Blog: Spinning & Dyeing

How to Survive Harsh Criticism of Your Artwork

Essential Oils, How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 3 Comments

One of the worst things about art school was the grueling weekly critiques of our work. There were tears, gnashing of teeth, anger, and a boatload of humility, dished out by not only your classmates but the teacher as well. I am not gonna lie it was hard. And you...

Make Magic. Make Art Everyday.

Art Journaling for fiber artists., How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 0 Comments

The other day I decided to watch the documentary Muscle Shoals on Netflix. For the most part the only reason this movie was even on my radar, was I grew up about two hours East of Muscle Shoals, Alabama and my Girl Scout troop took a tour of the infamous...

How to Build an Art Community

How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 0 Comments

When I moved to Asheville I wanted an art community to become a part of. But once I got here, I was blown away by how disconnected that community was. In fact, there seemed to be a more cohesive art community in Birmingham. I became an artist not because I was part of...

Finding My Art Yarn Spinning MoJo

How to think like an artist, yarn spinning | 0 Comments

I have not done any art yarn spinning in months. Seriously...months. And it is not that I do not love making yarn, I just got distracted with more profitable areas of my business. But ironically it is my handspan that I felt truly expressed my art the most. I am...

The Fear of Losing the Art Mojo

How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 1 Comment

"I used to be an artist" When he said that, my jaw hit the floor. Jody was one of the most creatively brilliant guys in art school, and he had just told me he was no longer making work. We were maybe 5 years past graduation and I know he had been waiting tables. But I...

Be Brave. Show Your Work. Ignore the Nay-Sayers.

How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 22 Comments

This week marked a huge milestone for me. I actually posted my fiber art for sale on my site. Struggling against some still yet to be resolved tech issues (hello, Mercury retrograde) and a deep probing session with an awesome business/life coach, I hit the publish...

The 8 Truths About Creative Jobs

The Business of being an artist | 7 Comments

I hear it all the time. "Oh how I wish I had a more creative job" It is usually coming from a fiberista who dreams of knitting all day instead of her accounting/administrative/nursing job. I get it. I used to dream about career knitting when I was in my former 9 to 5...

5 myths you should know about shooting good craft photography

The Business of being an artist | 2 Comments

It is now so much easier than ever before to become an amateur photographer. Instagram, the quality of the phone cameras, apps that make even the lousiest images look HOT! Everyone has access to tools to become somewhat of a photographer. Despite all of these tools...

Why You Should Show Your Work

How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 4 Comments

One of my goals for 2015 was to spend more time doing my own fiber art, to build my body of work. It is so easy for me to get stuck on the hamster wheel of being a dye monkey and not actually working with the yarns and fibers that are such a big part of my art. I have...

Fail Spectacularly in 4 Easy Steps

How to think like an artist, The Business of being an artist | 2 Comments

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I'm doing a lot of planning for 2015. One of my favorite parts of this process is looking back on 2014 and taking inventory of what went right what went wrong. As I look back over the past 12 months, one goal that I failed...

5 Steps to Rocking Your Best Creative Year Ever

The Business of being an artist | 0 Comments

This week I dove into a day of planning for 2015. Now granted as business owner, it is good important vital to do some serious planning for business. Setting goals, projects and checking in on my vision for my business as a whole. I absolutely love this part of what...