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📣FREE WEEKLY STUDIO PLANNER 📕 Take control of your creative practice with my free Weekly Studio Planner-designed to help you stay organised, inspired, and on track to achieve your art goals! Sign Up below 👇 artist.paulamcgurdy.com/free-studio-planner 🎨

Thanks Paula, that was great ❤

This is so helpful, as I’m beginning to offer commissions. One question, is the 50% deposit refundable or non-refundable if they change their mind? Thank you for sharing Paula!

Great video Paula! I've done several commissions throughout the years but not on the regular. This has been very informative and the one thing that really stood out was sending your clients progress photos of small sections of the artwork and not the whole piece. Brilliant!

Great video!! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and advice 😁🎨

📣FREE WEEKLY STUDIO PLANNER 📕 Take control of your creative practice with my free Weekly Studio Planner-designed to help you stay organised, inspired, and on track to achieve your art goals! Sign Up below 👇 artist.paulamcgurdy.com/free-studio-planner 🎨

Thank you!!!

Excellent thank you! 😊

📣FREE WEEKLY STUDIO PLANNER 📕 Take control of your creative practice with my free Weekly Studio Planner-designed to help you stay organised, inspired, and on track to achieve your art goals! Sign Up below 👇 artist.paulamcgurdy.com/free-studio-planner 🎨

📣FREE WEEKLY STUDIO PLANNER 📕 Take control of your creative practice with my free Weekly Studio Planner-designed to help you stay organised, inspired, and on track to achieve your art goals! Sign Up below 👇 artist.paulamcgurdy.com/free-studio-planner 🎨

I am 39 and turning 40 later this year. I am just learning how to create art now, but I am so much more confident in my ability to learn now compared to even 1 or 2 years ago. Something has shifted, and I think now is the perfect time to get started. Maybe for someone who is 50, 60, 70, 80, or even someone in their 90s, now is the perfect time for you too. It’s never too late! My mother-in-law is 92 and she still enjoys learning new things.

Thank you for being so transparent. I understand completely. Sometimes we need to step away to see things with new eyes. Being in nature helps me too. Movement is good because I think it gives my brain something else to focus on. Dancing, roller skating, or just walking. I try to do these things with other people because creating art is a solitary activity.

Dear Paula! I hear and see you! ❤️ Giving ourselves permission to just ease into the year and flow with the winter rhythms is so hard when your head is buzzing with ‘get going…get going!’ I know that journaling each morning, taking an invigorating walk outside along the water (I live near the sea), taking pauses from the mundane tasks of the everyday and read or sketch is a good thing and yet I always battle with myself to be consistent and give myself the okay that though I am not making art these moments are beneficial to my well being so I can make the art I want to do. Spring is on the way and with these moments of reflection and rest we will be ready. Yes we will! Hang in there! ❤️

Very recognisable, and definitely a good idea to go outside into nature and relax a bit or do something completely different, low pressure and fun. I was feeling not so much stuck but definitely a bit exhausted last week from pushing myself hard on a new portrait art project, I’ve also decided to listen to my body and take it a little bit more easy this week. Will only be doing a few fun sketches and staying away from social media, go on a little day trip tomorrow… already feeling less tired now…

Hi Paula, I’m sorry that you’ve been feeling a bit pants. Don’t be hard on yourself, we are simply wintering. I woke up yesterday morning and had no energy or enthusiasm but I did some gentle Yoga (I recommend Yoga With Bird’s YT Channel) and a meditation I felt tons better. I followed it up with a walk later on which regrounded me (probably no such word, but you know what I mean! 😂) Lighter days are coming, the days are already getting longer. Follow your sunshine 🌻🌻

Thank you so much for sharing your challenging time. I too am going through a challenging time at the moment, so it was nice to be reminded of some strategies to help. All the best Paula.

I’m a dinner table artist too ❤. I’m in a funk, it’s primarily the political atmosphere here in the u.s but also just…. A cold winter. Time with family is a great idea. I also found some lovely seed pods… I should sketch. We do need to trust ourselves listening to our bodies… etc. take care ❤

The January blues. Yep. When I get overwhelmed I journal about it. I actually journal daily ala Julia Cameron’s morning pages. It does help and so does play which you are doing with your sketchbook. Self love and a major dose of grace.

Hi Paula- I know what you mean. I agree with you about getting to nature. Also neurographica, and (gasp!😆) animal videos (for example- baby goats!) A good laugh is SO cathartic.

I'm an Artist from Germany and i fully understand you. When i start a new painting i'm almost affraid of the blank Canvas staering at me. I often wonder, what will happen to all my " Masterpieces " when i'm gone. So far i enjoy all my colorful Paintings myself and keep on going creating more. Nice that i've found your Channel.

I'm a I lifelong artist and I've sold and taught here and there. Can you share what online platforms you've found successful in selling?

Sounds like you have a bunch of things organized in your mind, that's half the battle 😊 . I try to write down goals with deadlines, otherwise they just remain things I 'should do' but never get done, lol 😆 .

I love Sketchbook Skool! I watch his vlogs as well! Great points you cover. Thank you!

Thanks so much for your encouraging email! I am a 60+ content creator, and I took the plunge last year and posted my first video this week!! So exciting. It's been a big learning curve, and I'm not a professional, but I wanted to give it a try and help other self-taught artists whilst sharing my own journey. 😊

Some great advice Paula. I’ve just started you TH-cam journey as an artist, so this was really helpful for me. Thank you.

I've only been making process shorts and want to start long form but i always feel so awkward in front of the camera.... (i love the palette that came with that gouache...)

Hello! Just discovered you on TH-cam and have subscribed. Thank you for your messages of experience and inspiration. Just what I needed and am deeply grateful. ❤

Hi, I started making art again at the age of 58. Now I am 60 and thinking about making videos on this platform. Your video is right on time😂❤

I’m 33, and I absolutely love finding creators that are older than me. ❤ I want more of them! But there’s just not as many. Looks like a gap in the market to me! 😉

Thank you so much for this video! You are giving me courage. I love your style of filming and the voiceover...I think that would work for me so much better than trying to talk while I paint my murals and art pieces. You are encouraging me to show up!! I'm 61, very plain and messy, and have been terrified to actually post anything. I've subscribed to your channel. Thank you!!

Wonderful episode, reminding us to get through the self doubt and judgement!

Do you know what Paula Thankyou ❤. I was feeling pretty sad sorry for myself the other day crying and telling my son you know what women of my age are just invisible. and you’re right of course now I’m feeling a little bit better but it is about showing up for yourself so thank you very much for your beautiful woman wisdom yes we do have so much to offer as women over 50. I’ve finished raising kids really feel like I have to start again and reinvent life on my own and it’s terrifying but people like you out here in the world help make me feel like I’m not alone but one of so many. thanks Paula. Happy creating. 👍🙌🎨👏🖼️😍🌸

Love your channel. Very inspiring. I spent too long waiting to have the perfect studio before creating art. Now I just play and have fun at my kitchen table ❤😊

📕 If you’re wanting to grow your art business and you’re feeling stuck. I wrote an ebook… ‘How to Build a Profitable Art Business’ by Paula McGurdy www.paulamcgurdy.com/new-products-1/how-to-build-a-profitable-art-business-by-paula-mcgurdy-ebook

Brilliant! Thank you for this encouragement. And, of course, you're right!

This was very relatable and inspiring as always. And thank you for sharing the bit about neurodivergence. I find it really interesting that there’s such a high prevalence of neurodivergence among artists and creatives, and although it certainly comes with a set of challenges for the individual, it can also be such an advantage when it comes to creativity. I’ve seen it time and time again with the artists I encounter and work with in my industry. Either way, It’s brave of you to share and it’s very much appreciated!

Thank you Paula so very much for sharing your practice with us. I love watching your videos! I'm from Sydney, Australia. I have recently begun playing with watercolour painting, after many years being a general creative. Trained as a gold and silversmith, but love SO many different areas of design and art.

Danny Gregory of Sketchbook Skool. It’s a wonderful community!

Thank you for this, Paula. Agreed! My space is actually my room, 10 by 10, so I can empathize! Found that curtaining off my shelving helps, so I can cover them and Think! Or open the curtain and work! Not a professional, so very new to this, but content like yours feeds my soul too, Thanks, Paula!

Thanks for the videos Paula they're very enjoyable to watch and very informative ❤🎨

I love watching you potter about your studio and chat about what you're doing. I'm also glad to see your channel is doing well. I made every mistake you can think of with mine but I have to say, sometimes as a creative it takes time to figure out where you're going, it has taken a while for me to get anywhere with TH-cam. Still, I enjoy it and appreciate the connections with other creative people. I live near the west coast of Canada.

Oh I love it. You've sold me! Yes!! I will start. LOL

Paula, Thank you so much for this thoughtful and wonderful message. I am in my late 70's and have been feeling like its too late for me to reach out and get a following ---wondering who in the world would be interested in hearing from me. Yours is a heartfelt timely message that I needed desperately to hear. So thank you!!!❤😘

📕 If you’re wanting to grow your art business and you’re feeling stuck. I wrote an ebook… ‘How to Build a Profitable Art Business’ by Paula McGurdy www.paulamcgurdy.com/new-products-1/how-to-build-a-profitable-art-business-by-paula-mcgurdy-ebook

Thank you so much for your channel. I have just found you this morning all the way down south in Tasmania. I really appreciate this supportive content!

Thanks for making me think. I am leaning towards 2 words for this year. The first one is PEACE. With every step I take and decisions to make I want to ask myself 'Does this bring me peace?' Understanding though that we do go through hard times and that is part of life, but if you can see the end goal being peace, it might be worth pursuing or enduring (making lemonade with the lemons of life). The other word I haven't figured out yet. I'm leaning towards CONNECT. Connecting with my work, myself, my kids, my sphere of influence. So...something to ponder and intentionally live the coming year. Too much time gets wasted being stuck in limbo. Having a clear path makes the journey a bit easier.

Great video. I’m 75 and teach watercolor at university. I mainly teach techniques and nudge them out of the nest to start experimenting and playing. Thank you.

I just found your channel and I immediately subscribed :) I've been on the hunt for some good art content on here for a while now and luckily I found you and a couple others. I love to paint and one day I hope to make art more of a job instead of just a hobby. Thank you for the inspo :)

In my head, we are friends, and you live next door😂❤ I think you are absolutely fabulous 👌🏽 👏🏾 ❤ You really intend to help us with real world advice regarding art, and it's not all embellished frou frou😅 It's down to earth advice that can really help us to grow❤🙌🏾🙋🏽‍♀️🧁 Thank you so much and happy new year!🎉

I’m an Irish native living in England for the past few years, I needed to hear your message today. Thank you for sharing. I will start regardless of not having the space or pristine studio or all of the guffins Pinterest/ insta or TikTok tell us we need to I’m going to just start! From my messy suburban cramped little house ❤