I got some free wood pallets recently - I've definitely had some fun with them. I started coming up with ideas right away, and I'm so thankful I now have the space and tools to have those ideas come to life! And, thanks to Ryan's encouragement I put them up for sale on Etsy.
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| My make-shift set up for taking pictures for the shop |
This decision goes beyond just selling them. I've never been able to part with my art before - even sharing it with people has been difficult. I think it is partly because it is
so personal, that it makes me feel vulnerable. I think I believed that if I tried selling my art and it didn't go well, it wouldn't validate me as an artist.
A few years ago, it was the first time ever I was part of an art show - thinking back, the pieces I displayed were not that good, at all. But that's ok, I was still trying to figure out my style, I learned a lot through the process, and the support and feedback from my friends and family was
encouraging!
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| One of my pieces - using all reclaimed wood! |
So this putting stuff up on Etsy is more about me trying to rise up to a
challenge, to let go of my fears and insecurities about my art, and maybe to get some feedback again. But at the end of the day - whether they sell or not - every day I am more and more aware of how much I love to create, so Lord willing, I will never stop. I will continue figuring out what my style is, because life is about trial and error, and if we hide behind fear and insecurities, how far do we really expect to go?
Now, I'm no online marketing person, or photographer, and it took me a big majority of today to put up five pieces! If you could have just seen me! I felt like a... I don't know, what's a high stress job? The frustration levels were up through the roof, the pictures wouldn't come out right, the light would mess with me, and my computer would freeze at times! But I made it through because I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. It was all about
vulnerability, learning, taking risks - and it was so
worth it! Because I learned a lot through the process. So if you want to check out my little Etsy shop, go
here or click in the images below!
