About two years ago, I discovered something called growth mindset and it changed my life. Basically, it’s the idea that our brains are in a constant state of change and can grow and learn and develop, no matter your age.

Failures are inevitable and can be used as feedback. Stress can be incredibly helpful and even beneficial. Just by reading and learning this information, your brain can start to change. This is based in neuroscience and has been proven in studies to be true.

I put together an entire pdf with lots of resources and links so you can learn about it for yourself. I even created a worksheet in there for you. :)

It’s not very often that I get all deep and meaningful or vulnerable (at least publicly anyway). I am an introvert and I like to keep many parts of me guarded and close.

But I was working (not so much working as playing, actually) in my sketchbook and felt the need to share some things. I was having the best time, really. With soft lights (Christmas lights that I keep up year-round), and stillness and peace, I was just enjoying the process of watching the watery paint meet the paper. It felt like therapy - calmness and joy all wrapped up into one moment.

How many times have you wanted to do something that excited you or you had an idea and then you let fear getting in the way of executing it?

I have done this SO. MANY. TIMES. I am incredibly guilty of it. The more I grow and learn, the more I want to let fear go. I have let it hold me back from so many things. That little voice in my head gets in the way.

“What if that doesn’t work out?”, it saids. What if you fail? What if you waste time and money and energy and what if everyone hates it? What will other people think? Who am I to think I can do these things? What do I know? Why would anyone even care about this? What do I have to offer anyone? “You’re not good enough”, it whispers.

This is question I get a lot! I also made a video about this if you prefer to watch:

First, let me just say, that I am relatively new to art licensing. There is still a lot for me to learn. But I will share what I know and what has helped me get my own art licensed and into stores. Let’s start with the basics:

What the heck is it?

Art licensing involves working with a company (the licensee) who wants to use your art (you are the licensor) for their product. They essentially “borrow” YOUR art to help sell their product for a certain period of time. Then, you as the artist, as paid royalties on the product they sell. In most cases you keep your copyrights and you can continue to license it to companies for many different things.