I feel like I haven't been near my website or blog in ages, so it was definitely time this afternoon to do some updating!! Since we moved to Hawaii and this has become my full time job, I have been trying to hone in on the best direction for my art. Now that I have a bit of a track record, its been exciting to look at what my most successful products have been and how to implement those same ideas or principals into the rest of my work. One of my highest selling products was the 2016 calendar...and I'm considering making one for 2017! The last calendar process came with a huge learning curve, so now the idea of making one for 2017 doesn't sound so intimidating. My second most popular product has definitely been my plushy animals! These are sold individually as well as in sets. Speaking of, I've started a new set of large whale plushies! These bridge the gap between a toy and decor...buy it for your child to play with, and it will look very stylish on their bed, buy it for yourself as decor and secretly snuggle it. These animals are all now machine washable, and the animal image is on both sides of the plushy! Speaking of the plushies, I am about to introduce a line of bunny plushies within the next month, for a cause very near to my heart. One of these bunnies is modeled after none other than Princess Pocket herself, who is a rescue bunny who stole my heart. A portion of the proceeds from he bunny plushies will be going to my local rabbit rescue. Something that is almost entirely new for me is the textile designing! While I was taught many things in college, this is something i have had to teach myself. It has been a really satisfying process, and I am happy to say that I have gotten orders for both fabrics and wallpaper! The appeal of the textile design for me is that it allows me to make my art into something useful, that could really have a visual impact on someone's living space, or would allow them to make a one of a kind piece of clothing. I know everyone may not sew, but you may want something made out of one of my fabrics... while I don't plan on taking on the complicated sewing projects like clothing, I would be more than happy to make a simpler sewing project like pillows, pillowcases, bedsheets, etc...so don't hesitate to ask if you are interested in something like that! However, if you are interested in a clothing article, I have some excellent seamstresses that I would be glad to connect you with! I've decided to put a limit on what type of projects to take on because, alas...though its easy for me to want to take on the world (of any and every commission that is) I simply shouldn't for my own sanity. I'm sticking to my happy projects and am more than happy to give some other craftswomen their type of happy business like sewing clothes :) Remember, I offer a 10% discount on orders of 4 or more yards of my fabric, as well as on orders of 3 or more rolls of my wallpapers. Now that we're talking about fabrics, I thought I might remind you about two new lines coming out May 1st! If you read this, thanks for checking in! Thats all for now, but the rest of the website has updates too, and there are lots of new goodies in my etsy shop sammieclarkart.etsy.com !!!
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So... you may have heard that I'm starting weekly emails for a "tribe" I'm calling Jungle Janes!! I thought I might give you a sneak peek of what some of the tutorials might be like! To view the entire tutorial, you will have to comment with your email address and starting March 14th, you will be able to receive all kinds of fun things like this from me!
Mondays: Inspiration for you to live a little more adventurously in big and small ways Wednesdays: Tutorials similar to the one below, all focused on bringing the beauty of nature into your home! (Decor projects, watercolor, etc...) Fridays: Exclusive deals for only Jungle Janes on my artwork and textiles! I want this to be something FUN and INSPIRING that you look forward to seeing in your inbox! It won't require any interaction or purchases from you, so just sit back, relax and get ready for the adventure!! If you decide you want to become a Jungle Jane, I'd love to hear your feedback and your adventure stories along the way! Lets do this together! :) Floral Arranging tutorial snippet vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv https://www.instagram.com/p/BCdzyT2Ayzz/?taken-by=sammieclarkart I'm on a new kind of adventure!! This morning, I woke up as a full time artist. We've been in Hawaii for a little bit now, but I'm considering these past few weeks as vacation :) My studio space is all set and ready to go (minus a few small things coming from the mainland). I'm so excited not only for myself, but also for Alex, as he had his first day as a wildlife biologist in Hawaii (his dream :)). Its a good day :) Also, I have some things in the works, so stay tuned (p.s. I'm really excited) !! Now that we are settled, I am available to take commissioned work once again!! How cool would it be to have a one of a kind painting for your home? Go to the contact tab or email me at [email protected] with commissions!! Don't forget to follow me along on instagram>>> sammieclarkart
Hello friends,
Silk scarves are the topic of the night... I know, a little different than my last few posts. But hey, they'd be a fun addition to any Jane of the Jungle's wardrobe or bungalow right? They can be worn for a fancy night out, they can be a feminine compliment to your grungy hiking boots, can be worn on your head, tied on a purse, OR even hung on the wall as art (maybe my favorite use) With this in mind... who wants a silk scarf with some of my original whimsical illustrations on it? I've got some new things in the works and I'm considering making silk scarves a new item available in my shop. Check out some of the designs and let me know if you want one! Sizes and Pricing: **FREE SHIPPING** 36x36 inches $75 26x26 inches $40 Aloha friends,
We ventured west a few days ago to find fields of golden grasses blowing in the winds, mountains of the most unusual shapes, and a beach made of what seemed to be black diamonds. The western coast of our island is much more arid than the lush forests we live in. It has its own sort of awe-inspiring beauty. Lava fields with electric pink flowers breaking through the surface of the black rock, framed with a backdrop of majestic golden mountains. With the open expanse of blue sky overhead and rolling white clouds in the distance, it seemed we were about to experience something amazing, and we were. I have always loved the ocean since I can remember. Family vacation albums are filled with pictures of me as a child with outstretched arms, face in the salty wind, and toes touching the ocean's bubbly edge. We made it to the black sand beach, a combination of volcanic rock, velvety smooth black sand and small pebbles. One of our main reasons in coming to this beach was to hopefully see the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles. We were happy to find one sea turtle basking in the sun, taking a nap on the warm black sand. He was not he only creature we found at the beach however. There were black jumping crabs, snails, fish, and purple sea urchins. Behind the beach, there was a peaceful lily pond where muscovy ducks were eating coconuts! In the distance, we saw a wooden bridge crossing over the pond, and curious creatures that we are, we crossed it despite the fact that half the beams were missing or rotted. There was no turning back. This part of the pond was slightly erie as we encountered many spiders, more rotting bridges and an abandoned resort shrouded in jungle foliage... We made our way back to the beach as quickly as possible :) after climbing around on the rocks at the beach a little longer, we got in the car and continued on our journey. As we drove, we kept our eyes out for Hawaiian barn owls in the fields. They are not a native species to the land. Like the mongoose, they were brought to the islands to control rats in sugar cane fields (the rats were also brought by humans). Unfortunately, the barn owls have not had much of an effect on the rats, and instead prefer to hunt native birds, as they are an easy target for a nocturnal hunter. However upsetting the impact that these owls are having on native species, they are still a beautiful creature doing the only thing they know, on an island they were brought to by humans. As I thought about the beauty of these owls that live in the golden grasslands, I thought of the plumeria trees that seem to be slightly more prevalent on the west side of the island. I decided to do a painting of these two beauties together to add a little color to our home. Soon, you can add a print of this piece to your home! It should be in my Etsy shop soon! Enjoy the photos from our adventure and come back soon! Wow...We're finally here!! I'm sitting here in my little volcano tree house with a cozy fire (where we are it drops 40 degrees at night!) and I can hardly believe it. My house is surrounded by tree ferns and Ohia trees. The ferns are about 15 feet tall and the ohia trees tower above our cozy dwelling. Every morning we enjoy the sound of the native birds singing in the trees as they drink from the Ohia blossoms. I have been pleased to find what I call "monkey tail" ferns (false stag horn ferns) growing all around us! Just a short drive away are the lava fields and a sparse environment I have named "the bush". I am shocked at the variety of flora on this one island. Needless to say, there's so much to be inspired by! I have completed a new painting since Ive been here too! The Hawaiian goose called the Nene, which is endangered and neared extinction, but thanks to conservation efforts, its population is growing. For a peak into the magic, heres some pictures! Visit again soon for more insights into the life of an artist in Hawaii
I am beyond thrilled to announce that my husband and I have a big, new adventure ahead of us! We are going to be moving to the Big Island of Hawaii. I am so proud of my Alex for all of his perseverance and finally getting the job of his dreams. He will be working as a Wildlife Biologist with the University of Hawaii in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I don't think it gets much better than that! This of course also means that I will have a whole new environment and culture surrounding me, to gain inspiration from. We went to to the island of Kauai on our honeymoon, but Hawaii is still largely a mystery to me. But with this mystery comes a little bit of magic. I have always been interested in stories of hot air balloon adventures and shipwrecks in tropical lands since I was a child. Although I know that Hawaii has much more civilization than many people are aware of, I look forward to getting away from Cincinnati and in my own small way, live an adventure in a land that is mysterious and magical to me. I'm interested to see how this affects my artwork...I have already gotten a little inspiration that you can see on my "Coming Soon" page. The collection is going to be called "Thrive". With the conservation work that my husband is participating in and his recent near death experience this fall, I have been contemplating what it means for the earth and its creatures to thrive... how do we as people thrive and how do we help nature to thrive? I hope to in some way touch on this with my artwork... but we'll see :) I'd love for you to follow along on this adventure and see the beauty that it brings!
The City Flea Holiday Market was a HUGE success! Thanks to all of my friends and family who helped out in many different ways!!
I've been getting a lot of pet portrait orders and since we're nearing the the new year, why not start it off with a cheerful wildlife calendar? Get one at 50% off when you order a custom pet portrait! Keep one for yourself, or give them both as Christmas gifts! The calendars are a great, practical item for anyone on your list, and the custom portraits may cause your pet-loving friends to shed a few tears (at least thats what I've heard) ;) I'm so excited to be a part of this event! December 12th 5-10 pm at Washington Park in Cincinnati. Festive night out enjoying some tasty treats from local food trucks, Christmas shopping, and maybe even ice-skating at Fountain Square?! Sounds like a magical night to me! Who's in?
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Samantha ClarkArtist and illustrator of all things wild and beautiful. Archives
April 2016
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