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(Free-PR-Release.com)  Online Artist Unite- They have no headquarters, which is good for the heating/cooling bill. They have no boss, no timekeeper, and no employee handbook. Then again, they have no fixed income. What they do have is group purchasing power in a world market.

 

They are diverse. One is a farm wife. Another is a stay-at-home-mom. A lawyer, an arts gallery owner and several full-time artists are among them. Most of them would not know any of the others if they met in passing because most have never met face-to-face. Yet, many of the members talk daily about issues affecting their business and given that the art world relies on disposable income; there is a lot to discuss these days.

A passion for adventure, exploration and art unifies the 13 women and one man involved in the MMCA Marketplace, a virtual store that went up as the Dow was crashing down.

MMCA Marketplace is a retail fine arts and craft shop. Its member artists make art cards, fabric collages, floor cloths, jewelry, sculpture, paintings on paper and canvas, photographs and much more. “Although not a co-op in the purest since of the word, MMCA Marketplace offers some of the more important benefits to its members,” explained founder

Debbie Overton, a native of Arkansas now living in southeast Georgia. “For example, you receive large-scale exposure through advertisements that would not be as affordable by the individual artist. Additionally, the marketplace provides a group forum where its members find camaraderie and support. I feel that membership in the Marketplace is more akin to being part of a family-owned store.”The idea for MMCA Marketplace originated in the work Overton does with another group, MMCA, which she started in 2005 as a virtual community for mixed-media collage artists. MMCA has grown into a forum of an ever-changing number of member artists who work in many and, often, multiple mediums. Overton said she had several goals in mind when she started the MMCA community. The Internet, she believed, and is now convinced, offers artists the opportunity to share collective knowledge, exchange ideas and techniques and mentor each other. She also wanted to offer other artists what professional artists had given her when she was just stepping into the art market – support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When I started working full time as a professional artist, there were many art peers that graciously shared their knowledge, techniques and even their supplies with me. I wanted to do the same for other talented emerging artists,” Overton explained.

In keeping with this vision the MMCA Marketplace is implementing a Student Artist venue where students enrolled in an accredited art program will have the opportunity to sell their art, as well as be a part of the MMCA group forum.

Most of the artists in MMCA Marketplace are professionals with records of exhibitions and publications. For example, Cloth, Paper, Scissors, a popular national magazine, featured

 

Sue Minier’swork in its November/December 2008 issue.Residing in New York’s Hudson River Valley, Minier makes landscape collages in fabric and hand-painted floor cloths, table runners and placemats using faux painting techniques and collage. She exhibits in New York and New Jersey, and leads workshops in collage and floor cloths. Primarily self-taught in mixed media work, she studied graphic design at Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale and fine art at the University of Miami in Coral Gables.

Mentoring and networking aside, Overton said the growth from online community to virtual store was an idea she has had for some time, mostly due to administering the MMCA and seeing how the Internet facilitated 24/7 networking among artists around the globe. “I saw the marketplace idea as a way for professional artists to promote their work to thousands of potential clients around the world.

The artists accepted into MMCA Marketplace agree that the Internet gives them an opportunity to share and sell their work to customers they cannot reach through traditional bricks-and-mortar galleries and show venues. Although many of the members do their own marketing through traditional and virtual venues, such as their own websites and blogs, they recognize that their participation in a larger group marketing effort enables them to reach new audiences. Their membership fee buys advertising that they could not pay for as individual artists trying to reach new markets. For example, the group had an ad in the October/November 2008 and in the December’08/January’09 issues of “Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion” and its members are researching potential additional publications.

“I spent more than $400 on a single ad in an upscale, regional monthly magazine earlier this year,” said

 

Christine Goldbeck of central Pennsylvania. “In addition to that being a small fortune for one artist struggling in a poor economy, that sum only bought me a reach that extended into a single region. When I saw what MMCA Marketplace was offering, I jumped and, thankfully, was accepted.”Goldbeck, a former business news editor and newspaper photojournalist, works in traditional arts disciplines and in new media arts. She makes photographs, paintings, and stories for canvas, paper and screen. Goldbeck earned a Bachelor of Art degree in creative writing and history and a Master of Fine Arts-Interdisciplinary Arts (MFA-IA). She owns Arts on Union, a gallery and studio near Harrisburg, in Middletown, PA.

“When I first stumbled onto the original MMCA site was about the time I was thinking maybe I really could be a professional artist,” explained

 

Sue Pieper. Formerly a florist, Pieper is now a full-time artist who works from her home studio in Dyckesville, WI.  “The group and its members seemed like a perfect fit and I found that it was. Since I have my art represented by a local gallery (The Flying Pig Gallery & Greenspace in Algoma, WI), I felt it was a good move to also have a professional online shop representing me as well and that’s why I applied to join the MMCA Marketplace.”  Pieper designs jewelry and creates collages and paintings.Weathering the current economy has not been easy for many people no matter their income or profession, the artists agreed. However, because many consumers see art more as a luxury than a necessity, artists especially are feeling the effects of the downturn.

“Thankfully, we have some power in our numbers,” Overton said. “Our marketplace will be here and open 24/7, even for folks who may not be in a position to buy right now but still appreciate the opportunity to view quality art by diverse, independent artists.”

For more information, visit

 

http://www.mmcamarketplace.com/

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(MMCA Marketplace Artists Debbie Overton and Christine Goldbeck wrote this story and compiled the biographical information that appears below. They are making this good news story available to you for your free use.)

 

Meet the additional MMCA Marketplace artists

Raised in Paris, France,

 

Karine Ardaultmoved to Africa in 2005. A photographer and mixed media artist, Karine finds inspiration in travels, safaris and books. She often incorporates her photographs in mixed-media pieces. She creates collages, assemblages and alters objects. ”I am a lawyer by profession and an artist the rest of my life,” she said.

Teemie Eschenburg

 

 

teaches the art of old-fashioned embroidery and ribbon roses in altered scrap-booking workshops and classes. She is a collector-peddler of rescued and vintage textiles, laces and findings. Often, her art contains flowers and herbs gathered from her gardens on her dairy farm in Almont, MI.”The networking that happens with MMCA is invaluable. The short time I have been a member I have been inspired to become a braver creative soul. Each session evolves mixing more mediums into a single work of art, including more elements of nature, which in turn inspires a more creative farm studio,” Eschenburg said. “MMCA stretches me and holds me to be accountable to my own authenticity.”

Kris Henderson

 

 

is prone to creative mood swings. One day, she might make jewelry. The next she might produce hand bound journals. Her partner, Doug Henderson, is a wood and metal artist who makes traditional, funky, contemporary, and outsider art. Nested in Turlock, California, both Kris and Doug are world travelers inspired by the places they visit. They often collaborate on projects, combining Doug’s love of wood and metal into their artful creations. “The art and craft world has fascinated me ever since I was a little girl,” said

 

Kathy McElroy of Fayetteville, Tennessee. “I got my love of working with my hands from my Mom. She always encouraged me to learn and do new things.” McElroy said her artistic interests have changed throughout her life. Currently, she enjoys working with paper, fabric, glass, wood, and metal. Photography and travel are important as well.

Roxanne Mendoza

 

 

started creating blank greeting cards and note cards in 1999, when she needed to send a birthday card to her sister-in-law. With a toddler at home, she figured it was easier to paint one than pack everyone up into the car and start searching for the perfect card. Today, the line of stationary she creates in her home studio in California consists of note cards, thank you cards, invitations, and gift enclosure cards. Most of the designs have hand-painted, glitter accents applied to the card. Mendoza has expanded her product line to include jewelry and collage art.A native of Georgia,

 

Patsy Reevesis a professional artist living in Florida. Although self-taught, she spent many years living, working and traveling throughout Europe. Travel strongly influenced her love of color harmony, ethnic and funky shapes, worn colors and subjects. She works in oils, assemblage, silks, furniture and jewelry. Her work is in many private collections throughout the United States and is currently showing is several Florida galleries.

Aileen Roberts

 

 

, Modesto, CA, recycles and often alters objects that she places in her art. She finds joy in taking the ordinary and turning it into something unique and extraordinary. Her art runs the spectrum from drawing, painting, and assemblage art to jewelry and paper arts.  Published in several magazines, Roberts enjoys teaching workshops. She has a special fondness for working with budding artists to help them find their own creative spirit. Everyone has the ability to be artistic they just sometimes need help opening their creative door,” she said.

Elaine Brady Smith

 

 

, central Pennsylvania, is an artist with a vintage vision. Retired from 25 years in the family restaurant business, Brady Smith is a “stay-at-home-Mom” to her teenage daughter, husband and live-in mother-in-law. She treasures antique papers, photos and ephemera and has continuously incorporated these vintage items into her collage, mixed media and encaustic art. She tries to use the original vintage items whenever possible, preserving bits of history and creating keepsake treasures of art.”The internet has made it possible for us like- minded people to find each other more easily. I feel that MMCA has been like my daily coffee klatch. I can always go there for conversation with friends that are interested in the same type of art that I am into,” Brady Smith said.

Southern California Artist

 

Carrie Toddbegan her art career in the graphic arts industry.  Doing paste-up and layout for two local newspapers, she gradually moved into computer aided drafting, when the world of editing went digital in the late 80s.  Working as a draftsperson, dealing with governmental agencies and rules and requirements, she longed to be able “to just create.”   A little over two years ago, a friend introduced her to the small format art of ATCs (artist trading cards) and her passion to just create” was fueled.  For more information, visit

 

http://www.mmcamarketplace.com/