Bikes and Amsterdam Nursery

I am really lucky in that I have the BEST patrons! Firstly, I hit 1700 sales at one of my online shops, which means if anyone had asked me 3 years ago if I would be able to sell at least 1700 pieces of my artwork, I'd be like "Yeah right!!!!" Thank you so much for letting me be able to do this for a living become a slow reality.

Also, from time to time, my super awesome customers send me pics of what they have done with my pieces! It's really sweet and rewarding to see how my pieces fit into their new homes!

Above is a nursery recently done in the theme of "Bikes and Amsterdam." So adorable! I am so honored that my Colorful European Buildings piece hangs above the crib. Thank you for your support of my work and congrats Julie!

I TRULY appreciate all your continued support and patronage! xoxo

Beach Lover's Paradise

A little beach lover's paradise inspired by summer.....replete with surrey, beach cruiser, beach BBQ, snack bar, sundries, the all-important Tiki Bar, amongst other things. :) Now available for purchase.

Print Sale Event

I am thrilled to present my own sale event via Kwerkee! If you're in Singapore, over 30 of my prints are available in this exclusive collection in a variety of sizes. Thanks to Kwerkee again for a wonderful experience!

DIY Terrariums

I have always had an affinity for small, little things. I used to collect miniatures. So, when I started seeing all these wonderful little terrariums pop up all over the blogosphere, I decided to try my hand at it. I made a whole lot of terrariums, and gave a few away....unfortunately, the low humidity and dry climate of the desert caused many to brown :(. I wish I had taken pics of them when they were fresh and new!

Anyways, I knew they needed to be spruced up so I started making miniature houses out of Sculpey to live in the terrariums, along with the miniature sheep, cows, and horses.

Would anyone like me to offer these little miniature hand-painted sculptures for purchase?

Needlepoint Kits

 I am excited to introduce my work onto another new application - needlepoint embroidery canvas kits! These canvases allow you to easily match thread color to embroider a cool textured, handmade needlepoint painting. Offered exclusively by Needlepoint For Fun HERE.

Serena and Lily Summer 2013

I was perusing through the recent Serena and Lily catalog and was thrilled to spot some of my work! Can you spot them? I noticed that a small selection of my work is currently being offered on their site. It is such an honor to be included as I absolutely love their style and aesthetic! Thank you all for your continued support. Hopefully, I will be very productive this summer with posting new work!

Covers, Cases, and Skins!

I'm excited to announce that a selection of my work is being offered as various Iphone, Ipad, Tablet, Droid, Laptop, Smartphone, etc...covers, cases and skins! Catering to the European market, the German company, Phone Junkies, offers a wide selection of artwork from many amazing artists that is translated into covers for tech devices - I have definitely got my eye on a few!

Traffic Girls of Pyongyang, North Korea

  

So I am thoroughly fascinated with the unknown and mysterious....Bermuda triangle, paranormal activities, Bigfoot, Area 51, urban abandonments, etc.....that includes North Korea. The recent events in North Korea renewed my curiosity about this "hermit nation." I really enjoy the blog An American in North Korea that sheds a bit of light on this mysterious place. One thing North Korea is known for is their "Traffic Girls." Instead of electric powered traffic lights, they use human powered traffic girls. Above are some sketches of these girls in action from photos taken of real live Pyongyang Traffic Girls. Maybe I will get around to colorizing them.

Nordic Cultural Institute

If anyone happens to visits the Nordic Cultural Institute in Seoul, Korea, my colorful European Buildings piece is making an appearance there! Also, if anyone happens to know how to read Korean, a translation of what they have written about my work would be greatly appreciated! :)

Some Helpful Tips

My shops made an appearance over at HandmadeSuccess.com:
http://handmadesuccess.com/2013/04/technology-your-shop/

and the accompanying article has some really helpful advice and tips for fellow small online businesses and e-tailers. This really resonated true with me:

"How often do you walk into a brick and mortar store, find a specific item you’ve been looking for, and buy it there and then? If you’re anything like me, this scenario happens a lot less often than it used to."

 

I think sometimes, as artists, we focus more on the creative aspect of what we do more so than the equally, if not more important, aspect of business. Sometimes I like to do art for art's sake - for my own selfish purposes, where I am the sole consumer. Realistically though, I need to think of the bigger picture. The majority of the time, I realize that I am no different than a place that offers a product that the consumer has to want. I have to figure out who my target market and audience is, and how to appeal to them. This is a never-ending process, and hopefully, I'll be able to successfully do it!

I know I did not receive enough of this kind of advice when I was in school and I encourage anyone seriously considering art as a full-time career to really ask yourself the tough questions and view yourself not only as this romanticized artist, but as a real business owner trying to make it.