Blog Tour Monday

My Super fun blogging buddy Sandy of Confessions of an Art Class Junkie asked me to join her Blog Tour. And I thought...why not! I met Sandy at Art and Soul in Virginia Beach 3 years ago when I took Mailey as my teaching assistant. She is one of the kindest most generous spirits I know. Thanks for asking me girlie! So here goes the tour:

What am I working on?

Right now I feel like I am running on a hamster wheel. Summer is out which means I can actually get into my studio. But so far all I've done is clean the studio! I also start my Tween workshops this week. I love teaching in my home studio...and why not see here:

This is the newest addition to the basement. My personal studio is through a doorway on the left. I am also working on a custom painting for a gift. And let's see feels like I'm forgetting something. OH YEAH....my first ever E-COURSE!!! I am so excited about this course. Everyday I write little notes of things I need to remember to tell my students online. If you are interested check out the site at www.paintsomething.guru.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

Being a whimsical painter is fun because I get to paint hearts, balloons, bikes, campers, flowers, birdies, lots of other happy stuff. As I was discussing this with a workshop attendee this weekend she said you know there are only so many things a whimsical painter can paint so there tends to be a lot of overlapping of ideas out there. I can not disagree with this point. There are a ton of paintings out there of those very things. As a general rule I let the paintings I see that are too similar to mine roll off my back...some get me in the gut don't get me wrong...but everyone has to lay in the bed they make. Catch my drift? But I think my unique way with the brush and ability to compose a painting makes my work stand out. I'm currently working on a large body of work (oopsy shoulda said that in above question) which is making me really think about what I really want to put out into the world as Jenni Horne original work.

Why do I write/create what I do?

Ok first off Sandy's answer about made me pee my pants. She tells no lie in that answer (you guys need to peek. she truly is a GEM!). I create because I HAVE TO. I've been this way my entire life. From setting up a Barbie house as a child....sneaking on Mother's sewing machine....scrapbooking from my 17 magazines as a Teen to teaching myself to paint as an adult I crave learning about all things creative and love to make all sorts of things. Heck the other day I went into Hobby Lobby for ICE resin for a workshop and left with a bag full of stuff to make these leather wrap bracelets my head has been working on while running for a month. I do it because if I don't, I will probably enter a dark hole of depression and never return.

How does your writing/creative process work?

Now that I am working full-time as a teacher I am finding less and less time to create. And yet teaching fills me with such energy. I love planning projects and implementing them with my students. And LOVE how it makes them feel successful as tiny artists! Often my process involves a crazy urge to make...so I sketch at school. While walking around, or I sit with the kids and I sketch out all my crazy ideas. I have a sketchbook for drawings and a "Big Idea" notebook for everything else. That way I never loose a thought. Then when I can carve out time in my studio no time is wasted with, "what do I wanna paint?". Another part of my process is cleaning my studio. I find it therapeutic to clean the space, rearrange and recharge the creative battery so to say. And then I start the making. I also like deadlines and goals. Without those I tend to procrastinate too much. For instance I'm doing another outdoor show in October. I've got plenty of time to map out some weekly goals. So in a nutshell I plan...sketch....implement. Yep

So that's all the questions. I'm tagging my sweet friends that need to blog more....you have ONE week girls.

Tiffin Mills of Linwood Avenue is an amazing jack-of-all-trades. She is a wonderful sewer of all things sewn and after a painting workshop discovered a new love for painting. Her paintings are nostalgic and roamantic paintings with a touch of whimsy. Her attention to details in all aspects of her creative life and as a friend are attributes that admire about her. She's also my left arm at Southern Circle Retreats. You guys will love her gorgeous website.

Joyanne of Joyajewelry is a beautiful soul whose jewelry reflects just this. She takes pieces of time and puts them together as classic pieces of jewelry to wear for years to come. She is a kind and gentle soul I enjoy calling a friend.