A 2017 Calendar!

I am happy and proud to introduce my first Trowel and Paintbrush calendar!

It's twelve months of herbs and edible flowers featuring my botanical watercolour paintings.

I started working on this project a year ago. I was encouraged by an artist friend (thank you for the nudge, Brenda of @cattailswordwork) to think about doing a calendar. I quickly figured out my theme: herbs and edible flowers. I already had six herb paintings finished. I started to work on six edible flower paintings hoping to have it ready for 2016 but I underestimated the time it was going to take me. Rather than introducing a rushed effort late in the season, I decided to make it a 2017 calendar.

I did some finessing of the edible flower paintings early this year. In the past few weeks, I hand lettered the months and days in watercolour. Some of lettering was done with a fine paintbrush, some with a pen nib dipped in watercolor paint.

I chose 'Mint' for the January page as it seemed to fit with a fresh start. The sweet violet bouquet seemed to be perfect for February, aptly so I found out later as the violet is February's birth flower. I chose 'Thyme' for March because time marches on. (Sorry to be corny but it's true! Sometimes I need to amuse myself.) I placed my viola and pansy painting as the July image since that's when my birthday is and violas and pansies have lots of family associations for me. Sage is on the December page as it is so often used in holiday meals.

I've printed the calendar in my studio on beautiful paper with the same care and attention I give to everything that I produce. As a bonus, I also created an accompanying page which describes some common uses of the herbs and flowers featured in my calendar.

The calendar would be a lovely gift for a gardener, cook or nature lover. Or you may want to buy it for yourself! It would brighten up a kitchen nook or an office space. I sell it without a hole at the top centre which is perfect if you want to display it with a clip, clothespin or washi tape. Or I can punch a centre hole for you so you can loop a piece of twine or ribbon through it.

It was so much work but I am thrilled with how it turned out. I really hope you like it too!

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My Studio: Before and After

A week ago, I received some disappointing news. I had applied to a local arts and crafts show and wasn't accepted. I had a choice. I could wallow in sadness or I could do something constructive and move forward. I did let myself wallow for about 24 hours and then I decided to embark on a major cleanup of my studio.

I am a perfectionist and really do like when things look organized and pretty. Unfortunately, I don't really enjoy cleaning. I would far rather use my time to paint than clean, so things have a tendency to pile up around me. Last summer, my daughter Emma gave me a pretty white table from Ikea for my birthday. I added it to my studio without really taking the time to make it fit in. It displaced another small table which I left in the centre of everything. I had piles of paper, frames and shipping supplies on the floor. It was far from organized. Things were actually getting a little dangerous.

I've been brave and took some before photos to show you just how much my studio has changed. Some of these photos were taken in the middle of the process, so things looked even worse than at the beginning. I had pulled things into the centre of the room to go through them.

It was such a big job that I really wanted to give up about halfway through. I was physically tired and bored out of my mind. But I didn't and I'm glad I kept going. It took me a full week. Here are some photos of what my painting studio looks like now. 

I printed the Trowel & Paintbrush sign with the hope that I would be accepted to the show but I like the way it looks on the wall of my studio. I also put up a couple of my nature collection prints on the wall. I love the new blue file boxes I got at Ikea. And, of course, I have fresh flowers.

My painting table always has my paint, brushes and bits of my nature collections on it but now everything is neat and organized.

I have pretty fabric bins made by Sonia of Cozy Memories tacked on the side of my table for storage. On my bulletin board beside my table I have the Van Gogh quote: "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." There are also photos, postcards and business cards from artist friends.

I recently put my Haworth Moor print up on the wall over my bookcase as it's one of my current favourite prints. On the shelves, I have some of my nature finds, art books, magazines and illustrated children's books.

I love the Alex storage unit from Ikea. I allows me to store watercolour paper, supplies and some finished paintings. I've added a Falkhöjden shelf on top. Do you see my painting of Meeko? That's a Milou (Snowy) toy beside it. Hergé based the Milou character on a wire fox terrier but it reminds me of a certain wheaten. I made the slipcover for the daybed years ago but now it's freshly washed. Having a sofa in the studio also provides a convenient place to store full sheets of watercolour paper. You can see them peeking out at the bottom.

The dresser is where I keep my finished paintings. I have a huge number of them! To the right of it are my framed heart stones. I hot-glued some of my rock collection to the matboard of an Ikea frame. The bird nest watercolour is by Jody Edwards. To the left of the dresser is the small wooden table that was previously floating awkwardly in the middle of the room. Now it's tucked neatly against the wall. I'll use it for cutting and scoring my note cards. 

One of the final touches I made to my newly cleaned studio was to frame and put up my beautiful original watercolour of strawberries by my friend Lucile Prache. My husband gave it to me for Christmas and I love it so much. 

It feels completely different now when I climb the stairs to my studio. I feel lighter, like there's a weight off my shoulders. The air feels clearer. There's room to paint and even dance if I feel like it. Do you know what? I just might.

-Kathleen

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If you'd like to browse through my art shop, it's here.

The Breakup

A little over a year ago, in September, Etsy changed dramatically. They had already been making changes that were unpalatable for many of us by distancing themselves from their handmade origins and allowing manufactured products. In September of 2014, they changed the look, feeling and heart of their site by removing the treasuries (curated collections of products) from their front page. Making treasuries was a creative, collaborative exercise that I enjoyed very much. It was a way to get to know other shop owners from across the world and to actively promote beautiful products. My paintings would sometimes make it onto Etsy's front page and it was always a huge thrill.

The front page change was a shock to many of us as it didn't just affect the look of the site but the entire way that we had interacted with it and each other. I didn't fully understand how emotionally invested I was in Etsy until then. I spent days in tears. My husband would come home from work and find me in front of the computer with tears streaming down my face. "Etsy?" he would ask. Yes, I would nod. It's hard to explain. But the shift was profound and I know many others who were similarly affected.

After the initial shock and the realization that this was a permanent change, many treasury teams disbanded. What was the point of them if hardly anyone was going to see the treasuries they made? Some stores left Etsy and set up shop elsewhere. Others held on, hoping that maybe the new version of Etsy would still hold worth and meaning. I guess I was one of them.

The closest analogy I can think of is the realization that your loved one has changed profoundly and that they may no longer be 'the one'. It's hard to make a complete break. You want to believe that the time and emotion you invested are still worth something. You distance yourself. You separate but you leave a change of clothes and a toothbrush at their place, well because maybe? So my Etsy shop has remained open.

One of the most positive things that happened to me last autumn was being invited to be part of a fabulous group of handmade artists and vintage shop owners called Tributary Goods. They created their own collaborative shop of products outside of Etsy and have provided support to each other as most of us began the process of setting up our own independent e-shops. We get each other. There's a lot of strength and a ton of humour.

If you have read my blog this past year, you will know that I bought my own domain name and opened a Big Cartel shop in January. It was a good first step. While I liked how it looked, in June I moved my shop to Shopify for the increased flexibility it gave me in terms of the design and organization of my website. I am very happy there. I love how my shop looks and I am impressed on an ongoing basis with the customer service that Shopify provides. It's stellar. It also makes me proud to be associated with a growing, innovative Canadian business providing e-commerce opportunities to merchants worldwide.

Last month, Etsy rearranged the categories on their front page. Art is no longer a main category. If I was sticking around because I thought that maybe they still loved me, I guess this made things abundantly clear.  There were no tears this time.

Today is the fourth anniversary of the day I opened my shop on Etsy. While my love for Etsy as a company is not there anymore, I know I learned a lot from them. Most of all, I feel huge gratitude to everyone who has bought art from me online since October of 2011. I'm also thankful for the friends I have made there among fellow shop owners. So many amazingly creative people.

I still have some products in my Etsy shop but I am not renewing them when they expire. I am only listing my new paintings and prints on Shopify now. Slowly but very surely, I am moving towards creative control and independence, and concentrating on positive change. Blue skies and possibilities. Do you know what? It feels really good.

"I feel huge gratitude to everyone who has bought art from me online."

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Update -- I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has read this post--over 500 people at this point! Thanks to all who took the time to comment whether on my blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or privately. It's good to know that I am not alone and that we've shared similar emotions about the changes on Etsy and that many of us are on the same journey to find independence, stability and artistic integrity elsewhere. Thanks for your support. A big hug to you all. ~ Kathleen

When Two Makers Meet: Trowel & Paintbrush and Ohhh Lulu

It was a very rainy Wednesday morning a week ago when I finally met my friend, Sarah Norwood, and her sweet daughter Isabel in person for the first time.

In January of 2013, Sarah and I both volunteered to take over the Canadian Etsy team called Team Canuck, now known as The Canadian Collective.  We didn't know each other at all except for both being members of the same team. Over the past three years, we have corresponded countless times about the team, Etsy, our online businesses, motherhood, our pets and everything else in between. We have shared laughter and tears. One of the coolest things was when we found out that we both were born on July 1st, Canada Day!

Despite our drenched state, I think we look pretty happy!

Sarah lives in Orillia, Ontario. My parents live in Gravenhurst about a half hour away. Because Gravenhurst is a seven-hour drive from where I live, we don't get there more than a couple times a year and our visits tend to be busy with family. I've thought so often about meeting Sarah and finally we made it happen! Sarah volunteered to drive to Gravenhurst so we could meet at the wonderful open-air farmers' market that takes place there every Wednesday during the summer.

That morning it didn't just rain, it poured, but we didn't care. It was exciting to see each other in person. I am also so happy to have met Sarah's baby, Isabel. What a sweetheart she is! The facial expressions she makes are completely adorable. She looks like she can't quite believe she met me either!

A model wearing one of Sarah's lovely creations. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ohhhlulu

If you don't know Sarah's beautiful lingerie business Ohhh Lulu, you should have a look. Her creations are exquisite and are all handmade by her. She also sells sewing patterns of some of her pieces. She was just featured in a big article this past weekend in the Globe and Mail about handmade Canadian lingerie. I am so proud to know her!

When at the Gravenhurst Farmers' Market, I can never leave empty-handed. Aside from the happy memory of meeting Sarah and Isabel, I left with butter tarts to share with my family, chipotle hot sauce, mango jam, some Thai dipping sauces and this gorgeous succulent garden!

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My New Website is Open!

www.trowelandpaintbrush.com

Happy summer, friends! (And happy autumn to those on the opposite side of the seasons!) In tandem with this lovely season's beginning, I am excited to announce that my completely revamped art shop/website is open! I hope that you visit and look around. It took me three weeks to get it ready and I hope it conveys a sense of me, my art, my heart and my appreciation for all those who support my 'métier'. 

If there is something on the website that could be better (whether big or small), I would appreciate you telling me. I value your opinion.

Thank you to all those behind the scenes I asked for advice and who gave me encouragement while I was building my website. I ♡ you.

To celebrate my opening, I will be tucking extra goodies in all orders received this week on www.trowelandpaintbrush.com. (Up to June 28th.)

And, of course, I will be adding more art to my shop on an ongoing basis.

Thank you for your support and inspiration! 

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My Art at the 2015 Canadian Screen Awards!

In January, I was very excited to be contacted and asked to provide some of my art cards to the presenters at the Canadian Screen Awards taking place in Toronto on March 1st.

This prestigious awards ceremony which honours excellence in Canadian film, television and digital media will be hosted by actress and comedian Andrea Martin. Confirmed presenters include Kiefer Sutherland, Julianne Moore, Kim Cattrall, Megan Follows, Tatiana Maslany and Eugene Levy, along with many others. My cards will be going into gift bags along with lots of other wonderful products.

Above is the collection of note cards that I assembled--five cards featuring some of my favourite watercolour paintings. I think these images provide a good sense of me as a Canadian artist. The paintings I chose were inspired by my garden, forested areas in our region and a beach visited on a vacation. I chose my popular 'Maple Leaves' image as the centre of my collection, since the maple leaf is an iconic symbol of Canada.

I considered including my 'Winter Forest' painting but then thought 'No...we've all had enough winter at this point!'. Instead I included two of my spring garden images.

Because I print my cards in my studio, feed them into my printer one by one and finish them by hand, it took me about four days to print, trim, score and package everything. These cards were produced with love and care!

What an amazing thrill to share my watercolour art with such a talented group of people! I really hope that they enjoy my artwork.

For those of you in Canada, the Canadian Screen Awards will air on Sunday March 1st at 8:00 p.m. on CBC (8:30 in NT).

This special note card collection is now available for purchase in my art shop: http://www.trowelandpaintbrush.com/product/nature-collection-set-of-watercolour-cards.

I am constantly adding new work to my art shop and will continue to add things in upcoming weeks. I hope you'll take a peek every now and then.

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