We recently connected with Jenny King and have shared our conversation below.
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Jenny, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

As I’m contemplating this question, I’m remembering the many risks I’ve taken over the years. The boldest venture I undertook in regard to my artistic career was establishing my own gallery and working studio. It was in early 2009 right as the housing and banking crisis was happening, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. BUT, I had a vision.
And that vision entailed... https://canvasrebel.com/meet-jenny-king-2/

LOCAL STORIES NOVEMBER 22, 2022
​Conversations with Jenny King

​Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny King.
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Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always been a creative soul and a professional artist since the late 90s. I suppose one could say that I got started by following my inspirations, which led me to taking a drawing class. From there, I signed up for an oil painting class. After I couldn’t give any more work away to my family and friends, I decided to sign up for an art festival to offload my stash. It was so much fun, but it made me realize I wanted a permanent space to create and sell my art.
So for almost a decade, I had my own gallery and studio in the Atlanta area. That was an amazing adventure, but eventually I felt compelled to make a move to Florida in 2021. Since moving to St Petersburg, my art is evolving to reflect the vibrancy, freedom, and excitement I’ve felt since moving here. My joy is to build remarkable paintings using layers of mixed media including written word, texture, and relevant color palettes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Art is not a smooth road, at least not in my experience. It’s been filled with...READ the rest here.

There’s a lot of art out there.  Trying to choose just one piece can be daunting.  But buying art doesn’t have to be intimidating.  

Here’s three simple things you need to know when making a decision.

​1.  Buy art you LOVE. How do you know if it’s love?  You will think about that piece often.  It will haunt you until you come back for it.  You will mentally hang it on your wall just to see how it looks.  You may mentally hang it on several walls just to see how it looks there too.   When you buy art you love, it will always have a special place in your heart.

2.  Buy ART you love. Don’t buy a piece because it matches your sofa.  Don’t buy a piece because it has the trendy color of the month.  A close friend of mine is lucky because I have actually re-worked that piece they bought to match their sofas five years ago.  They learned the hard way.  You don’t have to. Buy art because it evokes emotion in you.  Buy art because you can’t stop looking at it.  Buy art that inspires you.

3.  Buy art YOU love. Seriously.  Buy the art YOU love.  Not your interior decorator.  Not your BFF.  Not your mama.  Not your papa.  You.  Buy the art YOU love.  If it doesn’t speak to your people, that’s ok.  I’ve often found that those same people end up loving the piece too.  Either way, it makes a great conversation piece.  

Bonus Tip:  BUY art you love.  Don’t pass it by.  Original art is just that, original.  There is no other piece just like that one you love.  If you let it get away, someone else will take the art you love home with them and they will live happily ever after.  Don’t let someone else have your fairy tale.   Buy the art you love while it's available.  

I've always been an artist, yet only became a collector a few years ago.  I love every piece I've ever bought and enjoy telling the story behind each...How I came to acquire it, how I came to know the artist and how the artist explained how he/she created that piece.   
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​My only regrets are the ones that got away.~jk


#PassionateAboutPainting #ArtistAndCollector

What’s a Personal Artist and 3 Things You Need to Know Before Getting One

A Personal Artist is similar to a professional photographer who use their talent and experience to capture your precious moments with images, whereas personal artists leverage their unique talents and style to create original art and/or enhance the experience of an event.

Personal art is a beautiful way to savor a memory or experience, create an heirloom painting, or impress your brand.  

​If you are considering hiring a personal artist, there are some important points you need to know.  


First, be sure to find an artist that reflects your style.  

Imagine asking Mick Jagger to sing opera. I'm sure it would be something to see, but it's not his forte. 

​Each artist has their own defining style.  If you ask them to alter that style, you could be setting yourself up for disappointment.  

For example, I have a very distinct contemporary-impressionistic-abstract style. If a potential client is looking for a hyper-realism type of painting, they’ve got the wrong artist, and I will let them know up front. It’s a great opportunity for me to refer them to one of my artist friends specializing in that particular genre.


Second, find an artist within your budget.  

I can’t speak for other artists, but I genuinely want people who love my art, to have my art and I’m happy to make it happen without devaluing my work. 

Please don’t ever ask an artist to discount his or her work. Instead, let the artist know your budget requirements and they will most likely work with you. It may be a smaller size, a less expensive canvas or panel, or a similar but different piece. 


Last but not least, you’re going to want to make sure you have a signed contract.  

Having clear definitions of size, completion date, cost, framing, etc. is going to save you from any potential headaches caused by miscommunication or misunderstanding.  Any artist offering this service should have a contract ready.  I use my own contracts, written in simple terms and go over them with my clients line by line.  

There’s nothing quite like having a remarkable piece of art that tells your story with passion.  It’s a beautiful and timeless gift that will continue to give for many years and generations to come.