"Country From Afar" was inspired by Jean Bedard, a guitarist I met in Victoria, BC, Canada. While visiting in Victoria, I was privileged to hear this musician perform down on the wharf, and he was kind enough to answer some of my questions about his work. He hasn't yet been able to include a visit to "The Birthplace of Country Music" (the Tri-Cities area of Tennessee and Virginia--specifically Bristol, which is on the border between the two states) on his agenda, although he said he would like to come someday. And who wouldn't? The Appalachian Mountains are among the prettiest regions of the US and there is live music everywhere, especially in the summer. In this painting, Mr. Bedard is shown playing his guitar and singing, with the mountains of upper east Tennessee in the background. Perhaps someday he really will be here!
You can hear Mr. Bedard's music on YouTube. Here's one example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2BG9kTwGCA
The painting from which this design was created is in acrylic on 11" x14" canvas, and is my original art. Included at this price are three .pdf files of the same image formatted to make three different products, offered as an instant digital download. You save on shipping; you can have your own cards printed at your local print shop, or print them at home.
The name of my shop, ByBarbaraBell, which you can see in the image of the painting shown here, will not appear in any of the images you purchase and download.
What you will get:
--one file that will print a "quarter-fold" card on one sheet of plain paper.
--one file that will print two "single-fold" cards on one sheet of card stock.
--one file that will print four "postcards" on one sheet of card stock, with "Country From Afar" on the picture side and an optional message and address space on the back.
The back of the foldable greeting cards shows the title of the original painting along with the medium, size and date, my name as the artist, and the address of my Etsy store. On the postcard version, this information appears on an optional second/reverse page (for double-sided printing) along with a space for a stamp, an address and your message.
All cards will fit a standard A2 or greeting-card size envelope.
You can further change the look of your printed images by cutting them out and pasting or gluing them onto a different background. In the third picture shown here, patterned scrapbooking paper has been pasted onto blank pre-made greeting cards (sold in packets with matching envelopes) and then the printed pictures, with or without the "wood frame" border, have been pasted on over the new backgrounds. Notice how using different background styles and colors makes each picture look, somehow, different itself.
BONUS! Also included is "Country From Afar" as a .jpg file for you to play with! Make your own variations--address labels, stickers, bookmarks, etc.; or, using an online service such as CafePress, share your love for country, music, guitars, life in the mountains, whatever this painting speaks to you...printed on a T-shirt, canvas bag, coffee mug or some other useful product.
Feel free to print these cards as often as you like. I appreciate credit as much as anyone else, so if anyone asks be sure to mention where you got them!
