Thankful For Fine Art America

I love being a part of FAA as well. The staff works hard to keep us working and selling plus it's very easy to shop with so many great choices of art to choose from. I love looking through the collections. The forum and the contests are fun to be a part of. Thank you FAA!

a site that is easy to use and works well, yes indeed. :D

A big thank you for all those that take the time to give very valuable free advice to anyone that asks for it

I am grateful for members like yourself.

A very satisfied and thankful member since 2009. There has been so much helpful information in many of the discussions that has improved my artistic abilities, marketing skills and sales. It has been very easy to maintain my pages and get my brand out to the public.

Many thanks to Sean, Abbie and all the others at FAA who have made it all possible.

Best wishes to all for a successful holiday sales period !

Hi Brooks,

I'm very thankful for FAA, but not for the reasons I would have thought. The site has all the attributes you speak of, but more than that it has been a place to mingle, and learn from others in most interesting ways.

I'm thankful, too, but right now for more selfish reasons than anything. Yesterday I thought to myself that I have never sold anything on the weekend here. Then last night I sold something here!

FAA has already been of great value to me, and I've only been on for about 7 months. I made a sale (yay! And a nice one), and hopefully I have some more in my future.

But more than the sale, it has opened up opportunities for me. I was found on FAA, and contacted, to participate in an expo early last month, so I had my first ever booth due to FAA. Now the expo was a huge flop, in terms of attendance, but I met a few other artists there, one who gave me input and thoughts on my facebook page, which was much appreciated, and I've kept in touch with the other, and through the other, learned of another holiday show, which I will also be participating in. Meeting people through that.... and I can envision more opportunities arising as a result. Slowly over time.

Also, I've really enjoyed viewing other artists' work, and I think it's good for me to be more exposed to the varying styles and techniques, I enjoy learning and also just reflecting on the myriad of ways people express themselves.

So, yeah. That's my story, FAA's been great for me. When I look beyond the POD sales aspect, which has been lackluster, but I'm not complaining about my one sale :), the indirect benefits have been pretty great.

I concur with all the comments above me.

I'm very thankful for FAA and the opportunities provided here as well, for many of the same reasons as stated above. It's a great place to be!

I have a lot to be thankful for also. I was only looking for a POD site where I could send people who ask me if I sell my photographs. I had low expectations of faa selling them for me and those expectations went even lower after I viewed some of my "competition" on this site. The big surprise was that I had my first sale at 6 months and it was a good one...enough to cover 2 years dues plus change. I don't know how they found my photograph among all of this here but I followed the advice about groups, contests, tweeting and such.

The unexpected bonus was how much I learned from the other artists on the forums here. They (you) have served as both inspiration and technical adviser.

I'm thankful too! It seems a good place to display art. I look forward to selling some work. I enjoy the discussions where I can read helpful advice. :-)

Great idea for a discussion thread, Brooks, thank you!!

I am very thankful and grateful to Pixels.com / Fine Art America for providing this Community of the worlds greatest living artists and photographers. This is a wonderful platform, like no other, where we can produce and market our artwork and leave the rest to automation.

Frank J. Casella
Photographer
http://about.me/FrankJCasella

Brooks,

Good morning---it is good weather for ducks here---about 5 inches of rain. Great to see another discussion---and you must know that I was very interested in the other one too. I am thankful for the friends that I have made through FAA. I have met several of them and it has been an amazing fun time. FAA keeps me motivated------------and we 'sharpen' each other. I have watched much of the art/photography just get better. It is uplifting to get comments---and ideas. For instant---a certain friend motived me to start a garden because of her beautiful garden photos---now I have posted my first 'tomato' photo and named it 'Salsa'. She also has a cute name--------------it is 'Brooks' :)
Also---I had a tech question the other day----and Abbie answered immediately------also sent one to Mike----and he answered immediately.

Thank you!

This seems like a good place to put this, I don't know if it has been mentioned in other threads, but among all the other wonderful big things above, and things which I have mentioned in other threads, all which I am thankful for, I just want to say thanks for the seemingly little ones as well. Like I just noticed that I can stay logged into my AW for long periods now. That is such a help! Stuff like that I notice and I never get a chance to thank properly, so I just want to say thanks! All the beautiful changes and updates as well. Wonderful. The site is looking beautiful! I have met awesome people here, been inspired, been helped, and had a great time. I am thankful for the night I did an Internet search and found FAA. I still remember it well!

Oh yes-----I agree with Anita about staying logged in longer---was just thinking about that last night. Thanks for bringing that up.

Also----yesterday---I would have said that I enjoy it all---but not much happening in sales------this morning-----I can say that I sold 'Beautiful Together'!! Was so surprised and happy.

Thank you!

I like everything about FAA -- going on four years now, for me. Easy to navigate and keep up with what other artists are doing. The artwork here is phenomenal. I was even lucky enough to make a few sales, without marketing. A bonus are the discussions. I can go days at a time without actually speaking to a soul, yet I know I can come here and "talk." For that I am ever so grateful. And who better to talk with than artists!

Personally, I give a huge thank you, having overcome frustrations and frustrations since becoming a member here at Fine Art America. I am truly grateful of all the guidance from Abbie, to JC, Sean and everyone behind the scenes who make this site the best site it can be on the net. And I can not forget to say thank you to all the Fine Art Members who take there time out to assist each and everyone of us with their discussions to help us all succeed. Their encouraging comments and advice has inspired me to fulfill my continued participation here at Fine Art America!

Thank you Brooks for opening this forum and Thank you Fine Art America!!!

WOW!

What a great thread! So nice to see the upside celebrated instead of the minor problems beat to death!

The positives here out weigh those negative like a great white wale out weigh a the tiny flea.

I applaud you Brooks for giving us all an opportunity to show how grateful we are for the opportunity that Sean and the entire staff at FAA has given us.

And I give special thanks to Abbie for how well she does a difficult job.

And of course all the people like JC that although he occasionally goes flying off into the great, blue, sky (I mean he actually does fly off into the great, blue, sky! lol) he helps to keep the rest of us grounded!

Great big way to go to everyone at FAA including those who's names we are not that familiar with but do a great job for us.

THANK YOU ALL!

Thanks for ALL the wonderful comments, everyone! I can't tell you how much better it feels to be coming from a grateful space than the opposite. Encouraged & uplifted, to say the least.

Lisa, Nicole & Roy, good to hear from each of you.
Mel, you are one of those we can learn from...and, yes, here's to a very successful holiday $ales period! Good to hear from you.
Hi Kelley, always room for learning...and you are right, FAA is a great place to 'mingle', meet friends and gain new insight.
Joseph, congratulations on your sale! Good to 'see' you. Thanks for your feedback, as well, Cascade Colors! And, Richard, too...appreciate your concurring.
Jai, wonderful words from you, as always. Good to connect with you on FAA...and Tamara, as well. Thanks for your comments.
Hi Bob! Enjoy your work, posts & positive energy. Thanks! And, yes, those 'unexpected bonuses' are always a welcomed surprise!
Frank! You are so right; FAA is like NO other...and I speak from experience, as do most of you. Some truly great artists & art on FAA. Always good to get your input/advice.
Nava, what can I say! I'm blessed to have found you on FAA! Thank you for your kind words, humor, talent and support. I am going to check-out your newest inspired-garden upload, my namesake. Lol. Congratulations on your sale, btw!
Yes, Anita, so true. It IS the little things. Thanks for noticing...and reminding us.
Patricia, I appreciate your posts/comments in the discussions. Always good to hear from you.
Your'e welcome, Michael, my pleasure. Thank YOU for your upbeat positive attitude about life...and FAA!
Thanks, Floyd! You are so right, the positive outweighs any negative, by far. And, applause, applause to the staff here at FAA, yes. A note re Jeffrey...I once asked him for advice, to which he promptly replied in amazing detail, about how I might take my gallery/artist's website to the next level. Forever grateful.
BIG "thank you's" all around! Looking forward to hearing more!

Thanks, Abbie! I don't know IF you'll remember this, with all you have to manage here, but I once lost a favorite image/file of mine that took some time to formulate. The only 'copy' I had was the one uploaded here in my gallery. I contacted you and was, immediately, sent a personal email, which, btw, included my entire portfolio should I want to download any other image as well! You followed up to make sure I got what I needed. Appreciated that...and learned quickly to always back-up my work, twice!

Brooks----I realize that a lot of your art may reflect your time spent in the garden---veggies, fruit, and gorgeous flowers---turned this way and that--topsy-turvy and free flowing! You are one multi-talented artist!

Always glad to help :)

Okay, Nava, you surprised me with that 'photo post'! You know I LOVE my garden; it's true! Thank you for your always kind words, for sharing my work here & elsewhere...and for our friendship, formed right here on FAA. Grateful! Honored to have had a little somethin' to do re inspiring your creating a garden of your own, as well!
Btw, it was a comment of yours in another discussion thread I posted that inspired this topic...something about 'coming from a place of joy & gratitude'. Words of wisdom. While I was out taking my walk late last evening, it came to me plain as day [or night!]; I needed a 'new attitude'! Thus, the theme of this discussion was realized. Just thought you'd want to know.

I know I bitch a lot about some things, but in all, I love many of the good friends I have met here. It is a good site, even though I don't see any returns, there is still a lot of good from it. Good people, a good forum to discus things on, and a lot of beautiful works!

I'm grateful as well. FAA has become indispensable to me and I'm learning more about it's potential all the time. My most recent lights on moment concerning FAA is as follows: I started my Wordpress Blog a few years back and it's definitely taken on a life of its own. At that time I discovered that maintaining my own gallery page was cumbersome and that is when I discovered Fine Art America. It was such an easy solution to just re-direct my gallery page to FAA. Now, several years later I am discovering a dynamic and interactive community at FAA and I'm thinking why not re-direct my FAA blog page to Wordpress, in other words use the FAA blog tab to re-direct to wordpress. If you are interfacing your blogs, i'd like to hear how its working for you.

Ditto most of the above comments I am glad to have this healthy and creative addiction and grateful for the wonderful people here.

Hey Michael! Thanks for breathing new life into 'our' grateful thread! Good to hear from you. So agree re the perks of membership on FAA. I try to take advantage of them all. Good points re the blog! You might actually want to start another thread of your own to address that. Just say it like you did here and I'm sure you'll get some good feedback & maybe make a few new FAA friends in the process! Worth a shot.

Barbie, you're back! Great to see your beautiful smile, again. Healthy addiction is right...and wonderful people, too! Was wondering where you'd been? Whatever happened with Dan & the premium membership, btw?

Anyone, everyone, is welcome to add their 'thanks' & 'grateful for FAA' here! Have a great day & week ahead.

Thanks for making me feel welcome Brooks. This is a Great Grateful Thread. I actually did start a thread of my own called "Wordpress Blog and FAA Synergy, Why Not"? I guess I saw how active this thread was with folks who are fully utilizing FAA and thought it would be a good place to ask the question.

FAA is one of the best if not THE BEST site right now, for people with images they want to showcase or sell, it'll do just that. The images look great, I like the look of the site, the fact there are no constant changes, no 50% off where I eat the cost, and setting my own markup. On FAA I don't feel like I am working for someone else.

In all these years, I never really needed tech support, until now where I have problem with the watermarks. So I hope that will be fixed for me soon. Abbie is great. She's handling it.

There is always room for improvement and I wish there were some flexibility and imagination at work, on coming up with way, to improve upon how art is found to get some exposure from time to time. But that involve hiring people and people cost money. But hey, I won't let that keep me down! I always got something in the works, irons in the fire as they say.

"FAA is in the house!"

Thanks for the 'thanks', Michael! Great that you started up your own thread re the blog. Hope you got some constructive comments & replies! Have a great weekend. Don't forget 'Daylight Savings Time'!

Good to see you, Ginette! Yes, agreed, FAA is the best around. You do bring up some good points, though, and there's always room for improvement. With all the changes going on right now, it's a kind of 'wait & see' as to how things are going to turn out here. But, change is inevitable...even though some of us don't take to it as well as others. Lol. You are right, too, re not letting things keep you down. Good to keep the ol' creative juices flowing in one way or another! Have a lovely night.

Well, I recently 'heard it through the grapevine' that threads are being 'Closed' after a 6-month run? I do see others of much longer tenure still circulating, but, if it's true, our 'Thankful for FAA' discussion isn't going to be open for very much longer. Not much action lately, but there's still time to add your two cents, all things re what you like about the site. Looking forward to your comments!

I like the forum especially because it's so surprising what artists have to say and how they feel. I'm in shock that they are a very controlled group of people, expressing a lot of interesting ideas.

The art is extremely interesting and the choices of frames etc.

I also enjoy the contests and voting, looking at all the images and trying to decide out of so many wonderful pieces which one I like best.

Hi Lisa! Looks like you & I might be the last to say 'thank you FAA' in this very excellent thread! I agree re the forum. It's truly an eclectic mix of members & topics, from the mundane & silly-funny to the thought-provoking & inquisitive to the 'photo dumps' to new members simply saying 'hey' and introducing themselves. Too bad only a handful of members, new & old, participate. Some have actually been banned for being out-of-line, according to the rules of discussion. Yes, there are rules. Unfortunately, a couple of those were the most interesting in the whole forum! Lol. No one seems to be able to take their place, though some are really trying!

Members new to the forum should be aware that they will need a thick skin & have good come-back skills, as there are some regulars here who will take them to task over the silliest things, like an innocent comment re 'artists or photographers', plus they will argue for argument's sake, as they seem to get some sort of pleasure out of sparring! They will always know more than you, or act like they do, even if they don't!

That being said, yes, the forum is great...educational, helpful & fun to be part of, most of the time.

There are some exceptional artists & photographers here, yes! That's one reason I love hosting contests; I get to see so much great talent & variety. We are on the same page re contests, btw, I just think there needs to be more creativity re and hosts that tend them a little better. But, all in all, they are a great way to get your work seen, however large or small the audience. Most members enjoy them, but there are always a few naysayers who complain about everything, including contests, as you will see or have seen in the forum. Nevertheless, they enter them in the end, so it's 'funny' to me that they feel a need to go on about it when they never take the time to host one themselves. So why complain?

Btw, members are hosting & creating these contests VOLUNTARILY so that you, the members, have the opportunity to further showcase your work! So, that should be another thread...'Thankful for FAA contest hosts'! Contests are open to all members who want to host them, btw, and are mainly for promotion. Same goes for groups & their administrators!

It's usually when I have a free moment or two that I'll drop by the forum to see 'what's new'. Sometimes, I will also go through the pages of new members and send a 'welcome to FAA' to those whose work inspires or interests me...or the artist/photographer themselves do! Always good to welcome someone aboard, comment on their work & introduce yourself, as well!

Thanks so much for your kind comments, Lisa. Good to hear from you. Have a wonderful day!

Thank you FAA ,.....You were at the right place at the right time when I discovered you back in early 2013.

I was getting so discouraged with various other websites and their different rules and policies when it came to representing my work.
The confusion of terms of use on each site as well as remembering who was who and what was what,....
likewise with different local gift shops and outlets who seemed to represent their percentage profit margin (more) than my return on time and material commitment.

Now ALL my work is ONLY available on FAA,...
I'm free to devote 100% of my efforts to creating and posting my best work on this wonderful website FAA provides me.

Because of FAA, I can drive potential buyers at my pace,....to my own site, offering assorted framing, mounting services and other interesting presentation options which I could never offer or afford otherwise.

The shipping headache alone not to mention the intuative ordering interface FAA provides,....totally eliminates all involved expenses I would have to incur handling it myself.

The camaraderie with members alone via discussion topics as well as groups and private networking has allowed me to grow within FAA adding to the initial value immensely.
There's much talent to aspire towards on FAA,....and I can grow at my own pace with full flexibility along the way.

FAA has a happy camper with this photographer.

Marty Saccone

Well said & shared, Marty. You echo the words of many before you. FAA really is the best site of its kind around!

Happy camper here, too, the majority of the time! Just a couple of issues re the throw pillows and not being told beforehand what changes are being implemented. Big surprise when logging on to find certain changes that we could've been privy to prior.

But, me, too, this is the only place I show & sell my work online. Have a couple of poetry books on one other, but that's it. Good feeling to find a place where so much is offered & going on, from an on-site family of talented friends, artists & photographers, most of whom are excited to be aboard, to ALL the extra perks FAA provides us, its members.

Thanks, Marty! Good to hear from you.

First time I've viewed your portfolio,.....You sure have a talent for flower blossoms and your landscapes are beautiful.

Nice meeting you here Brooks.

Marty Saccone

Marty, kind of you to visit my gallery! Thanks so much for the wonderful words re my work. Really appreciate it. I will pay you & your gallery a visit as well. Nice to meet you. Have a good night!

It's rare that I post an image in this thread, Marty, or invite others to, but I love Maine, the morning fog, sea air, sights sounds & smells...and your gallery lets us revel in its magic & mystique. Had to share just one.

Wow,...thank you so much Brooks.

I feel the same way about the state of Maine and have devoted my photographic images to that special comfort zone.

When I hear the fog horn late in the evening,.....it's such a soothing sound.

I wasn't born here,........but I got here as quick as I could. ;-))

Marty

I don't blame you one bit for following your heart...all the way to Maine! Everyone tries to talk me out of moving there, telling scary stories about the terrible winters or the stifling heat & humidity of summer. But, that's just part of the Maine experience, I figure.

Until I come to a decision re, the occasional visit & getting lost in photography like yours will have to suffice! I did actually subscribe to a mag called Down East just to have a little more info & taste of life on the coast there. Maybe one day?

This is one of the reasons why I love FAA, meeting members like you, Marty! Have a good night & weekend.

Wow thanks for sharing that lighthouse ! That is such a great image . I would love to see it in person and sketch it. And Brooks did you say Maine was "down" east? That would be me in North Carolina . Maine is "up" east ;)

Lol, Tony! Yep, 'Down East - The Magazine of Maine' is really the name of the it! You can google it to see why they call it that?

Yes, love Marty's foggy lighthouse shot. I can smell the salty sea air, hear the fog horn & gull's cry. Sets the Maine mood.

Good to 'see' you. Have a wonderful Sunday down east in 'North' Carolina!

Its so easy to join and agree with so much that is mentioned here :-)

I am grateful for this platform and for being part of the FAA community!

Welcome, Noa! Good to hear from you. Thanks for stopping by and becoming part of our 'thankful' thread. I am reminded of all the reasons to be grateful every time I log in to FAA to catch up on or update things, join in the contest or discussion fun, create a new blog and so on.

Of course, I realize it takes time to make a name for oneself on the site re sales, and more sales, but, as slow as they can be sometimes, other perks of the site, plus my own fiery determination, keep me coming back for more. I am nothing, if not determined to make this work in a bigger way.

I am in the process of shutting down all other shops I once managed that still show any lingering/languishing art & photography, except for one where I sell only a couple of my poetry books, and directing potential-buyer-traffic to my gallery here.

Now, it's sink or swim; I'm all in. It's FAA or bust! Gulp.

Good afternoon,
I am glad I stumbled upon FAA. I have been here a short time but I have enjoyed looking at other artists work and coming and reading some of the interesting conversations here.
Very talented people here. It amazes me what some people can do with a paint brush or a pencil or any tool I've seen used to make some beautiful works of art.
Have a wonderful blessed day.

Greetings & welcome to the gratitude thread, Jennifer. There are so many stories re how we members found FAA! You stumbled upon it, some were directed to it by the site itself & others heard about it through the grapevine via friends, fellow artists and/or collectors. I sure wish I had gotten an invitation to join at the very beginning rather than only a couple of years ago. Who knows where my art & photography might be by now!?

Actually, this month marks my two year anniversary. I initially joined in late January 2013, but didn't become serious, as in being active or creating a premium site, until April 15th when I began to take part in all things FAA. There are been a lot of changes since then, some that members still squabble over re whether they're good for sales or the site, or not. But, all in all, in my opinion and that of so many others here, FAA remains the best of its kind anywhere out there.

You are right, there is a ton of talent here. Amazing works, both art & photography...and amazing people. Hope you have a wonderful day, too. Good to hear from you. Take care.

That's why I'm here Brooks. I looked at all the options I could find and decided this is the best one. I have a full time job, I don't have the time and energy to pursue multiple venues and still create art to put on them, but then there's the challenge of finding the time and energy to market my art. I don't blame FAA if I don't sell, but man it's tough no matter what you do.

With you on that, David. Tough times managing a full-time job & trying to make your art sell, too. I'm impressed by those who make it happen, one way or the other. I'm a full-time artist, so I do have a certain amount of time I can 'devote to promote'.

Did you happen to catch the recent thread re other sites & their 'tiny' commissions that artists-photographers [here] are accepting and the issues surrounding that re FAA? Interesting. Good to hear from Sean re.

Yep, not enough hours in the day to do as some do and be active on several sties at a time. Tried, like you. So, narrowed it down & put all my creative eggs into one big art basket. Will keep plugging away. That's all we can do. Of course, all our hard work bringing in buyers goes to help line the pockets of certain people, but c'est la vie. Have to do what we can to get our art seen & sold...or not.

I'm always in hot pursuit for any & all to come visit my gallery or website. The 'funny' thing is I quite overwhelmed with SO many wonderful comments and verbal support and, yet, bringing the buyers to water...well, you can't force folks. Things have been a little too slow for my active mind & fingers. Frustration is my biggest enemy. Time to regroup, rethink, reorganize, add a little more life to the gallery and, hopefully, gain some needed momentum. I am not a quitter. I am not a quitter! Lol.

Have a nice evening, David. Good to hear from you.

Someone asked me to revive the 'Thank you' thread, so I did. That someone, for some reason, was not able to find it in the back pages, so I did!

Take a moment to add your thoughts, the reasons 'why' you appreciate FAA. We'd love to hear from YOU!

Have a great day/weekend. Happy summer! It's HOT in southern OR today.

Definitely glad to be here! I've met some great people, who are encouraging and helpful. No one is left out if they just get in there and play!

Thanks to those who take the time to provide it!

Right you are, Shirley! Jump in if you want to play & be a part of FAA in some way. I don't get to join in the forum 'fun' as much as I'd like. Quickie visits suffice to see what's up or new...and I'll add my two cents re, maybe. Usually, it's on the supportive end of things, but, once in a while, I'm moved to post a thread myself, like this one.

After I'd been here for a spell, I figured it would be good to take advantage of the perks offered. So, I got a blog goin' on and began hosting scads of contests, as well as participating in certain groups and, like most everyone, continuing to upload new work[s].

'All that' takes up most of my online time. Even though I try to spread my efforts here & there, I find my creative time suffers. Although, I can view it as 'creative' in its own way!


Hi Michael/Travel Pics! Thanks for your post & comments! Community=priceless.