Tell All Tuesday ~ Featured Artist: Jen Randall

Hi guys, okay so the first month of TAT has gone (I could not be more shocked if you slapped me in the face with a wet kipper!! A whole month - poof!!!) but the artists are still going strong and thankfully willing to share. This weeks is the lovely Jen Randall who's work I think has such a lovely happy energy to it. Take it away Jen ~

Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are 
Hi! My name is Jen Randall and I am the artist/owner of Sadie Lane Studio. I am a mixed media artist who loves all things creative. I love painting whimsical portraits, collage, abstract art, and art journaling. I am a mom (to my 2 beautiful children), wife (to a very awesome guy), crafter, music lover, coffee drinker, book reading, God loving, photography obsessed, blog surfing, mainly vegan, creative who loves spending time with my family & friends. After teaching elementary school for 12 years, I decided to stay home with my kids when my 3 year old son was born. Being home allowed me time to explore and develop this artistic passion of mine. I opened Sadie Lane Studio about a year ago and it continues to grow. I feel very blessed! 

What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?

For me, one the greatest challenges is silencing my sometimes relentless inner critic. She is quite a diva and likes to voice her opinion quite often –You’re not good enough, who do you think you are, who is going to like that, you are not worthy of success, etc. I really need to dig deep and look closely inside myself to find what triggers such negative self-talk. Then take these discoveries and do something with them. I surround myself with supportive friends & family, continue to involve myself with positive art communities, work through it in my art journal, try not to compare myself to others, practice more kindness towards myself, and try to remember that God created me with a unique story to tell.

Do you ever lose your mojo, and if so, how do you get it back? 

Yes! There are many times throughout the year where I feel like I am lacking my creative juices. I think we all do, no matter what our creative outlet is. I find that it can hit for no reason too. I don’t really think of it negatively though. I embrace this time as just a part of the artistic journey. I do get frustrated, but do my best to work through it. When I find myself in a rut or at my wits end because my mind feels blank, I try to do some of the following: get out into nature, go for a walk, listen to music, visit my favorite blogs, watch YouTube videos for some new techniques to try, look through my “idea journal” where I jot down inspiration, create with my kids (wow, can kids evoke a sense of artistic freedom!), join an art class or challenge, relax, take a deep breath, and listen closely for the whispers of my creative voice.

What is the best thing / worst thing that art has brought into your life? 

Art has filled my life with so many fabulous things. At first I didn’t really notice it. But, now if I look around I see my life being filled with more color and excitement. Isn’t that what happens when you truly find what makes your heart sing and feeds your passion? Of course my heart lies first with my family and my faith. But, beyond that being an artist has opened up a whole new world of color, vibrancy, dreams, and community. I want to wear more yellow, splash my home with pops of color, travel to art retreats, dance like nobody’s business, and dream big (It’s never too late!). That says a lot for a very shy, black wearing, neutral loving quiet girl.

Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art? 

You can find me on my blog called Sadie Inspired (www.sadieinspired.blogspot.com) where I love to write about all the things that inspire me and share my artistic journey. I sell my art in my shop, Sadie Lane Studio, on Etsy. You can find it at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SadieLaneStudio. I also recently joined Instrgram. You can find me @sadieinspired. Please come say “Hi!”

Thank you Jen for your openness and honestly (& I want a house with pops of colour too *pout* lol). I'm glad art has filled your life with so many nice things, and I really see that sense of joy coming through in your art. Please visit Jen's blog for more happy filled art.

Would you like to be a featured artist on Tell All Tuesday? Email me @ jennibellie@yahoo.co.uk if you feel up to sharing.