The Way I'm Working Isn't Working (Important Changes)

Announcing important changes to my art business

Over the past several years, since my uncle’s brain injury and becoming a parent, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to be alive - for me as an individual, and for us as human beings on a living planet. This question helped me realize that I’m an artist and is what I explore through my creative practice. Of course, it’s a work in progress, as life is. One thing I know is that I want to live a creative life in a way that sustains me and contributes to all of us living better alongside the earth and each other. And I know I need to make some changes for that to happen.

I read Tony Schwartz's “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working”, which inspired the title of this journal entry, probably 15 years ago. The framework shared is that in order to feel more satisfied and productive at work and outside of it, we should focus on 4 core needs: physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy, and spiritual energy. I ended 2024 feeling like I was neglecting all 4 - burnt out and more stressed than ever. I’d had a lot of expectations for what the year might be like, and the reality was… completely different.

I thought 2024 would be the year. The year when I’d check off the major goals I’d been writing down for the past few years. The year when, following my layoff, I’d turn my art into a thriving full-time business that allows me to spend my time doing something I love, with the flexibility I need as a parent to a young, school-aged child. Throw in somehow making up my full-time income to prove dreams can come true! I started the year with a healthy mix of delusional optimism and realistic planning, thinking that if any year would be the year to see if it was possible, it was this one.

Long story short, I put in a lot of energy, but, well, didn’t see the results. Which doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of good things to happen - there were. But ultimately, for a mix of personal reasons and those more related to the collective state of the world, there were a lot of times this year when my life didn't feel like I wanted it to.

So, I’ve spent probably too much time (over)thinking about what I need to prioritize to manage my life in a way that enables me to create my best work, support myself and my family, and contribute to the world in the way I want to. I've decided to get creative - by streamlining my studio journal, introducing a new subscription model, and changing how I release original artwork. I’m trying some new things, in ways I haven’t really seen visual artists do, and I have no idea if they’ll work. But I do know that the way I’m working isn’t working.

To keep me from rambling on (did you know I was voted most talkative as my high school superlative?), I’ll share some of the personal stories that led to these changes in an upcoming entry. Today, I want to share what’s happening and what it means for you as supporters of my work.

Full-Time Job Search

• I am looking for a new full-time job. I was laid off from my corporate HR career over a year ago. I spent 2024 balancing parenting and my art business, while looking for a new full-time job in the midst of a difficult job market. I’ve applied to hundreds of jobs, and a few times thought I found my “unicorn job” - but am still looking. If you know of something that could be a fit based on my creative skills or background in human resources (talent strategy, HR business partnering, project management, event planning) - I’d love to connect at hello@jocelynelizabeth.com.

Studio Journal Updates

• I would like to build a stronger community here and better engage with all of you. I’ll write more frequently and authentically, aiming to publish journal entries on Fridays. I hope this format will enable more conversation (and less sales emails, which I hate sending).
• I will be on social media a little bit, but this will be the main place to get updates from me.
• Free subscribers will receive ~1-2 journal entries per month. Paid subscribers will receive additional entries that are more personal in nature. You can manage your account to choose to receive emails, or only see updates if you open my studio journal in your browser.
• You can view other subscription perks, including early access to art, referral rewards and free shipping, here.

Artwork Release Changes

• I am shifting away from an online collection release model. I will open my online shop 2-3x/year with a selection of work created in the past few months. It will be open for 2 weeks, with the first week being early access for my collector’s list. After 2 weeks, any remaining art will be painted over or repurposed to create new work. This will allow me to create without thematic constraints, reduce inventory, and better focus my energy to create my best work. This may mean that fewer originals will be available, but I'm not sure yet!
• To support this transition, I will temporarily close my online shop beginning March 1. You can view available work here. Please collect or inquire with me before March 1, after which time, work will be repurposed. I’m also open to trades with other artists/small businesses. My other 2025 shop releases are tentatively planned for June and November.
• I will periodically update my Minted.com shop with smaller items, such as holiday ornaments, hand painted products (globes, candles, etc.), and unframed works on paper.
• I will still take on a very limited number of commissions this year.
• I will continue to create art regularly and share with my licensing agent. I’m very excited about this partnership, which will potentially result in my work being used for wall art or home decor in retail stores, on movie/tv sets, or other commercial purposes.
• Work may also be available through gallery partnerships or in-person events. I will keep you updated as these are planned.

I will be writing more of the personal stories behind these changes, including what I learned this past year amidst unemployment, parenting, entrepreneurship and self-discovery, in upcoming entries for paid subscribers. I am so grateful to have a creative practice, for when my work speaks to you, and to each of my collectors. I look forward to engaging with you even more closely through this new approach.

If you have questions or comments, you can leave them below this post or email me at hello@jocelynelizabeth.com.

Thank you, as always, for your support!

Jocelyn

Beyond the Studio with Jocelyn Elizabeth is an intimate behind-the-scenes look at my creative practice and life as a Massachusetts-based artist, writer and mom. Here, you can expect to find visual art, personal essays and poetry. My work explores the question of what it means to be alive from the interconnected lens of our human experience and the natural world, and I am interested in how we can live differently and better alongside the earth and each other. My portfolio and more information about me can be found atwww.jocelynelizabeth.com.

Here are some ways you can support my work:

• Interested in collecting original artwork? My online shop is open 2-3x/year for 2 weeks, after which, remaining inventory is painted over or repurposed.
  • My online shop is currently open through 2/28/25. Next releases are tentatively scheduled for June + November.
• To receive my journal entries via email, subscribe as a free, collector’s list or founding member.
  • For early access to original art plus more personal journal entries, referral rewards and free shipping, consider a paid collector’s list or founding member subscription (starting at $5/month or $50/year)
• Want to support an individual piece of writing without subscribing? Support my work via a one-time payment.