This is part two of a series of blog posts. Part One can be found here. I spent years in retail selling other people’s products in big box stores and, to be honest, I was pretty good at it. Promoting the things other people create was “easy” for me. This was especially true if I …
It is natural to want to stick to things you know. As artists, we practice our craft over and over again, so much so that it becomes second nature. We become comfortable with techniques, ideas, practices – they become “muscle memory”. But also as artists, we need to be creative. Creativity can mean many things …
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ― Andy Warhol I am an artist. It took me a long time to admit that to myself. Before making this realization …
They say that art is subjective, and rooted in personal opinions and biases. Conversely, as artists, we still strive for community. How does one take a mostly solitary endeavor, which is so aligned with one’s personal preferences, and make it communal? You can brainstorm with other artists and share ideas, but ultimately, one artist works on a piece at a time (with the rare, very cool, exception of two artists co-operatively painting on the same canvases simultaneously)
In honor of World Book Day I decided to spotlight a few of the authors who inspire me to make my creations J. K. Rowling: Author of the Harry Potter series Rowling is the creative mind behind the unforgettable magicians of Hogwarts. I fell in love with this book series when it was first printed …
As an artist, we often look at the works of others with a great sense of awe. By comparing ourselves and our work to that of other artists we often feel less satisfied with our own creations. Maybe another artist uses a technique that we have never been able to master, has access to tools or creative spaces that we don’t, or has an innate talent that we don’t. Sometimes it is okay to look to others’ work to help inspire us, but often it is more important to follow our own journey.
For those of us here in the States it’s that time of year to get together with family, share stories, remember all the things we are thankful for, and of course, eat plenty of delicious food. Of course, I give thanks to all my wonderful customers and followers who have supported me over the last …
When I create art for a market I always try to make something unique and different. I am not like everyone else and my art should reflect that. The same goes for my customers. They should be able to come to a market and walk away with something they’ve never seen before and they can’t get elsewhere.
As an artist, a small business owner trying to launch a new business, a wife, a mother, and being owned by many little furry creatures sometimes it is really hard to take time for yourself.
One of the things that never occurred to me when starting my own business was finding the right audience. I make things that I love and that I am proud of. You think, then, that finding an audience of like-minded individuals who appreciate your art as much as you do will quickly follow. After two years of markets and art shows, I have come to realize that it takes more than just “putting yourself out there”
