How I Started Selling My Creations - Later in Life digitally

In the latest episode of the Creative Juggle Joy podcast, I dive deep into my journey as a single mother of three who has successfully balanced a full-time teaching career with my passion for art. This episode is packed with insights into transforming life's challenges into opportunities for creative and personal growth.

Throughout my journey, I’ve learned the importance of resilience and determination in pursuing dreams at any stage of life. As I narrate my experiences, listeners are taken on a journey from my early days as a teacher to my current role as a successful artist and entrepreneur.

One of the key highlights of this episode is my transition from a traditional craft sales model to an online art business, a shift made possible with the invaluable support of my eldest daughter. This strategic move not only streamlined our operations but also expanded our rech to a broader audience. I emphasize the significance of efficient systems for inventory and product management, showcasing how a structured approach can lead to business growth and sustainability.

Embracing change and continuous learning has been pivotal in my journey. I share my experiences of joining creative communities and utilizing platforms like Skillshare to enhance my skills and knowledge. My advice to start small, test the market, and nurture a unique artistic voice serves as a reminder of the patience and perseverance required to succeed in the creative industry.

Personal storytelling is a central theme in this episode. I highlight the importance of infusing personal experiences into artistic creations to foster connection and engagement with audiences. I urge listeners to let their personal journeys shine through their art, reinforcing that it’s never too late to pursue one's passions.

As the episode concludes, I reflect on the power of community support in my journey. Friends, mentors, and creative communities have played a significant role in providing encouragement and resources that have been pivotal in my success.

This episode serves as a motivational guide for both budding and seasoned artists, inspiring you to find joy in the process of creating and sharing art. Tune in to discover how you can turn your creative aspirations into reality, no matter the challenges you face!

 

 

 

Delores Naskrent - Website & Digital Art School - Instagram - Facebook - Pinterest - Youtube

TRANSCRIPT:

Delores Naskrent: 0:04

Hey everyone, it's Delores and welcome back to the Creative Juggle Joy podcast.

Delores Naskrent: 0:09

I'm really excited to dive into today's episode because we're going to talk about a number of different things. They don't seem like they maybe go together, but I think all of these come up in the episode.

Delores Naskrent: 0:22

I want to talk about connection and I want to talk about encouragement, and I also really want to touch on embracing change, especially later on in life. We'll start by exploring my journey as a lifelong artist.

Delores Naskrent: 0:40

So some of you might know me a bit, maybe because you were my students on Skillshare or you've taken courses on other platforms, but I always believe it's worthwhile to hear how someone like me has built a business around art and as artists, we live in one of the most amazing time for creatives.

We didn't have these opportunities available when I was starting out. Many seasoned artists have proven that it's possible to thrive in this field after 30 or 40 or even more years of dedication.

I can't believe how much easier it is for artists of all ages to make a living from their work now. Sometimes I honestly lie awake at night thinking about all the different things I still want to pursue, even though I'm past middle age. I mean, what really defines middle age anymore?

Anyways, if it's 30 to 60, well then I'm actually past it. I'm 64 years old and I'm feeling like I am just getting started. For you as learners or students, hearing from someone with extensive experience, I think, can be really helpful.

Delores Naskrent: 1:57

I know I've mentioned before how my high school mentor, mr Sandeman, inspired me to teach, which was a path I had never envisioned for myself. I also discussed how I became a single mom of three very active daughters, which compelled me to find multiple sources of income. One income, the . teaching income, was simply just not enough to maintain my family's lifestyle and needs, really because my kids were so active.

And, yes, I could have sold my house, maybe I could have gone to a smaller house, moved right into the city, but I just didn't want to uproot my kids. We've all lived in this community for and I just did the math for 48 years, if you can believe it, 48 years if you count my mom and that she and my dad built the house that I used to live in, which is across the street, and now my daughter lives there.

Delores Naskrent: 3:02

The long and the short of it is didn't want to leave, so I had to figure out additional ways to make money with my art. I mean, my art was the one thing. I thought well, that has some potential, maybe I could make money doing something extra on the side.

Delores Naskrent: 3:20

So this meant for me trying a number of new methods to leverage my art skills for additional income. And now that term leverage your art has become a catchphrase in the industry.

Delores Naskrent: 3:35

The program by Stacey Bloomfield Leverage your Art definitely caught my attention because I had been leveraging my art for years to make ends meet and I had never heard it presented in that way and I was really curious.

Delores Naskrent: 3:50

I loved her story and I ended up really loving her program and I think it has really helped me continue to develop a business model that is not just about the teaching. I can do all the other things, like all the things, if I really set my mind to it.

Delores Naskrent: 4:11

But let's still go back a little bit, because I was balancing that full-time job as a high school teacher with my side endeavors and it was really challenging, and if you've worked as a high school teacher teacher, you've been in the school system a lot.

Delores Naskrent: 4:26

Art teachers have a lot of extra stuff going on. I was part of the theatrical design department as well, because I taught a course it was called theatrical design, and so that made me responsible for mostly painting sets, creating the sets and then also a lot of the extra little props that were needed to really fill out a theatrical production.

Delores Naskrent: 4:57

So if you can imagine having a full-time job and spending hundreds of hours working on something like that as well. I had lots of help within the school, but it still was a lot of hours on my part, so I had been away from my artistic community while I was earning my teaching certification.

Delores Naskrent: 5:20

It had taken me five years to complete it, but once I had it I felt that I had a little bit of mental bandwidth left. Besides doing all the school-related stuff, I also started to brainstorm ways that I could boost my income. 

 

Delores Naskrent: 5:35

Now, back during that period of time, I was also dealing with lots of personal challenges in my relationship. With lots of personal challenges in my relationship. This was really pivotal for me because, as an employee of a government agency, I had access to emotional support through what we call EAP, which is Employee Assistance Program.

It finally hit me that I couldn't stay in my marriage and I needed to plan an exit ne to really care for my family. Moving forward, I was really saddened by what my girls were going through and I I needed help.

I really did, and I am incredibly grateful to the counselor that I had for helping me really recognize my self-worth and for encouraging me to envision my life differently than what it was. So, envision my life different than what it was. That right there, is the most important step a person can make when they have big dreams.

Delores Naskrent: 6:46

One of the first things I decided was to figure out how to earn extra income, because I knew I had to be able to ensure that my kids could stay in their home and continue with activities. They were getting more and more busy as they got older. I had one girl in high school, one girl in junior high and one in grade school.

So I had tried selling my art that I made at local gift shops, and my next step was to sell at local craft sales and events. I've shared my experience doing this in previous episodes and in blog posts, so I won't go into it really in great detail.

But it was for a short period of time around then that I went into a partnership with two other artist friends and we opened a gift shop, thinking that that would be a great way to get our art out there. My craft two friends were also graphic designers like me, so our bread and butter income for the business was in doing commercial work.

Unfortunately, because I was still employed full time as a teacher and not in position to quit my day job as they were, it eventually led to too much friction between the partners and we all ended up going our separate ways.

However, everything is a growing experience, right. I think that this approach was invaluable for exposing my artwork to direct consumers, and it helped me understand what was marketable.

Delores Naskrent: 8:19

Craft shows then became my main avenue for merging my analog and digital art into projects I could create quickly instead of spending countless hours hand painting items, and I've talked about that before in another episode.

What I had been teaching with digital art and the several years of experience I had working with software programs couldn't have produced a better opportunity for me to do this. Eventually, over time, and with the pursuit of the craft sale business, I discovered that I could dry, wooden pieces.

Initially, I explored various products, including mounting my printed art and scroll, cutting the wood into functional, maybe sculptures and clocks. I had little animals that I cut out.

Delores Naskrent: 9:07

I developed many products over the years, experimenting and trying to figure out ways I could scale my operation. I knew it was not hat to spend countless hours at my scroll saw in preparation for the holiday season.

My oldest daughter started to really help out in the business and she came along to the sales with the two younger ones in tow. And I know I've talked about this and I'm hoping I'm not repeating myself as we record more and more episodes.

But as my daughters got older and they became more involved in sports and other activities, it also became really hard for me to sustain the craft sale model. So again, I decided to pivot and explore selling my work online rather than trying to do it on the road.

Delores Naskrent: 9:57

This decision brought up two new developments. First, my eldest daughter had asked if she could take over the craft sale business, partnering with me by handling production, by traveling and t by selling at the craft sales. I would still be the person creating the artwork and printing it off, but she would be the one doing all of that work.

That was just too much for me to cope with. So I yeah, I took her up on the offer, for sure created Secondly, I opened a Shopify store so that we could focus a little bit more on wholesaling our art and on art licensing, which I had begun exploring in about 2006. 

That period of time was like a soup of all the different things I could do to try to make money with my art. By this time, I had become an accomplished illustrator, I had created significant illustrative work for the local college and sold products at so many craft sales and in so many stores.

So I really think that those years of working on all of these different products helped me to transition to online sales and it felt like a new challenge and it really felt fun. 

Delores Naskrent: 11:16

At the time, since I had been teaching digital skills and web design, creating my own website felt like the next logical step. The timing was perfect, with my daughter managing the craft business, and together we developed efficient systems for inventory management and with product design and really all our products.

I doubt that I could have been successful with my Shopify store had I not really done these foundational elements in the first place. 

To my surprise, my daughter made the transition to online sales feel really seamless, even though we were spread pretty thin at times, especially in the fall season. At that point I hadn't even considered platforms like Etsy or print-on-demand sites.

We were just creating our product ready for sale. So I really jumped straight into establishing my own retail store. So we were the manufacturers of our own product. By then we had developed a solid system for creating blanks, which were pre-cut wooden pieces for the dry mount process that we had perfected over the years.

Delores Naskrent: 12:34

Shopify was relatively new and being an early adopter came with its challenges. My email shifted from product production to the . technical aspects of creating artwork that catered to various seasons and occasions.

So we were trying to create a really solid wholesale business at that time and it was really around then that print on demand became a thing and I started to experiment by integrating with sites like Printify and here in Canada we have one called Art of Wear and at that point I opened my first Etsy shop as well.

As we streamlined our product line to magnets, cards and plaque mounted art, I learned that establishing a portfolio of desirable work and fostering a local customer base was really important for the success in the current marketplace. I really started to lean into art licensing even more and then also transitioned that into more education and working with Skillshare.

When I first went to Skillshare, it was because I needed to learn. When I get asked for advice, I really encourage others to start small and test the market with a few products. You can definitely find lots and lots of classes on Skillshare and there are lots of free tools and platforms available to help minimize your initial costs. You can find a website that has a free plan. You can do a mail free plan. All of those things are available.

Delores Naskrent: 14:21

I personally think that one of the things that helped me the most was joining creative communities, because they really provided me with significant motivation, and I still credit Leverage your Art for really validating my journey and experience.

Delores Naskrent: 14:40

I think that anybody considering it will get that big picture thinking that can really help out. I'm not here to talk about leverage your art, but I wanted to talk about my classes, and I'm always encouraging anybody, any age at any point in their learning, to continue with education and to try out a lot of different things at first until one floats to the surface and becomes your go-to.

Delores Naskrent: 15:15

For those of us on the other side, it's refreshing to connect with younger creatives and I urge you to pursue learning in ways that suit you, whether that's through online courses or local classes you can take, but always keeping your mind open to new possibilities.

Delores Naskrent: 15:32

I had never dreamed that I would be involved in so many groups that meet online. Now I have several groups that I belong to, and every one of them has deep value, and I find so much support in being in these communities.

 

Delores Naskrent: 15:51

I also want to remind you to remember that success does take time. Please don't be too harsh on yourself. If you're not selling right away, it's still absolutely worth pursuing.

The selling route continues to bring me immense satisfaction, and I think you should allow yourself the grace to learn gradually. Many people claim they lack artistic talent, yet create beautiful products even with their perceived limitations.

Simplicity can turn into beauty and as you become more familiar with software and artistic techniques, you can really learn to elevate your work.

Honestly, patience is key as you explore, keeping in mind that the heart of creativity lies not in just merely imitating trends, but in using them as a foundation to cultivate your unique voice. Infuse your personality, your experiences and your vision into your art and let and your audience, and be kind to yourself. It may not be what you envisioned when you first start, but let me know, it can develop. Think of a long game.

Delores Naskrent: 17:14

I know that selling online can be a really tough path, and I have been working with many, many students as they really just start out on this particular journey. You could definitely consider starting locally with small craft fairs just to gain exposure. If you do that, definitely engage with the fellow artists that you meet at these events, because they can provide valuable insights, as many of them are willing to share their journeys. We a developed experience some great relationships with .

Delores Naskrent: 17:55

of the things that I would also recommend is just a connection with a couple of local gift shops to sell your products on consignment. If they do that sort of thing, I would take that chance. Talk to them, even if you're not sure about your product. They can be full of great advice for you. So I think that would be something that you could do just as a learning experience, as a field trip.

Delores Naskrent: 18:26

If you think online sales can be slow, well, selling on consignment can take even longer to build a stable income. I've tried that route and I knew right away that it was not going to be enough to give me a really reliable, stable income. I could go at the end of the month and sometimes get as little as $25. I had some good months, definitely the fall season leading towards Christmas.

I would make some big sales occasionally, but for the most part it took a long time to create a stable income from that. But relationships built over time in this area can be incredibly valuable. So value what you hear from these stores and value what you hear from other artists. I always talk about one of the best pieces of advice that I ever received and that was from a gift shop owner.

Delores Naskrent: 19:27

She was telling me how well my artwork that I had added quotes to was selling. So from that moment on I prioritized incorporating quotes into all of my work and that got me noticed by the owners of some Hallmark stores and I could say the rest is history, but I think my history is still being written.

Delores Naskrent: 19:51

I just want to encourage you to stay committed to your journey. oy So to recap, today we discussed the evolution of my business, my art business, specifically the importance of leveraging your skills and also in staying open to new possibilities. I encourage all creators, especially those who are older, to pursue their dreams without letting age stop them. I haven't let it stop me. Remember that the joy of creating and selling art can be yours at any stage in life.

Delores Naskrent: 20:28

Now, if you found this helpful, I invite you to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. Keep an eye out for upcoming classes and resources I'll be offering related to digital art and online selling, and remember, join my mailing list for updates and helpful tips.

I'm so glad that you joined me today on the Creative Juggle Joy podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could leave a review or if you could share it with a friend who may need a little bit of encouragement on their creative journey. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Delores Naskrent: 21:06

As we wrap up today's episode, I want to remind you that personal stories can truly foster connection, so let your experiences shine through your art, no matter what your age. It's never too late to pursue your passions and remember the joy of creating and sharing art can be a beautiful journey at any stage in life.

Thanks so much for joining me today on the Creative Juggle Joy podcast. Until next time, keep creating, keep juggling it all and, most importantly, keep finding joy in the process. Remember there's joy in the journey, even on the craziest days.