My First Commission

It was the first Friday in May and for any local Kentuckians, the first Friday in May means the running of the Kentucky Oaks. The day before, aka Thurby, I had posted on Instagram a photo of a card I had made for a friend that was long overdue for her birthday (her birthday was in January…). Fields of Marigolds, I had called it. I found peace in the painting. The same kind of peace I admire in my friend I painted the belated birthday card for. That Friday after posting the photo on Instagram and then sharing in my stories with a sticker “new post,” I received a message from a college friend asking if I did commissions. Huh… did I?

See, in the first four months of 2023, I went from fire to ice cold when it came to my watercolor paintings. I made a new year resolution that I was going to just start sharing my work with whoever wanted to follow along and see it. I ended up not waiting for January 1st and made a new Instagram account because I am under the belief you can start whenever. A new season in your life does not have to start on a specific date (oh, how rebellious of me). I was on fire. I was focused. I loved it! But then things just became burdensome… I would spend countless nights after work staring at a blank piece of 110 lb watercolor paper – uninspired and searching for what to paint next. Before I knew it, it is April and I finally mustered up the courage to start painting again. My goal was to paint at least something once a week. Okay, totally doable and I was sticking with it. Woohoo! Now we are in May, and I get the question, “Do you take commissions?” Again, I asked myself… do I? Something was telling me to say yes, so I did. My friend from college asked for a painting of a Blue Run Whiskey bottle for a friend of hers. So, I got started. I started with an inspiration board, and then I stared at my husband’s bottle of Blue Run Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey on his bar’s shelf, and then I put paint on paper (while enjoying a Root Beer Olipop). There was this fulfillment to it. I enjoyed every step of the progress. Even when it came time to ship it to my friend. I bought plastic sleeves to put the original painting and a pack of bubble mailers to ship it in so it would hopefully make it to her without getting damaged.

But someone was whispering in my ear to take a step further and so I did. And on May 14th, 2023, Designed by Sam was born. My mission is to simply create and bring joy into the lives of others. And Designed by Sam is my avenue to do so! Reflecting on the journey so far, I can see how I have done so and how I can in the time to come. I am looking forward to what is to come! Now back to painting. Cheers!