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!!

Sometimes I Like the Two Legged Kind

I just love the support I receive from my four legged fans, really I do.  But sometimes I like to have the support and comradeship of the two legged type. 

I met Jessica, Tiffin and Joyann at an art show last fall.....the one where it rained so hard it flooded Six Flags.  Any of you see that footage of Atlanta?  Well, let's just say that I am a firm believer that people are placed in your life for a reason, and that weekend these three ladies crossed my path for reasons much bigger than any little craft show could ever imagine.  We are a photographer, a jewelry artist, a vintage home goods creator (she's also the expert in graphic design), and a painter/jewelry maker.  On our own, we are three extremely confident women entrepreneurs with visions for our future.  Actually they are pretty lofty visions, and I love that!  We started meeting....not as regularly as we should we are also mothers, wives, and all work from home, but when we do meet it is always refreshing and informative.  The many angles we approach each subject give unique perspectives, with honest answers hitting the table well received.  

So I suggest if you are out there, feeling a little isolated, to reach out to some artists around you.  The next art show you participate, or even attend, ask where they are from.  Or do an etsy search by location and convo some of them.  And if it works out, set a once a month regularar meeting.  Tiffin is great about setting up the dates, times, and subjects for us.  That way we come to the meeting with all our questions for those topics and don't get too far off track.  I think if we put our heads together enough, we could write an AMAZING book on creative living.  We definitely cross the board on some many creative levels.  And aesthetically we are all very similar.  So girls....whatcha think about that idea?? 

Anyhoo.....I imagine we are all blogging tonight about today, so if you click on over to their sites you'll see we all are very excited about our little venture together.  Today we left with all trying to wrap our heads around participating in the Country Living Fair that's coming to Atlanta in October.  We all recognize it as an amazing opportunity for exposure, but the cost is more than a little intimidating!  We'll continue this discussion on at our next play date!  And maybe see you there........

"Here Comes the Bride(s)"

So here I am, painting. It's about hour 20 and I am going strong. It's strange how the hours flew by while painting these lovely ladies. Although the images were totally out of my comfort zone, I was able to find my way with ease. I even added some textured flowers. They are by far my favorite part of the entire composition of course. Here are Alyssa's flowers:

And here are Isabella's flowers. And folks, this is all I am showing you. Yep. I've decided that I want Amy and Ashley to get the whole effect when I bring them up to Nashville on August 12th. Photos really never truly show the texture and colors correctly I've found.

Speaking of working long hours, I really meant what I said above about the hours passing so quickly while painting. In fact, I am a little sad that the project is over. As much as I stressed over starting, once I got going the entire process flowed seamlessly. It's funny how when moving in the right direction, things can and will fall into place. When I spoke to Amy last night she said she was working all the time. It's good for you, I said. When I look at how far Valerie has taken the Flea over the past year on her own and now Amy and Ashley with starting the business, I just have to stand in their light and bask a little. These women have all taken a huge leap of faith and opened doors that have been along their life path, but waited to be opened at just the right time. It's funny how we travel, walking past the opportunities. We get married, have children, volunteer, play taxi, and all those other roles that follow with being a mother and wife. And some women are completely satisfied with never opening any more doors. But then there are women like Valerie, Amy, Ashley and myself who yearn for more. Who open the door and fall right in. And thrive on the successes and failures that come with turning the knob. I've closed some doors the past year that were so hard to do. But with those closings, opportunities have presented themselves I'd never had seen had I not been right here. And I am so very thankful that through it all these women mentioned above have been there by my side. And now I stand with them.