When it comes to painting, I only paint for myself. If other people enjoy my work, that’s great. If not, it doesn’t concern me a great deal. I have painted over a few canvases with a new artwork. Working out what to take to art markets or have available for open studios, it is a different story. I make the best choices I can, but sometimes optimism and creation pull in different directions.

A case in point is my first series of gift cards. I designed a set of six nature themed gift cards and had them printed locally. To receive the best price, I had 50 of each design printed – 300 all up. As it turned out, I didn’t really go to many art markets. Open studio only happened once each year. So, I still have some of these cards left. What a lesson this has been. Now, if I have a new design printed, I only do a couple to test before diving in.

Trying to Find the Sweet Spot

In 2025 I am testing out fabric panels for textile artists. I have a few designs and a few different formats: hand printed, inkjet printed, printed through Spoonflower. I have other ideas, but this is where I am starting. Finding out what people are looking for is my objective at this year’s open studio. These fabric panels are intended for textile artists. They can be embroidered over, cut up for textured forms in a fabric collage or quilt. Or they can be used in a format I haven’t thought about yet.

Creating in isolation is exciting and inspiring, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into a product or a commodity. Like many other artists who don’t have an alternative income, finding my niche is my goal. I’m not there yet. I have great optimism, but this doesn’t translate into money. Finding the way forward without compromising my values or my art is hard.

Print on Demand is a way of Testing

I mentioned in a previous post that I use Print on Demand products to learn. In some ways, these products are helping me to find my niche. Scarves have been my best-selling item. I have repeat customers too. This is encouraging. I have found the same to be true for fabric fat quarters, when I print them through Spoonflower.

Only some products speak to me when I look at putting my art on Print on Demand products. Mostly these are home decor items: napkins, cushions, table runners, desk mats, and similar items. The second category which appeals to me are accessories like scarves and tote bags. A third is stationery: notebooks, gift cards, and desktop paraphernalia. The items in the first two categories are all textile-based products. This tells me something.

Textiles In My Studio

Over the weekend of Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th April, I will have each of these textile items on display. All of them are printed with my original designs.

• hand printed fabric panels – one off original pieces
• inkjet printed fabric panels
• Spoonflower fabric panels – 5 designs at the size 14 inches x 18 inches (35.56 x 45.72 cm) in Petal Signature Cotton
• Spoonflower fabric fat quarters (only a few of these remaining)
• 100% organic cotton tea towels printed in Australia – 5 designs
• six scarves printed by Redbubble – only one of each design
• three tote bags printed by Redbubble – I have these as examples of what can be ordered online.
• a few 6 inch square textile blocks featuring wild flowers.

As I mentioned above, 2025 is about finding my textile niche. If you’re interested in chatting about textiles, come and see me at my open studio next weekend. I’m Stop 7 on the Northern Trail in the Golden Plains Arts Trail. The weekend is not just about selling things. It is a chance for everyone to see what artists are working on and to chat to them. A total of 54 artists are participating in 2025.