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Sunday, September 23, 2012

My First Week As A Full-Time Artist.

Well, here it is Sunday. My first week as a full-time artist is complete. Things I have learned:

1) I am already tired of people (friends!) making comments like, "It's not like you have a job" or "It's not like you have anything to do." Umm, I'm sorry. I have a TON to do. Technically I'm working 12 hour days, but it doesn't feel like work. I'd like to see someone start their own business and claim they have nothing to do.

2) My worries about finding motivation to "work" were pretty unnecessary. I actually found myself waking up super early because I was so excited to start something.

3) Online pizza ordering will be the death of me. Why must they make it so easy? And enticing me with coupons? Evil.

4) Time management is tricky with you have 1000 ideas whirring around in your head and you want to start them all at once. Some days I'd go to start something, then start something else, then do something else, then five hours later remember the first thing I meant to do.

5) It is such a great feeling to not have to use the days to measure how close to the weekend it is. Every day is equally great. Usually at this time on Sunday, my friend Amber and I start texting about the "Sunday Feeling." That's the sinking feeling we would get knowing the entire work week is only hours away. I never want to feel that again and am determined to help Amber find a million dollar idea so she won't have to either. Be on the lookout for the "Champeg" in the future. It's a champagne keg. We are going to invent it.

I could go on and on about all the realizations I had this week, but I want to share some pictures of the Outer Banks. That place is BEAUTIFUL. We could hear the ocean from the roof of our house. It was amazing.

I loved the cactus-type-things that grew all over the island.

The beach was just gorgeous. I've only seen the ocean from various parts of Florida and the Bahamas before... I loved all the plants/fences/rocks/lighthouses by the water in NC.

We may or may not have done an astronomical amount of drinking.

The waves were pretty intense due to Hurricane Leslie being parked directly east way out over the water. At night they glowed GREEN because of bioluminescent creatures or something?? And when you kicked the sand it looked like green sparks. One of the coolest things I have ever seen.

Taking walks in the evening light was like magic.

One day we woke up to watch the sun rise. It was nothing short of miraculous and looked like the sky was on fire. I took approximately 75 pictures!

This week I worked a lot on altering the ocean pictures to sell on Society6. I have been tossing around the idea of opening up an Etsy shop for my altered photography... thoughts? I am nervous about the printing process because it seems like everyone prints differently. 

I have also been teaching myself to make patterns by drawing things on paper, scanning them in, then repeating and coloring them in Photoshop. Here are a couple of my favorites:





It can be kind of a tedious process but really really fun. I discovered the website Design Seeds via Pinterest and have been pinning color inspiration like crazy. Websites like this are helpful for people like me who get ideas in groups of 1000 (apparently I really like that number today) so nailing down color schemes can be next to impossible. I am so grateful to have such a resource! 

All in all it was an amazing week and I can't wait to have 1000 (heehee) more just like it. This weekend got a little crazy; my best friend came to visit and we went to campus (I live right by Ohio State University) to tailgate for the game. Things of course got crazy, so it has been nice to quietly work and recover today. On tonight's agenda is watching the Emmy's at my fabulous chef friend's house where chili, shrimp, and bruschetta are waiting. Again, life is good. Hope all is well with everyone out there and here's to another amazing week for EVERYONE! :)


11 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this post! I admire your decision to do art full time ( and I am now living vicariously through you until I can make my own radical, brave life change). Your 1000 ideas will all get their due attention from you, step by step, but maybe in a Thursday to Wednesday work week! I like that, no Sunday Feel. Your photos and your art are gorgeous. Kath

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    1. Thanks Kathy! I am still somewhat freaking out about money quietly in the back of my head... Etsy seems to have stalled out so the top of my to-do list over the next few days is get some new art scanned in and listed. I appreciate your encouragement so so much! :)

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  2. Gorgeous beach!. Ahh the sand... LOVE to hear your first week as a full time artist went so great, with so many ideas coming :). The prints are so detailed, love they look almost like you'd doodled them. Amazing talent, Jenn!. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you so much Shahrul... you always make me smile :)

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  3. 1. I agree. Having your own business means a lot of work: between creation, photos for the shop, advertising...

    Beautiful pics & patterns!

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    1. You got that right... I had no idea how much time I'd be spending researching marketing ideas! Perhaps I should have minored in that in college... :) Thank you for your kind words!

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  4. Congrats Jenndalyn: I'm so happy and excited for you! This is such an excellent post that I'm sharing it at my blog Self Marketing Today.

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    1. Thank you so so much Sandi! I am beyond flattered and am in love with the idea of possibly inspiring people (even just one person!) to do the same thing and follow their dreams <3

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  5. I am reading this via Sandi Holland's Self Marketing Today.

    I am not an artist but a writer and want to brave the blogging world sooner than later. Life has thrown me a couple of bad punches lately so I have had to slow down the process of adding a blog to my freelance writing efforts.

    As an artist, I am sure you will meet many obstacles. It sounds like you are up to the task. Wishing you well. Carol Ann of Western Pa.

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