Meet the Artist
What a better time than any to start a blog and let you all into this crazy little mind of mine. This week I was frustrated yet again with my website performance and started looking into another platform to use, and 3 hours later I was signed up and switching my domain over. I think that right there is a great insight into how I go about each of my paintings.
This little journey started in the winter of 2021. I can say winter because at the time I was still living in Michigan blanketed by inches of snow outside the window of my adorable little home. As with many, the uncertainty of the pandemic left me wanting to run a business for myself and to make sure I was doing something each day that really made each moment have a purpose. I started dabbling in some paintings and my friends and family were so incredibly supportive of this new venture that here I am today continuing to grow that dream!
My background in the field of art is muddled with half attempts to be creative while also trying to plan for my future. Although looking back I should have known I would end up here. I can think all the way back to elementary school art class being some of my only memories I still have left (besides recess of course). I tried to take art classes whenever I could, but in high school the elective schedule gets filled up pretty quick. Once I went off to college I tried photography, graphic design and studio art. None of them were quite fitting into the picture that I had for myself so I kept looking and stumbled into the hospitality field. I graduated with a degree in event management and spent the next 3 years creating beautiful events all over the midwest. As fulfilling and fun as that was, I was always looking forward to weekends that I didnt have to work to spend time with my husband and knew that I would love to work for myself one day. After moving back to Michigan we had a home with over 40 garden beds filled with flowers all season long. We gathered more animals into our little pack. And we enjoyed our weekends together exploring the west side as well as continuing our travels worldwide. Bring us to the pandemic with a lot of time on my hands and you have yourself a self starting artist looking to grow her own little studio!
Starting out without any knowledge of running a business let alone knowing how to paint, market, sell and ship all of these products was a very daunting task. With minor bumps along the road I am happy to say that these days my biggest pain is deciding which cat is going to sleep on my lap while I finish up some detail work. I am definitely still learning how to run this thing. Still educating myself on my art field and the practices that I use. Growing my mind and my skill set with any book I can get my hands on. All while loving each day that I get to have the freedom to let loose what is in my mind and my heart on to a canvas. As with any job there are hard days. Creative block is no joke. I wouldn’t trade it for the benefits I get by putting myself and my craft out there each and every day though.
Now that I am living in California coming up on two years this Spring, I know with confidence that I chose the right career path for where my life is at right now. Waking up to the sunshine and walking to the ocean on a whim is literally the best feeling. Taking my sketching supplies to a park full of palm trees or painting on a canvas covered in sand from the beach are the tough decisions I make.
Knowing I am doing the right thing everyday and being supported in it are very different feelings. I wouldn’t be so confident if I didn’t have the constant support of my husband cheering me on, as well as some of my closest friends getting pictures at 10pm wondering if I should burn the canvas or just leave it alone. I wouldnt be able to do this every day if I didnt have all of you supporting my social media and sharing my work with anyone who will listen. Maybe one day I will catch a big break and my paintings will fly out of the studio. For now I am content with creating what is in my heart and being able to share it with my day one supporters each and every day. Thank you for following my fun little journey and I hope you continue to enjoy the ride along with me. :)
xo, Peach