Photo of the Week: Street Art in San Francisco

Hanging out at Twitter you're bound to come across other great artists/designers. One such inspiring person is Emily Chang of Ideacodes. As I was browsing Emily's photos at Flickr, I came across this photo of street art in San Francisco. I've been to San Francisco dozens of times, but for some reason never paid much attention to the street art... This one reminds me of that TV show, The Partridge Family!

Have street art to share? Email your pics to maria [at] salondemaria [dot] info and I'll post them here!

What Artists Should Know About Marketing Their Business

As an artist who blogs, it's been so much easier nowadays to market myself. Although I haven't been actively promoting my art lately, I've been able to get the word out about my other ventures such as my jewelry and greeting cards businesses. I say with the internet anything is possible.

If you're an artist and you haven't started blogging yet, you may be truly missing out on many opportunities. With so many people on MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter, it's practically a crime not to be out there networking with people and getting more exposure for your work.

However, that said, before you venture out into the world of social networking websites and blogging, I recommend reading these 27 Thoughts on Blogging For the Artist posted at Problogger. I also invite you to read this post on my personal blog: Marketing Your Art Business.

What about you? What are you doing to market your art business? How are you utilizing the power of social networking?

Art That Tells a Story: Imran Ahmad's "Implode"

Creating art is a way that artists express themselves. Other artists use art to bring more beauty to the world, while others use art to tell stories. One artist in particular, Imran Ahmad, recently caught my eye. Imran has a knack for telling a story with everyday objects...



Ok, well maybe guns aren't everyday objects for some people in the world, but for others who live in war-torn countries, it's a way of life.

Read more about Imran Ahmad's solo exhibit, "Implode", which took place at the Alhamra Art Gallery, Lahore, Pakistan.

Photo Credit: Usman Ahmed

See Costa Rica the Artists' Way

Costa Rica is a country rich in culture, friendliness, and just like every country in the world, Costa Rica is also home to many talented artists. In fact, you can meet traditional Costa Rican artisans through the Costa Rica Art Tour.

Browsing through the Costa Rica Art Tour website, you'll come across various artists who create spectacular pieces of art. One of these artists is Sylvia Laks who produces these gorgeous stain glass designs.



If you're dreaming of a little getaway, check out these books on Costa Rica.

Shop for cheap Costa Rica travel packages

Art + Fashion = Bliss

As a lover of fashion and art, I appreciate this painting done by Erin Hamilton who blogs over at Art With Wings. I found out about her blog via one of my daily fashion reads, Style Bubble and this painting was actually inspired by Susie, the Style Bubble blogger.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” -- Coco Chanel

Tips on Buying Art Abroad

Wing Sze Tang of Travel + Leisure Magazine offers some tips on what you should know before buying art abroad. Here's a brief synopsis of the six tips:

1. Know what you want and do your research before you leave home.

2. Consult an independent expert - This is especially important if you're in the market for antiques.

3. Cover your bases - Make arrangements for insurance on the art that you will be purchasing and bringing back home.

4. Choose a trustworthy seller - Buy from prominent, established galleries or at major art fairs around the world. By the way, for more advice on buying at an art fair, check out Moshi, Moshi, Medici! Completely Biased Adventures in Contemporary Art Collecting.

5. Get a fair price - Research the prices by the same artist from the same period.

6. Follow the rules - Every country has restrictions on what can or can't be imported/exported.

And speaking of art abroad...For those of you not in America, you may appreciate some of the art I'm going to now share with you. I recently attended an exhibit at the Mingei International Museum titled "Craft in America". I was able to see all the different art influences from people all over the world who came to America to "live the dream".

Art Seen Around Downtown San Diego

Contrary to popular belief, there is a growing art scene in downtown San Diego. If you've never strolled through the streets of downtown San Diego which includes Little Italy, you're missing out on some of the most inspiring art that this burgeoning city has to offer.

This mural displayed on the side of this building on the corner of 10th & "C" will make anyone with an eye for color stop dead in their tracks to take in this little bit of inspiration.

If you're ever in downtown San Diego, make sure to schedule in a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art, The Art and Design District in Little Italy, and all the spectacular museums in Balboa Park.