Category: The Journey Begins

It’s all in the title. This collection of blogs acts as a diary of my first year as a full-time artist.

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My Patreon Account & New shop listings.

Hey, friends! Recently, you may have noticed that I added a few new things to the shop! This wasn’t the plan but a girl’s gotta start bringing in some extra $. Here’s the scoop:

I have been stocking up on these postcards and other fun extras to be used as rewards for my different tiers for my Patreon account. If you don’t know what this is, I’ve added the link here but it’s basically an online platform where people can support creatives in all sorts of lines of work. When creating an account, you can decide what you want your different reward tiers to be and what you would want to charge the patrons that are interested in that tier. This can always be customized and changed as time goes on.

You can think of it as an online monthly subscription plan to whatever creator catches your eye. A potential patron can view the different subscription plans and decide which one suits their likes and needs more appropriately. Subscriptions can be cancelled anytime without fees or implications. Many YouTubers and artists rely on this platform to make a living. Patreon does take a small percentage of the monthly commitment, of course, but it can be very helpful in planning out finances when patrons pledge to a monthly reward tier.

For me, for example, my first tier is only $1 and gives access to almost all online content, photos, videos, tutorials, etcetera, that I would post on my page. I also offer the option to participate in a monthly drawing challenge. Draw this in your style has become very popular I’ve noticed, especially on Instagram and what I’ve been doing is similar. I’d simply upload a rough outline sketch of one of my pieces and challenged my patrons to finish the piece and re upload the image on my page. This would include a monthly shoutout on IG/Facebook to all those that participated. Who doesn’t want a little extra publicity these days?

The next tier I have available is $10 and that gives you everything the first tier had to offer plus a new 4x6in postcard delivered every month. Each tier always includes the rewards that come in the previous tier so the deals always get better as you pay more (like many business out there). Plus, with each tier I offer a lifetime shop discount to say thank you. Just like with the rewards, the higher the tier that a patron might choose, the higher the discount would be.

The next tier is at $25 and would consist of everything offered by the first two tiers plus a surprise art box (prints, stickers, etc.). The last two tiers are a commissioned work at $250 and finally an original featured painting at $500. These are the paintings I feature on my YouTube channel every month as speed paintings.

This is a very helpful way for a lot of artists and people who do creative work to make a steady, more reliable income every month. As an artist who runs a small shop, it’s hard to tell what I’m going to be making every month especially since I don’t offer prints just yet. Why are fine art printers so expensive? Originals are also more expensive so the chances of those selling out right away are also pretty slim-when you’re first starting out, that is. I’m sure you can all see the dilemma there when trying to make a living.

This is why Patreon has been SO important to me and has been a main focus of mine. However, it’s still crickets over there, unfortunately, and after 6 months of being active and getting in the routine of posting on there regularly, I realized that I’ve been putting so much love, work, and effort into a seed that hasn’t shown any signs of sprouting just yet. I just recently decided that I would start focusing my attention more on other things and areas that I have been neglecting. It’s hard spending all your time and creative energy on something that no one sees. I don’t have any plans on quitting or deleting my Patreon account, don’t get me wrong. I’m simply just saying that I’m going to be taking a little break from it. I get notified when a new Patron has pledged to me and until then, I’m probably not going to do much with my account. I may post a few times a month to keep it updated, but until there are actually patrons over there, I’m shifting focus towards my shop.

All that being said, this is why you see all of these new postcards added to the shop! It’s been nice because since I’ve added them, I’ve been receiving a lot more orders and am actually starting to make some extra moolah. I’ve said it on my Instagram stories before, but I’m currently saving up for a fine art printer so that I can offer more variety in my shop such as high quality prints of different sizes.

If you guys haven’t seen the new products, check them out! I’ve got a lot to do today so I am going to get right to it now. Have an amazing week, everyone and keep doing what you do!

Xoxo,

Q

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Art Works Gallery Exhibition

The last several days have been very busy, but today I’m back in the studio! Before I get started tackling my “to-do” list, I wanted to write you all and give you a quick summary of the weekend!

Last night was the opener for the Art Works Gallery exhibition:

“More than the Sum of Its Parts.”

This gallery is located in Eagan, MN, and is still relatively new. I was very excited when they invited me to be one of their featured artists!

I have some footage from the opener and will be editing and uploading a vlog onto my YouTube channel this Friday! Subscribe if you haven’t already!

There were many other beautiful pieces and talented artists, and I was very happy with how well “Escort” and “Taken Under Wing” fit in with the theme!

Both pieces are still currently available and are going to be featured in the exhibit until May 24th.

SO much love to this beautiful spirit, Jessica Madison, that stopped by to show support! She definitely made my night. She has been my art muse for the longest time before I decided to become a full-time artist and happens to be the tattoo artist that started my beautiful leg piece (that still needs to be finished. Please check out her work and show her some love!…Oh, & be sure to look forward to a collab event this fall. So excited to be working together later this year.
 ♥

Xoxo,

Q

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Gallery Exhibition: More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Good morning, readers!

It’s a new month! I hope you all have your goals set in place for the month to keep your productivity up high! As for myself, I’ve got a really short week this time due to appointments, drill weekend, and the like, so I want to get to the nitty gritty right away this morning as I have a LOT to do!

If you received my newsletter that went out earlier this morning then you will have gotten the announcement and details on my participation in an exhibition for Art Works Gallery in Eagan, MN. If you haven’t already done so, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list here! I send out monthly newsletters and notifications of sales, pop-ups, and other events. Be sure to add your birthday so that you can get a yearly birthday surprise in the mail as a thank you!

I announced on my Facebook and Instagram pages that I got selected to participate in a curated show with Art Works Gallery in Eagan! These two pieces will be featured in that show and I will be there opening night from 5:30 – 6:30 pm! If you are available, I’d LOVE to see you guys out there! Opening night is free till 6:30, so if your local, be sure to come on out!


Upcoming program Cycle 2 is centered around the idea that Art Works is more than the sum of its parts. The artists that work here are challenged to be more than they could be alone.

Art Exhibition Opening events are ALWAYS FREE! Come and meet artists and talk with them about the creative process. Reception is being held from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Live music 7:00-8:30 p.m. by: The Selby Avenue Syncopators
Purchase event tickets $8-$10.

The Selby Avenue Syncopators perform early jazz and blues known as Dixieland, hot, and traditional jazz from many eras–ragtime to World War I to Prohibition to the Great Depression to World War II and into the middle of the 20th century. Enjoy the music of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Spencer Williams, W. C. Handy, Ma Rainey, the Louisiana Five, Kid Ory, Duke Ellington, Zep Meissner, Jimmy McPartland, and many more. The group includes vocals, clarinet/tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, banjo, and drums.


The exhibit will run through May 24th if you’d like to see these two pieces in person. They are both still available, but won’t process for shipping until after the exhibition on may 24th.

That’s all I have for announcements at the moment! I hope you guys all have an amazing week! I’ll keep in touch!

Xoxo,

Q

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Brand Makeover. You Can Do It All – If You Want.

Good Morning, Readers. ♡

I just have a quick update this morning as I’ve been itching to get started on a new painting. So far this morning, I’ve been working on some much-needed brand-updating for my website, social media, and youtube channel. I’ve been feeling like I’ve spread myself across so many different niches and it’s been hard getting the right balance. I have been an advocate for the belief that you can create your brand/business revolving around more than just one thing, but everyone seems to like to promote the opposite.

I see so many artists and other accounts on social media of varying niches and styles and it seems each one always likes to keep their interests solely on that one thing with all other interests separate. I’ve tried this with creating a separate essential oils, art, and lifestyle accounts. None of them have worked for me in the past because I had always felt as if I had left something, a part of me, out. I’ve just found it discouraging eventually and lost the joy in sharing my posts on those accounts. I don’t know if any of you have realised it or not, but recently I have been posting content on my Instagram (among other) account that is purely genuine and fits within all my interests. It may not gain me the most followers, but it shows everyone that does check in who I am in a nutshell.

Doing this, I feel whole.

I’m not saying that one way is better than the other- we all need to do what is best for us and fits our individual needs. That is exactly why I updated my YouTube banner to the featured image on this post.

Think of it as another way that I’m just genuinely being myself and sharing who I am with you all.

I am an artist.

I am also a christian,
a wellness advocate, and a wife.

“Stand up tall, little flowers. Be your shining and beautiful self. Don’t compare yourself to the other flowers around you. We’re all unique and beautifully made.”

It’s so much more fun being authentic. Have an amazing week, everyone.

Xoxo,

Q

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Travel. Just Go.

Hello friends! It’s Thursday! I’ve got my art and wellness YouTube videos all prepared to upload for the week! I’m feeling accomplished and was going to start a painting after finishing up all my other tasks of the day, but my body is so tired from my run yesterday that I decided to lay back and write this evening. I couldn’t bear to sit at the easel feeling as sore and achy as I do now! You better believe I’m diffusing some oils and using some relaxing roller blends. I’m just relieved that spring is FINALLY starting to arrive in Minnesota and that my normal outdoor runs can commence once again. It’s always difficult starting over, however.

This morning I was going through my phone and found some old photographs of our trip we took to Japan last April. I can’t believe it’s already been a year almost. I’ve been reminiscing about what an accomplishment this was and I am still shocked to this day that this dream of mine was fulfilled after years of planning and longing to go. Read the caption below.

Ever since I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to travel. It was a dream of mine to go to Japan. I have always loved the culture and I told myself that one day I would make it happen. #throwback to last year when that dream came true. I’ve been manifesting my dreams and desires since I was a little girl. I’m not the biggest believer in the new-age theories about manifestation and the law of attraction. I’m not sure that if you just “put your dreams out into the universe” that you will be rewarded. What I do believe in, however, is hard work. I have a vision board at my desk next to my computer and I see my goals daily. I know that those dreams and desires wont come to me unless I put the time and energy into them. Slowly, but surely, I’ve been tackling the things off my list. The business I’ve dreamed about for the past 5 years is now officially official. I just opened my business checking account and lines of credit the other day. Starting my business didnt happen until I decided to work for it and make it happen. For today’s #throwbackthursday I wanted to recognize the feeling I had when I was in Japan with my husband and I felt the impact of hard work and commitment. Also, totally #notsponsored by #louisvuitton 😉

I wanted to elaborate a little on this post, which is why I’m here now. I truly believe that when we work hard at our dreams and refuse to give up on them, that amazing things can happen. I’m only six months into my full-time self-employment and I feel like I have learned a lot and come so far. I know there is still a long way to go with my artwork, brand, and business, but I feel confident that with time, I’ll get there.

There’s just something about being in another country that puts your life into perspective. The trip was so rewarding knowing that it was something I was constantly working towards. My husband and I are firm believers in the value of time and experiences over worldly possessions. Reaping the benefits of hard work really adds value to the whole process of working hard and sticking to your goals and dreams. Traveling to Japan was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had in my life. Not that it’s a secret, but I also have a Travel Diary from this trip that I will be uploading onto my YouTube channel soon, hopefully. I’m so close to having it ready but need to find some footage of the last parts of the trip. Definitely subscribe to my channel and stay tuned for that. It’s going to be a fun one!

Perhaps I decided to write this as a reminder to myself in the future on those bad days where I feel as if I’m remaining stagnant in my career. We all need motivation from time to time and I hope my words are able to light a fire beneath you all!

Get out there and conquer your dreams!

Xoxo,

Q

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Mindful Mornings: Boosting Creativity and Overall Wellness

I woke up this morning feeling more refreshed and inspired than I have been lately. I feel so motivated and ready to conquer the week! Not bad for a Monday morning, eh? The reason for this is that I’ve begun making small changes to my morning routine over the past few days. I wanted to test this theory of mine before sharing with you all and I am completely comfortable now that I’ve tested it out for a few days.

I’ve always believed that we are all products of our environment. This is why a lot of people refer to me as a “clean freak” and why I desire to keep my space simple, bright, open, and tidy. Having an abundance of things and being in cluttered spaces has oftentimes peaked my stress and anxiety. Because our minds often operate at a hundred miles a minute (at least for me), I believe it is so important to have a simple, inviting space that supports a quiet, calm mind.

This isn’t necessarily a blog about minimalism, but more so about adopting a mindful morning routine. Just like the feelings a tidy, simple space provides, I’ve found that when you begin your day with a simple mindset and organized thoughts, it better helps with staying focused throughout the day and keeping your attention on the tasks at hand.

Part of this morning’s journal practice. Just plain and simple.

I’ve recently decided to take up bullet journaling every morning right after I wake up and have started a more mindful morning routine because of it. I used to immediately grab my phone and start mindlessly browsing and scrolling through work content, social media, and emails before even addressing myself or how I was feeling in that moment. I’d spend so much time just laying there in bed and found myself starting my day feeling unproductive. I’d found that this, more often than not, started my day with the overall feelings of stress and negativity.

I’m working on changing things slowly and now, instead of going straight into work and checking my phone, I have started my mornings instead by journaling and asking myself five key questions first thing in the morning and writing down the answers. I’ve started each day the same and have found my mood and overall productivity to be higher than on days where I haven’t done this.

  • How am I feeling today?
  • What do I want to accomplish today?
  • What’s on my mind?
  • What will I do for myself today?
  • What are some positive affirmations I need to remember today?

Starting my day by addressing how I’m feeling and what’s currently on my mind as I wake up has helped me to organize my thoughts whether troubling or not. Writing the answers to these questions down on paper helps to put my thoughts and feelings into perspective and simplifies it all. It helps me to focus on those feelings and to address them correctly and individually. Doing this has helped me tune into my body and emotions and I start my day remedying the negatives and reinforcing the positives.

By stating how I plan on caring for myself and giving myself positive affirmations, I’ve found it easier to remain positive and optimistic throughout the day. When I find myself in a situation later on where I may be needing the extra motivation or encouragement, I’ll simply open my journal and remind myself of the goals I’ve set for myself that morning and the positive affirmations I have written down.

This has also done wonders for my creative mind. Having my thoughts logged on paper has taken some of the extra fluff from floating out of my mind and I’ve been finding it easier to focus on my art and the tasks at hand as I take them all on one at a time. I plan on creating a YouTube video about this as another #WellnessSunday episode, but I highly encourage you all to give this a try-especially if you’ve been finding it hard to focus and find yourself facing a creative block.

Thanks again for tuning in, friends. I hope you all have an amazing week! I’ll check back in soon!

XoXo,

Q

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Cooling Things Down & My Current Commission

Monday has come again. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt this happy and at peace with myself and my art. Improvement really does happen naturally when you remain consistent and keep practicing. Lately I’ve just started going at my own pace again and it has been refreshing to say the least.

I’d been finding myself getting wrapped up in the whirlwind of schedules and weekly deadlines I had set for myself when it came to my blog. creating new artwork, and YouTube videos for both art and my Young Living business. When I first started this life of entrepreneurship and being a full-time artist back in September, I needed a structured daily schedule to keep myself occupied and to make sure I spent a good chunk of the day being productive rather than not knowing what to do with myself and my newfound freedom from my old 9-5. It worked really well for a few months and I have been very consistent and disciplined with my work schedule.

As time went on, however, I kept adding to my schedule and weekly routine and made changes as I saw fit. I spent nearly every waking hour of the day working and trying to get something accomplished. This has worked well because I naturally have a very strong work ethic, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been losing a bit of momentum as of late. When we focus so much of our attention and energy on our work, it’s easy to be left feeling drained if not given ample amount of r&r.

I love my work, truly I do. I wake up every day excited to get to work and to see what the day will bring. The past few days I have started to slow things down again and have started tuning into my mental and creative needs. I hadn’t uploaded a video on YouTube purely for the sake of meeting my weekly requirement and it felt so good. I realised that I am in full control and that I have every right to give myself a break every now and then. I’m not saying that I’m done with my current content schedule and throwing it to the wind, but I’ve remembered that I’m the one that’s in charge here and that it’s not the end of the world if I miss an upload for the week. Forcing myself to create new content and videos purely for the sake of meeting a deadline only leaves room for rushed work and a lack of quality; neither of which I want my art to be associated with.

What inspired this change of pace? I’ve been working on a commission for an amazing client. The experience has been just what I’ve been needing and has been a great way to help remind me of why I started painting in the first place. I wanted to inspire people with my art and to bring something new into the world that others would value and appreciate in their own homes and spaces.

This piece is still in the works and most of it is still in the first layers, but I’m hoping to have it completed by the end of this week. I’ve been dabbling in colors and saturation that I haven’t dealt with for months and have been really enjoying the color palette. If you remember from about a month or two ago, I have been holding a resentment toward working on canvases due to a painting going wrong. This commission has also helped me to forgive myself for the mistakes I made at that time-to both accept and move on.


If any of you are interested in starting a commission with me, I’d be so happy to work with you. Please familiarize yourself with my commission terms and contact me when you are ready to get your custom art created.

If any of my fellow creatives out there have been feeling a similar sort of way, remember that first and foremost, in order to be productive and produce quality work, you need to be in the right headspace. Take care of yourself and your needs above all else and the creative work will follow-trust me. Take the time and remember why you decided to do what you do in the first place. We creative and artistic entrepreneurs are few in number because let’s face it, this is not easy work and there’s never a guaranteed or set income in the beginning. Because of this, it’s crucial for us to remember why we decided to take the road less traveled.

All in all, seek out your inspiration, remember why you started, and know that it’s okay to take a few steps back when you feel like your stuck. Take it from a workaholic, you need a break and there is nothing wrong with that. Thanks for tuning in today. You guys are all so amazing and I appreciate you so much.

I hope inspiration finds you all this week. As I always say,

keep creating.

Xoxo,

Q

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Travel Art – A Monday Update

Hey, art lovers.

This week is getting off to a very interesting start. I’m currently in Minneapolis and while I love the ambiance and busyness (in moderation), I wish we were here on better circumstances. Today, my father in law is having surgery and while it isn’t a life-threatening situation, it always bring about the nerves and worry if complications should arise.

Lately, I’ve been a lot less inspired when it comes to my artistic passions and I believe it is largely due to the family and personal circumstances that have arose over the past month or so.

Driving in the city is never a fun experience for us since we live among pastures and dirt roads, but as we approached I felt a rush within my spirit. Even with our -10F weather, I’ve been in awe of all the unique buildings and old architecture. There is a cold, crisp, chill in the air and the buildings were glistening with a frozen glaze visible from the light of the rising sun. I couldn’t help but to feel my artistic inspiration flowing while traveling into Minneapolis this morning and looking at all the old architecture and buildings. I always feel a rush when I’m in the city and it feels as if a part of me awakens whenever I experience this ambiance. Art is alive here.

My husband has never been a fan of the city or anywhere there is an abundance of people and traffic-especially the traffic. We do share a lot of those similar feelings. We love being around nature and having our own peaceful, quiet space. However, as an artist, I really appreciate the creative life and all of the different kinds of characters you can un into within the city. The old historic landmarks add fuel to my creative fires and the abundance of museums and art galleries provide worlds of inspiration.

While I’m not here on the best of circumstances, I am trying really hard to make the best out of a bad situation. New environments can provide us with many new avenues for inspiration to spark from. We simply need to open our mind to retrieving and really seeing. Being close-minded has only ever hindered my creativity.

If you feel like you’ve been stuck in a rut and have been lacking inspiration, I highly suggest trying something new to get you out of your normal routine. It could be exactly what you need to remind yourself of why you started your journey in the first place.

I’ll chat again soon, friends. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

Xoxo,

Q

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Unapologetically Me + Monday Artist Blog!

Good morning, loyal readers!

It’s Monday again which means – another artist blog!

I really hope everyone had a great weekend. I want to kick this one off by saying that I really appreciate all of the positive feedback so far and all of the recent love and support on my latest artwork. ♥  You guys really drive me and motivate me to pursue my dreams and passion. For that, I thank you.

This week, my focus is shifting towards catching up on commissions, so I won’t be sharing a new piece with you all. Instead, you can expect more of an artist vlog for Friday’s video and I’ll be showing you guys my favorite art materials and acrylic supplies. I know I’ve talked about it before, but I’ve been getting requests to do a seperate video on this, so that’s what I’ll be doing!

I’ve never done an artist vlog before so I’m excited to see how this one goes and turns out. Definitely stay tuned for that! If you missed my last art video, I’ll leave it here below.

I really loved painting this one as I never really draw or paint men. This might be the beginning of something new here since I really enjoyed the masculine features of the face. “Maskulinity” looks beautiful and sophisticated next to his female counterpart, “Metamorphosis.” The two really compliment each other well and I’m so happy I decided to do this as a set. The collection that these two are a part of is still in the works. I may still add a few pieces to it under the theme of “transformation” because I’ve really been enjoying the concept since it is a very personal one to me at this moment of my career.

I’ve also started posting more videos on my Patreon channel that are longer versions of my YouTube videos with more detailed commentary, thought process, and reason for my madness (how I approach my paintings). They are slowed-down and also give little behind the scenes tidbits. All my artist friends-I highly suggest creating an account with them so that you have a platform for your clients to support your work!

I would love to make these videos public for everyone, but I really need to give those that support me financially a little extra effort and love. If you are interested in becoming a patron and”sponsoring” my art in any way, I would be ever so grateful for your contributions. I hope you guys can understand why I can’t share these with everyone. If interested in supporting me and gaining access to this content and other rewards, you can find my Patreon channel here.

Now that the announcement portion is through, I wanted to address something that has been on my mind for awhile now. I’ve posted all about it on social media, and even in some of my blog posts. I’ve had people send me private messages relating to my new adventure of wellness and my business with Young Living selling essential oils. They assumed I was in a new fad when it came to the oils and were concerned about my goals and intentions.

“I also feel it really necessary to share this. I’m sure a lot of people feel a certain way about my focus shifting on wellness and essential oils and that it may be interfering with my love and passion for art and creating. I currently have art-related work open on my iPad and oils and wellness-related work on my phone. I LOVE ART and also have a somewhat “hippie” passion for health and wellness. To me, they are both important and effect me in the same way. I used to have a lot of anxiety in the past and art was a form of therapy. My own wellbeing is the reason I started painting in the first place. The fact that I’ve found something of equal importance to me with Young Living is amazing. I’ve truly been changed and am trying to be the best version of myself. My focus has been on breaking my personal barriers for the past 6 months-anxiety, fear, worry, shyness, and learning how to live the life I want. Now that I’m not as scared and fearful, I’m reaching for my goals and dreams. If you’ve been feeling this way and feel like you have to choose between two seemingly “different” things, I want you all to know that you CAN do both and you CAN be passionate about multiple things-just stay true to yourself and who you are. This is more important than any amount of followers. Be unapologetically you. That’s all for now and I’m sorry it turned into me rambling on again. You’re a rockstar if you made it through that whole thing. Happy Sunday, friends. Focus on being better and staying true to who you are.”

As you can see from the photo and caption above, yesterday, on my personal Facebook and Instagram account, I posted about how it’s possible to pursue more than one passion though to the world, they may seem very different. This is something that can be very hard to accomplish in the world of social media. I’ve had people unfollow me due to the start of my essential oils business being incorporated into my primarily art Instagram account and vise versa when people wanted to follow me for only oil/wellness-related content. I’m also a Christian and have noticed people unfollowing me due to my faith.

I decided to create an additional Instagram page where I can share freely about my oils and adventure with Young Living, but I’m definitely not going to cease from posting about this kind of content in addition to my art on my regular @quinducreations instagram account. I view myself as an advocate for wellness-especially when it comes to mental health. It’s the whole reason I became an artist in the first place and I don’t want to forget that-ever. While I appreciate the amount of followers I do have currently, I’m not going to stop being myself . I won’t be keeping my focus solely on what I think it is people want to see. I’m going to keep being unapologetically me. This is so much more important to me than any amount of followers.

Anyway, I just felt this was important enough to address in this post as well! Thank you for all of your continued support through this adventure. Let’s tackle this week and create something beautiful, shall we?

Love you guys, truly.

XOXO,

Q