We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jennifer Sowders. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jennifer below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

I went to the Columbus College Art and Design, graduating with a major in illustration and a minor in advertising design. I later realized I really had a hunger to create fine art. I think what started the fire/desire was standing in an art museum, and admiring the work of masters, in what they were able to accomplish. This seed of thought actually occurred while I was still in school but I think this heart discovery was too late for me (in my mind). I didn’t want to spend more years in school to switch paths so I graduated an entered the workforce working for printing companies, with a little dissatisfaction and longing.

I think I began to ’take risks’ once I began to have children. I decided to leave my job and raise my son since my husband had a decent job. Although I had begun moonlighting as a fine artist (which didn’t really pay), I still desired to do some kind of ‘work’ to pay for those art supplies and begin investing in becoming a fine artist. I did some office and home cleaning jobs around my husbands work schedule and found myself having all sorts of creative ideas of what to create next while pushing a sweeper. That time to be away from everyone doing mindless labor was a really good thing. I had the time to plan, dream and refine my ideas, and oddly enough, I did not feel a need to return to school despite my big change… I found joy in learning as I went along.

It’s funny looking back now to see that doing mindless labor, whether it was cleaning or gardening or mowing the yard… was the ‘me-time’ I needed to essentially sketch out everything in my head so that when I was able to paint, I could really let loose with a passion. I’m the same way today!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

From 2012 to 2016 I had been sowing into a business I created that had nothing at all to do with art, but one that I could see a light at the end of the tunnel for investing my full-focus upon. I knew as the company grew, one day I could be replaced and return back to the fine art I loved as more than a moon-lighter! 2016 was the year that it slowly began as my eldest son began working the family business and it continued to grow, adding another son… their friends, their cousins and today I am a full-time artist. The transition began slowly after having given up art for those 4 years, but joining a weekly plein air painting (painting landscapes outdoors) group, was the beginning of an important discipline that began to hone my talent and skills, as well as creating a deep love for landscapes as a subject.
The only drawback to plein air painting is that in order to finish a painting I had to paint very small pictures. My real desire was to paint larger works but the lighting would change so drastically within a 3 hour painting period so I would photograph the scene and I begun to finish my paintings later in the studio using the photo reference.
The larger I painted the more studio time I had and the less I painted with my group. My next move was to open my studio up once a week to the public so that I would force myself to have a dedicated day to paint since I wasn’t meeting with the group to hold me accountable. I realized that discipline in DOING artwork as a full time job means I have to put in the hours if I wanted to get better as an artist.
It is this discipline that has been the best thing for my artistic career. My landscape paintings now win National and International awards and can be found in publications such as The Artists Magazine.
The lock-downs of Covid heavily impacted my work for the better. I began to try mediums I had never tried before like watercolor on Yupo (a synthetic paper) and conversely, painting thick acrylic paints with the use of a palette knife.
Not having ever liked acrylic paint before, I found that by painting via a palette knife I could express myself in an Impressionistic manner… something I longed to do but having been too timid to try in the past. I found great peace by being absorbed by lush landscapes that helped me to forget the troubles of covid.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been several times where I’ve had to sacrifice my time for the family business instead of doing my art. For those 4 years I had quite a bit of frustration, but it has totally been worth it. Now I’ve built something wonderful that blesses many families. I’ve learned to focus on that light at the end of the tunnel and know that I can plan and save up ideas for the future. I’ve honestly been working really hard to advance my art lately realizing that one day I might be a Grandma and so I’ve really been putting in the legwork for connections within the art world so that things will be easier with the promotion-side of selling art.

Even in the times where I felt stuck I always found ways to at least use my creative juices, if I could not physically do artwork. If I had to encourage artists that are doing a 9-5 on top of being a creative, remember it’s a lifestyle, a thread throughout every part of life; not just a compartmentalized facet. This stance helps keep the light at the tunnel burning brighter because you focus on what you have and where you are “at”… into making it the best you can creatively be, instead of whining and complaining and letting negativity bleed over into your work when you do find times to squeeze it in.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Absolutely, and oddly enough it was something that was not art-related that my husband was listening to/reading to better himself in his business. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, first published in 1989, is a business and self-help book written by Stephen R. Covey. My take-away from the book was about setting a goal structure for where I was at, to where I wanted to be. There was a very helpful print-out… if you google: “habits stephen covey goal setting worksheet” you’ll find just what I’m talking about. It was life-changing and why I seem to do ’so much’ to other artists. Sometimes I DO fly by the seat of my pants but setting attainable goals and having a balanced life, in that being an artist is just one part of it, I’ve learned not to neglect all the other hats I wear so I can have an all-around abundant life. Trust me… get the book!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MONgallery.us
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mongallery.us
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/jensowdersart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sowders/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChraH3-pUbztjb19GsGjslg
• Other: https://artrepreneur.com/p/mongallery https://www.alignable.com/fostoria-oh/mongallery-and-art-studio https://www.threads.net/@mongallery.us

Image Credit 

Courtesy of ATP.art by Artreprenuer