How Will Covid-19 Influence Our Creativity?

Floral Abstract "Hope Through The Mist" by J. Beaudet

Artists over the years have been inspired by turmoil. Uncertain times can bring out the most emotional works of art, and tells a story of the history of that time. Art movements are a reflection of the time. I wonder what this movement will be. Simple times, getting back to basics? An appreciation of nature?

I know, as an artist, I've always been inspired when emotions are high. Sometimes it's been from grief or despair, but also love and the emotions that come from exploring new places. What's happening in our world today, is different. It's brought feelings I've never had to deal with in my lifetime, and I'm sure you're with me when I say I can't wait for it to be over. I'm not sure how life will have changed or how I will have changed, but I do know that my art will change. It's already changing.

I think art in general will change. I don't know what that change will be but that's my opinion. It will be interesting to look back and see what creatives bring to it! And this won't just be visual art, but music and film, theater and of course technology. I have to include that because there are some seriously creative people in the tech world. It's going to be so interesting to see this movement manifest.

This new creation of mine is a new beginning...

5 Reasons To Buy Art Direct From The Artist During A Crisis or Anytime

Sold

1. You're stuck at home and discover a lot of blank walls or even worse, walls filled with nothing special.  
2. Uplift the spirits of someone dear to you. This is a stressful time for all of us. How wonderful would it be to receive a personal gift like art? Giving art as a gift is special. It's much more personal gift card, and last a lot longer than a bouquet of roses! Your gift to your love one will be displayed and appreciated daily. Not tucked away in a drawer or even worse, re-gifted! 
3. Buying art directly from the artist has a powerful meaning. You're not only supporting them so they can create more but you're bringing someone's creativity to your home. It's original, fresh, and alive!
4. You're helping the economy.  Many artists support themselves or at least supplement their incomes through their art. 
5. You're supporting the arts! Art is an important part of our society and our world. It enriches lives with beauty, intrigue, mystery, fantasy, and more. Art is seen throughout our history, from the time of cavemen. We can't stop making it. It's not the times of the Medici, when patrons supported their artists...or is it? You are our patrons. You are our Medici family. 

         Can you think of other reasons to buy art directly from the artist?
       
Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It means so much! With your support, I am able to buy more supplies, pay bills, continue my therapy, and share my passion for our beautiful world! We need beauty in our lives...especially in times of crisis.

New Pink Peonies by Artist Jen Beaudet

New Pink Peonies by Artist Jen Beaudet...art therapy and social distancing

Available soon

Here's a new piece in my studio! Times are a little strange at the moment, so I'm taking this emotion and putting it into painting. It's such great therapy. You should try it! I feel like more art is going to be created in the following months than ever before! I hope I can add some beauty and peace to our lives...we all need some distraction and what's better than beautiful flowers? 

My daughter helped me with the color on the table. I originally had it a yellowish color but we decided the dark gray was less distracting. I kind of like the glass as is. What do you think? Add some more detail or keep it simple? I'm going to fix the left side of the table top so that it's not smudged. I put this color down right before I had to run off to work!

 I'm learning a new workflow and trying to be flexible! I used to have a schedule for my art (when that was all I was doing). Wake up, social media, learn new strategies...while drinking my coffee. Get ready and get in the studio and paint! Post my new one...repeat. 

Now, I'm back in the workforce, for now...so I need to use my time wisely, painting in sprints not marathons. I'm a quick painter so this works for me! It's just a matter of getting in the studio and getting in the paint! I work at supercuts and we're definitely slow right now. I'm going to use this time to create instead of worrying too much. I wish you all good health and hope to bring you a little break from this unprecedented time. 

Thanks for your visit. Talk to you soon! 

Art for a Cause

Twitter Art Exhibit 2020

I'm so happy I finished this in time for the 2020 TwitterArtExhibit! This year's charity is for Horry County Disabilities & Special Needs. Such a great cause to donate to! I loved painting this little piece and love the cause it's going towards. I hope someone falls in love with it at the show.



I found some other entries from the past, and feel like this one is maybe a little more primitive, even though I've been painting longer. It could be the brush size I used and it's also acrylic instead of oil paints. They all have an impressionist feel but the colors are a little more complex than the new one. I go back and forth and I know that's not what an artist should do. It's like I have a split personality! I wonder if it's determined by my mood.

I revisited some paintings from years ago to get inspired. I need to get back to painting just because I love it so much. No pressure to make my next masterpiece or sell it. Just for the love because it's my passion. I feel like I got lost somewhere. These paintings below are also larger than the new one which changes the amount of detail when using a larger brush.

available as a print 

on etsy

Sometimes simple is better. What do you think? I like the new one but I'm going to try it in oils to see if that's the difference.

New paintings and working hard for my upcoming show!

Can an Artist Change Their Name...successfully? By Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan...

If you have been following me you may already know the situation I encountered of another artist having my same exact name...even the same middle name! She also paints oils of similar subjects. The style is not quite that same but I'm afraid it could get confusing for my collectors. I've since spoken with her and found out that she's very cool and is also a great artist. It's a strange feeling and until it happens to you it's hard to understand how it feels. I had been working hard to brand my name and have managed to show up in a lot of places online. However, I took a little break and feel like I haven't fully come back from it. A divorce, being abruptly ripped from all of my possessions, having to start my life over from scratch...it's been a journey. Things are great now! I started working as hairstylist and happened to meet someone very special. We moved to San Clemente, California together in May and will be married soon!

Field of Flowers by Jen Beaudet Zondervan Original Sold

I know I've been focused on getting my life back and my art has suffered from that. But I still had my name, at least I thought I did. There is another Jennifer Beaudet whose website has much more power  than mine, so it comes up first. I just don't have the money to put towards that and have been doing it all on my own so far. My images show up first because there are so many, but her website shows up. I don't want to compete for my name. Art is a hard business and is very competitive. I liked my name J. Beaudet but now I feel like it's lost something. It's not me. I'm going to be married soon and will change my name to Zondervan. What if I started signing my paintings, Zondervan? How would that work in the art world? I've sold hundreds of paintings as J. Beaudet. My signature is recognizable. Would I be essentially starting over if I started painting under a new name?

It's frustrating and I feel a little loss of identity. But really, what's in a name? My name was Rutkoskie before I was married at 22, I could sign my paintings Rutkoskie. I'm conflicted and could use some advice. My heart says just keep painting (or I should say...start painting again like I used to) and keep signing my name J. Beaudet and it will all work out, but my mind says different. What would you do?

My hometown! PV View by J. Beaudet Zondervan Sold

Kincaid's on The Pier by J Beaudet Zondervan Sold

Peonies Delight by J. Beaudet Zondervan Sold

Koi Fish by J. Beaudet Zondervan Sold

My Pochade

Trinity River by J. Beaudet Zondervan

Update! My name is officially Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan now! I'm signing my work J Beaudet Z for now. I still live in San Clemente, California and have always lived in California (except one mistake by moving to Arizona for about 3 months...) 

Palette Kinfe Painting of a Women in Red Dress

sold but available as a print on my Etsy
Jennifer Beaudet Zondervan ©

This oil painting was created using only a palette knife and oil paint. I tried to keep to a limited palette of complimentary colors for a dramatic impact. For her dress, I used alizarin crimson with some green for the darks and cadmium red for most other light areas. I painted this one in 2016...I don't remember exactly. I loved painting her red dress. This one just flowed so effortlessly. They don't always happen like that, so when it does I remember it, for sure! I've done several paintings of women in red and I'm sure I will do more someday. I'm inspired by beautiful fabrics and bridal gowns and since I've been wedding dress shipping recently, I have lots of paintings in mind. This oil painting is only an 8x10 and I'm trying to paint on a larger scale lately, so I may do something similar but larger.

Finding My Place by Artist Jennifer Beaudet

12x12 inch oil available

Moving to a new place is exciting but can also be an adjustment. New surroundings, new job, new life. Best thing is, I'm inspired to paint again and love my new studio! I guess it's a natural occurrence because of so many changes...I feel a transformation in my art happening. Am I struggling to find my voice as an artist? Or am I just adjusting to my new life?

18x24 inch original oil available 

I wrote this before I created my newest abstract. I am going to explore this direction and see where it takes me. It actually started because we want a large abstract for our new home. I have been wanting to try something like that and this is the perfect opportunity. The one posted here is a test and I love it! It's not large enough for my space, but I think the colors are going to work.  I already have a new commission for another one...just happens to be for my mom. I know when she loves something I've done that I'm onto something good. I mean, of course she likes most everything I do, but when she loves it it's obvious. My mom is an amazing interior designer who just never worked as one. Her life took her in a different direction, raising 3 kids, playing tennis, shopping...but if she had to make a living she would have been a top designer, really! So...when she loves something I've done, I listen.

I feel like abstract art comes from such a personal place it's not always easy to share it. I feel vulnerable, like I'm putting it all out there...naked. This is the direction I need to go not just for my art but for myself.

Sometimes it's better to leave things alone...

Forgotten Rose- Original sold...prints available here

I have been messing with my settings on here and somehow lost my social media links. I'm trying to get them back and am going to add them to the top tab buttons. In the meantime...here's and article published about my work on ArtPromotivate. I'm going to make a tab specifically for all my featured articles so they're all in one spot. Thanks for hanging in there with me as I get this all figured out!

Some little pink roses and...

I'm making some changes to my site here and just want to keep you all updated. Plus...I want to share this little one with you. I took the leaf on left out and will have it list in my shop soon. It's an 8x8 oil on canvas for $125.

New florals blooming in my studio...

Yellow Polka dots and Pink 12x12 inch oil on canvas

I have new floral oil paintings blooming in my studio! I love pink peonies and I think the polka dots are pretty cute.

Pink Celebration 12x12 inch oil on canvas

I have one more I finishing up today, then I think I may do another landscape. I'm currently working on getting my website again. I have always used this as my website and had my other one connected here, but blogger doesn't have as much control over SEO's as Wordpress does. You may have remembered I started a new one back in 2013 (I think that's when it was...time flies!) When my life was disrupted, and I was uprooted from my home in 2016, I neglected to pay the domain name renewal and lost it. I'm paying the price now, as it was sold to someone who is impersonating me. I've contacted the web site owners and servers to have them shut it down and may contact the local police. This is my business, and even more, my life. I take it very seriously. The strangest thing is the website has an email that goes to a woman in Maryland who has the same name as I do...even the same middle name! Crazy and it is she's also an oil painter, as of a year ago. I've spoken with her and she seems very nice. She has also sent an email to the register site demanding they take it down. Our art is quite different, and I'm pretty sure you can tell if it's an original "J. Beaudet", but I don't want there to be any confusion or uncertainty about who you're dealing with. I live in California and always have, she's lives in DC or Maryland (the east coast). I have never lived there and never will. I have been painting and selling my art on Etsy since 2009. Click to see- My first painting I sold on Etsy (besides one to my mom)

I sell my work in my Etsy shop and sell prints on Fine Art America . I have also been accepted to Saatchi and I have my work on Artfinder   I've worked hard to get my name branded, and as you may know, I started this blog with that name "my life as a starving artist". While I may never have gone hungry, and I'm grateful for that, I do everything on a very tight budget (like mostly free...as in, I do it myself) I appreciate all of you who have bought my work over the years and allowed me to continue to create art. I can't do this without you! Seriously.
I am thinking about changing my name but not sure how that would be. I'm engaged and my last name could change when we're married. I don't think anyone will have his last name! Anyway, I'm still plugging along and Love that you are still with me! Thank you :)

Summer time...

Upcountry is available as a print here

...close up of what's on my easel today

One of my favorites from an online workshop from Richard Robinson

new one...available soon in my Etsy shop

Inspired by my new home in Socal and the hint of summer...here and there...It's been a cool one so far but it's only just begun! I'll have my latest available originals posted to my Etsy shop soon. I'm still working on organizing my new "studio". Currently, I'm working outside, which I love. My view looks like some other country. It's amazing! I hope you're all enjoying your summer!

Newly Inspired...Finally!?

It's been a big adjustment and transitional time of my life. So many changes and more on their way! I've moved 3 times in as many years, and am now moving once more. I hope I will be there long enough to start a new life. It's not easy being a nomad. Things have been relatively good over the last three years, or at least not terrible.
I did lose my dad about four months ago and I'm still going through it...but things are not terrible. I'm living my dream, with the ocean only a few miles from me, and beautiful Socal weather every day! Although it has been a cold year, I think summer will be perfect! So Excited that I will be waking up to a dreamy ocean view with inspiration right outside my window!
I'm engaged to an amazing man who treats me how I deserve to be treated. I realize now I was only being treated badly because I chose to be. I chose who I was with, no one forced me to be in abusive relationships. I also realize I don't need someone to make me happy, I'm really happy by myself. It's just a bonus to have someone to share my happiness with! I'm not saying that my life is perfect, whose really is? But it's better than it has been in a long time and I know it will continue this way.
Ok...I can go on and on about my personal life but I don't want to bore you too much...
So, about my art...I can blame it on a lack of my own studio space, my computer (with all my files) died, and not to mention I've been cutting hair, like a robot, to pay the rent. Actually there are a multitude of factors that have played a role in my "little break" from my art, but the real reason is ME. I just haven't felt motivated, no energy, no inspiration. That is changing, I can feel it. It doesn't hurt that I made a sale today! Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I have a super studio moving sale happening right now! I just sold one of the largest pieces I have left but there are still a few left if you want to take a look...right here at some original paintings in my Etsy shop.

this one has sold

I also have another solo show in Santa Barbara in September but I'll tell you about that another time.

I hope you are still on blogger. I know I'm not very often anymore, but it's still a good place to get it out regardless if anyone sees it or not. Until next time...