8.16.2010

The Next Step in the Journey

Yipppeee...show season is around the corner!  Like 6 weeks and counting corner.  It feels like just yesterday I was anxiously getting ready for my first.  Ahhh...the good old days.  Now I feel like a seasoned show girl.  Umm..I mean show artist.  (Although show girl sounds more fun!)  With the anticipation of this season comes my frenzy for the perfect look.  I am crazy about display, drawing the crowd in, and keeping them engaged in my little 10x10 space.  It's an experience when you walk into my booth.  And one I hope will lead to your leaving with something in your hands.   Which brings me to these thoughts today.  Lots of thoughts really.


Above was my first business card.  Isn't it cute?  And sweet and well, it tells you NOTHING about what I do or who I am as an artist.  Notta.  When customers come through in an art show setting there are lookers, buyers, and lookers who may buy one day.  When they take your card, you want it to trigger a part of their memory, hopefully a memory that reminds them man I've gotta have that!  So made I made this to trigger those memory cells:


This was a postcard sized business card.  You're right, it does not fit into your wallet, but really I don't want it in the wallet.  I want it on the fridge or the bulletin board (heck frame it!).  I want it to inspire the buyer to  see more.  I loved this card.  Then I started using a different printer who offered book marks at a fabulous price.  Hummm...and here ya have the first book mark shaped business card:




Again, in one glance you know my style, what I sell, and how to reach me.  Only this time, you can keep it in your favorite book or magazine.  Of course refridgerators love them too!  This card got me a chance to speak to a pretty cool person in a pretty cool place one Saturday in January.  Still working on it, but fingers crossed it'll become something BIG on day.  Had I not had this card with those pictures on it, she'd have not given me a second thought.


Above is the latest of the series.  It's such a neat way to see how my style has matured through these 4 business cards.  I mean, no one ever said a business card HAD to be 3"x5".  And being creative allows me some freedom and flexiblitiy to be, well creative with this tool. 

So here are the thoughts I've got swimming in my head today.  I am ready to brand myself.  Not in the Angelina tattoo sense, but like the artsy branding logo sense.  Like really really ready.  I've got jenni adkins horne out there, Mattie's Social Circle and recently I've been using my email and user name for some things artsyorange.  And artsyorange seems to be the stand out in the crowd.  But am I ready to move forward with this?  Not really.  My gut tends to lead me on things like this and I'm not sure.  So that's why I'm coming to you.  What do you think?  

artsyorange.....creative journey of jenni horne

Yeah, I'm not sure.  I'm usually really good with this sorta thing.  I guess because it's gotta be soooo good and soooo angels singing that I'm not hearing that I am doubting.  sigh.  So thanks for your input.  Hope you are having a creative Monday!!

13 comments:

nacherluver said...

Your business cards are awesome! Great ideas and they look wonderful. Love that you do something so different than the standard size.

I do like Artsy Orange and believe by combining it with your name you have successfully found the perfect rhyme with orange! And they said it couldn't be done. Ha!
It's cute, catchy, memorable.

sperlygirl said...

what a beautiful evolution as an artist. you certainly have developed a clear 'look & feel'. fingers crossed for big things for you - you deserve it. your artwork is so lovely! thx for sharing this post - i love that you think outta the box for business cards.

Anonymous said...

i love your business cards and did find your website from grabbing a card at a show (where i was also a "buyer") and i LOVE your work!

BUT...i REALLY don't like the color orange & I think "artsy" is a cliche for an artists logo/brand...but you would be at the top of any alphabetical listing :) i think there has to be something more creative in ya!

Jeannette said...

I love your business cards how creative and such a nice way to promote yourself.

I'm not sure I like artsy orange because I think it means, "you do alot of orange art"?I'm sure you will come up with something much better.

Barbara said...

Jenni,
I tend to agree with some of the other comments. You aren't artsy, you are an artist. Artsy is the person who occasionally makes a decoupage plaque or something. An artist makes art. Orange is your favorite color but not really relevant to what you are doing.
You can do better.
B

Athena said...

LOVE IT!! Love, love, love it! Artsyorange is so creative and expressive and thoughtprovoking. and adding "creative journey..." helps you tie in to your name. Kind of like John Mellencamp transitioning from John Cougar to John Cougar Mellencamp to John Mellencamp.
Best of luck! :)
Athena

Kerri said...

the new and improved cards look great- and i think the ones that aren't standard bus. card size stand out more!!

Unknown said...

LOVE them!!!!

Suzanne said...

My thoughts on "artsyorange" are that the minute I see that, I look for something orange in your art. Like that's your favorite color or something. But what I see is a lot of blues and pinks, which orange doesn't really go with. I think just using your name would be great. Maybe you can use Mattie's Social Circle as a line of products, or art. And you could use artsyorange as another line, or something, but stick with your name as your brand.

Nic Hohn said...

Go with your heart... only you know the best name for your creative journey!

Nic Hohn said...

ps. I love your biz cards!

Kathy Moynahan said...

Your cards are beautiful!!!

Who does your printing?

Ashley / StarSparrow said...

Unlike some of the commenters, I really do like artsy orange. I prefer Jenni Horne though, because it tells them exactly who you are, and it works as an umbrella name to tie in everything you do (painting, soft sculpture, blogging, etc) and if you ever wrote a book you would instantly be identifiable by your name on the cover.
However, you can still use the artsy orange in your logo. I can totally see some awesome logo ideas for that! Maybe Mattie next to an orange that's also a painter's palette with dabs of color on it?
Or an orange with a leaf attached to the stem, and the leaf is a painter's palette?
I love literal logos!
Whatever you decide will be the right choice. <3

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