I started out as a graphic designer specializing in phone book ads right out of college. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Believe it or not, I was really passionate about what I did (and pretty good at it!) I set up an art department and designed well over a hundred thousand phone book ads for eleven different independent directories over a twenty-five-year career, making a nice living. I would get really excited when I designed an exceptionally nice ad from basically nothing that the salesperson provided. As an independent contractor and owner of my own graphic design company, I had a nice client base. That was in the 1980s through the early 2000s. Before the internet exploded. Print advertising was king. Things sort of went downhill for a while so I reinvented myself and learned web design. You CAN teach old dogs new tricks! I jumped into that with both feet. But advertising on the internet is a different animal. And the technology behind designing websites changes monthly requiring you to basically go back to school… frequently. Or at least take a ton of workshops which, while fun, is extremely time consuming. I kept up at the beginning then decided it wasn’t fun anymore. I was spending all my time just trying to figure out “how to make it work” when I was at my best “making it look good”.
Even though I worked on the computer to make a living, I painted to have fun… and to keep my sanity. Like a lot of artists, a lot of the things I painted I gave as gifts to family and friends. Soon family and friends started coming to me to order (and buy) things to give to their friends, cool! I had people and other artist friends tell me I should enter shows. I didn’t really have time with my heavy workload and two young children. But I did like the idea. So, I signed up for several local art shows. I did these for a number of years, before my “roadie” (helper, hauler, booth setter upper) quit. My husband was all supportive and helpful until I started painting furniture… and the shows expanded from one day to two day shows.
I had a group come to me that was forming a community art center in town. a non-profit organization to help artists interact and educate the public, including children, about art. That was very important to me. My kids were good at art and the art classes in their public school were getting cut all the time. The closest art center to take classes was a good half hour, 45 minutes away. And after school, driving 30-45 minutes, having an art class, then driving home, in the winter, in Northern Michigan was just impossible.
The artist group needed my graphics help. I jumped in with both feet and was able to really get to know the “fine” artists in the area. (believe it or not, there is a difference in “fine” artists and “graphic or commercial” artists. Socially, within the circle, and what the public perceives. I laugh because I could draw/paint long before I could use a computer! I’m at the age where personal computers were just starting to come out as I was in college! The first big painting project I did and unveiled to the public had friends and strangers come up to me and say; “I didn’t know you painted! I thought you did those phone book ads and computer stuff!”
My new fine art friends were a bit judgey in the beginning. I “cheapened” artwork because I was considered too “commercial”. I… didn’t paint from my inner feelings and experience. I… would paint a painting to match someone’s couch! They were a bit standoffish to say the least. After I worked with them a few months, they got to know me. And everything was washed clean… a clean slate, so to speak. They offered their time and opened their hearts to form long relationships. Most helped me expand my fine art business. Both in connections and the confidence to try. They helped me learn how to enter gallery shows and gave me praise and the confidence to call myself an “artist”! I slowly started to wean off my graphics clients and took on more commissioned work.
Now my work is now a collection of paintings in various mediums of all sorts of subjects. Some were done for specific themed gallery shows, some were done “just because” it was running around in my head and I had to work it out. My husband laughs and says “find a blank spot on anything and she’ll paint something on it!” You’ll find a little bit of everything here. I promote what I put on my website on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. That could be what I feel like doing that particular day. Could be a painting on canvas… could be a painting on a pillow.
So, be sure to follow me on one of those or sign up for my newsletter to get “Art in Your Inbox” – I don’t abuse it. I love people and people who appreciate art. I also share the “story behind the art” on my website and social media allows me to do just that! Enjoy!
