I quit doing art after college. I never thought it’d be possible to be a full-time artist. But after I lost my job in 2009, I took the summer to renew my spirit and started painting again.

I’d opened an Etsy shop because I’d had the dream of selling my art.

Yet I didn’t feel brave enough to share my paintings with the world. For months, I listed feather hair clips and beaded earrings that I’d made. I was way too freaked out to show my paintings.

I didn’t think anyone would want to see my art, let alone buy it.

But when friends stopped by, they said they liked my work. I finally got up the courage to ask at our local library and exhibited my art the next month. I invited family, friends and friends of friends to a little opening.

That’s how I sold my first two originals to people I didn’t know. The library also purchased a piece for their permanent collection. And a few people asked for prints and cards, so I started selling those too.

Little by little, it all gave me the confidence to take another step. But I didn’t always know what that next step should be… and I made a lot of mistakes.

Painting and storytelling have always been my passion and I’m so honored to be able to share my art with you and hope it brings you joy.

Whenever I get stuck with a painting, I have to return to having fun and let go. Otherwise my art looks super rigid and I get caught up in negative self-talk.

Instead of letting that inner critic stop me from painting, I start something new and loosen up.

In the video below you’ll see some of the techniques I come back to whenever I need to loosen up.

I often return to experimenting with color in faces whenever I need to loosen up, so I’ve put together my Bliss Mixed Media Painting online class, which has many projects you can do in under 10 minutes.

Click here to learn more about Bliss Mixed Media Painting.

Here’s a fun video to get you started too. I hope it all keeps you inspired!

In Bliss Mixed Media Painting online class, we layer all sorts of art supplies – oil paintsticks, watercolors, pastel, ink, acrylics, pencil, papers and pen to create all sorts of faces and portraits you’ll love, so you can easily develop your own style.

I love using pastels and oil paintsticks to really create softness in my paintings.

In this video you’ll see how I create two portraits in under 10 minutes to help you loosen up and play.

Happy Painting!

xo Juliette Crane

P.S. If you’ve been wanting to paint together, but don’t have a lot of time, I’ve put together my Happy Painting Mini Course, which has five-instant-access projects to get you started.

Click here to Learn More About My Happy Painting Mini Course.

P.P.S. I’ve been getting so many questions about how to start an online business for your own art, so I’ve put together my Business For Creatives class to give you the roadmap. Click here for all the details on Business For Creatives class.