Thinking

Okay.
I have been doing lots of thinking the last two weeks or so about my Etsy shop, and my art work.
I've come to several conclusions in the past week or so.

My first conclusion is that I love making art and I love selling art. Nothing makes me happier. Really. Knowing that people love my work so much, that they would part with their money just to own it, makes me so happy. I never in my life ever thought I would be where I'm at today with my work.

That being said, I want to continue my Etsy shop, and I want to continue making work, but I think I am seriously going to start limiting my reproduction prints. I like them, and I think they are a great way to bulk up your shop with items, but I'm afraid they are taking away from the original works of art that I have in the shop.

I want to carry prints in my shop, because I feel like they are a great way for people to afford art, but I think I am going to limit my prints to limited editions. So after this batch of prints is all sold, I most likely won't be carrying them in my shop. I might carry a small handful, and of course if there is a special request for one I will most certainly make one, but for the most part, I won't sell them like I do now.

My second conclusion is that I am not 100% happy with the work that I've been making. It looks nice, and I feel l like I do good work, but sometimes it doesn't feel like me. Sometimes I feel like I am making things that other people like, and that thought really doesn't sit well with me at all. I feel like that idea has really been showing through in my work as well....so I'm am going to try to get as far away from that idea as I can.

So there it is. Those are the thoughts that have been floating through my head the last couple for weeks.

anyway, it is a beautiful day here in Portland and I'm itching to sit on my front stoop with a David Sedaris book and a beer :)

Hope everyone is well.

Eeerrr...

Yeah.
I don't have a lot to say today either, and apparently my typing skills are totally lacking today.

I took today to really try and forget for a minute that I am making art to sell. One of the things that I really find myself questioning is am I making art for myself, for other people, or just for the sake of trying to make money? I know that those are kinda ugly questions...but I find myself asking them quite a bit. So I am trying to get back to this idea of making things to make things. Trying to keep myself in it. I don't know if I am really making sense to anyone but myself, but I have been thinking about this a lot today, and recently.

Not that I don't think that my work is not me! No. That's not what I mean at all. I guess I get a little to focused on the whole money issue, and I know what will sell, so I keep making it...but at the same time...I really really really don't want to have to work a job that I am not happy at. And I still need to pay the bills...so I don't know. I guess this is where things start confusing me.

Well, anyway. Today I really focused on drawing and working with materials that were directly around me. No running around trying to find stuff. I just sat down and worked with what I had. I really enjoyed myself and have a few things to post later. They aren't quite done yet :)

Anyway. Hope everyone had a good Friday and hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Not So Lazy Sunday!

Whew!

So I got in like 6 orders this weekend and I want to get them out tomorrow. That meant spending the whole afternoon getting them ready to ship.

But it's all done and Chloe helped too.

Today as I was packing up all of my customers goodies I was thinking about where I was a year ago. I was working at my crummy job and wishing that I was doing what I am today. Don't get me wrong. New Seasons was a great place to work. That is if you liked working retail. It was the best retail job I ever had, but I still wasn't happy.

I think that from the time I was about 23 or 24 I wished that I could make art for a living. I always dreamed about living in a little studio apartment and walking to get my daily latte at a little coffee place and then riding my bike to my studio...ah...what a wonderful vision :)

Well, at least part of that is true. I am making art everyday. Maybe I am not riding my bike to my studio, or getting a latte beforehand, but I am making art! And it's actually paying bills!!
I never in my life would have ever believed that I could actually make a living at this. I mean, I always thought it was so unrealistic. But now it's happening and it's pretty *expletive* amazing :) Ha!

Anyway, I thought I would mention that my friend Sarah started an Etsy shop and you should definitely check out her work. We went to school together and were roomates for a short time a few years ago :) She's a wonderful person and a fantastic artist! I posted some of her work on this blog too.
Hope everyone had a great weekend.