Tara Reed Designs Blog » Paul Brent http://tarareeddesignsblog.com Fun and Sassy Art! Mon, 06 Sep 2010 13:00:31 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Traveling the coast and learning about oysters… http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/30/traveling-the-coast-and-learning-about-oysters/ http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/30/traveling-the-coast-and-learning-about-oysters/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:08:33 +0000 Tara Reed http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/?p=667 I’ve never really thought about oysters and how they exist before being topped with lemon on the half shell… but this past weekend Craig and I headed to the Oregon coast, met up with Paul and Lana Jane Brent and the four of us took an excursion north.  The weather couldn’t have been more perfect [...]]]> I’ve never really thought about oysters and how they exist before being topped with lemon on the half shell… but this past weekend Craig and I headed to the Oregon coast, met up with Paul and Lana Jane Brent and the four of us took an excursion north.  The weather couldn’t have been more perfect – blue skies and about 70 degrees – a nice change from the cool, wet weather we’d been experiencing to this point.

We went up the Washington coast to a little town called Oysterville.

Aptly named, Oysterville is where the oyster industry began in the northwest.  The Brent’s friend, Sydney Stevens, had a book launch party and was talking a bit about the book, the area and the history of the town.  Her great grandfather was one of the founders of Oysterville and she lives in his house today.  At the height of the oyster trade – which coincided with the Gold Rush – there were 250 residents in the town.  Today there are 14 full-time residents.

I never knew that oysters are free floating until they are about 5 days old, at which point they need something solid to attach to to build their shell. (or something like that)

In Oysterville, the bay is sand so there is nothing for them to attach to.  To keep the oyster business thriving, old shells must be put back in the bay for the new oysters to attach to.  That is why they have these huge mounds of shells around the area and get upset when unsuspecting tourists stop and take them for souvenirs. (They do NOT smell good!)

To learn more about oysters and Oysterville, I encourage you to get a copy of the newly released book.

]]> http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/30/traveling-the-coast-and-learning-about-oysters/feed/ 1 Flat tires, friends, seafood and a dead bird… how was your Memorial Day Weekend? http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/01/flat-tires-friends-seafood-and-a-dead-bird-how-was-your-memorial-day-weekend/ http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/01/flat-tires-friends-seafood-and-a-dead-bird-how-was-your-memorial-day-weekend/#comments Wed, 02 Jun 2010 01:37:27 +0000 Tara Reed http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/?p=649 Hopefully slightly less eventful than mine! I was heading to the Oregon Coast on Saturday for Lana Jane Brent’s birthday party and all of the sudden heard a weird sound… I found myself 10 miles from civilization, on the side of a narrow road, with a major flat.  No problem! Get the cell phone, [...]]]> Hopefully slightly less eventful than mine! I was heading to the Oregon Coast on Saturday for Lana Jane Brent’s birthday party and all of the sudden heard a weird sound… I found myself 10 miles from civilization, on the side of a narrow road, with a major flat.  No problem! Get the cell phone, call AAA… oh shoot!  No cell coverage.

Now before some man wonders if I changed the tire myself, I will tell you that had a man been with me I wouldn’t have let him either.  The road was too narrow and cars going too fast – it would have been so dangerous!

So think… now what? Look for a police car… I got lucky and saw one coming towards me within 5 mins – waved my arms like a lunatic and he stopped.  He called for a tow truck.  Now the 1 hour nerve-wracking wait, on the side of a narrow road, seat-belt on in case someone hit me and I flipped into the ditch.

Focus on the positive. I got help quickly – for the call, the tow-truck took an hour to arrive.  It happened to me and not my 16 year old. It was daylight. It wasn’t too hot or too cold or pouring rain…

When the tow truck arrived, we realized my spare was also flat so I was towed to a gas station to pump up the spare. (That made the gas attendants day – he got a good chuckle.)

LESSON: Check the air in your spare AT LEAST every 6 months.

I made it to the party and luckily had planned to stay the night so I had some clothes. I met an amazing woman, Sydney Stevens, who lives in Oysterville, WA and writes books.  I plan to go to her new book launch on June 26, 2010 – let me know if you will be in or around Long Beach / Oysterville, WA and I’ll give you all the details!

I ended up staying 2 nights (thank goodness Paul and Lana Jane are very welcoming hosts!) since no tire places were open on Memorial Day.  But the beautiful part of this story?  I had THE BEST seafood dinner on Saturday night – fresh mussels, oysters and crabs, all caught by the Brent’s son & friends.  So yummy and such great company!

Tuesday morning I was at Les Schwab the minute they opened and found out my tire was ruined by some random piece of metal on the road.  Now the proud owner of 2 new tires, I headed back to Portland.  On the way, a bird hit my windshield, scared me and didn’t survive to tell the tale.  As if we needed more drama!

So… all’s well that ends well but wowie!  A little more excitement than I need on a regular basis!  I hope your weekend was filled with good friends (mine was) but less stress!

– Tara Reed

]]> http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/06/01/flat-tires-friends-seafood-and-a-dead-bird-how-was-your-memorial-day-weekend/feed/ 0 Who Inspires Me? Paul Brent http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/05/16/who-inspires-me-paul-brent/ http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/05/16/who-inspires-me-paul-brent/#comments Sun, 16 May 2010 15:00:25 +0000 Tara Reed http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/?p=617 It’s been a little over a year since I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know artist Paul Brent. On the day this post goes “live”, I will be exhibiting at the SURTEX show in New York a few rows over from Paul and his art.  I took his class the first year I exhibited [...]]]> It’s been a little over a year since I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know artist Paul Brent. On the day this post goes “live”, I will be exhibiting at the SURTEX show in New York a few rows over from Paul and his art.  I took his class the first year I exhibited at SURTEX.  I said hello and how much I admired his business and art in years since.  Now, I call Paul Brent a friend, mentor and inspiration.  How did that happen?

It all started with him requesting to be my friend on Facebook in January 2009.  I remember looking both ways in my office wondering if someone was playing a prank on me!  Really?  Well sure Paul, I’ll be your friend!

If you don’t know Paul Brent, you might be confused by my reaction.  Paul is an artist who licenses his art just like I do… but he has been in the top 100 Licensors according to License! Global Magazine for the past few years.  So it is laughable to say he is way ahead of me in size and success of his business. (I will concede he’s been doing it a lot longer too!)

Like Mary Engelbreit, Paul Brent was on my “to be as cool as list” too so to have him ask me to be friends on Facebook was pretty cool!

I then decided to ask him if he would be willing to do an “Art Licensing Info Monthly Ask Call” – I was just starting the calls and had been doing them myself.  I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask and just maybe he’d say yes.  HE DID!  Not only did he do the first call in March 2009 (the replay is available for free at www.AskPaulBrent.com if you’d like a copy) but he will be doing his 4th call on May 26, 2010.

Since the Facebook request / question exchange, Paul has done 4 Ask Calls and a teleseminar called “Brand Yourself for Success in Art Licensing” which was amazing.  I’ve made several changes to my branding strategy as a result and highly recommend any artist interested in understanding how to build an art brand take a look at it.  He focuses on art licensing but many strategies apply to any type of artist.

I have also become friends with Paul and his wife Lana Jane.  While they live in Florida, they just happen to have a house on the Oregon Coast that is a little over an hour from me.  So when they head west, I get to see them.  They are even teaching me to cook!  (Something they love and I would love to do without.)  How wonderful to be able to sit and discuss the business we all do and love with such an accomplished couple.  (Lana Jane is the president of Paul Brent Designer, Inc.)

So that is how I came to be friends with my inspiration and you know what? I’m even more inspired by Paul Brent the more I get to know him.  He is an amazing artist, talented business person and a kind, down-to-earth and sincere man.

Learn more about the art of Paul Brent at www.PaulBrent.com

So I’ll ask you again, who inspires you?

– Tara Reed

]]> http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/05/16/who-inspires-me-paul-brent/feed/ 2 Looking for feedback… http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/02/25/looking-for-feedback/ http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/2010/02/25/looking-for-feedback/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:54:43 +0000 Tara Reed http://tarareeddesignsblog.com/?p=583 In case you don’t already know this, as well as creating art for licensing, I also teach about the industry and have a website where different experts share their insights and experience as well.

Last night it was my honor to facilitate a teleseminar by artist Paul Brent called, “Brand Yourself For Success in Art Licensing”. [...]]]> In case you don’t already know this, as well as creating art for licensing, I also teach about the industry and have a website where different experts share their insights and experience as well.

Last night it was my honor to facilitate a teleseminar by artist Paul Brent called, “Brand Yourself For Success in Art Licensing”. It was  a relief to hear him say that he has built his brand through trial and error and didn’t have it all figured out right out of the gate.  His tips and insights were very interesting and inspirational and his homework? A little daunting truth be told!  But I am so sure it will be worth it that I’m getting started right away.

This is where I hope you will help me… Paul pointed out that what we see as our brand might not be what others perceive it to be.  He told us to get feedback from others.  I’ve been getting some from Twitter but thought I’d bring it to the blog as well.

What I need from you:  can you give me words that describe my art or my brand in your mind?

Please put them in the comments so I can continue on with my assignments.  Here is a sampling of designs to give you the feel if you aren’t super familiar with what I do.  I really appreciate your help and feedback – it means a lot!

– Tara Reed

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