Art Plunge

  Just had a birthday and with that the gift of remembering AGE IS REAL 🤣 I laugh but it's not really funny. Or fun! But I'm a positive soul and can only stay on course. My recent "throwing out of the back" happened right before my birthday and had already brought me to the realization I needed to do something about my literal structure falling apart.  I'm the homeowner of this body and haven't considered my body a very nice home so I wasn't treating it as such. First things first - peace must be made with my enemy. My body has been my enemy for a long time. It betrayed me with this thing called endometriosis which stole my good years, my ability to work for years, created financial devastation and left me always with a million little broken things I needed to fix. Currently it's hormones, weight gain and high blood pressure. See what I mean? Some friend right? I extended the olive branch first. Be my friend again please. I said this as I sat cross le...

  Skip navigation  little backstory I was totally working for myself as an artist and you know what? It was HARD! Harder than hard and harder than any job ever. But it was the most rewarding experience and I learned so much about so many things and I want to share that knowledge with you guys... My VIP art club. I didn't get a fair shake from the very beginning of my art career. I suffered a back injury at my "muggle" job which required a lot of physical therapy to get over and which I will have with me forever now. It was actually the impetus for me to quit my job and start being an artist! So I turned my bad luck into fuel for my fire. I saved 5k (painstakingly while enduring all the BS at a terrible job) and then I made the leap. I was so excited and optimistic about working for myself! I had sold little pieces here and there and was sure it was only upwards from there. 2 weeks into my freedom- my Dad died unexpectedly. What came next was indescribable DEPRESSION and a...

Ah Rockford files, a comfortable and silly way to unwind after work. Yes, I am completely aware that I've turned into my Dad and watching Dad shows totally cements that theory. I had to start looking at the handsome James Garner in a new light though... He was a rich and famous star in his time and every evening spent curled up watching Rockford Files was an evening a painting wasn't getting worked on. No painting, no art show material. No painting, no galleries. No painting, no money. Would James Garner be watching TV every evening in a tired drowsy ball and not getting stuff done? Probably not.  So I pulled myself away from TV land in the evenings and devoted at least a little time in the mornings as well. Even if it's just ten minutes. Even if you are just filling in all the blacks, blues or whatever... It is progress. Something is better than nothing. I'm proud to say this little habit tweak has totally kicked my butt into gear and I'm producing at a rate I'...

  Lately I've been thinking about my place in the arts and I have come to realize a few things... Early on in my art journey I did the "group" thing. I felt I needed help, encouragement, direction and opportunities. I soon realized that groups put a bad taste in my mouth. Despite me playing well with others- there was always someone who was "in charge" because they were controlling, had ego issues, enjoyed being a bossy bitch but still unhelpful. These people usually couldn't take any constructive criticism to make their relationships with others better and really soured me on the "group" experience. Add into the fact the GOSSIP that comes with groups because that's what groups do. Henpecking parties. I thought I was supposed to be creating art - not fighting off drama and feeling like I'm on a particularly terrible episode of 90210.  And if you were labeled a bad egg because you didn't do the sheeple song and dance to appease their ego...

  Spring is here even though it's not "official" yet and I say that because I'm on a steady diet of Zyrtec and nose spray and sneezing fits and puffy eyes. Oh Spring is definitely here! Yesterday I finally heard the job I was waiting to hear about isn't going to happen after all, the client decided on something else. Whatever that means 🤷‍♀️ I only know I'm not really sad about it because it was a monstrous lot of work and the time frame to do it kept getting smaller with every passing day the client hadn't made decisions. It was quickly becoming impossible and when it finally just fell apart I didn't really care. I even feel like that happened for a reason to free up time for something coming my way. I really feel like something good is coming my way and am preparing for it. And in preparing for it I've been redoing my whole website and getting things in order. Staying true to my path and journey I've decided on. I'll do a website launch ...

Halfway through March, where has this month gone? I had time to get another original out but not enough time to do my email campaign so I posted it on the fly and it sold before I could travel from Facebook to Instagram and back. In mere minutes! Really feeling such gratitude that the work is appreciated and sought after. And it really makes me question if my day job is keeping me from this important work 🤣  I've been working with Edgefield Arts to get some frames built for these original sizes so that collectors have an easy option to get frames put on these if they wish. I'll keep everyone updated on this as it becomes real.  My studio cat Onesie overlooks a messy start to another piece! I should be hearing back any day now about a big project... but I've learned in this world you follow this advice: JUST GO ABOUT YOUR DAY whether it happens or doesn't you aren't swayed and you are not wasting your time hung up on things. I was fully ramping up with my own busine...

New month and the calendar is popping! Some interesting things have come onto my radar- but since things aren't finalized I'm just going to have to be vague for now. I'm starting to get noticed and found... and fully believe that my mantra of "where you put your efforts is where you'll see your gains" is starting to pay off. (As for that photo up there-Look how amazing these prints came out! Totally love how vibrant and lush this paper is!) I've gotten derailed from my small originals project because of WORK, COMMISSIONS and LIFE. So when I say- collect these while they are there- I mean it... There's almost no time to squeeze those in.  Just finished this up for a client who commissioned it for a friend's gift. The sweet orange boy is a dearly departed friend who needed to be memorialized with my brush. Since the recipients have my frog print framed and hanging- I thought it a nice touch to paint this in similar style and scheme to match. It's...