Dear diary... where do I start?!?

Well, from the beginning might be a good idea...

I said 10 years didn't I? Well that's just ten years of contemplating that maybe somehow, someday, it might be possible to be a full time artist... That was a lot of maybe's underlined with plenty of if's. Before that, I just didn't think it could ever be anything else than a hobby. And my work was eclectic, unrefined and I wasn't practicing with enough discipline and regularity to improve it! See for yourself!

                                           
With my twenties came the move to Ireland, and the discovery of a place that welcomed art with open arms... but closed Gallery door.
Mistake no 1: Rushing into it.
I gathered a small body of work, with no real quality, with no real unity and sent a rather basic portefolio to some galleries. Unsurprisingly, I only got negative responses and you know what, I would say no myself looking at it now...
                                                                                                                                   

                                                 

 I had somehow got it into my mind that the only way was to get into galleries, and at the back of that same mind, was resolute to die a poor, unrecognized artist!

And let me just go back on the title of this blog, "Wanna be..." I know has the implied meaning of someone who lacks the qualification and talent, and that's where I was, lacking qualifications from lacking practice, and lacking talent for not allowing my hands to do what they wanted to do and over thinking what would make me different, what would make people buy me.

But then I painted these, and for probably the first time I thought; you know what, I could be onto something after all:

 Coming up:
The struggle of the Part-Part-Time Artist

NEW TITLE, NEW CONTENT! What's this all about anyway...

First things first, if it's the first time you stumble on my blog, let me just briefly introduce myself, save you a bit of trouble to search the archives if you're interested!

My name is Jessica Baron, originally from Québec in Canada and now settled in Ballydesmond, West of Ireland for nearly 10 years. I am a painter, or at least a wannabe painter.

And that's really all you need to know about me for now.

I have been wanting to be a painter for the guts of the last 10 years or more, and in the scheme of things, haven't got very far YET.
And that's the whole point of this blog, in which I will share my bumpy road to becoming an artist so far. If you're in a similar quest, I will hopefully somehow offer a few tips, share the traps I fell into in the hope you won't get caught yourself. I will express all the frustrations that pop-up now and again, and the delights that come with the successes, however small and trivial. And who knows, I may someday have to change this title again, when I can call myself a full time artist and drop the "wanna be"!!

So that's what this whole change of direction is all about. I already have a facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/jessicabaronartist)
and a website (http://www.jessicabaronartist.com to take care of all promotional stuff, so I can't see the point in having a third page for the same purpose. And there is still a bit of a selfish reason to it: I believe that looking back on how you got where you are can be of great support in looking ahead at where you want to go!

New year's resolutions 2015 LET's GET DOWN TO IT!

2014 was Good! 2015 will be even better!
Family, business, personal growth, one thing at a time and nothing left behind!

RESOLUTIONS/ OBJECTIVES:

1. Have a detailed yearly plan for the business
2. Refocused on speaking French to my two little ones
3. Organize and re-design the studio
4. Seek gallery representation
5. Have prints in a min. of 8 retail shops
6. Get down to Search Engine Optimization
7. Research and develop more products
8. Get back to running as soon as possible, healthy mind, healthy body and all that!
9. Make a little inspirational trip to Dublin
10. A long overdue visit to Quebec!!!
11. Take part in exhibition/fair during the year and increase the Christmas Fairs to at least 6.
12. Have a quarterly meal out :o)
13. Go to the pool with my little ones more often (I know, I'm leaving that one a bit vague...)
14. Is 13 resolutions bad luck??? say... Enjoy every moment!

What are yours?

NEW YEAR's RESOLUTIONS 2014 REVISITED How did you do on your resolutions??

Well, the moment of truth, before making my new resolutions for 2015, I thought I'd check how I did on last year's ones:

*Write weekly on this Blog :)  OUPSY DAISY :(

*Update website  CHECK!

*New series of 10 paintings for limited prints  CHECK!

*Get limited prints in 3 shops   CHECK!

*Find better value printing services   CHECK!

*Develop 3 craft products and try to find Irish supplies   CHECK!

*Get craft products in 3 shops  Uh-oh!

*Participate to at least 1 summer fair   Naaaa!

*Participate to at least 3 xmas fairs  CHECK!

*Set up business Facebook page and maybe one competition    CHECK!

*Set up an Etsy shop   CHECK!

*Take a course maybe in woodcraft or something like that!   CHECK! but not woodcraft

Well, I think that's acceptable enough. One has to be flexible on the long term plans!

How did you do on yours??

Christmas gift idea with a difference!

This Christmas, give something different,

something special,

something inspiring...

Limited Edition Prints from €20

Order deadline for Christmas delivery in Ireland: 19th December

Go to http://www.jessicabaronartist.com

15 BEFORE 2015 challenge!

I had started this a few weeks ago, and got overwhelmed by the busy Christmas Fairs period... and now I have only 3 weeks left AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Thankfully, I can already tick some off the list!


Following in the footsteps of a good friend and brilliant artist Amélie Gagné http://www.ameliegagnestudio.com I am taking on the challenge to fulfill these 15 goals before the end of the year!

1. Have a most enjoyable time and profitable experience at the Christmas Fairs, including the Macroom Christmas Market, The Boherbue Christmas fair, The Wine and Art at the Malton Killarney and the Christmas craft and food fair at the Outlet Killarney.

2. Put my feet up for a couple of days after the fairs are over :)

3. Branding, branding, branding: work on having a clear strategy for branding in 2015, including a company image and story, a list of products new ones, ones that will stay and ones that will have to go!

4. Do some local advertising, get known in my own county!

5. Have a detailed year planning for 2015


6. Design my new studio

Yeah! I wish!!

7. Secure more retailers for my prints of Ireland

8. Had a few more paintings from outside the Ring of Kerry to my collection of paintings for prints.

                                                         9. Make some delicious sweet treats for the holiday season


10. Create a festive, magical atmosphere in our beautiful home for my two little elves who have done so well while I was so busy everyday.

11. Spend some relaxing, quality time with my other half.

12. Refocus on speaking my native French to my children. With the hectic schedule, I have let it slipped and I can see the difference with  my daughter already.

13. Do a massive clean up of the house... I won't say how long since I've mopped a floor... shameful!

14. Treat myself to something... not sure what yet, but gotta look after no1 ;)

15. Have fun, being with my family, at work, in my studio, enjoy every moment!

COMPETITION TIME

It's competition time on Facebook:

Visit and like my page www.facebook.com/jessicabaronartist, then share the competition post to be in the chance to win a limited edition print of your choice!
www.facebook.com/jessicabaronartist