Name of your website?
Plein Air Painting Workshops
Your name?
J.R. Baldini
Your Location (city, etc)
Niagara Falls
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Instructional guidance for artists wishing to hone skills or learn to paint outdoors called (en plein air)
What inspired you to launch your own website?
I travel to different locations and a website was the best way to reach artists interested in my services.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
In about 1999. It was a website of my own paintings. Done with dial up - it was hours and hours of editing.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
It's pretty much a description of what people would search for when looking for instructional workshops.
What makes your website different from other, similar offerings?
I founded an organization of plein air painters Worldwide in 2001. I am currently the Executive Director. I am lucky to be in contact with many artists professional and amateur who are very interested in plein air painting. The workshops I do are in exciting locations, most without even planning, are held on islands. This gives me the opportunity to continue growing as an artist also.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
I am currently working on an art & psychology book. You do have to be a bit of a psychologist when dealing with creative egos.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
Art is my passion and whether I ever get rich or not, I'm lucky to be living my passion.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
My site does well, so until it breaks, I won't think about fixing it.
What other locations would you like to paint in ?
I would love to go back to Europe. And welcome southern opportunities for the winter months. I am always looking for galleries or art centers that might want to offer one of my workshops. Sometimes, just a group of painters get together and ask me to lead a workshop for them.
What levels are in your workshops ?
Mostly intermediate level artists. Beginning artists, I think get the most out of my workshops because, they start fresh, and don't have to unlearn being a carbon copy of their last instructor.
Why paint outside instead of in a comfortable studio ?
I've never been a fan of painting from photographs, although I have a degree in photography. To me, it's taking a 2 dimensional subject and transferring the info to another 2 dimensional surface, whether you change things around or not,it doesn't change that fact. Outdoor painting is learning from the greatest of teachers - Nature - with the truest of colors. Most importantly, you are dealing with 3 dimensions and learning to learning to think on your feet. It's a very addictive way to paint !
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Search engines have been kind to my listings.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It can be time consuming to keep updated and interesting.
My greatest reward has been...
The great people I get to meet and work with at each location from the Caribbean to the east coast. I hope to be doing this for a long time to come.
Thank You for your time.
Jacqueline Baldini
What is your website address?
Plein Air Painting Workshops
