Love is in the Cards!

It was incredible difficult to limit myself to posting all of the items in Jill's shoppe Brownington Forest. All of her drawings are RIGHT up my alley. She has such a cute style and i love the colors she uses. She is also lovely to chat with.



How long have you been crafting?

I have been crafting and drawing my entire life. My mother was a big lover of crafting and a huge believer in the importance of imagination, so I started young.



Did you always craft in this genre?

Throughout my childhood I was always drawing and writing and at home we did so many different arts and crafts projects.
I continued to do arts and crafts in college, especially with the children I would nanny for. In college I minored in art instead of majoring in it because I thought there was no future in art. After college I did faux finishing and decorative house painting for a while and then went back to school for textile design, which I did for a few years.
Last summer I gave up the career in textile design to work on my own artwork. In late October of this year is when I first started selling my artwork.



Who or what inspires you?

Nature and animals have always inspired me. I spent most of my childhood outside in the woods around my house. Since I was young I adored all animals and insects, they make me smile. I feel most alive and happy when I am outside and close to nature. Everyday life and people also inspire me.



What challenges have you found while taking your craft into the business world?

Sometimes it feels like I face many challenges, just figuring out how to run a business of art and what exactly do do with my art is a challenge because there are so many possibilities and no guidebook! Some of my challenges may stem from my tendency to think too much about things. One challenge I have had is finding great quality art paper that is either recycled or made of organic cotton! I still have not found anything.
But the biggest challenge of all for me is how to make money doing what I love- I am still trying to figure that out. Although it seems like I have been trying to figure that out my whole life, really I have just begun trying to sell my art and products a few months ago. These challenges are good, with them I grow and learn. If everything were easy I wouldn't grow at all. Also because of them I can appreciate my accomplishments so much more.



I suggest peeking at her Etsy shoppe to see the rest of her swell art work!