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Apparently I have lost my mind. I was planning to take a break from editing and instead, do something fun like work on a new painting series, probably the Hauz Katz. However, the past week was chopped up with various errands and events making it impossible to have time enough to get any serious work done, so I thought; I’ll just get started with a new project on March 1. Well, in the interim between happenings, I decided to edit a few Hare Terra paintings in an attempt to leave off on break with something light and pretty to display after the stark controversy of The Feminist Ink series.

The week started off on a positive note. I finally wrote the general description text for The Legend of Hare Terra series to accompany the images. Here is the example describing the painting above:

“Castle Garden Glamour” is part of The Legend of Hare Terra Collection, an original fairy tale series created by artist and author Amy E. Fraser. The Legend of Hare Terra was inspired by the opulent fairy tales of the Golden Age of Illustration and by folk and decorative arts from numerous cultures worldwide. This series represents a culmination of the artist’s diverse interests and artistic explorations, propelled into one epic fantasy experience. The Legend of Hare Terra strongly exemplifies Amy E. Fraser’s lifelong connection to animals and nature, influenced by real life experiences in the artist’s own woodland wildflower wonderland located in the beautiful state of New Hampshire. These intricately detailed works showcase her infatuation for color and design and for creating bold floral patterns. The Legend of Hare Terra features a unique breed of magical Hares, whose somewhat grumpy personalities and silly antics are based on Amy’s own beloved house rabbits. The Legend of Hare Terra also features a distinctive human heroine, known as Hare Majesty, the Queen of Hare Terra. The Queen is where Amy’s enthusiasm for fashion, designing fun and fabulous dresses, elaborate crowns and for inventing big, over the top hair styles really comes into play. The Legend of Hare Terra has been a long term passion project for Amy; she began working on the series in 2009 and continues to work on it to this day.

To discover more about The Legend of Hare Terra, a journey into a secret world, visit Amy E. Fraser’s website: thelegendofhareterra.com

“Castle Garden Glamour” (The Legend of Hare Terra Collection) by Amy E. Fraser was hand drawn in pen and ink and painted in acrylic glaze on 140lb cold press watercolor paper. The Legend of Hare Terra artworks are one of a kind originals copyrighted by Amy E. Fraser. Any use without written permission from Amy E. Fraser is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The description shown above is presented with each Legend of Hare Terra image. I felt like it covered the basics while leaving plenty of wiggle room for the upcoming stories that will eventually be published on The Legend of Hare Terra website.

Next, after writing the description and updating all of the current Legend of Hare Terra images, I then chose a small subseries of paintings to edit as my project in between projects. It was a set of five ¾ length portraits of the Queen, Hare Majesty posing in moonlit castle gardens with her darling bunnies. So here I was, working away, editing for days, posting each painting as I completed them. I was feeling really happy to be moving forward… but, underneath, I was getting a terrible nagging sensation that something wasn’t quite right. I finally realized what my problem was! The original photographs I was working from could be SO much better. Of course when this dawned on me I had to review all of the Hare Terra painting photos right away! Once I saw that they were not all 100% perfect, I knew that was what was digging away at my subconscious.

In all honesty I shouldn’t be revealing any of this behind the scenes drama, but the thing is photos of my work that seemed pretty great a few years ago are not nearly as fabulous as the photos I am able to produce now. Since I first started this venture I have learned so much more about how to photograph the work. Technology is always improving and my techniques have been rapidly evolving through trial and error. I have also discovered that there is a real art to transforming paintings into amazing reproductions. And while, to most, the quality of the images originally posted is already perfectly acceptable (I know this is true because they have sold without complaint or return), I still want the best of “my” best for my own personal satisfaction.

What can I say? I am a perfectionist who may or may not suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. Or I might secretly be a masochist who enjoys painful time consuming editing torture. Whatever the case, I am replacing the original files with new, better, larger files. And you will be happy to know that since this “less than perfect” epiphany forced me to haul the entire collection of Hare Terra paintings out of storage to reshoot them, it means I will be introducing additional Hare Terra paintings for prints in the very near future.

The reason I decided to share this behind the scenes story is to illustrate that the images on the screen don’t just magically happen. Artists put their blood, sweat and tears into the art, from the point of its original creation until its transformation for print and display online. This is often done and redone, more times then we care to admit. This work is my life; my livelihood, the results are pieces of my being that represent me out there in the universe; I care about the end result. So of course I want to present the highest quality imagery possible. If that means starting over from the beginning, then that’s what I do.

By the way, by the time you read this, it will be done. You will never have known the difference or that I ever had a momentary crisis of imperfection. Each file will be quietly replaced with larger, clearer, images as crisp, bright and beautiful as the Queen, Hare Majesty shown above. I’m that dedicated. I also want you to know that you are respected and appreciated and I create prints and products worthy of you and your financial investment. I want you to be completely thrilled with the art you receive so every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. I am sincerely grateful for your support. You are my customer, the whole reason why I do what I do. Thank You!

Amy E. Fraser’s art series The Legend of Hare Terra is available for purchase at AEFraser.com in partnership with Pixels.com and Fine Art America. Prints are produced on acid-free papers using archival inks to guarantee that they last a lifetime without fading or loss of color.

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, a young couple yearned for a clean and wholesome environment in which to raise their newborn son. The man and woman scraped together all of their savings and put a small down payment on a beautiful piece of land on the side of a mountain, deep in the New Hampshire forest. They went through many trials and tribulations but eventually they began to build their dream home. While still unfinished, the couple, anxious to begin their new life, moved from their noisy apartment in an ancient Round House on top of busy train tracks into the quiet new house in the middle of the forest. When they arrived, they imagined that the most difficult part was behind them and looked forward to the next step in their journey together.

The house in the forest represented the dreams the couple shared for their future. However, the beginning times were very hard. The couple realized they had been overly optimistic and naïve in their hopes. They were quite poor so the man was gone many long hours, from dawn to dusk, working. When he was home, he was grumpy, tired and distracted and disinterested in engaging with his family. For much too long, the only time the couple spent with each other was when they worked on finishing the house together. It was an arduous life.

Each day became more wearisome and demanding then the next. The woman was isolated and lonely and still struggling with the baby blues. Then tragically, she lost her beloved companions. Her two best friends in the world, the dog and cat, died within a short time of one another. This circumstance would be sad for most people, but the woman was especially sensitive and extremely attached to her pets. Her grief became overwhelming.

Of course the woman desperately loved her child so she forced through her grief and unhappiness to provide a show of good cheer for the now rambunctious toddler. It was exhausting, and without break because the bright and wild child refused to take naps. However there was something that would calm the child into sleep, car rides and long walks in his stroller. Unfortunately, the car was long since dead and the family was too poor to afford a new vehicle. So the woman was left at home, in the middle of the forest with the stroller as her only option.

A peaceful walk down a country lane sounds like a lovely pastime for a mother and child to enjoy. That is until one realizes at the end of this adventure the woman had to hike up the mountain pushing 50 pounds of sleeping baby weight to get back up to the house. Seems like a lot of effort for a 30 minute reprieve, but she thought it was well worth it, for both of their sake. After struggling up the mountainside driveway, the woman would then haul the heavy toddler and stroller up the steep steps and into the house, leaving the door open so she could listen. As a reward she was then able to rest a moment outside on the back porch while the boy slept.

Lo and behold, the most astonishing turn of events began during one of those quiet afternoon nap times. The Woodland Spirits who had been observing the woman for quite some time, finally agreed that she was worthy of their acceptance. So they decided to bestow upon her the great gift of the Old Knowledge where myth, magic, legend and reality become one, and all of the wonders of Mother Nature’s secrets are revealed. In the moment their gift was received, it was like the glory of the sun peeking through the clouds, the woman’s entire world suddenly became brighter and the veil of sadness had been lifted.

The wild animals began to drift forth from the forest depths to honor the newly enlightened woman. A red tailed hawk dances on one leg in the ferns. A hare pauses expectantly on his hind legs, then winks and shakes his ears before darting off into the brush. The deer gracefully cascade toward the porch in long legged elegance, keeping an eye on their spotted fawns stowed away in the tall grasses. Green frogs vie for attention, croaking loudly as they splash in muddy puddles. Ladybugs decorate leaves with their festive polka dot patterns while bees buzz diligently from wildflower to wildflower. An army of wild turkey hens parade past, puffing and clucking, proudly showing off their feathery brood. Crows wisely observe, speaking raucously, providing commentary and sharing private jokes from the trees. Skunks roll and tumble about, showing off their acrobatic skills. A porcupine waddles comically past, hurriedly about her business. A heron sails heroically above in the bright blue sky. Mourning doves nod and shuffle, while performing their eerie serenade. A handsome barred owl makes a special daytime appearance, promising to enact his concert later in the evening. The groundhogs whistle and chomp and brag to their neighbors of the good fortune found in the woman. Red squirrels chatter and scold while the more curious and friendly gray squirrels and chipmunks glide nervously about the woman. The opossum lurks shyly in the shadows, preferring to do his formal introduction under the cover of darkness. At night the coyotes solemnly howl and fox mothers scream their reprimands at fox fathers late for kit duty.

A bold and sassy raccoon aggressively addresses the woman in hopes of sharing her snacks. Much to the raccoon’s delight, the woman complies. Inspired by the easy reward of delicious treats, the raccoon soon became quite familiar, perhaps overly familiar in her rather lowbrow way. She was a forward type, but with good reason. She soon proved herself to be a mother in need, with five very hungry babies to feed. Of course the woman was charmed and delighted by the fluffy little bandits and immediately agreed to help. From then on, every afternoon the two mothers would enjoy a meal together and laugh and commiserate about their naughty children. It must have lightened both of their loads because they soon bonded and became great lifelong friends. It was in these moments on the back porch where all of the wonders of the woodland world were seen, heard, understood and deeply appreciated by the woman. She was the happiest she had ever been.

The afternoons with the animals on the back porch introduced the woman to magic and wonder and new friendships, relieving her emptiness and chasing away her grief. The man noticed the change in the woman, almost as soon as he began noticing the extraordinary visitors on the back porch at all hours of the day and night. The woman’s family had no idea she was now blessed with the Old Knowledge, but they knew something was different. The friendly animals began to provide regular entertainment and became the new normal for the small family in the forest. The woman was careful to caution and educate the child about their unusual situation, but it was his version of normal, so he never considered anything out of the ordinary.

The man never said much about the strange turn of events, but he was most likely relieved for the happier environment. To this day he still, perhaps a bit begrudgingly, picks up sunflower seeds and other snacks for the woman’s multitude of wild animal friends.
And so they lived happily ever after, The End.


Author’s Note: The House in the Meadow pictured above is a painting of the house discussed in the story. Practically Snow White was inspired by my real life experiences surrounding the first year or two building our new house. I wrote this tale intending to illustrate my deep connection to our land, my family and the animal’s kind enough to share this wonderful, beautiful, magical place with us.

The raccoon in the story was a very real part of my life. Her name was Rachael and she was a welcome visitor here for many years until she passed on. Her children and grandchildren are all still regular visitors to our little house in the forest.

My husband and I are happy with our decision to move to this woodland paradise, as nothing worthwhile is given. I truly believe the best rewards are those earned with hard work and perseverance. Life is often more difficult then we anticipate but we are made stronger for having lived it. We survived our early years and are doing quite well. Our house is still unfinished but I no longer care. And if you are wondering, I have had numerous cars since those early days, so technically I can leave whenever I want, but I hardly ever do so since most of my closest friends live right here in our back yard. Okay that, and Tonka, my 18 pound diabetic cat keeps me close to home, as he requires an insulin shot every 12 hours.

The boy in the story is 16 years old now and much less rambunctious, but still a delightful pain in the ass when he wants to be. He is loved beyond words, even if he does think his mother is completely crazy. He turned out to be a kind and gentle young man who is sweet and sympathetic to both animals and people.

Additional beloved pets have come into our lives since we lost Loki and Kitty, the dog and cat featured in the story. Sadly, we’ve lost more friends along the way, and each pet’s death breaks my heart deeply but I like to think I deal with my grief a bit better now.

So that’s my Snow White Origin story, and of course it’s all (mostly) true. I’m not completely sure why I associate Snow White with the forest animals except for that part in the movie where they come at her command when she starts singing. Obviously I was deeply affected by this as a young (practically Orphan) child. I might have desperately wanted help cleaning my bedroom or I might have just needed someone there to listen to me. Whatever the case that’s one Disney moment that profoundly shaped my psyche for the rest of my life. I still believe that animals know exactly what I’m saying and I will never give up trying to engage them in conversation. However, I am kind enough not to sing to them because, ah, how shall I say this? My singing to the animals could be seen as cruel and unusual punishment.

I hope you enjoyed my story and that you are living your best happily ever after!

As you can see from the paintings accompanying this story, I have honored my New Hampshire Woodland Animal friends by creating this Portrait Collection

As you can see from the paintings accompanying this story, I have honored my New Hampshire Woodland Animal friends by creating this Portrait Collection

Here is the Woodland Animal Portrait collection description: Adorable oval shaped animal portrait paintings inspired by the amazing animals that live with Amy on her New Hampshire property. The Woodland Animal Portrait series is prominently featured in her home. All of the animals represented are beloved friends. Each one has their own story to tell. However, the humorous antics that happen in the backyard, stay in the backyard. If you are picturing Snow White, it’s basically true.

The Woodland Animal Portraits are just the thing to bring warmth and personality to your magical Woodland Getaway, Forest Lodge or Secret Cabin in the Woods. Super cute in wall art sets, as cuddle worthy throw pillows and perfect as greeting cards!

Mixed Media. Border hand drawn in pen and ink. Portrait image painted in acrylic glazes. By Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

Click the link to see Amy E. Fraser's collection of New Hampshire Wildlife Drawings
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

For Images and Active Links Go To: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2020/02/practically-snow-white.html

Okay, I know, you are SO over hearing about the Feminist Ink series, but just one thing more, I promise. Since I forgot to include additional links and images for Feminist Ink in yesterday’s post I thought it might be fun to share the top ten Feminist Ink picks so far on Pinterest:

To see images go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2020/02/feminist-ink-favorites.html

I swear I’m not bragging, but I can’t deny that I am completely thrilled that people are showing an interest in these works. They may just be looking at it in horror for all I know, but whatever. I’m happy! I’ll take an honest reaction any day. And as they say, art doesn’t exist until someone sees it. So hurray, the work has escaped the confines of the basement storage and exploded into the universe. My editing efforts were not for nothing! The work is out there for better or worse and I am positively chuffed. Oh dear, please immediately disregard the UK slang; I binge watched/listened to Downton Abbey for the last stretch of the Feminist Ink edits. My poor darling pets had to listen to my dreadful British accent for the last week or so. Thankfully I was able to curb it when the Mr. came home from work. I’m sure he would have thrown himself out in a snow bank if he’d been subjected to too much of it. Although, my grandmother was a war bride from England, I feel as though I should have a genetic right to sounding posh. How did I get so far off topic? The gerbil that functions as my brain must have fallen off his wheel again…

So, what’s next? Now that I’ve completed the Feminist Ink series it will have to get tucked away into the middle of my Fine Art America image display where hopefully it won’t scare off too many more viewers. At least it shouldn’t be front and center to hit them over the head at first glance anymore. I have been experiencing some guilt because my small group of followers on FAA seems fairly conservative, creating mostly decorative paintings and nature photography. As they should, because ladies ripping their guts open to spew forth piles of ugly melting faced babies is hardly popular or mainstream. Certainly not art to sell on tea towels and shower curtains! But obviously, it remains an option and I welcome it with open arms if anyone wishes to purchase such fabulously unique items! I am proud to say that I have had a few good sports that have been supportive and willing to comment no matter how harsh or offensive my subject matter may be. I was extremely impressed by some of their interpretations and responses. Those nice enough to take the time to comment are the brave open minded few who seem to get it, and me, and I am unbelievably grateful for their kindness. In fact, I feel even guiltier because I really do owe those amazing artists some decent comments back.

And yes, I’m dodging the real question of what’s next because I don’t actually know what I want to tackle next. Yesterday I was sure if I slept on it; I’d wake up with a definitive answer and be excited to start working right away. But I’m afraid I had a terrible night’s sleep due to another skunk death match in the middle of the night. I’d had enough melatonin to dose an elephant so I couldn’t drag myself out of bed to see what was happening exactly, but the painful high pitched screaming was sufficient to paint a horrifying picture. I hate that they fight and much to my family’s dismay, I’ve actually stepped into the middle of a few screaming skunk battles. And nope, I haven’t been sprayed yet but I know my odds are lessening with each encounter and that I’m bound to be sprayed at some point. That’s the consequence of believing I am the New Hampshire equivalent of Snow White. By the way, if you think my husband’s concern is for my safety, it is, sort of, but in the case of the skunks, it’s mostly that he doesn’t want to be subjected to the stench. I won’t mention the times he’s encouraged me to go pet the new fox kits or stand next to the bear. It’s fine, really. It’s totally okay that our “friends” have suggested more than once that he take out a bigger insurance policy on me. I just hope my rabies shots are still good?

Well… looks like it’s time to put an end to this roundabout ramble and close this post. Here is a link to the Feminist Ink Gallery

The Feminist Ink collection is a series of dark, surrealistic, female focused, stylized figurative art, depicting Feminist, Womanist and Humanist subject matter from the perspective of the artist in 2000. This body of work explores Western Cultural ideals of gender, female fertility, feminine intellect, and societal constructs of strength and beauty. These black and white works are hand drawn in pen and ink. The original drawings were created in 2000 and digitally enhanced in 2020. This drawing is part of a series of 32 concept sketches created in 2000 for Amy E. Fraser’s Dartmouth College, Master of Arts and Liberal Studies Thesis: “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue”.

The final paintings that evolved from these works were published in Amy E. Fraser’s book “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” and featured at Amy E. Fraser’s solo exhibition entitled “Confronting Femininity” Recent Paintings, October 2001, at Gallery Alexie, 529 West 20th Street, New York, NY.

“Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” by Amy E. Fraser is conceived as a symbolic autopsy discussing both the societal as well as the personal meaning and intention of the artist’s figurative work from that time period. The entire book is available to read online at the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog. Original Hard Copy Publication by Dartmouth College, Copyright 2000. All versions of related art and text, Copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

The Feminist Ink series is complete! I just finished and posted “Guardians” today! It was the last of the drawings from my Dartmouth Thesis project. Wow! Was that a task and a half! What a relief to finally have it finished. I feel like I need a reward for all of that incredibly hard work, or perhaps even a vacation? Ok maybe not, it’s not like I got paid to do this project. Whatever the case I am elated that I actually stuck with it and completed the entire series of 32 drawings (at an average of 10 hours each). Oh did I mention that there were 32 drawings? Yeah, excruciating to edit, but yay me! I did it.

So not only was this project a major time suck but I must admit it has been pretty difficult traveling back in time into my old head space. However, now that I’ve made it to the other side, I get to decide what project to tackle next! The only problem with that being, I have so many projects on the to-do list that I don’t know where to start. I was positive I was going to “pounce” on the Hauz Kat series I mentioned I’ve been playing with in between the Feminist Ink edits, but now I’m not so sure. I kind of want to experiment with something new, like try a new medium or do something completely crazy! But, I still have piles upon piles of art to photograph and edit and I can’t even count how many unfinished works I have lying about. I mean, should I really start a new painting series? What I should do is try to be more goal orientated, but I seem to have a limitless stream of new and exciting ideas I am compelled to try and I am learning that I am much more ambitious then realistic.

Speaking of realistic, I get the feeling that despite my warnings about doing as I say, not as I do, especially when it comes to my art advice, you might not be listening. I really am proving to be a truly terrible example. Don’t do as I do! Honestly, while I do know exactly what I should do to market my work, I am not bothering to follow my own advice. I have tons of helpful information to offer from my decades of research and experience, I know all about Artist Branding, the importance of creating and targeting a niche, blogging and social media… but… I’m just having a hard time giving a shit about any of that at the moment.

In my current frame of mind, if I were to flesh out any of the “How to become a Successful Artist” post ideas I have filed away to share with you, I would come off as very unauthentic. In part because I’m not currently following any of my own advice, but also because my definition of what a Successful Artist is, waivers. Frequently. And let’s face it, I would like to get someone else to do all the marketing for me so I can just have fun making pretty things. Not to mention I’ve practically become phobic at the very thought of Instagram and Facebook. I dare not dip my toe in the social media pool for fear that I will be sucked in and pop my precious bubble. Don’t make me elaborate on that or you will find out I am a horrible human being.

Anyway, so I mainly just popped in to say Hi and to let you know that Feminist Ink is finally finished. I don’t actually have a good reason to explain why I felt the need to reintroduce this project to the public. I have no agenda for what I hope to accomplish by sharing these new “old” works, as I have no plans to continue to pursue this avenue of art in my future. In fact, I am well aware that presenting this “Feminist” work is probably detrimental to my future Artist Branding efforts as I plan to focus on The Legend of Hare Terra as my primary niche, eventually. But these drawings from 2000 are part of me and my development as an artist and I strongly believe that Real Artists (not Brands) are the sum of their creations. Being one thing is boring, one dimensional and not at all realistic. I personally do not believe in limiting myself, my art or my interests in any way, especially for the sake of fitting into an easily marketable package. I think the most remarkable art is created from artists who have lived, dreamed and experienced diversity. I have a whole snarky list of my very strong opinions on what makes someone a Real Artist versus who I see as pretenders and posers, but I will refrain from that tangent for now as I have plans for the evening.

In the meantime, here is the collection description: The Feminist Ink collection is a series of dark, surrealistic, female focused, stylized figurative art, depicting Feminist, Womanist and Humanist subject matter from the perspective of the artist in 2000. This body of work explores Western Cultural ideals of gender, female fertility, feminine intellect, and societal constructs of strength and beauty. These black and white works are hand drawn in pen and ink. The original drawings were created in 2000 and digitally enhanced in 2020. This drawing is part of a series of 32 concept sketches created in 2000 for Amy E. Fraser’s Dartmouth College, Master of Arts and Liberal Studies Thesis: “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue”.

The final paintings that evolved from these works were published in Amy E. Fraser’s book “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” and featured at Amy E. Fraser’s solo exhibition entitled “Confronting Femininity” Recent Paintings, October 2001, at Gallery Alexie, 529 West 20th Street, New York, NY.

“Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” by Amy E. Fraser is conceived as a symbolic autopsy discussing both the societal as well as the personal meaning and intention of the artist’s figurative work from that time period. The entire book is available to read online at the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog. Original Hard Copy Publication by Dartmouth College, Copyright 2000. All versions of related art and text, Copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

Here is a link to the Feminist Ink Gallery where all 32 images are now available on display.

For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Where does the time go? So much for my intentions of consistent blogging, apparently that’s NOT happening. Instead, I’ve been consumed the past few weeks with editing my “Feminist Ink” series. I found my collection of Thesis drawings over the winter break and thought cleaning up the 20 year old concept drawings to make available on AEFraser.com would be a fun little challenge. Challenge, definitely yes, fun, not so much. I scanned in the hefty stack of 32 [11” x 17”] pen and ink drawings, thinking Hey! These are cool, they will add some interesting depth and dimension to my “getting to know your artist series” that I started here on the blog a few months ago. I don’t know if you are realizing this about me or not, but nothing I ever do is fast or easy. The quick clean up that I imagined was going to happen ended up being a major rework on each image, some taking as long as 10-12 hours respectively. What was I thinking? You decide. Here is the before and after example of “Moon Blooming”:
So you can see what I’m talking about? Yeah, I probably should have left the original drawings as they were and called it a day but curiosity (and maybe OCD) got the best of me. I must admit, while I can’t say whether or not the effort is “worth it” (by whatever standards), I am much happier with version 2. And that’s all that matters, uh, right? Anyway, I’ve completed 16 so far but I still have 16 left to edit. That will probably kill another few weeks, the thought of which pretty much leaves me dying. But you know, worth it. There has been some encouragement; I am pleased to say that the first few Feminist Ink drawings have already received a bit of interest on Pinterest. So that’s kind of thrilling…?
As of today, I’ve burnt through all of my tablet nibs and killed the protective screen on my XP-Pen device so I’m being forced to take a break while I wait for the Amazon fairy to deliver the replacements. In the meantime, I went back through the “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” chapters posted last month and added the new completed Feminist Ink images. They weren’t all a perfect match but the chapters look so much more inviting with their snazzy new illustrations! Yes, it’s probably silly for me to be excited about it, but I do feel optimistic about my book being of consequence again. Especially after finding many current bibliography references still linked back to the older version. I feel terrible I broke the links when I had to take it down a few years ago, but it couldn’t be helped when my website was updated.
Hopefully they find the book again here on the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog when they need it. However I kind of hope students don’t start writing to me again in the guise of wanting to interview me, while secretly attempting to manipulate me into writing their papers for them. Back in the day I was so flattered by their sweet requests that I actually fell for it! Not any longer, being a mother has severely jaded me (LOL). I’m sure that will no longer be the case anymore anyway as the content is a bit dated after twenty years. I think a wave or two of Feminism has passed me by while I’ve been hiding up here in my magical fairytale forest. Whatever the case, I think that while opinions, concepts and politics may evolve and change, the art stands alone and remains timelessly relevant because its true meaning is discovered and narrated by each individual viewer.
So anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to. I’ll be busy with editing the second half of the Feminist Ink series for a few more weeks but I do already have another new project on the horizon. Remember at the end of my last post, how I joked about the Feminist Ink drawings not being a hit with the puppies and kittens crowd? It got me thinking and drawing in-between edits. You probably won’t believe this but for some reason I was compelled to create a bunch of Cat drawings! Oh my! I have to say I adore them! I liked them so much I’ve decided to turn them into a painting series. Ridiculous right? But I couldn’t help myself; I’ve already named the collection “The Hauz Katz”. But, you know, they will have to wait until I finish this project. And I really shouldn’t be thinking of new paintings, especially because I already have all of those other projects that still need editing… like the Parsons Paintings, the Exalted Beauty portraits, the Sourdough photos and The Legend of Hare Terra… But the muse leads where it leads. Wish me luck!
Here is the official “Moon Blooming” description from the website:
Moon Blooming by Amy E. Fraser. The Feminist Ink collection is a series of dark, surrealistic, female focused, stylized figurative art, depicting Feminist, Womanist and Humanist subject matter from the perspective of the artist in 2000. This body of work explores Western Cultural ideals of gender, female fertility, feminine intellect, and societal constructs of strength and beauty. These black and white works are hand drawn in pen and ink. The original drawings were created in 2000 and digitally enhanced in 2020. This drawing is part of a series of 32 concept sketches created in 2000 for Amy E. Fraser’s Dartmouth College, Master of Arts and Liberal Studies Thesis: “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue”.
The final paintings that evolved from these works were published in Amy E. Fraser’s book “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” and featured at Amy E. Fraser’s solo exhibition entitled “Confronting Femininity” Recent Paintings, October 2001, at Gallery Alexie, 529 West 20th Street, New York, NY.
“Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” by Amy E. Fraser is conceived as a symbolic autopsy discussing both the societal as well as the personal meaning and intention of the artist’s figurative work from that time period. The entire book is available to read online at the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog. Original Hard Copy Publication by Dartmouth College, Copyright 2000. All versions of related art and text, Copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
Here is a link to the Feminist Ink Gallery
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Sounds SO dramatic right? In all seriousness it really has been 20 years since I wrote my Masters of Arts and Liberal Studies Thesis: “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue”. Much has happened in the two decades that have passed since I graduated from Dartmouth College. Sometimes it feels like that was forever ago and at other times, like it was only yesterday.

So, you may have noticed if you have been reading my blog posts over the past few months, I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic. Although I’m not sure nostalgic is exactly the word for it. Maybe its melancholy, mostly I think I’m just suddenly feeling old? Without even realizing it, our lives happen along. We often set aside our original dreams and goals for, well, reality. This usually means that we work toward smaller, more practical accomplishments. We learn the art of compromise and we tend to whittle away our existence to getting through each day, losing track of the big picture. Anyway, life, it happens to the best of us.

But sometimes we pop our heads up from the harness of the daily grind to re-evaluate. I think that’s what’s been happening to me. I’m re-awakening; that inner feral child has been clawing her way back to the surface. Through reviewing my older works of art I am relearning and remembering a lot about my younger self. The good, the bad and the what the hell was she thinking? So while I’ve been telling myself I’m starting over, perhaps I’m just picking up where I left off? But now I’ll be coming at it from the perspective of a few more years under the belt, with wisdom, grace and maturity. One would hope. Whatever the case, I think it is important to honor our younger selves, to revisit our early dreams and ambitions to see if they still inspire us. With that in mind, I decided to re-release my fairly opinionated and controversial, and definitely dated, TMI tell all “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” on the Amy E. Fraser Art blog today. You are welcome!

Here’s a fully linked Table of Contents (https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2020/01/20-year-old-artists-dialogue-resurfaces.html)
Introduction
Part 1. The Autopsy

- External Examination -
Chapter 1. Skin. The Truth and Power behind Female Nudity
Chapter 2. Muscle. Feminine Strength
Chapter 3. Vagina. Creativity and Feminine Multiplicity
Chapter 4. Breasts. Beauty, Power and Desire

- Internal Examination -
Chapter 5. Lungs. Breathing From the Artist’s Soul
Chapter 6. Heart. The Female Artist’s Emotional Center
Chapter 7. Intestines. The Primordial Being
Chapter 8. Stomach. Eating and Self Identity
Chapter 9. Uterus. Sacred Sexuality And Feminine Symbolism
Chapter 10. Menstrual Blood. A Woman’s Ancient Magic
Chapter 11. Skeleton. The Matrilineal Legacy of Feminine Knowledge

- Final Examination -
Chapter 12. Brain. Gendered Thought, Female Intellect and Feminine Consciousness
Conclusion
Bibliography

Also, I am currently in the process of editing the black and white, pen and ink, concept drawings created for the Thesis project. I have every intention of releasing them on Aefraser.com in the near future. They are fabulously dark and surreal, I’m sure they will be a big hit with the puppies and kittens crowd! Wish me luck! Happy reading!

For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

What adventures we will have in this fairy tale garden filled with moonlight and flowers. The night is black and the stars are bright, the wildflower meadow is mysterious, dark and deep. Come in, follow the shine of moonlight on the circle shaped steps; let the meandering stone lined path lead the way through the gloom, take a journey into this Queendom of dreams. Discover a magical place that exists between waking and sleeping, a place of reality and imagination, where the boundaries blur between the conscious and waking worlds. Drift away on the heady scent of night blooms and drink in the musk of hidden wild creatures. They wait with you, relaxing calmly in quiet anticipation for the evening’s entertainment to begin. Are you ready? Can you hear it? Listen to the enchanting music emanating from the trees above, a choir of night birds singing in perfect harmony. Look higher! Watch as the stars fall and turn into flowers, which bud and open, like unfolding wishes. Close your eyes tight, quickly tell them your deepest desires, they may just grant you. Now observe as the butterfly dances so gracefully and kisses the flowers, causing them to grow. Watch out, you better duck! Hearts race as hummingbirds buzz by, brushing your skin with a fast feather soft caress. How you will laugh as lizards lounge in lazy latitude while the dragonflies deliver aerobatic flights of delight. Pass into this dimension of mystery and magic and give yourself to the realm of the Goddess Flora. This is the world of Amy E. Fraser’s Night Garden. You are most welcome here.

The Night Garden Paintings by Amy E. Fraser. These works have been hand drawn in pen and ink, tinted with colored pencils and finished with layers upon layers of translucent acrylic glaze. Final effect: interesting detail, textural depth, and rich, luminous color. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved. For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

There is something magically atmospheric, almost sacred about the freezing cold days of winter. Those days where it is so cold that the forest is dead silent; not a single creature dares to move in the bitter air, air so harsh it steals the songs from the birds. The only sound is the pounding of the heart and the crunch of each step. Every breath is captured by the Winter Queen, she jealously wicks moisture from the heavy snows, destroying dreams of building snow women, turning joyous potential to useless grainy sugar. Within moments, cold chills every inch of the body, the one piece of exposed flesh becomes numb, eyes sting. More than ready to turn back on this piercing arctic journey, wondering what possessed you to embark on this glacial expedition in the first place. Then it happens, a precious fairy tale moment where the sun shines her distant cold yellow light in the hushed silence. The world sparkles and you become witness to an unlikely beauty peeking through the snow in the frozen wildflower meadow. Dry, brown, and brittle as they may seem, they are a glimpse of life to come, proudly announcing their power and potential. They are the vessels, the glorious keepers of the magic that patiently waits as winter yields to spring. These mighty beings hold the seeds to bring forth the rising of plants and flowers. They are there to welcome back the sun and all of the birds and woodland creatures. These Winter Botanicals, elegant in their humble beauty, remind us all that even in our darkest, coldest hours, light and hope are about to bloom.
The Winter Botanicals are part of the Woodland Wildflower Meadow Photographs by Amy E. Fraser. Images captured in the woodland wildflower meadow surrounding Amy E. Fraser’s home in the beautiful state of New Hampshire. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

My husband and I have been binge watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Last night’s episode where Abe exploded about the opulence and excess of Midge having an entire room dedicated to her dresses reminded me of one of my best friends from Parsons. She had a sweet three bedroom village apartment (in New York City) that her parents gifted her, only requiring her to have a roommate for safety reasons. So of course she had the biggest bedroom, the roommate the smallest and her shoes lived in the best bedroom in the house. Yes, you read that correctly, an entire room for her shoes! She was a fashion major at Parsons, so of course, an entire room for shoes made perfect sense.
Oh my, how I loved that girl! She was able to get up and get ready for school in 7 minutes flat after a wild night of clubbing! She said the secret was to not fall asleep on the makeup. I don’t know how she did it, but she looked fresh and phenomenal in record time. She was amazing, completely crazy and I absolutely adored her! Sad to say, we lost touch after my son was born. I had postpartum depression and unfortunately cut people from my life. As much as I missed her, I didn’t try very hard to reconnect again because I was never really the same person again. Our lives had grown in completely different directions and I’m afraid my new house frau existence shamed me into silence.
Anyway, long story short, I was thinking of her and her hilarious mother this morning on the treadmill. For some reason Kathy’s voice popped into my head announcing: “Put your Lipstick on Ladies and Prepare for Battle!” Honestly, I have no idea if she actually said that but it was so like her, I had a fit of giggles. After spending two weeks on a whirlwind trip to London and Paris with Julie and her mom, I came home with countless gems of wisdom from that incredibly sassy woman. Examples being, never weigh more than your age, which I failed miserably at, don’t marry him, he’s swarthy, never trust a bow legged woman and always know your best feature and accent it. I am so thankful I didn’t marry that pirate, but I still have no idea what my best feature is? I do recall she said her best feature was her shoulders because she still proudly retained her "swimmers physique". Well deserved confidence I might add because of course she was still stunning and stylish.
Um, so what was the point of this post you ask? Well, I was feeling fairly bummed out yesterday afternoon after doing a search for my flower images in the Fine Art America database. I don’t normally do that to myself because I am fully aware of the futility of this act but sometimes the inner sadist kicks in. Apparently that’s what happened after I wrote yesterday’s Floravased post. It suddenly dawned on me that while my new works might now show up yet, that I already had more than a hundred really good floral paintings available for sale. I had anticipated seeing at least some of them... but Shocker! Not one of my flower paintings showed up in the top 100 pages.
The explanation for this of course is that I am not properly marketing my work. I haven’t contacted my friends and family, I haven’t stepped back into the local gallery scene or entered any contests and I have not posted a single image on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. However I do sporadically post to Pinterest, I do have good keywords and descriptions for most of the work and I do attempt to participate in the FAA community when I can. It has been suggested that the likes, favorites and comments do provide incremental status. However I can’t possibly devote the time needed to garner the significant amount that would make a difference. Anyway I can’t even imagine what ridiculously large amount I would need to surpass those images that have been grandfathered to the front of the line since 2010. OMG! Don’t even get me started on the filthy basement nudes ranking in front of my stunning sourdough bread photographs, not a loaf of bread in sight! How do snapshots of naked skanks even remotely qualify as Bread? Where were the keyword police for those revolting pictures? Anyway… as you can see from my vivid description, the whole thing is a frustrating situation; a catch 22, no exposure equals no sales, no sales equals no FAA ranking. If you want to sell online, you have to be the one to sell online! Duh, we all know this but it is hard to kill that dream of some super amazing entity swooping in and doing all the dirty work for you.
Picture this; they say to imagine FAA as an enormous warehouse full of brown cardboard boxes housing your works (that and the work of another 500,000 artists!). No one can see what’s in the boxes unless you bring them into your section of the warehouse and open up your boxes to show them your work. So as a Fine Art America print on demand artist, it is my job (not theirs) to suit up and bring those potential buyers in. My mission, since I’m not interested in pounding Instagram, Facebook and Twitter 300 times a day, is to stick with the plan and continue on with the slow version of social media, the blog. A successful marketing campaign will entail writing individual posts about each and every one of my painting series. I’ve known this, I’ve stated it here repeatedly, I’ve made some headway, but I just haven’t really dug in. It's daunting. But, after detoxifying some rage and frustration on the treadmill, I am much more prepared to face this mission like a lady; with dignity, refinement and grace. Who am I kidding? As Susie says to Mrs. Maisel before the show, “Tit’s up” and in the possibly imagined words of the great sequined Kathy K “Put your Lipstick on Ladies and Prepare for Battle!”

Best of luck to you in your future battles! For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Today I am introducing my brand new floral painting series entitled Floravased!
The Floravased (Flowers in Vases) painting series are fabulous fun floral arrangements displayed in a variety of vibrant vessels. They embody the tradition of floral still life paintings but with a folksy, fresh vision. These paintings exude cheerful sophistication and stylish whimsy in a contemporary classic color palette. The Floravased collection is modern floral elegance with a dash of vintage mystique.
The Floravased paintings began as pen and ink sketches that evolved into colored pencil drawings, which were then carefully sealed in acrylic medium and then painted with layers upon layers of chalky matte acrylic washes on cold pressed 140 pound archival watercolor paper. This technique is something I’ve been developing for some time and results in interesting stain effects and textures that bring depth and richness to these bright and colorful flower paintings.
Still life paintings depict mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects such as food and flowers. Still life painting emerged as a distinct genre and professional specialization in Western painting by the late 16th century, and has remained significant since then. One advantage of the still life art form is that it allows an artist freedom to experiment with the arrangement of elements within a composition of a painting. Still life, as a particular genre, began with Netherlandish painting of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the English term still life derives from the Dutch word stilleven.
I remember working on still life paintings throughout high school and College. We all used to moan and groan to the art professors when we couldn’t have live models. This was largely due to art school snobbery; still life art carries the unfortunate stigma of occupying the lowest rung of the hierarchy of art genres. This spoiled brat reaction was of course ridiculous; still life studies are an extremely underrated learning tool. Not only are still life paintings an excellent way to keep your skills in check and explore new techniques but to this day they remain the most popular works purchased by buyers. Artists often forget that they need to make money in order to keep making more art.
Lucky for me, I am extremely passionate about flowers! And true to popular belief, they too have been my biggest sellers. And lucky for you, in addition to this brand new series of flowers in vases still lives, I also have numerous variations of more floral fabulousness available for your print on demand pleasure. Your choices of Fraser Florals are practically limitless! Here is a list of Amy E. Fraser Flower Art Galleries:
Flowers in Vases
Poppies
The Flower Garden
Tapestry Florals
Whimsical Florals
Flora and Fauna
Alien Bloom
Tapestry Squares
Floral Icons
Woodland Wildflower Meadow
Yeah, I know what you are thinking about the Floravased painting series title. I was super excited when I came up with it and then was mildly disappointed when I discovered the word already existed. But I loved it and my similarly titled works couldn’t be in better company right? The original Floravase artwork is a gorgeous baroque garden sculpture in the palace garden at Fulda. It is considered one of the most important garden sculptures in Europe and is located on the landing of the large orangery staircase in the castle garden. It symbolizes the flower goddess Flora on a vase, decorated with flower tendrils and surrounded by angel figures. In her raised hand she holds a golden lily, the symbol of Adolf von Dalberg, Prince of Fulda. Flora is the Roman goddess of the flowering of plants.
Okay, well, that’s all I have for today’s Floravased blog post. Have a fabulous flower filled day! Happy shopping!
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Happy New Year! Remember how I was going to start The Legend of Hare Terra website project in the New Year? Well, it still might happen THIS year, but I realized I bit off way more than I could chew editing my Parsons Art Retrospective. I had no idea I had so much amazing stuff I wanted to share! The editing process to get the Parsons paintings and drawings “print ready” was much more time consuming then I had anticipated (and still not completed I might add). It may or may not have to do with the fact that I’m a perfectionist and I may be treating these works as perfectly preserved historical archives. I also realized that if I am sharing the Parsons works, then my Art Retrospective would be incomplete without the Dartmouth works, and the Celebrating Femininity works… and, and, and! Obviously, I mean one does not go into writing and preparing art work for their autobiography lightly. In all seriousness, I had no idea my decision to let my audience “get to know me” was going to be such an enormous undertaking. Or that it was going to make me feel so emotionally drained. But duh, here’s a known factoid, everything I do becomes an enormous undertaking. I’m a complex being, what can I say?

You might be shocked to discover that I am somewhat of a self sabotaging expert. Not really though, because if you knew me you would know this is quite obvious! I am one of those people who have a To-Do list that keeps getting longer each day, because of course one project leads to another! Like most artistic geniuses, I keep coming up with fabulous new things I want to create! I always have tons of ideas and projects rolling at once and I admit that it is super easy for me to get sent off course chasing that next inspirational high. The muse is the master! Creativity does not work well on the To-Do list, nor does it fit into a schedule. Inspiration comes when it comes, stopping in the middle to accomplish ones scheduled menial task could ruin the flow. Or so I convince myself when I neglect the mountain of laundry, the suggested thrice weekly 1000 word blog post, or launching the upcoming Legend of Hare Terra website project.

Yes! The thrill of New Work! This did happen to me over the holidays. But only because I was totally fed up with the complete and total boredom of editing the older work pixel by pixel, brainstorming marketing ideas, coming up with the next blog post that maybe someone 12 months from now was going to read… I got sour. Combine that with family drama, Holiday Stress and the Mr. was absolutely begging me to take a break! So much for embracing the suck, screw that! At least temporarily, I am only human after all. So then there was delightful low key family time, too much baking, way too much eating, too many warm and fuzzy nights in front of the TV… and then… just too much down time in general. I do not well with inactivity, I needed to make something!

For fun I did a ton of random drawings, mostly birds for some unknown reason, got that out of my system and then decided to focus on a new floral painting series. I disappeared off line for weeks, all the buzz and noise of outside voices completely gone, no comments, likes or favorites, no worries of blog posts, descriptions, keywords or SEO crap, just me and the work. The time away painting was fabulous, rejuvenating and reminded me exactly how much I really miss painting and how much I dislike all the stuff that goes with it. I’m sorry extroverts, I know you can’t relate and you love “the show!” but not me, not even a little. I’d be perfectly happy living life as a hermit, no, not in a cave, but you know what I meant. Anyway, Art doesn’t exist if no one ever sees it, so back to Embracing the Suck. Breaks are fine if you can afford to take them but if you want to succeed, even a little, you do have to put the big girl pants back on every now and again.

And I can’t just forget about all that work I have already created. Because while I keep saying (and feeling like) I’m starting over, I’m not exactly starting over from scratch am I? Not in the sense that it’s day one with creating artwork anyway. Let’s face it, as of right now I have over 2,600 works currently available as Print on Demand. That’s a lot, something to be proud of, and it would definitely not have happened if I started painting my first piece last January. In fact, it wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t spent the majority of 2019 editing the works for POD! Fortunately many sold paintings are currently available as prints today because I had the foresight to take really good photos before I let go of the work. (Hint: Take really good, high quality photos of absolutely everything you make – you may also want that work for POD someday)

So why not just be happy with what I have already accomplished? Because there are decades of fabulous works still to choose from. I have been incredibly prolific. In fact, I almost feel ridiculous saying this, but I am daunted by the enormity of my own body of work! While this is actually a great problem to have, the down side is that there is only me to tackle it all, leaving me with the constantly fluctuating conclusion of where to best invest my limited time. Slave labor or chasing the muse? I frequently feel as though I should just leave the older work behind and move on from this point forward. There are only so many hours in the day after all. But the problem with that is, it’s really good work; some that I have previously exhibited and know people enjoy. And, the Parsons pieces I recently edited and posted, garnered serious interest, much to my delight, many have gone viral on Pinterest. This leads me to believe that if I were to market these images properly, they would have great selling potential. So I can’t let them go, it would be a shame to miss the opportunity to get these works out there to a broader audience just because I’m over menial tasks such as editing... and, Hello, where would we be without the Art Retrospective for the autobiography? Kidding...

As you can see, I did not have a big New Year, New Me Plan to announce, I’m mostly here to remind myself to continue on the path I started last January (2019). As meandering as my current path is, it does lead forward in one way or another. Even if it does feel like I am getting my feet tangled up in my own hair like the women from Fettered Femininity! The forward motion may be incremental; I will most likely divert off into the woods here and there along the way, but it’s how I need to do things. I’m learning to accept and embrace my flaws and do my best to work them to my advantage. You know Artists; it’s all about the journey! Or that’s what we tell ourselves when we have no idea why we do what we do.

By the way, of course there were other New Year’s resolutions, I switched from failing to learn Chinese on Duolingo to succeeding in French and I’ve gotten back into my workout routine… I gained 3 pounds because of it but we won’t mention that. So I mean, it’s not ALL art, all of the time. I do have a few other interests, gosh.

Up next, I’ll share my new floral series entitled “Floravased”. In the meantime here’s wishing you a very Happy New Year!

For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Today’s heartwarming and inspirational art talk is entitled Embrace the Suck. I was originally going to call it “It’s all on You: The Solitary Existence of the Art Entrepreneur” but it didn’t sound nearly as catchy or as motivational (lol).

As I periodically grumble, stumble and complain about starting my art career over again at 46, my husband asks: what’s the point? We are financially stable; I really could be doing something much more entertaining with my time, right? This morning, while slogging through morning chores, feeling overwhelmed by this daunting task of starting over so late in life, I begin replaying my husband’s question in my head. In the midst of this unhelpful mulling, my diabetic cat’s insulin alarm went off. The song “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, chosen for its tongue and cheek cat reference, was playing longer than usual. For some reason I actually listened to the words. I’m not going lie, it kind of sparked my inner Rocky.

Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

So many times, it happens too fast
You trade your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight
Risin' up to the challenge of our rival
And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night
And he's watchin' us all with the eye of the tiger

So to answer the question, what’s the point? I’m keeping my dreams of the past alive, fighting the fight, blood, sweat and tears, heading for a comeback, getting ready to kick some ass. Shhh, don’t tell, but I don’t actually remember the Rocky movies. Whatever the case, I’m starting over; it’s daunting and extremely humbling. I have to keep reminding myself that nothing worthwhile ever came easy; nothing in this life was given. If you want something you have to get it for yourself. You will get what you get as a direct result of the effort you put into it. Besides, don’t you have to earn it for it to really mean something?

I am doing this because I absolutely have to. I am an Artist. It is the purpose of my existence. I have been, and only ever will be, this. I have no other serious interests or passions. Every avenue I have pursued has become art in some way or another. I have never held down a legitimate “day job” outside of the art field, beyond cocktail waitressing. I would wither and die if I had to revolve my existence around conventional socializing, watching soap operas all day, or volunteer work and I would most definitely suffocate, and probably become downright murderous in an office atmosphere. I would for real, go bat shit crazy, that’s basically the gist of it.

So, sure, it is all on me, this solitary existence as an Art Entrepreneur. As much as I dream of having a staff of underlings to do all the dirty work, I know in my heart of hearts that I could not delegate my duties. Someone else would not do any of it the way I want, nor would I trust someone else to speak for me and my work. When it comes to my art, I am, by all accounts, a control freak. Good, is not good enough. I’m what the kids call “Extra”. In all aspects of life, I detest laziness and I do not believe in making things easy for myself or anyone else. Sadly, I’m sure I work harder, not smarter. Obviously, I would be a terrible co-worker and even worse boss.

This is the tough love people; don’t worry, I’m talking to me too. No one is going to do this for you. It’s hard and lonely and most of the people in your life will not be interested in your struggle because art isn’t their thing. There is the grind, the work, no clock, no hourly wage, no preordained business plan and definitely no guarantee that this is all going to work out as you had hoped. The results of your current efforts may not happen for many years to come, or honestly, ever. All of this will be frustrating and disappointing; some days will be even harder than others. You will have to want this enough to be willing to embrace the suck.

Just because someone has talent and can create art doesn’t mean that they are an artist, or obligated to pursue art as a career path. Not everyone is cut out for the role of artist, for most it isn’t worth the effort and that’s completely okay. Hobbies are great outlets. Maybe letting go of the notion of being a professional artist is the best thing someone could do? It’s an extremely tough business and the likelihood of finding fame and fortune as an artist is practically nonexistent. These are not cheerful positive thoughts; this career path will undoubtedly suck.

But, maybe, you are still in? You are ready for the work, the disappointment and the misery? Because like me, your soul, your very existence relies on your one and only identity as an artist; you are ready for whatever it takes. Okay, so if I haven’t scared you off and all of the above is true for you, then I do believe you can become a successful Art Entrepreneur. If you are 100% serious, with time and effort you can achieve that goal. If I did not believe this, I wouldn’t be starting over at the ripe old age of 46. I also think there are no rules as to how you make this happen; you can make the marketing process work in whatever way you need it to. Use blogs, social media, whatever tools you have at your disposal, as long as you keep working. Keep moving forward, don’t give up, and dig deep to find the dedication and commitment to see yourself through the hard times. Perseverance is what will separate you from the rest.

My one request for you on this journey is, please don’t compare your achievements to other artists. I am occasionally guilty of this harmful pastime as well. It’s discouraging and depressing and completely irrelevant to your own career and success. I know this is probably the most difficult advice to follow; it’s only natural to want to compare and compete. Sometimes it’s healthy to have a rival or nemesis to continue to motivate you. Rocky had his opponents after all. But really, the best, probably healthiest response would be that if another artist is where you want to be career-wise, try learning from them instead. You cannot compete with an opponent you have not studied. Also, be choosy, do the research, people tend to exaggerate and can say anything they want about their wealth and success on the internet.

To conclude today’s motivational art talk, only a worthy few will climb their way to success in this field; those that can embrace the suck and roll with the punches will succeed. Stay tuned! It’s probably going to be me! But it could be you too, if you don’t give up and stay focused on the long game. Be the best You, you can be! Stay Authentic and keep fighting! Best of luck to you and your artistic journey, we can totally do this!

For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

Here is the official description for the Abstract Spiral Painting Series: The Abstract Spiral series is hand drawn in pen and ink. Tinted with colored pencils. Finished with layers of acrylic glaze. Final effect: interesting detail, textural depth, and rich, luminous color. The Abstract Spiral series adds warm earth tones, texture and whimsy to both traditional and modern spaces. Elegant wall art groupings, striking throw pillows or sophisticated duvet covers for your superior interiors. Mixed Media Paintings by Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
However, today I want to talk about what the Abstract Spiral paintings actually mean to me. Whenever I see this series I smile, they ignite a flood of happy memories because they remind me of some very special people. When our little family first moved to Plainfield we reconnected with some old friends from high school. We ran into them at the grocery store one day, it had been years since we had seen them. I am generally skittish about other humans, so no matter how kind they are, I was undoubtedly awkward and standoffish. We had our son Caden, probably not yet two at the time, and they had their youngest son Killian with them. As I stood there kicking imaginary dirt on the floor and nervously picking imaginary lint off my baby’s jacket, Killian, not quite three, gets my attention. He looks at me with his great big blue eyes and that great big smile and says Hi. I said Hi. He said, I love you, and that broke all the awkward tension for me, because my only reply could have been I love you too. Somehow that moment told me everything I needed to know about the McKim’s; who they had grown up to be, and it was suddenly safe to let them in.
Some background, my husband Jody and I have known each other since I was in junior high, and we have known Christine and Corey almost as long. I graduated high school two years behind them and then left for New York City and had been out of their lives for almost a decade. But when we saw them again, it was like no time had passed. There is a short hand, a familiarity that comes about when people have been friends since their teen years, part of the relationship will always remain on the immature side because the pretense of acting like sophisticated adults is soon disregarded.
However, while I was away, they were busy growing up into amazing adults and raising a family. They became strong community members and patrons of the arts. Christine who had always been artistic in high school had become a professional photographer, interior designer and a design consultant. Corey was a successful business owner and a celebrated sports coach. And unlike most “old friends” from town, they were both genuinely interested in art, they had real thoughts and offered intelligent conversations. It was amazing! Not only that, they were so SUPPORTIVE of all of my artistic endeavors, buying my paintings and hosting my Exalted Beauty Medallion parties, and casually promoting me to people without ever receiving a single thing in return.
This is where I bring up the Abstract Spiral paintings; Christine loved them and brought them to her family’s high end furniture showroom to place them on permanent exhibit. I would never have thought of that as an alternate exhibition space but Christine was always thinking outside of the box. They looked incredible with a wide array of furniture arrangements; things I would not have considered putting together myself, she has such an instinct for these things. So while I never thought I’d be an artist that made art to match the furniture. I did just that, and they look fabulous, according to Christine. So based on the highly regarded opinion of a popular interior designer, I can strongly recommend the Abstract Spiral series for your interiors.
Now that you have a little background and know what these paintings remind me of, maybe they will remind you of the McKim’s too? Christine, like the Abstract Spiral paintings, could easily be described as warm, earthy and whimsical. Every painting tells a story, and while this is not a series of paintings of the McKim’s specifically, they are a visual trigger for me of this fun and charismatic family. I think of all the memories, all the laughs, and the stories! Most of which are too R rated to share here, because of course we are all respectable adults who do not behave in such ways… now. I would love for the Abstract Spiral paintings to affect you the way they do me; with happiness, invoking the Christine essence; that beautiful smile, those sparkling cat eyes, her quirky sense of humor and that sexy naughty laugh she’s so famous for.
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com

This amazing fairy tale moment is a photograph of my grandmother in her Vermont farm house, just as I remember her. She is seen here making yarn on a spinning wheel from the wool of sheep she and my grandfather raised. Today I am celebrating Women’s Work.
Women’s Work is defined by Oxford’s Dictionary as: Work that is traditionally and historically undertaken by women, especially tasks of a domestic nature such as cooking, needlework, and child rearing.
Wikipedia defines Women's Work as: "work believed to be exclusively the domain of women and associates particular stereotypical tasks that history has associated with the female gender. It is particularly used with regard to the unpaid work that a mother or wife will perform within a family and household. The term "women's work" may indicate a role with children as defined by nature in that only women are biologically capable of performing them: pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. It may also refer to professions that involve these functions: midwife and wet nurse. "Women's work" may also refer to roles in raising children particularly within the home. It may also refer to professions that include these functions such as that of: teacher (up to the age of puberty), governess, nanny, day care worker, and au pair. "Women's work" may also refer to roles related to housekeeping such as: cooking, sewing, ironing, and cleaning. It may also refer to professions that include these functions such as: maid and cook. Though much of "women's work" is indoors, some is outdoors such as: fetching water, grocery shopping or food foraging, and gardening."
These old fashioned basics of living, once considered to be Women’s Work, were shunned by my grandmother’s daughters as they went off into the world to have “important careers”. As was common in the 70’s, these young women dismissed the knowledge imparted by their mothers and fore-mothers. They put behind them all that was considered Women’s Work, choosing different paths. However, while those daughters enjoyed their new found feminist power and freedom in the workforce, seeking all the “Me” they could be, they forgot to raise their own daughters. Looking from the outside, as a forgotten daughter, it seems our mothers made empty and unsatisfying choices. The 70’s mothers, at least the ones I am referring to, were unable to find balance, leaving damaged children and families in their self empowered wake.
Thankfully I was fortunate enough to have two smart, talented women as my grandmothers; women who knew and shared the value of “Women’s Work”. While I only knew my grandmothers for the first decade of my life, they were there during the most important formative years, where the core of a person is shaped. I am eternally grateful that it is their influences that seemed to make the most significant impression on my psyche. From my grandmothers I learned valuable skills that continue to sustain my daily life. I learned how to care for and nurture animals, how to sew, embroider, knit and paint, how to bake, how to prepare vegetables from the garden, how to find food in the forest, and how to believe in myself enough to be able to make pretty much anything from scratch. My grandmothers exposed me to the wonder and beauty of art in numerous forms, one grandmother made gorgeous quilts and hand sewn dolls, the other, created amazing folk art paintings with found objects and rough boards from my grandfather's saw mill, and they both knit and created an endless array of beautiful gifts for their families. Through their example, they taught me love, patience, kindness, creativity, imagination, ingenuity and the value of hard work.
When it came time for me to be a mother, I knew what ideals I would be bringing to my family, what examples I would choose to emulate and which ones I would not. Occasionally I think my younger self would not be proud of the woman I turned out to be, that she would not understand my life choices looking in from the outside. My life “on paper” seems a far stretch from my early feminist ideals. However, it really isn’t that much of a stretch. I have always been this person, with these same core values; I’ve just chosen to express them in diverse ways through my life and art.
As I currently review old works from my days at Parsons, especially while I edit the Women as Pattern series, I’m seeing a respectful nod to my grandmothers and their Women’s Work. While I cannot claim to have any relationship to the Pattern and Decoration Movement (as it was before my time), I do remember being inspired by it; and absorbing some of the essential aesthetics that enabled me to create art with my own meaning and intent.
According to Wikipedia: “Pattern and Decoration was a United States art movement from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. The movement has sometimes been referred to as "P&D" or as The New Decorativeness. The movement was championed by the gallery owner Holly Solomon. The movement was the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Hudson River Museum in 2 Background and influences.
The Pattern and Decoration movement consisted of artists, many of whom had art education backgrounds, who had been involved with the abstract schools of art of the 1960s. The westernized, male dominated climate of artistic thought throughout Modernism had led to a marginalization of what was considered non-Western and feminine. The P&D movement wanted to revive an interest in minor forms such as patterning which at that point was equated with triviality. The prevailing negative view of decoration was one not generally shared by non-Western cultures.
The Pattern and Decoration movement was influenced by sources outside of what was considered to be fine art. Blurring the line between art and design, many P&D works mimic patterns like those on wallpapers, printed fabrics, and quilts.
These artists also looked for inspiration outside of the United States. The influence of Islamic tile work from Spain and North Africa are visible in the geometric, floral patterns. They looked at Mexican, Roman, and Byzantine mosaics; Turkish embroidery, Japanese woodblocks; and Iranian and Indian carpets and miniatures.”
The Pattern and Decoration movement helped to redefine the line between fine art and craft. Like many feminist artists before me, I too incorporated craft elements into my paintings because of to their association with women, femininity and my own relationship with, and understanding of Women’s Work. P&D artists saw the history of Women’s Work, particularly domestic crafts, as a forgotten canon that could be reclaimed as a source of contemporary expression. It was the P&D artist’s enthusiastic embrace of multiculturalism and multiplicity that encouraged and inspired me to borrow snippets from other cultures and sources, such as quilts, wallpapers, rugs and printed fabrics. I continue to use patterns in my paintings as a means to reassert the value of ornamentation and aesthetic beauty, qualities that are normally assigned to the feminine sphere. Inspired by the P&D movement, I too combined disparate elements to form new meanings. This multicultural mixing and matching became crucial to my creative process, resulting in a new development for my personal style and symbolism. Before I was aware there was a movement, Pattern and Decoration had always come natural to me; details have been my bread and butter since early days and continue to be one of the defining points of my style. For some reason I thrive in the tedium. If I had to describe my current personal style, the word opulence comes to mind. The Legend of Hare Terra is full of Pattern and Decoration. It is a body of work that I created to serve the viewer a lasting experience, one that will require time to fully decode.
Much like the decoding I am attempting to do in the Women as Pattern series. I am not going to lie; some of the work has left me scratching my head, wondering what the specific meaning and intent was? Was I aware that what I was creating would be considered shocking and disturbing to even myself twenty years later? I couldn’t say, but I do have to wonder what my grandmothers would think. I’ll let you see for yourself and maybe you can figure out what I was working to accomplish? Stay tuned, I plan to post the Women as Pattern series on my website soon.
For more Art and Information on Amy E. Fraser go to Aefraser.com.

Today I am sharing work from a series of provocative paintings exploring the question of what defines A Woman’s Worth? These works were created from a young woman’s experiences, confronting Feminist, Womanist, and Humanist topics of personal and global interest in the mid to late 90’s. The series leans toward dark, surrealistic, symbolic and highly stylized feminine imagery. It covers a wide emotional spectrum exploring the value placed on female fertility, intellect, strength, beauty and the sexuality of women. These extremely personal works question the artist's position as well as women in the world at large. The goal of the work was to ignite a conversation toward awareness and change, to discuss what it means to be female and how we can continue to redefine and improve perception and conditions.
The Ovary Tree by Amy E. Fraser
When a woman is told she is infertile, the healthy women in her life begin to magically glow with overflowing fertility, like ripe Ovary Trees. The female body’s entire purpose for existence is engineered toward this one thing, reproduction. And your body? It has betrayed you. The defeated spirit imagines those other women in their pain free, normal bodies, placidly pumping out eggs, proudly producing the little beings that will help define their future self's worth. Even when you believed you didn't want to have children, the fact that it is no longer an option, destroys you. The loss and the devastation lead you to wonder, what is A Woman's Worth? A Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
"If you have endometriosis, it may be more difficult for you to become pregnant. Up to 30% to 50% of women with endometriosis may experience infertility. Endometriosis can influence fertility in several ways: distorted anatomy of the pelvis, adhesions, scarred fallopian tubes, inflammation of the pelvic structures, altered immune system functioning, changes in the hormonal environment of the eggs, impaired implantation of a pregnancy, and altered egg quality." Find out more @ reproductivefacts.org
The Uterine Lake by Amy E. Fraser
Fertility? Infertility? Can we escape our bodily burden? The Uterine Lake is about self identity and the struggle with biology, posing the question of what is A Woman's Worth? A Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
The Uterus is a Motherhood Symbol that is timeless and universal. "We have been using symbols to communicate our thoughts before we even developed the art of writing. Some of the symbols we use today have their roots in the very beginning of intelligent human communication. Among the most enduring symbols that can be found across geographically and culturally diverse civilizations are those that depict motherhood and everything that mothers stand for including; fertility and procreation, guidance and protection, sacrifice, compassion, dependability, and wisdom." Find out more @ ancient-symbols.com
"The uterus is a multifaceted symbol that holds great personal and social significance for women. It's image expresses life and death, fears and anxiety, freedom and oppression, power and vulnerability, femininity, motherhood, personal choice, career choice, identity, status, and woman's procreative potential as well as creative potential. It is my belief, that, given the multiplicity of meanings, the uterus stands as both a power symbol and a reminder of who we are. The uterus is representative of the choices we make about our bodies and within our bodies. The uterus is a symbol of our personal and intimate choices, but it also reminds us that we are not alone; every woman has had the same choices. I think the uterus is a positive symbol because being a woman is about these choices and experiences and we should not be ashamed of our struggles, hurts and happiness." --- Chapter 9 Uterus. Sacred Sexuality And Feminine Symbolism. Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue by Amy E. Fraser.
The Nest by Amy E. Fraser
Who wants to be a Nest anyway? All of those vultures claiming, discussing and manipulating your reproductive organs like they are public property. All hail The Great Mother. The beauty and glory is celebrated by others while woman becomes mere vessel, rooted, faceless, serving the needs of the greater good, determining her value to others, and eventually to herself, through this becoming of The Nest. Meanwhile, the vultures keep reaping the benefits, chattering, tending to The Nest. What is a Woman's Worth? A Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
Dichotomy by Amy E. Fraser
Dichotomy is a division into two parts, groups, or classes, especially when these are sharply distinguished or opposed.
The vultures watch as we struggle with our Dichotomy. Mind over Reproduction? What does one pursue? Do we bow to Mother Nature? Do we rise to our Intellect? Remember how they told women they could be a successful working women and mothers? Tell that to the Latchkey kids and their horrifying memories of what happened to them when they spent their days as unsupervised orphans. Then ask those grown Latchkey Kids what we choose to do with our Dichotomy? What is a woman’s worth? A Woman's Worth. Painting Series. Acrylic Paint on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1995-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.
According to Wiki "The term latchkey kid became commonplace to describe members of Generation X, who according to a 2004 marketing study, "went through its all-important, formative years as one of the least parented, least nurtured generations in U.S. history." Latchkey kids were prevalent during this time, a result of increased divorce rates and increased maternal participation in the workforce, at a time before childcare options outside the home were widely available. These latchkey children, referred to as "day orphans"... mainly came from middle or upper-class homes. The higher the educational attainment of the parents, the higher the odds the children of this time would be latchkey kids."
For centuries, a woman’s youth and beauty were the determinant of her worth. A woman’s worth should be the totality of who she is. A woman is worth more than her outer appearance, more than her title at work, more than her fertility status, more than how much money she makes, more than her waist size, more than the color of her skin, more than the jewelry and name brands she wears, a woman is worth MORE. A woman is worth what she decides she is worth and no individual or society can take away what she determines for herself.
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com.
For A Woman's Worth images and active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/a-womans-worth.html

Wolf Patterns by Amy E. Fraser (1997) are expressive, colorful, hand crafted, one of a kind, pen and ink pattern designs featuring wolves. The Wolf Pattern series was developed through the process of old school xerography. The final Wolf Pattern designs were completed with pen and ink, markers, paint markers and colored pencil in 1997 and then digitally updated in 2019 for your Print on Demand pleasure. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved. More designs from the Wolf Pattern series by Amy E. Fraser are available at Aefraser.com.
To see the Wolf Pattern examples and use active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/wolf-patterns.html
Xerography, Xerox Art or Copy Art, is the time consuming, often tedious process where the artist is required to take numerous trips back and forth to the corner copy shop, drawing, cutting, layering, and repeating, until the pattern’s completion. Most people, (even smart young ladies who went to super fancy art schools) did not have regular access to computers, and quite frankly, wouldn’t have known what to do with a computer if they did. Back in 1997, there was no miraculous make pattern button available to the masses.
In Folklore, Religion and Mythology “the wolf is a common motif in the foundational mythologies and cosmologies of peoples throughout Eurasia and North America (corresponding to the historical extent of the habitat of the gray wolf). The obvious attribute of the wolf is its nature of a predator, and correspondingly it is strongly associated with danger and destruction, making it the symbol of the warrior on one hand, and that of the devil on the other. The modern trope of the Big Bad Wolf is a development of this. The wolf holds great importance in the cultures and religions of the nomadic peoples, both of the Eurasian steppe and North American Plains.
Wolves were sometimes associated with witchcraft in both northern European and some Native American cultures: in Norse folklore, the völva (witch) Hyndla and the giantess Hyrrokin are both portrayed as using wolves as mounts, while in Navajo culture, wolves were feared as witches in wolf's clothing. Similarly, the Tsilhqot'in believed that contact with wolves could cause mental illness and death.” - Wikipedia
As a symbol for Heraldry “The wolf has been widely used in many forms in heraldry during the Middle Ages. Though commonly reviled as a livestock predator and man-eater, the wolf was also considered a noble and courageous animal, and frequently appeared on the Arms and crests of numerous noble families. It typically symbolized the rewards of perseverance in long sieges or hard industry.” - Wikipedia
The Wolf Pattern series was part of Amy E. Fraser’s senior thesis project at Parsons School of Design where she explored Pagan, Feminist, Humanist and Womanist symbolism in her art. The wolf theme was heavily inspired by the book “Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype” written by Clarissa Pinkola Estés Ph.D.
Here are some insightful and inspiring words of wolf wisdom from Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés:
“The wild nature has a vast integrity to it. It means to establish one's territory, to find one's pack, to be in one's body with certainty and pride regardless of the body's gifts and limitations, to speak and act in one's own behalf, to be aware, alert, to draw on the innate feminine powers of intuition and sensing, to come into one's cycles, to find what one belongs to, to rise with dignity, to retain as much consciousness as possible.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“Wolves and women are relational by nature, inquiring, possessed of great endurance and strength. They are deeply intuitive, intensely concerned with their young, their mate, and their pack. They are experienced in adapting to constantly changing circumstances; they are fiercely stalwart and very brave.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“We know the soul-spirit can be injured, even maimed, but it is very nearly impossible to kill. You can dent the soul and bend it. You can hurt it and scar it. You can leave the marks of illness upon it, and scorch marks of fear. But it does not die, for it protected by La Loba...” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“What does this wildish intuition do for women? Like the wolf, intuition has claws that pry things open and pin things down, it has eyes that can through the shields of persona, it has ears that hear beyond the range of mundane human hearing. With these formidable psychic tools a woman takes on a shrewd and even precognitive animal consciousness, one that deepens her femininity and sharpens her ability to move confidently in the outer world.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“Though fairy tales end after ten pages, our lives do not. We are multi-volume sets. In our lives, even though one episode amounts to a crash and burn, there is always another episode awaiting us and then another. There are always more opportunities to get it right, to fashion our lives in the ways we deserve to have them. Don't waste your time hating a failure. Failure is a greater teacher than success.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“Though her soul requires seeing, the culture around her requires sightlessness. Though her soul wishes to speak its truth, she is pressured to be silent.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“Practice listening to your intuition, your inner voice; ask questions; be curious; see what you see; hear what you hear; and then act upon what you know to be true. These intuitive powers were given to your soul at birth.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
“There are many artists who’ve not yet gotten a good foothold or who are old war-horses at developing their creative lives, and yet and still, every time they reach for the pen, the brush, the ribbons, the script, they hear, “You’re nothing but trouble, your work is marginal or completely unacceptable—because you yourself are marginal and unacceptable.” So what is the solution? Do as the duckling does. Go ahead, struggle through it. Pick up the pen already and put it to the page and stop whining. Write. Pick up the brush and be mean to yourself for a change, paint. Dancers, put on the loose chemise, tie the ribbons in your hair, at your waist, or on your ankles and tell the body to take it from there. Dance. Actress, playwright, poet, musician, or any other. Generally, just stop talking. Don’t say one more word unless you’re a singer. Shut yourself in a room with a ceiling or in a clearing under the sky. Do your art. Generally, a thing cannot freeze if it is moving. So move. Keep moving.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés
Listen to this wise and wondrous woman people, she is a force! Speaking of amazing women, here is me with my friend Maria, a beautiful, successful, intelligent powerhouse of a strong independent woman, mother, business owner and fabulous fellow artist at a Parsons Illustration Exhibition in 1997. I included this photo because I noticed not only were we super cute but that we just happened to be posing in front of one of the Wolf Patterns
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com.

According to Zoom Info Aefraser.com is hauling in 3.8 Million dollars in yearly revenue. This is not true; please don’t believe everything you read on the internet. I also do not have a staff of 19 employees, unless you count my wild animal friends who are paid in hugs and kisses. They aren’t on the books, and neither is that yearly income, as much as I wish it were true. So what was the point of sharing this amazing but seriously erroneous financial news?
Okay, here is my drama; I’m here to shout from the rooftops that I have an issue with these so called “experts”, these self proclaimed Top Selling Artists! I am fed up with people getting away with delusions of grandeur, false identities, and fictitiously padded resumes and generally fake information on the internet. These self labeled Top Selling Artists are published all over the place. Yes this is probably because they are shrewd and ambitious, but they seem to have no idea how much harm they can cause with their over inflated statements, or they just don’t care. These How To articles are setting other, perhaps more naive or emerging artists, up for failure and disappointment. I think it’s cruel and irresponsible and I would like to help set the record straight.
Here is the deal; the art world is not the place to go to make a quick buck. No, not even the Print on Demand websites where it is implied that putting up your artwork is as good as printing out your own money. You’ve seen them, the arrogant artists, Hey! Listen to me! I am one of Blah Diddy Blah’s Top Selling Artists. I know everything, I’m making money hand over fist, and you could too if you are as awesome as I am! Just follow these few simple instructions… sure, go to their links, their blogs, buy the pamphlets, flatter them by purchasing their work, sign up for the online classes, and read it all until your eyes cross. No matter what, you are not going to get rich any time soon. And the truth is they didn’t either.
If you investigate further you may come to a point where you see the Top Selling Artist’s actual sales. I did, I was horrified. I discovered these artists, with possibly good intentions and maybe even great advice, aren’t really all that they want you to believe they are. At a POD company I partnered with, they try to put a reality check on the false Top Selling Artist impersonators. In fact it was mentioned that the Top Selling Artists don’t actually participate in the discussion forum. I guess the over inflated art advice was reigned in a bit when they finally decided to include an actual sales number under the artist commenting in sales discussions so that no one was fooled by the big talkers (most likely basement trolls). One person in particular was selling an average of 20 products month. We are talking a profit of maybe $10 a sale? So what’s that, $200 a month income, before tax and expenses? Even if you belonged to four POD companies and were doing as well as the example above, you still wouldn’t have enough income to pay the rent.
If you are thinking that extra cash still sounds really good, don’t forget to include the time it took to make the art; then the time to properly photograph and edit it to make it print worthy, then the time to upload it where you will also need to write great descriptions and add intelligent and relevant keywords. And wait, that’s not the end of it, there is more! If you want rank and status you will also need to participate in the social aspects of the site, for instance Likes, Favorites and Comments. And don’t forget to participate in the “contests” where the hosts more often than not win for themselves. Sounds pretty rough huh?
Still interested? Well good for you! After all of the above, you still must market that art all by yourself. The others artists you have been flattering in order to gain incremental internal SEO rank and status, are your competition. They are not likely to buy your work, no matter how many nice comments they made about it. So now what do you do? You market outside of the POD Company that makes your art products. What is commonly recommended is that you accomplish this through social media; Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. However, you might want to go back to reading those art marketing discussions, it doesn’t sound like the artists who are busting their butts doing the social media route are having enormous success at that either. Of course you may consider the 20 sales and $200 a month worthy of that level of time and emotional investment. I am not here to judge, or crush your hopes and dreams, but to shine a light on the reality of the situation.
There is no magical insert art, print money out option; those Top Selling Artists are not just passively collecting piles of cash. In fact the whole idea of Print on Demand as a Passive Income Generator is a horrible illusion. There are no easy ways to make money with your art. Starting a Print on Demand Gallery is in fact easy, anyone can do it, as most are not juried, but getting seen and making actual sales is a whole other level. You are not going to get discovered just because you put your art on the internet. Patrons are not going to just find you because you believe your work is amazing. You have to fight for it and the odds are terrible. The reality is that you would do better financially picking up a few shifts a week at a fast food restaurant. Print on Demand is not, and will never be a Passive Income Generator. It is not a get rich quick plan for artists. Most, even super amazing artists such as yourself, will need a supplementary income and realistic long term goals with plans for real world art selling opportunities. I am not trying to discourage you; I just want you to know what you are facing so that you won’t be terribly disappointed when you are not rich and famous overnight.
So why am I doing Print on Demand? Because I have always believed in myself; I have known I was an artist since I could first know anything. I put the time and money into my art education, I have started a number of art business ventures from the ground up, obtaining varying degrees of success and accomplishments in each and I expect nothing less from this new business plan. I’m willing to commit, put in the hard work and slog through the disappointments. I also have realistic goals, expectations and the experience after being in the art business for almost 30 years. And lucky me, I have support from my family and I am in a place in my life where I am financially stable and still young enough to appreciate it.
Good luck out there Artists! Work hard and ignore the posers! Worry about you and your own accomplishments. Be patient, be diligent, your time will come.

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com.

Believe it or not, back in 2003 the concept of exchanging links was considered a positive internet marketing tool. Below is a live example of one of my link exchange requests. For some reason, instead of the email going to the webmaster to be sorted out and deposited in the appropriate link category, my email was published in its entirety where it still resides, at The Museum of Menstruation and Women’s Health (affectionately known as MUM). Here it is, in its naked vulnerability, exactly how it looks on the MUM website:

News, 24 February 2003, at MUM - Museum of Menstruation

Dear MUM,

I was wondering if you would take a moment of your time to review the paintings displayed on my site. The focus of my work is to celebrate, inspire, heal and empower women. Through my works, I attempt to redefine Western femininity by reinterpreting and revitalizing aspects of female embodiment to give them new positive meaning. My philosophical outlook is Humanist/Womanist. I emphasize the personal worth of the individual through her beauty, intellect, strength, emotional, instinctual and intuitive qualities, as the central importance of human values, as opposed to specific religious or cultural beliefs. Through my images I create a new dialogue about female sexuality, reproduction and self worth. The figures are iconographic, representing an all inclusive, universal woman. My work contains a wealth of information about feminism, women's issues, health, psychology, history, legend, myth and spiritual beliefs, all of which have been interpreted by and created from the perspective of a female artist in the 21st century. However, this said, I feel the impact and intention of my art is reduced by being spoken -- what my art expresses cannot be translated into mere words. I hope you will stop by for a visit to see for yourself and hopefully consider adding my site to your Links section. I plan to add a link to your site as soon as my web tech gets in gear. My site is still a work in progress - I am adding a lot more written information that I think could be very inspirational and useful to your viewers. One example of this is the information I plan to include about Endometriosis in the Hysterikos Gallery which is a series of paintings based on the Uterus. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Amy E. Fraser

E-Mail: [email protected]

Website: http://www.aefraser.com

Website Description: Amy E. Fraser's provocative, colorful images evoke intense emotion. These powerful paintings boldly express intimate and often painful views of the female experience. Ancient iconography is re-envisioned to depict modern womanhood from a fresh feminist perspective. The focus of the work is to celebrate, inspire and empower women.

Link Exchange, the activity of exchanging links with other websites, became popular in the mid 90s, but is now considered by most to be an outdated online marketing tactic. When Google first started to explode, the earliest search engine optimizers learned that exchanging links was a great way to “game” the search results. Today there are many reasons why you shouldn’t do a link exchange, most importantly because a bad link exchange can really hurt your website.

However, it is my understanding that there are still some rare cases in which you really should consider it. For instance, only exchange links when it makes sense, and it is an exchange that’s logical and rational. In 2003 I felt the Museum of Menstruation was an ideal partner for my target audience. I also believed that I had something of relevance to offer in return. MUM is a quality website with rave reviews from The New York Times and has been serving the public with helpful women’s health information for 23 years. I am honored to have my words featured on their pages since 2003.

Here are some Link Exchange guidelines to consider:

Only exchange links with quality, relevant websites.

Trade links with a website when you share an audience.

Trade links with a website that is educational or helpful to your users.

Trade links with a website that can give you a lot of traffic.

Trade links with a website that has a good archive of information that is related to your website topic/niche.

Trade links with a website that is not in competition with your website.

Trade links with a website that is a high quality website.

Trade links with a website that appears in search results with similar keywords.

I do not claim to be an expert on Search Engine Optimization, but from my research, with a mere “layperson’s” understanding, it sounds like old school link exchanges can still help, but the one-way links are the best. Apparently exchanged links carry less weight compared to the one-way links. Overall it is recommended that one should focus more on improving site content and user-friendliness in order to attract others to give you the one-way links, rather than you investing your time working for old school link exchanges.

According to what I’ve read, the most effective way to obtain one-way links is by writing smart engaging articles and submitting them to popular blogs for publication or putting in the effort to write and publish amazing original content on your own website and blog. While this process will be horribly painful and time consuming, you will be more likely to attain higher quality links and long term traffic results. Or at least this is what I have garnered from my research and what I am working to accomplish with the Amy E. Fraser Art Blog.

So, that’s what I know so far. I will continue to share information as I relearn the ins and outs of internet art marketing. You are welcome to watch as I crash and burn, or, hopefully, wildly succeed! Humble Brag: my former Exalted Beauty blog had amazing stats in its prime, you know, before I abandoned it and then accidentally deleted all 1,500 posts. However, I must clarify that at the time I was writing the Exalted Beauty blog, I was doing it more as a personal update for friends and family and was not interested in the business of online sales. I was more focused on working with my real world Art Galleries, High End Retail stores and the private in person jewelry exhibitions.

Keep in mind that if you are just beginning, the statistics on blog visibility are all about the long game. If you are starting fresh, like I am, be fair warned that what you write today may not receive traffic for many months to come. Some say it will be 12-18 months before your blog becomes visible. I recommend doing some serious planning and research before you invest too much of your time on blog designs or the “look”. Content is Queen as they say. Creating a successful blog is about commitment, consistency and time investment. It will not be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. Don’t worry; I plan to compile a basic list of blog tips to help simplify things for us soon. In the meantime, I wish you the best of luck in all of your art marketing endeavors!

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com.

The Meriden Library Logo by Amy E. Fraser. This stylishly whimsical black and white pen and ink drawing was created exclusively for the Meriden Library by Amy E. Fraser. This is an illustrative rendition of the current 1965 brick library building and its signature birch trees. This image has been the Meriden Library’s official logo design since 2010. Amy and her family are enthusiastic supporters of their local treasure and will continue their generosity by donating 100% of the profits from sales of this image on prints and merchandise in support of the Meriden Library.
About the Meriden Library: The New Hampshire legislature approved a petition from Daniel Kimball and other villagers to incorporate a library in Meriden Village on December 11, 1797. Various village homes were used to house the library until 1815 when Kimball Union Academy offered space in their new building. That building was destroyed by fire in 1824. A new collection of books was assembled on the first floor of the Congregational Meeting House in Meriden. When fire destroyed the church, the library books were saved and moved to the home of Marion Eastman where they stayed until the Meriden Town Hall was built in 1896 with space set aside for the library. The Brown School, located west of the town hall, housed the library from 1911 - 1965. The current library was built on a parcel of land located next to the Meriden Grange and was dedicated on November 20, 1965.
To learn more about the Meriden Library go to meridennhlibrary.org. Or stop in to borrow a book and visit the amazing staff; Library Director Mary King and Library Assistants Terri Crane and Lori Estey.
The Meriden Library Logo was hand drawn in pen and ink by Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved. For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com.

The top of the keyword search list in my blog statistics today was “Amy E Fraser Death”. Haaaaaayyy! I’m still alive! Please don’t count me out just yet! I’m gaining my second wind, working on the Next Chapter, and doing my absolute best to revive life back into my sleepy art career after a decade dormant! Please don’t wish for my death so soon. I have so many things I still want to accomplish! I mean I have an entire World Domination plan in progress… Not really (your business) but I do apologize to my beloved Instagram followers for abandoning you on all three of my Instagram accounts Lady Fray Bakes, Lady Fray Doodles, Lady Fray Paints. I know it basically looks like I died, but hello! Obviously I did not.
When I disappeared from my Instagram platforms in August of 2018 I was experiencing some extremely emotionally consuming family stuff that I needed to immediately attend to. I stepped away from all social media (basically the entire outside world) to give my family my full attention. My family has always come before anything and everything. But, when things returned to “normal”, and I realized my child wasn’t actually dying from some mysterious disease, I began to reevaluate my circumstance. I realized what I had done, is what I always do, as a wife and a mother, and I decided I wasn’t happy living my life on “pause”. As women, I think most of us make sacrifices for our families, above and beyond. Often these sacrifices are not specifically asked for or expected, they are unnoticed, the small things as well as the large. It isn’t just about giving up time; it’s about putting yourself last. These sacrifices become entire pieces of your original self that one gives away, represses and eventually loses altogether. Instead, women become vessels filled with other people’s needs. For most of us, this is love, this is family, and this is what we impose on ourselves. Until one day, we realize there is nothing left of the woman we were before we took on the roll of Wife and Mother. Or at least this is what was becoming true for me. However, this could also be due to the fact that I had a broken childhood and I unconsciously overcompensate in the opposite direction.
Long story short, when things got quiet and the immediacy (and distraction) of the crisis had passed I fell back into the “norm”, that which had been a constant but low grade depression since “The Rabies Incident”. I promise to elaborate on this event further at another point. For now: I received a rapid series of feral cat bites one very cold night in December 2016 during an ill fated animal rescue. As a result, my right hand became severely infected, later scarred, and I had a very bad reaction to the rabies shots and the numerous rounds of antibiotics. As a result I was forced to give up working on The Legend of Hare Terra. More thoughts on The Legend of Hare Terra at The Artist’s End Goal
Back to post family crisis 2018. They say if you are unhappy to fix it. I’m not one to wallow so I decided I needed to make a big change. I realized that this disappearance of self wasn’t good for any of us, that falling into these idealized rolls and expectations was mostly my own fault. So I am the one who needed to fix it. In order to do so I needed to take responsibility and reclaim my time and self identity. Another thing I needed was to free myself from distractions like social media. Admittedly Instagram has proven to be super addictive for me so I haven’t returned. I know that was rude and unprofessional. I would most sincerely like to apologize to all of the wonderful friends I made around the world who I abandoned without explanation. I would also like to apologize to everyone who was counting on me for their entertainment and inspirational needs. But a girl needed to prioritize, to save herself in order to survive.
My solution? Starting fresh. I’ve covered this to some degree in previous posts so I won’t go beyond stating that on January 2019 I deleted my old website (which was hacked and I was locked out of anyway) and as a result, accidentally deleted all the images on the Exalted Beauty blog. So I decided to start with a clean slate by partnering with Fine Art America and making my artwork available for Print on Demand. I immediately began by uploading all the artwork I thought was pretty and suitable for Home Décor and merchandise, such as flowers, animals, abstracts, designs and doodles. As the year progressed I introduced the Sourdough Bread Art from my year and a half on Instagram as Lady Fray and then the Exalted Beauty Medallions, because they too were a big chunk of my art career, but I still felt like something was missing. I realized I needed something more real, more Me. Not just the June Cleaver, the Hockey Mom, the baker, Medallion lady and floral painter, but the old Amy E. Fraser, that pain in the butt, confrontational little Feminist bad ass. I miss her; but she’s not Dead people! She is still in there somewhere; I can feel her clawing her way back to the surface.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been delving further into the Amy E. Fraser art storage archives and I found some truly amazing stuff. I mean, wow, was I prolific and so talented at such a young age (lol). I’m only kind of kidding. So now I am in the process of sorting, photographing and editing my old artwork and putting it up on my website as I go. It’s offending some, frightening others, apparently not everyone is as thrilled with the results of this self discovery journey as I am, but that is okay. I am getting to know myself from the outside in; saving my sanity by reintroducing the crazy. This not yet dead woman is embracing and collecting all of the parts and pieces so she can become whole again.
You know what I also realized? I have a lot to offer, beyond the artwork, almost 30 years of experience in this business, almost 20 of those years online. There is wisdom to share. As a young artist I would have been thrilled to hear from another artist who has been through it, even if only to learn from her mistakes. So as part of my rebirth, my re-envisioning of self, the Phoenix Rising if you will, I am sharing, the good, the bad and the ugly. Hopefully you will learn something, but if not, it will be entertaining at the very least. And hello, if I keep blogging maybe people will stop searching to see if I am dead?
As far as the art goes, I think some of the older work is still pretty great. Besides, let’s face it, you can see by what I created that I don’t care overly much about what people think. This is therapy for me, you don’t have to watch. But you know what? I discovered that my old work now has fresh impact on a brand new audience. The paintings I posted have already made a difference. The work has sparked new and interesting discussions on a number of important current issues and brought me closer to individual people around the globe. You know that other Amy, the idealist with the big dreams of changing the world with her art? She might get her opportunity after all. I’m not actually dead.
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

The holiday season is here and has inspired me to dig through all kinds of fascinating family memorabilia. Beyond getting all misty eyed at how quickly time has passed, and secretly checking out how many wrinkles may or may not have happened since “back in the day”…. it has suddenly come to my attention that I am definitely not Normal! I mean, A Revelation! Like a giant rubber mallet to the head! Who knew? I’m laughing, obviously. I knew. But I guess I also kind of thought people were kidding when they told me straight to my face? Oh dear! Apparently I really just didn’t care… It’s tough being a misunderstood visionary genius. You never know what we weird artist types will do. Check out these wild and crazy and definitely *inappropriate* Christmas Cards from years past:

For more images and active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/crazy-christmas-cards.html

For more appropriate Amy E. Fraser holiday cards and gift ideas go to Aefraser.com

Create a holiday to remember! Amy E. Fraser Holiday Cards are the perfect way to share blessings of times past and in the future with family and friends.
What holiday activities are more traditional than sending cards to loved ones, friends and business associates this time of year?
You can choose the perfect card! Check out these standout designs... Or choose your own design from AEFraser.com. Personalize your holiday cards with a special greeting. Remind everyone that you're thinking of them with unique innovative Fine Art Cards.
Shop the entire Amy E. Fraser Art collection for more gift ideas to make your holiday the best ever! Christmas only comes once a year! So deck the halls and spread good cheer by sending Holiday cards and gifts to friends and relatives.
If you are stuck on a greeting, try one of these short and simple greetings:
Happy Holidays!
Enjoy the Holidays!
Warmest Thoughts and Best Wishes!
Joy! Joy! Joy!
Merry Christmas!
Merry & Bright!
Happy New Year!
Baby, it’s Cold Outside!
Our Warmest Wishes!
Love, Peace and Joy!
Shine Bright this Holiday Season!
All the Best for a Joyful Season!
Cheers to a New Year!
For more Amy E. Fraser art cards and gift ideas go to Aefraser.com
For Card Examples and active links visit: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/holiday-cards.html

Once upon a time in New York City a 17 year old, small town country girl had a very crazy summer. By day she attended a prestigious summer art program at Parsons School of Design...
By night she and the other naughty summer program children went on amazing adventures. The only rule for school was that you had to make it back to the 12th street NYU dorm (Loeb Hall) by curfew. If you did not, parents received a call, bad boys and girls were kicked out of the program and sent back home. There was a 24-hour security desk where you needed card access to get into the building and the safety of your dorm room. All of the students were required to sign the log and the high school age children at the Parsons Summer programs were under strict curfew.
So of course, teenage mentality determined that the "logical" work around was to stay out all night and sneak back into the dorm during the changing of the guard. That meant me and that adorable young lady above spent a few scary nights wandering the city streets until dawn, or passing out on park benches when we were too exhausted from running away from scary weirdo's. In between the giggles, stupidity, stark fear, and clubbing, there was the occasional photo shoot. The photo shoot in this example involved a monkey. My friend was a budding photographer and that meant that we would go out hunting for interesting city moments to capture. Obviously I volunteered to be her scantily clad model. By the way, she grew up to be a world renowned sculptor and photographer.
Just so you know, looking back from a mother's perspective, if those young ladies were my children I would have grounded them for life! What we did was incredibly naïve and irresponsible. We were lucky to have made it through that summer alive. So if you are reading this son, do as I say! Not as I've done. Ok then, that's all for Monkey Business, just randomly sharing...
What? Some fabulous writer out there is going to need these delightful tidbits to add fluff to my artist biography someday. I mean I did promise people I’d be famous. There’s still time... I hear Old Ladies have replaced hot young male artists as the new "Darlings" of the art scene. I'm prepping early for my big Re-Entrance! Best of luck to you and your life adventures, remember, you are never too old to be Fabulous!

For more images and active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/monkey-business.html

Every Artist needs a good origin story. Your tale is what makes you, you. Your life from beginning to end, influences your art. As it should. Because if we are good at our craft, we tap into those emotions and incorporate them into our work in ways that make our viewers feel what we have felt. This involves the dreaded skill of “introspection”, the ability to perform an honest self examination of one’s own feelings, thoughts, and motives. It’s difficult, human’s aren’t pretty, and feelings are gross and messy. Life experiences always involve emotion. Where we come from and how we grew up, shape the core of who we are, how we see the world. How we imagine others see us. We carry within us all of the joys, successes, heartaches, trials and tribulations of our formative years.
It used to be that the world was a smaller place, people were prone to staying in the towns where they grew up, as their parents did, and their parents before them. From the moment you were born, you were judged, labeled and categorized, not on your own deeds, but those of your forefathers. Your life was limited by your family name and history, financial and social status and all of those other random factors, binding us at birth. This is still true today of course, but now the judgments of others are quieter, much more politically correct. And if that doesn’t work, you could always move away and reinvent yourself?

So what were my “Humble Beginnings?” I was born to a couple of kids who got married right out of high school. My mother was 20, and my father 21 when I was born. We lived in a small trailer, parked on the edge of my grandfather’s sheep pasture, in Norwich, Vermont. I do not remember much about my early years, but I did grow up understanding that even though my homes changed and financial standing increased over the years, many people of our small town would always view me as a poor kid, stereotypically low class, branded as “trailer trash”. I believe that while I didn’t understand class and social structures then, that I did form an understanding of my place within society and knew I was considered less than. And yes, this does in fact form a chip on one’s shoulder, if you let it. There is more to the origin story, obviously, but I’ll save all of that juicy dark drama for the Biography.

In summation dear reader, the point I was attempting to make is that I believe we should celebrate our origins, no matter how humble our beginnings. We should not deny our experiences, because they made us who we are today. You don’t have to put up a plaque next to your elite college degrees that states you were once considered Trailer Trash, but you could. Who doesn’t love a good Underdog Story? You are not what other people label you. You decide the course your life takes. You are responsible for your future and how you shape yourself, not your friends, parents, or grandparents. You get to decide who you are. Be proud to be you! All of those people who would judge you are self loathing losers, don’t let them rain on your parade. Just be true to yourself and let the haters hate. You will be the one winning it in the end!

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

For more images and active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/humble-beginnings.html

In my last post I discussed creating Art for a Cause as in the example of the United Way Poster Winner. Another way in which Artist's are often asked to make a difference is through donations of our work to fundraising auctions. I have been honored to participate in many worthy charities over the years but one of my favorite creations for a cause was The Exalted Beauty Loon for David's House:
The Exalted Beauty Loon by Amy E. Fraser
The Exalted Beauty Loon is a hand painted wooden loon decoy by Amy E. Fraser. Painted in luminous metallic glazes in warm shades of antique copper, bronze, and gold, this intricately decorated Exalted Beauty Loon was created for a fine art auction fundraiser featuring local Vermont and New Hampshire artists in support of David’s House.

“David’s House is the dream of a little boy named David Cyr who passed away at age five after a three-and-a-half-year struggle against acute lymphatic leukemia. Built so that families can remain together when it is most crucial, David’s House provides a home-away-from-home and support for families with children receiving treatment through the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.” Learn more at: davids-house.org

The Exalted Beauty Loon is designed and hand painted by Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

In my recent post “Young Art Entrepreneur” I discussed how I officially started my first art business at 17 years old, however, what I didn’t mention was that I had already had a long and illustrious career as a famed local artist. Well, perhaps I alluded to that in my “Artist Biography 2010” and maybe also when I shared the award winning Bear With Me Logo from Kindergarten in “Artist Biography Advice”… Did I also mention that Artist’s often have large Egos and an over inflated sense of Self Importance? Yeah, that sort of thing happens to geniuses, it’s rough. Anyway, some Egomaniacs manage positive impact with their art, as was the case with my First Place United Way Poster from 1986 (age 13). Here is a look at it from a newspaper I found while touring memory lane with my son this past Thanksgiving break.

It looks like I had very strong opinions about eighty’s excess and shared this through (hopefully good humored) sarcasm. The question that appears on the top of the poster is “Is this you?” The poster then illustrates a wide variety of vain and opulent characters drowning in loads of money and proceeds to ask “Don’t you think you could give us a – (hand)“ word ending next to the United Way Hand. So perhaps not expertly executed, but well intended. This is one of my early thought provoking concept pieces meant to cause shock, discomfort and get a reaction. It was the beginning of Amy E. Fraser’s Awareness Art as my friend Laurel so cleverly labeled it. This was art for a cause, art with meaning and intent, art meant to make a difference… because art can be a powerful tool for healing and change if used wisely.

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com


Granite United Way is a nonprofit organization that makes strategic investments in our community that help others Learn, Earn and Be Healthy. Our impact covers more than 80% of New Hampshire and Windsor County, Vermont.

Granite United Way has the expertise, trust, and scope to bring together stakeholders like local nonprofits, government, businesses, private foundations, and volunteers with the common goal of delivering total community impact.

Granite United Way believes that every one of us has the power to be a change agent. We are committed to removing barriers and creating opportunities for people to make a positive impact in our community. We are more than a fundraiser, we are partners in change, working with a broad range of people and organizations to identify and resolve pressing community issues.

Granite United Way's commitment to transparency and efficiency has been recognized at the national level and of the highest accolade, by both Charity Navigator and GuideStar, organizations that ensure charities are held to standards of excellence.

We work closely with volunteer leadership to invest donor dollars to help our community Learn, Earn and Be Healthy. By focusing on these investment initiatives, we are helping people in new and strategic ways. Great things happen when we Live United.

Give. Advocate. Volunteer. LIVE UNITED. Learn more about Granite United Way

For more images and active links go to: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/12/united-way-poster-winner.html

Many fascinating discussions have happened over the years with my best friend, we met when I moved to New York City in 1992 and have remained close ever since. She is a deep thinker with very specific opinions on pretty much everything. She is a leader, a trendsetter and against all things mainstream. This is a woman who knows who she is, what she wants and what she’s talking about. She’s always been this way. I’m not saying we agree on everything, we don’t. I’m also a woman of strong opinions. But when it comes to asking her for advice, I know she will have a definitive answer. When it comes to her thoughts on social media, she believes one can not maintain an audience unless they become someone the audience will envy and want to emulate.
Unfortunately for you dear reader, I’m probably not that person. My exploits on social media started in 2000. I’ve been making mistakes publicly ever since. I was naive and didn’t have a plan when I started dabbling on the internet. I, like most people then, did not have a concept of what the internet would become. We had no idea the impact of the medium or how far reaching our words and images would go. Without fully realizing it, the world (well beyond our friends and family), was invited into our personal lives. I know I shared my wedding, the birth of my child, they watched him grow up, they saw his first days of school, class projects, holidays, Halloween costumes... all of it. It was happening in real time through my blog, Facebook and website.
So while you should not follow my path, I can now offer you the wisdom of decades of experience. In typical Mom fashion I suggest you do as I say, not as I’ve done. I’m older and wiser now. I can tell you that my best friends advice is key for you up and coming social media mavens. FYI. The credentials of best friend? Not only is she gorgeous, ageless and perfect in every way, she was also a trend setter for a popular New York fashion magazine for many years and a fashion stylist to the stars. She is currently wealthy, living comfortably in the country, raising two beautiful babies, running a successful property management company on the side and still practicing her lifelong discipline of ballet. She's Amazing. So listen to her! Figure out your brand before you begin your entrance into Social Media. A business plan is a very good idea. Know your market, your end goal, and then, only then, when you have all your ducks in a row, are you ready to launch yourself into the social media sphere. Remember, Be Authentic but also Be Someone They Can Envy! The followers will follow. Good luck!

When I was a 17 year old senior in high school (back in 1991) I worked nights at a dance club (yes, with parental consent). The club/bar was called Scruples. There, a fellow waitress introduced me to her artist boyfriend, Aaron Fitzherbert. Aaron, a recent graduate from art college was looking to start an art business and asked if I would be interested. We became partners in a t-shirt business, focusing on the Zodiac for our image concept. Aaron designed one half of the Zodiac images and I the other. He taught me the skills needed to create a hand crafted t-shirt design. We didn't have print on demand back then, so I learned the process of silk screening and how to use an air brush. The final Zodiac drawings were silk screened onto the t-shirts in black ink and we custom painted each one with their own unique color combinations and details. We sold a crazy amount of t-shirts, between our friends and family, the people at the club, word of mouth traveled, everyone had to have one! It was super exciting! We even participated in a number of local craft fairs and had quite a bit of success with that as well. It was an amazing educational experience for a budding art entrepreneur. It was also a major boost to my self confidence and set the tone for receiving monetary compensation for my artwork from that day forward. Our t-shirt business concluded when I went to New York City for school but I took my newly developed business acumen with me and continued to make a profit from art sales while in college. That however is another night club setting, and story for another post. This (photo) is me (age 17-18) selling our Zodiac t-shirts at one of the craft fairs.
So that ladies and gentleman was my Art Marketing and Sales origin story. Hope your taking notes! I’m kidding! Found this picture while giving my son a photographic tour down memory lane today. I’m pretty sure he was horrified by most of it, but who can explain the complete and total awesomeness of the late 80’s early 90’s. Not me. Hope you all are enjoying your family this holiday! Happy Thanksgiving!
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com
PS. Aaron if you ever come across this post, my older, much nicer self would like to say Sorry and Thank You for putting up with me and my obnoxious girlfriends. We were total brats! You were a brave and kind young man :)

Exalted Beauty Medallion Portraits of Amy E. Fraser
These rather humorous "Selfie" photos were taken before I had a phone camera, so we get to call them serious Fine Art Portraits. These were created intentionally for the purpose of Exalted Beauty Medallion Art Marketing, expanding the Artist Brand, insuring the Name/Face/Brand recognition and the all time favorite, letting the customer get to know You, because remember kids, patrons are buying You the Artist!
These Exalted Beauty Medallion self portraits were created for and posted on the Exalted Beauty blog at the completion of each medallion collection. The Exalted Beauty Medallion catalogs provided the extreme close up of the individual pieces, but the portraits provided an example for the customers to visualize how the medallion would actually look on. Besides, my medallion ladies used to get a kick out of me playing dress up, it gave them something to pick on me about, providing a laugh, and yes loosening those wallets.
Best of luck to you and your Art Marketing endeavors! Feel free to share your trials and tribulations in the Art Biz. I look forward to hearing from you!
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

Scanography also referred to as scanner photography, is the process of capturing digitized images of objects for the purpose of creating printable art using a flatbed "photo" scanner. Fine art scanography differs from traditional document scanning by using atypical objects, often three-dimensional. Scanography is the physical process of arranging objects on a glass platen to capture an image, similar in quality to large format photography. The process records extremely fine detail with a rather shallow depth of field and produces a high quality digital file. The most common use for Scanography is as a specialized tool for macro photography. For example, in the way in which I used the scanner to photograph individual Exalted Beauty Medallions. The purpose in this example was to provide the most accurate presentation of the product for online sales. Another common, more artistic use of Scanography is to capture collages of objects. The objects are arranged upside down on the scanner bed, and then captured. Often this process involves numerous adjustments before the desired image is achieved. Here are some favorite examples of my Exalted Beauty Medallion Scanography:

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

Here is my Artist Statement from 2001:

The focus of my work is to celebrate, inspire and empower women. Through my works, I attempt to redefine Western femininity by reinterpreting and revitalizing aspects of female embodiment to give them new positive meaning. My philosophical outlook is Feminist/Humanist/Womanist. I emphasize the personal worth of the individual through her beauty, intellect, strength, emotional, instinctual and intuitive qualities, as the central importance of human values, as opposed to specific religious or cultural beliefs. Through my images I create a new dialogue about female sexuality, reproduction and self worth. The figures are iconographic, representing an all inclusive, universal woman. My work contains a wealth of information about feminism, women's issues, health, psychology, history, legend, myth and spiritual beliefs, all of which have been interpreted by and created from the perspective of a female artist in the 21st century. However, this said, I feel the impact and intention of my art is reduced by being spoken -- what my art expresses cannot be translated into mere words.

Here is a description of my Materials and Methods from 2004:
The paintings shown on AEFraser.com are accomplished with Acrylic Paint on Masonite. I use a unique, time-consuming paint process to create my signature painting style. On average, I put 100 or more hours into each image from the time of conception to completion, regardless of the final painting size.
I begin with a sketch that I often rework with use of a computer. Once the drawing process is complete, the image is transferred to a comparably shaped Masonite board. Each Masonite board is prepared with three or more coats of gesso, protecting the final image from chemicals used in the board's production. The under painting begins with solid areas of color and line work in opaque acrylic paint. At this point, I begin to form an idea of where I am going to go with color. Paper and pour polyurethane are sometimes included in the under painting process. The luminous effect seen in my paintings is created by applying dozens of individual layers of acrylic glaze over solid layers of base color. Each layer of glaze must dry before the next can be applied to assure the color's purity. Our eyes mix the colors to create hues, with an added benefit of the color changing in various types of light. Because of this layering process, the image surface has both physical and visual depth. I premix all of the glaze colors before I start a painting and store them in separate containers. I do not use a traditional artists palette or butcher pan for my paints. I use a wide range of brush shapes and brush sizes in addition to various sponges and rollers. The brilliant, luminescent colors are created by layering individual transparent colors one at a time on top of one other. The more layers, the deeper, darker or more intense the shade becomes. Each painting is completed with a layer of matte finish to reduce the glare of the glazes, making the image easier to see from any angle as well as easier to photograph.
Why have I shared the secrets of my "Materials and Methods"? I want people who purchase a painting to be assured of the high quality of work, time and material that goes into each unique piece. Secondly, the question of how my works are created is frequently asked and I see no real reason not to answer it. Many artists fear that revealing their 'secret' painting techniques will inspire copy artists to recreate their work. I am not concerned with that particular issue, as I tend to believe that most people would not be willing to devote the time and effort that my technique requires.

Here is the Amy E. Fraser Artist Biography from 2010:


AMY E. FRASER
FINE ARTIST: Acrylic Painter and Polymer Jewelry Sculptor

Born in Lebanon, NH, 1973, Amy E. Fraser came into this world knowing that she was an Artist. Before she could talk or walk she was creating art. Her entire childhood is chronicled by which drawing, painting, sculpture, sewing or photography project she was working on at the time. While she briefly entertained fantasies about becoming a ballerina, a veterinarian and a super model, there was never any real question about her true identity and destiny as an Artist.

At age 14, Amy enrolled in her first college level art course at Vermont Community College. In high school, she consumed every available art class, from drafting to photography and everything in-between, including turning all of her *serious* classes into opportunities for more art. Also, enrolling in various summer art courses through out the Upper Valley, with a temporary focus on interior design, she expanded upon her high school art education. However, she soon discovered the amount of math involved in interior design and quickly changed her career focus. After graduating from Lebanon High School in 1991, she spent a summer in New York City attending Parsons School of Design, then took the following year off to work and continued on to Parsons where she obtained her Batchelor Degree in Fine Arts in 1997. After which, Amy returned home to NH to obtain her Masters Degree in Liberal Studies from Dartmouth College in 2000.

Since graduating from Dartmouth, Amy E. Fraser has had a number of solo exhibitions, including: “CONFRONTING FEMININITY” at Gallery Alexie, in NYC in 2001, “CELEBRATING WOMANHOOD,” at Dartmouth Hitchcock’s Women’s Health Resource Center in Lebanon, NH, in 2003 and “WILDFLOWER MEADOW” at AVA Gallery, in Lebanon, NH in 2009. She has had additional solo exhibitions in alternative art spaces including “THE FLORAL COLLECTION” at The Ranch in Lebanon, NH, 2006-8, and “THE WILDFLOWER COLLECTION” at The Razzberry Kiss in Hanover, NH, 2006-7. Amy has also participated in a wide variety of group exhibitions in galleries across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont and New Hampshire since 2002, as an individual artist and as an active member of The National Association of Women Artists.

Amy E. Fraser’s work is currently represented by NURTUREart Gallery (NYC), Artists Space Gallery (NYC), the N.A.W.A. Fifth Avenue Gallery (NYC), AVA Gallery and Art Center (Lebanon, NH) and was previously represented by Gallery Alexie, Stephen Gang Galleries, Inc (NYC). She is an elected artist member of The National Association Of Women Artists, Inc. (NYC) as well as an artist member of The National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington, D.C.). Amy received the Beatrice Jackson Memorial Award in 2004 (N.A.W.A.) and was awarded the Alumni Council of the Master of Arts and Liberal Studies Program Grant by Dartmouth College in 2000. Amy’s award winning painting “Expectations” was archived at the Smithsonian, Archives of American Art (Washington, D.C.) in 2005. Portfolios of her work have been preserved in The National Museum Of Women In The Arts (Washington, D.C.) and MAKE, The Organization For Women In The Arts (London, England), available for public viewing since 2002.

Amy’s paintings and writing have been published in “Spiral Dance News, Unfolding The Femi9 Woman” in 2004, “Her Living Mosaic” in 2003, The MALS Quarterly (Dartmouth College) in 2001, and in her Dartmouth College Thesis entitled “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist: An Artist’s Dialogue” in 2000. Since 2006 Amy’s line of one of a kind hand sculpted polymer jewelry, The Exalted Beauty Medallions have been published in “Jewelry Crafts Magazine”, “Bead Arts”, “Jewelryzine”, “Daily Art Muse”, “Polymer Clay Notes” and “Bell Armoire” Magazine. Amy has participated in a number of collaborative jewelry efforts, including designs with Miachelle DePiano from Cosmopolitan Accessories and Cyndi Lavin from Mazel Tov! Jewelry Treasures. Over 2,000 of Amy’s Exalted Beauty Medallions have been sold on-line, at private parties, at upscale jewelry retailers and art galleries such as Fine Facets (San Francisco, CA), AVA Gallery and Art Center (Lebanon NH), Wolfeboro Casuals (Wolfeboro, NH) and The Razzberry Kiss (Hanover, NH).

Amy E. Fraser is blissfully married to Jody Perkins, and the proud mother of a very wild (but extremely charming) 6 year-old son, Caden. She and her husband recently built their home on a beautiful mountainside in Meriden, NH, where, before even unpacking, her first act of nesting was to plant an enormous wildflower meadow which she continues to expand upon each spring. Moving back to the country has ignited Amy’s interest in floral/botanical painting. Especially now that the view from her light filled studio is of the long meandering stone path she built in the meadow, with a stunning backdrop of Mount Ascutney. Amy’s artwork expresses her passion for flowers, nature and life through color, line and texture.

Anguish is an expressive painting by Amy E. Fraser depicting a young woman who is symbolically caged in her bed due to the severe pain of Endometriosis...

Visit the official Amy E. Fraser Art Blog to read more, see images and click on active links.

Examples of Expressive Female Portraits by Amy E. Fraser. These paintings (some displayed previously in the post "Self Portrait Paintings") are completed in an emotive painterly Expressionistic style in order to evoke the mood described in each title...

Visit the official Amy E. Fraser Art Blog to read more, see images and click on active links.

The ancients believed the world was composed of four basic elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The four elements were the critical energy forces that sustained life as integral parts of matter and the physical universe. The four Elementals were considered to be the primary spirits responsible for tending to all of the forces of nature. The ancients believed the Elementals were the physical explanation of the universe. Here is my vision of the Elementals Earth, Air, Fire and Water...

Visit the official Amy E. Fraser Art Blog to read more, see images and click on active links.

Thank you invisible Pinterest audience for enjoying my Floral Icons! Sometimes I wonder if maybe people might be getting sick of my beloved therapeutic Flower Doodles. But today, I wonder not. You fabulous pen and ink flora fans encourage me to keep on drawing! Floral Icon 87 was posted on Monday, so far this botanical beauty has made 4,500 impressions.

Floral Icons are bold, imaginative, one of a kind flower drawings inspired by flora from around the world, influenced by numerous cultures, infused with the traditional, resulting in motifs uniquely modern.

Floral Icons are ideal for those breath taking black and white spaces! Both Classic and Modern, the Floral Icons create elegant wall art groupings, striking throw pillows and sophisticated shower curtains!

Hand drawn in pen and ink by Amy E. Fraser. All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

Want to see the rest of the Floral Icons? Go HERE
For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

Beltane is a positive concept piece created near the end of the Van Psycho Period. It depicts a celebratory moment, still using the linear expressive brush strokes in high key colors, but now in a slightly more mellow fashion indicating warm and cool, light and shadow. In this scenario the color is not intended to disturb the eye but to call attention to the varying story aspects of the composition.
Beltane by Amy E. Fraser is part of a series of Pagan celebration paintings created for a Thesis project at Parsons.
This Beltane painting was inspired by Vivianne Crowley’s description “At Beltane or Bright Fire on May Eve, fires were lit on hills all over the land to symbolize the waxing power of the Sun. Cattle were blessed and driven through the fire to clean their hides of ticks and the people would dance deosil round the fire.” ---Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Millennium
Wiki Defines Beltane as “one of four Gaelic seasonal festivals: Samhain (~1 November), Imbolc (~1 February), Beltane (~1 May), and Lughnasadh (~1 August). Beltane marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when livestock were driven out to the summer pastures. Rituals were held at that time to protect them from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the "symbolic use of fire". There were also rituals to protect crops, dairy products and people, and to encourage growth. The aos sí (often referred to as spirits or fairies) were thought to be especially active at Beltane (as at Samhain) and the goal of many Beltane rituals was to appease them. Most scholars see the aos sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits. Beltane was a "spring time festival of optimism" during which "fertility ritual again was important, perhaps connecting with the waxing power of the sun".
Acrylic on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1992-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved. For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

The Gynecologist is another jarring example from the Van Psycho Period. In this piece we find ourselves viewing the doctor from between the legs of the subject, in an attempt to place the viewer in the same jeopardy. The colors are loud, harsh and grating, working the subconscious of the viewer, creating discomfort and distaste. An image intended to shock and disturb, to make the viewer think.
The Gynecologist by Amy E. Fraser
The Gynecologist was the last thing she saw before it all went dark.
This is a painting illustrating a young woman's fear during a laparoscopic surgery. A laparoscopy is a conservative, same day surgery. The surgeon uses a knife, heat, or a laser to remove as much of the endometrial tissue as possible from the organs (such as the ovaries, bladder, fallopian tubes, and rectum) but preserves the reproductive organs.
At the time of this painting's creation little was known about Endometriosis. It was an extremely frightening concept for a young woman in her twenties to deal with.
Much has changed since then thanks to amazing organizations like the Endometriosis Research Center. In addition to providing support and awareness, the ERC also honors "young people with Endometriosis ages 25 and under through our "Girl Talk" Program, a specific support and education program tailored to meet the needs of young women and adolescents who have, or think they may have, the disease. In addition to providing patient advocacy and education, Girl Talk raises awareness about endometriosis in adolescents and strives to improve patient care among practitioners offering healthcare services to young women." To learn more about Endometriosis and how you can help, please go to: www.endocenter.org
Acrylic on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1992-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

Baby Remembers is a classic example from the Van Psycho Period. It is a heart wrenching moment of child abuse, fear and memory.

Bad Mama is getting angry again. Her day must not have gone well, the modeling jobs have stopped since Baby was born. The men just aren’t looking at Mama the same way. She stopped receiving “gifts” and now her rent is due and not a single one of those jerks is offering to pay. It’s all Baby’s fault... It’s ALL BABY'S FAULT!!! Pretty Nice Mama left when the men left. When Baby and Mama are alone, only Bad Mama exists. Bad Mama is Pure Violent Rage. Baby is all grown up now, but every once and awhile her heart skips a beat and she shudders in terror. Baby Remembers.

"Children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. It’s a widespread war against our children that we have the power to stop, and understanding the issue is the first step. Just how bad is the issue of child abuse in the United States?
Every year more than 3.6 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children (a referral can include multiple children).
The United States has one of the worst records among industrialized nations – losing on average between four and seven children every day to child abuse and neglect.
A report of child abuse is made every ten seconds. Yearly, referrals to state child protective services involve 6.6 million children, and around 3.2 million of those children are subject to an investigated report."
To learn more about child abuse and how you can help, please visit: www.childhelp.org

Acrylic on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1992-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

The Van Psycho Period (as I am now calling it) is a brief segment of my personal art history or "Style". The works I created during this time displayed intense psychedelic colors, in combination with distorted and exaggerated shapes. The shapes were accentuated with strong definitive brushstrokes in a linear contour, creating both texture and movement. Some suggested that these works were influenced by Van Gogh, but there is also an influence from the Expressionists as well as the primitive carvings of ancient Africa. Most of the subject matter painted during this time was shocking, frightening and deeply disturbing.

Mother and Child. A painting from the African Period. It is a portrait of a starving African woman and her baby in a desolate setting. The woman and her child are ghost-like in their shades of cold blues against the roughly textured hot, dry, gold and browns. Acrylic on Canvas by Amy E. Fraser (1992-97). All images copyright Amy E. Fraser. All rights reserved.

"In sub-Saharan Africa, a shocking 28 million children are experiencing stunted growth due to malnutrition. Stunting prevents children from developing to their full potential mentally and physically, and it is largely irreversible.
Stunting is not the only form of malnutrition that affects children. Children who have severe acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of extreme hunger, can succumb to the disease in just a few days. Children who die in this way suffer immensely as their vital organ functions slow down and eventually stop.
It doesn’t have to be this way for children in Africa, but we need your help now." ---SaveTheChildren.org

For more Amy E. Fraser art and information go to Aefraser.com

Picasso had his African Period and apparently so did I. Mine wasn't exactly a trail blazing art event in world history like our famous "Genius Of The Century" but my African Period is still one of my favorites. When I was in high school me and my bestie used to dream of joining the Peace Corps, escaping to Africa and changing the world. I ended up going to art school instead but Africa still had a strong hold on my soul. So I painted about it. Here are some paintings from my African Period in the early 90’s:
Photo - Origin by Amy E. Fraser
Photo - Dancing Tree Spirit by Amy E. Fraser
Photo - Mother and Child by Amy E. Fraser
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/the-african-period.html
Read more about Picasso's African Period on Wiki and PabloPicasso.org
To learn more about Amy and these works from her art school days, go to Aefraser.com

In my post Feed The GOAT. I suggested choosing aspects from numerous artists to emulate. Remember the famous Pablo Picasso quote? "Good artists borrow. Great artists steal!" Ahhh, be careful about where you get your inspiration and how strongly you are influenced by it. I’m saying this from experience! I love H R Giger, he was steampunk before steampunk was a thing. A surrealist, a true visionary, and hello, Alien! That said, his work could be considered sexist and demeaning to women. Despite that, in my early twenties I was mildly obsessed with his baby imagery and was compelled to re-envision his visual dialogue using a similar baby pattern in my own work. (Obviously in what I believed was a more "feminist" context). Here is an example of how I was Overly Influenced by H R Giger:

Hatchery by Amy E. Fraser / Acrylic Paint on Masonite 2000 /

During the opening of my first NYC Chelsea Gallery Art Exhibition, H R Giger's agent happened to show up and commented on the similarity. Omg. The embarrassment. This was a serious Oh Shit I can’t believe I let that happen moment. During the conceptualization and creation of the Hatchery painting I had no idea that my inspiration was so apparent. However, lesson learned. Maybe the general public wouldn't have made the connection? I couldn't say, but whatever the case, I have been extremely conscious ever since. My humble advice, be a fan of many, study your art history, and always check your end result. You never know who your viewer will be. Do not assume you are the only one familiar with who you are Inspired by. Be aware. Be original. Be the greatest you of all time!
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/overly-influenced.html
Photo
This is me and the fabulous Jen F. in front of Hatchery
To learn more about Amy go to Aefraser.com

Goats are awesome. I’ve loved goats since I was a kid, and now seemed like as good a time as any for a gratuitous cleavage shot. My husband took this photo, apparently I live up to his nickname "June Cleavage". Anyway... the GOAT I’m actually referring to is a common phrase at our house, usually spoken with god like reverence about Tom Brady. I don’t do sports so I had to ask what GOAT meant. Greatest Of All Time. I think everyone has the potential for GOATness. When I first went to Dartmouth one of my studio art professors asked who was my favorite artist? I said, I am. He stood aghast, jaw slamming the floor, unable to recover from my arrogant response. What I actually meant to say was, that while I love so many amazing artists, I refuse to emulate any one artist in particular. Therefore, No Favorites. Choosing a little of this and that from the greats and then combing that knowledge into your own art is the basis of creating your own vision. Discovering what appeals to you is discovering who you are. Your preferences form your personality and eventually your Artist Identity. Knowing who you are is the most important aspect of developing an Artist Style or Artist Brand. Be your own favorite artist and love what you make. Do it for you! Because if you don’t love you, no one else will. Find your inner voice and be the Greatest Of All Time!

To learn more about Amy go to Aefraser.com

Just for fun I thought I'd share some early work, created when I was 15 years old (AEF Circa 1988):

English Garden Stroll by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)
Lady by the Lake by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)
Moonlit View by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)
Oceanside Thoughts by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)
Paradise Window by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)
Pink Cliff Bay by Amy E. Fraser (1988 Age 15)

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/aef-circa-1988.html

These are obviously So Amazing! Lol! But in all seriousness, I do see the beginning of the Artist Brand and possibly the root of an Artist Style. There are even themes in play here of flora, fauna and femininity that will repeat off and on throughout my works for the next 30 years, and in all likelihood, continue beyond. And What? Look in the bottom right hand corner, there is the first emergence of the AEF icon!
So crazy to see these paintings again. My step father recently cleaned out his storage and brought these back to me. I had completely forgotten about the paintings, even though they had been part of my childhood bedroom/art studio décor for years. What a bizarre sensation it is to review my own past works. It is difficult not to view these paintings from the perspective of a mother whose son is currently a sophomore in high school, same as I was when these were painted. Kind of mind blowing!
Reminiscing aside, I am still thinking about how to structure The Legend of Hare Terra website, and now leaning toward setting the work deadline to begin in the New Year. One, I work better with self imposed deadlines and two, I have a thing about New Year, New Projects. Also I still have a ton of art to edit for other collections on AEFraser.com. Obviously I've been procrastinating. Editing is terribly boring... which may explain the recent uptick in my blog activity.
That, and perhaps I'll share that I have been intensely reviewing art marketing research over the past few months, investigating the marketing success and failure of my peers. From their accumulative experiences I have confirmed that posting daily on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook is extremely time consuming and NOT leading to direct sales. This goes back to the one consistent, the Patron is buying You the Artist, not just the Art. Slamming randos over the head with quick social media blips is not going to invite anyone to get to know you. What is? The best option for future customers to get to know you online, is a blog. I did not appreciate the full impact my former Exalted Beauty blog had until I ignored it and eventually deleted it.
So here I am, starting blog-fresh. Instead of sweating it out in the social media trenches, I will invest my "Marketing" time here, happily rambling away at my own pace. I've never been into art for the business aspect, and at this point in my life I have no real need for the hustle. If sharing somewhat indiscriminate art discussions and the casual release of random facts, while pondering over Artist Brand, Artist Biographies and the occasional sharing of Too Much Information is what you are interested in, then I'm your gal! I'm thrilled to have you here with me to participate in this journey! Thank you for joining me. You know what they say, "Sharing is Caring!"

Bear With Me, by Amy E. Fraser (Age 5, 1979)

Here’s me in first grade, modeling my award winning Bear With Me T-shirt design. From what I remember this super amazing bear drawing won first place in our school competition, beating out all of the other students, grades 1-6. Not that you can tell from my bored expression but this was a pretty exciting accomplishment for a five year old and it probably set in stone my one and only career choice of *Artist*. You might say the Amy E. Fraser Artist Brand originated in this moment (lol). These sorts of accolades and awards continued for me throughout grade school and high school. Thanks to the support and encouragement of my step father I was also able to supplement my art education with college art courses throughout high school and was chosen to participate in numerous art electives like glass blowing and interior design. All of which played a part in my acceptance to Parsons School of Design. This sounds like a big deal for a small town country girl. And it was, Parsons is an elite art school (ranked #1 for Art and Design in the USA and #2 in the world), the Ego was certainly a thing… But oh let me tell you! The first day of orientation I received a serious reality check. All of us are sitting in the packed theater sweating our butts off (but still affecting our best art school airs) when the speaker says something along the lines of “each and every one of you was voted Most Artistic in your class, your school, maybe even your town, but get over it because now you are just one small fish in a giant sea of artists of your caliber or better”. Ouch. Bye Ego. Rewind, rethink, deflate, rebuild.
The moral of today’s art story? Trim down your Artist Biography! Please don’t take this the wrong way because trust me, I’ve made this mistake as well. But I’ve recently been reading your biographies and some of you sound like you think your pretty special... The reality is that no one cares that you have been an artist since birth, or that you won every art award at the county fair. That is not original or unique, and quite frankly it is similar for most of us who call ourselves Artists. Don’t bore your future patrons or gallery prospects with the same old, been there, heard that artist tale. Wow them with something truly distinctive to just you. Be Authentic, but never Ordinary! This is tough love, and I’m sorry if it is painful to hear, but someone had to tell you.
When in doubt, always remind yourself of the immortal words spoken by my favorite art school drag queen “Oh Honey, Calm Down, We Are All Fabulous Here!”

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/artist-biography-advice.html

The phrase Artist Brand is currently applied in marketing circles as a known entity, an idea now as commonplace as social media itself. Experts say you need to know your Artist Brand straight out of the cradle. The pressure is on, patrons are buying You the Artist, your Brand, so one must create their own unique Brand in order to have a long and successful career. Artists everywhere are panicking, grasping away at this fleeting, intangible concept, trying desperately to burn their mark into history. OMG! My Brand! I need one or I'll fade out of existence. But do we really even know what the Artist Brand is? To me it is the Artist's entire package, who you are, what you create, why you create it and how you do it. It's your personal philosophy, personality and your story. The Artist Brand is what makes you, you, those elusive qualities combined in a way that makes the viewer recognize your art, as your art. It is your voice, the soul, the essence of the work, the way your art makes someone else feel. Other aspects of the Artist Brand might include a recognizable Artist signature, style, logo, color palette, as well as a level of consistency and quality. Your brand might include specific subject matter or location. But really, your Artist Brand is a magical undefined thing that makes you stand out from all of the other artists doing exactly what you do. My personal Artist Brand has evolved over the decades and become more or less defined depending on my direction and motivation of the time. One aspect of my Artist Brand that I designed in 2004 was this AEF Logo:


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/artist-brand.html

I continue to incorporate a variation of this AEF logo into my works in place of a traditional artist signature today. I still feel strongly about its power to aid in my personal Artist Brand recognition, keeping in mind that it is always included as a conscious part of each design, unlike many artist’s signatures that are splattered like after thoughts or simply just not included. My art matters to me, my authorship matters, because after all, the patrons are not only buying the art, but also You the Artist. This AEF signature was designed when I first started marketing the Exalted Beauty Medallions. Back then, before the prevalence of social media, I belonged to a small online community of artists whose advice and grasp of the Artist Brand were way ahead of its time. So in my way, I am paying it forward, by sharing my experiences on this blog. Here is a look at my business card from the same time period:

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/artist-brand.html

With the evolution of my work focusing more toward the Exalted Beauty Medallions, I redesigned the AEFraser.com website to match. You may want a refresher of the first version seen here in “Self As Web Icon”. That’s what the experts call Re-Branding ladies and gentleman. It will happen to you as well, I’m sure. So while you are absolutely allowed to grow and change as an artist, stay true to yourself. "Be Authentic". Identify your message, meaning and intent and execute it. And most commonly recommended (although not followed by me personally) is, find your niche. Please research the concept of Artist Brand further on your own as I certainly am not an expert. I might add that even the experts have difficulty defining exactly what an Artist Brand is. It is definitely more than a logo design. The Artist Brand is a whole entity that needs deep contemplation and consideration, because by defining it, you are on many levels, defining yourself. There are countless articles on the Artist Brand topic and I highly recommend combining the set of "branding instructions" that work best for you. Or not, you could be anti-brand and there are plenty of articles available on that topic as well. Best of luck to you in all of your Art Marketing endeavors!

In my last post “Artist as Subject” I closed with the joking statement “Stay tuned… no menstrual blood, I promise”. However, on second thought I’ve decided to share my painting series Hysterikos from 1998, which is in fact about Menstrual Blood. Series Description: The Hysterikos series are large scale, abstract paintings expressing the inner turmoil of the Uterus. The title Hysterikos is a Greek word meaning of the womb or suffering in the womb. This series expresses the pain and strength of women suffering from Endometriosis. Acrylic on Masonite. Hand painted by Amy E. Fraser (1998). Featuring a unique painting process developed by the artist, involving layers upon layers of transparent acrylic glazes. The series title comes from the Classical Greek hysterikos, suffering in the womb, hysterical from hystera, uterus: from the notion that women are hysterical more often than men. What is Endometriosis? “Endometriosis is when the tissue that makes up the uterine lining (the lining of the womb) is present on other organs inside your body. Endometriosis is usually found in the lower abdomen, or pelvis, but can appear anywhere in the body. Women with endometriosis often have lower abdominal pain, pain with periods, or pain with sexual intercourse, and may report having a hard time getting pregnant”. (Read more about Endometriosis). Here are some paintings from the Hysterikos series:

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/hysterikos.html

The Hysterikos series is a prime example of painting “what you know”. Some of the most powerful art created derived from sharing an event or aspect that defined the artist’s existence. My intention with this series in 1998 was to create an image that became an experience, an open discussion with the viewer. The paintings were big, bold and confrontational. The series, while technically excellent, if I must say so myself, was in content, raw and personal. Not to mention, even in our enlightened age it was still a taboo topic. But in the spirit of the Feminist artists before me, I went for it. I later dedicated an entire chapter to Menstrual Blood in my book “Dissecting The Western Woman Artist; An Artist's Dialogue” so no need to pretend that I was all that shy about it.

What was the point of sharing Hysterikos and how does it relate to “Artist as Subject”? Today, in this era of over information, also known as TMI, patrons demand to know more of their Artists personal lives before they are willing to invest. But what information should you share? Are you going to be able to maintain the brand you began to develop in college in the next stages of your life? Maybe, maybe not. In my case, not so much. My confident disregard for social normality cost me a couple of art related jobs when I needed them most. I’m sharing this just in case you don’t want to figure these things out on your own. I’m offering the wisdom of my past experiences (I won’t say mistakes), in hopes that you will consider your actions and the long term perception of your work before you go all in. Always be true to yourself, honesty is everything! But keep in mind that while the practice of TMI is cathartic, it can have serious and some times negative long term consequences. However I survived, so shall you, No Regrets!
The Hysterikos series is currently available as POD at AEFraser.com

In my last post “Self As Web Icon” we discussed the notion that the "buyer is buying You the Artist, not just the Art" and how I played with this concept to design my first website in 2002. Most of us would rather create the art then sell it. For those of us who are Introverts, the idea of putting our physical self in front of what we create is completely mortifying. We wonder, why can’t it just be about the work? But what if we were what we painted? What if the Artist is the Subject? Art school advice: Paint what you know! What do you know more than your own face? The popularity of Frida Kahlo and Vincent Van Gogh’s self portraits would suggest that the sale ability of self portraiture could be a viable option. Right? I mean sure, if your beyond awesome, or really lucky! However, be real with yourself. Is the Subject, you the Artist, interesting? Are you a character? Do you have an interesting life story? What is the message you want your portrait to convey? These were the hard questions I was pondering in the early days of the Internet almost a decade before Instagram was established in 2010. I concluded that yes I would be the subject but not in a typical portrait. See for yourself. These are some paintings I created while working toward creating “Art with Meaning and Intent”. My objective was to establish Face as Brand recognition (before it was a thing-so innovative!) using the Artist as Subject and focusing on the more confrontational concept of “The Female Gaze”:

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/artist-as-subject.html

Note the above paintings are very different then the work presented in the post “Self Portrait Paintings”. (For more info on individual paintings go to my Womankind gallery on Pinterest.) While the women were created in my likeness, I was more interested in expressing the concept of The Female Gaze then in a realistic self portrait. Much has been written from numerous perspectives on the subject of The Artist’s Gaze, The Female Gaze, The White Gaze…etcetera. I highly recommend looking into the art historical, philosophical and political concepts if you are not yet familiar. Also, fair warning, the concept originated in the 70’s, has since been tossed around for the last 40 years and has now become somewhat abused in the age of social media. But that will be up to you to decide. That’s all I have for today! I am working on numerous projects behind the scenes for AEFraser.com and The Legend of Hare Terra while I contemplate and share these delicious bits of personal Art History on the blog. What? I’m multitasking! I’m letting you get to know Me the Artist and all of my deep dark thoughts. The “They” said in our world of TMI you absolutely demand it! Up next, the days between my periods and… Just Kidding! Stay tuned… no menstrual blood, I promise.

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

My son Caden’s super adorable art collection is now available! You know you love it!
Wait until you see Caden Fraser Perkins original art on stuff! It is way too cute!
Go here to see more: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/08/cadens-art.html

Discover 55 Amy E. Fraser paintings NOT featured on the Official AEFraser website! What are these mystifying and possibly forbidden images you ask? Well... let me tell you. They are paintings inspired by the world’s most powerful and mysterious subject of all, Women. If you weren’t scared off by that cheesy promo and still want to see these “secret paintings” visit Womankind by Amy E. Fraser on Pinterest.
Need a sneak preview before entering the dark cave of Femininity?
Go To: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/07/discover-secret-paintings.html
Thanks so much for playing along! Enjoy!

Well, maybe not exactly World Famous! But I was delighted to learn that my work was featured on Bread Masters again! Yay! Thank you Bread Masters!
Sourdough. Geometric Patterns. By Amy E. Fraser
Click the link to read the rest of the World Famous! post: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/07/world-famous.html

We just finished watching National Geographic's miniseries "The Hot Zone". It was really well done. I read the book when it came out and it certainly did a number on my already obsessive germ phobia. However, that said, every time they showed a close up of the Ebola Virus I ooohhhed and ahhhed! I can't help myself! I am completely fascinated by microscopic images and a huge fan Ernst Hackel's "Art Forms In Nature". To celebrate my passion for microorganisms I created Botanical Bioforms, a series of detailed pen and ink drawings illustrating imaginary organisms.
Click the link to see the complete post: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-hot-zone.html

Meet Griselda Groundhog, Fine Art America's Top Model! Just kidding, she's actually my Top Model. This pretty lady was the first sale on the new and improved AEFraser.com:
Winter Groundhog by Amy E. Fraser
Thank you New Jersey! Excellent choice! Griselda and I appreciate your great taste. We'd like to mention that she has other work available for your collection, like this majestic pose with wild purple lupine:
Watchful Groundhog by Amy E. Fraser
Or this super adorable pen and ink portrait:
Woodchuck by Amy E. Fraser
Griselda Groundhog was so elated with her title as Top Model she wanted me to share this candid of her big cheesy smile:
Obviously Griselda has to stay on brand when in super model mode, but wanted her fans to know that she's not always all business.
Click the link to see the complete post: https://aefraserart.blogspot.com/2019/07/top-model.html
Thanks for stopping by!

Hello!
Wondering if it’s still me? Yes. On January 1st I spontaneously acted upon a New Years resolution to Start Fresh! I accidentally deleted the Exalted Beauty blog. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. New Year, New You! It happened. I was so enthusiastic about starting my AEFraser.com website from scratch that I didn’t think through the consequences of deleting the old website! I lost over 1,500 Exalted Beauty blog posts! The horror!

You know what I was most upset about? My Flowers! As therapy I decided to go through over a decade of my original meadow photographs (approximately 40,000 images). So I “narrowed it down” and decided to rescue my top 1,000 or so! Hilarious right? Well, I love my flowers, what can I say?

Anyway! You will be very excited to discover that my favorite pictures are back! Yup! Organized and ready for your viewing pleasure. Visit the Woodland Wildflower gallery to experience a peaceful moment in the meadow. Listen to birds sing, the soothing drone of bees, smell the heady scent of thousands of beautiful fresh flowers in bloom, feel the light summer breeze in your hair and the warm sun on your face. Enjoy!

And OMG! I can’t even deal. The wildflower photos make the most amazing throw pillows and tote bags. Imagine the possibilities!

Welcome to the New and Improved AEFraser.com!

Who is Amy E. Fraser?

Some of you know me as the Exalted Beauty Medallion Lady or as a Floral Painter or New Hampshire Wildflower Photographer. Others more recently have gotten to know me as the Sourdough Bread Baker, Painter, Scoring Artist and Nature Enthusiast @lady.fray on Instagram, and have appreciated my pen and ink drawings @lady.fray.doodles and my paintings @lady.fray.paints. I answer to all aspects of the above and am working toward combining these diverse creative interests into one succinct hub at AEFraser.com.

What does this New and Improved AEFraser.com have to offer?

I am thrilled to announce that I have partnered with Fine Art America and currently offer a large selection of my works Print On Demand! Hundreds of print ready original Paintings, Pen and Ink Drawings and Nature Photography are now exclusively available on AEFraser.com! This includes high quality prints on paper, canvas, wood or metal, as well as a wide range of exciting new merchandise like throw pillows, totes, tees, shower curtains and so much more!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Enjoy!

Amy