I have two students that I teach using the internet. All you need is either Skype, Facetime or my favorite of all is  the messenger section of FaceBook. All you have to do is  friend me on Facebook and I will message you with a date and a  time we can agree to meet. No special equipment is required. You just go to send a message and instead of typing in a message you tap the camera icon and the phone receiver icon and Wha la! We are face to face or message me and we will have a free 30 minute consultation first to see if I can meet your needs. 
No commitment needed or expected. 

What I have learned so far : 
There are endless ways to share using the technology available today. Don't let is scare you ...everything is figure-out-able. 

This video is about introducing my new print for sale but what I really want to talk about is possibilities . Here is how to order your print...click here
About a year ago I begin an on line course about how to have a successful baking business. I had been following the site the The Biz Of Baking and enjoyed the marketing advice and community there. So when the course was opened up I joined. 
I thought I would be a fish out of water but except for the fact that I worked on paper and the other artists worked in the sugar arts we were all facing similar small business issues. 
The leader of this group is Michelle Green and I loved  her sense of humor and sound advice. I had seen her on Youtube and heard her on podcasts and was a real fan. 
She changed me. I decided to live my life "outloud" . To not hide my light under a bushel and I have not looked back since. 

What I have learned so far: 
If you have a dream go after it. 
Small step by small step it will happen and along the way you will meet wonderful people. 
Today Michelle quoted me in her Newletter posting and that was a real thrill for me. 
When you meet your hero's you are never sure if they will meet your expectations or they will meet yours. But the  the lack of barriers that now exists to contact, meet and network with people makes this an exciting time. 
Here is Michelle's information for you to investigate. Click here 

What do you think of the idea that this could be a good thing for the art industry and artists as a whole? I am curious . Do you see this as a good thing or a bad thing? Please watch this video and hit the subscribe button at the end so that you can see more about this and other art topics. 

What I have learned so far: 
You have to look outside your industry to find models for how to conduct business now that the world is changing faster and faster. 

This week has me contemplating the big "Why?"  It is a big question and not really one that can be answered because it is different for each one of us. 
For now I plan to move forward since my mother would expect me to and because she would think that stopping for any reason was "ridiculous". 

What I have learned so far: 
There are no beginnings or endings. They are false constructs. A mailing address gets mail in your box but it is not who you are or where you live. As a citizen of the earth it seems "ridiculous" to think of my mother's grave as her permanent address. She is not there. She is everywhere . 

My mother died on Sunday. She bought me my first box of crayons and gave me so much more. She said "You can!". 

I am very influenced by what I see and hear. This video describes how that can be both helpful and a little confusing. 

What I have learned so far: 
It is great to look at other resources but limited how much you expose yourself to or you will find your signature style becoming confused and lacking focus. This happens in personal life too. It is all connected. 

As usual it took me two attempts to feel successful at painting this face. 
But if you watch the video it boils down to not "wimping out" and just put in the shapes where you see them. 

What I have learned so far: 
Simplicity is about decision making . Edit before you apply the brush to paper. 

I did not know what to expect since this was the first event I planned but I had been thinking about doing something like this for a long long time. 
The planning was fun and when it came time for people to show up ...guess what? They did !
There was a live demonstration and cakes to eat followed by some serious painting. Everyone painted so well I couldn't believe the amount of creativity being shared. 

What I have learned so far: 
Plan more events it is fun from beginning to the end. I really had a ball. 

I did not know that I secretly like being a party planner. I have had so much fun getting ready for Peony Days..June 30th and July 1st.  We are going to a have dessert table and lots of fun and learning. Inside the gift bags is good art information and a peony photograph and a french  macaron the size of a hamburger. They are really special and kind of girly in fun way. 

I still have two slots open for Sunday but we really are booked for this event. I hope to make it an annual thing because I love all the detail and the step by step process of getting ready. 

The Peony event at my home is coming up in a few days. June 30th and July 1st. The cakes are ordered and the tables are set up . I have gift bags with photographs and cookies to take home. Plus some extras. I think I am more excited about the goody bags than I am about anything else. I do have two spots open for July 1st but that's it. We really are booked solid. I will try to take pictures and maybe even live stream the event. I will be doing a watercolor demo so it may be difficult to have my hands in all pots but I will do my best. I hope this is just one of many events to come. I have had so much fun planning it. 
What I have learned so far: 
I am going to call my new avatar Martha. I will share more about this another time. It is a concept having to do with creating your audience and right now I am naming her Martha. I am making a complete biography for her. Meanwhile I am consolidating my curriculum for downloading in the future. These are busy days.