Wanna buy a ...?

Selling makes me really uncomfortable, which is stupid really because it turns out we're all in that business. OK, so we might not be trying to convince someone to buy a used car; but we're persuading all day - whether it's convincing our children that they really won't be able to taste that tiny bit of spinach you thought you'd managed to hide in the curry or persauding colleagues to take up a work project. It's all sales.

I'm struggling with the whole sales aspect to my art course. The teaching and preparation are a total delight and come with consumate ease. But stick me in front of Mailchimp and ask me to compose an email to invite folk to sign on the dotted line and I lock up. You see, I don't want to 'annoy' people, which is bonkers really, because if people don't want to read, then they can just hit delete. After all, I do it every day. I get sales emails from some people four or five times a week - they bombard me, but still don't annoy. I read the odd one but most of the time I just hit delete. I figure I might buy something one day... and sometimes I do... it's nice to see what they are up to...

So, here I am on a Sunday morning supposed to be composing another sales email and where do I end up - here in Blogger, basically hiding in a corner and coming up with excuses... I'm even worrying that readers will think this a sneaky attempt to try and sell - which it isn't. I just want to know if I'm the only one that cowers in the corner...

My business advisors would shoot me if I didn't now put a link to my course, so I'm going to slip it in, quietly at the bottom, where it won't disturb...

Here it is...

Looking for your wings?

Bet you're glad you're not a Goldfinch. Imagine having to cling precariously to a prickly teasel stem while trying to fish out a seed. I hope it's worth all the effort!

Pushed myself a bit this week for Take a Word's 'wings'challenge and moved away from painting poppies to tackle a feathered friend.

I just started thinking about Angry Birds and so now have an image of me pulling back this stem and sending him somersaulting into piles of piggies... Waheeeeee...........

I've been buying up piles of beautiful nature books from charity shops with the intention of painting the subjects within, but up to now all I've done is look at the pictures! Thank goodness for these art challenges around blogland that often give you the little push you need to try something a bit different!

I'm also joining in with Gritty Jane's 'painting a day for 10 days'. It's been easy so far with it being the weekend... I'm not too sure that I'll find much time tomorrow - might have to be a quick finger painting!

While we're on the subject of wings... I wanted to share with you a special something.

Find your Wings - an Art eCourse with a difference

Last year I ran an art course that changed lives. The feedback I received from some of my students literally brought tears to my eyes. It's time to run it again.

This isn't a course where I'll teach you to paint like me. Instead it's a series of exercises that encourage you to find your own style - to play and delve deep into the recesses of the imagination that may have got a bit dusty over the years.

What happens?

We have five weeks of lessons via a private blog and Facebook Group where you can share your work and hang out with other students.

Lessons start on Monday 1st April - an auspicious date if ever I saw one - and run for 5 consecutive weeks, but the classroom will remain open for another few weeks afterwards so you can work at your own pace.

Cost is just £35 - that's £7 per week if my maths is correct. However, get in early and you can take advantage of my early bird discount and pay just £30. You'll need to register by Monday 4th March 5pm GMT to take advantage of this special price though.

Places are strictly limited so I'm able to give everyone my attention - so sign up now before they disappear in a cloud of magic fairy dust!

Find out more and sign up over here at my new sparkling website which I made last week!