Blog

They say, "a buyer is buying You the Artist, not just the Art". In 2002 when I created my first website I took this concept to heart. I decided if people wanted me to be part of the package, I was going to give it to them. My website became a somewhat sarcastic, possibly narcissistic monument to the Face/Brand/Name recognition that one apparently needs to sell themselves, and their art as "Product". For most of us, our identity and our art are inextricably entwined. My work at that time was raw and personal. It was also accompanied by the publication of my Feminist, Humanist, Womanist book "Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue by Amy E. Fraser". The first AEFraser website was a creative piece intended to make a big bold First Impression. My 28 year old self wanted the viewer to experience a woman who is smart, sexual, provocative and maybe a little bit scary with the Art to match. It was a confrontational, love it or hate it scenario which would engage some and isolate others. The original description was "Art with message, meaning and intent. Art based on psychological, physiological and intellectual aspects of women. Art with truth, emotion and imagination. Art that possesses the power to provoke, enlighten and inspire. Art that isn't made to match the furniture. Art created by Amy E. Fraser".
Time and circumstance tends to change an artist. I've gotten older, become a wife and mother. My world views and immediate concerns have evolved but I still value my younger self and embrace all aspects and creations that mark the journey. Does the current me regret the choices of 28 year old me? Not on your life. Maybe I didn't make the best First Impression with the original website, but I was true to myself and the work of the time. That kind of honesty is brave and powerful and something to be proud of. However, I must admit that current 46 year old me does in fact make art "to match the furniture" and you can find it all on the most recent version of AEFraser.com.
Please know I am not here to tell anyone how to be a better artist or make more sales. I'm just thinking out loud and sharing a few thoughts on the blog as I work out what sort of First Impression I want to make with my new website The Legend of Hare Terra. And of course, I would be thrilled to have you follow along as I develop the next evolution and presentation of my art. If this helps others on their journey, even if it's by learning from my mistakes, then I am glad I could help. But if you do want my advice, I say just be true to you. Don't listen to just anyone's advice, especially someone you don't especially admire or intend to emulate. People will always be there to tell you what to do, but only YOU can know what is best for you.
Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to see more: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/11/self-as-web-icon.html

Research into the art of portraiture for an upcoming segment on The Legend of Hare Terra website has led to recent introspection... In the fantasy context of the Hare Terra website I will be positioning myself as the "Royal Artist" as well as the storyteller/author. I am still laying out the groundwork, taking my time, reveling in the process. In the meantime, I thought I would do a bit of thinking out loud here on the blog. Investigations have led me to discover an extremely interesting history behind the job of Court Painter and the artist's experiences with the royals. This is all exciting stuff, my brain is working through this as future story context. I am also pondering the concept of portraiture viewed as a "lower art" and the fact that many Famous artists like Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh have long celebrated histories with their portrayals of Self. I have a feeling I will be on this subject for awhile before I can move onto the next stages of The Legend of Hare Terra's website development. Here is a sampling of how I expressed my Self Portrait (the early years):
(Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to see full post: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/11/self-portrait-paintings.html)
Self Portraits by Amy E. Fraser 1993-2000
These dark, expressive, angst filled views depict an inner vision of Self from my twenties. All works are acrylic on canvas, painted somewhere in the years 1993 - 2000. For me, it is interesting to contemplate how an artist views themselves at various ages/stages of life, how that self view shapes the work in general and most importantly the artist's depictions of others. If you would like to see more work from that time period visit my Pinterest Board: Womankind. More random thoughts on the art of portraiture and self representation coming soon...

Happy Halloween! Today has always been one of my all time favorite holidays! It is a night full of magic and mystery, a time to face ones fears and celebrate all the dark and scary! I loved Halloween as a kid, making costumes, collecting candy, participating in the adventure, scaring each other to death, what's not to love? Becoming a mother and experiencing Halloween with my son brought it all back. Caden loved Halloween! And I have to admit all the work was worth it when watching him traumatize the other children in his creepy costumes. I'm kidding. He was much too nice for that, no one was scared. Anyway, I had a whole historical Halloween post organized. It was about Samhain, the barrier between the worlds thinning, inviting the dead to dinner... but then I remembered you probably just stopped by to see Caden's Halloween Costumes. It's fine, here they are, all of your favorites: Ghost, Goblin, Vampire, Mummy, Devil, Werepanther and Steampunk Gentleman. Enjoy! Have a Spooktacular Halloween!

Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to read more: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/10/happy-halloween.html

In my last post "Reintroducing: The Exalted Beauty Medallions!" I mentioned that for a time I dropped off the face of the earth and entered my own private little world. It was something I had been building up to. I was experiencing post exhibition burn out and was becoming weary of becoming kitty cornered into the Jewelry sphere. Initially I started the Exalted Beauty Medallions on a whim. Someday I may go into the curse of this personal phenomenon further. In short, I frequently start new things that other people become super excited about and then attempt to dictate what direction my career/life needs to go. It's the blight of being so multi-talented LOL. However, we'll save that backwards self congratulatory comment for another discussion.
This post is focused on the Artist's End Goal. Whenever I start one of my big crazy projects my husband asks what is your End Goal? "Because I feel like it" is probably not the best answer when asking your family to make a long term sacrifice for your personal passion project. One must think long and hard before making a life decision of any magnitude. I think most artists don’t know the answer to the End Goal question. Many jokingly state the End Goal is to be rich and famous. But is that really it? For me the idea of The Legend of Hare Terra was a compulsion fueled by inspiration, an unexplained drive to create something Epic! Something big that pushed me to my limits and showcased my strong points and diverse interests. But let's face it, that desire doesn’t exactly come with a business plan. Certainly not for me. I follow the inspiration, jump in and figure it out after. This usually works for me. For some reason my husband agreed to this and I went for it.
When I embarked on The Legend of Hare Terra I had a vague notion of creating a fairytale series. Before I started, I did do some research and planning. Some conclusions I came to:
Galleries are looking for series.
Collectors frequently buy similar paintings.
Successful artists have a style and a niche.
Few painters have created a series over 30 pieces on one subject.
Other questions I asked myself:
What will set my art apart from the rest of the artists focused on a similar subject?
What personal qualities can I include into the work to make it fully my own?
How will the work be relatable specifically to me?
What is the message?
Who is the audience?
What do I hope to accomplish with it?
How will I market it?
What do I want to receive for my efforts?
Am I prepared to make a long term commitment to this one project?
Can I see it through to the end?
All of these are important questions that every artist should be asking themselves. Did I personally answer them all? Did I ever develop a legitimate business plan? Um no. However, I have thought long and hard about this over the ten years since I began The Legend of Hare Terra and I still do NOT have definitive answers for these questions. This project is a beast that has consumed me at times, it has filled me with joy as often as it has depressed and discouraged me. And most importantly to note, it is definitely not finished. I should mention here that I actually abandoned Hare Terra on December 3, 2016. This was due to a freak accident involving a feral animal bite, the temporary loss of the use of my right hand, and a serious illness due to a very bad reaction to antibiotics and Rabies shots. But that’s a whole other blog post. One that involves the origin story of my trip into Sourdough Breadlandia... Let's just say, I’m basically fine now.
During the (now maybe regrettable) Fresh Start of January 2019 I thought I’d just plop the Legend of Hare Terra images on the AEFraser website willy nilly, no explanation, call it done. However, in August I realized that I was not giving the work the presentation it deserved. Quite frankly I was not giving myself the respect I deserved. This is what happened in August: The Legend of Hare Terra While The Legend of Hare Terra website idea isn’t at all what I originally imagined, it too is a fresh start. I am inspired once again. I’m putting it out there, no rush, no goal, just the experience. I am allowing myself to learn and make mistakes. I think after everything that has happened, it will be enough for me. Do I hope people buy the prints? Absolutely. Maybe for now that will have to suffice for an Artist's End Goal. I wish I had brilliant advice to offer other artists or a happily ever after to warm your hearts. But it’s not over yet! In some ways I am just getting started. You’ll have to wait and see. I haven’t given up the dream, I've just readjusted. I still think it's going to be Epic! Thanks for listening. Stay tuned!

Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to read more: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/10/artists-end-goal.html

Reintroducing: The Exalted Beauty Medallions!
The Exalted Beauty Medallions collection on AEFraser.com is the "Official Historical Archive" for the 52 Exalted Beauty Medallion Collections produced in the years 2005–2011. There are currently 70 images in the archive and I will be adding more photographs to the Exalted Beauty Medallion Collection as time permits.
I’ll bet you are wondering why I am posting photographs of jewelry that is not for sale? When I first took down my website in January of this year and replaced it with the “blank slate” of the Fine Art America website, I was relieved. I desperately wanted a fresh start. I hadn’t been active on my former Exalted Beauty Blog or updated the older version of AEFraser.com in years, perhaps as many as 7? I am not sure. During my time off I had committed myself to a personal passion project “The Legend of Hare Terra”. I completely stepped away from Art Exhibitions, Medallion Parties and Social Media. I dropped off the face of the earth and entered my own private little world. It was a beautiful quiet existence, no demands, no expectations, just me and the work, my immediate family and friends. This was amazing by the way, few people get the opportunity to explore a concept at this length. And Hello, I’m an extreme introvert, this is practically my description of heaven.
However, I was recently reminded that if art is not seen, it does not exist.
When I took down my website I erased almost two decades of my work. At some point this dawned on me, I may or may not have had a bit of an existential crisis. So here is what it boils down to, what I have created deeply matters to me. Each and every thing I make is an expression of my being, it defines me, it speaks words I cannot articulate. If the art doesn’t exist, neither do I. At least not the I that is the Artist.
All very deep I’m sure, and perhaps silly to some. And the reality is that the Exalted Beauty Medallions definitely do exist in the real world. I had well over a thousand sales in my seven year career as a jewelry artist. That’s more art than most artists make in a lifetime, much less sell. I am proud of that accomplishment. I am proud that my art sales attributed to my family income and got us through some hard times. And while I am no longer creating new Medallions, I’m proud to share photographs of my jewelry sculptures. These pieces are part of the larger body of work that defines me as an artist. Everything from the nature photographs, to the paintings and drawings and even the sourdough art, is interrelated, aspects and facets of a larger whole.
I’m putting it out there people. Sharing my soul. Saying Hi! Letting you in.
As with all art, it is up to you the viewer to decide whether you want to engage in this presentation and sharing of information. Thanks for stopping by!
If you would like to read more about The Exalted Beauty Medallions, here is a link to Susan Lomuto's article on Daily Art Muse and another to Cyndi L.'s interview on Beading Arts

Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to read more:https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/10/reintroducing-exalted-beauty-medallions.html

Collection Description: Exalted Beauty Medallions: Distinctive feminine adornment worn to celebrate individualism and personality. Monumentalizing both inner and outer beauty. Designed to encourage self expression. Intended to inspire and empower. The Exalted Beauty Medallions are hand crafted Jewelry. Each piece is a one of a kind polymer clay pendant, sculpted, carved and hand painted by Amy E.Fraser. The Exalted Beauty Medallions have been exhibited at and are represented by Fine Art Galleries and high end retail stores throughout New Hampshire. The Exalted Beauty Medallions have been featured on popular polymer clay blogs as well as showcased in beading and jewelry magazines. The Exalted Beauty Medallions have been designed, created and photographed by Amy E.Fraser. The Exalted Beauty Medallions presented here have been SOLD. However, all images displayed are available for Print On Demand purchases. All Exalted Beauty Medallions copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

Thrilling new stuff is available at AEFraser.com! I have created two new collections and added new artwork to three more! Here is an overview of my Current Projects:

Photos and active links are unavailable in this format. Please go to the official Amy E. Fraser Art blog to read more: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/10/current-projects.html or click the link below. Thanks!

Hello! I'm back! So what have I been doing for the last two months?
Well.... as some of you know my son decided to go to boarding school this year. We are unbelievably proud of him and his decision to go to Holderness. Holderness is an amazing school, it is only an hour from home, the teachers are top notch, the curriculum is fantastic and the opportunities are endless. Holderness also has strong ties to his previous school, Cardigan Mountain School, which we absolutely loved and where Caden thrived as a day student. So far Caden has been doing great and we feel confident that this was the right choice for him. However, this was a huge and fairly difficult adjustment for our family, he is our only child and the center of our universe. And if you must know, I have been struggling with this change more than I care to admit. Some days are extremely hard. I miss him SO much, I was definitely NOT prepared to experience the empty nest syndrome this soon. Growing pains for all of us. Anyway, when I'm not wallowing in self pity over my little baby being all grown up and not needing his Mama anymore, I am working. I have added tons of new images to AEFraser.com. I will provide an overview in the next post. Stay tuned!

Announcing the NEW Forest Animals Collection on AEFraser.com as well as a NEW Forest Animals board on Pinterest! At the moment these two galleries contain separate selections of my favorite wild animal images so make sure you stop by to see BOTH! Collection Description: Photographs by Amy E. Fraser. The wildlife is not as wild as you think, at least not when you live in a Magical Forest! These amazing woodland creatures were all photographed by the artist in her backyard, an extraordinary mountainside wildflower meadow located deep in the lush green forest of the beautiful state of New Hampshire. The AEFraser.com collection contains images for Fine Art Prints and Merchandise. The Pinterest Forest Animals collection currently showcases your favorite wild animal adventures previously featured on the Exalted Beauty Blog. More great Forest Animal photos are coming to both collections very soon! I’ve spent the past few months mastering my new camera and I have some adorable new animal photos to share as a result. I can’t wait for you to see them! But in the meantime, please feel free to enjoy the Forest Animals Collection on AEFraser.com and my Forest Animals board on Pinterest! Here’s a sneak peek at the soon to go viral pins on Pinterest! Want to see? Click the link or go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/08/forest-animals.html

Hello Everyone!
I’m super excited to announce that I bought the domain name for The Legend of Hare Terra last night! For those of you not familiar with my story, I started The Legend of Hare Terra series back in 2009. I began The Legend of Hare Terra right after I had introduced my beloved Hares at my AVA Gallery “Wildflower Meadow” Exhibition. They first made their appearance in my painting series “Meadow Tales”. I am thrilled to say that they were extremely well received. Good thing, because it was already too late, I was obsessed! 10 years later... Okay, so I didn’t work on the series the entire time, but I did step away from the art scene to concentrate on what I hope will prove to be an epic art *experience*. The end goal of the project evolved and changed numerous times over the last decade and eventually The Legend of Hare Terra grew into a collection of over 300 individual art pieces! OMG, right? Soooo, what does one do with a giant body of art dedicated to one subject? Way too long for a book! So yesterday, totally on a whim, I thought why not just go ahead and make a website and see what happens? So completely against character for me! I posted my first (very rough) version today. I invite you to join me in this creative journey at The Legend of Hare Terra. Wish me luck! Follow the link to look at some of the origin paintings from the series “Meadow Tales” and to get the first look at my new web project dedicated to The Legend of Hare Terra.

Hello! Wanted to pop in for a quick Hi! And let you know I put up “the Collection of Collections” on AEFraser.com. I’ve compiled fabulous group displays from some of my drawing, painting and photography series. So if you are into panels, tiles, mosaics, collages, grids, art sets or patchwork, go check out my NEW Patchwork Panel Sets. They make excellent Home Decor and Lifestyle Accessories! Go to the the link to see fun examples: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/08/new-patchwork-panels.html