Over the past couple years, I have shared many pictures of Mr. Handsome’s oil paintings. Our house is now filled with them, some rooms displaying as many as four or five, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Being surrounded by his artwork always puts a smile on my face.
We are slowly turning his hobby into a business, and he has already sold several paintings to folks in our area. The cardinal pictured above is only $40 plus $7.99 shipping. The canvas is 8 inches x 10 inches, and you can either hang it on a wall or display it on a shelf. Mr. Handsome paints the edges of his paintings, so they look great even without frames.
Update: The painting has been sold, but if you are interested in a similar painting (or another type of bird) send us an email at NashvilleWife@gmail.com, and Mr. Handsome would be happy to make one for you.
Here is a short video of my husband showing off his work of art:
He should sign it with his real name, not "Mr. H." You wouldn't have to put that on the painting til after it sold. If he wants to start a following in the art world and make this a business, he needs to use his name.
He's a dentist. I don't think he is trying to find his place in the art world! LOL!
If they're turning this into a business they way they said, then name recognition is very important. Artists names and their works are strongly linked. That's how your work is recognized and sought after. People don't say "I bought a painting of sunflowers," they say "I bought a van Gogh."
It is a good plan to sell some even as a hobby painter cause you can pay for your paint supplies.
This is gorgeous! I live in New Zealand so shipping is ridiculous, otherwise I'd be in. Blessings on you both.
Hi Bonnie,
Thank you! I looked up shipping to New Zealand, and it isn't too bad. The painting already sold, but Mr. Handsome would be happy to make another one. Shoot me an email and we can chat about it. 🙂
Ellie, NashvilleWife@gmail.com
Very nice painting
Thank you! 🙂
Ellie
Wow! That´s a lovely painting! He´s got talent!
Thank you for your kind words. I agree!
Ellie
I am a artist, too. Would there be any tip that Mr. Handsome could give me?
Very neat. What type of art do you do? Mr. Handsome says: "Have fun with it, and don't worry about what the critics say." There are some great tutorials on YouTube to help you learn the basics of painting (Bob Ross, for example).
Ellie
The Cardinal painting is beautiful. Mr. Handsome is a talented painter.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Thank you! You are very kind.
Ellie
I'm sorry, but I wouldn't buy a painting with Mr. H on it. I wish you two would just start using your real names.
And why do you use "Anonymous" instead of YOUR real name? He can use whatever name he wants! 🙂
Because I don't feel the need to have any accounts set up like some people:-)
Why all the hangups with using Anonymous? How do we know Hope is your real name? You could have used whatever name you wanted, too.
First of all Hope is my real name!:-)
Second I have nothing wrong with using Anonymous, but why tell Mr.Handsome to use his real name if you don't?!
Grow up people. You really are coming to Ellie's blog to argue? Grow up and do that elsewhere.
Mr. Handsome is a man of many talents. I love cardinals and this painting is very pretty. Do you think we could see a live action video of Mr Handsome actually working on one of his paintings?
Thank you! I'll have to take some video next time he is painting. 🙂
Ellie
$40 seems like a lot for an 8×10 canvas by a hobbyist painter. To put it in perspective, someone could go to a group painting class and for $30, paint the same painting themselves on a 24×30 canvas, all supplies and instruction included. I'm not trying to be critical, just realistic. You probably do have fans who will pay $40 for that, simply to have a painting by your husband, so it seems unfair of you to overcharge for it.
Hi there,
We have frequented many art fairs/art show booths selling paintings done by both full-time professional artists and hobbyist artists, and we have found very few paintings for less than $300-$400. I have looked into painting workshops for myself and a group of friends and have never ended up doing one because they are so expensive. I would be very shocked to find a class for $30. I have done a lot of shopping for Mr. Handsome's art supplies, and $30 would barely cover the cost of the canvas, let alone the materials, so I can't imagine an artist charging only $30 for a workshop. Oil paintings take hours to make. 🙂
Ellie
If that is the case then you have validated that the price for this painting is reasonable and fair. It would end unfair of a purchase to not be willing to cover the painters basic costs plus a profit for them. A ten dollar profit is not asking a lot. And I think it is not the artists who can do this themselves who shop for art, it is people who appreciate art but do not do it themselves who buy other people's art. This item seems fairly priced and something someone would want to get. I say nothing is unreasonable in his. I might get a Mr H. someday myself and feel good about it! A picture would be a joy to me an others every time it was looked at, that is a wonderful buy! Personally I am enriched and inspired by Mr and Mrs Handsome and all they share about! And so far it has never cost me. They've given me of their time and talents, my thanks go out to them!
Again, I wasn't trying to be critical! It seems like there is a significant cost difference between where I live and where you do. There are at least 3 different paint studios near me with classes for $30 or less. It seems like you have set a fair price based on your area, so that's great!
Yikes, $30 for a canvas? That does not seem right. I'd shop around more, especially online. Dick Blick has them for under $5.
Ironicly here in a place that is just a village in the country at the general store there is a poster on the out door bulletin board advertising a special event for ladies and it is an art class all supplies provided for 23$. I read this today and had already read this post when Ellie first put it online. What a little coincidence!
Cardinals are more red, the wing a grayish red and a little white on the belly below the wing instead of all over. This must be an old cardinal.
Thanks – I couldn't pinpoint why this wasn't looking like a real cardinal to me, but you're right. A lot of white.
However, he may have been going for an impressionist type of cardinal, not a realistic one. In that case, he could have thrown in purple polka dots or pink plaid or whatever he wanted.
Mr Handsome is using creative license i.e. artistic interpretation. An ornithology book will probably yield a photograph of the Cardinal if exactness is a requirement.
Purple polka dots and pink plaid is not Impressionism. The Impressionists were artists such as Monet, Degas, Renoir. What you describe sounds more like Surrealism. Surrealists include Picasso, Dali, Frida Kahlo.
It's called artistic license.
hi, I really like the painting and Mr H is quite talented. Eileen
Thanks so much, Eileen! I'll be sure to tell him.
Ellie
Does your husband paint horses? My six year old daughter is horse crazy:-)
He does! If you email me, I'll send you the picture I have of the horse painting he did for his younger sister, who is also horse crazy. 🙂
Ellie (NashvilleWife@gmail.com)
Are you going to put different pictures on the blog for sale?
We plan to in the future. 🙂
Ellie
Your husband's humor cracks me up every time 😉 The painting is lovely!
Lol, it cracks me up, too. And thank you!
Ellie
Such great talent!! Glad it could become a business too
Have you guys thought of doing paintings of people's pets? They could send you a photo. Then you could turn it into a painting. I would buy one of those.
Mr. Handsome would love to do that! You can send us an email at NashvilleWife@gmail.com. 🙂
Ellie