I have been off my game keeping up with posting on the blog. But I have been keeping up on Instagram! I am horribly busy in my studio getting ready for art fair season. Until today I have been watching my kids and working past midnight. I have been exhausted. I finally have a nanny to help. So, starting today I should be better.
Today’s #marchmeetthemaker is all about the less glam side of things. So, I take you on a tour of part of my #artstudio in the middle of a move! It’s messy. It’s chaotic. It is not glamorous. Check it out. 🤪
Today’s #marchmeetthemaker prompt is “full time or part time”. I feel lucky enough to say this is my full time gig. I teach privately and paint my butt off in the winter, and I do art fairs in the summer.
This beetle is on the work bench today. I love adding layer, after layer, of my unique watercolors to create texture on these pieces. The beauty of painting on panel, is you can see the texture better than behind glass.
This little lacewing is off to Australia. I get the chills every time I think about these pieces in homes all over the world. It really means a lot to me. It gives my life purpose to bring joy and beauty to other people. ❤️👋
Today’s #marchmeetthemaker prompt is #details! And that is what I am all about! I busted out the macro lens for this one, so swipe to see the details.
My tools and materials are seriously out of control. I make my own paints with traditional and non traditional pigments. So, I collect things to use in my paints. I also have a screen printing studio and I do electroforming. So there’s a lot more going on than what is in these photos. Once I finish organizing (I just moved my studio), I will do a video of the space!
Today’s #MarchMeetTheMaker promt is “how you started”. My compulsion to make things started very young, and just never went away. I was just thinking about this the other day— I got really, REALLY serious about art when I was 15. I was so depressed and lonely as a teenager. Art helped me focus on something other than my misery. There are a lot of reasons why I am an artist, but that is one of the big ones. Around that time I started collecting books and taking classes. It became an obsession. It became therapy for me. It helped me occupy my mind and focus on something beautiful.
Today starts the fabulous @Joannahawker's #MarchMeetTheMaker! I usually participate in this challenge, because it gives me awesome things to talk about! And it is a wonderful community. I suggest you follow the hashtag, because you will discover all kinds of creative and unique businesses out there (folllllow it).
Today's prompt is #favouritetomake! This is a hard one for me to answer in a simple way. I am by no means a purist. I like to make all kinds of things that fall in the realm of fine art. And I just go with the flow when it comes to what I do. I mostly enjoy making watercolor paintings with adornment. I enjoy making my own materials, though. So it's all mixed media. I guess that's what I would say about it? I used to be a printmaker, and I am getting back into that. I also like working with metal and jewelry.
Ugh, Rose and and I got Jason’s cold from last week. We are miserable. Rose, especially. She does not handle colds well, and it always blows up into a nasty respiratory thing. Poor girl.
Anyway, I am thoroughly overwhelmed again. I am in the process of moving my studio. I know, what a surprise! I just talked about my tiny, happy space a couple weeks ago, and here I am moving! I am adding a couple art fairs this summer, and when I realized how much inventory I need, I started to up my production. Anyway, my tiny studio is officially too tiny. I am moving into the finished basement, where we previously had a room for the kids. I am so excited at the potential. But for now, my life is a mess and it is frustrating. And now that I am sick, everything is put on pause. Ugh!
Thanks for sticking with me. I had a successful shop update over the weekend. I will have another one in March. I am also working on two other secret projects that I can’t wait to share with you!
