Set Up A Studio - Check

I now have a nice drafting table to work on. My back is rejoicing! Everything is all nicely set up the way I want it, and my studio space overlooks the river. What could be better?

 "I have sometimes sat alone here of an evening, listening, until I have made the echoes out to be the echoes of all the footsteps that are coming by and by into our lives."

-Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

The Great Design-A-Thon

Good morning, everyone! What a great July it was. I was so occupied with events, activities, and designing things that the days whizzed by before I knew it. Now we are in August! Can you believe it?

This month is paper cut month. I have a huge number of commissions to get through, and more keep coming. So I am in the middle of what I call, The Great Design-A-Thon. My process is as follows:

1.) Get information on what exactly the client is looking for. How big? What color? What subject? Etcetera.

2.) Make a rough sketch (or two, or three) of the design. Send it, and suggestions, to the client.

3.) Wait back for confirmation/input.

4.) Make new design and/or start cutting.

5.) Fini!

Add to this a number of artwork submission requests I have received for upcoming art shows, and I am a busy gal!

Im not going to post any pictures of the commissions I am currently working on (I will post those when they are completed and are in their forever homes), but I will leave you with a couple of paper cuts I made for my project with Bedford Creek Press.

Time For An Update

Well my dear followers, things are progressing in FPC land! The art show was a huge success and it was a pleasure meeting my fellow artists and art enthusiasts. My next post will go a bit more in-depth on the art show, but today I wanted to give you a warning:

I will soon be in the process of updating my site. That's right, False Prairie Clover is getting a makeover! Im hoping to make things a bit more user friendly and easier on the eyes. And when I get a chance, I plan on updating my logo too. Any tips or advice for my new look is greatly appreciated!

And now I leave you with a piece my friend Jennie commissioned for her mother-in-law. It is based (roughly) on a Yorkie named "Rosie".

Decoupage- The Start of Something New!

Wow! So much has been happening recently and it is INSANE! For those of you in the area, dont forget to check out my artwork in the Along the Rivers Edge exhibit at the Thousand Islands Arts Center on the 30th, not to mention all the other works by talented artists. Cant make it? Dont worry, I will definitely be posting pictures of the show!

So a quick update on my life. I recently handed in my two weeks notice at the bakery. It was a sad and hard decision to make, but I think I made the right choice. I will miss everyone at the bakery dearly, but I know that we will keep in touch and see each other again.

One of the driving forces behind my decision was my art. I really want to buckle down and get my portfolio together. I also want to work on marketing my work and selling it around town. I have had so many people ask me for commissions, but with the job, I had no time. Many projects had to get pushed aside, deadlines passed, and I regretted not being able to get things done. Now I plan on spending some real quality time on my art!

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I have had so many ideas running through my head recently. Im not going to spoil everything by telling you what they are, but I will tell you that I have started to explore the wonderful world of decoupage. What fun! Here is a picture of my tester.

 I covered a little wooden plaque with scraps of paper (yes, I save a LOT of the paper I cut! I knew it would come in handy). Then I designed and cut out a moth, glued it to the plaque, and coated, coated, COATED it with decoupage medium. I think it turned out quite well. Im excited to do some more exploring with this craft.