Artist Blog by Sheep Incognito Artist Conni Togel

Category Archives: Under The Trenchcoat Of Sheep Incognito

Get the inside scoop from the artist’s mind – follow the thought process (if you can), find the hidden meaning and general interpretation of what the Sheep Incognito flock is about.

The Sheep Incognito Book Adventure Has Begun!

A Kid’s Book with Sheep Incognito? Why, yes. Yes, we can.

Many years – 15 of those, to be exact – have happened since I painted my first sheep painting (something about a set of three sheep on a green hill, placed against a balck/red ominous sky, with one sheep blowing away – sold on ebay, to an unknown buyer…if you are the owner of that original painting, please let me know it’s whereabouts -I love catching up with my flock, wherever they have roamed in the world).

And countless sheep paintings, art shows, fiber festivals, and conversations with fans and collectors from around the world later, I do believe it is time to add a Sheep Incognito book to my flock of artistic endeavors.

But rather than just re-publishing my “Sheep Incognito” book that was published in 2008, but which was effectively pulled out of circulation by my former manager who also made off with the royalties from the book that was published through LuLu.com, I’ve decided to add a new book.
A happy book.
A book straight from my heart.
And, a book that is designed to make you smile, whether you are 3 or 95 years old.

Sheep tend to have that quality of “awwww-someness” – adding smiles, fluffiness, peacefulness, good food, and yes, weird smells to our human lives.
Which is why I love them.

The progress has already begun on the new series of Sheep Incognito books – two stories are written, one is already in the editing and illustrating phase, and I’ve already started the layout for the book as well.

There will be a Kickstarter Campaign put in place, where you will get to help the project come to life, by adding your financial backing to it, in return for exclusive sneek peeks at the illustrations, previews of the upcoming book, signed copies of the new book when it arrives, and, even a day hanging out in the studio and surrounding area in search of sheep with me – this is the part I am most excited about to be honest.

So, keep your goggles focused and unfogged in then next few weeks and months, as I prepare to unleash the first hurrah of Sheep Incognito Maaahem Books on the literary world. And I promise, they won’t be of the kind that set you snoring during the reading sessions…

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The New 2019 Sheep Incognito Wall Calendar Is Here!

2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

The New 2019 Sheep Incognito Wall Calendar Is Here!

Snag ‘Em While Ewe Can – only 500 available!
…and, a free blooper is included this year…

As every year since 2006 or so, we have created a new Sheep Incognito wall calendar for you – it has become a favorite in many offices, conference rooms, class rooms, and family homes. Mainly, because the cute Sheep Incognito will make ewe smile!

Click the link here, to purchase it now:

https://www.charisma-art.com/2019-sheep-incognito-calendar

This year – due to a very hectic time during the layout process – we overlooked the most prominent bit of text on the front page of the calendar: the year’s date.
Duh.
Everything else inside the calendar, such as months, year date, and holidays are correct – just that front page number was not noticed and changed on the front page.
So Ewe will now own a bit of “Bloopery Art History”, when you snag one of these limited edition wall calendars.

13 months of Conni’s sheepish humor, some really strange, some really funny, some just happy, holidays during each month, so ewe will always have something to look forward to in each month.
And, this being a limited edition calendar – we have cut the edition down from 1200 copies to only 500!

If you would like your copy signed by the artist, Conni Tögel, please specify at checkout, or give us a call at the studio.

And this year, we are offering sweet “Flock Discounts” on them as well – get your entire Christmaaaahs shopping done in one fell swoop – the more ya buy, the more ya save, kind of thing.

We do love sending smiles to the world – so thank ewe for helping our efforts by letting the Sheep Incognito hang out wherever ewe happen to be hanging out!

2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

Front Page of 2019 Sheep incognito Calendar

 

Inside Page of 2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

Inside Page of 2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

 

Thumbnail Page, back of 2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

Thumbnail Page, back of 2019 Sheep Incognito Calendar

 

 

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Sheep In Mount Dora, FL – and What’s Wrong With The Art Market Lately?

A Trip to Florida in February, and Why Some Places Won’t, and Another Place Will Have Sheep This Year

After a short hiatus from the center of Florida last Winter, the Sheep Incognito are heading back to the always fabulous Mount Dora Fine Arts Festival on the first weekend in February!

This will be the kick-off of a year of “sheepishness” near and far – we’ve already booked shows from North Carolina to Colorado, from Florida to New York, and many places in between.

For this year, some of our favorite shows will have a different artist in our spot – some shows like mixing things up every year, so Mount Dora will have us in Booth A-029 this time.

For a few other big shows this year, scheduling conflicts due to some family events that fall on those exact weekends will have me being home with family instead. Not a bad thing at all. It will give all of you a chance to support some of the other fantastic artists there this year – keep art alive, by purchasing directly from the artist!
With the influx of “junk art” – the big, cheap, canvas prints with gel-medium as texture, that you can buy for little money at home furnishing stores, craft stores, and discount clothing stores – many artists have noticed a downturn in sales and interest from the people attending even the juried fine art shows.

Galleries have closed. Art programs in schools have been slashed. More and more of the cheap import art is cropping up everywhere. Shows are being added at a dizzying pace. Existing shows are adding more and more booths (some even adding on booths for “commercial” wares – gutter guards, windows, mass-produced wares, etc.) that increase their income, but also water down the sales for the artists at the same time. Booth fees have gone up, hotels are more expensive, etc…
Very concerning trends, and not easy to cope with as a full-time professional artist.

Nonetheless, I will continue to paint – because, it’s my game, not theirs. And, I love what I do – whether I am traveling or not.

So, to make things a bit easier, I’ve also begun adding painting lessons in my studio – great fun to do, relaxing, no mass-produced wares to compete with, and, best of all, new friends to make.

Come join me there sometime! Or, check my schedule every now and then to see where I will be – if we are close to where you are, we can meet in that area somewhere to do some “paint flinging” together. If you like painting outdoors, we can do something out in the Rocky Mountain National Park this June – we’ll be there, and it would be awesome to paint some beautiful landscapes there together!

Either way – keep checking the schedule – though we might not be at some of the big juried shows this year, we’ve added a few fun Celtic/Irish/Highlands Festivals this year, and as always, our big Sheep & Wool Festivals are always a blast as well!

As always, I LOVE hearing your comments and ideas for new Sheep Incognito paintings – leave a comment, share this post, and thanks for being part of the Sheep Incognito Flockies in the meadow of life!

Also, if you are in connections with a decent children’s book publisher by chance, I would love to have some feedback for the two books I’ve written and am illustrating as well. They do involve sheep in some capacity, but do appeal to the general market more than the sheep arena.

Here is my newest painting:
“The Great Flock Defender” click this link to order prints of it!

The Great Flock Defender Sheep Incognito Art

The Great Flock Defender Sheep Incognito Art

 

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Merry Christmaaahs From the Sheep Incognito Flock!

A Baaahrtridge in a Bear Tree Wall Art
Fleece Navidad Prints

Fleece Navidad Prints

We want to take a moment to thank all of Ewe for being faithful flock fans for the past year – and years before: because of you, we can continue to bring smiles, happy giggles, and a few heartfelt “awww”s to your world and the art world at large.

This past year, we were so lucky to get to meet so many of you in person – we LOVE getting to see smiles in real life, and hugs make our day, and bring back some warmth to the world, so THANK EWE for stopping by!

To those of ewe that have placed orders on the website, or called in, or snagged art in our #SheepFling events on Facebook and Instagram: thank ewe for giving the Sheep Incognito such maaahvelous friends to hang out with – I consider myself blessed to know that so much of my art is getting to bring smiles to peoples’ lives every day, instead of just hanging on a museum wall for brief glances by passerby visitors.

Starting in January, there will be workshops and training sessions available – whether painting on canvas, or intruductions to ProCreate App, the studio will be buzzing with lots of learning getting done.
Also, though it is taking much longer than I wanted it to, I am working on my first adult/kids book.
Or maybe two. Not sure.
What I do know, is there might be monsters. And sheep. And some smiles. And the color pink. Who knows where that might lead…

I might start a Patreon account for that purpose – it’s become almost impossible to keep up with the business side of things while we travel, so we have cut wayyy back on shows for the first quarter of 2018, to give us time to work in the studio, get the book written, add some wholesale connections, try a few new painting techniques, add some workshops, and all that fun stuff.

As always, we LOVE hearing from you: how are the sheep in your home behaving themselves?
Any special requests for workshop themes? Any feedback is appreciated, of course.

We hope your holiday season is filled with fluffy things, big hugs, maaahvelous moments, and silly giggles, on top of good friends, good memories, and good things all around.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your patronage over the years – and keep a lookout for many new things happening in the Sheep Incognito studio in 2018.

With that:

MERRY CHRISTMAAAHS and have a Maaahvelous New Year!

Conni & Scott at Charisma Art Gallery / Sheep Incognito Studio
email us: conni@charisma-art.com

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New Christmas Sheep Art: A Baaahrtridge In A Bear Tree

A Baaahrtridge In A Bear Tree

Just in time for Christmas, this cute painting of a “Baaahrtridge In A Bear Tree” has hit the market with prints, giclée art on canvas, mugs, necklaces, and license plate available.

https://www.charisma-art.com/a-baaahrtridge-in-a-bear-tree

A Baaahrtridge In A Bear Tree

A Baaahrtridge in a Bear Tree by Sheep Incognito artist Conni Togel

 

A Baaahrtridge in a Bear Tree Wall Art

A Baaahrtridge in a a Bear Tree Wall Art by Sheep Incognito

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Sheep Incognito Return to Anderson, SC for Holly Jolly Holiday Fair

Sheep Incognito Return to Anderson, SC for Holly Jolly Holiday Fair

Join us this weekend at the Anderson, SC Civic Center for some beautiful sheep art by one of Anderson's most well-known artists, at the premier holiday market in town

This weekend, the internationally collected, award winning "Sheep Incognito" flock of paintings, prints, and sheepishness by Anderson resident Conni Togel returns home to join the group of outstanding vendors for the annual "Holly Jolly Holiday Fair" at the Anderson Civic Center.

Anderson is 45 minutes from Greenville, SC (number #6 on the list of "Fastest Growing Cities in the USA"), home to BMW  USA, Michelin, USA; 20 minutes to Clemson University; 2 hours to Atlanta, GA; 10 minutes to Lake Hartwell; 1 1/2 hours to the Blue Ridge Parkway; 2 hours to Asheville, NC.

This is where the Sheep Incognito Studio has been located since 2005.

This weekend November 17-19, 2017, artists and crafters from the Southeast gather for the annual Holly Jolly Holiday Fair at the Anderson Civic center for a holiday market filled with great gift ideas, holiday ch
eer, and of course, some sheepish humor in Conni's paintings and prints.

Times:
Friday, November 17, 2017:  VIP Night Opening 5 pm – 9pm
Saturday, November 18, 2017: 10 am-6pm
Sunday, November 19, 2017: 1pm – 5 pm

Tickets are available here: https://www.hollyjollyholidayfair.com/tickets

Sheep Incognito by Conni Togel HAULIN' ASS

 

PASSING GAS by Sheep Incognito

 

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A Messenger of Peace

Anybody on social media, or even just talking politics with friends has noticed: Peace on Earth seems to be “muchly” a thing of the past…

Bring in the sheep!

They have no trigger fingers. They might be colorblind. They can’t use foul language. They don’t care whether their flock members are kneeling, standing or laying down. They also don”t care much, if the lead sheep has a mind of its own. 

They do, however, care very much for the good things in life.

Bouncing when happy. Eating corn until they are almost sick. Finding a good place to just sit and enjoy life and good memories. Hanging out with their flock. Being at peace.

We definitely should acquire some of their notions – I do think the world would be a much better place for it.

Ewe’s The Missing Peace

Original oils painting on canvas, 16 inches x 20 inches, $895 (frame not included)

https://www.charisma-art.com/ewe’s-the-missing-peace-original-oil-painting


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A Natural Home Remedy for Depression

Lessons From A Flock Of Sheep

With the latest developments in the healthcare and insurance dilemma, unless you are on the high-end of income earnings and securely have a safety net in the form of investments, etc. in place, you might find yourself in the same situation millions of other americans find themselves right now:

Scared. Depressed. Sad. Angry. And confused.

Yup, I am right there with you…as a “flock of humans”, we’ve come to rely on our “shepherds” (well, that is quite a misnomer: shepherds actually DO care about their flock usually.) for everything from our safety, to our education, to our food safety, and our healthcare.

As we are seeing now: none of those are guaranteed, nor necessarily place into effect with our best interests at heart.

The gap between the “lead sheep” and the “sacrificial lambs” is becoming larger and larger – with the weakest getting left behind and thrown to the wolves.
Of course that adds to the general depression and sadness in our midst. Why wouldn’t it? Whether you are the one dealing with the hounds, or just watching it in horror from afar: it affects our psyche, and not really in a good way.

But, in taking more lessons from that flock of sheep, we can learn a lot.
What makes the flock continue on? Continue to bounce?
Happiness. In the middle of it all.
So what if one just got rained on? The sun comes out, which is cause to bounce. So what if that last snack was a prickly thistle? The next bite might be a bucket of corn or a patch of sweet clover. Did we get shorn or fleeced? That will grow back in time.

The main thing to do with all the disasters, dramas, and craziness that we’ve been made to believe is important to be panicked about: bounce anyway. Be happy. Celebrate Life. Love. Friends. Celebrations. Good Food. Freedom. Good Music. Kids. Parents.

HAPPINESS II

HAPPINESS II Canvas Reproduction on Canvas

Because, and this is important to remember: a lead sheep is not necessarily just the one at the front of the flock. Anybody ahead of others is called to walk, bounce, and keep an eye on the least of the flock.

Whatever it takes to put that smile back on your face, or the bounce back in your step: your best chance at getting “un-depressed” is focussing not on what is ahead of  you, or behind you, but to be in that clover patch you are currently standing in. That’s where the good stuff is.
And, you will inspire others that look to you for guidance to do the same!

GRASSHOPPER

GRASSHOPPER PRINT

 

So, here is the Sheep Incognito Flock’s contribution to your Natural Healthcare Plan today:
Eat Where Ewe Are Standing. Bloom Where You Are Planted. It might just be the happiest place on earth…

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Bloom Where You Are Planted
Limited Edition Prints

Would love to hear about your “natural anti-depressant” that makes you happy in the face of drama – I think there are plenty of recipes for happiness out there that many others in our flock would benefit from!