Studio Note #6

Save the date for April 5th, 2023!

It’s been a while since I made a. blog post. This may even be the first time you have seen one since you subscribed. Welcome! Studio Notes is a place where I keep you updated on what is happening in the world of Arianne Fowler Art. I haven’t had a lot to update you on until now. Exciting things are happening behind the scenes and I’m ready to share them with you.

The big day is almost here! I have been working so hard these past few weeks to get all of my pieces ready to present to you. Over the last two years, I have produced a lot of work. I have played. I have explored. I have pushed my own boundaries. There is a lot of work to show, but rather than overwhelm you, I am going to be releasing these original works in groups over the next several months.

April 5th will be the first release of 28 original pieces. I think this is a great introduction and truly represents my artistic voice. There will be range of sizes and surfaces (wood and paper).

I am constantly working on new pieces and you can always get a behind the scenes look at my studio and my process by visiting me on Instagram. I currently have a pinned post with a video sneak peak of the 28 pieces that will be for sale on April 5th. Check it out!

Save the date for the upcoming new releases:

June 5th, 2023

August 5th, 2023

Each release will showcase 20-30 original pieces.

You are going to see a lot of me this year as I start to make regular blog posts and interact with you more. I’m excited for you to join me on this process.

I hope you pop in on April 5th and check it out! Below is a sneak peak at 10 of the 28 pieces that will be available.

Studio Note #5

It’s a perfectly overcast Fall day here in the Pacific Northwest. The air is just crisp enough to call for some warmer clothes and hot coffee. I’m taking this lazy Sunday to reflect on the time that has passed since the last studio note.

I had planned to spend a lot of time in the studio over the Summer. You know what they say about making plans, so here I find myself wondering where the time went and what I have to show for it. I did take a couple of workshops and spent time diving deeper into the contemplating part of my practice. The physical part of my practice was on a bit of a hiatus.

It would be easy to reflect on this long break from the studio and feel some frustration. It may even be tempting to feel like I wasted a lot of time. I don’t feel either of those things. The break was needed, and it was a good reset. I’m coming into Fall feeling more re-charged. The creative nudges are stronger and it’s exciting to feel that spark.

I have managed to get the nerve up to enter some pieces into a local art show. I should hear back soon if the pieces will be accepted. It was a good experience to go through the process of what it is like to enter pieces into a juried show. I am also finalizing the first pieces that will be available for sale in my shop, as well as doing some last minute things to my website. These are things I had hoped to have completed by August, but here I am still working on it. None of the steps I need to take will actually take much time, but I’ve been dragging my feet. I realize that I have been afraid to take that final step and make the website store active. I have decided to drop that fear and push forward.

The dance between creative work and busy work can be tricky. What helps me is to break the busy work into small, doable steps. I love a good checklist and the satisfaction of marking things off. My plan for today is to create a checklist for what needs to be done the next few weeks. Once I create the checklist, then I can play. That is the best part of being an artist!

I do want to get back into the habit of regular blogging. That will go on my checklist!

Studio Note #4

Off we go on a grand adventure!  Ok, maybe not grand, but a much-needed adventure to a local island for a week. That’s still grand if you ask me. I have been looking forward to this trip for two years.  We try to visit this island every Summer but missed it last year, so this Summer it feels extra special.

This week has been busy. Not only getting ready for the trip but wrapping up the school year with my son. Lots of moving parts happening, but the day is finally here. We’re off!  I plan to take a traveling studio with me and have been packing (in my mind) for weeks what I want to bring. I edited it down to a reasonable number of things to bring.  It may only be a reasonable amount to me and an insane amount to someone else. No bother.

I have two projects I’d like to focus on this week. The first is work in a concertina sketchbook (also called an accordion sketchbook) on the beach. I want to use the sea water and sand and really let myself get absorbed by the elements around me. The second is to make my own journal or sketchbook. I have a new bookbinding kit I want to try out for that. I will also have my usual sketchbooks for sketchbook play, paper and three 12”x12’ boards to work on. Some other things in my traveling art kit: watercolors, inks, colored pencils, charcoal, oil pastels, a few acrylics, and some paper and magazines to work on collages. I think I have a nice variety of materials to work with. As much as I would love to have my full studio with me, it’s good to work with limited materials. A limited art kit doesn’t have to feel limiting. I see it as an opportunity to be resourceful.

Besides painting, I plan to do a lot of kayaking. It is one of my favorite spots and I plan to soak up every moment. There will also be bonfires on the beach, beach combing, eating good meals, bird watching, reading, strolling through town, early bedtimes, and early morning coffee on the beach for me. No one else likes to wake up as early as I do on vacation. Mornings are my favorite time of day. I love the peace and quiet since it’s a rarity in my normal life.

I’m going to wrap up now, so we can catch the ferry. Have a great week and I’ll be back next week with another studio note.

Studio Note #3

This has been a week of sporadic studio time and scattered thoughts. School is winding down for my son and we leave for a vacation soon after that. I have multiple to-do lists going on at the same time and it feels like I’m forgetting things left and right.

Despite there being a lot going on, I feel as if I am on the verge of a growth spurt in my art practice.  As much as I want to speed ahead and get there, wherever there is, I know I need to slow down. Especially because I will be gone for a week. I don’t want to dive into something then have to leave, so I’m calling on myself to slow my pace.  This will allow me to listen to and observe what I’m thinking and feeling about this new area I want to explore in my art.

The excitement of what’s ahead makes me want to get to the good stuff right now, but I know I need to wait. It is normal to want to skip ahead, but then you miss all the juicy bits that come from the pauses. So, as much as I’m raring to go, I am consciously slowing my steps. I’m listening and waiting. I’m gathering information that is being tucked away until it’s time to bring it out to play.

Slowing my steps and pausing looks like:  daydreaming with my morning coffee; walking the dog and paying attention to the sights and smells around me; continuing my daily sketchbook play; and prepping boards and paper for future project. It’s organizing my studio. It’s listening to music. It’s listening to the birds. It’s moving through life, as usual, but with senses that are more heightened.  It’s taking notes and paying attention to those nudges that are making themselves known.

 I recently heard someone describe their process for a series they are working on as growing them calmly without wanting much. Can you even? Are you swooning? I find that statement to be so lovely and so profound.

Grow them calmly without wanting much. That sums up my practice right now. Until school is out and we’re back from vacation, I will grow calmly without wanting much. What are you going to take into your week? Whatever it is, I hope you have some moments where you can slow down, pause and listen. See you next week with another studio note.

Studio Note #2

It’s a late Spring morning, as I write this. It’s rainy and grey out. I have the studio door open, so I can hear and smell the rain. Aside from a few chatty birds, it’s very quiet out. It’s a good day to be inside looking out. I’m sitting at one of my work surfaces that has a window facing into my backyard. My studio is in the back of my garage so it’s an easy commute. My constant companion, Buster the studio dog, has a prime spot to lay on his bed and squirrel watch and keep an eye on our two ducks. He won’t venture out until it stops raining, or until the ducks start to antagonize him and he must respond.

In the studio this week, I’ve been focusing on a few things. Some might call it busy work, but it’s the best kind of busy work. I’ve been creating some collage elements to go into future pieces. I’ve been prepping boards and paper, so they are ready to go when I want to start a new project. I’ve been researching floater frames and wondering if it might be better to make them myself.  That sent me down a rabbit hole of perusing hardware stores and YouTube how to videos. I’ve been going through my inventory to see which pieces I want list for sale.  Once I choose those first pieces, I need to sign them, varnish, or seal them, frame some, attaching the hanging hardware, and possibly mat the ones on paper.

It hasn’t been all busy work and no play. I’ve had a chance to revisit some past pieces and make some adjustments. It’s good to let some pieces sit for a while between layers. My process is all about responding to each thing that came before. Sometimes, it is a quick process, and a piece can be finished in an hour. Other times, I need to sand it down or cover it in a layer of paint and start over. There are no mistakes in art. If something isn’t working, cover it up and move on.  

Something I’ve been dedicating time to these last few weeks has been my sketchbook play time. This has been the best part of my week because it’s so fun. I’ve created an exercise where I lay out 5 sketchbooks of varying sizes and I quickly make marks with whatever is at arm’s reach. I don’t put too much thought into it because the exercise is about staying loose and moving quickly. This is a 2–3-minute exercise. It has been interesting to see where I started and where I am now. It has only been a few weeks, but I can see the stiffness and hesitancy in the early pages. Having this space to let loose is quite freeing and an essential part of my practice. I can see it carrying over into my painting, which is exciting.

 Overall, it’s been a good week.

I’m going to roll up my sleeves and get to my sketchbook play for the day and enjoy this rainy, Spring morning. I think I see the sun trying to peek through.

 See you next week with a new studio note!  

Studio Note #1

Welcome to my first studio note!

If you had told me a year ago that I would be creating a website and taking steps to launch my art, I would have called you crazy. There are a lot of stories to tell, and we’ll get there in time.

First things first, I want to say hi and welcome you to my studio. We’re going to have a lot of fun in this space. I want it to be a casual hangout where you come to catch up with what is going on behind the scenes. I will share my process and rambling thoughts. I hope it feels like catching up with a friend.

Let’s start with why I gave myself three words: curious, playful and rebellious. They hold some importance which is why they are on my homepage. Let’s break them down.

Curious: I am a highly curious person. I’m an explorer of life and am always learning, growing and evolving. I want to know how things work, how people think, what’s around the corner, and why things are the way they are. In my practice, I’m always asking “what if.” What if I try this? Or that? It’s an essential characteristic to have if you plan on evolving. I hope to always be an emerging artist. What does that mean? Well, for me, I hope it means that I’m always progressing. I don’t ever want to be stuck or put in a corner. This curiosity may make it hard for some to define my artistic voice, but that’s ok. I want to have many voices and many different sides to explore and share. I hope to always be curious.

Playful: I am a naturally playful person. I love to laugh and I try not to take things too seriously. This playfulness serves me well in my practice, especially since I work so intuitively. I rely on play and curiosity for all aspects of my art. That “what if I try this” question is based in play. Being playful keeps me loose and willing to dive in and make mistakes. Play keeps me from getting too precious in my work. It grounds my practice and makes it easier to find new things to try and do. I hope to always be playful.

Rebellious: I never seemed to lose that inner teenager who held onto her self-identity with a strong grip. I am finding a resurgence in this strong sense of self who wants to go her own way. I scoff at rules and norms and find myself making my own rules and changing my mind whenever I want. I am who I say I am. I am what I want to be. This may cause some trouble in the real world (bring it on), but in my practice, it’s the juice that feeds my creative soul. It’s this search for my authentic voice that didn’t always have a place. It’s the not wanting to follow the herd that keeps me trying new things. It’s knocking down barriers to run in that wide open space of unknowing that keeps me excited to wake up every day. It’s the not giving in to the uncomfortable things because that is the space where light comes in. I hope to always be rebellious.

This journey is uncharted territory for me, but I’m curious enough, playful enough and rebellious enough to take that chance on myself.

Are you ready to take this adventure with me into the unknown?

Blog Post Title One

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.