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This past year was a very exciting one for me. I decided to make a much bigger effort to shift the emphasis of my art activities away from portraiture and toward fine art. This shift started a number of years ago but in 2007, I was in earnest about making it happen faster.

Several things were needed to increase that shift. I needed to paint more paintings and then I needed to get them out into the world and make people aware of them. That needed to lead to more sales or I wouldn't be able to afford to make the shift.

Today I want to acknowledge the help I got from this wonderful world called the Internet. Without the new marketing and business-related skills I learned from online sources and without this wonderful website that was made possible by Clint Watson and his staff at Fin ArtStudiosOnline.com, the shift would have continued at a snail's pace. Instead, it feels as if I've been coasting down a long runway very gradually building up speed and suddenly I'm experiencing lift off.

Watch out, folks. Here I come!

Thanks to the following people:

Alyson Stanfield and her marketing advice at

ArtBizCoach.com and ArtBizBlog.com;

Ariane Goodwin who organized the smArtists

Telesummit and brought together so many helpful and knowledgeable people who shared their business and marketing expertise and made it relevant to artists;

The Blog Squad with their Blogging and Beyond site and newsletter and helpful information about setting up a blog and how it can help.

Robert Genn of the PaintersKeys.com and his words of wisdom for artists.

Lori Woodward Simons and her helpful blog posts and tip about Jack White and his helpful ebooks at Senkarikstuff.com.

I could go on and on as these people and their sites and email newsletters have put me in touch with other valuable people and information.

I also need to mention how wonderful its been to be a member of the Lower Hudson Valley Plein Air Painters group and the sharing, cameraderie and support that the members give to each other.

And lastly, a very big thanks to all of the people who have purchased my paintings this year and those who have commissioned me to do portraits for them. Your support keeps me afloat and allows me to continue this magnificent journey I'm on and that I love to share with others.