Meet our Featured Artist and Illustrator, Jenna Thompson.

Jenna is inspired by many artists in her family and also inspired by the work of Bob Ross. Her inspiration has led her to create this cool Bob Ross inspired Jumper.

Happy Little Christmas Tree: Why I Designed a Christmas Jumper Dedicated to Bob Ross

In early September this year, I started designing my own line of Christmas jumpers. Why? Well frankly because last year, I couldn’t find a single one I liked. I had some idea of what I was after, most of which I thought surely must exist already. They didn’t.

Which led me to think: hmm, perhaps I’ve stumbled across an opportunity here? I couldn’t be the first person to make the leap from ‘happy little trees’ to ‘happy little Christmas tree’, could I?

“We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.”

I should explain: I love Bob Ross. Who doesn’t? He’s an interesting guy. Not to mention talented, lovely, inspiring. That hair. The squirrels. The catchphrases. I often find myself watching The Joy of Painting when I’m feeling anxious or stressed, or can’t get to sleep.

My ‘happy little accident’ this year was thinking that opening an online Christmas jumper store wouldn’t be overly time-consuming, bearing in mind that I run it alongside my full-time job. I was wrong about that, for sure. I put all of my spare time into it. I have never felt so enthusiastic about Christmas jumpers – or my own designs for that matter.

“The secret to doing anything is believing that you can do it. Anything that you believe you can do strong enough, you can do. Anything. As long as you believe.”

The Bob Ross-inspired ‘Happy Little Christmas Tree’ jumper is of course not the only design on offer. There are seven more, and another one the way. I came up with most of the ideas while sitting in the waiting room at the dentist.

As creatives, I think it’s really common to encounter imposter syndrome with some regularity, and one of the wonderful side effects of this project has been that people seem to genuinely love the designs. The wave of support from friends and family has been incredible. It’s really quite an affirming thing.

“I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being able to express yourself to others through painting.”

I’m kind of ashamed to admit that I’m a terrible painter. All of my design and illustrative work is digital. My grandmothers are both wonderful artists – they love oils, pastels, charcoal, you name it. I use Adobe Creative Suite and a graphics tablet. But actually, if you’re designing for clothes, that’s the perfect medium.

So, if you were thinking of investing in a Christmas jumper this year, then I’d encourage you to visit my store and see what you think. If you’re a fan of Bob Ross, then as far as I’m aware, this is the first Christmas jumper that celebrates his work. It’s not just sweaters either – you can buy the designs on hoodies and tshirts as well. Shipping information can be found in the FAQs.

“I’d like to wish you happy painting, and God bless my friend.”

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Jenna Thompson is an illustrator and digital copywriter from Bristol, UK. She loves getting her teeth into new creative projects – and for now at least, it’s Christmas jumpers. Reach out to Jenna on Twitter or through the Jolly Christmas Jumper Facebook page.

The post Featured Artist – Jenna Thompson, Illustrator appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.

If so, you probably need therapy. Art therapy, that is.

Beat Stress

“Art therapy,” whether painting, drawing (even doodling!), mixed media, sculpting or even crocheting, works wonders for children and seniors but can be extremely beneficial to the average person as well.

Robert Reiner, Ph.D., a New York University psychologist, asserts that “The act of performing a craft is incompatible with worry, anger, obsession, and anxiety. Crafts make you concentrate and focus on the here and now and distract you from everyday pressures and problems. They’re stress-busters in the same way that meditation, deep breathing, visual imagery, and watching fish are.”

In other words, you can’t worry and craft at the same time.

Creative people often have a hard time turning their brain off and find things like meditation and deep breathing exasperating or even impossible. Rather than trying to “quiet your mind,” engage your mind in an artistic pursuit instead.

Get Un-stuck

The aforementioned combination of focus and distraction often leads to creative ideas that are completely unrelated to the task at hand. Experiencing writer’s block? Pick up your paint brush! When you are absorbed in the task of mixing your blues and reds to create the perfect shade of purple, you might just spontaneously come up with a solution to a problem that’s been irking you for weeks.

Relax

Here’s another expert, Harvard University’s Herbert Benson, M.D., who says that repetitive and rhythmic crafts such as knitting may even evoke what he calls the relaxation response—a feeling of bodily and mental calm that’s been scientifically proven to enhance health and reduce the risk of heart disease, anxiety, and depression. “You can induce the relaxation response through any type of repetition, whether it’s repeating a word, prayer, or action, such as knitting or sewing,” he notes. “The act of doing a task over and over again breaks the train of everyday thought, and that’s what releases stress.”

If you have a hard time justifying your creative hobby, just remember that it’s a part of your total wellness plan.

Getting Started

You don’t need your own pottery kiln or an entire studio to incorporate more creative expression into your life.

Treat yourself to an artist’s pad and a set of watercolor paints. Enroll in a class at your local craft store. Look for instructional videos on YouTube for something artistic you’ve always been interested in trying. Take your camera to a local attraction or destination you’ve never visited before. Ask a friend who knits or paints to teach you how.

The next time you’re feeling stressed, stuck or wound up, do something creative and see what happens. And why not enjoy that piece of chocolate or a glass of wine while you’re at it?

{quotes sourced from http://www.nancymonson.com/craft-to-heal}

About Our Guest Blogger
Tabitha Dumas is a self-proclaimed craftaholic as well as a writer, blogger and color & image consultant. Tabitha loves partnering with artistic people to provide bio rewrites as well as editing, copy writing services and creative consultations to help them move forward with their creative projects.

The post What Art Therapy Can Do For You – by Tabitha Dumas appeared first on Art and Design Inspiration.