This site has made it possible for me to turn something I love doing into a business that I love! Before discovering this forum last summer, I had just a vague idea that about wanting to try to make a go of it painting -- but no idea (or maybe some half-baked ideas) about how to go about it. This forum provided so much information --about marketing, pricing, contractual concerns, potential copyright pitfalls, photography, painting technique and materials, etc. and that's even before the invaluable opportunity of having other artists critique your work and the inspiration of what some are able to achieve! Thanks to all of you, (and all the expertise, encouragement, and advice that you share) - I get to paint as my job!
Without this site I'd still be programming and just painting for myself on the side... wondering if there was any way to make something more of it. I would have always wondered if I could have 'done something' with the painting - but probably never really had the nerve to try it. It is so amazing to have found this community of artists, and I so appreciate all of you here! This site is a God-send. It's been my artistic lifeline.
Thank you Cynthia! Thank you all.