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Reflections
It's been a long time since I last posted, but today I really felt motivated to share something cool. So here I am, back on my little blog.
The photo above is a snapshot of my growth as an artist over the past 3 years. On the right, is the very first print I ever created (and sold) in this body of work I've developed for the last couple years.
Let's take a step back here, to January 7th, 2013. I was 6 months into a huge adventure of being a 'freelance' artist. I was hand addressing envelopes, designing wedding invitations, painting portraits, hand lettering logos, teaching a mixed media course, and a few weeks away from painting a 5,000 square foot mural.
I had no idea what I was doing. My lettering was, um, "getting there." I could barely use Photoshop Elements. I didn't know how to make prints of my work. And I was on the verge of a very dark winter depression.
But I sat down and drew the words "Bless the Lord Oh My Soul" from Psalm 103 one night, and voila...I felt something click.
And then I posted it on my etsy shop. And then some people bought them. And I thought, "hmm..."
Flash forward 3 years : We've gone through 4 homes, 2 states, and I've made a lot of stuff. I painted that mural, I did more custom weddings, I painted portraits and painted abstractly. I learned Illustrator (kind of). I grew.
I made stuff I hate to look at now, and I made stuff I'm proud of. And I kept coming back to my quirky lettering and florals.
So I think I've decided to stop fighting this. I've fought the notion that my work isn't "refined" enough, or "fine art"-ish enough. My art is my art. It's what I like. If I constantly go back to creating it, again and again (I now have more than 100 pieces available as prints), then I must like doing it.
So I decided to do a new version of the verse I first illustrated. I just wanted to see what this older, wiser (ha!) Megan would create now.
It's crazy how much I've changed, yet how much I continue to carry with me from when I created that first piece.
This year is going to be interesting. We will be fostering a baby in a few weeks (looking to adopt, but fostering until then), and Makewells is going through a period of growth. I'm thankful and I'm anxious and I'm excited and terrified all at once.
So here's the crazy part of this rambling story: I finished the new version of "Bless the Lord Oh My Soul" earlier today. And as I went to find the blog post from 3 years ago, I read the date. January 7th. I haven't blogged in 6 months, but the day I go to post a blog post about a previous blog post, is the exact day 3 years later! (did that make any sense?)
That's what I love about God. He cares about these little details. He sees the whole picture, and on days like today, when January 7th, 2013 and January 7th, 2016 meet up, He gives me a glimpse at the story He's unfolding.
He is the Potter. We are the clay.
- Meg
365 Project Days 1-30
Wow, the first 31 days of this project have been a blast! I have been loving this time in my sketchbook every day.
Here is a visual summary of the first 30 days (although, today I posted day 31).
365 Project: Take 3
Please resist the urge to laugh at me but I'm trying a 365 Project again.
If you've followed along, you may remember almost 2 years ago (September 6th, 2013, to be exact) I started my 2nd, and soon to be doomed, 365 Project.
I made it a little farther with the last attempt than I did with my first, back in 2006, which I named "A Bird A Day for 365 Days". I was 24 and in between jobs (just left Anthropologie as a Display Coordinator to become a high school art teacher) and I wanted to paint/draw a bird, every day, for 365 days and then have a big show at the end. My brother scoffed at me. I'm pretty sure my mom rolled her eyes (but probably behind my back). And yet, I gave it all I had.
For about 20 days.
So flash forward 7 years and I decided to try again, this time with an even loftier goal: 365 illustrations completed and listed in my etsy shop in 365 days. I did a little better with this project, however, I did not get anywhere close to finishing. I got through #66 and just moved on with my life.
So, here I am again, 9 years since I set out on this epic journey, and I'm giving it one more shot. I have followed along as other artists have successfully completed (or at least come a lot closer to competing) 365 projects and I just love seeing the dedication and discipline, as well as the evolution of their work.
Some favorites you can check out are Jennifer Orkin Lewis and Lisa Congdon.
So....my project is this: I will post a new sketchbook page on Instagram every single day for 365 days. Beginning today, Tuesday, May 26th, 2015.
The boundaries are way looser than my last two projects. No rules except filling up a page. I can paint, doodle, letter, whatever. But a page must be filled and documented on instagram.
Can I do it? Only time will tell...but if you'd like to follow along, I'll be using #makewells365 on instagram to keep track.
And here we go...this is the first page:
1/365 #makewells365
Follow along here: @makewells
New Products: May 2015
I'm not sure how it's already nearing the end of May, doesn't it feel like 2015 just started? Just popping in to give some studio updates!
New Products on Minted.com
I have 6 new art prints that launched on Minted this week. Yippee! I love painting large, abstract pieces, and Minted is giving me a way to sell super high quality reproductions in sizes up to 44". Plus, you can opt to include a frame. Below are just two of my new pieces, but you can see the rest in my minted shop!
New Products on Society6
Society6 is a place where I love experimenting with seeing my work on all different products. I absolutely love the quality of the pillow cases they produce as well! Plus, they are having a big sale thru Monday, 20% plus free shipping!
Below are just a few of my new products, but you can see the rest in my shop!
Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for following along!