Future proofing is sometimes easy to neglect. Case in point. A few years back, I graduated from creating my art in our enclosed patio.  I wanted somewhere that was mine, I didn't have to pack up each time we had people coming over.  I wanted to be able to leave a semi- finished artwork up on the easel without worrying that someone would see it in progress. I wanted to be able to leave my supplies out and not have to pack them away after each session.  You can read more on my previous post here about how my art shed came about.
At the time, we purchased a shed that was basically a space for me to create and be out of the way.
When we purchased the shed, it was the perfect size.  It fitted all my materials, a good size studio easel, a desk and even a dog bed for my little studio companion who has since passed.  It was perfect and was well used. 
Fast forward a couple of years later and the dilemma began. I started running art classes and required more supplies and although the supplies expanded the art shed walls did not.  Slowly, I was finding it more difficult to create in the space as the class inventory took over.
Hindsight is a valuable tool.   Quite possibly, if I knew the direction of my business was going to change, I would have looked at a bigger space and this would have future proofed the space.
Obviously, we don’t always know what is around the corner, however, sometimes it can be wise to think about where you will be in two, three or five years down the track.  Will what you are planning now, stack up in three to five years?
There are so many ways we can future proof our businesses and life by asking a ourselves a few simple questions.  These questions can range from, what if ….., how will….., why would……, if I….., you can fill in the blanks based on what area you are looking at.
If I had asked myself, if I grow this business, will this be suitable? What if I take on more clients, how will it effect the space? I am sure you get the idea.
Do you look at future proofing areas in your life or business? How do you assess where you are at now and where you want to be?
Leave your comments below, we would love to see how you do it. 

​Featured Photo:  My little studio buddy

When I picked up painting again, I went straight into acrylic paint.  It was fun and forgiving and I enjoyed the medium.
Over the last couple of years, I have taken lessons in watercolour, pastels and gouache.  I love various mediums, given I do mixed media, that is a good thing!

For the last twelve months, I have been enjoying the medium of gouache. So what is gouache, I hear you ask.
Gouache is a water-based paint not dissimilar to watercolour, it is however, matte, opaque and creamy.  Being similar to watercolour, it is more opaque, which means you can layer from dark to light and correct mistakes. I love how the medium quickly dries to a matte finish, making it ideal for photographing, and scanning for prints and doesn't have that shine.  

As I have been venturing out on en plein air excursions, gouache is an ideal medium to take out and about.  It is compact enough for a small palette, dries reasonably quickly and can be activated with water.  I enjoy being able to sketch and then paint while I am out, sometimes in my sketchbook and sometimes on watercolour paper. These en plein air paintings are then reference guides for future work.  The fact I can paint in the colours of the day is ideal to capture the moment, the shadows, the highlights and the essence of the session.
   
Although you can paint larger paintings using gouache, it is often associated with smaller works from an A3 - A5 painting. Smaller work on A3 to A5 is ideal when you have limited time and space, making gouache the perfect medium. 

The artwork you see here is a small artwork on paper using gouache. This was done with an initial light translucent wash and then layered with a more creamy gouache texture to give depth to the piece. 

Have you heard of gouache or do you use it?  Leave your comments below, I would love to see your comments. 

​Featured Artwork:  The outback shed

The idea of every day being able to paint, create and live a stress free life is a picture of an idyllic world. My mind conjures up an art studio filled with canvases, paint brushes, old furniture and light streaming through an open window with a light breeze playing with the curtains that hang on either side. Ok, then I wake up to reality.  
Having an art business is not all art, there is so much more to running the business. Just like, any small business, you need to wear many hats throughout the day, week and month. Those hats vary from doing accounts, marketing, class planning, resource investigation, purchasing supplies, loading and unloading the car, driving to various venues, preparing and posting social media posts, writing blog posts and working with art class clients for the sessions. Boy, all this, plus more and I haven't even touched a paintbrush. 
I love all the moving parts that come with my art business, every day is varied and full of opposites. Creative to the mundane, silence and seclusion to chatter and people filled rooms.  

Generally, my week is dictated by my diary, where I will be, and what medium we are using in each class. My main priority is preparing for classes, I want to make sure I am prepared for each class, running over 120 classes a year takes a lot of organising. Once the classes are prepared, now I slot in all the other things on my to-do list. Some tasks are daily, some weekly and some monthly, it makes it easier to keep on top of all the little tasks that add up. 

I attend an art class myself, once a week, which helps me to keep developing my art. I also like to schedule my time to create and produce artwork for my open studios twice a year. Now, that is a whole other list.

Being able to block out time to create is so important to me now more than ever. I get to create what I want, and what I love and take my time. I savour every minute that I get to work on a piece that takes my mood and uses the medium that speaks to me on the day.

How do you prioritise your to do list to include creative time? Share your tips below in the comments.