Under the autumn tree
The chair where you would swing
A yard so full of leaves
Hum the song that comforts me...

A small excerpt from Milo Green's song, Autumn Tree that seems to be running through my head as I go through these pictures from my crisp autumn walk the other day. Perfect for the first day of October, it seems. These images were taken on a day where my head would not be cleared of the million thoughts and emotions that were distracting me from my work. I knew that walking to clear my mind would help, but I did not anticipate happening upon the most glorious, sun-bathed gold Beauty. It was filled with light and warmth and calm. I could not help but stop and admire- my mind was immediately put at ease for a few small moments. It beckoned me to sit beneath its lovely branches, so I cleared a space in the crimson leaves to rest and dream once again. 

My days are busy this season. But I feel it's more of blessing than a curse. Summer was filled with doubts in my work life as there was a lull in projects. But with the coming of Autumn,  I've received a steady schedule of work which fills my heart with deep joy.

There are days such as the day of these images where the full schedule feels overwhelming but mostly it is so fulfilling for me. I have struggled with self-worth a whole lot within my work so it only feels like encouragement and affirmation when I'm receiving so many projects and orders. I'm learning to find the beauty in these busy days and try to remember that encouragement when the overwhelming feelings set in. 

Autumn is traditionally thought of the transitional season from life to death. I see the beauty in that- the preparation for hibernation... but there's a part of me that feels like Autumn is also a season of newness. The leaves change their colour to something of brilliance, for many it is the start of a new year, and it is also the start of those feelings of warmth and cosiness. There is something to be celebrated in that. There is a fullness about this season that is both death and life at once. Its richness brings about a sense of wonder, apprehension, excitement, melancholy, and calm all within a single moment. What a contrast this season is and, at the same moment, how perfectly synonymous it is with human life.

Wow. I'm not so sure how August went by so quickly, but somehow we're into September already. Sigh. I was hoping to hold onto summer a bit longer but it appears Fall has decided to come to the west coast without much warning. So many things happened this summer, especially in August, so I would like to share some of those with you! I'm finding it difficult to update the blog regularly with how busy I am, so you can expect small updates here and there, as I continue about my busyness. Here are a few things going on in my life: 

Studio Work: I don't have a picture for this one, but this summer, I started working in the studio of Grace Lee of Eikcam Ceramics as a studio assistant! I've been wanting to work as a studio assistant for a while and this job just kind of happened upon me (God was working behind the scenes on that one!). I have never done ANYTHING with ceramics, so being hired was kind of a miracle and I feel so grateful for the opportunity to learn a new skill (all while being paid!). So far, it's definitely been a real learning curve- my hands are learning to work in ways they haven't before and I've made quite a few mistakes, but I'm confident it will become more natural the more I do. If you're interested in seeing some of Grace's beautiful pieces visit her website or follow along on instagram!

Illustration: I haven't been working as much illustration this summer while I've been focusing more on acrylic canvas paintings, but there have been a few projects on the go. I submitted a piece for Maker's Movement magazine which will be coming out in January. It feels really exciting to know that I will be seeing a illustration of mine in print for the first time. I have also been working on a submission for another print publication. At this point, it's just a possibility, but even the possibility feels pretty darn good. I have also received a few requests for commissions, but my calendar is still open, so if you would like to have a custom house portrait done or if you have another idea for commission, I'm all ears! Throw me your ideas and get on on the bandwagon. Hint: Christmas is a-comin'....

Paintings: I've been moving in a new (or old?) direction and working on a ton of paintings over the past while. I'm finding a whole lot of freedom in my painting days. After starting my 100 Day Project, I began to realize that I have missed expressing emotion through paint. I'm thankful that I felt nudged to start again. I've been experimenting a bit with combining watercolour and acrylic and I'm loving the effects that are forming. All of the current canvas pieces I'm working on are for sale and I'll be posting them in my shop as I get around to it. If you are interested in anything you see here or on my instagram, shoot me a line at jenni.haikonen8@gmail.com and I can give you the details. 

100 Day Project: Speaking of my 100 day project...I've currently got some prints on order for the above paintings! They've been selling like hotcakes (and I'm not even sure what that phrase means). I've been taking pre-orders on these ones, but the listings should be going up in about a week in my shop. These are limited edition 5x7 prints which means that there will only be 10 prints made and once they are all sold, they will not be re-printed. They will be printed on 310gsm watercolour acid-free paper to have the same quality of the original painting. Each will be signed and numbered on the front. Please contact me if you would like to place a hold on one of these prints before they are listed in the shop!

Etsy: Other things selling around the Bottomley Cottage shop- these 5x7 Morning Glory prints and I just sent off another 8x10 Sailboat Print last week! One of my favourite things of the whole online shop process is packaging each print off to send. I'm always looking for new ways to make my packaging prettier - it makes it so fun to send out mail. Let me send you some mail- I'd love to do it! :)

Other Studio Scenes:

If you've been following my #100daysofpaintingsbyJenni project on Instagram, you may have wondered if I would ever be selling any of the pieces. Well, I'm happy to announce that I've decided to make 10 limited edition prints of each of the paintings! Because this is a special project, these prints will only be offered as any of the prints are available and there will be no reprints. Each of the paintings will be printed on a heavy 5x7 card and will cost $30 plus shipping. 

I'm now taking pre-orders for these special pieces and would love to hear to hear from you if this is something you would be interested in supporting me in! To have a look at each of the pieces, head over to my instagram or facebook galleries and then send me a line letting me know which one(s) you would like printed for you. You can reach me at jenni.haikonen8@gmail.com or send me a private message on my social media accounts.