The She Store

I was asked to be a part of my first event here in Amsterdam.  To live illustrate on give-away shopping bags for a small and gorgeous pop-up shop called The She Store. 

The pop-up store featured four amazingly talented ladies and designers:  Oform Jewelry - Aesthetic Stories -  Sara Rosalie -  Studio Cosima.  All women-owned, small businesses ... celebrating just that.  

My admiration and love of most of the small businesses out here in Amsterdam is strong, and I want to get as many collaborative experiences out here under my belt as I can.  Especially when it's brands like these four where I feel so completely aligned aesthetically.

The big question everyone asked me about doing this live illustration was ... "aren't you nervous to draw in front of people?"  

Um ... of course. 

It's important to me not to lie to myself in these moments .. Yes it's a completely different experience to go from drawing alone by yourself and being able to mess up without anyone watching ... to going to a pristine, high-end shop and drawing as if you never fail in the process. HOWEVER since coming to this city, I've been exercising the "practice what you preach" approach.  If I think I deserve to be successful and sought after,  then I better be able to train the 'fearful beast.'  

And I am so glad I did. I got to meet such wonderful people - those four ladies in particular - and I got to see people reacting to my work right in front of me!  I've never done the whole craft fair thing, which now I understand a bit more - you really get to see what your clients react to, and what the general public enjoys! I also felt excitement and confidence for accomplishing something I feared. 

If there is no fear in what you are doing, you're doing something wrong.  Fear pushes us to the next level, and confidence grows out of these experiences.  

Here are some photos from the wonderful event, and stay tuned for their next one in November!