Varnishing floral paintings
Ah, yes, still. And, it’s Thursday. 
Oy. Some weeks, I don’t accomplish much. 
But, in my defense, I have added 5 more paintings to the mix, so that’s something.
The one on the bottom left has sold..just giving it a final coat of varnish before shipping it off to Germany.  

As soon as I finish here, I will be photographing all of them, and slowly but surely, they’ll be magically appearing in my Etsy shop. I’ll just wave my magic wand, and..plunk! Oh, how I wish it was that easy. It will take me another week or two to get all the photos edited, and listings written. Look for them soonish.  

On a different note, I received an email this morning asking where my old videos on Youtube went. I’ve already replied, but I thought I’d answer here, too, in case anyone else notices. Honestly, the email caught me by surprise. I didn’t think anyone watched my YT videos anymore, but this one sweet girl said she misses my videos. I feel terrible to disappoint anyone, but here’s the thing..I don’t feel like my old videos represent my work anymore, so I took them all down last week. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s one I’ve been contemplating for over a year now.

When I started Art By Katie Jeanne last year, I knew there would come a day when I would want to concentrate solely on my new work. For some reason, tho, I couldn’t let go of my Miz Katie work just yet. I continued painting a few portraits here and there. I also made art journal videos weekly, which consisted of mostly faces. It seemed like that’s all I posted all summer here on my blog (those posts have been made private now). It was fun, but here’s the thing, I’m scatterbrained, and I need to focus. 

Floral painting No 227
Acrylic on canvas
Available for purchase here

Since I’ve added a third online shop to the mix, (for those of you who hate Etsy, you can buy my paintings there, and directly through me here) I’ve realized I’ve got myself spread too thin, and I need to simplify my life. Something had to go, so I made the decision a couple weeks ago to make some changes. I asked myself what my number one priority is right now, and the answer is to grow my Art By Katie Jeanne business. It’s the reason I get up in the morning. A little back story..I started off many years ago as a palette knife painter, and going back to my original roots, and subject matter..well, it’s making me the happiest I’ve been in a loooong time. I’ve always felt that my Miz Katie work was a major detour I made for my mother because she didn’t like the work I was making. She wanted me to be a portrait painter, and I went along with that for a long time, even long after she had passed away. You can’t make art for someone else, and be happy, so I’m finally back where I started. Yes! 

Bottom line is if I have to let go of my Miz Katie etsy shop, and everything associated with it (portraits, art journals, videos) to focus on my new/old brand, then that’s what I have to do. I know some of you will be sad about the change because you like my brushwork/portraits better, and I’m sorry for that. 

Flower Painting No 228
Acrylic on canvas
Available for purchase here

Does this mean I will never paint a portrait again? I’m not going to go that far just yet because the muse has a mind of its own. I might walk into my studio later today, and get the uncontrollable urge to paint a portrait. I’m an intuitive painter, so it happens, and I just go with it. I like flying by the seat of my pants every day.

However, I’m officially no longer accepting portrait commissions, no matter who asks. Sorry!! Also, I won’t be posting portraits, making portrait videos or posting art journal pages (unless it’s relevant) here on my blog any longer. If there are ever any new portrait paintings in the future, they’ll be going straight into my Miz Katie etsy shop, until I make the decision to close it down. Yes, sadly, one day I will be shutting off the light on the entire Miz Katie project. You’ve still got time, tho. As long as it’s still making me money, I’ll keep it open. If it starts going into the red, that’s another story. Last month I had to pay Etsy $380+ in fees between both shops. Yikes! Luckily, I still made a profit, but those freaking fees kill me, man..that’s like food for a month – gone. But, that’s a post for another day. If you have favorited my Miz Katie shop on Etsy, you will see any new work when it’s posted. Same goes for my Art By Katie Jeanne shop, and you’ll be seeing most of those paintings here on my blog, too. 

Hope this explains the changes going on around here, and why I’m making them. Now, I’ve got to get back to work, and start photographing those new paintings.