Ok, I not going to start from the very beginning of my life. So, stop rolling your eyes!
I am going to talk about my journey as a mixed media artist to this point in my life. Recapping the moments that brought me to where I am at today!
I was not necessarily creative from the beginning. My mom was always doing some craft, sewing or something creative. So I guess you could say that I was surrounded by creativity.
I remember my first introduction to rubber stamping at a home party. I was intrigued. I like the fact that you did not have to draw to get an image on paper. But the cutesy stuff did not resonate with me.
But knowing there must be more. I started looking a magazines and found one that was WOW, now this I like. Collage, and projects with more than just stamps and ink filled the pages. This was for me!
Fast forward a bit, In July 2000, I decided to open my own rubber stamp store as the cool one in our town closed that Spring.
My friend, Christi Wich’s owned a store Timeless Creations. Timeless Creations was a shop that had crafter’s handmade items for sale on consignment.
I started my store The Artists’ Nook in the basement of this cool store in this wonderful old house built in 1925. A great beginning!
I was able to have central checkout through Timeless Creations. I could come in on weekends to teach workshops, stock or whatever needed to be done. I was able to work around my family’s schedule.
I would create projects for workshops I was teaching. I was just beginning my discovery to the Altered Art, Collage world I now live in.
I traveled every couple years to take workshops from these fabulous mixed media artists. But it was difficult to travel with 4 small boys at home. My husband would have to take time off work so I could go.
I decided to invite these artists to come to me, to teach at The Artists’ Nook.
That is how it all started! Over the past 8 years, The Artists’ Nook store moved to several location finally finding it’s current location in a country retreat setting just minutes from Fort Collins. Now, The Artists’ Nook is finally home, in a place where creativity is inspired by it’s surroundings.
Ok, enough about the store! What about me as an artist?
Well, I have always created to come up with a workshop to teach, while taking a workshop but never just played! A few times, I have played but not to the extent that I would like to.
Just a suggestion, if you want to open an art store so you can create more art, DON’T!
I have been vowing for years to create more, to discover my own art style. But years go by and……..
So I am the expert at procrastination!
I am the expert for putting myself last!
I am the expert for but after this……
NO MORE!
I will create art every week!