Author: Ellen Sherman

Working from the Road Part II: When to Work

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

ellen sherman artWelcome to Part II of my little traveling artist blog series. You can read Part I (all about how I pack my carry-on here)

This is a post mostly about my own struggle with time management while out of the studio.

As I write this, I am set up at my wonderful in-laws kitchen table, planner and sketchbook spread across the knotty pine tabletop, and feeling like over the last week I might have sat here in this exact layout a bit too frequently.

The balance between doing work and enjoying the people/places and things you’ve traveled to see is a delicate one, one that has eluded me rather recently.

Overworking means missing out on experiences, might as well be home.

Underworking means getting to be a part of every aspect of the journey, but you might find yourself a little low in the monthly budget, or with clients that feel neglected. Not good.

I will take this moment though to advocate for a TRUE VACATION. A set block of time that has been agreed upon ahead of time with clients, stores turned off and email returned with pleasant out-of-the-office replies. A full break from work can be a terrifying experience for the first 12 hours, but incredibly rewarding once one learns to let go. I try to take 1 – 2 of these respites a year to give myself a chance to decompress and renew. Occasionally these mini-retreats don’t even require leaving home, I turn just turn work off and turn inward for a bit. More on that to come.

Full work breaks aren’t always feasible though. And in those times, being able to decide when to say; “sorry hiking path to the waterfall, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow – I have to chat with clients today.”  and “sorry clients, there is a waterfall with my name on it, I’ll get back to you tomorrow.” can be a very vexing task.

ellen sherman art travel
Delayed flights means blogging.

 

For me, it boils down to discipline in both situations. Being able to commit to time away from work can be just as hard as committing to work in the face of a shining lake or distant relative.

As with most situations, if I came up with a system things would generally fall into place. I spent a while making lists, categorizing needs/wants and finally came up with what *I think* will be my measuring stick as I go forward.

First part is; clients are top priority. If I can’t be in the studio, I’ll make a schedule of their project with daily/weekly goals to make sure I do not fall behind. I am upfront about my travel time, and never leave when there is a deadline – so this works out fairly well.

Once I have dealt with any client concerns/work for the day, I’m able to transition to travel-mode. Hiking, exploring, eating, painting — embracing whatever comes that day.

The second prong of my traveling artist plan, is to make a list of the top 3 projects that are important to me/my brand. For instance the last trip I was on I chose 1) Pinterest 2.) Instagram 3.) my blog.

Once I have those decided, I’ll plan to get up an hour or two early on ‘work’ days, get some coffee in me and crank out as much as I can. A lot of times if I am unsure of the importance of one task over another these cram sessions will help sort what is most important.

It’s not a flawless system but it helps me stay organized and on top of my work while still enjoying the places and face I have traveled to see.

Working from the Road I; My Carry-On

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

art supply travel ellen sherman

With family sprawling across the U.S and a strong desire to fly our Miami coop every so often, my husband and I find ourselves on the road (or in the air) quite often. When I first started traveling as a full time artist, I overpacked. Actually, overpacked is putting it lightly. I overstuffed my carry on, my suitcase, whatever other bags were coming with us with more paint, paper and other supplies than I could feasibly use up. I was terrified of needing something and not having it at arms reach. My poor husband had to share luggage space with sketchbooks, canvases — it was just downright silly.

Eventually I came to my senses, with a much appreciated quote from photographer Chase Jarvis; “the best camera is the one you take with you.”

I was doing no one a favor by lugging around all this extra stuff and was definitely hindering the fluidity of the traveling-artist experience. So I paired down. And down. And down.

This is my supply list currently;

  1. My moleskine watercolor sketchbook. A4 sized, perfect for backpacks/carryons. I use this for quick sketches in the morning, blocking out ideas and keeping loose napkins and other papers in the back folder.
  2. 8 x 10 cold-pressed Arches tablet. I don’t always bring this, usually only on longer trips that might afford some time for more serious work.
  3. Travel watercolor kit. I am currently using the kit from Sakura, bought way, way back when I was still in undergrad.
  4. Sakura travel brushes.

And that’s it.

abstract watercolor ellen sherman

What about you? What art supplies can you absolutely not leave home with?

 

 

Outdoor watercolors. In a sweater.

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

It’s a little bit chilly today in Miami, probably a result of all of the wind/rain last night. I tried to go for my usual Friday night run and actually had to turn around, was pretty sure I’d be blown physically off my feet in mid-sprint.

So for today, I decided to actually wear a sweater (what a strange, foreign thing) and work outside.

 

Ellen Sherman abstract watercolor

ellen sherman abstract

 

Hope everyone has a lovely, warm weekend!

<3<3

Thank You

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

ellensherman_lettering

I ran out of my hand-drawn thank you tags earlier this week, so I set aside some time to replenish my supply.

I took a few moments to consider my own thankfulness as I pressed the pen to form the words. I am grateful for the big things (family, friends, health, etc) but rarely (ashamedly) take the time to call the little things to mind.

I’m grateful for this warm coffee, keeping my fingers nice and toasty as I work. 

I’m grateful for the sounds of my husband typing across the studio. The clackety-clackety reminds me my best friend is just a nerf dart away.

The sounds of ferrets dreaming. The smell of toast. Pandora. The tape that holds my printer cord off my feet…

Though it can be grueling and occasionally horribly-terribly-frustrating to carve out a career as an artist, making sure to remind ourselves of even just the *smallest* things we are thankful for can be an uplifting shift of perspective.

What little thing are you grateful for?

 

 

Abstract Watercolors now on Great.ly!

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

Ellen Sherman Abstract Watercolors

 

I’m so excited to announce that I’m launching my abstract watercolor print shop on Great.ly!

If you haven’t been over to the site yet, I encourage you to check it out. It’s a neat way to connect makers and curators, all for the benefit of the shopper. It is organized into sets of boutiques curated by Great.ly approved tastemakers, who bring their individual style and aesthetics to the shop. Think of those nifty little indie shops, nestled in the heart of cities – the ones that only stock vintage trinkets and handmade beauties. Now imagine you can access them at your desk, no plane ticket required. That’s Great.ly.

I’m really excited to see how it pans out, as it is quite a bit different from the usual online shopping experience. I have a lot of a faith behind the Great.ly team though (The Jealous Curator is one of my favorite people in existence), and if anyone can spice up the world of shopping online – it’s totally them.

So if you get a chance, check out the site – see if you can find me :)

Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend!!!

 

Morning Sketches

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

I love the morning. Those moments when everything outside still silent, (save for a few birds in the palm trees) and the light that filters in is warm and peachy. I’ll crawl out of bed, make a pot of coffee, wrap myself up in my favorite blanket and sit at my easel. Sometimes I’ll work, sometimes I’ll just stare out the window watching as Miami slowly comes to life beneath me.

No breakfast to be made, no calls to return, no email to check — just a bit of quiet time for myself that helps me solidify my intent for the day.

Today I woke up with a few images/color schemes in my mind, so I decided to sketch a bit in the silence.

Watercolor Abstract

 

It never lasts too long though. The bird will figure out it’s daytime and start squawking, which wakes up the husband which wakes up the ferrets. And then it’s onto breakfast and real life :)

 

 

Overcoming the Dreaded Creative Slump.

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

Overcoming a Creative Slump. Tips and Tricks by Fin and Feather Art

 

Its no secret, I’ve definitely fallen victim to that dreaded slump on a few agonizing occasions.

And when I inevitably do, I try to recognize it as quickly as possible and start the steps to get back on track. In my more recent lull, I decided to make a plan for myself – a map that might serve as a motivational spur, keeping me working towards a goal even when my brain decides to take a vacation.

After organizing it, I thought I might share it with you all. If it helped me, hopefully it can help someone else :)

 

 

I bought a planner.

Posted on by Ellen Sherman

passionplanner

At the start of this year one of my major intentions for 2015 was organization.

With no clear organizational hierarchy, my notes, sketches, schedules and ideas were scattered and strewn about my studio and were nearly impossible to prioritize.

Already in scarcity, the time I was spent tracking things down and re-making lists was getting a bit out of hand. At the start of the new year I decided enough was enough, I was going to break down and actually buy a *dramatic pause* planner.

I’ve bought a few in the past, but always found myself writing more in the margins than in the actual date. They were constricting, confining and I hated the process of scheduling in such blocked-out fashion. I decided to do a bit of research this time and found myself reading about the kickstarter project of Angela Trinidad.

I was intrigued by the thought behind the project, but was still wary based on my awful track record with planners. Thankfully, the site offered a pdf copy for download – so after posting to my facebook wall (a requirement for download that I totally understand) I was able to try it out. I don’t even think a full week went by before I ordered a real copy.

It’s the greatest planner I’ve ever used. Loads of blank space for doodles, some great points of self-reflection, goal-tracking… the whole shebang. It’s especially great for me as I keep a separate blank sketchbook too – I am able to make small thumbnails of sketches I want to develop further into the dates of the planner, thus scheduling my studio time more effectively.

My *real* copy arrived the other day, and I just now finished copying the loose-leaf pdf version into the beautiful black book. So excited to keep this organizational ball rolling!

What about you? Any tricks to staying ontop of work/school? You’ve heard mine, leave me comment with your favorite organizational tool :)