There’s still time to enjoy Washington DC’s largest art event at Artomatic, 2100 M Street NW. Any art purchased can be made through my Big Cartel store, https://journeyofimagination.bigcartel.com, or by emailing me at dominiquevargo@gmail.com.
I’m in Room 4001B on the 4th floor. See you there.
For several years, I wanted to try to run a Kickstarter campaign, but it just seemed so intimidating. Then I discovered Kickstarter’s small campaign calls to creators to just make 100. This could range from making 100 items or having 100 backers. The definition is pretty loose. Still intimidated, I hesitated for a couple of more years. Last year I finally got an idea for a Make 100 project, centering around my love of nature and images of nature I photographed over many years in all my travels. And that’s when I thought, either go for it, or let the thought go. There is no sense in thinking about doing something forever and never actually doing it. I decided to just go for it.
For this first iteration of my Make 100, the subject is my love of koi. They are simply so magnificent to me, with their flowing fins and tails that look like they are forever dancing in the water. I decided that I did not really want to draw 100 koi, although drawing 100 of anything will surely give the artist that ability to draw from memory. The logistics of offering 100 tiers of original drawings would be a nightmare on Kickstarter, especially since I want backers to actually choose which koi drawing they want to back. I chose to make 20 and add sets of prints to make the number required of the make 100 themed project.
I met another great artist, at a workshop a while back, who talked about her own Kickstarter experiences, specifically how to figure out the minimum funding amount. This is a great start. I computed some numbers and recomputed them several more times, each time with more understanding of how minimum funding should work and what exactly constituted “minimum funding.” One of those understanding is that “Your funding goal should be the amount you need to complete your project, not what you hope to raise from your campaign.” What a revelation that is, to know that unless I have a following in the thousands, I only needed enough to cover basic costs. This really helped me select a funding goal and have a successful campaign.
I choose 20 beautiful koi photos from my collection to draw from. I research what I would use as packaging and calculate that cost. Since I am already working with a specific US printer, it was not hard to calculate my printing cost. My Kickstarter will really mainly be funding the printing of the artwork to make this project come alive. Several minimum funding computations later, I launched my project.
Then I literally hold my breath for 4 weeks. Honestly, I did not even think I would be funded, but I finally did near the end. I want to take a moment and thank all those who supported my first Kickstarter campaign, if you are reading this article. This really boost my confidence, not to mention I learned so much from just doing it, rather than the project just being a thought in my head. The exhilarating feeling that experience provide, to go from idea to planning to action to completion, is so high, I can’t even describe it in words. I’ll just draw a picture instead!
For a couple of years I carried a tiny brown sketchbook with me and an ink pen. Every time I get a moment, I would put dots on the pages. After so many dots, images start to appear to me and I gravitate toward the image, little by little. This is often how I work, very slow, very methodical. Each dot is placed carefully. Even though the image is mostly random and often abstracted, there is order to the placement of the dots after the image appears to me and I’m chasing that image. The size of the pages in the sketchbook is 3x4 inches, however, it still takes me weeks to get an image to the point when I think I’m “finished” and moved on to the next page. Sometimes I would go back and forth in between pages. At some point I decided that the moment I put my initials on the page, it is considered “done.” Otherwise, I think I would just work on it for years. I’m not sure if that is borderline obsession or not. I think of this process of creating art and images “the ordering of chaos,” or as I often refer to it in previous articles, “taming the chaos.”
Eventually I have a collection of these ink stipplings. I made prints out of them and mounted them onto back boards, which I then sealed with black gloss. The prints are also glossed as well. This is done in a similar fashion as my circular totems so that they can be held as well as hung on a wall or propped on a shelf or desk. So these can also be totems of sort, with a bit more abstract images so that viewers can imagine their own tranquility to escape to. We all need a place to escape to every once in a while. Art always provides me with that escape. I hope it can do the same for you.
-Dominique
I’m excited “Eyes In the Forest” is included in the Collective Ground Exhibit in the Prince George’s Delegation of the Lowe House Office Building, in Annapolis, Maryland. This collection of artwork “intends to demonstrate the broad range of artwork being created in our county and to foster an inclusive spirit among the artists exhibiting together.”
The 2024 annual Collective Ground exhibition features Prince George’s County artists to serve “as a reminder to our lawmakers about the importance of the arts, and offers daily, moral support through the power of art as they work on our behalf throughout the legislative session.”
If you’re local and never thought you would have a reason to visit the Delegation office, now is your chance. Come see all the beautiful artwork on display. The art reception is on 12 March, 5:30-7:30 pm. Come meet and talk to the artists and enjoy a delightful array of snacks. Barring any illness, I’ll be there.
Hello Friends,
The original koi drawings for my Kickstarter Make 100 campaign. If you’re still thinking about it, jump on board and own an original absolutely one of a kind artwork. Only one original drawing for each koi is created. There are no duplicate drawings of the same koi. I will never redraw any of these images. I signed each artwork in a corner but really, each of these koi can be oriented in any direction you feel desirable. Numbers 1, 4, 9, 11, 13, 17 are already gone.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chaotic-abstraction/make-100-drawn-from-nature-koi
Dominique
Hello Everyone,
My Kickstarter Make 100 campaign has launched and is going strong. It is very close to being funded with 20 days to go. Here is a video production of some of my inking process for you to enjoy.
I have new prints for the 2024 convention season. These prints will also be available on my store as well. The 3 prints are created based on interest level shown at various events I participated in last year. See you at conventions, or grab them from my Big Cartel store, journeyofimagination.bigcartel.com
Don’t forget my first Kickstarter currently running. This first one is all about koi. Rewards start at $30, plus $6 shipping to USA address only.
I discovered Kickstarter allows creators and backers to work together to adjust the backer’s pledge amount for multiple items before the project has reached its deadline. The way my project is set up, you can only pledge for 1 of the 20 originals. However, if backers are interested in having more than one original, we can work together to add the additional original to the pledge as long as the original is still available at the time. I am more than happy to accommodate, just send me an email at dominiquevargo@gmail.com.
Each original is unique and not based on any stock photo. Grab your favorite before they are gone and only prints will be available for that image.
