It looks like I am in the website reconstruction business once again. I created my first website back in the 90’s sometime, but it wasn’t for my art business but mostly just to have a presence on the then new World Wide Web. The company that hosted it sold themselves out to somebody…don’t remember who and don’t care to…and I just let it die rather than move it. In 2009 I created my next one, this time for the art business. It became more of an archive than a selling tool, containing (almost) everything I had ever painted. And logically, it took a long time to put it together.
A few years later I decided to liberate myself from a prefab website and create my own with Joomla, since my hosting company once again “hosed” me by not supporting their platform. It took, just as before, a long long time to put it together, but when I had it finished it looked so super, being my own template instead of someone else’s. Only drawback was that it was a bear to maintain. So coincidentally just before I was ready to launch it, the hosting site fixed its problems and I decided to take the easy way out and just revise what I had with them by using a new template. Everything transferred to the new look with a minimum of fuss.
All was well until last year, when things started going south again. Not sure, but I think it was a combination of their old technology not being able to keep up with the latest browsers and the proliferation of mobile devices. So they gave me a web death sentence if I did not migrate to a totally new, “improved” platform. Supposed to be a lot easier to use, more flexible, more “modern”. The only part about it which is mostly true is the “modern” part. Nevertheless, I have been spending the last couple of weeks revamping my site.
I can say one thing for the new site. While the old one was admittedly a very fat archive, the new one will be on a crash diet. So if you want to see everything I’ve ever done you can visit www.allifarkas.com in the next few weeks before I finish the slash and burn.
Alli Farkas Artist Adventures 
Why are you doing this to yourself, Alli? WordPress.org is so easy and you ought to be able to import most of your prior material without too much trouble. I use Headway for now – haven’t done the latest upgrade (paid theme with extras) but you may be able to find a free or lower cost one that works for you.
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I anticipated that even a mild rant would inspire others to let me know about their favorite hosting sites. I do appreciate the suggestions but am so deep into the one I’m doing now that I will stick it out. I think I’m about 2/3 of the way to that light at the end of the tunnel.
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I don’t know anything about the processes you describe, but i used to have a site sponsored by att. they provided what well-versed friends derided as a ‘dummy template’ to build with, but that was fine for my purposes. then att discontinued that service and i was unable to transfer the site to another one. i’m glad to hear that your new site will serve you better, but sad that it will prevent you from displaying all your art. perhaps nanette’s suggestion will end up being the way to go. hope so.
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I had been thinking about downsizing the website for some time, so this situation is just making me actually do it. It seemed like there was just too much stuff for viewers to wade through. However, there will be a new page titled “Blast from the Past” which will show off some of my favorite works that were sold long ago. Your painting will be on that page!
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Aw shucks!!
I’m all for http://www.wix.com
Free.
Extremely easy, with compelling designs, up to date as you go. Options, of course, to buy your own designs, domains, and all the hoopla you’d ever want.
They stay on top of things, and bring you along so you’ll never have to feel hopelessly out of date.
Just saying, in case you ever want to jump off the ship and take a brand new route. It’s a rocket ship!
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Oh, and I’m off to see your “full” website in all its glory before it is burnt up!
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I hate changing hosting companies. They’re all the same. The inexpensive plans are usually outdated tech, or slow, or bloated, or they make it impossible to access the files needed. Or they lure you in with decent yearly prices, but then slam you with a 300% increase for the second year (while hiding the ‘do not auto-renew’ check box).
I’ve tried wix and google and even ms’ version of a free website. They’re fine for mainly static websites, but then you deal with the appended .wix etc on the url.
Anyway, I feel your pain.
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I looked at both Wix and WordPress. WordPress is needlessly complicated (not to maintain, but to build in the first place)–it’s as bloated with plug-ins as Joomla, which I had already tried and discarded years ago as being too maintenance intensive. Wix is fine if you only need a couple of pages with a bit of text and a few photos. I need many pages and lots of galleries, a contact form, email package etc and they want to charge for these types of plug-ins so even though the website is “free” you still end up paying for the “extras”. I’m almost done–the new version will not be perfect but it will be online soon. And it will look “modern” LOL!!!
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