Storytelling Art Life Biz
Sharing art story journals
An Art Life Journalling blog
Hi, I’m so glad you are here! This is a space for sharing Art Life Biz Stories in the form of a blog/ journal. This is an invitation for your wild soul creative to come out and play.
It felt like a fun way to approach sharing art stories and starting new story conversations.
As an introvert, it is sometimes hard to know where to begin but creating bite-sized entries seemed like a lovely way to connect and hopefully shared some ideas.
As I talked to my coach and admitted my resistance to blogging…where is the fun in that I sighed…?
I wanted to share the spaces of color and flowers that filled my life with bright spaces and this seemed like a creative way to play.
The Art Life Biz Question?
The question was always how? and what if?… then I had an idea and Geniev said…oh your voice went higher…that sounds positive. Yes, it was a shift. I had found a way to put fun into blogging and circumnavigate the resistance
The blog block in Art Life Biz
I realised I loved the ease of Instagram as it was quick and easy and I thought what if I could do that for my blog page…a very neglected page, I will admit. I was looking for a way to share art as life and more than a business. Art is what lights me up and sharing that is a very personal journey.
The thought occurred of a rolling blog post that was a short journal entry a day…initially for a week and then see how it goes. So this is day 1 as I set up a new idea. Each week I will put up a screenshot of my Instagram block of 9 as my header image and write a few lines about what is happening in my art life biz world. Hopefully sharing some of the processes as I create my flower garden of paintings and add more bright spaces.
Today is Tuesday…the week has already begun so a throwback to Monday to start the stories. It starts with setting up the week and updating as I go- I know some days will be missed and that’s okay. I am looking at this as a wabi-sabi adventure (the beauty of imperfection) and the idea of just beginning and seeing where the story leads me. It’s a way to share that I do hope connects and opens up new story possibilities for you too.
If I miss a day then I will endeavor to add a note and update the page as I go. My aim is a post a week in this format and see where this new story takes me.
Monday, June 27th – Art Life Biz
Today I wanted to really settle into developing a series of work and seeing the pieces I had started through to completion. I got out 20 A3 pieces I had begun and not completed and spread them out in front of me. I really only needed maybe 10 to begin but I wanted to work quickly and freely and add some collage elements – texts and music in particular.
I decided to play with drawing over text and music paper which is fun and I will see if it fits along the way- otherwise, it will be added to the stash of handmade collage papers that adds that extra variety to the pieces.
What one thing in my art story will I shift today?
The thought was, that if I did just 1 big move to all these pieces it would give me the next step. And the reality was, by using the one technique quickly and repeatedly, was a great way to loosen up the process. Tomorrow I will choose up to 10 to complete over the next 2 weeks. That is me making a commitment that is far easier to stick to when I tell people about it (a bit like this posting idea).
As this was a backtrack post I will share the pieces I selected for this post and then where they go from here will be added tomorrow…wish me luck…
Tuesday, June 28th – Art Life Biz
This is when I get to talk to my coach once a fortnight. So much to get my head around in this art biz but talking to someone as clever as Geniev really helps me see more clearly. It was that conversation that led to this running blog post idea. Short and sweet is perfect when you have shiny object syndrome and am learning to ask ‘where is the fun in this!’ Short posts feel like fun and are easy…not sure why I think they need to be long…expectation is a funny thing really…even when it is self-imposed.
I definitely need fun today as my 88-year-old Dad goes into a retirement village. Needed but always difficult to assimilate to that next stage of care for the ones we love.
Art distraction is the next step as I choose my pieces and add another layer to these flower stories.
Okay, I didn’t stick to 5-10 more like 17…1 series of 10 and 1 series of 7 with very different color pallets. I’ve added some images of the Colour Viewfinder App which is a great way to clarify the colors….especially when you are returning to works that were begun months ago. It is time for completion and sharing the adventure. Today with pthalo blue paint, yellow oxide, and titan buff to create contrast. Lots of outlining but that is just one step in the process.
Wednesday June 29th – Art Life Biz
Today is Dad’s day as I visit him at the retirement home…a new beginning and the support he needs.
Along the way, I plan to l review my current flower pieces on my phone and decide on my next steps for my studio time tomorrow. I really need to choose smaller batches to move forward but am enjoying working in color groups and want to do more of this. This is about balancing all those small spaces in my art life that creative flow. Within the waiting spaces, I can step back and choose the next step. RAT test and car trip waiting times are those spaces where I can ponder and focus in a different way. It is always a series of next steps and leaning into the curiosity of the moment. It is amazing how much can be achieved in small pockets of time.
How do you review your art and find your next steps when you are in that middle point where you need to decide how to proceed. For me, it is a stepping back, reflection, and refocusing.
Trusting my intuition to take me to the next step is key here. It is curiosity that allows play and looseness. This is where I can get too tight and controlling so I am choosing to allow more looseness in the next steps.
Pallet exploration – next steps
I arrived home in time to play with my colour pallet to develop the next step. As these are older unfinished works and I created them months ago, I really need clarity around the colours I am choosing to play with so this exploration is about focusing in on the variety I can get within this limited pallet of varied primary hues.
This is where I need to play at this point in order to strengthen the image and create a united colour pallet. I have used 2 versions of each of the three primary colours to create the pallet for the flowers with the turquoise and orange/red mix. This base group will give me continuity and my sketchbook colour play is to get clear on the colour mixes I want and to explore the variety I can get as I add black and white – developing shades and tints playfully. I really do not like to draw boxes and do it formally. This playful flow is far more fun and it works.
I wonder if you choose to create colour pallets? I tend to begin intuitively and then look closer to choose what I love in the mix of possibilities.
Each page is about visual thinking and exploring what feels right. I wanted some pinky purples to play with the turquoise blue. This simple play allows me to get clear on my dominant colour of turquoise-blue, the focus colour of purple-pink, and the detail play of orange-yellow. Oh…I did forget to add that i have a titan buff love and often use it as a warmer way to add lights and neutrals.
Thursday, June 30 – Art Life Biz
Today was full of exploration and new layers. It was lovely to spend most if the day in the studio.
I really was unsure where to start so I thought I would create something to add some fun to the process. 
Art Prompts download gift would have some fun and make some word prompts. This was playful and an easy way to get out of my head and not have to choose my next step. Click on the image or above link to get your free gift copy and play along. A lovely way to begin an art session.
Creating these little prompts got me started. I pulled cut away and started shaping the background and went from there.
Just a few of the pieces slowly taking shape. The challenge is to allow the beauty of the music notes to remain as I explore color balance and add the detail play.
Friday, July 1st – Art Life Biz
#flowerflowfridays
Two weeks ago I started the hashtag #flowerflowfriday to create a flower garden that everyone could add to. It is slowly growing and is a fun way to end the week. I look for flowers when not in the studio or sharing an art piece. Flowers are bright moments that always make me happy. It felt like fun, and hoping people will play along- love it if you added your own flower flow images to add to the flower garden. I feel like there are so many ways to play in this growing flower garden.
Today was mostly about catching up with friends and allowing spaces for connection. Along the way, I gathered flowers and found a couple of hours to create in the small spaces between market shopping and catch-ups.
I have been collecting flower images to add to my #flowerflowfridays hashtag where I’m creating a sharing space to create an Instagram garden.
Playing with leftover paint to play with mark-making on brown kraft paper has been a lot of fun and full of playful possibilities. No exp[ectations in pure-play as I find flower shapes that feel bright and connected.
I didn’t have time to work on the final pieces so I decided to continue exploring. Loved the looseness that evolved through these small playful explorations. Having no expectations helps me lean into trust and allow more flow within the creative process. These explorations are a way of informing the next steps for the finished pieces and ideas for the next series.
Saturday 1sr & Sunday2nd July – Art Life Biz
Okay, I realise trying to do this every day was too big a leap. I will aim for a weekly blog and add as I go from now on.
I love the story sharing but it is the balance that I’m seeking. I’m finding that I am creating differently as I dive into flower completion and what abstract florals really mean to me. It is always the layers and the color play of mixed media.
The weekend was about pushing past what I knew and really allowing play. These incomplete stories are where I found myself. I knew that something new was taking shape and it will take more questions so I will continue sharing where my flowers lead me. There is a new looseness that is exciting and has so many possibilities. There are so many ways to play with these beautiful blooms. I will see where the adventure leads.
Love and blessings,
