Building a business...

I've been lucky enough in my lifetime to watch two of our homes being built, from the ground up. Besides preparing the ground, the foundation is crucial. I always wanted to shop for the furniture and the finishing touches first. In my business, I love buying the supplies to create my canvases, but I don't love the business building side. Its not as creative, but definitely crucial. Just like a foundation in a home.  

I wanted to share a great article that talks about the importance of building a business foundation. http://www.artbizblog.com/2013/08/business-foundation.html?inf_contact_key=bd61e051eca4123bdf891a03757a05de13233dcd094daae2d017ebedf7d97981 

 Alyson Stanfield is an artist advocate and business mentor at ArtBizCoach.com. This article was originally published in her Art Biz Insider, which is sent weekly to thousands of artists who are elevating their businesses. Start your subscription now and read more articles like this athttp://artbizcoach.com

August Blog Circle...What movie has inspired you?

As part of my art group, I lovingly call the Flyer Sisters (since we all started with an online class called Flying Lessons) ...we are challenged by a monthly Blog circle...

So here goes... What movie has inspired you?

 I will admit, this was a tough one for me. I am not a huge movie goer, and as of lately, my boyfriend and I go to the action flicks more than the inspirational types. So thinking back in the last year or so,  I'd have to say the movie that gave me the most inspiration would be Les Miserables. Although it is a movie with no words, it was a form of art I had never experienced before. A triumph of the human spirit I felt in my heart for a long time after the movie had ended. Not only was it an emotional experience, it made me look at how we share our feelings and thoughts so clearly, even when we do not speak. A word. Through song, and visual interpretation, each movie goer could take away their individual experience. I didn't want it to end. It inspired me in so many ways...to never give up, to see beyond who we think people are, and the biggest impact, was that no matter how we may communicate, art can speak so much louder than words. Art in the form of a painting, a backdrop, a scene, a song, sound effects, an emotion, or so many other ways. Art crosses all boundaries...in fact, there are NO boundaries when it comes to Art.

The inspiration I received from the movie carried me through many days. Not because I painted scenes like in the movie, but because it gave me the clear reminder that what I create may touch someone in a way that I never imagined... just like the movie did for so many people.

 

To continue this blog circle series of "What movie has inspired you?"

Feel free to follow the link below to my friend Michelle Hill's latest blog entry...http://www.michellehilldesigns.com/

 

In an old house in Paris...

that was covered in vines...

If you were a little girl, or have a little girl in your life, you've probably heard of the beloved Madeline book series. When I saw Somerset Studios call for a Storybook themed item, I knew immediately, it would be Madeline for me. Over the years, I've read the book series to both of my daughters... First in the 1990's with my oldest, and then over 10 years later, to my youngest.

So months later, I was so excited to see that my Madeline canvas was chosen for the Somerset Studio July/August 2013 issue, along with many other beautiful storybook themed items.



I wanted to be sure to include the simple directions for it on my blog:

 

Instructions:

Paint the backside of an 8x10 gallery style canvas to give the piece a shadow box look. Paint a square shape on the canvas for the house. Cut a piece of burlap for the roof, paint details, and adhere to canvas for the house. Add details to the house, path, and landscapes with a thin paintbrush. Heat emboss vines onto house. Cut tiny leaves from old book pages, paint and adhere to canvas. Cut trees from old book pages, color with watercolor crayons, and adhere to the sides. Cut off leaves from the vine ribbon (May Arts) and add to trees for detail.

 

 

Cut out Madeline's coat and hat from chipboard, paint, and adhere to edge of canvas. Add the details to her hat, and draw feet with black paint. Stamp text onto a plain book page, cut out the banners, and distress edges (Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Vintage photo) layer, and adhere to the top and bottom of canvas. Add glossy accents, and seal with a matte finishing spray.

 

Keep Creating~

Monica