March Meet The Maker Part Three

Part three of the month long challenge 'question and answers' that I'm doing on social media. Almost there now, only a few days left  :-) Hope you've had a good week?
Day 16. 

'Workspace' (tidy/mess) 

This is my new workspace, looking very neat and tidy. I do find it really difficult to work in a mess though, I have always had to have a clean space for my mind to feel clear. I’m still settling into this bigger room and making it feel just right. I only moved in here in January. There is a lot more space to store stock, although I haven’t got all the shelves up yet that I’m planning.

Day 17. 

'What I’m working on'
I'm currently working on this painting.

Day 18.

'Mistakes and Lessons'

‘Mistakes happen and the milk gets spilled and spoiled’ ...I drew this naughty pixie spoiling the milk a few years back and thought he was appropriate for today’s topic. 

You never stop making mistakes or learning lessons do you?  So far this year I’ve already made two mistakes.  Firstly I said yes to a print proof when my intuition was telling me no. (Intuition is always right) and secondly, I made a stupid obvious mistake designing something which cost me. 

Over the years I’ve learned a few lessons, for instance only do a job if your heart is telling you to, regardless of the money, involved. Easier said than done I know, when you may only have enough pennies for bread  and jam for the kids tea. (Have been there) Remember to put watermarks/your name on your work, as they go far and wide on this big wide digital world and any share without one could mean one less sale. Never ever sign your copyright away (yes that did used to happen) And only ever work for free under exceptional circumstances ie: if it’s for your absolute favourite ever charity and lastly, it’s absolutely okay to say no. 

Day 19.

'Dream collaboration' 

Ooh not sure about this one today? Maybe some of my designs on ceramics? That would be cool? 

 Day 20.

'Design process'

Being a night owl that often wishes she was a lark, I just can’t help getting my ideas late at night when all is quiet. The beginnings of an image may emerge like secrets of silver moonlight revealed when the clouds have passed or a shaft of golden sunlight through a crack in curtains that suddenly turns invisible dust motes into dancing sparks of light. Those ideas then move to my sketchbook as drawings, scribbles or words, where some will remain. But others will be played around with and developed and created into finished original pieces. Once complete I then play around again with them and see whether I would like to use the images in designs as cards, notebooks or prints, and design/ edit them accordingly ready for print. 

Day 21.

'Throwback'

This is a painting I created in 2011,  but it really only seems the other day. ‘Indigo Wood'  

Day 22

'Proud of'

As a bit of a perfectionist and my own worst critic, I often find it difficult to feel proud of my work. Whenever I look back on pieces 99% of the time I find fault with something and normally my inner self will have a conversation with my outer self, saying something like...”Hmm...yeah that’s okay, but it probably would have been better if you had done it like this...” and me replying “ yeah, that’s true... 

I am proud of my shop though, that I’ve stuck with and all its sales which I have lovingly wrapped, packed and sent. I've now sailed past 12,000! so I thank you if you have supported it.  

Day 23. 

My top tip or advice would be to keep going. Even if it’s snails pace or one tiny step each day, do it! Don’t wait to be inspired, for a muse to drift along. Small steps are better than no steps. Also, even though I mentioned this the other day on the lessons and mistakes topic and for some it may seem obvious. I want to say it again. Please please put your name on your work before you release on the web. When I began I let pieces go without marking and have learned the hard way. Only yesterday a page on Facebook shared one of these old unmarked pictures without giving any reference to me as the artist. It had been shared over 1,400 times and nobody knew that I had created it! Over a 1,000 potential people that may have visited my shop if my name had been added. Never ever rely on others to add your name, put it on there yourself right from the beginning.

 Day 24.

 'Customers feedback'  

It’s always so wonderful to get feedback from you. Words can make all the difference, especially when you may be having a day when you feel like everything is going wrong. They lift me up! I enjoy reading all messages and feedback and am grateful that someone has taken a moment out of their day to contact me. Some of the messages are just so beautiful and I’m still amazed that pictures can have such a powerful effect on people. Hearing from a happy customer is like the final ingredient in the magical recipe. So thank you.

 Day 25

‘How it’s made’

“I dream my painting and then I paint my dream”~ Vincent Van GoghMy creations begin as a rough idea in the sketchbook. I go on to paint them with acrylic paints either on paper, canvas or wood and add any decorations, ie gold leaf or beads and adornments if it’s a hanging piece. Designs often evolve over the process of creating and sometimes end up a little different from the initial sketch. As you can see in the sketch here I left the running fox out of the final design and changed the words slightly and added a moon. Once the piece is finished I can then create other items like the card in the picture.

Day 26. 

'Self care'

I’m always thinking about my lists of ‘to do’ or new ideas and rarely switch off as I enjoy what I do. Sometimes though things can get out of balance if you don’t take breaks and recharge. Taking time is important. Things I like to do are ...spending time outside in nature, looking and listening, gardening, feeding and watching the birds, lighting an outdoor fire and sitting beside it. Going for walks, visiting historic sites, day trips, listening to meditative music, writing, burning incense, and soaking in a candle lit bath with the latest book that I’m reading. How do you rebalance? 

March Meet the Maker Part One.

Over on Instagram there is a month long challenge called 'March Meet the Maker' it's created by Joanne Hawker and is an opportunity for artists/ makers to tell a little about themselves and what they do etc. This year I decided to take part. I know many of my followers don't all have instagram or Facebook, so felt it might be nice to share the posts on here too.

Every day has a different prompt and we began day one on March 1st. So here are the first seven days.

Day 1. Is ‘Favourite to make’ 

I like making all items that I create really, so haven’t really a particular favourite. There is something special though playing in the sketchbook and letting ideas appear. From those first marks made, or adding magical adornments onto a hanger, or the quiet solitude of painting, I enjoy them all. My favourite time though is the completion of the work. Getting the idea out, and into the physical realm from the imagination. That’s the icing on the cake for me. ✨💫

Day 2. 

How you started.

“Color is a power which directly influences the soul.” ― Wassily Kandinsky

Looking back,  it began with the colour blue. At primary school I loved using the big easel and remember being attracted to the beautiful sky blue poster paint which I would slap onto the sugar paper so thickly it would crack when dry.

As a child I was always drawing in my sketch pad or colouring in, being careful not to ‘go over the lines’ sometimes I wonder if I hadn’t cared so much about those lines my work may have turned out very different? Who knows maybe even abstract? Scribbling and painting my way through education, I ended up at Art College doing Illustration. After leaving I worked freelance and then when my children got older and I had more time again, I discovered Etsy. I opened a shop in February 2008 and after 11 years, it’s been a fantastic journey. This picture ‘Travelling circus’ was one of the first prints to sell in the shop.  

Day 3.

Flatlay
Treasures that inspire my imagination. ✨💫 Who can spot the ladybird that sneaked into the picture? He’s been hibernating in the window sill and woke up.

 Day 4 

Tools and materials

I’m quite frugal with tools and materials. I don’t have a vast amount and tend to keep the minimum paints that I need in my toolbox. I don’t have pots and pots of brushes, just the one pot and use the same ones until they wear out, then buy new when I literally haven’t got a decent one to use. The same goes for paints. I use mainly Winsor and newton paints and brushes. Sometimes I buy other brushes such as pro-arte. I paint on wood, watercolour paper or canvas. I like using all, but work much slower on canvas. 

Day 5 

Detail or close up. 

Day 6  ‘Full or part time’ 

When opening the Etsy shop back in 2008 I was working a part time evening job to sustain it. It suited because I would have the whole day to create alongside having a family and in the evenings would work solitary in the local school, cleaning and listening to music through my headphones, so my imagination could build and plan things in my mind whilst I dusted and washed the floors. A year later in 2009, it began bringing in the same amount per month as I was getting in my part time job, so this gave me the courage to leave the job and go full time. I’m happy  that it was the right decision 🙌 I’m still grateful for each and every sale, which enables me to do the work I love everyday. Sales have flown past the 12,000 mark now, so that’s a lot of happy dances.

Day 7 

Less glam side. 

 “So you just sit down and paint pretty pictures all day long”  Someone once said this to me years ago. 

I suppose ‘Artist’ does sound quite glamorous.  Seeing pictures online of perfect work and perfect studios it really is just a glimpse of a moment and a lot of the time it’s far from that captured image. 

The reality is sometimes you don’t actually get to paint. Only 50% of my time is actually spent on painting. The other half is packing, planning, photographing, listing, designing, and marketing.  Whole days are often spent just packing orders, answering messages and ordering stock. There is often not enough time to create the work and ideas. Pages of sketches never make it to finished pieces, or a whole day or week maybe spent on a design that never comes to fruition. Sometimes I eat lunch in front of the computer or realise its 4 o’clock and haven’t stopped to have any or even brushed my hair!  Like any job there are bad days too, when nothing goes right. Times when you feel like you’ve forgotten how to paint, someone’s order has not arrived or you’ve made the 3rd mistake in a row on a print job.

The last post said that I worked full time. In reality full time really means 24/7 because you never switch off. 

But I wouldn’t change it for the world and count my blessings each day that I’m doing what I love and yes ‘this’ year I WILL be more organised. 

I've never done a month long challenge, so hope to keep up? I'll be back with part two next week :-)