11/26/2024
Alrighty, folks. I apologize for a long, long, long absence from updating this page. Life has been... life-y. I am finally coming up for air and will be doing a massive studio overhaul and attempt to maintain more regular updates moving ahead.
Long story shor... less long... I undertook a massive move of residence to a new homestead that I finally own, almost two years ago, now. I have been navigating/needing to be primary support through a significant ongoing family health crisis over the past year, and still work a full time day job, (which also involved changing jobs,) while also still running a homestead, solo, and periodically fostering bonus dogs for a rescue on the side. (At least I am never bored?😅)
No joke, it has been close to two years since I have done personal art. Aside from the occasional commission of a pet portrait, or for the label work for Groennfell, (and most of that has happened at my kitchen table,) I haven't really created art for arts' sake or personal craft offerings since before my move. I am finally, finally organizing an actual studio space for myself in my new home, and feeling called to create again. Stay tuned!
Before that, I will share here the last few labels I created for the Meadery, the last seasonal mug design, and then I have a BIG (BIG! 😃) project to share in a separate post!
Regarding the Meadery, we parted on friendly terms and I would still create art for them if asked.
Sadly, however, they have begun using AI Art, and the latest product label (North Sea,) was designed using an AI art generator. I would have much rather seen them continue to put out a "call to artists" and then let their fan base vote on submissions as they have in the past, which was awesome communuty engagement, and gave real artists an amazing opportunity to showcase their talent. That is so much more in line with both their publicly declared ethical values as a certified B-Corp, of "people over profits" and mindfulness of environmental impact and carbon footprint.
(Links to articles on AI environmental impact:
https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/12/05/1084417/ais-carbon-footprint-is-bigger-than-you-think/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuou6BhDhARIsAIfgrn7wO-tcfoXjP9pZk29prCGuj09pVGghwZslz9Big7PEpESa28OnzQIaAmwnEALw_wcB
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/ai-has-environmental-problem-heres-what-world-can-do-about
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ais-climate-impact-goes-beyond-its-emissions/
Links to articles on AI Art programs and plagiarism/ethics:
https://beautifulbizarre.net/2023/03/11/ai-art-ethical-concerns-of-artists/ #:~:text=AI%20Art%20takes%20jobs%20from,human%20artists%20work%20hard%20for.
https://www.quovadisnewspaper.com/opinion/ai-art-creates-moral-and-ethical-issues/article_39d25b0a-f611-11ee-8d32-b7bd1341f917.html
https://lifehacker.com/the-ethics-of-making-and-publishing-ai-art-1850688734)
Those are just a few examples of the AI Art conundrum. It's a rabbit hole and I encourage you to do your own research on the matter.
That said, in the end, it is their business to run and make decisions for, in whatever way they feel is the most responsible and sustainable for them to keep going. As a small business, (who started with only a few employees, at one peak point had nearly 30 employees, then trimmed back down to a core of about 6-8, and now is entirely operated by only the owners alone, aside from a rare cameo by a helper or two at large events and their marketing/customer service bard,) all consequences of those choices, both pro and con, rest on their shoulders and directly affect their lives and livelihood and family. So while they may take into account the thoughts/opinions/feedback of others, in the end, it is no one else's place to make those choices, and they do what they feel is necessary to survive.
The brewery industry as a whole is in a downturn, and many, many small breweries have been struggling and closing. Groennfell is still around, but had to drastically reduce staff and hours to remain viable. Where once the demand was high enough to support widespread shipping across most of the US and even some collaborations with European entities, and a staff of employees, the economic balance of the costs of shipping and production versus enough profitability to keep going was not sustainable, and they have had to move to a much more localized selling model. Aside from my work doing labels or other art for them, which tended to only be a monthly thing, most of my hours involved helping in the shipping room or canning line, and serving at events. Once shipping hours were trimmed from daily to weekly to monthly, I had to find an alternative employment to be able to pay my own bills, and they were wholly understanding and supportive of my need to step away. We remain friends. The single greatest thing I took from my time there, aside from an amazing leg up on my art career, is the incredible communuty that they created through the "Meadiacs," and I have made connections and friendships to last a lifetime with phenomenal people I would never have met, otherwise. While it is poignant that my time with Groennfell has come to a close, I can not regret it, and it remains the main supporting reason my life has shifted to a new and better level than it was at before.
My new Day Job is as a Service Coordinator/Social Worker for a nonprofit that is committed to ending homelessness and championing peer-supported, humanistic approaches to mental health care. The work is not easy but it is meaningful and real and has deep value.
Also of note, one of the things I loved and respected, most, about working for Groennfell, was how much they respected their artists' rights to our own work, (which is another reason the recent choice to move to AI generated art is extra disheartening, because it is in direct opposition to their previous model of values,) and while they paid me for my time creating art for their labels and other items, my imagery and my hand drawn originals remain solely my own property! So I will be using some of the artwork from those endeavors, such as the Birch Grove or cozy kicthen shown below, or Wild Hunt art, or other similar types of work, (minus the Groennfell logo and text which was added digitally, post production/pre label printing,) to print note cards or framable prints to sell out of my own studio, and all profits from these prints will come directly to me, the artist. ❤️ I am forever grateful for that part of my time working with them, as it allowed me the opportunity to develop a portfolio of commercial work that wouldn't have existed, otherwise. I wish them continued survival and success as they navigate the new economic realities they face.
So here are the remainder of the labels I had done for them in the past year, that I hadn't gotten around to sharing. As well as the last mug from a year ago, and a stray pet portrait. First are shown finished works, and then I have included some in-process photos leading up to those.
Moving forward, I will return to my artistic roots of doing hand painted jewelry, slate paintings, custom commissions, and other original art solely under my own auspices and not the Groennfell umbrella.
Thank you for reading this far, and following my journey these past few years. Please stay tuned for my next, separate post, immediately following, with a big announcement! 😃
