Studio Notes- making space for creativity.

Investing in your art. Journal entry 03

Hello my creative art loving friends,

This week has been a little all over the place but I have managed to move a couple of paintings on and yesterday I cleaned my studio so I now have more space to start some more work. Today I started a new oil painting so things feel like they are progressing on that front. It’s been three weeks of me investing in this art practice full time and I’ve made quite the discovery! Because I paint in oils there is a considerable amount of time waiting for paint to dry. So much so that I have decided to do some part-time freelance work, which I said I wasn’t going to do but do you know what, just the knowledge that there is some money coming in for framing and supplies is a huge stress load off. My solo show isn’t till October. I’m with one gallery at the moment but things are quiet on that front and I feel like I need to take matters into my own hands.

Last week I spoke about making connections with likeminded people- artists and future customers. And I touched on sharing more of my loves and personality on social media. I’ve started showing up this week and incorporating architecture and flowers, showing up on stories too and sharing my work across my other instagram sites. The one where I’ve gained more traction for my art, isn’t my artists instagram, it’s actually my floral styling account. What’s interesting is the audience here follows me for a certain aesthetic and that same aesthetic shows up in my work, I think I’m onto something here. I’m conscious of over sharing though, I need to get the balance right. I’m still going to work hard at putting more of the ‘every day stuff’ on my artists instagram too.

So three weeks in and I’m already doing other work- Do I feel like I’ve failed already? No, not at all. I’m still 100% invested in my art practice and over the years I’ve learnt to be kind to myself and listen to my own words- when I coach young businesses, I tell them that success isn’t instant (unless you went viral and that is down to luck). Success means many things but if we’re talking financial success from a business, well that can take years no matter what it is. Again, it comes down to how invested are you. I will do anything (well most things) to make my art career a success, so if that means taking some extra work so I have materials then that’s what I’m going to do.

If I taught art as well, then this would consume my time and make art my full time job, but I don’t want to teach, at least not at the moment. Also if I had a bigger studio I could paint more, I could paint smaller I realise but that’s not me right now. It’s all a juggling act and I don’t mind that. As I write, I keep glancing over at the latest painting from today, it’s dreamy and I’m already smitten. There are areas of refinement needed when it’s dried a bit, but I don’t want to overwork this one.

My thoughts turn to subject matter. I paint semi abstract landscapes, that’s my natural calling, even though I adore flowers- it’s always landscapes that come out. I’m curious to see how I would paint some florals in oils. The last time was around 2022 and it was a big one that went to a lovely lady in London. I remember taking it on the train, it was so heavy, bless her she’d made me lunch when I got there, it was such a beautiful experience delivering the art and meeting the owner. I love meeting the people that buy my paintings! I love having studio visits! I’ve decided this year to deliver all large artworks in England in person. It’s also the reason I’m having a solo show- I want to meet people and share my art, have conversations and I don’t want to be stressed out with an art fair. I’ve done them and for a little while- I’m just not interested in that way of marketing. Because let’s face it, getting work out there, it’s all marketing, we just have to decide how we want this to feel for us and our customer. As I said last week, I really want to build more connections and I want to do that myself. Already I’m thinking of having more than one solo show if not this year than next. I enjoy having the conversations- something you don’t tend to get with a gallery. The work I’ve sold through galleries always leaves me wondering- What kind of person were they? Where are they going to hang it and in what room? Who are they? Maybe I should just open my own gallery… Now there’s an idea.

Emma x