2010: A Year of Beginnings!

flying over the water to the big city

 This has been a year of beginnings, of creating work in a new media and bringing it out into the world. I began painting on silk, inspired by the folk tales I learned while visiting my brother Steve and his wife Xiao Ning in China the summer before.

"Butterfly Lovers"
a painting on silk inspired by a famous Chinese story

In February,  I showed my first pieces painted on silk, at the Vashon Tea Shop.

The opening was well attended. I sold a small piece and received a wonderful commission for a large piece.

M first big commission in progress

This was my first large commission. I used symbols and images that resonated with the client to express her values.  It was a joy to do! I felt that I created beauty, meaning,  and value for my client.

"Flying Lessons"
painted on silk

May 30th I began Kelly Rae's ecourse, "Flying Lessons", on building a creative business. She shared so much of her process, that I felt I finally had a guide to creating an income with my art.

Encouraged by Kelly Rae's class, I chose to make hand painted silk scarves, as a product for people  not ready to buy a $900 silk painting. I started an etsy shop, got on the roster for Vashon Artists in the Schools, and began setting up teaching situations and participating in arts/crafts events.

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at Strawberry Festival

*I shared a booth with my beautiful vivacious 86 year old  mother at the Strawberry Festival in my home town of Vashon
*I created a retrospective of my work for the Vashon Community Care Center with well over 100 pieces, including sketches and photos to show how my work developed
*I participated with  a booth in the local one day Holly Daze Bazaar
*I taught a workshop on silk painting in my studio, and scheduled classes for next year.

my studio on the Tour

*I opened my studio for the first time on the Vashon Island Art Studio Tour. I actually made money --unlike the times I participated in group shows. And it was lots of fun!



I got just enough of a taste of doing business as a creative to realize that I don't have a clue how to think about the business end of what I am doing. I realized that Kelly Rae's class showed me the trail ahead--but I still have a lot of work to do to walk this trail!

Golden Pathway
painted on silk