Not So Common Yoga

Inspiration Plaques

Yoga in Common is a unique yoga studio at the Market Common in Myrtle Beach.  I don’t know much about yoga studios, but I do know that when you step into this place, you feel lighter, peaceful, loved, even if it’s your first time there.

I met Linda Phillips, the owner, at an art show about 2 years ago, where she came up to me, commented on my work, and told me that I should come check out her soon to be yoga studio.  I decided to take her up on that invitation and I’ve been one of her ‘Tique(the studio’s gift store) artists ever since!  Every couple months, I’ll drop in and bring them new work, switch out items, or just say hi and I’m greeted with the warmest welcome.

Based on the overall mood of the studio, I had to check out a class!  I brought a couple friends one night and we signed up for hot power yoga – I think that’s what it was called.  It was amazing!  I stretched in ways I didn’t think was possible and I was able to clear my mind and only focus on the current pose, instruction, music, breath…and the sweat dripping off me.

If you’re a thinker, like me, you’ll understand why clearing your head is a blessing and how rarely it happens, if ever.

Sadly, I haven’t had the chance to take many more classes, but I’m going to try harder to incorporate it into my routine.  For me, yoga seemed to go hand in hand with prayer and meditation, a full body experience, and an opportunity to open my mind and listen more intently.

Just thought you should know about this “not so common” yoga studio and it’s wonderful presence in our community.  They really do have diverse class offerings and an earthy and eclectic selection in their ‘Tique!  Check them out on Facebook, as well!

Oh yeah, you should also check out The Yoga Bus, owned and operated by Angel Grant, one of Yoga in Common’s yoga instructors.  She is going to be traveling around the U.S. and spreading the healing powers of yoga to anyone interested.  Focusing on those who might not otherwise be exposed to it, she will make her first stop at a shelter home in Oregon!  Follow her adventures on her website or Facebook!

In Progress

The Yoga Bus - ready for the road!

The Heart Grows Fonder

So, here it is…the much anticipated military love story of Laura and Eric Zilberman.  A couple full of character, humor, loyalty, devotion, and LOVE!

From Eric’s lips – “I’m not very good at writing about myself, but I’ll give it a try.  Our love story began as a long distance relationship where I was in Navy flight school in Kingsville, TX and Laura was finishing nursing school in Richmond, VA.  After a year apart we moved in together and a year after that got married in Annapolis, MD.  Being married and living together was so rewarding, especially after having spent so much time apart.  Unfortunately, a year and a half into our marriage I deployed onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln with VFA-34 “The Blue Blasters” as a pilot flying missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation New Dawn (OND).  After 7 months at sea, many missions into Afghanistan, my reward was flying into Virginia Beach and having my beautiful bride waiting for me.  This portrait is a recreation of a photo taken of Laura and I when I jumped out of my F/A-18 and was greeted by a very excited and welcoming Laura.”

Laura and Eric are so much fun to be around and such an inspiration to anyone in a relationship, long distance or not.  They’ve overcome many obstacles, often involving distance and the nature of their careers.  They truly seem to have a connection that none of that could ever break.  They enjoy the time that they do have together and look forward to more of it.  We could learn a lot from the Zilbermans!

Lauryn Martin, my business partner, and I were fortunate enough to spend some time with this awesome couple a few months ago, when we visited Virginia Beach for the Steel Pier Classic and Surf Art Expo.  They opened up their home to us without hesitation and their hospitality was unforgettable!

I thank you, Laura and Eric for being such sweet people and sharing your love story with us!

For Laura’s birthday, Eric asked me to paint a portrait of the two of them from La Mia Bella’s (local photographer) photo and include a few extra sentimental details.  What a thoughtful birthday gift!  I have to admit, I listened to Glen Miller Pandora the whole time I painted this and it transported me into an old military romance film.  Maybe I was just tired, but I gladly latched onto that inspiration and let it carry me through this painting!

Enjoy!

Art Options, Pricing, and Purpose

First of all, thanks for taking the time to read this, it’s an important topic to me and may answer some questions for you.

I started seriously trying to sell my paintings in galleries and shows about 5 years ago.  At that time, I was very new to the art world, pricing system, and business in general.  I started out only trying to sell originals at prices that I had calculated based on my time, materials, level of difficulty, my emotional attachment to the work, and local area pricing.  I realized quite quickly that a lot of people “loved” the art, but weren’t actually buying it.  I kept trying at different prices and sizes, and even painted a few  ”quick” paintings to see what happened.  Financially, things weren’t progressing which was discouraging and forced me to analyze the situation.  I didn’t want to “give away” my originals, but I needed to change something.

I needed to offer OPTIONS for different budgets.  The art world shouldn’t be an intimidating place that caters only to the upper class.  It should be a window to different views of the world, a place for inspiration and imagination.  I feel strongly about providing this experience to ALL people.  For example, a lot of younger people (or at least, young at heart) really connect with my work, but don’t necessarily have the money for an original, so I started offering prints.  They seemed to be the answer to art lovers on a budget and the sinking economy.  After the prints, came greeting cards, hand painted jewelry, plaques, personalized gifts, and now other artistic accessories.

From day one, it wasn’t my intention to create a “product line”, but I’ve really enjoyed exploring different mediums.  When I’m not involved in a painting, it’s fun to get creative with the other products that still offer a positive “free spirit” feel.  I love to see people wearing my hand painted jewelry and hair pieces or picking up a print of their favorite painting – without breaking the bank, while doing so!  Speaking from experience, I know that I would have a serious art collection by now, if I had been given some less expensive options along the way!

With all that said, let’s go back to original art for galleries and shows and custom work, portraits, murals, etc.  These are still priced higher than my art reproductions (prints, plaques, greeting cards) and other products.  The reason?  It’s one of a kind and it’s an investment!  It makes sense if you think about it…an artist can never recreate the same painting twice, it’s pricier because it is original and a LOT went into it.  Some of my paintings have taken anywhere from a couple hours to a couple months, and sometimes tears and sleepless nights are also thrown in.

As for custom work – if you hire me to paint a portrait of your family, that portrait will be passed down through the generations.  It’s a part of your family’s history and it has captured a moment in time – a facial expression, emotion…a memory.  I’m invested in conveying what’s important to you in your painting.  Same goes for other custom projects.

What goes into a portrait, mural, or any custom piece:

1. Consultation (figuring out what the project is and what details are important to the client, giving a price estimate, which will be revised later)

2. Research (spending time on the internet or in books to gather images, colors, ideas, and pricing comparisons that relate to the project)

3. Price Quote (this is based on the size, amount of detail, materials, surface textures and working conditions, and in some cases, may be adjusted)

4. Completion (picking up materials, actually working on the project, making changes, checking in with the client, making sure artist and client are on the same page)

5. Finishing (framing, backing, glazing, attaching hanging hardware)

6. Delivery or Pick Up

If you look at custom work like an investment, whether it’s from an artist, photographer, graphic designer, musician, woodworker, or really anyone that provides a service or product that’s catered to your needs, you will realize the great value in it, not only financially but sentimentally.  And if your budget supports a less pricey, but still very unique collection of artwork and products, I’ve got you covered!

P.S. Thanks for your continued support, my job would not be possible without you and I’m so grateful!

New Studio, Fresh Approach – Serendipity!

As a lot of you know, I’ve been wanting to open up a shop/gallery for a long time!   It’s probably been about 6 years now that I’ve been talking about it.  Well, guess what? It finally happened!  With the help of two other lovely ladies in North Myrtle Beach, we are doing it!

Lauryn Martin opened Heart & Sew a little over a year ago in the same location that Serendipity now lives.  She had over 60 artists in her shop, was open 6 days a week, with no daily help, and was dealing with a lot of the same issues every small business owner deals with.  We all want certain things out of our businesses and we feel like devoting 90% of our time will give us those things.  Well, this is the wrong way of thinking.   She spent most of her time at the shop, but had very little time to focus on her sewing, which is the reason she opened in the first place.   Jennifer Penegar had a small shop in Little River a few years ago and she was basically in the same situation.   Too much time devoted to “retail hours” and “business stuff” and not enough time creating and actually enjoying life!

I totally relate to these women. Running a business is hard stuff!   The rest of your life gets put on the back burner and before you know it, you’re up to your ears in daily business functions and have forgotten about living, creating, and dreaming!

So, we came together and made some changes that would work for everyone and we’re doing it different this time!   Three heads are definitely better than one!  This way we can split the work, split the bills, collaborate on ideas, and hopefully have some time to have a life…what a concept!  We’ve set our hours to 1 to 6pm, Tuesday thru Saturday and the morning hours will be dedicated to actually making our goods!  Our tagline for the time being is “Working Studios. Unique Boutique. Creative Classes”…and that’s what we’re trying to focus on.   We’d love to host different events and shows, offer more classes, and hold an Artists’ Market every first Saturday of the month.

We will be offering all kinds of custom services, such as -

• art, sewing, and trade classes
• birthday, bridal, girls’ night out parties
• photography services
• local/custom artwork
• prints, plaques, greeting cards
• personalized gifts for kids and adults
• hand painted jewelry
• hand-sewn keepsakes and memory quilts
• bags, wallets, scarves
• “cottage blossoms”
• and lots of other one of a kind gifts that will surely make a statement and warm your heart!

We want to open our doors to the community and get people excited about the endless possibilities when you use your imagination!

Please join us on Facebook and don’t forget to “Like” our page to stay updated on all the great things going on!

Also, if you’ll be in town on March 19th, we will be having our official GRAND OPENING!  With lots of new artwork and gift items in the boutique, tours of the studios, tasty food and drinks, and time to mingle with some cool peeps, you can help us celebrate in style!  RSVP here.

Presenting – Amy and Rollo Fisher

Amy is a good friend of mine from when Mike and I lived in Ft. Lauderdale a few years ago.  We met at Young at Art Children’s Museum, where we both worked as museum educators.  We had a lot of fun that year as I was getting used to married life and Amy was living the single life.  But she didn’t stay that way for long!  I remember the weekend that Amy met Rollo.  She came into work on Monday talking about the wedding that she had been to and the man that she spent all night talking to.  She also caught the bouquet that night but failed to mention this until later on (if that’s not a foreshadow, I don’t know what is).  As she got to know Rollo over the next several months, she seemed to be smitten with this brilliant musician.  Their similar interests, compatible personalities, and genuine love for each other (and oddities) was a recipe for lifelong bliss.  I was thrilled to hear the good news of their engagement only a few months later.  They ended up having a beautiful southern Florida wedding right around Christmastime last year and have been living in New York ever since!

Ok, you have one guess to what their wedding gift was supposed to be…you’re right, a portrait!  Better late than never, right?  I’m sorry guys, this has been a very busy year for us, but now it can be an anniversary/Christmas gift…see, we meant to do that!

Anyway, we love you and wish you many years of love, happiness, and laughter and hope this helps you remember the beauty and joy of that special day when the two of you became one!

*For portrait pricing, please contact me at sybilalfano@mac.com.