Friday Thoughts Ep. 13

Hello hello hello Patrons, happy Friday! How’s your week been? Is it getting hot there yet? It’s pretty cool here but everyone is still swimming and wearing shots and sandals like they do in the PNW.

This week has been a more productive week than last, I am feeling much better from my cold!

(Image from Seattleartists.com )

The major update this week is that I accepted a contract to show my art, illustrations, and prints, in a local art gallery/ studio space in Fremont! It looks like I haven’t mentioned it here even though I was asked a few weeks ago! Fremont is a northern Seattle neighborhood and considers itself the “artsy part of Seattle” and “center of the universe.”

 This is particularly exciting because I’ll have my work for sale commission free for two months, and will automatically be able to participate in two Fremont Art Walks! This will be my first “table-ing” event, where I will sit at a table covered in my products and directly sell to customers! I’ve been dreaming of this since I first began seriously considering art, but it was incredibly intimidating at the time. I will be selling framed and unframed prints of some of my previously made illustrations, earrings, pins, and a specially made new project. I’ll share more on that project in the near future!

I want to note that the director for this gallery space reached out to me because I tagged #seattleartist on one of my instagram posts. She was browsing the tag, saw my art, and emailed me to ask if I wanted to participate in the show! I can’t tell you guys how glad I am that a ton of effort on social media is paying off in Real World ways!

Speaking of social media effort, I wrapped my instagram giveaway last Friday, and completed the winner’s pet portraits this week! This giveaway was useful in multiple fronts: It served as a thank you to my followers, it increased my visibility even further, and it allowed me to make to new pieces to add to my examples of pet portraits (something I would have done on my own anyway!) After this giveaway, I have a wider audience, two particularly happy followers who won the giveaway, and four new examples of a custom illustration for my Etsy! Seems kind of skeevy strategic, but it really is just making the work I do serve multiple purposes.

This week I also updated a few items in my Etsy shop, added new digital painting options (including a RPG character portrait listing), and updated my Etsy shipping to include INTERNATIONAL shipping!! I’ve been avoiding international shipping literally the entire year I’ve had my business open. But I figure I have a pretty good handle on domestic shipping now, so might as well bite the bullet and offer international. Just like everything else with this business, it’s scary but I’ll FIGURE IT OUT.

Insider tip: there’s a discount on digital commissions from my Etsy right now, so if you’re interested in one now would be a pretty good time! ;)

I also finished up my first batch of handmade earring, trimmed the pokey parts of the fasteners (they were way too long!) and had so much fun experimenting with the handmade backing cards. They should be listed today or next monday. (And remember, you patrons receive 10% off!) It depends how long it takes me to edit the photos.

Last update and suggestion: I finally signed up for SKILLSHARE! Skillshare is one of those continuing art education websites full of videos and classes covering Everything you’d ever want to know about art and business. I immediately found a Procreate class from one of my favorite artists on instagram, and I’m hooked. I put it on in the background instead of tv. I got two months free from another artist, and if you’re interested let me know and I can get you two months free as well!

Non-art Life: Ha ha what’s that?

Oh actually, I have my first weekend working at the cafe coming up. It is very helpful having enough money to cover rent and groceries coming in while I build the art business! I’ll defitely limit it to two days a week whenever possible to keep my focus on what’s important.

Working as a barista is also helping me feel more confident talking with strangers, encouraging my extroverted side to return after a looooong hibernation. Truly it is building my confidence again. I can talk to people!

That’s all for this week! Happy to be back to rockin‘ it! I hope you’re rockin’ it too!!

xoxo

Ragon