art as a business for the introverted

i don't know how to build my art business as an introvert with general anxiety issues.  i know how others could build a business with all their contacts and putting themselves out there doing art shows, but i don't know a lot of people and the ones i do know that love my art have already been buying my art and sharing my links.  they've done their part!  and now i must think of other ways to walk the line of fear while keeping myself safe and as sane as i can be in this position.

the muse is still willing to talk to me, so i've been working that aspect of it.  sketching and plotting the newest paintings and ideas of other topics.  thats the easier of the work ahead of me if i want to build the business.

i've brainstormed who my clients might be.  those who may enjoy my artwork;

• my clients are spiritual
• they need lightness in their life
• they do body work- yoga, chakras, stones, crystals...
• they are working to better themselves or others
• they need positive affirmations
• they are close to the earth

how can i connect with these people?  how can i find them and help them find me?

• bring business cards to library see if i can leave some
• leave business cards at the 'new age' shop in town and see if they will hang a painting there
• when my Facebook groups have a 'promote yourself' day, share my Facebook page in which i post my new items to sell and newest blog posts
• try to be more social, find a group outside of the internet

some of these things will be more difficult for me and require a lot of deep breathing and good self-talk.

i'm connecting to the muse with the drippy canvas and i had been thinking of adding one of my girls to it, but the more i think of it the thought is not appealing to me.  a face just won't fit on this one.  it just has too much water energy and it doesn't even want a mermaid, it wants frogs and insects!  if there is to be a girl, it will have to be a pixie or fairy of some sort, which is a neat thought.   i'm pretty excited about this energy and what it wants to say, so i've been finding a lot of reference photos to go by before starting to paint the more difficult critters.  i hope i can let go of perfection and let it be organic.

here is progress so far

next step is pussywillows and then frogs and more lily pads.  i love that the yellow feels like the sun is setting off the canvas somewhere, casting a glow to the water!

i also put another layer on a lion canvas i'd been working on.  fun stuff!


until later,
jenny

busy day

today i woke not sure what to expect from life.  it's winters 18th anniversary and i didn't get much sleep last night.

it turned around quickly, though.  i had to walk 2 miles to the vets office to pick up some meds for pita pups lyme disease which numbers had gotten high per a blood draw monday.  i was looking forward to getting my feet on the ground outside for a bit, and i asked for a sign from winter as i usually do on his special days.  i wanted something that i wouldn't miss and something i could take home with me and wouldn't be crushed like a flower or heart shaped leaf.  more like a special heart shaped stone or something.  i also had the feeling that a baby bird would come into my life today.

i got to the office with nothing jumping out at me, but i heard a baby bird shortly after entering.  my friend who works there came out holding a cheeping fledgling and asked me if i wanted to hold it.  of course i didn't need my arm twisted!  the hand-off of the baby was gentle and a few cheeps escaped the youngster but she very quickly settled down and closed her eyes.  i told sarah this was just what i needed and got an understanding hug from her.  soon i handed the baby back, and left with meds in hand.

on my way back i heard what sounded like a hawk screeching and looked around for the sound, seeing several large birds circling overhead, but wasn't sure as they were high up and i couldn't make out the color or markings.  i took note and continued my journey, eyes on the ground hoping to not trip and looking for treasure.

a little bit further down the busy road i heard a loud screech and looked up to see a hawk flying right at me, lower than the telephone lines, looking directly at me!  he then dropped something, and i thought "crap! now i'm gonna have to deal with an injured critter".  i saw the object fall and bounce and realized it was a pine cone!  the hawk flew past me into the trees as i watched and i sent him a thank you and laughed out loud at the absurd image of a hawk picking up a pine cone to toss at my feet, then walked the 20 feet to the gift and picked it up to bring home with me.  i certainly could not miss this sign!

an amazing gift!

when i got home i looked up spiritual meanings of hawk and pine cone;

"The hawk can soar high and reach the heavens effortlessly. As most bird totems, this power animal is often considered as a messenger who brings messages from the spirit world and the unseen."

"Throughout the span of recorded human history, Pinecones have served as a symbolic representation of Human Enlightenment, the Third Eye and the Pineal Gland."

"Pine is believed to be the bridge between mind and body, physical and spirit and earth and heaven. If you decide to not be in a hurry you can grow slowly with the wisdom of this elder in the tree realm who will help you understand a higher state of being."

WOW

after a rest i did a quick sketch of what my new drippy painting may turn into and got to work taping circular items to the canvas to drip around them. 

i then went upstairs to wash my hands and looked down...

yeaaah, i'm not a dainty artist!

so, today has been eventful, productive, mystical, laughter producing and creative.  i thank winter and the universe for listening and giving me my sign, and i'm so thankful that i am able to listen to the universe as well.

until later,

jenny

more drips and a serene mini

last night i had a vision of where my drippy painting might go and have to block off some parts for another layer of drips in a different color scheme.  but first i needed to add to the drippiness...

thats better!  and it looks even better in person.  the blending of the colors is just yummy.

to make my vision a reality i need to let this mess dry completely in order to tape some circular objects to the canvas in a weird way, around to the back, making sure the tape doesn't touch the paint.  and pray it doesn't all stick together. then i will be able to create drips around the circles, creating a window area.  again being careful of the paint drying time so i can remove the objects at the right time so it doesn't all stick together, but also creates a nice line.  hopefully it will look as awesome as it does in my noodle-brain!  i have ideas for this canvas.  lots of layers, lots of layers.

and this little sweetie came to me the other day

"solitude"

a mini canvas

wish i could be where she is.  on a deserted beach, away from anyone, cloaked away from the masses with just my thoughts and the sound of the sea.  i imagined i was there when i painted her.  

until later,

jenny

drippy art therapy

i'm in a funk, only 2 days away from the 18th anniversary of winters death.  i'm having trouble with concentration and motivation to do anything.

so, i went to the studio, used airbrush medium to get my paint a great consistency to drip it away

no clue where it will take me, but it's fun to do and gives a great background for whatever comes next!

i'm glad i have an outlet that i can turn to.  some days i'm not even able to fling paint, but the days when i can find the strength to put my mind elsewhere...

yep, she is me!

until later,

jenny

new things in the shop!

mark and i worked on getting just a few of my paintings in the store last night.  there are more to come.

first off is my "dreaming of a starry night".  my interpretation of my favorite painting, van Goghs "The Starry Night".

as a tote it almost shows my whole painting 

it looks nice as cards

we chose to crop 

the moon and wind 

to put on the mug

next we have "a dream of peace"

the full painting looks great framed or unframed

had to crop poor duckie to fit the tote dimensions

she makes a peaceful phone cover

and a fun carry all pouch

and my "house at dusk"

the colors and textures really pop!

a couple others were added last night that i'm not including here, and we will be slowly working on putting more in the shop.  another busy weekend is ahead of us, so not sure the timing yet.  i'll keep you posted!

until later,

jenny

a busy week

since i've been so busy in the studio i have many paintings to upload.  we may be able to put some up on saturday, but the grandtwins will be with us.  who knows, they may be interested in seeing what mema and grumpy do to get my art in the shop.

i've fallen in love with one of my paintings.  the main focus is a gal who is focused on the world she wishes to live in.  i've cropped her and put her as my Facebook icon because i adore her expression;

she was painted on a background that i loved so much that i uploaded separately into the shop.  this week i looked at the background and saw some amazing shapes and i knew that this canvas was about peace!

the duck and elephant came naturally from the painting itself.  i was thrilled.  and then i sat with it and wasn't so thrilled anymore.  it needed something else.  or many more somethings else.

"a dream of peace"

still in progress

i also have a literal handful of mini canvasses to put up;

i painted these at the same time but separately, 

but they look like a single painting!

"roots" 1 and 2

and another nice lotus

these will all be in the shop soon!

until later,

jenny