And so it begins…Chapter 2

I didn’t go to Art School. I don’t yet know Illustrator or Photoshop. And what the heck is 300dpi? I went to college to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a nurse. For the past 30 years, I worked as an RN, 19 of them as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. It was a beautiful chapter in my story. I’m grateful to have many heart-warming and even heart-breaking stories penned on the pages of my Chapter 1. It has shaped who I am today.

I thoughtfully ended my nursing career in December 2019. What better way to start a new decade than to do a complete career pivot! January 2020, you are officially the start of my Chapter 2. Now, I know the medical world like the back of my hand. Not to be prideful, but this is what I lived and breathed for 30 years. It seeped deep into my soul, in every way possible. But this art world? This business world? Whoa. I’m definitely nervous, maybe even a bit nauseous, just thinking about those worlds. And to now call myself “an artist.” Am I worthy of such a title? Again, not being prideful, but yes, one-million percent yes! And so are you! Hear me friend, so are YOU.

But what you do does not matter nearly as much as who you are.

Let me be clear. Being an artist, in my opinion, means using your art for the good of others. Art shows up in the form of listening, of leading, of being compassionate, of teaching, of encouraging, of mommy’ing, of writing, of painting, of cooking, of sculpting, of hospitality, or in countless other ways. This art…a gift… has been placed deep inside you, on purpose, by the Master Artist himself. The Creator created you to create…to be an artist.

The cool thing about being an artist is that art is unique to each one of us. We have our very own artistic fingerprint! Even if a million other people paint, they don’t paint like you. They don’t cook like you. They don’t listen like you. They don’t encourage people like you. You are an artist….Don’t ever let whispers of doubt make you believe otherwise.

So here’s my Chapter 2

I will start by teaching workshops, both in-person and online. (update - oh hello, Coronavirus, I’ll just put in-person workshops on hold for a bit.) I currently have 6 classes on Skillshare and will publish more. I get all fired up and giddy when I see someone find joy and learn something I’ve taught, especially with the wedge brush. It’s a fascinating brush and I want to share what I know with you.

Jumping back to the ‘gram for a minute

I joined Instagram on 10-17-2015. I hesitantly signed up for my 1st Calligraphy “challenge”, the “handletteredABCs” challenge. I say hesitantly because I was convinced the world would come crashing down because my calligraphy wasn’t “good enough” and my tender heart would be shattered (Enneagram 2, anyone?). Well, good news, the world was fine, and so was my heart. It was a journey littered with self-doubt, but as daunting as it was, it forced me to show up, practice, and learn. And just be me….and put myself out there. I’m so glad I did. I was immediately hooked by the sheer beauty & creativity I saw coming across the ‘gram. But even more captivating and nourishing was the supportive community that was growing each and every day. Community… The people, the support, the encouragement…. the tribe of creatives, rising up alongside each other, cheering loudly for one another. Didn’t matter if you were a newbie or had been scripting for decades. Everyone was welcome…And the energy was palpable.  

YOU matter

Feeling connected is a basic human need. Yes, in person connection is the best, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say our social media relationships also have an incredible amount of sustainability and importance. The beauty of connecting to someone across the globe, with similar interests, is priceless. The humans behind the little squares matter. You matter! And matter immensely!

Keep growing, keep showing up

So, my desire is to grow with you, challenge you, encourage you, and teach you. And I kindly ask you do the same for me. We will learn, study, fall, rise, and thrive together. And please for the love of all things, let’s sprinkle our journey with bucketfuls of fun and laughter too! Life works best that way.

Whatever brought you here, I hope you feel embraced with encouragement, community, creativity, and support.

That’s my prayer, that’s my goal…

Jen