I'm an artist, surface pattern + fabric designer, author, mama, and online teacher in Portland, OR. I believe in the power of art-making as a tool for radical self-care. I help people feel a little bit brighter and a little bit less alone through the art and products I make, the words I write, and the classes I teach. Come join 18k+ people in my colorful, uplifting world!
Are you actually bad at the thing you've always thought you're bad at?
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Hi Reader! I've spent the last couple of days doing a product photoshoot with my wonderful assistant Emily in preparation for the opening of my holiday shop on November 12th, and oh my goshhhhh I'm so excited to show you everything!! The calendar photo above is my FAVE, but I also can't resist showing you one more: Ornaments!! I mean honestly. Could this be any cuter? What's most interesting to me about these photos is that historically I've always thought of myself as being a "bad photographer". Prop styling and photography in general have never been my strong suit, and so I've basically done all I can to avoid it over the years (or to make it as quick and easy as I can). It's funny how sometimes the things that don't come naturally to us are things we label ourselves "bad at" and then never think twice about questioning whether that's actually true or not. Maybe sometimes all we need is a little exposure, a little practice, a little bit of playing with something new in order to see that we're not bad at something; we're just inexperienced. Everyone is a beginner in the beginning! The question "I wonder what would happen if..." can be super helpful in allowing more room for play and exploration and less judgment and perfectionism. So, while I still don't consider myself to be someone who these things come naturally to, I did realize in these past couple of days that a beginner's mind and a playful attitude will take me far! If I dedicate some time and effort and have FUN and PLAY in the process, I can actually create some images that I like and I'm not just uniformly bad at it like I'd been telling myself I was. Who knew?! Am I going to get super excited about photoshoots forevermore? Probably not. BUT I'll certainly feel more willing and happy to do it again next time around, and that feels like a big deal! I can't wait to share the holiday goodies and the rest of the photos with you! I currently have over 600 pics to wade through, save or delete, crop, edit, resize, etc, so..... wish me luck. Ha. I hope the rest of your day is wonderful, whatever you're up to and wherever you are. :) ps – what's something you've always thought you're bad at? Hit reply and let me know – I'm genuinely interested! LET'S BE FRIENDS ON IG!
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Jessica Swift.
I'm an artist, surface pattern + fabric designer, author, mama, and online teacher in Portland, OR. I believe in the power of art-making as a tool for radical self-care. I help people feel a little bit brighter and a little bit less alone through the art and products I make, the words I write, and the classes I teach. Come join 18k+ people in my colorful, uplifting world!
Hi friends! I have a birthday tradition that I've been keeping for years now. Every August 17th, I do a little something special in my shop to celebrate another trip around the sun, and to help support my little family along the way. But this year, I decided to make it extra special. For the past seven months, I've been painting: 100 tiny, completely original paintings. And today, on my birthday, they're finally finished + ready to send out into the world, and they're officially available in...
Studio Notes is my (mostly) weekly creative letter – part reflection, part art, part inspiration for real life. Inside this week: What's Happening Lately In the Studio Loving Right Now A Little Joy Calendar For the Week Ahead Hi Reader, How ARE you? Happy February! January whizzed by, and this just about sums it up for me: Image via James McCrae on Substack Right?? January went so fast, it makes me wonder what the rest of the year will feel like. It's the year of the Fire Horse, so the...
Studio Notes is my (mostly) weekly creative letter – part reflection, part art, part inspiration for real life. Inside this week: What's Happening Lately In the Studio Loving Right Now Try This Calendar For the Week Ahead Hi Reader, Yesterday I had this bunch of adorable (and loud) rascals in my house to celebrate my sweet girl's 7th birthday. We crafted some fantastic headband crowns, and as promised, here are a couple photos: It was a fun, chaotic, crafty time! It was interesting, too,...