Wishing all my fellow creative souls and wonderful women in my life a Happy 100 Anniversary for International Women’s Day. How lovely that today I am posting an interview with a fellow woman who is making things happen for herself. 
You can do it too.
Today’s Interview is with the lovely Juliette Crane. 

1) Juliette, it was so fabulous to finally meet you in person at An Artful Journey and spend time with you after our online connections. What did you get out of time spent at An Artful Journey in the Los Gatos mountains?

It was so fabulous to meet you, Louise! And to finally see in-person everyone that I’ve connected with in the online world this past year! That was the most amazing part for me! It was just so sweet to finally sit and enjoy a glass of wine with everyone!

2) How important is it to connect with an artful tribe in person? 

It’s huge! I didn’t even realize it until some of the lovely ladies I know through blogging came in and as soon as I saw their faces it was like family! I couldn’t wait to give them all a hug! And it wasn’t even so much that we had these amazing conversations (which we did, of course) but just being able to make that in-person connection seemed to meld a gap in my heart.

3) Tell us a little about your life a year ago today?

A year ago today I was just getting my paintings out into the world. I started to get my etsy shop going (I think I had 4 sales, and only 1 from someone I didn’t know). I was making cards from a few of the paintings I had and really feeling stressed about whether or not my art would be noticed by anyone in the world at all. I had also just finished an online art business class with illustrator Stephanie fizer coleman, which pushed me to get on facebook and start blogging. And from there, it really didn’t take long (lots of hopping from blog to blog) to find that like-minding people were blogging too…and so many were creating beautiful artwork!

4) As you were embarking on this creative journey, how did you feel?

I felt so overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. It’s so hard when you’re embarking on anything new. Even if someone else has been through it before, for me, I always question if I’ll succeed. I’m trying to be a little nicer to myself about this after realizing there’s a pattern here.

5) What are some of your accomplishments you celebrated for 2010 or the past year?

So much that I never would have expected! I started teaching in-person painting workshops, made a lot of connections with artists locally and online, had my artwork published in Somerset Studio and my blog featured in Artful Blogging, participated in our local open art studios event, got my artwork into local boutiques, and had lots of local art shows!

6) I know a goal from last year was to run “in person workshops” in your local town, how have they been going?

They are so fun! After I submitted my work to Somerset Studio, they asked me to write an article on how I paint my owl pieces. After breaking down the process for the article, I had others ask me about my process and I realized it would be a fun thing to teach. At about the same time, I contacted a local boutique about having some of my prints in their shop and when I went to drop them off, the owner mentioned she had a workshop space too. I told her the idea for my How To Paint An Owl Workshops and we scheduled a class for that very next month! I was so nervous at first! But now a few classes later, and I cannot believe how lucky I am to be able to share my owl painting process step by step and see all of the amazing, and completely unique owls everyone creates!

7) What are your top three goals for 2011/2012?

Last year I had so many goals, that this year, I’ve limited them to exactly that…three. And they’re pretty big. The first goal is to really enjoy my everyday (seems like last year just flew by). Second, is to expand on my art teaching. I have a few more in-person workshops scheduled in Wisconsin and I’d like to teach them in other parts of the world too. Then, the biggest thing I’ve been putting my heart into, is turning those in-person workshops into a 5 Week Private Online Art E-course! And then expanded that e-course into a few others! My third goal for this year is to start licensing my artwork. I’d love to see my paintings on fabric-maybe children’s clothing and beautiful long dresses!

8) Tell us a little about your upcoming e-course

How To Paint An Owl is a 5 Week Online Art Workshop where we’ll be taking what I teach in my in-person workshops a few steps further. We’ll go through my owl painting process, step by step, each week focusing on a new technique-backgrounds, owls, scene and embellishments. Through a combination of video, text and photos, I’ll be sharing all of the things I’ve learned along the way-how to make each character your own, what supplies work best together, how to make your characters and backgrounds really pop, and how to choose colors. I’ve also been shooting video of lots of paintings from start to finish so that everyone can really see and learn from the evolution.

9) Where do you see yourself this time next year?
I’d love to be doing all of the painting and teaching I’m doing now and at some point next year be part of an artist residency so I can share with and learn from other artists too!

10) How has my e-course “Big Dreams, Small Wonders” helped you in planning this next step in your creative journey?

Taking part in BDSW really helped
be focus and set my goals for this year (it’s the first time I’ve ever done that for the entire year ahead). And I’ve found that it’s really taken a lot of the stress out of everything. I don’t feel so blinded. In BDSW I not only set the goal, but also a timeline and steps on how to achieve everything, so it doesn’t all feel so big and overwhelming. I also met a lot of others in class with big goals and it’s been nice to feel like we’re all moving and working toward them together.

11) What is your dream for your creative business?

My dream for my creative business is to be able to focus on the creative side of things-to spend most of my time painting and sharing (either through teaching or showing my work). Soon, I’d love to hire an assistant to help with all of the promotion, scheduling and running my online shop so that I have the energy and openness in my life to let all of these new things in too.

12) What or who inspires you?

On my way back from an artful journey, I was waiting for my plane in the airport and watching these two, two-year-old girls. It was like they were making friends for the first time-sharing their toys and sandwiches, following one another round and round the chairs. And their parents both said these girls were shy-that they never did anything like this. To me, that moment made my heart soar. I thought, “this is why I do what I do. These two girls are the ones I want to be able to inspire.” Being part of moments like that most inspires me.

13) What else do you like to create?
I love baking and gardening and throwing dinner parties. Painting is the art I love to create most, but creating things for people to eat or moments for people to enjoy really keeps me happy too.

Thanks Juliette! “How to Paint an Owl e-course” starts on March 28th, cant wait!

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Inspired? Read more “Inspire Me” interviews here