Welcome to my studio, come on in (or should that be, join me outside!)and have a good look around
Are you, like me, a bit nosey?
Do you like to see inside the lives of others, catch yourself glancing into peoples windows or itching to ask someone how or why they’re doing what they’re doing, especially other artists and creatives?
If that sounds a bit like you, then welcome! Here you’ll get regular posts from my studio, wherever it may be, along the lines of:
New Art, what I’ve been working on, what’s inspiring or challenging me.
Sketchbook pages with stories from our travels
I handpick artists to interview, take a look into their practices and studios, some I meet on our travels and share all the details with you
I share what I’ve learned, my top tips and provide guidance about running a creative business on your own.
Plus, there’s dogs, they are the core of my art business and show up regularly in my art, stories and life!
All of this comes standard with a free subscription
If not now when?
This was the question I asked my husband Mr. Dean back in 2020, it was before the pandemic, but the following months certainly made the decision easier. When were we going to take off in a motorhome and travel around Europe and the UK?
All these years later we’re still doing it plus travel by boat, rail and plane, while I work on my creative business as an artist as we travel.
If you like reading about people living and working differently, if you’ve no intention of travelling yourself, but like to read the stories, if you’re looking for inspiration, then I hope you’ll find it here.
What do I get if I upgrade?
The only reason you might like to upgrade is if you're a fellow artist or creative working on your own;
you’d like some company to talk shop with, discuss issues/ask advice
you want to be held accountable so you can take action and move your business along
you might appreciate some occasional guidance.
What you get monthly;
The Open Studio is run as a friendly Zoom chat amongst creatives. Specific questions can be requested in advance in our private chat area. Subjects covered so far this year include selling at events, greeting card design options, licensing, print-on-demand, commissions, and more (I’ve lost track already, but you get the idea). You also get sent the replay, great if you can’t attend live.
Accountability corner, come and declare to a small group (over Zoom or in our private chat area if you can’t make it live), what you intend to do over the next month and the following month we compare notes on what did and didn’t happen (no replay)
Discounts 25% off any workshop I run or 1:1 Session you book
There are some subscribers who upgrade regardless because they want to support my work as an artist and for these I am extremely thankful. It is one of the best feelings when someone purchases your work, be it a physical painting or your writing and sketching - if this is you, a heartfelt thank you from me and allow me to point you in the direction of my shop 😍
A little more about me…
I studied art and design at Middlesex University and have a Masters degree in Visual Culture.
In my pre-artist/travelling life, I worked closely with Tate Galleries, The Royal Collection, The Barbican Centre and a wide range of other world-leading art venues
Having started my own creative business 15 years ago, I have a lot of experience and insights that you might find useful, and I’m happy to share.
In 2020 we packed up our lives and business, moved into a motorhome and went travelling for half the year, we haven’t stopped since.
I’m in the process of tweaking my business to fit around our lifestyle better, so I’ll be writing about a lot of my personal challenges in running a business this way, some of these I’ll share as bonus content for my paid subscribers
As for my work, my greetings cards have won best new product at Spring Fair, Scotland. I’ve won best Charity Calendar at the National Calendar Awards and for two years I’ve been shortlisted for The Henries.
My paintings have appeared in the window display of Selfridges on Oxford Street, I exhibit at Crufts and design for Moonpig & Thortful. This year I’ve signed a new licensing agreement with The Art File.
I think of this space as the antidote to self-doubt, and a way to find a path if you’re stuck in a spiral of procrastination.
I’m more a guide/mentor than a coach, and I’m happy to share about my business and experiences openly. I’m here to help you find ideas or point you in a different direction to progress with your business.
“I upgraided to paid because I find your posts very helpful, generous and fun to read. I am sorry it didn’t happen sooner” WiniFreda
If you’d like to join me at The Open Studio you can choose your subscription options here
I’m already looking forward to getting to know you better
Jo x
PS I LOVE Ai and I use it lots, from planning a trip to breaking down a big project into manageable chunks, or using it to do research and find things for me. I just don’t use it for any of my writing and certainly not for my drawings and paintings*
*I did try Midjourney once, I had an idea it might be a wonderful way to create reference pictures for me, but no, it was awful, doesn't come remotely close to what’s going on inside my head! 😉
