This week’s art.
I turned 38 this week! It was chill, we ate Indian food and I picked up Elliott sick from school. I made some art. Some friends celebrated me this past weekend with tacos and chocolate cake. It was perfect.
If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I’ve been meandering trying to find my way as an artist since Elliott’s gone back to school. I wrote and illustrated a children’s book. I made a bunch of custom illustrations and prints. I’ve thrown a lot of proverbial spaghetti at the wall. I just want to thank you for being with me on this journey with me to figure it out. It’s hard to do things publicly because sometimes you feel like you should have all the answers before you post anything on the internet. Or you should have a very specific goal that you are working towards so that folks can have this feeling of success with you as you reach your goal. But my life is meandering and my story is as unique as yours. I don’t know what I’m doing and choose to think that’s the beauty and the fun of it, well my best self chooses to think that, other days not so much. Hah.
Most recently I signed myself up for an online surface design course and have been working through the little modules. I’m not going to link it because I don’t know if I love it yet. But I do feel like it’s inspiring me to put together a new portfolio and get back into this side of the design world. I love drawing patterns for products. In the past I haven’t felt as confident as I would like with my technical skills, which pushed me to brush up on things.
The first artwork I ever sold was a pattern. I made the red and white seahorse pattern while interning at a design studio and it was purchased through the studio and put onto this raincoat for Anthropologie. It blew my 22 year old mind.
I want to hone this craft!
Most of the women I know who are succeeding at making money with their art have a few different revenue streams and pattern design feels like a good fit. I’ll still be taking commissions and making prints, just taking a little detour down another path.
Health Stuff
I’m still just waiting. I had a doctor appointment on Monday, have a CT scan Friday and more bloodwork next Monday. Then it’s just more waiting until my surgery mid April. Thankful to be feeling well in the meantime.
Little Things
I’m reordering this plant food, because since using it my plants have never looked happier. It’s liquid so you just add a couple cap fulls to your watering can once a week. It doesn’t smell and it lasted me six months.
Reading this book by artists in praise of slow learning. It’s free from The Idler and I found it via Ausin Kleon.
I had a lonely pie crust and a couple bags of languishing berries in the freezer, so I made this mixed berry crumb pie and felt like a genius.
Loving the patterns Serena Niesly, local fishtown artist, is making in her spoonflower shop. Follow her on instagram here.
A couple other textile artists I’m following for pattern design resources: Genna Blackburn and Gingiber
I found a new to me garden in Delaware that I want to visit.
Thank you for being here!