Throughout the semester, this course has provided me with many useful lessons that I can easily and instantly apply to my career as an artist. Social media is an important tool for all businesses and I am more aware of the importance for artists who aren’t in big galleries yet.

I was most drawn to the lessons about making all your platforms similar in design so that you create a strong brand image to easily be identified with your audience.

I also really enjoyed the help of Hootsuite for creating a platform to easily manage all of my social media accounts.

When strolling through Instagram and Facebook each day, I notice many ads from sites that I have visited a long with sites that may sell a similar product. I also notice that I do end up clicking on them and then they show up on other social media platforms. Like for example if I click on an ad from Facebook, then I’ll get an ad for that store or other similar stores on Instagram. They’re effective this way because the company can know that I am partially interested in what they have to offer. They track the success of these ads through several analytical tools.

I created these ads to grow my brand imaging and name out there for customers and potential customers to share. I can also throw in a simple offer to get more people interested in actually purchasing a piece. I also wanted to first target those potentially interested in fine art in the local KC area. Then, from there target further places.

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Everyone will have their own ways to find inspiration for their passion in life, but as an artist I want to share where I get mine.

As an artist, a creative person in general, I am naturally always observing and taking in my surroundings. However, it’s not always visual. It can be sounds, smells, feelings, time, knowledge, etc. These aspects found in my surroundings are what make me, me. I absorb them all and then release them into my work. I can do this in different ways whether it be the medium (like acrylic paint, watercolor paint, graphite lead, charcoal, etc.), the way that I will use it, or the subject of the piece. notice that if I don’t have that outlet to release them I begin to lose myself… unable to take much of anything else in. In my classes it is almost impossible to concentrate without doodling in the margins, especially during difficult or complex subjects. It’s how I focus and make sense of it all. That is why art has been so important and vital to who I am. And after studying art history, although there are many reasons people have created art throughout history, I have discovered that I am not the only one who needs to create the way that I do.

My biggest inspiration is post-impressionist painter, Vincent van Gogh. His paintings are notable for their beauty, emotion, and color; they highly influenced 20th century art.

His father was a pastor and grew up studying and sharing the life of Jesus but soon realized his need to create. He had a great relationship with his brother Theo, who funded his art studies and career. Throughout his life, they wrote many letters back and forth. These letters give great insight into the personal life and mind of Vincent. He struggled with finding where he belonged but spent many hours studying and painting. His adversities made their way into his work and resulted in beautiful masterpieces that display great emotion. Although they were beautiful, van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime.  After years of struggling with mental illnesses, he dies at the age of 37 after a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

His work and life have made a huge impact to my artwork and how I can truly express myself when at times it seems impossible.