acrylic on canvas, 12×12, landscape
Available here
Small to large prints available here

I’ve been wanting to post this painting for a couple weeks, but I knew I needed to update the photos first. Sooo, yesterday morning I was determined to get this one done finally, but there was only one problem..I couldn’t find the painting. I searched everywhere, which in hindsight was a good thing because it prompted me to get organized. The entire upstairs got a good cleaning, and I now have my collection of finished paintings all in one place. I can easily locate them when needed.

I didn’t take photos of the boxed up paintings, not much to see there, really, but I did capture this huge pile of shipping materials that now sits in the corner of my office. I probably should tell you that my house was built in 1920 or there about. I don’t think people had a lot of stuff back then, like we do now. There’s only one closet in the house, which is downstairs. It’s a nice big walk in, but it’s pretty full. If I had a closet up here, I’d have all this crap stored away, out of sight. I don’t have that luxury, tho. It’s a bit of an eyesore, but it’s my office. Nobody will have to look at it everyday, except me.

Most of these are brand new boxe$$$, and a few recycled ones that I hold onto in case I need a different size than normal. You never know when someone might buy 6 paintings all at once, and I like to combine shipping when I’m able. I also have huge boxes full of bubble envelopes in different sizes, and stiff cardboard envelopes in various sizes. I keep some of these out in my shipping room in the cabinet, and the extras in my office. I also have a huge stack of new flattened boxes behind my office door for the large paintings, and a gigantic roll of bubble wrap under my workbench in my studio. When I got it all sorted, I realized I have several hundred of dollars in shipping materials. I literally have a package available for every size painting I paint. Also, what isn’t pictured here are all the Priority mail boxes in different sizes on the other side of the room. I’m prepared, y’all. If I get an order today, no matter what it is, I can ship it out without a problem.

shipping room

In the process of moving stuff around, I decided to make a separate shipping room again out in the hallway. The sitting area I created out there last year wasn’t being used. I don’t know why I thought I’d lounge around while I’m working. Never happened. I moved my long table out there (had to take the legs off to fit it through the office door, what a pain) and shelves full of yet more shipping supplies. Voila! Shipping room/writing desk area. My office looks huge now that I moved all this stuff out, and a lot less cluttered. Whew.

Long story short, I now have everything in its place, and the stored paintings are labeled by sizes, and either marked MK or KJ depending on which shop they belong to. I don’t think I’ve ever been more organized, and it feels great. Btw, I found the painting I was looking for in the process.

Artist tip: before you start selling your work, be sure you have shipping material to ship it out when it sells. You don’t want to start running around like a mad person if you get an order. You’ll want to figure out ahead of time how you’re going to package a painting when it sells. I’ve had two inexperienced sellers write me email in a panic because they sold work, and had no idea how to ship it. They never thought that far ahead, and didn’t expect their work to sell, I guess. If it’s online, and has a price tag, it could sell at any moment. Be ready in advance.

If you can’t afford a lot of packaging materials or you don’t want to store it all (can’t blame you there), start small and paint only a few sizes at first, and work your way up. You can order boxes for free through USPS. Here’s a little guideline..

1. 8×10 and 9×12 canvas paintings fit in a medium size Priority mail box.

2. 11×14 and 12×12 canvas fit in a large Priority mail box.

3. 2 4×4 canvases fit in a small Priority mail box.

You can start there, and you won’t have a lot of expense. Have some paper handy to scrunch up and put inside the box. You’ll want to fill up the box tight, so things don’t move around. One reason paintings get damaged in transit is because they’re not secure and they move around inside the box. I pack my paintings very tightly. When I’m finished wrapping them up, before I tape the box closed, I always shake the box to make sure nothing moves around. If I hear or feel movement, it needs more paper stuffed inside the box. Also, I wrap most of my paintings in cardboard before putting them inside the box, so they have a double layer of cardboard protection. I’ve (knock on wood) never had a damaged painting, and I’ve shipped all over the world.