Art Studio News

Building some momentum to knock out some tasks and reach some goals this month!  Artwork has been on track but other tasks not so much.  I think my time management has been needing some work.  I have been taking a more flexible approach to personal life and family time. I love working from home and having my studio at home.  

Since summer of 2022, I have been fortunate to have several art commission projects come my way.  I appreciate the response from many of you and have enjoyed our time working together to develop vision for new art pieces.  Some artists might find it daunting to take on art commission work but I do not find that as my experience at all.  I find it exciting and refreshing to listen to client (seems impersonal...friends, really) ideas and interests, see the photos to work from or find photos available to artists, hone in on color palettes that will be best suited to client or recipient, and then take off from there to create an original artwork that brings it all together.  The reactions from clients in the end are priceless gifts to me and renew my energetic spark to make the next new artwork.

Meeting The New Day 5" x 7"

I have one client I am chatting with about a few new pieces and hope to get started in the next few weeks.  We have talked about potential subject matter and photos to be provided by the client.  We have talked about the dimensions of the pieces so soon, I'll have photos from client and we'll talk over the color palettes to possibly suit these pieces best.  The client has frames purchased so seeing them will help me in going forward as well.  I take a lot of interest in getting feedback; this in turn helps me clearly understand what each client will be most pleased with in the end.

A recent art commission:
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Walk
9" x 12"

I will be taking new projects through the coming months so if this interests you, please contact me soon.  You are under no obligation to commit and I will not pressure you to agree to an art commission.  This process works most successfully when you feel comfortable and excited to proceed!  I am more than happy to explain the process fully and answer questions for you.  I will be up front and if I don't feel I will be the best for creating with your goals in mind, I have no problem being honest about that.  Here, on the blog, there is a page which outlines my procedure for art commissions.  That may be a great place to start if you are still undecided but curious.  My previous post, Openings For Art Commissions has more details.

Listen For The Hopeful Tune 7 1/2" x 9 1/2"
Available for purchase.

I cannot emphasize enough that taking on an art commission project takes time.  Please allow 2 to 3 weeks to begin the project as we coordinate our schedules to chat and exchange ideas, write contracts, submit deposits, etc.  There are quite a few steps required to take place before I can begin the initial sketch.  Creating the artwork itself takes several weeks and then the packaging/shipping takes about a week.  I do not ship artwork until final payment is received.

Persistence For Life 9 1/2" x 12 1/2"
Available for purchase.

I am working on making changes to my art prices based on dimensions.  The cost of supplies has increased.  The time has come to be sure I can continue creating original artwork and cover the overhead.  Price changes will be taking place with standard artwork that I create and on private art commissions as well.  Those changes will take place by the end of May 2023.  I will publish a post when the new prices take effect.

Familiar Notes Of Spring 5" x 7"
Sold.

Whoop Up weekend is quickly approaching.  On June3rd, a piece of my artwork will be displayed alongside the Rhubarb Pie Sales at the vintage camper on Main Street.  That piece, which I am still undecided in choosing...will be available for purchase.  It's an honor to be included and hope you'll be sure to take a look if you happen to attend.

June through September will be busier months with gardening, camping, and plein air painting outings.  I will most likely participate in Farmer's Market here in Conrad, MT but I hope to be there every other week at most.  Last year, taking artwork every week became too much so I will try to find a better balance this summer.  I would love to find a local spot for a pop up/limited time display where I can show artwork and meet & greet.  Watercolors do so much better indoors away from direct sun.  I keep thinking on locations that might do well for a 3 day set up that I can host on location.  Please comment or contact me with any ideas!

Lingering Attentively 5" x 7"
Sold.

Recently my subjects for artwork have been birds.  I began with European robins and then a chickadee.  Coming up, more European robins, another chickadee, a titmouse, American robins, bluebirds, hummingbirds, cardinals, and blue jays.  Sketches are being done and transferred to watercolor paper so those new pieces of artwork will soon be started.

Scrap of watercolor paper
with swatches of color.

I seem to be always mentioning the possibilities of teaching workshops and not following through.  I have the paper, brushes and palettes here so that helps with arrangement of supplies.  I now need to choose a few dates and announce so sign ups can begin.  I don't know whether afternoon or evening will work better...I personally prefer afternoons.  That will come together with time. 

Please be sure to check out art pieces available on my website!  Landscapes in a wide range, vibrant with color and texture.  Montana inspired watercolor artwork with my own personal style.

Thank you for following along and I would love to hear from you!  How is your spring going and are you finding time to be creative?  

Christy 

-She must make art.

News For Fall 2022

Let's catch up!

 A quick update is due.  I am still creating artwork alongside new items coming for the holiday season for 2022.  The Wildflower Miniatures are nearly complete with a few details yet to be added.  I am busily preparing for the Cut Bank Holiday Bazaar scheduled for November 5th.  I am creating handpainted 3" magnets and 2.5" wood slice ornaments to be featured at that event.  The brown kraft tags bookmarks with watercolor accents will also be offered at my booth.  I will be bringing bookmarks with fall and winter landscape artwork accents.  I have a few larger artworks to complete so there will be 8" x 10" artwork being shown for the first time there.

One very special project I am working on developing is a watercolor travel kit.  A small metal tin with hinged lid holds ten half pans of Van Gogh watercolor pigments.  I chose ten colors that will be fun mixed in a variety of combinations.  I chose Van Gogh brand for its high quality and vibrancy.  From the Royal Talens company, Van Gogh has really impressed me as a student grade of paints.  I use some of the Van Gogh colors on my own palette.  The kit contains the tin with ten half pans of watercolor paint, two travel brushes, ten mini sheets of watercolor paper and all come in a specially designed bag from a local designer.  These will be available for purchase by November 1st, 2022 but there will be only six kits available.  They are available for $45 before shipping.  Message or email me to claim yours.  Link below to Instagram post with photos.

Watercolor Kit in development.

My website is currently in need of a restyle and on deck to be overhauled in the coming months.  I regret that you cannot shop there at present but be sure to contact me if there is an artwork you would like to purchase and we can make arrangements.  I have been doing some research into using Square Buy-It Buttons here on this website and reroute my website here.  With so many different social media and internet platforms, it becomes a challenge to manage them all very well.

I have several projects scheduled post holiday bazaar but please be sure to contact me if there are artworks you would like to order in time for the Christmas season or projects you wish to talk through for 2023.  I am working in the art studio almost daily and have many things happening all at once.  I am able to make time to interact and visit over art projects so please reach out with email or on messenger.

I have shared this before but honestly the best way to stay informed on activities in my art world is Instagram and Facebook.  Those links are on my Contact Me page.  The tab to click for that page is located directly above the date of this post.

I am still keeping Fall Miniatures in the back of my mind and I do have some possibilities in mind so if that's something you want strongly, please let me know.  I may need to begin them the last week of October and then have a sample or two available both on social media and at the bazaar in order to take orders.

Thank you for hanging out with me for a few minutes!

I'll be back with more information as possible.

Have a great weekend!

Christy

-She must make art.

Summer in my Artroom

 

A Quick Update

Summer is in full swing yet fall is gaining on me quickly.  I have been having a fantastic time making my way to the art room on a nearly daily basis.  With Farmer's Market being my main focus, many other things have been on pause...like dusting, vacuuming, blogging and website maintenance.  So, each week I have been switching out art in frames, creating bookmarks to sell at my vendor booth, and making any adjustments from one week to the next.  I have had such a fantastic time being outdoors even in the heat and at times a gusty wind.  The opportunity to bring my artwork to the public, meet with the community, visit about life in general...and sell a few pieces of artwork...just a terrific experience.  Thank you to all who have taken time to come and stop by at my display.  Your kind words and purchases have made such a difference in a way I cannot fully describe.  There are seven weeks gone and three remaining for this season of Farmer's Market.  I will happily look forward to next season.  And all the months leading up to the 2023 season, I will plan and dream of new ways to add some artwork to items that will bring joy to all of you.

New changes are coming to my website and so I have put it on vacation until I can give it a refresh this fall.  I wanted to be sure you are reassured my artwork is still a full-time concern.  Fully committed to managing while creating means I will gradually improve with my time and task management.  In the midst of socializing at Farmer's Market, posting and sharing on Instagram and Facebook, creating new work, taking on special orders, and developing new ideas for art products...I know I am missing out on not communicating here with you on a regular basis.  As much as I love posting on Stories on Instagram and Facebook, those video messages disappear after 24 hours and not everyone will go watch on a Highlight.  I will keep working to devote a bit of time on all the different platforms including here.  So if you go to www.christysheeler.com and see it's out of date...it's under construction and there's new work to be loaded but I am setting aside time in September for that project.

Thank you for coming along with me on the adventures of an artist!  I do appreciate every little bit of feedback and support.  Thank you for every positive comment.  Your encouragement and excitement are fuel for the creative energy to continue flowing.

One more thought before I go...Summer Miniatures 2022 is now in motion with this being the window for preorders/claims for those who are interested in purchasing one or two 3" x 4" original watercolor paintings.  The theme is wildflowers.  $15 each with a limit of 20 being made in this collection.  You can choose a type of wildflower or a color family and then I'll help you choose a wildflower in that hue.  Contact me for more information!

I'm off to sketch wildflowers now...

Christy

She must make art.

Coming Back To Art Full Time

My process and path:  My return to creating again.

The end of August marked the end of my part time job of nannying.  It was part time in that I was working full time about 6 months out of the year.  From March to August, my art making was not in full swing but I painted in the pockets of available free time.  I enjoyed that job very much yet missed this pursuit even more.  The Carpenter family continues to be close to my heart and we'll be friends that are more like family for many more years to come.

With other things that were happening in my personal life and family needs being our top priority, I didn't jump right into art creating right away.  In fact, I felt rusty and awkward about the painting sessions in September.  As frustrated as I felt with the results, I knew it was important to keep showing up to paint.  The easy thing would be to not show up because it might not end with a masterpiece.  Instead, I chose to push forward and give myself permission to be unhappy with whatever my brush and I made that day.  Sometimes the time spent painting is just for my own self care, not because I need to have a painting to sell.  I don't ever want to be driven by the goal of selling.  That creates so much pressure that intimidates and stifles me creatively.  When the painting time feels like nothing came of it from an bystander's perspective, I face that head on.  Brush it off and come back tomorrow.  And with time, it all started to come back to me.  I continue picking up my brush.

I have been painting on a regular basis but before August I was not always rested and able to spend several hours painting in one sitting.  Some paintings I love and others have brought me frustration.  That's just how this goes.  Many of my paintings have been 5" x 7" sizes because they are more manageable in short spurts of time.  They can easily be finished in one or two sittings.  I don't lose my momentum and vision when working in pockets of time.  And so for that reason, it's much harder when the paper is larger.  I have two large paintings in process right now that are not pleasing me, not what I want, and I don't know what to do next.  I keep telling myself to relax and not let that define me.

So, my beginning stages of getting comfortable in the art room again took a round about path.  With work projects in the garden and back yard to be completed before winter makes its arrival, I brought in quite a few potted plants.  There are green onions and a variety of herbs.  My spinach and lettuce are not doing well and I believe that is lack of sufficient lighting.  Our days are shorter now and my lights need replacing most likely.  Long winters in Montana are easier to handle when there's some plants growing here in my space.

I moved my main painting location back to a previous work table.  It's closer to the center of the room which will be warmer during the winter months.  Funny how this feels more comfortable for me and I am glad I made the change.  I am sensitive about what clutter is bothering me and tackle those areas a little at a time.  I am structuring this space so it is primed for creative atmosphere, like I can come to this space that has a spa like atmosphere.  I am making decisions for designing a sanctuary for creativity.

I have so much space for storage and it seems to be overflowing with stuff.  I felt so overwhelmed and anxious in the room that it was very obvious this needed to be overhauled in a big way.  I went through under table shelves and boxes.  I emptied out cupboards and chose what to get rid of to make room for what supplies are a higher priority to my art creating process.  There are still a few piles to go through but it's much more manageable now.

In reality, I would just rather keep showing up and doing nothing else but paint more art.  The stacks of new artwork need to be given time and focus though.  I am getting more organized with my planning so that projects are being tackled in the most effective way.  Paintings are getting pressed under weight of heavy books to remove the paper's buckling.  Inventory spreadsheets are being readied for titles to come soon.  I am looking at the weather for best sunshine to help with photographing artwork for the website.  Large sheets of watercolor paper is soon to be cut into dimensions I enjoy most.  Those smaller sheets of watercolor paper will be taped to boards so they are ready to grab for new paintings.

I have been aware in the past that my best time for painting is mid morning.  I might do a bit of light housework before but I need to be cautious not to come to my paint sessions already worn out.  That only brings frustration much sooner.  If there is vacuuming to be done, it should be done late afternoon because that activity is so hard on my arms and wrists.  I am becoming so much more aware of bringing my freshest self to painting time.

As I move into fall and winter months, I am focusing on creating a routine of good habits for pursuit of art.  I am being gentle and patient with myself.  I fight the feeling that I should be catching up to where fulltime artists are at this time of year with their promoting and selling.  A frustrated and anxious artist will not be happy in the creating and the art will reflect this as well.  So, I take each day with its goals and tasks and remind myself to be patient.  I am choosing to enjoy the journey and love that I have the time available to be here.  I am hopeful and excited.

Yesterday, I sat down to write here not knowing what I would have to say.  It happens like this so often.  And yet somehow I find the words for what I want to say.  I do love sharing what happens here in the art room and along the scenic drives to finding art reference photograph.  I look forward to living this way, being my everyday experience and soaking up owning my identity as an artist.  It was difficult to be away from this so much though I didn't express it as often as I felt it.  My mind loves the thought of creating my interpretation of what I have seen and felt as it relates to nature.  I have a feeling that more change is coming my way with how I hold the brush and fill the page and I am in love with that more than I can say.  In fact, we have plans in motion for making weekend getaways to the mountains a regular habit.  Spring of 2022, I will be able to share more about that exciting development.  I am dreaming of plein air painting and travel art supplies getting much more use!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to join me here.  This is my creative journey as an artist.  I have more to bring and share here.  I won't make a promise to be here each week.  I hope that happens but life has a way of bringing detours.  As it is possible, I do have a goal of posting on Thursdays for whatever reason.  I have been organizing my photos into online albums and that has helped me realize there is plenty of material for new blog posts.  More progressive posts to come, meaning I will share the completed artwork with photos taken along its journey and a few photos of the place that inspired me to paint it in the first place.  If that excites you, stay tuned!  

-Christy

She must make art.

Ethereal Expressive Collection Now Available

The Ethereal Expressive Collection is now available on my website.  The artwork in this collection are a bit different from the landscapes I have painted in the past.  I live in the northern part of Montana, USA and there is so much here for inspiration.  Glacier National Park has influenced my artwork with its grand beauty, no wonder it has provided so much inspiration.  With a large collection of landscape photos, I have endless options for what I could paint with watercolors.  

There are days when I just want to find a way to relax for a little bit.  Like a needed reprieve, I find painting my way of taking a little trip in my mind.  My imagination helps me to wander the hillsides, valleys and mountain meadows, all lush and wild.  So these paintings evolved as I explored different ways to vary on an expressive landscape.  I let the watercolor have more freedom to flow as it blended into other colors and areas, and I added salt for textures, as well as spatter and scraping through damp color.

The pieces in this collection are of a smaller scale, ranging from 5" x 7" to much smaller 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" for an important reason.  I am managing to make art in the pockets of time.  When I have just an hour or less to spend in the art room, there's a great challenge in working larger.  In 2020, I am pushing myself to paint on a larger scale of 8" x 10" and 11" x 14" though I need to be reasonable in my expectations.

Summer is an ideal time to go explore the mountains here locally and take photographs for my art reference collection.  It's also perfect for painting outdoors on location!  I typically take the photos now and do some smaller work in nature; fall and winter are perfect for longer art studio work sessions.

For those on my mailing list, I apologize for the website not showing this new work earlier this week.  I thought I had gotten it all ready to publish on its own...and it turned out not to be the case.  Next time a collection releases on a schedule, I will be sure to check it that same day.  Website management is an ongoing process for me as I improve my skills there.

My art website is linked here, ChristySheeler.com and I would love for you to go check out the new artwork in the Ethereal Expressive Collection.

Christy

-She must make art

Popping in to say hello!

Hello from the studio!  It's been a long while, I know.  I have been going in so many directions, not only with art studio activities, but with home and family as well.  There's so much to be done in this off season...and the weeks are flying by.  By the second half of March, I will be returning to nannying full days and that lasts until September.  With my most recent art sale, just three days ago, the buyer mentioned she enjoys my blog.  Well, the blog has been so far off the list, it's nearly fallen off.  Thank you, Julie for saying you enjoy reading these...this one's for you!

The past two weeks have been surprisingly busy with artwork sales.  To those who enjoy my work enough to purchase...a big thank you!  Each piece brings me a huge amount of pleasure to paint.  The fact that someone else is so attached and purchase a piece is a big deal.  It's an investment in my time and passion, an added little bonus to the supplies fund, and the hope that I can continue for years to come.  Some days, I confess, I wonder if I will run out of space to store the artwork.  My husband says not to worry.  He says to keep painting, even if I never sell another piece.  I love that man more than I could have breath to tell!

The art room looks much the same, but there's quite a bit of new artwork collecting on the back counter.  I have moved most of it from here to the next steps in completion.  The paper takes on some faint buckling by the time the artwork is finished.  I have a process for flattening it before I sign it.  This time, I counted over 50 total.  Many are miniatures but still quite a few 4" x 6" and 5" x 7" in the mix.  Beyond those, I am finding maybe a dozen more that are close to being finished with a few brushstrokes.  I have one art commission project in progress, to be finished by the end of February.  At this point, my goal is to finish up the steps needed to list this great amount of artwork by mid March.

Our snowy season began earlier than usual, with first snowfall in September.  By Thanksgiving, I had lost count of how many times it had snowed.  On Thanksgiving day itself, we were on day 2 of a snowstorm that was more hefty than expected.  We had the whole meal ready and only my husband and I at home.  The value of a 4-wheel drive vehicle cannot be impressed enough.  We were well stocked for supplies and power and heat stayed on.  It was a memorable holiday for sure!

In a moment of pure silliness, I challenged a friend to do a free fall into the snow.  This snow was so light and powdery.  We were out often to shovel...again.  I had my husband's help as I shared this on Facebook Live.  My friend took the challenge and soon she was free falling though I think the ski goggles might be counted as a cheat.

I guess it's obvious by now that there's been no shortage of inspiration for snowy winter landscapes.  As January is drawing to a close, I have got to say...I am snow over it.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)  I have a collection of gorgeous winter watercolors to share now.  I enjoyed each one.  They were a relaxing way to spend cold days indoors, with hot tea, and lovely music playing in the background.  I spent two afternoons hosting a winter landscape workshop here in the studio.  These were completed around that same time.  There are probably more, but this gives a good peek at what I've finished so far.

Thank you to Cath for the nudge to try this one.  She took my winter landscape workshop...she was the one who requested a workshop.  She asked for some tips during our time together.  She was wondering how to paint snow on branches.  

So as the ladies painted on their projects, I headed outside to get a few photos to work from to demonstrate.  I took the photos on my phone, later shared them in a google album online, and began this painting.  I was able to show how to quickly sketch the basic details, lay down a first wash of color, use masking fluid to save whites/lights...and then after laying down the second wash of color, our time was up.  

They asked for me to finish it and share a video.  It's been a while since I have saved and posted a video.  On the day I was ready to finish this piece, I set up my phone on a tripod and recorded my process.  They were able to go online and watch this with a link.  My skills are improving a bit at a time...both artwork and technology wise.

I think I have fallen in love with this one.  I love all of the work I create but sometimes there is a painting I think cannot go anywhere.  This one needs to stay put here, hung on my wall for now.  In 2020, one of my goals will be to add more paintings larger than 5" x 7" so we'll see how that turns out.

  

I am sure many readers have wondered at where I had gone.  It's been such a long time but not to worry.  While I may not be sharing the in-depth posts with how to and recommendations for products, I am still actively creating artwork.  My time is limited and I am using it with painting the watercolor artworks.  I will soon be at the one year anniversary of my website launch.  My plan is to have it updated with quite a few new artworks in the next month or two.  I am very active on Instagram because it's become so familiar with the use of my phone camera.

Perhaps, one day I will figure out a great and simple method for staying consistent with blog posts once again.  Thanks for stopping by and hoping you enjoyed a glimpse of what I have been doing creatively.

Christy

She must make art.

website:  christysheeler.com

instagram:  @christysheeler.artist

facebook:  @ChristySheelerArtist

email:  christysheeler.artist@gmail.com

My Big News: My Website Has Launched!

My Website is Live

I'm doing a happy dance!  One of my big art goals is now reality.  It's been a test of my courage.  I hesitated as we do so often, afraid of the unknown.  Feeling out of my element and knowing that I am running out of time for this to happen, it would mean a lot of hard work.  It wasn't as scary as I made it out to be.

Will you share 30 seconds with me and go check it out?  I would love for you to see my artwork.  While you are there, sign up for my newsletter!  I'll let you know when new artwork is added.

  There are several collections and I'm already planning one or two more for spring and summer.  I will continue adding options to the website such as matting and frame offerings.  

I am off to paint more for the next collection to be added soon.  Stay tuned!

-Christy

She must make art.

Is it time to begin selling my art online?

My time is running out...website coming.

It's nearly spring and that means I will be returning to my other job (joy, really) as a nanny.  Spring through fall, I have a dream position caring for the three children of a local family.  As the time approaches, I am carefully taking stock of what I would like to accomplish with my art career.  With just a few weeks left, I am looking over priorities.  I am preparing to debut a website of my own for my watercolor artwork.

Artwork is being photographed to show in its best light.  Over time, I have been building my body of artwork.  I am not sure whether I am 100% ready but that cannot keep me from moving forward.

My word for the year: courage.

I believe this blog will be continued on my new website.  Whether this blog remains as is for art tips and techniques written for other creatives...I have not figured that out yet.  As this all comes about, I will be sure to post information here so that you can find me at my new location.  The new website blog may have my thoughts and insights about upcoming artwork for collectors.

Thank you for your encouragement and interest in the next chapter of watercolor journeys as I continue with my goals.  Please be sure to keep in contact.  I know there's so much more to come!  I look forward to seeing you there!

My online gallery of original watercolors:  christysheeler.com

-Christy

She must make art.

Artworks in Progress

Can I create a short update?

Is it possible?  I'm not sure how long you've been hanging out here at She Must Make Art, but it shouldn't take long to notice my posts are usually lengthy.  I am giving myself a new challenge to stick with this year.  There's a lot happening with my 2019 goals, including working toward a new website.  I've got new work completed and in frames, now displayed in my art room.  I will host a photographic tour soon.  Today, I have a quick look at some of the new work that's in progress or just completed recently.

The watercolor artworks are smaller, what some would call "littles" and I am able to finish them more easily.  My hours spent on art are broken up often with life's meetings and appointments not to mention family time.  These artworks are loosely based on photographs.  I am stretching myself to be more willing to paint intuitively.  That means that I am seeking to paint without being held tightly to what the photo is describing by itself.  

I have new pigments and brushes so some time is needed to become more familiar with those new supplies.  Pigments have their own qualities of transparency, granulation, warm vs. cool and how they mix with other pigments.  It takes time using new brushes to feel more confident in the marks they make in my hand.

I've got several new artworks just recently completed but today I am sharing only two of them.  I'll have more to share soon.  These are smaller which is so nice for shipping off to new homes.  They are easy to package up safe and snug, even in a frame, and much less worry in the process.  I pick up about 4 frames at a time.  I've found where the style of frames are well suited to my liking and affordable, too.  It's a wonderful thing having artwork framed and on display where I do the creating on a regular basis.  These two are now in frames so I'll add a photo of them at the end.  Hold your mouse over the photo to see the titles and sizes of each one.

Okay, so that's all for today...thank you for dropping by to see new watercolors and be sure to stop back again soon.  I'll be here, painting away and thinking about what to share.  Have a great rest of your day!

-Christy

She must make art.