Thanks so much to all of my friends on artwanted for your encouragement.

It's been a tough year personally and professionally! All of the galleries carrying my work closed in 2008 due to bad economic circumstances, and I've been teaching painting to stay in the art field. You can find me at The Etiquette School in downtown Cumming teaching watercolor and oils, and also at the Cumming, Georgia Hobby Lobby teaching oils.

On a personal note, we've had a hard blow when my son came down with Type 1 Diabetes this past summer. It's really tough on a teenager looking at college and the future, so say a prayer for him.

I hope that you have a wonderful fall in your art and photography, and I'll look forward to seeing everyone's work on artwanted!

Susan

One of my biggest gripes (on the subject of art) is the persistence of the public (in my area of the country) in looking only at art packaged and marketed by Pottery Barn, Target, Wal-Mart, or heaven forbid, a supposed "fine art gallery" which sells assembly line "originals" which are imported from Asia. Even in Hyde Park last summer, when I went with great excitement to see the artists setting out their wares, I was saddened to see them pulling piles of cookie cutter "paintings" with bubble wrap still on them, the lot number on the back, and a UPS label on the brown paper somewhere.

If we as artists are going to compete with this globalized art market, we are going to have to join local groups and do what we can to introduce the public to fine art. Let's educate them about the intrinsic and satisfying value of a piece of art made by one person with a brush in her hand, a vision in her head, and a muse on her shoulder.

Go artists!