on ebay closing to focus on developing soulbearing.com

Now that the new site is up and running at http://soulbearing.com, the soulbearing store on eBay will be closing.  Don’t worry, there will still be chances to bid on items for auction on occassion (look for the id “slynnette”), and auctions will be announced here.  But, the new store/gallery will handle most of the art sales.  This will allow me to better focus on providing quality art and service, without having my attention divided by having to maintain multiple stores.

There isn’t a set date for closure of the eBay store, but the move should be completed within the next couple of days.  So, if you’d like to purchase something there, visit http://stores.ebay.com/soulbearing

If you are on one of my email lists via eBay, the email service will be discontinued after the eBay store closes.  The good news is that you can now subscribe to email updates via this blog, and you will receive an update when there is a new post here.  Just click the “subscribe” link at the top of the page.

Many thanks all the wonderful buyers and sellers who provided support and encouragement, and I hope you all visit and support the new site!

an artist’s zazzle wish: easier tagging

When I began offering merchandise on zazzle.com about a year ago, I thought customers were likely only purchasing items printed with their own images, but I decided to post a few things anyway.  It didn’t cost anything, it was easy to set up, and at the very least it would be another forum in which to display some of my work.  Any publicity is good publicity; free publicity is fabulous.

Of course, I did order a couple of things first.  After all, if I’m adding my name to something, I want to make sure it’s good.  Plus, I needed an unusual gift for a family member anyway.  The folks at Zazzle do great work.  They’re fast, the quality is excellent, and when they made a minor mistake, they were quick to correct it.  (When a company handles such a large volume of transactions per day, there is bound to be the occassional error.)

I do not know what percentage of Zazzle’s customers are buying products with their own images, but I do know that many people also purchase the designs of artists and designers who offer items on Zazzle– when they can find the images.

With nearly 40 billion (yes, billion) products being offered on Zazzle, making sure people find a particular store or product is a challenge.  It helps to have the right category names & descriptions, product names & descriptions, and tags.

Since I’m not really so tech savvy, it took me some time to realize the importance of tags.  If the tags are good, more people will find it.  It’s that simple.

But adding tags manually is a chore; I think it could be made easier.  So, here is one of my Zazzle wishes:  When images are uploaded or edited, along with the areas to add the name and description for each image, include an area to add tags for each image.  This way, whenever a product is created with that image, the tags will be automatically pre-filled the same way titles and descriptions are.  (I’d also like to be able to pick categories for images the same way!) 

Also, it would be nice to have tags for store categories.  For example, one of my store sections is for floral images.  It would be simpler if I could select tags like “flowers, floral, floral photography” to be automatically added to all items in that category.

Call it laziness, but it would be a time saver, and time is money.  I have more ideas, but I am out of time for now.

You can support the artist (that’s me) by visiting http://soulbearing.com, where you can purchase original paintings and find links to customized merchandise on zazzle.

Thanks for reading; you can subscribe to receive email notifications for new entries by clicking the “subscribe” button… somewhere up there ^^^

coming soon: more new stuff

soulbearing.com news

The new shopping cart has been added to the art for sale pages!!  Purchase items with secure checkout using credit card or PayPal.  Patrons now have the option to use the “Buy It Now” button to purchase just one item, or the “Add to Cart” button to purchase multiple items. 

An error caused an issue with some of the text on the contact page; it has been resolved and the page is functioning properly again.

Due to recurring issues with the embedded blog at soulbearing.com, the original blog will most likely be deleted soon.  Some of the more popular posts have been re-posted here, and this blog will eventually (hopefully) be integrated with the soulbearing site.  For now, the newest entries will be listed on the artist’s blog page using a feed, and the original blog will still be viewable (temporarily).

New art has been added, too!!

Silver Beach by S.Lynnette, Acrylic Painting on Linen Canvas

Private Plane by S.Lynnette, Acrylic Abstract Painting on Linen Canvas

coming soon: more new art!!