big ideas in 2022

hi all.  yep, it's been a minute since i've posted.  honestly, i've been on a painting hiatus, concentrating on my spiritual health, trying to educate myself and to delve into lifes' mysteries.  i'm a libra, so i look into things from all sides, and oh, there are so many sides to the mystery of life and the earth we live on!  the muds run deep, lol.

but, i'm back!  i spent some time with my tarot deck the other day, and it gave me some great insight to some places where i might stumble in the coming year.  since then i had an idea that will bring some forward motion to a dream sweetie and i have.  forward motion made by me, instead of all from him, so this gives me an added push for my idea to work;  i need to be of financial assistance with making the dream happen.

our dream is a big one, with a big, ongoing income stream needed, and my artwork hasnt been forthcoming with the flow.  i get awesome drips here and there, but it's time to come up with a product that will give more of a flow wherever it's seen.   that means affordable to the masses and with a feeling that people will want in their homes.

i think i found it!

it feels good!

i have a stack of these wooden slice ornaments that i've used to affix prints of personal photos as gifts, but i'm about to experiment with affixing prints of my paintings.  i think my paintings would look great as minis hanging in various unexpected spots in a home!  i can imagine them in windows, hanging on lamp switches and drawer pulls.  i've also made some photo ones with magnets behind the wood slices and can imagine my art on fridges all around the world.  that thought makes me smile!

i was able to affix one print today, and i think i want a thicker paper, which means stronger medium to attach to the wood.  i also need to ponder how i want the edges to be.  do i want to decorate where the paper meets the wood so it's not feeling so abrupt?  do i want a matte or gloss finish?  (leaning towards matte finish, so the glare wont be too much in some light).  do i want some of the inner wood to show, instead of only the bark? 

 

i'll be experimenting with decorating this one

each wood piece is so different that it's going to be a process to size each and every print for each ornament and to cut each print to the unique shape of the wooden piece.  that's going to take some time for each piece so i'll still be taking care and putting my energies into them just like all my artwork.  i want to make these affordable for people to consider buying them, but i'll need to consider if this will be financially feasible to make any profit at all with these. or maybe i should concentrate on the bigger original paintings to sell and to put in my shops for people to put on mugs and other merchandise. remember, this will be helping to finance our big dream!

i can see these anywhere a little pop of color is needed in the home!

 

these little guys need a name now.  i've got some ideas for that as well, but here's my problem with naming these little gems of a product.  i have original paintings on canvas, and original mini paintings on canvas.  those are self explanatory; "paintings", and "mini paintings".  but these are prints on wood.  i feel they need a 'product name' and it needs to make sense with who i am as an artist and my artwork.  my art business name is HeavenSpirit Creations.  my art is spiritual and uplifting; joyful; has something to say; makes you feel connected; sends a message.  so the name needs to convey what it is and what it is presenting.  or at least has a name that gives some sort of feeling in that direction.  sweetie likes the name "Whimspirations", which is a cute name, but my art isnt whimsical in my eyes.  even if my art becomes cute in a mini size, it really doesnt say "whimsy" to me.

my name ideas i have that i like so far are;

 

Tiny Intentions

Tiny Totems (but not all will be of spirit animals, so not the best)

Hanging Altars

Tiny Guides (not my favorite)

Rooted Offerings

Rooted Altars

Mini Alters

Rooted Intentions

Rooted Visions

Rooted Treasures

Tiny Treasures

 

as you can see, i like the double meaning of the word rooted here.  rooted, meaning very strong and firmly fixed, and they are also made of wood from a rooted tree.  i really enjoy the imagery of that.  out of my list of names, what is your favorite?

 

 

looking good on my own altar space

 

 

for now, i'll be starting to make these with prints of some of my original paintings.  since i have almost 200 paintings, i'll be picking favorites that will work well for the circular piece of wood.  it's gonna take time to get a good supply going, and while i work i'll be able to figure out a name as well as think about cost to make and how much to pay myself for the time and artwork.  it'll be a process!

until later,

jenny

 

 

new raven minis... maybe

I started a new series of minis with my beloved raven/crow totem as a subject on October 13th.  I just realized it's a full moon tonight, too, so even more magic is in these!

it all started with a background of gesso and pencil to add color and texture to the overall piece, as well as just a loosening up activity.

then I added my paint in short, choppy strokes

 all together

a close up

after fiddling with the backgrounds a bit I decided we would scan them to make some fun pillows and totes in my shops.  upon further inspection I was re-thinking painting crows on them, as I just really liked the Monet lily pond vibe they were giving when turned a certain way;

I think when I'm done with the backgrounds I'll be uploading them to my online stores to be used for merchandise.  I think they would look well as dresses and such!


as I sat with these backgrounds I became thoughtful of how much beauty was in them as-is, and had a bit of a frustration over painting over such beauty.  so I posted on my personal facebook page to see what my peeps thought.  they seemed to be 50/50 about it.  some told me that maybe I should pick a few I enjoyed more and paint crow/raven energy over the rest, others really appreciated the delicate Monet feel of them.  in the end I decided to let nature take its course with them.  to set them up for sale as-is with the statement that they may be getting painted over at some point, so if they saw something they liked they better hurry and get them, cause they may change soon!

so, here they are~ my non corvid painted paintings!

 Lily Pond Abstract 1

3x3"

$17

acrylic

 Lily Pond Abstract 3

3x3"

$17

acrylic

 Lily Pond Abstract 2

3x3"

$17

acrylic

 Lily Pond Abstract 5

3x3"

$17

acrylic

Lily Pond Abstract 4

3x3"

$17

acrylic

they will not be varnished until such time as they are sold so as to not interfere with painting corvid energy at a later date.

until later,

Jenny

new beginnings, and homes for my beauties

I've got several paintings in progress at the moment.  mostly of the bee variety.  I'm interested to see how I can make them all different and still draw the eye into the scene.  but, I was captivated by a photo in unsplash (a website of royalty-free images I browse for inspiration and reference photos) and knew she needed to be a queen bee for me.  here she is in progress;

I'm hoping I can do her justice.  sweeties words keep coming to me when I have these doubts;  "I know you can figure it out, you always do".  he is the best support.

ah, doubt.  I was talking to an artist friend of mine- a REAL LIFE friend who lives nearby!- and discussing why it's sometimes so difficult for me to get to the studio.  this doubt of mine.  this anxiety, this depression.  it's always whispering in my ear.  every painting I start is a hurdle of self doubt.  should I bother sketching it?  it won't look right, anyways.  and then, when I push thru and get the sketch done I'm being told not to paint it, cause I'll just ruin it.  on good days I can tell these nasty voices where they can stick their opinions.  more often than not I have to fight the demons just to step into the studio to begin the task of finding the good stuff in the paint.  I know it's in there!  I have lots of proof!  but, finding the courage to "begin again" each day, to uncover the beauty from the mud I had made the day before, the push and pull of the paint... sometimes its just a huge battle.

speaking of proof.  some of my collectors have sent me photos of my art in their new homes.  what joyful photos!  and proof that my art is loved and needed in the world.

what a peaceful home these two elephants have found!

some busy bees helping out at orange graphix

I just need to keep plugging away, painting and ignoring the doubt when I can, resting when I need to, and reminding myself that it's the journey not the destination.  I think part of my issue comes from thinking I must get it out there immediately, then I get overwhelmed.  there is a street fair each month in a neighboring town starting next month, and my brain thinks I must crank out product and go sell, sell, sell.  I don't need to do that, or anything else I don't honestly want to do!  I don't own a brick and mortar storefront where I need to be there, and sell.  I'm just here at home doing what I love and letting things evolve naturally.  sweetie just wants me to enjoy myself.   why then do I put myself thru so much pressure?  yikes!  so, again, I'm mindfully pulling back from these big events and the commitment that goes along with them.  if I find I have enough paintings to sell and a desire to run a table (with lots of support from sweetie) then thats what I will do, but I need to stop with the thinking of "what will sell" and paint what I want, when I want.  

honestly, it will create more joyful results, and thats good for everyone!

until later,

Jenny

what I've been working on

hi there.  hope your easter was enjoyable.  ours was...  nonexistent, really.  we ate our obligatory ham the night before, since mark had his geek game Sunday night.  thats about all the tradition we did this year, though I have been collecting potted tulips this year to plant, so we may have a nicer looking yard next year.

besides working on getting the blog to be a better representation of who I am and what I'm doing with my art once it's painted, I actually have been painting, and planning on painting, and uploading classes to hopefully attempt to paint.

i mentioned earlier that I have joined Let's Face It 2018 with artist kara bullock and we are in our 13th week now.  I've only actually completed one class (as in painted the work on canvas.  I have been taking notes and trying to at least sketch out the class work).  week 11, though, really got me humming and I found a photo of my grandmother and my dad as a young child to use as a reference photo for this class.

I'm not expecting to get the likenesses.  even if it would be great to do so, I'm not going to be upset if it doesn't get there this time.  I love the pose they have, I know who it's supposed to be, and it will give me memories of who they were to me.  I'm excited to get to the painting of this one!



I've also created one new larger mini painting (4"x4").  I've decided to continue with the minis in a larger size and maybe 1 or 2 a week so I can work on my classes and other projects.  I'm continuing with the animal theme with reference photos of animals that resonate with me for some reason for right now.  I like the idea of just having a bunch of spirit animal paintings at the ready.  if they don't sell here online, then I can set up at a vendor fair in a nearby town in the fall.

"Teachings of the Emu"

and I have a bigger and a smaller mini that I'll be painting honey bees on;

interesting symbolism in the animals I'm currently drawn to paint.  the emu and the bee.  both have the same message for me;  work hard to get to your goals.

sweetie has also been busy setting up a redbubble shop for my art and slowly getting the paintings uploaded.  so, I now have two shops that you can peruse at your leisure, each with their own special merchandise.  both shops are listed in my sidebar along with my business email address you can use for ordering original artwork.  there is a button at the top of my blog page for my artwork for sale if you want to check that out, along with a new 'about me' page.

yes, we have been busy with this art stuff!  I still get all goose-bumpy when I remember that I'm a small business owner.

until later,

Jenny

and then there were 7

wow!  what a whirlwind couple of days since I put the elephant mini paintings up for sale!  thank you for all who participated in that flurry of activity.

out of the 20 elephants we decided to sell (of the 22 I painted), there are only 7 left!  is one calling to you?  I don't know how long they will last.

their sides are now painted black 

so they will look fabulous displayed on their easels.

photos don't do them justice, guys

the scanned images to get the color correct;

colorful bull

nebula

sunshine

out of the mist

on the savanna

the night wanderer

and

at the watering hole

the first batch all ready for their new homes!

I've since packaged more

I have several elephants being mailed around the United States.  using first class mail it's only been $3.50 for postage.  I add on just a little extra for the envelope and such for a handling charge.  for a small fee you get an original piece of artwork, something not commercially made, something unique.  

message me at jenny@heavenspiritcreations.com to buy one of these original 3"x3" mini elephant paintings from me.  they are only $15 each (including the easel) plus shipping, and tax if in Massachusetts.

it's incredibly exciting and humbling to know that the loving energy I added to these little guys will be enjoyed by people all over!  

until later,

Jenny

all together, now

hi guys, what a great response to my mini elephant paintings!  thank you all for the support and shares of my facebook posts about these little guys.  it's been a blessing!  it was a difficult decision to figure out which one for me to keep, and sweetie had a favorite, so I had to save that one for him, but I know the rest will have safe, happy lives in their new homes!

the herd all together, and on their easels

I've already sold several!  almost immediately after painting the last one I was getting private messages and comments saying they really wanted a painting.

I'm going to only show those that are available, as it's just easier for everyone that way, and when they are sold I will update the blog accordingly.

available paintings, in order of completion;

batch 1

#1, Playing in the Reeds;

(NOW SOLD)

#2, Out of the Mist;

#3, Peek-A-Blue (SOLD)

#4, Funny Ears (SOLD)

#5, Sarah Remembers (SOLD)

batch 2

#6, Colorful Bull;

#7, Fuzzy Baby (SOLD)

#8, Sunshine;

#9, Ellie in Blues;

(NOW SOLD)

#10, Nebula;

batch 3

#11, At the Watering Hole;

#12, The Grand Explorer (SOLD)

#13, Family Bond;

(NOW SOLD)

#14, Ahead of the herd, not shown (KEEPING)

#15, Ostara (SOLD)

#16, Fauna;

(NOW SOLD)

#17, Playtime, not shown (KEEPING)

batch 4

#18, A Quick Dip;

(NOW SOLD)

#19, On the Savanna;

#20, The Night Wanderer;

#21, Calling the Dawn;

(NOW SOLD)

#22, Side By Side (SOLD)

the support I had for this challenge was wonderful and helped keep me going the last couple of days when I needed that extra push.  you all are the best!

you can find all my elephants in my shop by clicking on the collections button, or message me to buy one of these original 3"x3" mini elephant paintings from me, they will be $15 each (including the easel) plus shipping, and tax if in Massachusetts.

until later,

Jenny

the last 3- challenge complete, and big news for me!

what an inspiring challenge this turned out to be!  I'm thrilled that I completed it and thrilled that I saw my skills improve thru the month.

here are the last three 3"x3" mini elephant paintings I did of the series of 22.

#20, "The Night Wanderer"

 color is not true

I chose to leave his tusks the underpainting color for 2 reasons.  firstly, they didn't need to be white to stand out with this color scheme.  more importantly it made a statement to me, my act of not painting them in, about the elephant being killed for their tusks.  

I had a busy day on Sunday so did not finish an elephant, but I got right back to painting before dawn on Monday.  and the painting came together synchronistically to become this beauty;

#21 "Calling in the Dawn"

and Tuesday I had crossed eyes again doing this duo;

#22, "Side By Side"

remember, these are 3" canvasses...

I started out with baby looking like a mushroom!

I will be scanning the paintings to show true colors and then posting them all here in order for you to see them in their best light.  there has been a lot of interest in buying the originals of these, so I will also be putting them up on facebook, in batches of 5 so as to not blow up anyones feed.  before they go to their new homes they will be varnished and the sides painted black to finish them for display.

sweetie will be adding these three to my shop this weekend, unless we get to it sooner, in which case I will be blogging the news.  you can find all my elephants in my shop by clicking on the collections button, or message me to buy an original 3"x3" mini elephant painting from me, they will be $15 each (including the easel) plus shipping, and tax if in Massachusetts.

and, huge news for me.  even though nothing has changed, it feels like everything has changed.  I'm officially a small business owner!  yes, I took the big step now that I've decided to go forward with selling and doing art fairs and the like.  sweetie and i went to the town clerks office Monday to do their maze of " just go to the office down the hall to fill out a form, then go to the treasurer to make sure you've paid all your taxes and bills, then choose door number three, follow the yellow brick road, then come back and pay us and you are done".  (it wasn't too terrible, all in one building, but we got our steps in!).  afterwards I opened my business account at the bank so I can pay for my art supplies with my own money, and we went to the store and I bought some workable fixative with my new card!  exciting first purchase.  to celebrate, sweetie took me out for a bite at a local diner.  he had taken the day off to help me with these tasks, and I had a day owed me because he was away on Saturday, doing his 'geek thing', so the timing worked out well.

here I am in the middle of our journey 

around the town hall

and, now I'm a proud small business owner!  (or is it a small proud business owner?)

until later,

Jenny