Jess Buhman Art

For I am posting three things that are lesser known facts about myself.
1) I was so accident prone as a child and such a daredevil that the doctor recommended I wear a helmet when playing outside - no lie! 🤣 I kept wanting to go on a bike ride though when my parents tried this, so I don’t think it lasted long.
2) my favorite foods are cheese (so many kinds, but love feta, bleu cheese, pepper Jack) and olives. I would take a charcuterie board over dessert most days!
3) I am only 5’1” - I used to say 5’2,” but the doctor has confirmed that is false. I don’t mind being short and often forget how short I am til I catch a glimpse in a store window.
Where my fellow shorties and cheese lovers at? 🧀 🙌 would love to hear one fact about you !

Day 3 of is about PLANNING. I have a bulletin board covered in sticky notes of all my hopes and dreams. I also have a bulletin board covered with daily, weekly, and monthly art goals. I have it right next to my computer so I have to look at it nearly every day. I need these visual reminders to both remember and focus on my goals.
What do you do to help plan out your day and week? Do you like handwriting, use your phone, or something else?

Today’s prompt for is “brand values.” As I have grown as a business, I have honed in on what values are most important to me. I try to follow these things when creating, running a business, and speaking to customers:
1) be honest and transparent. If I make a mistake, I own up to it and try to correct it. Being honest is so important in general in life, but in running a business, it is necessary to build trust and respect with customers.
2) do something extra when you can for someone. A little bit of kindness and going above and beyond can go a long way in making someone’s order better or their day!
3) always put my heart into my work. If my heart isn’t in it - I have to restart a painting or wait until my heart is in it. This is partly why I have to take a break from custom paintings. When I’m in the right zone, I love doing them, but it can be hard to predict when I will be in that zone. I don’t want to leave a customer hanging until I get there or give them work that is not my best.
4) give back often, but don’t always tell others. I try to give to charities or donate part of my proceeds to certain charities I believe in. Sometimes I advertise these to try to raise more money, but I also think it’s important to do some things privately on my own for the sake of trying to be a better human.
For all small businesses, what core beliefs drive you?

It’s month and today’s prompt is “you and your work.” I have been painting Phoenixes more and more over the course of the last couple years. It has helped me to paint them for their symbolism and I feel honored to have shared each original I have painted with others who find it to be a powerful symbol, too.
I just taught a class on painting phoenixes live and also did a prerecorded version I will be sharing for anyone interested. It can be so freeing to paint them!
📷: Laura Lee Buhman

For the next month, you can use coupon code HELPUKRAINE to get $5 off any 8” x 10” print on my website jessbuhmanart.com
All proceeds made from the orders with this coupon code will go to The International Rescue Committee who helps deliver aid to countries that are under crisis.
A small thing I am trying to do to help when I feel helpless, heartbroken, and fearful for the people of Ukraine and the world.

So impressed with Christine Stamps Sayre’s painting from my watercolor Phoenix class yesterday. I love that you can still get a sense of her artistic voice and style in this painting, yet she still found the class helpful. Here is what Christine had to say about the class:

“First, it has been FOREVER since I've tried to paint. I used what I had on hand with some of the suggested items on the way. After the live feed, I kept playing with a dryer brush, and also adding water. I am happy with what I learned and practiced.”

If you’d like to sign up to get the prerecorded Phoenix painting class emailed to you for $15, you can at the following link or comment below:

https://m.signupgenius.com/ #!/showSignUp/10c0f44aba622a3f8c16-prerecorded

A little preview of my Phoenix painting class if anyone would like to watch the prerecorded version for $15 to paint at your own leisure.

Phoenix Painting This is "Phoenix Painting" by Jessica Buhman on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

Just completed a prerecorded version of my watercolor Phoenix painting class. It includes a couple of warmups before doing the actual painting. If you’d like the private link to the class for $15 to watch at your own leisure, let me know below or shoot me a message. The live version of this class will be happening tonight at 7:00 PM Central time if anyone would prefer that.

Anyone have advice for helping a toddler with Croup? We had an early ER visit this morning due to a scary episode of stridor last night. My daughter got a steroid and a couple more prescribed by her primary after we did a video visit just in case needed. We were told opening a window and breathing in cold air could be helpful if it happens again (fingers 🤞 it doesn’t). We have chicken noodle soup in the crock pot, pushing fluids, she’s napping now, and humidifier. Open to any tips on whether steam from bathroom shower / sitting in there helps or hinders as we did that before bed last night and it was her worst night yet… also had cool mist humidifier running in her room, but could be coincidence. Solidarity to all parents dealing with sick kids. It never seems to get easier on your heart.

Feeling a bit of that February winter funk. The snow looks beautiful as it is falling down, but I am a touch over it. I can always count on painting birds with my girl to enhance my mood, though. Also, walked on the treadmill a bit. Creating and moving your body can be so helpful. What are you doing to help your mental health in these final months of winter?

Do you and your family want to paint alongside me this weekend? I am hosting an online Phoenix watercolor painting class for $15 per household. Let me know and I will send you the details!

When we moved into our first home nearly 5 years ago, we quickly realized how kind the neighbors are. We did not expect to become as close to some as we have, especially our elderly neighbors across the street. They became like pseudo-grandparents to us…. sharing produce from their garden, checking to see if we were OK when they didn’t see activity for a while, sending cards, and soon growing to love our daughter as they have us. We feel so lucky to have them as neighbors.
My heart has been heavy over the course of the last week, as the matriarch of their household, Peggy has been on the decline. I had a feeling with recent events the prognosis would not be good. I was trying to shake it, but alas, she was recently moved to hospice.
I truly love Peggy so much. She loves the birds like me and often feeds them bread crumbs. Running this card over to her house today in hopes that it can still reach her.
If you’re thinking about calling or visiting your neighbors or loved ones, do it! 💕

This is so cool to watch! https://www.facebook.com/100064703636943/videos/1155617255193040/

I left my brief career of teaching 10 years ago and never looked back. Teaching young children was not right for me for various reasons. However, right now I feel called to teach others about how I paint — not because I think I am the best at it — far from it! But because every day when I read the news, I am reminded that we need something to unite over more than ever. We need to share beauty with each other and notice that our neighbors have beauty within them. We need to activate the part of ourselves that believes there is good in the world and that we share more traits in common at our cores (such as a love of art) than we do the things that divide us. I need this reminder. I may be a dreamer, but I’m turning to art!

I am excited for my Phoenix watercolor painting class in two weeks where we will come together and paint a Phoenix representing rising up from difficult circumstances. Who wants to join?

https://fb.me/e/160BkRpLf

Not sure what I think of this one so far, but I love me some jewel tones.

My next painting class will be painting a flying Phoenix like the one below. I am thinking of doing on Saturday, February 26 at 7:00 PM US Central Time. It will be $14.99 USD to attend since we will just be doing one painting. Would love to hear from you if you'd rather have this prerecorded so you can pause and rewatch or live?

Wondering if you all could please help me out? I have been slowly editing my Etsy shop to delete some listings, as well as add new ones, and edit some previous ones. Wondering which of these I should edit or delete? Could you please comment on or "like" the ones you like? If any don't get any feedback, I will probably let them go as they haven't gotten sales lately. Thanks in advance!

CUSTOM PET PAINTINGS CLOSING: I have decided to quit accepting custom pet paintings for the remainder of 2022. I am going to focus more on other areas with my art such as teaching watercolor painting classes and pursuing other illustrations, possibly for a children's story!

If I have already committed to painting your pet, I will definitely still be doing so. I wanted to let people know though that even over the holidays, I have decided not to pursue this. You all are so great at referring me to others so just wanted to give this heads up before you do so.

I may revisit these in the future and I still aim to get more breeds of dogs in my Etsy shop. So, if you want to submit a photo of your pet for me to possibly paint at random in the future you can do so here:
https://www.facebook.com/JessBuhmanArt/photos/a.159790307511007/846534952169869/

Thanks for your understanding and thank you to all who have had me paint your pets - it has truly been my honor to do so!

Painting women really empowers me. When I paint a portrait of a woman I try to portray that no matter what emotion they are feeling, they are still beautiful. That is why portraits are one of my favorite subject matters to paint. However, I really struggle to paint particular people unless they’re famous or I know them personally. Though I am not painting customs of specific people, if you have a moody photo and tag me giving permission to paint, I just may do so!
For I want to know what is your favorite subject matter or thing to create?

A lot of the paintings that are my favorites are not high sellers. I think I have sold one print of this, but I am keeping it in my shop cause I love it too much :-P

Ooh this is a good one.

Via: Poetry Matters

I didn’t know!

You're welcome in advance

Ok, so I am going to start working towards an alphabet book. Give me your favorite letter A animals - bonus points if you have photos of one you’d give me permission to use!

Always feels so long….

Able to share these commissions now that I have completed over the last few months. I am taking a break from commissions for a bit, but these were very special to make.