Encaustic Arts Magazine Spring 2012 | Page 37

Becoming More, 24” x 36”, encaustic, oil, and watercolor on limestone clay, 2012. who described in detail how they created each piece. By inviting these artists to publish their work I started friendships that lead to more opportunities for all of us and gained a prominent group of artists with a vested interest in promoting my book. Initially, the printer advised me that niche books niche books like this rarely sell more than a couple thousand copies. He clearly underestimated artists’ hunger for learning encaustic! As of now, we’ve reprinted 3 times and sold around 6,000 copies. Linda Womack Before you see dollar signs and start looking for a printer, be aware that self-publishing is an incredible amount of hard work. Getting that pallet into my basement was just the beginning. From then the effort turned to marketing, publicity, invoicing, packing and shipping. While I didn’t get rich from this project, I did gain a solid income base to allow me to create my art without needing to worry about the dreaded “day job”. I finally was able to focus on my painting practice, discovering my voice and developing a bold visual style in part because of inspiration from the artists in my own book. Portfolio Linda’s paintings are featured in Embracing Encaustic and also serve as inspiration for students in her studio. 37 Summer www.EAINM.com