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A Pouty Bear, Commissions, and Tote Bags

A post in three parts. Here we go.
First, here’s a painting I just finished yesterday called Pouty Bear. Even though most of the animals I paint are smiling and happy, I occasionally change them up, even if I know that a different expression may not appeal to people.

My Angry Bear painting is not popular, but it’s still one of my favourites because I enjoyed the work. The grumpy lion, on the other hand, is a pretty good seller, and that surprised me. The Ring-tailed Lemur creeps some people out but definitely has its fans.

Will this pouting brown bear connect with people? Time will tell.
Commissions and Comic-Con

I’ve enjoyed most of the pet portrait commissions I’ve done. Each has a unique story. I like the back-and-forth with clients and am usually happy with the results.

I only paint two or three commissions a year, sometimes only one, so they’re not a big part of my work. I’m OK with that because custom paintings are labour-intensive. Each begins with initial client emails, vetting photos, and discussing expectations. This leads to the actual painting, printing and delivery, which takes several weeks at the best of times. That’s in addition to my daily editorial cartoons and paintings and running my business.

A whimsical wildlife painting takes several hours, too, but each of those paintings has the potential to become a popular print or licensed image that sells for many years. Although every commission advertises my skills to future clients, the painting itself is one and done. It’s unique and specific to the person who hired me. Very few people want a painting of somebody else’s dog.

For my clients, a commission is not an impulse buy; it’s an investment in a very personal and meaningful custom painting. Most people hire me after following my work for a while and becoming familiar with my art style and process. They’ve had time to think about a commission, decide they want one, and only then do they contact me.
At the Calgary Expo a few years ago, Jeremy asked me about painting his dog, Luna. It was several months later before he reached out and got the ball rolling for a Christmas present for his wife, Jenny. Luna is one of my favourite paintings. I enjoyed the experience and look forward to seeing them each year at the Expo. Jeremy and Jenny even visited the Banff Christmas Market this year and brought their dogs along.
I am asked about commissions at shows all the time. For the past couple of years, I have displayed an 18” X24” metal print of Luna in my booth, with a little sign in the corner that reads, “YES, I DO paint commissions. Ask me for more info.”

Since advertising the service with Luna’s painting, I get a lot more inquiries. But here’s the thing: Jeremy was the exception to the rule. Almost nobody hires me for a commission after meeting me at shows. And I’ve realized that talking about commissions is usually the quickest way to get somebody to leave my booth.

Whether it’s at the Calgary Expo or the Banff Christmas Market, here’s how that usually goes. While they scan the metal and canvas prints hanging on the grid walls that define my booth, they see the Luna painting and the commission sign. They get excited that I might paint their dog, and the first question is usually, “How much would that cost?”

I’ve used various talking points to try to soften the sticker shock. I mention that a custom painting is an investment and personal to them. I explain how much work is involved, including printing and shipping/delivery. But as soon as I mention it’s $1900, the disappointed look on most people’s faces is unmistakable.

The price surprises those who are used to buying underpriced art on Etsy, which is often generated AI or photo manipulation. I don’t know how much they thought a custom original painting would cost, but it was much less than what I just quoted them. Because even though very few will flat out say, “I can’t afford that,” it’s evident in their reaction, and that makes them feel embarrassed, even though they shouldn’t. I don’t drop two thousand dollars on anything without planning and careful consideration, so I don’t expect anyone else to.

But now they’re uncomfortable. Their initial enthusiasm for my work, which attracted them to my booth in the first place, is tarnished, and they want to escape this negative feeling as soon as possible. They’ll often ask for a card and say they’ll be in touch, leave the booth, and I know I’m unlikely to ever hear from them.

They never got around to flipping through the 40-50 different prints in the bins, nor did they see the magnets, coasters, stickers, or postcards. I’ll never know how many sales I might have missed if the commission price hadn’t scared them away.

As much as I love showing off that Luna painting, I won’t bring it to shows anymore. I’ll still get commission inquiries at The Calgary Expo, but I won’t advertise them. I’m likely to say that I’m not taking any right now with my current workload.

Like a commission, The Calgary Expo and Banff Christmas Markets are big investments, which I hope will result in excellent sales and allow me to introduce my work to new people. And when they see my happy, smiling animals, along with the occasional pouty bear or grumpy lion, I want to invite them in and show them around my booth rather than give them a reason to leave.

If they sign up for A Wilder View, they can always look into a commission later and decide on their own time that they want to talk about it.

As with all self-employment, art-for-a-living is about adaptation. When something isn’t working, it’s time to make a change.

Tote Bags

Thank you for all the positive comments and emails about the new Otter and Smiling Tiger tote bags I’m ordering for the Calgary Expo. These vibrant printed bags are 100% polyester textured canvas, machine wash and dry, and will withstand everyday use while looking great. Each measures 16” X 13” X 3”.
Several people emailed me asking if I’ll have them in the online store. As with any new product, I must guess how many I might need for the show. Production and delivery timelines mean I won’t get these for more than a month, so I need to order them on Monday to have them in time for the end of April.

While I think they’ll do very well, they’re a significant investment, and I’m erring on the side of caution, which means I hadn’t planned on ordering extras for the online store until I see how they do. And if I added them to the store first and they do very well, I won’t be able to order more in time for Expo.
But I’d love to hear your thoughts.

At $29 plus $5 shipping (in Canada) for one bag, would you buy one if I stocked them on my site? Depending on the feedback, I may increase how many I order tomorrow to accommodate online sales. Please let me know in the comments.

Cheers,
Patrick

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Banners and Bags

For years, I’ve been using the same vertical banners at the Calgary Expo, featuring my Smiling Tiger and Rat paintings.  While the old banners are still in good shape, they have my old website on them, www.cartoonink.com. And even though I rebranded to LaMontagne Art some time ago, I haven’t worried about the other address, because it will still take you to my site. I also know that most people aren’t looking at my banner and going to my site while standing right in front of me at my booth. In hindsight, it wasn’t necessary to ever include that info on the banner.

The banner stands I’ve used for years are made of heavy steel posts, cross beams and a base. They’ve done the job well, but they take extra time to set up and are awkward to load into an already packed car.
This year, I have replaced them with these retractable banner stands which are more compact and set up in seconds. While I could have gone with new images for both banners, I opted to keep the Smiling Tiger. It’s still one of my bestselling images, but more importantly, it’s part of my Calgary Expo booth and brand identity. People tell me they look for that banner. For the second image, my Rat painting is now retired, and I was happy to use my new Polar Plunge painting in its place. I think it fits this format well.

I had these printed at Vistaprint Canada and I’m pleased with how they turned out.

Shonna has been urging me to get tote bags for a long time, but I’ve never been enthused with the idea. There are many different products on which I could print my art, but that would mean buying, storing and transporting them as well. Having too many products gets expensive and complicated, and I wasn’t sure if tote bags would be the best investment.

At the Banff Christmas Market this year, I made a point of arriving early some days to check out other vendor booths. One vendor I know had her artwork on canvas tote bags and I was very impressed with the printing. She told me they sold well and I asked where she had them done. She generously shared the details for the Montreal company and said they were great to work with.
I created these designs for two of my bestselling paintings, and I am thrilled with how great they look. The print quality is better than I could have hoped, as is the construction and stitching. This vibrant printed bag is 100% polyester textured canvas, machine wash and dry, and will withstand everyday use while looking great. Each measures 16”X 13” X 3”.
I designed each bag as a wrap; the same image on both sides, with no text or advertising. I’ll have these two bestselling painting designs, my Otter and Smiling Tiger, available for this year’s Calgary Expo. I haven’t yet decided on how many I’ll bring, but they’ll retail for around $30.

Cheers,
Patrick

 

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Cartoons Amid the Chaos

As many of you know, my art business consists of editorial cartooning and whimsical wildlife paintings. My syndicated editorial cartoons used to provide a decent full-time living, but with the decline of newspapers, it’s now less than half of my income. Fortunately, my painted work keeps growing and carries more of the load when it comes to paying the bills.

But editorial cartooning is still a big part of my job. The images you see in this post show the different stages of each cartoon I draw, this one about the unwelcome trade war Canada now finds itself in with the United States.
Each week, I draw five or six syndicated editorial cartoons. I follow regional, provincial, national and international news and draw illustrated commentary on prominent stories. Many of my weekly clients across Canada only run my cartoons in their publications, some for over a decade. Other clients, especially daily papers, will pick and choose from submissions from several cartoonists. Despite the belief that journalism is unbiased, it most certainly is not. Some newspapers lean left while others lean right.

Prime Minister Trudeau is deeply unpopular everywhere in Canada, so most newspapers will run a cartoon that casts him in an unfavourable light. But, sometimes, I will draw a cartoon that calls out a right-leaning leader, like Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre or Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, and even as I draw the toon, I know that some of my Alberta newspapers won’t run it.

Editorial cartoons are not unbiased, nor are they supposed to be. Just like a written opinion piece, the cartoon is my perspective. Some readers will agree with it; others will not.

In addition to my syndicated work, I draw one weekly local cartoon for The Rocky Mountain Outlook, the newspaper of record for Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and the rest of the Bow Valley. I’ve been their cartoonist since day one in 2001, and it’s a point of pride that I have never missed an issue. It’s rare that the cartoon on the editorial page isn’t about an issue close to home. While the Outlook has mostly supported my work for many years, each idea is subject to my editor’s approval. I don’t own that spot on the editorial page and can’t simply draw whatever I want.

With syndication, however, I have free reign. It’s then up to my newspaper clients to decide whether they want to run a cartoon I submit. If one rubs them the wrong way, they get four or five others that week to choose from.
Years ago, I recall that somebody in Canmore came up with a proposal that each business in the community should contribute to a tourism promotion fee. Some businesses complained they shouldn’t have to because they weren’t in the tourism business.

Even if you only ever see locals in your business, if they work in tourism, then so do you. Without tourism to pay your customers, your customers can’t pay you. If tourism suddenly vanished around here, so would most businesses in town and the people who work in them.

This weekend, in an unjustified demonstration of selfish aggrandizing aggression, the President of the United States levied a 25% tariff on all goods from Canada, with 10% on energy. I won’t get too deep into why none of this makes sense, but one easy objection is that this is not about fentanyl trafficking, as he claims.

A Homeland Security Commission in 2022 concluded that “Canada is not known to be a major source of fentanyl, other synthetic opioids or precursor chemicals to the United States, a conclusion primarily drawn from seizure data.”

A 2020 DEA intelligence report stated, “While Mexico and China are the primary source countries for fentanyl and fentanyl-related substances trafficked directly into the United States, India is emerging as a source for finished fentanyl powder and fentanyl precursor chemicals.”

Canada wasn’t implicated by either agency. But it’s hardly surprising, because the President changes his reasons for the tariffs with each passing day. One day it’s fentanyl, then immigration, then a wildly exaggerated trade deficit number that he calls a subsidy (it’s not), and today it’s that “Canada doesn’t even allow U.S. Banks to open or do business there. What’s that all about?”

It was another false claim that was easy to debunk, as the Financial Post did within two hours of the President’s declaration. US banks have been operating in Canada for a long time, one for more than 100 years.

You will have no trouble finding educated insight into this recent tariff issue, especially from economists and business leaders on either side of the border, who say this will be incredibly damaging to the economies of both countries.
Canada and the United States have had a unique, enviable, and friendly relationship for longer than any two countries. We’ve often referred to each other as family. We’ve had our ups and downs; every relationship does, but it has always endured.

This unprovoked schoolyard bully attack has Canadians upset and angry. The 51st state nonsense is insulting, rude and childish, especially repeated ad nauseum over the past few months. But we hoped it might pass, and the President would find other means to distract his supporters from his false promises to make their lives better. Shouldn’t at least those voters be his primary focus? Because this ain’t that, regardless of how he paints it.

Tariffs will not decrease grocery prices in the United States. Those prices are going to go up, as they will for cars, furniture, gas, heavy equipment, and many more components, parts and products that Americans import from Canada. Even the average oil change in the US will likely increase by 30%. Tariffs will impact purchases most people never even think about, and those in Congress more concerned with keeping their titles and salaries than serving their constituents know it.

But hey, their financial security isn’t in jeopardy. Not yet.

Realtors in Florida and Arizona are seeing more second homes on the market than in years as Canadians leave communities, no longer feeling welcome in the United States. My parents lived in Arizona in the winter for over a decade. A hairdresser once told my Mom she had to get a part-time job during the pandemic when Canadians couldn’t travel south.

Canadians represent 27% of all international visitors to the US, contributing $16.4 billion in 2018, according to the US Travel Association. Whether talk translates to action is anyone’s guess, but I’ve heard several Canadians say they won’t take a U.S. vacation anytime soon. Why go where you’re not welcome?

Buy Canadian stickers are now popping up all over Canada, and trade barriers between provinces will likely disappear, as they should have years ago. It’s ironic that an unwarranted attack by our closest trading partner might do more to unite Canadians than our own politicians have managed in recent memory.

The tariffs levied against Canada this week and our retaliation measures will severely impact both economies, and some experts suggest that Canada may fall into a recession. And just like businesses in this valley who didn’t think they were in the tourism business, Canadians and Americans will soon find out just how much it’ll hurt all of us when people in other professions start losing their livelihoods.

Late Breaking Edit: As of Monday afternoon, the threatened tariffs have now been delayed for 30 days following a phone conversation between Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump. This is not a reprieve. Canada remains under the same threat.
On Saturday, I paid my deposit and applied for the Banff Christmas Market this year. While anything can happen between now and the end of the year, I’m already lowering expectations. I’m currently sourcing and buying stock for the Calgary Expo at the end of April, but I’m no longer planning on some products. I don’t think people will have money to spend on luxuries, and my work certainly qualifies.

It’s clear this manufactured conflict will continue to escalate and dominate the news for the foreseeable future. People have suggested to me, that with all this fresh material every day, I must love the return of President Trump.

I can assure you I do not.
____
©Patrick LaMontagne 2025

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Polar Plunge

In June of last year, I painted my Big Bear on Blue polar bear painting, which is now a popular print. Pacific Music & Art used it as the cover of their 2025 calendar featuring my artwork. I like that painting and didn’t feel the need to create another polar bear image, at least not right away.

In July of last year, however,  I shared the following sketch painting, the term I use for unfinished experiments. Because I had just painted a polar bear, I didn’t see the need to take it any further.
But it had received a positive response, and a few people sent me emails asking if I would finish it. So, over the last week, I put the time in to complete it, and I think Polar Plunge will be a nice addition to my print releases for spring.

At the beginning of this year, I spent a few days looking through unfinished paintings. There are a couple I had forgotten about that I’d now like to dust off and complete, and I’d like to finish as many paintings in progress as I can before I start anything new.

I also created a 2025 list of folders with reference files, so I don’t have to wonder what’s coming next.

There’s always a short-lived high whenever I finish a painting. Years ago, it used to last for a week. Now, it lasts for about an hour, followed by a bit of a crash, for anywhere from a couple of days to a week. If I look through my reference files during that post-painting hangover, hoping to find the next idea, nothing inspires me.

This year, I decided to eliminate that problem. Art for a living is a job, and when one painting is finished, I need to start another, regardless of whether I feel like it. Thankfully, I now have 28 new folders containing reference images for paintings I can start right away. Some are paintings I need to finish, like the group of ring-tailed lemurs I’ve been working on. As I complete a painting, I’ll choose another folder and start the next one. And even if I’m not ‘feeling it,’ that will pass soon enough as I get into the new piece, because lost in the details of a painting is about as happy as I get.

I have never painted that many images in a year, but that’s not the goal. I simply now have 28 options and no excuses not to start a new piece.

When I’m not feeling especially creative, it helps to think of each painting as a commission. When clients pay me to paint their pets, I have a deadline or know that I’m wasting their time and money if I don’t work on their painting. Guilt is a strong motivator.

I’m trying to shift my perspective regarding my own paintings where I’m the client, and by not working, I’m wasting my own time and potential revenue.

I’m also working to create a new portfolio this year to attract new licensing clients. Even though many of my licenses aren’t exclusive, some companies are still reluctant to use an image on similar products if another company uses it, even if the market conflict is minimal. Anything can happen, and relying on only a few clients risks future income security. The loss of newspaper clients in recent years illustrates that point well.

While editorial cartooning is still a large part of my business, newspapers have experienced a steady decline for years, so it no longer provides a full-time income on its own. If I hadn’t had the whimsical wildlife side of my business, which is now the most significant portion of my income, I would have had to get a part-time job a few years ago.
Last week, I delivered the year’s first print and sticker order to the Calgary Zoo. It was warm, with plenty of sunshine, and there weren’t many people. Even traffic was light, so I had an enjoyable day. When I got there, I chatted with the retail manager and the staff I know, then wandered through Canadian Wilds, my favourite part of the zoo.

I texted my friend Kayla, one of the zookeepers, asking if she was working and where she was. She said she was in the North American porcupine enclosure, so I went there. Kayla was one of those who asked me if I was ever going to complete this new polar bear painting, so I was happy to tell her the finished painting was imminent.
Porcupines are nocturnal, so they’re not active during the day, but like any animal, they’ll make an effort when food is involved. Because Kayla was inside the enclosure, feeding the cute and prickly resident, we had a nice chat while I got some decent reference shots. Add those to the ones I’ve taken at Discovery Wildlife Park, and there is now a Porcupine folder in my list of paintings I’d like to get to this year.

Though I took many more photos of different animals that day, most weren’t worth keeping. Bright sunny days and photography don’t usually mix. No matter how you compensate with camera settings, the lights end up too bright, the shadows too dark, and you can only fix so much in Photoshop. The sun is also low in the sky this time of year, which doesn’t help.

Normally, I’d be disappointed, but there have been plenty of days I’ve come home with dozens of shots worth keeping, and it often takes me years to get to them. And as I’ve explained, I have no shortage of paintings to get to this year. Hey, I delivered an order to one of my best customers, got out of the office, and had a nice day outside in the middle of winter. I have no complaints.

While I’ve recorded the occasional high-speed video for YouTube, it’s been quite a while, and I want to get back to using that platform to help promote my work. I’ve been spending a lot of time lately learning to use new recording software and hardware. Something many artists don’t realize when they want to turn their hobby into their work is that the business and promotion side of self-employment requires constant adaptation and continuing education. While it takes time away from creating art, it’s necessary for career longevity. Just because something worked well ten years ago, doesn’t mean it will today.

While I’m learning the ropes of these new tools and preparing to create more videos, I’ve got a few more paintings in progress to complete, and as I do, I look forward to sharing them with you.

Cheers,
Patrick

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Open for Business


I woke this morning to news alerts that Canada Post will return to work tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. That’s good news, but unfortunately, not soon enough to save the holiday season for most retailers and small businesses whose online sales are critical this time of year.

I suspended my store over a month ago, but with the news that shipping may resume, I’ve updated my stock, reactivated each product, and am ready to resume taking orders, with one very important caveat: anything I ship won’t get there by Christmas.

It will take Canada Post some time to get through the enormous backlog of mail that’s likely bursting at the seams all over the country. I imagine that will be the priority before any new mail.

But we work with what we have.
I still have plenty of 2025 calendars available, plus various prints, postcard sets and large vinyl stickers in my regular stock. So, if you’re still looking for your 2025 calendar full of funny-looking animals and don’t need it shipped for Christmas, you may place your orders.

FREE DELIVERY FOR CANMORE RESIDENTS

With decent weather this week and no out-of-town plans, I’m happy to deliver orders anywhere in Canmore, but with two minor conditions. It’s a minimum $25 order for free delivery, and I’m only taking payment by e-transfer. Please email me your order with the address to patrick@nulllamontagneart.com, and I can reply with a total and set up a convenient delivery time.

My thanks,
Patrick

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Banff Market Christmas Wrap

In the runup to the Banff Christmas Market, I had concerns. Will I have enough stock? Will I get enough sales? Will I get my editorial cartoons done each week? What if I get sick? What if the weather turns horrible?

Before I became a full-time artist in my early thirties, I worked several years in retail, tourism and office jobs. I ran a waterslide facility at a hotel in Banff for a few years. During the busy season, that place was always loud and full of people. I also managed a few retail stores in Banff for a while, so I’m no stranger to customer service work or crowded environments.

But I’ve been working at home by myself for nearly twenty years. These days, I thrive in quiet solitude. Though I’ve done the Calgary Expo every year for over a decade and the occasional holiday market around here, being ON in a public setting for a month required the reactivation of rusty skills.

In the four days between each market, I had to draw my daily editorial cartoons, update my bookkeeping, order stock, respond to client inquiries, and prepare for the following weekend. During a bit of a lull this past Saturday, I excitedly said to my market neighbours, “I get to paint next week!”

I haven’t had time to paint anything in over a month, and I’ve missed it.

It takes many hours to paint one of my animals. Sometimes, it doesn’t come together the way I want, and there’s no shortage of frustration. I wrote about that recently with the Ring-tailed Lemurs piece I’m working on. But creating the art is still the easy part. I want to problem-solve a painting, discover the solutions, and apply the lessons I learn from each piece to the next one.

However, the work surrounding the creative part takes more time than the art itself. When it’s your job, you can’t just create art; you must also sell it. Marketing and finding the products on which a particular art style works best is difficult. A product that sells well for one artist may not for another, and you only learn by trying.

My metal and canvas prints are higher-priced items that adorn the grid walls of my market booth, and those show off the brush strokes and colours better than any other substrate I sell. I don’t sell many of them because they have a higher price tag.

But they look amazing under lights, which attracts people to come into the booth in the first place. So, I need those higher-priced items to get people to stop and look at everything else. They’re products, but also advertising.
They do sell, however. I had one woman in Canmore send me an email after the market one Saturday night, regretting she didn’t buy the 16”X16” metal print of my Blue Beak Raven.

I told her I still had it; she sent me an e-transfer, and when I got to the show Sunday morning, I wrapped it and put it in my car. I delivered it to her the next day. Later that week, she sent me a photo of it hanging in her home. That never gets old.
Another gentleman wanted the same size Spa Day painting on metal I had in the booth, plus a 12”X16” metal print of my Genial Grizzly I didn’t have. I said I could order and deliver the missing one to him, but he didn’t want to carry the other one around. He asked if he could pay for them, and I could order and drop both of them off in Canmore when they arrived. He wasn’t in a rush, and I was happy to accommodate.
I wanted to sell the metal and canvas prints, but I didn’t want to lose Spa Day on the wall because it attracts a lot of attention. It has become a bestseller, and the metal prints on the wall sell the poster prints on the tables.

Prepare as I might; what’s true one day might not be the next. Last year, I had two metal prints of my Peanuts painting, one of my personal favourites. It doesn’t work as a poster print because it’s a square composition, so it’s only available in metal or canvas. This year, I made sure to have two metal prints on hand, and I sold them both the first weekend. So, I ordered three more for the last two weekends.
I had two metal prints of my Raven on White painting and two of my Highland Cows. I sold one of each the first weekend, so I figured I should get spares.

Those five metal prints arrived in time for the last two weekends, and I didn’t sell another of any of them. It turned out to be an unnecessary expense. There’s just no way to know.
But the Highland Cow on the wall sold many poster prints over four weeks, more than any other image. The Raven on White print was also a bestseller.

Thankfully, art doesn’t expire and those metal prints will sit safe and sound in their case until the Calgary Expo in the spring.

As for the other products, I sold a lot of small magnets and ceramic coasters. Those are Pacific Music & Art licensed products. Calendars sold well when I had them, but because the Canada Post strike is causing national shipping issues, I had none for the third weekend and couldn’t sell all the reorders the last weekend. As I write this post, there is no end in sight for the strike, so I have no idea when I’ll be able to sell my remaining stock. Unlike prints, calendars have a limited shelf life.

I’m very pleased and relieved that my large initial inventory of poster prints is now much smaller. Now that I have retired even more paintings, I’ll bring a leaner gallery of prints to the Expo in April, with many new paintings I’m working on and more popular and proven sellers than ever before.

What about my initial worries about four weeks of the Banff Christmas Market? For the most part, I had enough stock. When the Highland Cow prints sold out way too early, Art Ink Print in Victoria had my back and quickly resupplied me. Those continued to sell well the whole show. When I sold out of calendars and Highland Cow magnets, Pacific Music and Art did their best to deliver, though courier shipping delays threw a wrench in the gears, and those arrived later than I needed them.

As usual, I got my editorial cartoons done. Most of my newspaper clients don’t even know about this larger side of my business. Then again, many people who know my animal art don’t know about my editorial cartoons.
I had made sure to get my flu and COVID boosters before the markets, but still ‘got sick,’ knocked on my ass by a cold in between Weekends 2 and 3. If you wonder where I get my cartoon ideas, life inspires art. But just like everybody else who gambles with seasonal viruses, I handled it. Inconvenient, uncomfortable, but manageable. And though I began that third weekend still suffering and wearing a mask for a day, it was my second-best sales weekend.

The weather was only horrible once when I had to drive home in a whiteout on frightening roads. There were a couple of icy mornings/evenings on the highway when a Chinook wind delivered rain around the freezing mark. But that’s just driving to work in Canada.

As for sales, I’m happy. The significant expense of booking the booth, insurance, ordering more stock than I’ve ever had, and gambling on such a large event paid off.
I regret I have no decent photos of my booth. The bright light on the artwork looks great in person, but my older iPhone camera just can’t seem to compensate correctly, even with an accessory filter. It’s no doubt a user problem.

The new venue at The Banff Train Station was terrific. I was happy with the booth location and had a lot of fun with my neighbours. It was nice to have coworkers again, for a short time. While telling Shonna some of the funny stories, of which there were many, she laughed and said we sounded like a bunch of carnival workers.

She wasn’t wrong.

The organizers and staff put on a great show; I have no complaints or critiques. Challenges happen at every event, but this dedicated group handled them well, and I commend their efforts. Applications for Banff Christmas Market 2025 aren’t until February, but I’m ready to do this again next year for all four weeks if they’ll have me.

Finally, thanks to all of you who came to see me at my booth. Some subscribers even drove out from Canmore, Calgary, or other parts of Alberta because they had read my posts about the market. It was great to see you, and I’ll see several of you again in April at the Expo.

I added a lot of new subscribers to A Wilder View and hope you new people enjoy following my art and the stories behind it. Thanks for taking some of my work home with you or buying it for gifts. Each year, more people tell me they have one or more of my funny-looking animal paintings. They’ve bought them at The Calgary Zoo, Discovery Wildlife Park, or in one of the many retail stores in Canada selling products made by my licensing clients.

Many have bought the art directly from me at the Calgary Expo or previous Christmas markets. You all say the nicest things and pay me the kindest compliments. I’m never comfortable with that, but I’ve learned long ago just to say Thank You.

Face-to-face time with people who enjoy my work never fails to refill the creative tank. I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is to see my silly little critters make people smile or to hear how happy they make you.

So far this week, I’ve been busy drawing cartoons, doing the bookkeeping, organizing my booth hardware and products and putting it all away for a few months. I’m tired and ready for a break, looking forward to quiet time alone, with tunes in the earbuds, fresh hot coffee, and uninterrupted hours painting little hairs on smiling faces.

Art-for-a-living is a lot of work, but your support makes it well worth it. Thank you.

Cheers,
Patrick

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The Third Christmas Market and a Visit from the Grinch

Last week was a challenge.

Of all the things I didn’t want to bring home from the Banff Christmas Market, the common cold was near the top of the list. I don’t get sick often, but when I do, it’s usually a full beating of a man cold. This one wasn’t fun, but it was better than most, and I had a few days to lay low at home before the third market. I felt a lot better on Friday but was still symptomatic, so I revived one of my tiger masks to prevent spreading the fun.

When I could tell people couldn’t hear me well and I had to speak up, I apologized and explained why I was wearing the mask. Some said they appreciated my not wanting to spread my cold. Others thought I was wearing it as part of the animal theme. I got many compliments, and somebody even asked if I was selling them.

I had ordered some replacement metal prints that sold the first weekend, and they were supposed to be here by Friday. On Tuesday, after Purolator said the package had arrived at the sorting facility in Calgary, they revised their tracking to say the package was delayed due to weather.

Vendors and attendees from Calgary said the roads were great, and I could find no evidence of a weather issue on that route, especially not one that lasted three days.

Many people are experiencing delays as the couriers deal with overflow and increased demand. The Canada Post strike has screwed up shipping all over the country at the busiest time of year. But when people are already pissed off at a situation, don’t lie to them. It’s insulting.

The Purolator package arrived at my door Sunday afternoon. I’m glad the weather finally cleared up.

Mike at Pacific Music & Art cobbled a rush order of Highland Cow magnets and calendars so I would have them for the last two weekends. UPS said they’d be here by Friday but that morning, they revised their tracking to, you guessed it, Monday.

I had ordered enough replacement stock for two market weekends. I now need to move them in one. As of Saturday morning, I had three calendars left, and those went quickly.

Despite a slow start on Friday, it was an excellent weekend for sales. As I’ve now sold out of a few prints, I’m retiring some to make room for new paintings next year. Others I’ll wait to restock until just before the Calgary Expo. These are some of the immediate retirees but more are coming.
I never know which paintings will become popular and which ones won’t resonate with people. Or sometimes people will like an image, just not as a print to hang on their wall. The only way to find out is to create the painting, release it, and see what happens. When I retire an image in print, it means it will no longer be available on my site or at markets.
Sometimes, a print will become popular for a particular venue, like the Calgary Zoo. My Rockhopper Penguin does very well for them because they have a penguin habitat their visitors enjoy. But that print has never done well for me at markets or the Calgary Expo.
My Sasquatch painting is a popular licensed image for Pacific Music & Art, as they have customers all over the Pacific Northwest, BC, and Alaska. Harlequin Nature Graphics sells the image on T-shirts and has been a good seller for them for years. And while I have sold several prints of that image, it’s never been a bestseller for me.
Art Ink Print in Victoria has been professionally printing my work for years, but they’re a small business, too. They require a minimum order for each image, or it isn’t worth their time. If I continued to stock several different prints that don’t sell well for me, it would cost me more than I would make to keep them in stock to have them on hand for the one or two that might sell at each market or online.
Even when I no longer sell a print, my licensing clients may still offer the image on their products, and my wholesale customers may still order prints from me to sell to their customers. I just have to require the same minimum orders from them that my printer requires from me.

It’s tough to retire prints. I’ve spent many hours on each painting and get attached to each one. This little rat has always been one of my favourites. But when your art pays your bills, you’ve got to make tough choices.
My next-door neighbours, Noble Coin Rings out of Innisfail, are fun to work with. I was beside them last year for my two weekends at this show, and the organizers put us together for four weeks at this one. They also do the Calgary Expo.

We get along well; there are plenty of inside jokes, inappropriate comments and smartass exchanges. We’ve each requested the same spots for next year and the same neighbours. It would be hilariously perfect if we found ourselves next to each other at the Calgary Expo in the spring, but it’s unlikely at such a big show.

One of the things that has affected public perception of my work lately is how much AI has suddenly become a part of our lives, especially for creative professionals. Once these markets are over, I will focus on finishing two paintings before the end of the year. After that, however, I’m planning a video to talk about artists having to adapt to this new technology.

The first time somebody asked if my work was AI was at last year’s Banff Christmas Market, and it surprised me, though it probably shouldn’t have. For years, one of my lines while introducing my work has been, “No photos are part of my work. I only use them for reference.”

In the early days of my career, many assumed that if you were drawing or painting on a computer, you must be manipulating photos and using filter effects. I used to get my hackles up, bite back the bile, and explain that I don’t do that. Each painting begins on a blank digital canvas and involves many hours of brushwork.

Because enough people are asking at this market, I now must add, “No photos or AI are part of my work.”

A great part of the personality of the Banff Christmas Market is the atmosphere they’ve created. It’s like a little Christmas village, with decorations everywhere. Families can book photos with Santa; there’s live music in the courtyard, woodburning fires with blankets, plenty of seating, games, and entertainment. They’ve also set up several creative photo opportunities. And if all that wasn’t enough, trains fly by several times a day, gently shaking the building.

I’m not big on Christmas, but this atmosphere softens even my crusty Scrooge exterior.

Which brings me to the Banff Christmas Market Grinch.

This character roams the show in great makeup and costume, posing for photos. Whoever plays this role owns it and is doing a great job. He’s fun, delightfully nasty, and has a quick wit.

On Saturday, he was going from booth to booth in our part of the show, loudly cackling his insults, impossible to ignore. At some point, I had turned my back to my booth while talking with my neighbours, so I missed him walking up and looking at my artwork.

Suddenly, behind me, the Grinch loudly said, “Wow, AI has really come a long way.”

As if poked with a sharp stick, I spun on my heels and snapped, “Hey, these are NOT AI!”

My neighbours began laughing, and I immediately knew I’d been baited and caught. Like any good comedian who realizes he’s pressed the right button, he took it up a notch. He loudly announced to everybody within earshot, “Attention. I need everybody’s attention. I have an announcement. Pat-a-rique (deliberately mispronounced) is not using AI. Because Pat-a-rique is AN ARTISTE!”

The rest was a blur. I just stood there, blushing, laughing, and taking it. After a few weeks of too many people asking if my work is AI and calmly explaining through clenched teeth that it’s not, he had struck a very raw nerve.

You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch. But damn, it was funny.

Shonna finally got to visit the market on Sunday. She approached my booth and asked, “Are these AI?”

It’s a good thing she’s cute.

There’s one more weekend to go. Though I have sold out of some prints, I still have a wide selection of metal, canvas and poster prints, magnets, postcard sets and coasters. And my calendars and Highland Cow magnets have finally arrived. I’m feeling much better and look forward to seeing more familiar faces and meeting new ones.

And if you hurry, you might just see a whimsical wildlife painter (it’s NOT AI!) revealing the tiniest bit of Christmas spirit.

Bah, Ho, Ho, Ho,
Patrick

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Banff Christmas Market and a Diamond Art Club Release

The weather outside was frightful last Friday and Saturday, but the Bow Valley avoided the worst of the big storm that rolled through Alberta on the weekend. Still, I have lived in this valley long enough to know that the 25 km stretch of highway between Canmore and Banff can quickly become treacherous.

Driving to the Banff Christmas Market last Friday morning was fine, but with the forecasted heavy snow, I brought an overnight bag just in case I needed to find a room at the inn. I drove home that night, but it wasn’t fun. The wind made for intermittent whiteout conditions, and finding where the road ended and the ditch began was a white-knuckle experience, as was making my exit into Canmore.

As snowplows had been out all night, the drive in on Saturday was better: icy but clear enough. The downside was the insecure, reckless over-compensators tailgating and passing in the hammer lane at 130 km/h. When many of those idiots inevitably hit the ditch, they unfortunately take others with them.

Slow down. Nobody thinks you’re cool.

The weather was likely partially responsible for slow sales on Friday. Thankfully, Saturday and Sunday were much better. Not the phenomenal sales from the first week, but still very good, similar to the two weekends I did last year, and I was happy with those.

As the storm passed, Saturday and Sunday became spectacular Canadian Rockies winter postcard days. I’ve lived here thirty years, and more than once this weekend, I stepped outside and still marvelled at how pretty it was. It was a festival atmosphere with live music and wood fires burning in the courtyard.

Thanks, and welcome to everybody who signed up for A Wilder View. And an even bigger appreciation for subscribers and collectors who came out to Banff just because you read about it here. There are often people I only see at the Calgary Expo each year who are now showing up at my booth in Banff at Christmas. When I offer the opportunity to sign up for my emails, the response is more often that they are already on the list.

Even more satisfying is how many tell me they enjoy the writing as much as the art. That’s nice to hear since I’ve sent more than my fair share of less-than-positive posts over the years when art-for-a-living sometimes gets frustrating. Thanks for sticking with me through those posts. Ultimately, it’s the warts and all that inspire my funny-looking animal paintings.

Occasionally, I’ll meet farmers or ranchers at my booth who generously offer to let me come and take photos of their critters. A couple who lives northeast of here have Clydesdales and a miniature donkey. I’ve long wanted to paint a donkey, and they shared some fun photos with me. Their property is right on the route I take to the cabin I rent with friends a few times a year, so I’m looking forward to stopping there in the spring. While I can always paint from stock photos, taking my own reference is often a big part of discovering the personality that’s part of my signature style.

And, of course, all the dogs who show up at the market are a big perk at this event. Some are just looking for a free handout and lose interest when they realize there are no cookies in my booth, but other dogs are happy to soak up the unlimited attention.
One of the dogs I get to see all month long is Tojo, who belongs to one of the staff. He’s a friendly Akita puppy with a stunning brindle fur pattern resembling urban camouflage. He’s got a wonderfully sweet temperament and loves the outdoor cold. Though provided with a comfortable bed and a safe, warm space outside, you can often find him happily sleeping on a pile of snow.
When he’s brought inside to warm up or for a wander, he visits the different booths and enjoys the pets and scratches we’re all happy to give. His face reminds me of a bear’s, which makes me want to paint him.

Everything is selling well, whether stickers, magnets, coasters, postcards, calendars or prints. The clear bestseller, however, is still that Highland Cow. I was happy to get my print resupply on Friday from Art Ink Print because I did indeed sell out of my initial stock this weekend. If you’re an artist looking for a great printer, I highly recommend them.

Contrary to my last post about letting the calendar supply run out, I’ve only got half a dozen left now, so I ordered more from Pacific Music & Art. It seemed silly not to restock a proven bestseller. I also restocked my ample supply of Highland Cow magnets, which also sold out this weekend.
Seriously, what is it with this painting? I don’t understand it, but as I said to Mike at Pacific, I won’t look a gift cow in the mouth.

My resupply should be here for the weekend, and I’m confident I’ll be good on stock for the two final weekends.

I won’t lie; I’m tired at the halfway point. In the four days in between each market, I’m drawing editorial cartoons for my newspaper clients, catching up on admin and bookkeeping, and trying to get a little rest before the next round.
Meeting people who enjoy my work and seeing those discover it for the first time is great. It’s fuel for the creative tank, a reminder, “Oh, yeah, THIS is why I’m doing it. These paintings make people happy.”

But it’s also incredibly draining for somebody like me. I am an unapologetic hermit most of the time, preferring to spend most of my time alone working at home. So, thirteen days of high-input interaction with lots of people is a double-edged sword.

However, every one of these markets is a necessary and valuable learning experience, and I come away from each with lessons that inform future events. Without talking to people in person, I wouldn’t know what they like, which paintings resonate with them, and why. I get inspired by these conversations and interactions and am gratefully humbled when I hear how much some people enjoy my funny-looking animals.

Here’s to another successful Banff Christmas Market, the second of four, as I prepare for the third. If you haven’t made it out yet, something to consider in the next couple of weeks.

______

Diamond Art Club is one of my favourite commercial licenses. A cross between paint-by-numbers and cross-stitch, it’s a unique product and a fun hobby with a dedicated fan base. I hear from plenty of people who have found my work because of diamond art kits.

Five different diamond art kits are available: my Otter, T-Rex, Sea Turtle, Snow Queen and their certified bestseller, my Smiling Tiger.

While I’ve known it was coming for quite some time, I can finally announce that Diamond Art Club has added my Two Wolves painting to their catalogue. As part of their Black Friday specials, it will be available on November 29th.

Here’s their official announcement from their Facebook page, with my own added text identifying the difference between my painting and the diamond art conversion.


For all of you Diamond Art Club fans, I hope you enjoy this new addition. And if you put one together, I’m always happy to see pics of the finished pieces.

Cheers,
Patrick

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Canada Post and a Wrench in the Gears


Canada Post went on strike yesterday, which is just what every small business wanted to hear as holiday shopping gets going. Since courier shipping and pricing aren’t viable alternatives for anybody but Amazon, that will hurt many businesses.

The good news is, that the flurry of recent calendar and print sales have been filled and likely delivered already. If you haven’t received orders in the United States yet, there shouldn’t be a delay as they would have made it over the border by now.

I only had one order to get out when they announced the strike, and I offered that customer a refund because who knows how long this will last? It could be a few days or a month.

Unfortunately, even if this strike is short-lived, there will be a backlog to get through, which means that at a time when there’s already a seasonal delay, it’s about to get worse.

As a result, I’ve had to suspend orders and sales in my online store temporarily.

On a positive note, I set up my booth for the Banff Christmas Market yesterday, and the new venue at the Banff Train Station is beautiful. The organizers did a great job. Even though Warner Stables was a lovely setting, I prefer this new location.

My next door neighbour this year for the next four weekends is the same as last year. We get along great and have a good time, which always makes for a better show. They were nearby at the Calgary Expo as well. You see the same vendors at many of these shows, and there’s a nice sense of community.

Even though the first evening was only a four-hour preview, we were all pleasantly surprised at how busy it was. I figured it would be a tire-kicker kind of evening, but traffic was steady, and sales were great.

Thanks to subscribers who came to get a calendar in person, many who bought stickers, magnets, coasters and prints to go with it. It’s a humbling experience to hear in person that you enjoy the emails and my whimsical wildlife artwork. I love seeing the same people at different events, year after year, and meeting many of you person for the first time, hearing that you’ve been reading my emails for a while. You all say such nice things about the work, and I greatly appreciate your support.

I look forward to seeing more of you over the next four weeks—back to Banff this morning.

Cheers,
Patrick

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2025 Calendars Are Here!

After many inquiries over the past few months, I’m pleased to announce that the coming year’s Wild Animals calendar is now available in the store!

While the calendar is a Pacific Music & Art licensed product, I always have a hand in choosing which animals make the cut. In the 2025 calendar, you’ll find a gallery of popular paintings and images appearing for the first time.I love the cover this year. Big Bear on Blue is the latest print I issued earlier this summer and it’s already looking like it will be a bestseller.

My (sea) Otter is a perennial favourite, but my River Otter painting is also included this year. New pieces like Spa Day, Highland Cow, and Meerkat also made the final selection.
I’m pleased to see a couple of my personal favourites, too. One in Every Family is a painting close to my heart. Not only did I paint the great horned owls in that image from reference I took up at Grassi Lakes here in Canmore, but the piece won the Best In Show award at Photoshop World Las Vegas in 2014. Has it been that long?

The prize that came with that award was the Canon 5D Mark III camera I still use today to take many of my reference images, and it’s now an old friend. Professional photographers might consider it to be a little long in the tooth, but for me, it’s a workhorse that gets the job done. Who knew it would become such a big part of my process?
Each calendar purchased in the store will be hand-signed by me on the back. Whether you get 1 or 2 calendars, shipping is a flat rate of $6.50 in Canada or $9.50 for the US, all in Canadian funds. But as always, anything over $48 in the store qualifies for FREE SHIPPING. So, if you’re looking for prints, postcard sets, or stickers to go with your calendar purchase, feel free to mix and match. Get yours early to beat the holiday rush.

I will also have calendars available at the Banff Christmas Market every weekend from November 14th to December 8th. Hope to see you there.

Cheers,
Patrick