Days Like This

Days Like This - Acrylic on 20" x 30" canvas, 2014 by Jessica Torrant

Original painting: https://www.etsy.com/listing/185687215/abstract-painting-original-art

Prints: http://society6.com/JessicaTorrant/Days-Like-This-RDk_Print#1=45

2014 Mojo

Hello! Is anybody out there?

I've sadly neglected my blog in such a major way that it has been almost a full YEAR since I've posted! Time to get my bloggin' boots on and just dive right back in.

After a rough, seemingly endless Winter in New England, Spring has actually made an appearance just recently and I've been able to get back into my backyard studio. That means painting season is officially back on for me and I couldn't be happier about it!

Here is my first painting of 2014.

 Radiance - Acrylic on 22" x 28" canvas, 2014

Original painting available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/185634016/abstract-painting-colorful-original-art. 

Also available as a print in multiple sizes: http://society6.com/JessicaTorrant/Radiance-XX7_Print#1=45

Painting as Meditation

The View That Day

Letters to Heaven

The Change

Essence of Being

New works on paper.

Alive Again

Alive Again - Acrylic on 18" x 24" gallery wrapped canvas

As I look around at the bursts of green popping out everywhere, there's no question that spring is fully marching ahead and I can't help but feel like I feel alive again. Connecting to the earth, the flora and fauna - the energy feels like everything surrounding me is exuding a feeling of joy and a celebration of life. Happy spring everyone and have a great weekend!

Interview with Soraya Nulliah

She Holds the Key to Knowing

I'm so excited to introduce you to the incredible, soul stirring artwork of Soraya Nulliah. I discovered her Etsy shop last week when creating a Fine Art Friday treasury. She agreed to do this interview and it's been such a pleasure getting to know more about her and her work. Enjoy!

Heart Wide Open

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a wife, mommy, artist, seeker, creative soul. I got married later in life and gave birth the same month I turned 40..YIKES!! I used to be a free spirit nomad type and now I am free spirit homebody type! I love painting, reading, art, photography, blogging, learning, running, baking and most of all…spending time with my family.

How/when did you get interested in art?

I started drawing and painting in my mid-teens but without any support and encouragement, I pushed these dreams aside…tucked them deep inside my heart. All through my 20’s they were like a long forgotten dream while I went through a lot of…soul searching…and the mending of my soul. Then, when I turned 30, I spent 4 months traveling by myself through India. This pilgrimage led me back to mySELF and to my art. After that I made a commitment to making art an integral part of my life…taking classes and workshops, painting huge canvases and reading everything I could.

Letting Go Takes Courage

What inspires you when you create?

What truly inspires me is this journey of life that we are all on. We are all so fragile and vulnerable yet, paradoxically, resilient as well. I try to express that in my art. I am also inspired by both Eastern and Western aesthetics. I love the colors of India and the lush, curvaceous forms. Equally, I love 60’s inspired prints and Western art. I combine both of these elements in my art.

What kind of environment do you work in?

Right now I share my studio with a guest bedroom so it’s a pretty cramped space. I have a desk, bookshelf and closet that holds my art supplies, books, collage etc. We are in the process of moving so I am very hopeful that I will have my very own studio space soon. I am planning it all out already!

Guided

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Oh boy! This is a difficult one because there are so many fabulous artists. I love Frieda Kahlo for her strong images and deep rich soul. I love Georgia O’ Keefe for her vivid paintings and her writings. I love Van Gogh, Modigliani, Klee…African sculptures and masks…South Indian Chola Bronzes. What draws me to an artist is their ability to be true to their vision, to be vulnerable and authentic and to bring into existence something we never would have seen otherwise.

What has been the highlight of your creative career so far?

I have a couple. I had a solo exhibition a few years back and that was tremendously rewarding. It dealt with violence against women in the Indian community (a huge problem) while providing avenues for change and empowerment. I absolutely loved every part of bringing this whole show to life. Everything from the inception to the final exhibition that included 26 paintings, a strong artist statement and raising money for the Sexual Assault Center of Edmonton. Another highlight is the opening of my Etsy shop. This is something I have wanted to do for so long but all those nagging fears kept me from doing it. I was always waiting for the “perfect” time that never came or until I had more paintings or… So I finally just jumped in and it means a lot to me personally; just the act of believing in myself, daring to be vulnerable and putting myself out there.

A Heart Full Friendship

Do you have a message that you'd like to translate through your art?

Definitely! My works are very female-centered and they speak of joy, hope, empowerment, faith, love…but I also address all of our broken parts and pieces as well. I strongly believe that when we are vulnerable and authentic, when we have the courage to share all of who we are…therein lies the power of transformation and inspiration. I aspire to show strength and vulnerability in my paintings…I think life requires that we are both. Each of my paintings tells a story of the deepest parts of our souls…of what it is to be human. I hope my work touches others to speak their truth and be inspired.

What do you find to be the most challenging part of being an artist?

One of my biggest challenges right now is time!! I have a toddler who needs my constant attention. I have to really schedule my time and follow through (no procrastinating!) Another challenge is learning about the business side of art. I just opened up my Etsy store and there is so much to learn! Like most artists, I would rather be in my studio painting. But it is also rewarding and I am trying to look at the whole business side of art as a creative process as well. I am very committed to both my family and my art and that is difficult to balance.

What are some of your creative goals? How might they intersect with your personal goals?

I would love to have a solo (or group) exhibition! It is so thrilling and rewarding to conceive of a whole show and execute it. I love planning and completing every little detail…I am a huge planner! Also, I just opened up my Etsy store so I hope to focus on building it up. I would also love to write a book about the creative process. All of these goals fit into my larger personal goals which is to connect with others through my art. It is my deepest hope that I can use my creative voice to inspire others to find and use their creative voices.

my website www.sorayanulliah.com

my blog http://sorayanulliah.blogspot.com

my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/sorayanulliah


Thank you so much Soraya for your art and your heart. :)

Curating your own Etsy shop

The new Etsy layout is garnering (surprise, surprise) both praise and outrage from the Etsy community. To each his/her own I suppose. I happen to like it a lot and it hasn't been that hard to get used to the adjustment (links on the left, shorter announcement space, etc.). I've been thinking about re-arranging my shop to be more curated, almost like creating a treasury only it's with my own items. You'll see in the pictures above, yesterday I had a black/red/white theme going on inspired by my poppy painting and then today I switched it up to be more soft and colorful like my most recent abstract painting. If you too are an Etsy seller, how do you like the changes? Has it changed anything about how you organize or promote your shop?

Rob is BACK!!

Not Rob my husband, I'm talking about Rob Kalin aka "Rokali" on Etsy. The original creator and CEO of Etsy is back at the reigns after almost two years away and I couldn't be happier. When I opened up shop in 2006 as livefunky, I was welcomed into a blossoming community of artisans and it felt like home. I had almost instant satisfaction getting views and sales with a fraction of the investment I had been pouring into my eBay shop. In a matter of a few days I left eBay "for good" (I've tested the waters again every now and then and the report is still, bla, no thanks. I can't go backwards and that's what it feels like when I try eBay again). Were there problems on Etsy in 06/07? For sure. But they were all the sorts of aches and pains that something growing will naturally experience. When Maria Thomas became the CEO of Etsy in early 2008, I assumed Etsy had evolved, as many sellers were individually evolving, from small mom and pop to a larger scaled business, and as far as I was concerned bigger was better, right? I assumed it needed to be that way, things change and people need to roll with what's best for the company. I assumed the best.

The positive changes that Maria brought to Etsy were many and (not that she'd be reading my little blog but...) I'd like to thank her for her time and service to a company that I care about and belong to. However, somehow the more "pro" Etsy seemed to become the less magic it exuded. It became predictable. Even though Etsy has always seemed to have a bit of favoritism (speaking of which, in a way how can you blame them?) we found ourselves getting to the point where we saw the same items over and over in admin created elements of the site (gift guides, front pages made by admin). I didn't feel sour grapes, it was more frustration because it seemed like an act of laziness more than favoritism. It's one of those deals where you think "I could do a better job than that!" and really, how do I know - I've never done it. There's just so much great work on Etsy, if I had the job of picking front pages I'd be constantly on the hunt for new and unique items to heart and feature. As for the gift guides, repeats of favs are expected but it was a regular thing to see misplaced items in the various categories. If you say "these are all items under $50" they should all be under $50. It's not that difficult to scan a page and see. I know we all make mistakes, and I may be sounding harsh right now, but the frequency of seeing the same "mistakes" starts to lessen understanding and compassion for the one/s making those mistakes. It was a great idea, but if you don't do it right, it just looks sloppy.

(Now I know what you're thinking... who made you the expert on Etsy? No one and I'm not, these are just my own personal reactions to the big new year's news. Every member of Etsy has their own unique perspective on the company and what it should be/do/look like/operate/etc. That just shows how invested we all are, and it's beyond just business, it's personal. How could it not be when so much of the Etsy population is made up of creative people sharing their hearts and souls woven into a blanket that was thoughtfully designed or a work of art painted with passion?)

That being said, I shall continue with my opinion piece on the matter at hand. ;) When the news of Rob's return hit Etsy, he followed up with these two posts that begin to answer all of the questions and concerns of the Etsy community.
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6384233
http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6384787

Right off the bat I'm tickled pink by these posts. He's here, he's present and he's talking to us AND listening to us AND responding with honesty rather than vague blanket statements or talking in circles. I am particularly pleased to read these quotes from his posts.

"I'd like to know (am asking this for the fine art artists on etsy) if etsy is planning on doing more promotion of 'fine art' on etsy? Are the fine art artists going to have a more defined category and sub categories of art? (MysticSilks)
Yes, we'll be redoing all the category structures. We've spent a lot of time researching this. Etsy has also been talking with art schools and museums to help push this further, and Matt (who was heading this up) can speak more about it."

Communicating with the art world for our advantage? Hooray! Can't wait to hear what Matt says...

- Will there be more open lines of communication with admin? More personalized answers rather than canned responses? (MNHPhotography)
Yes, yes, yes. We have a long way to go, but we're moving in this direction.--

Weekend Deals: Will Etsy still be trying to get us to do the SMARMY SAMMY'S USED CAR BLOWOUT EXTRAVAGANZA type of deals with free shipping, BOGO, and other stuff that simply isn't feasible for most of us? (peaseblossomstudio)
No, no, no. Weekend deals have been scrapped, you won't see them again.

Thank goodness for both of these responses! No more gift guides (mentioned in another quote) and no more weekend deals that reflect poorly on the quality aspect of the site. If individual shops want to have sales that's great but to encourage sellers to slash their earnings for a bit of exposure was, in my opinion, insulting and denegrating to the whole.

Some members in the Etsy forums express concern in Rob's use of words, particularly the term social commerce. I'm not worried by that, to me it means getting back to the people behind the scenes - the creators, the makers, the collectors, the buyers. Also, the people behind the scenes of Etsy, who Rob wants to welcome into the public converstation again, starting here. I believe this is a return to the heart of Etsy, the spirit that made you take notice and want to explore further.

I'm reminded of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (which my husband and I love) and the many businesses you see that have something special about them but they try all of the other gimmicks in the book and it's the gimmicks that bury them. Ramsay always comes along to find the one or two great elements of the place and focus on them, simplify the menu and get the staff to work as a well oiled machine, as a team. Along the way Chez Etsy got distracted and tried to be something it's not, something that fought against the very thing that made it special to begin with. I'm hoping Rob can come in like Ramsay (perhaps with less cursing, but hey, whatever works for you!) and get this place back on it's feet and better than ever before.

We can't go back, nor should we, so looking forward is the best answer harnessing our strongest assets, our lessons learned and our biggest and brightest dreams. Cheers to a New Year my friends - and cheers to a new Etsy!

Let the games begin - What are your comments on the matter?????

New floral stamp set

Available at http://www.etsy.com/shop/livefunky - too early to start thinking Spring? It's never too early for me!

Original Art Pendants

Winter Tree

Sunrise Abstract

Translucent Floral

Mint Folk Flower


I think I've found a good way to photograph these new art pendants on my antique wildflower book. I love this book. I've had it since I was a teenager and used it as a reference for painting a floral banner around my best friend's bedroom on a spring break from high school. I also decoupaged color photocopies of the images on my kitchen cabinets when I moved into this house in 2001. This book has been a source of creative inspiration for almost twenty years! The images are black and white plates of wild flowers - some of which are hand tinted (see the background of the last image for a great example).

But back to my pendants... these are the pieces I've been working on the last few weeks. They are each double sided with original, one of a kind paintings/mixed media on the front and back of the 1" x 2" glass pendants. The backs are sealed with several layers of a glass like finish using 3D Crystal Lacquer. Aanraku silver bails are attached and a complimentary black satin ribbon is included with beaded ends. http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/.

Little Tree

END OF SUMMER SALE

NOW THROUGH AUGUST 31 GET 25% OFF EVERYTHING IN MY LIVEFUNKY SHOP!

www.livefunky.etsy.com

What I've Been Working On

Ah lovely creative chaos. I've been having a lot of fun exploring new ideas, techniques and materials for my livefunky products. I'll explain this picture working my way down from the top.

Handpainted terracotta pots - These particular pots were painted years ago (2002) and I'd like to get back to working on them. At the time I used acrylic paint and acrylic gel varnish to seal them, but through years of wear and tear, the paint hasn't held up to the elements. If I make these again, I'll be using paints and varnishes specifically for this usage. But at the moment I've got plenty of other irons in the fire so the pots will have to wait.

Glass bubble magnets - (Glass piece shown over old sketch). The set you see here were made using my Mod Circles patterns (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23724210). I used the craft store bubble and acrylic gel medium. I've run into a couple of problems with these. First, the glass bubbles aren't perfect - it's hard to find one that is completely free of dings, dimples and air bubbles. The second issue is in the adhering of the image. I tried the gel medium but I think I'm going to have to use Diamond Glaze (which is what most people use when they do art to glass work). Which leads me to...

Glass art pendants - I just got my order from http://thosesweetsensations.etsy.com/ for a set of rectangular glass pieces and bails. This glass is "crystal clear" which solves the problem I found with the bubble glass. I'm going to wait until I get the Diamond Glaze before I start experimenting with these, but I'm very eager to get going.

Handpainted rock magnets - Like the pots, this isn't a new idea for me. But in the past my rocks were promoted as "pet rocks" or paperweights and I painted on collected rocks I found on walks in the woods. These new rocks are choice, flat, black river stones that are light weight and smooth to paint on. I think people are more likely to put a cool art object like this as a useful tool on the fridge rather than taking up more space on their desk. We all have more than enough "stuff" filling up our work spaces!

last but not least...

Mandala collage/painting on record albums - Being a music lover myself, this idea does at first sting a little - how can you destroy a classic album?! But no worries, it's my mission to use the least desired record albums ever made. The collection of records I recently picked up are actually quite funny, I'll have to do a separate post about them. One of my favorites is "Alabama Christmas" - you should see the inset pics of how Alabama spends their holiday. It's a laugh riot. Anyway, this is the first one I started and it's not done yet but I like where it's going. I'm working with cut out shapes of paper and craft papers as well as acrylic paint. I'm sure more mixed media action will come into play, adding a three dimensional element to the artwork. I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with these. I think some will be mounted as artworks, others will be mounted as artwork. Perhaps I could offer both options to buyers... We shall see.

So yes, that's where I'm at right now. As I think of ideas for products and experiment with them, I'm also thinking about the total package for presentation. The whole process is a lot of fun to get into. Meanwhile I'm promoting my annual art (or yart in Etsy lingo) sale at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/, having fun with family, gardening and all around enjoying life. Rock on.

(Psst - if you haven't already, leave a comment here to enter to win a free set of magnets!)

http://jessicatorrant.blogspot.com/2009/06/magnet-set-give-away.html

Yart Sale on Etsy

Yard Sale + Art = Yart Sale!

The timing of Etsy's annual Yart Sale works out perfectly with my desire to revamp my LiveFunky shop. I'm working on projects to fill my shop with gift items, home decor goods, jewelry and more. (My gallery shop will continue to feature my original Fine Artwork.) So if you are looking for a crazy bargain, now's the time to buy at www.livefunky.etsy.com - 50% off of the listed price of everything in my shop. Now through June 16th.

Mini Paintings on LiveFunky

Acrylic mini abstract on 4" x 4" matboard, 2009
Available for purchase at www.livefunky.etsy.com

On a rainy day this week I worked in the basement on these 4x4 squares of matboard. I have stacks of archival matboard I inherited from one of my framing gigs years ago. They are in beautiful shape (did I mention archival? these boards will probably outlive me!) and for smaller sizes, you can display them "as is" on a mini easel.

I spent the day tediously going through my livefunky shop updating listings (free shipping in the US and Canada) and eliminating all paintings larger than 8" x 10". I've decided to focus on small scale originals for livefunky. ACEOs will be making a comeback and I'm going to be working with some recycled paper panels from Kendra of www.GreenPost.etsy.com. I like the distinction now. I'll always be doodling and working on mini projects when I'm not working on big bad canvases in the studio.

It just worked out that these became abstract semi-landscape studies but in the future I'll be playing with my more linear and atmospheric abstracts. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Jess :)

Painting flowers

Spring Forsythia - original acrylic on 8x8 inch box canvas

I've enjoyed painting flowers recently and look forward to do more studies for www.livefunky.etsy.com. I'm also interested in working on some landscapes this summer - I'll continue with abstraction always but it's good practice for me to paint from life in my own style. Hope everyone has a great weekend. :)

Scrapbooking Paper Downloads

This is the first in my new collection of downloads available in my Etsy shop at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/. They are designed to be printed at home as many times as the buyer wants, cut up, pasted, altered, glued, decoupaged, you name it. I happen to love this card I made this afternoon using my test printout, a blank greeting card and a piece of decorative paper.

I spent the day testing out different approaches, from ink to watercolor to acrylic. I drew and painted so many different leaves today but it was worth it. I've decided that there's no rush - take your time, work on what you are doing until it's exactly as you want it, nothing short of the best. That's not to say I've been putting out half hearted work, but I do tend to be impatient and I'm going to work on that. I was working at the kitchen table today and I actually had the bad 90's song "Don't Rush Me" going through my head. Not a great tune, but a good reminder nonetheless.

So it's official... I recently signed onto Etsy as www.JessicaTorrant.etsy.com. I'm going to be continuing with livefunky (downloads, printed products, small originals) and my new shop will be focusing on Fine Art originals. Part of the reason why I'm doing this is because I want to continue to experiment with fun, lighthearted projects and keep my serious paintings seperate, grouped together in one place. Let's put it this way - if I were going to a craft show, I'd bring along livefunky prints and originals, if I was applying for a gallery show, I'd be presenting my finest work (soon to be at JessicaTorrant). I have a series idea I've been working on that will be my first paintings to hit JT. Things will continue to evolve through the summer and the divide between the two shops will become ever more apparent.

Original Art Cards on Etsy

Here are some pictures of my new "art cards" I'm selling in my Etsy shop www.livefunky.etsy.com. (I couldn't resist including this shot of the forsythia now blooming!). I'm really excited about these cards. It's been a bit overcast the last two days so I'm looking forward to a really sunny day to improve my photographs. I have them packaged with an envelope, a sticker for sealing and a print out with framing instructions in a cello sleeve. I love a sleek, well packaged product! I think these will be a good addition to any summer shows/fairs I do this year. I have been doing a lot of planning and brainstorming for livefunky as well as another idea I've got up my sleeve. I'll explain more as things progress.

Sgraffito Scapes

Available for purchase at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/.

Perseverance

Acrylic on 12" x 12" canvas panel - http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/

VintageJunction

THE LETTER E - Vintage Printmaking Block
http://www.vintagejunction.etsy.com/

My vintage shop has returned with a collection of vintage printmaking blocks that I got several years ago. These are so cool and I think they'd be perfect for assemblage sculptures. I've found the photography element of selling vintage is really enjoyable. This photo of the letter E is my favorite so far. I think it's a work of art unto itself!

Spring is whispering in my ear that it is almost here and I am so happy and excited as my tulips and hyacinth peak out of the earth with their beautiful green limbs. I was sick the last two weeks and I'm finally coming out of it just in time for some great weather. I'm looking forward to going to tag sales to hunt for vintage treasures this summer. My friend from LA used to call going to tag sales "saling" and he said it with the most hilarious drawl - imagine Matthew McConaughey saying "Let's go saling bros!". I've got to admit, tag sales in Santa Cruz were awesome but around here we've got different "stuff" than out west - often with much more antiquity. The real old antiques are my aunt's expertise - I like to focus on the 1950's-70's. The mystery of saling is addictive, you never know what you will discover and it's just such a fun way to spend an afternoon. Cruising around town going from house to house, being part of the whole experience of picking over other people's stuff. One family down the road from my parent's house have a tag sale every year and they have SO MUCH STUFF!! I always wonder what their house looks like inside - I imagine it filled wall to wall with belongings.

Anyway, lots to look forward to in the coming weeks and months. Happy almost Spring everybody!

Two new paintings

Let It Begin - Acrylic on canvas wrapped wood, 2009

Hyper Analysis - Acrylic on canvas wrapped wood, 2009

Yesterday I finished up these very different paintings. The first was controlled and simple - focusing on the most interesting color combinations and arrangement of limited forms. The second is like a buffet of techniques, colors, marks, shapes, layers. It seems I am always balancing these two extremes when I paint - often simultaneously. I go wild on one piece, set it aside and slow way down with another, then put that aside just when I'm ready to get a little crazy again.

Both paintings are now available at http://www.livefunky.etsy.com/