Category: Publicity

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Painting Another Bear for the Book

I’ve been working on a new painting called Skoki’s Seat. It’s one of two paintings I need to finish for the new book, along with a few more sketches I’d like to include.

There’s no time off right now. I’m writing this on Sunday, coming up on a 12-hour day. Let me tell you, YouTube editing is a lot of work, but I’m getting better at it every time. At least I hope so.

In this new video, I share some of the painting process, a little of Skoki’s backstory, and how one reference-photo session can inspire several paintings. I also talk about digital painting, my hardware and software, and some of the unexpected work involved in putting an art book together.

Here’s the video. Hope you like it.

Cheers,
Patrick

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Now Available at Alberta’s Own

I’m excited to share that a selection of my prints and stickers is now available at Alberta’s Own Marketplace in Canmore.

After more than 20 years as a full-time artist, it still means a lot when a local business chooses to support my work. Alberta’s Own has built its reputation around celebrating Alberta artists, makers, and small businesses, so I’m proud to have LaMontagne Art included alongside so many talented creators.
If you’re spending some time in Canmore, be sure to stop in and have a look around. They’re right on Main Street, which is closed to vehicle traffic during the summer months, making it a great place to wander the local shops and eateries at a comfortable pace. The views are pretty spectacular, too.

A sincere thank you to Laura and everyone at Alberta’s Own for the opportunity. I’m proud to have my work become part of the shop, and I hope you’ll enjoy everything Alberta’s Own has to offer.

Cheers,
Patrick

Posted on by — 2 Comments

A New Bear for a New Book

I’m happy to reveal this new painting of Berkley, a bear near and dear to my heart who lives at Discovery Wildlife Park in Innisfail.

I hadn’t planned on painting another bear so soon, as I have commissions I’m desperately trying to get completed, but the book needed the right cover, and the right cover needed a new bear.

After years of delays, procrastination, and perfectionism, my first book is well underway.

My publisher, Alexander, owner of Renegade Arts Entertainment here in Canmore, first started talking with me about a book ten years ago. Leaving out the details and roadblocks along the way, all of which were self-created, I finally got tired of my own B.S. excuses.

I usually see Alexander at Expo each year, as he’s always there with several of his authors, and he brought up the book again this spring. I admitted that I figured he was probably tired of hearing me say, “soon, I just have to…”

But he was his typical gracious self and told me it would happen when it happened.

So I decided it was happening now.

We went for lunch the following week and agreed on some immediate deadlines, including a full book mockup and the marketing material he’d need to begin promoting it on his side of things.

Most pressing of all, he needed a cover.

I tried several existing paintings in the mockups, but none of them seemed right. Eventually, I realized I needed to paint a new bear for the cover of my bear book.

My friend Serena at Discovery Wildlife Park helped me gather some new Berkley reference, because she’s the only bear I wanted on the cover. Fortune favoured me, and I got the shots I needed earlier last month.

As my work is all about personality and connecting with character, I had to think like a customer, and that meant a closeup of her face for the cover. The full painting, however, will appear inside the book, and I’ll have prints available before too long.

Now that this is out there, there’s no turning back.

The book will be an 8X10 softcover, around 70–80 pages. I still have a few pieces to complete, along with additional sketches I want to add. There’s also some writing and editing to do before this fall, when all of this needs to be finished.

You’ll read more about the project in the coming months, and I’m excited, and more than a little relieved, that this is finally a real thing.

Alexander knows the importance of the Calgary Expo in my world and volunteered last week that he’s planning to have advance copies available for my Expo people in April, ahead of the official book launch on May 12, 2027.

There’s still a lot of work left to do, but I’ll manage. Scary stuff, in the best possible way.

Cheers,
Patrick

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Calgary Expo Prep – 11 Years In

Tomorrow is setup day at the Calgary Expo, which means today I’m packing the car and getting ready to head into Calgary until Sunday. Looks like snow and rain on the way (AGAIN!) for both Canmore and Calgary, so not a bad weekend to be indoors at Expo.

Here’s a quick video I recorded about some of the prep.

I hope to see you there!

 

If you’re coming to the show, here’s where to find me this year. Snap a quick photo on your phone so you’ve got it handy.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

First Weekend in Banff: Slow Start, Strong Finish


The first weekend of the Banff Christmas Market has come and gone.

I still have to produce my regular editorial cartoons each week. Normally, I draw Monday’s cartoons on Sunday, but that’s not happening for the next month. It means I need them done by Thursday. After three or four days of being ON for ten to twelve hours at the market, I’m not sitting down to draw for a few more hours when I get home at 6 on Sunday night.

I’m trying to get ahead and have a few extra ready so I’m not scrambling. I’m still up at 5 every market day, but that time is usually spent updating sales spreadsheets, answering emails, and doing the support work before heading back to Banff for the next weekend.

So Monday through Thursday is my usual drawing, shipping, and admin work, only in a tighter window.

The weekend  started slow. Thursday and Friday were unnerving. Saturday and Sunday rallied and I ended up with very good sales. Not my best weekend, but nowhere near my worst. In a year when I was already nervous about the economy, better than average feels like a win.

Who Are the People and Pups in My Neighbourhood?

My neighbours on both sides have become friends over the years. Both are couples, we’re all similar age and sarcastic humour. Somehow the organizers keep putting us together, and we’re not about to correct them. We give each other the gears all weekend and the laughs help keep the long days lighter.

A Canmore vendor I’ve known for twenty five years was across from us. The highlight of her weekend was her family adopting a Bernese Mountain dog. Terrible timing for her, but they were on a long wait-list. Her husband and daughter drove to BC to pick him up and brought Max by for a short visit. I’m not a let the dog lick your face guy, but Max got one in. I didn’t hate it. I hope he comes by again.
My People

I never take it for granted that people buy and collect my work. It still floors me that these critters connect with people the way they do. Many of you reading this have been with me for years and I’m grateful for it. Because of your support, I get to do this for a living.

And sure, I complain about the work sometimes, especially when I’ve been stuck in my head for too long. But when I see you in person, it reminds me to be thankful.

Two of my most loyal long time collectors, Tracy and Sheldon, showed up unannounced from Calgary. Seeing them at my booth was a great surprise. They always come to Expo, but this was their first Banff Christmas Market. They came to get their Christmas Bear tote bag and calendar in person, and show their support. They will be away during Expo this spring and it just won’t be the same without them. Thankfully they stopped by during a quiet moment so we had time to visit before they went and checked out the other vendors.

Another long time supporter came by to add to her collection. She found my work years ago and has come to see me a few times. I am great with faces but sometimes blank on names and it drives me nuts. I kept thinking it was a D name. Debbie? Nope. Sorry, Diane. As soon as she said it, I blurted out her last name. So it was in there, I just couldn’t find the file folder.

And then there were a lot of people I didn’t know but who had bought my work somewhere else. From my booth, the Calgary Zoo, the Calgary Expo, Stonewaters, Discovery Wildlife Park, or any of the stores that carry my stuff. Kids recognized stickers. Adults recognized prints. Plenty of people said things like, “Our friends have that otter,” or “We have that bear in our bathroom,” or “We get your calendar every year.”

Always nice to hear. I said, “Thank you” a lot this weekend.

More Dogs

One of my favourite parts of this market is that they allow dogs. You don’t bring an untrained dog to something like this, so most of them are well behaved. But with all the smells and activity, a lot of them show up hoping for a treat. The greeting is often, “Nice to see you, any cookies? No, alright, bye.”It is annoying when a dog makes eye contact with me while I have a booth full of customers and I have to choose between doing my job and abandoning my post for a furry face. Very unfair.

Prints and Products

I keep detailed sales records so I can order smart each year. Every weekend is its own thing, though, and there are always surprises. What sells one weekend might not move the next.
Calendars sold very well. I don’t expect to have any left by the end. My 11×14 prints always do well. There are the obvious bestsellers, but every animal finds a home with someone. I sold several tote bags, and the new Christmas Bear design has been well received.

The die-cut stickers are moving quickly. No surprise there. They make great stocking stuffers. I always get a little nervous telling people they hold up on water bottles, vehicles, snowboards and whatever else people throw at them. I want to be honest about the durability.

But people keep proving they work. I get photos of stickers on kayaks and vehicles that have survived multiple seasons. My booth neighbour has a year-old Sasquatch sticker on her rear window that still looks great. Serena at Discovery Wildlife Park has a water bottle that gets knocked around and chewed on by bears and the stickers still look good. Teeth marks, sure, but the colour holds.
The clincher was a little boy who showed me his Otter Bottle, please pardon that the photo is a little blurry. This bottle is covered in stickers. Most are faded or peeling, but mine is not. They bought it last year. According to his parents, it has survived five rounds of summer camp and countless regular dishwasher cycles. That settled it for me. Jukebox Print makes a solid product and I’ll keep ordering from them. And I will continue to confidently use the term, “dishwasher safe.”

Is This AI?

I heard this question more times this year than ever before. But the signs I put around the booth worked. I watched people point them out and say, “Look, not AI.”

Some told me they were glad I had the signs because they don’t want to support AI art. Others were annoyed that I even needed the signs because they felt it should be obvious.

The little video display I added this year was a great idea. Plenty of people watched it and asked more questions about the process. Instead of explaining digital painting, I could show it.

Here We Go Again

I spend most of my time alone at home and I like the solitude, but markets like this are important. They are good for sales, yes, but they are also good for my head.

Meeting people who enjoy the work is a reminder to stop being so hard on myself. When winter settles in and days get darker, it is easy to slip into a low mood and wonder why I am working seven days a week, most weeks of the year. At times it feels like it doesn’t matter.

But people say such kind things at these events and it can be uncomfortable. Years ago, I learned the best response is a sincere “Thank You.”

When I see people smile or laugh because of something I painted, it makes me want to paint more.

So even though the market is exhausting and I am already looking forward to a break, I know the experience is good for me. My art is not for everyone. Nobody’s is. But when it connects, that is something. When I am burnt out and questioning everything, sometimes I need to see that connection face to face.

My buddy Darrel knows me too well. He sent me a text on Monday asking, “Are you all recharged from a bunch of smiling faces?”

Not yet, but heading in the right direction.

I’m heading back to the Banff Christmas Market Friday morning. Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Patrick

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Banff Christmas Marathon

On Thursday morning, I’ll set up my booth for the Banff Christmas Market and doors open at 5:00 pm for Twinkle Night. It’s going to be a marathon month, balancing drawing my syndicated and local editorial cartoons from Monday to Thursday, then selling my whimsical wildlife art at the Banff Train Station from Friday to Sunday.
There won’t be any time to paint until just before Christmas, but I’m glad I finished my latest commission on Saturday morning. At least I won’t have that deadline weighing on me. I enjoyed working on this piece, and best of all, the client was very happy. I’m looking forward to sharing it with all of you. But that won’t be until after I get the metal print and deliver it to the client.

Prep for this market is the same as any big show. Updating inventory in the point-of-sale system, signing and packaging prints, creating price signs for every metal and canvas print, plus all the other signage around the booth. I added a few small acrylic signs this year because I know I’ll be asked (or accused) if my work is AI. That’s just the landscape now.
But with a growing backlash against AI art, I’ve read that more shows and events are prohibiting anyone selling it. So, if the little signs create an opportunity for discussion and education, I’m happy to provide that.

I’m also introducing a digital picture frame that will loop a silent video of my painting process. Making that video took more time than expected, but I think it’s ready.

Rather than reinvent the booth, I just try to improve it a little with each show.

If you were at the Banff Christmas Market last year, you’ll find me in the same spot in the train station. It’s a big list of vendors in different tents and buildings. The organizers of this event are excellent and really know what they’re doing. Several of us asked for the same locations again, and they delivered. We’ve got a nice little neighbourhood at that end of the station. Plenty of camaraderie and goofing around, which makes the slow periods a lot easier. And customers feel that positive vibe when they walk in.

Once the booth is set up on Thursday, I won’t have to tear it down until December 15th. I won’t get any time off for the next month, but the commute is only twenty minutes so it’s just like going to a regular retail job, though with much longer hours. My boss is the worst.

A lot of people on the Christmas market circuit have to juggle accommodations and travel, which gets even trickier in winter. Many of my neighbours at the Banff Market come in from out of town every weekend and I feel for them. That’s a bigger expense, which creates more sales pressure.

I wanted to record a video showing all the products I’ll have on offer this year, but I just don’t have the time. The business of art always takes more time than the art itself, and editing video always takes more time than recording it. I’m already stretched thin.

Instead, I’ll try to shoot some video during the market and share that closer to Christmas when the dust settles.

As usual, I’ll have stickers, magnets, ceramic coasters, 11×14 prints and larger metal prints at the booth. I introduced tote bags at the Calgary Expo this spring, but this will be their first appearance at the Banff Christmas Market. I’m curious to see how the Smiling Tiger, Otter and new Christmas Bear designs do. I’ve already sold several of each this season, and I won’t be surprised if I’m sold out by the end of the year.
Last year, I underestimated demand for my calendars and had to reorder halfway through the market. Then sales slowed and I had to hustle to move the leftovers in January. This year, it looks like I might have ordered just about right. Calendar sales have been brisk for the past month and I’ve sold more to subscribers than ever before. Thanks to all of you for that. I still have plenty of stock to get me through the markets. But I wouldn’t be surprised if I sell out before the final weekend. Better that than leftovers again.

These markets are always a question mark. You can order based on previous years, but it’s still guesswork. A new painting might sell like crazy at the Calgary Expo, but barely move with the Christmas crowd. Or the reverse.

Then there are the other variables. The economy, the weather and visitor traffic can all boost or sink sales. You do what you can and hope for the best.
Tickets are now on sale on the Banff Christmas Market website, where you can book timed entry slots in advance. It’s a good system and once you’re in, you can stay as long as you like.

One of the perks of the location is that it’s right next to Banff’s free overflow parking lot. You don’t have to pay for parking like you do almost everywhere else in town. As for the scenery, it’s pretty spectacular.

They’ve built a great holiday atmosphere at the event with live music outside, a courtyard with food vendors, cozy fire pits, free professional pictures with Santa and a real Christmas village vibe.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Patrick

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Remember When This Was Fun?

Yeah, it’s been one of those weeks. But it came with a weird benefit.

One of the hardest parts of recording YouTube videos these past few months has been getting over perfectionism. I’ve watched too many “how-to” videos about lighting, audio, editing software, production values, storytelling, countless unimportant details that only served to keep me from hitting record and publish sooner than I finally did.

Sometimes it feels like YouTube is a cult, all serving the Great and Powerful Algorithm. Then again, that pretty much applies to all online life.

It gets exhausting.

But since I was already there, standing in the kitchen with a pile of prints I needed to sign and package, I threw my phone on a tripod, clipped on the wireless mic, and just talked. Regular kitchen lights, no script, no plan, only a little more organized than a rant.

You’ll see plenty of hard cuts because the original video was almost three times as long before I sliced and diced it with abandon. I came very close to deleting the whole thing, but ultimately decided it was worth sharing.

If you’re an artist thinking you might want to turn it into a business, and you can’t imagine doing anything else with your life, there will be days when you wonder if you’d have been better off not doing so.

Regardless, I didn’t have the energy to obsess over perfection this week. No music, no B-roll, no intro. Just whatever was left in the tank. Here’s the video.

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

From My First Wacom to the MovinkPad 11

It seems funny now to think back to my first little 4”×5” Wacom Intuos tablet in the ’90s. The first drawing software I used with it was a great little program called Painter Classic, and I only used it because it came with the tablet. I am not a hoarder, so I recycled it a while back, but took some photos for the memories.
Eventually, I got Photoshop and have been shackled to Adobe’s subscription model ever since. Remember when we were allowed to buy stuff, instead of renting it forever? Yeah, it’s a sore spot.

While software and hardware have come and gone in my decades-long career, I’ve always drawn on a Wacom tablet or display. I started upgrading Intuos models as they came out, but at some point, I set my sights on an early Wacom Cintiq.

For those unfamiliar, the Intuos tablets are pressure-sensitive drawing surfaces connected to your computer, mapped to your screen. You draw on the tablet while looking at your monitor. It sounds awkward, but it isn’t.

You don’t stare at your mouse when you use it. Same concept. 

Plenty of pros still create amazing work that way. I keep a spare in my office and could probably still do my full level of detail on it. I should test that claim one day.

But I wanted a Cintiq, a display on which I could draw directly on the screen. I’d seen them in art magazines and behind-the-scenes features about movie concept artists.

At Photoshop World in Las Vegas in 2010, I was thrilled to win the Guru Award for Illustration and Best in Show. When they announced the prizes, they said I’d won a Wacom Cintiq 12WX display, a smaller version of the large one I use now. So, I went to their booth on the trade show floor, eager to pick it up, and that’s when I met Pam.

It turned out the prize was actually a tablet, not a display. The announcer misspoke. Hey, mistakes happen, and I didn’t want to make a scene. But Pam told me she’d see what she could do, and the next morning, they said they’d honour the announcement.

That’s how I got my first Cintiq, because Pam made it happen.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve had several chances to work with Pam and Wacom. I’ve done demos at Photoshop World, been part of webinars, and recorded videos for new products. Once, Wacom even hired me to demo their gear at a packed event in Calgary. I remember opening a shipment of their displays and thinking, “What have I gotten myself into?”

In 2014, I gave a talk at the Banff high school about editorial cartooning and digital painting, and Pam supplied several Intuos tablets for me to donate to the school.

So yes, I’m loyal to the Wacom brand, but mostly to Pam. She’s been the constant, and has always been great to work with. When the right opportunities come up, ones I’m suited for, she still reaches out, and sometimes, new gear comes with the work. To the guy who bought his first tablet in 1998, that would have seemed surreal.

My loyalty to the products comes from experience. Wacom devices are built to last. In a world full of planned obsolescence, my Cintiq 24HD display has been on my desk since 2012. It’s massive, solid, and still does its job for me every day. Pam now calls it a dinosaur. She’s not wrong, as they’ve had several updated models since, but I love it like someone loves an old car. Here it is when brand new, 13 years ago, along with my Otter in progress, still one of my bestselling paintings. Wait…is that a Blackberry?!

Last month, Pam asked if I’d do a video about their new Wacom MovinkPad 11. I’d already seen a positive review from another artist, so it was an easy yes. We worked out the details, and I was pleased I’d get to keep it. Sometimes that’s not how it works with demo products. She even included a case, which I would highly recommend as it functions as a little stand and pen holder, too. 

Wacom will share the video I created a little later, but it’s already up on my channel, with permission of course. Rather than repeat what I said in the video, I’ll let you watch it.

But I’ll say this much: I didn’t sugarcoat it. This is the best mobile sketching display I’ve ever used, and yes, better than my iPad Pro. If I’d had to return it, I would’ve asked to buy it. They now have a larger MovinkPad Pro 14, but I honestly don’t feel like I’m missing anything. While the pro specs are impressive, I’m not as on-the-go as some people and don’t need something that powerful. This is the one I would buy, and it’s absolutely the tablet I wish I’d had more than 25 years ago when I was learning to draw and paint digitally.

Full disclosure: I was compensated for the video, and the sponsorship is clearly stated on my YouTube channel. But aside from some technical stuff, Pam gave me full creative freedom on the two variations of the video I recorded. This post, however, is mine, and it’s from the heart.

When politics, the news, and the noise of the world get to me, as it too often does, painting fur, feathers, and the little dimples on a critter’s nose is often the antidote. I’m at my very best when I’m drawing on a screen.

Enjoy the video.

Cheers,
Patrick

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Post Expo Perspective


The Calgary Expo is always exhausting but usually a positive overall experience.

This year, I went into it feeling burnt out, mainly because of how closely I’ve had to follow the rapidly changing news lately and how much it has personally bothered me. I think I foolishly thought Expo might fix that.

Many things that could have gone wrong in preparation and execution went as well as expected. I got my hotel and booth early, load-in went well, there were no problems with setup, and it seemed off to a good start. Even my new payment system worked flawlessly all four days.

But earlier in the week, I realized I wasn’t looking forward to Expo like usual. I went into it feeling a little desperate for a good show. So, when sales were slow, and the whole vibe felt off, I considered it might be my fault, that I was failing to project the right attitude.

Talking with other vendors throughout the weekend, however, with a noticeable drop in customer traffic, it quickly became apparent that it wasn’t just me.

We couldn’t help but speculate amongst ourselves — what was going on?

Was it the new layout? The events portion of the show moved to the second and third floors of the new BMO Centre. In previous years, attendees would end up in retail spaces while moving between panels and talks. When people left those scheduled events this year, it seemed like many just went outside or crowded the exterior aisles on their way to somewhere else.

Perhaps it was the economy. With all the bad news flooding across the border these past few months, people are nervous and watching their money. It seemed like many had less to spend, and I saw far fewer new people in my booth than I’m used to. I’ve never seen a quiet Saturday at the Calgary Expo; it’s usually a crazy busy day. My best sales day this year was Friday. That has never happened before.

I’m used to each year proving as good or better than the year before. I’ve never had a down year. My friend Ryan had a booth a couple of aisles away from me. He was right when he said, “Every year can’t break records.”

Because I keep meticulous records and inventory, I know that this year’s sales were down 16% over last year. That may not seem like much, but this is an expensive show. The price of my booth, electrical, insurance, parking and hotel all went up this year. So, depending on the year, the first 35% to 50% of sales cover that initial expense. That’s before I factor in the cost of my product.

For this show, 16% off the top is significant. I didn’t talk to one vendor who said their sales were good this year.

The show was still well worth my time and investment, and on the last day, I rebooked for next year as I always do.
At the show’s end, tearing down took about an hour and a half. But the line-up of cars to access the loading docks was ridiculously long. I have a sturdy hand dolly that transforms into a robust cart. It was quicker for me to haul my booth out in three trips through two large halls to the other side of the building where I had parked my car. That took another hour, but it was better than sitting in a long line of vehicles for all that time.

I’ll admit that I felt a little sorry for myself on the drive home Sunday night, that the show wasn’t as good as I’d hoped or expected. But after some sleep and time to reflect, I have corrected my perspective.

While the goal is always to introduce my work to new people and find new subscribers, and there weren’t as many of those opportunities this year, the best part of Expo is all of you who keep coming back to see me year after year.

With a sincere hand-on-heart, I want to thank my many repeat customers, collectors, subscribers and supporters who showed up this year.

I met several people who came to the show just because they read about it in A Wilder View, some of whom I met for the first time. I often think what I write on my site and in my emails is self-indulgent drivel, but you keep telling me that you look forward to each email and enjoy what I share.

One enthusiastic subscriber who’s been buying my calendars from Australia for several years just immigrated to Canada and came to Expo to meet me for the first time. In an email exchange after the fact, he said, “You’re such a positive and inspiring person.”

Feroze, are you sure you’re reading MY emails?

I kid.

Even though this is precisely what I always wanted, I’ve never been comfortable with so many of you having my art on your walls or stickers on your cars, kayaks and water bottles and that you say such nice things about my work and writing.

Many of you have way more prints, stickers, magnets, coasters and other pieces than I thought you did.
Though I saw them all weekend, Tracy and Sheldon took these photos of their collection Saturday night and shared them by text. They rotate their prints in what they call Critter Corner. When I saw these photos, I joked that I felt like a drug dealer and it might be time for an intervention, especially since they bought more prints and tote bags this weekend.

You two would be dangerous if you weren’t such lovely people.

I was reminded this weekend that so many of you have large collections. You know who you are, and I only refrain from listing all your names because I would forget somebody, and I don’t want to offend anyone.
Long-time collectors also bought canvas, metal and acrylic prints this weekend. I have more of those orders to fill this week. I talked with former commission clients and ones whose paintings I’m just about to start. I got the usual gentle pressure about the book, which I never seem to gain traction on, and a few offered welcome suggestions on which animals I might consider painting next.

I can’t adequately express how humbling it is that you enjoy my artwork this much.

So perhaps I needed a lesson this year at Expo that even when sales are down, it is just one event in one year, and it comes and goes so quickly. All of you who continue to allow me to do this for a living, whether you can show up to Expo to show your support in person, were already here before the show, and you’re still here afterward.

I need to remember that it’s a gift that, once a year, I get to see so many of you in person. Because every time I do, you make me want to make more art.

Thank you.

Cheers,
Patrick