15 May 2012
by ellenin illustration
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I can’t believe it!
I finally built myself a new website!
It cost me a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but it’s finally there. I feel like popping some prosecco…
The new blog even includes a year full of new-old blogposts that this old site wouldn’t load.
Yaaaaay!
Go check it out on http://www.ellenvesters.com/.
In the future this site will redirect to the new domain.
23 Dec 2011
by ellenin digital media, humor, illustration, mixed media
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HTTP://WWW.ELLENVESTERS.COM***
Wishing you the warmest christmas and the happiest most inspiring 2012 :).
08 Dec 2011
by ellenin inspiration
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HTTP://WWW.ELLENVESTERS.COM***
So sorry for the silence, peeps! Behind the scenes I am working incredibly hard trying to master some html and css so I can build my own brand new website. See you soon with a new look!
27 Aug 2011
by ellenin art, humor, inspiration Tags: art, barry kovacks, gulbenkian, humor, joao penalva, modern art, museum, text
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A little texty souvenir that I brought home from the amazing Gulbenkian in Lisbon.
Make sure you click the first picture to enlarge it, and to be able to read the full story (and maybe the zoom function on your compu too?). I couldn’t find a personal website, but check out Joao Penalva if he ever has an exhibition near you.
11 Aug 2011
by ellenin digital media, graphic design, illustration, logo design, mixed media Tags: blue, coaching, color, entrepeneur, good cause, green, illustration, logo, office, people, social, social cause, sustainability, taupe
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Choose your niche! In all marketing blogs this is called THE step to building a successful business.
Unfortunately, the word choice is not to be found in my dictionary. The more I learn, the more I expand my activities, and always with pleasure!
Like last week, when I learned myself to make a wordpress website in one week (due to the eternal “No problem, I’ll just do that too”-mentality). After one week, and much hard work there now webis a new site for the project for which I am selected, “Voor de kunstenaar”. After all these nightly hours, I thought “never again…” But it would be sad to not put to use all that I’ve learned. So, I made a resolution to have rebuilt my own website before fall arrives.
Another new challenge I got my teeth into for the past few months, was designing logos. The art of omission. Balance between image and typography. I’m discovering it all and I’m having great fun with it!
Three great businesses, two of which are still in development, have approached me.
The first was Good Match. A matchmaker between small businesses and charities. They asked for a logo that reflected their sustainable ideals as well as coloring that would correspond with that. I chose soft colors that can be found in many logos of other sustainable organizations. This immediately evokes the right feeling to the viewer. The shape of the M was clear: the officelife as a symbol for small business. The G costed us more time. Eventually we decided that less is more.
The second company was Optimaal Ondernemerschap (optimal entrepreneurship). A business around coaching. The coaches asked for a logo in their favorite color: taupe. We chose for a meeting of entrepreneurs in a relaxed atmosphere to depict the spearhead of their organization…
Finally, at a meeting of the organization Don’t-do-it-yourself I was approached by the inspiring Isabelle Zumbrink, the founder of Het Huis van de Vlinders (The House of the Butterflies). The House designs, manufactures and sells trendy and contemporary fashion and home accessories from residual textile, handmade by young women from Utrecht, that experience a distance to the labor market: “by working in The House of the Butterflies girls and women can grow from a small caterpillar to a colourful and beautiful butterfly”. The House wanted a logo that was feminine, trendy, colourful and included a smile. Here’s the result, in the colours of their identity:
A recent blog post on MamaMarketing about the lack of online designers gave me the idea to offer the creation of logos in my online shop. Short, clear assignments as these speak to me.
28 Jul 2011
by ellenin art, illustration, inspiration Tags: angelcoaching, art, artists, biography, business, coaching, creative entrepeneur, crowdfunding, entrepeneur, marketing, opportunities, voordekunstenaar
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Prepare yourself…
A big piece of text…
About me.
Woohoo! Two weeks ago I got selected for “Voor de Kunstenaar” (for the artist): a huge crowdfunding project in which, together with nine other artists, i will receive intensive training for three whole months on being a creative entrepeneur!
The aim of the project:
“Times change, everywhere budgets are under pressure, and many artists and creative people are not adequately equipped to put their product or service in the market. Naturally. Still, few art or design schools focus on entrepreneurship. While knowledge of entrepreneurship and business skills are essential in order to function successfully as an artist//creative. This project ensures that the artists//creatives who participate can start a viable business. After the project they will gave the tools to bring their product or service in the market in the best way and built as a successful creative life for themselves.”
(if you would like to read more (dutch) or put in a donation, go here: http://www.voordekunstenaar.nl)
For this project I had to write some pieces for the website. I really had to open up this time. For my English readers I have translated my bio and my first blogpost:
My name is Ellen Vesters, 32 years old, born in the village of Ulft, in an area of the Netherlands that’s called the Achterhoek (mmm, it actually means something like ‘the rear corner…?!’). A village that’s lovely for building huts and jumping over streams, but also for being utterly bored. I remember hours and hours in which I was doodling: comics, elf-figures and caricatures of my teachers. In my boredom, I discovered that drawing was the best thing ever. All that work is still in a big box under my bed; a valuable possession.
When I was eighteen I went to a view day of art school. My dream. I still see myself standing there: in a gray sweater, my long hair before my eyes, while the present students flew along in the most colourful outfits. I was scared to death and went to study psychology.
Once I had arrived in a good job as a psychologist, my old dream revived. After years of scientific thinking, it took time for my right brain to wake up again. I did a preparatory training at the art school of Arnhem, got my prepaedeutics at the art school of Amsterdam and got accepted to the second year of Fine Arts in Utrecht… at the same time that I was accepted for a postgraduate training as a mental health psychologist.
Again I opted for psychology.
Then I became 30 years old. After completing the training in mental health psychology, now nearly two years ago, I finally admitted that seven days a week as a psychologist in life is not what I want. My creativity is shouting out louder with every day I get older.
Back to art school is no longer an option. As a result of the economical crisis the tuition fees have increased alarmingly for students who already have completed an education. So in recent years I have tried to develop myself as much as possible by making lots of work, following courses (among others the Art & Design College in Utrecht) and training with colleagues.
One month ago, just when I want to take the step to actually move the balance in my working week from psychology to illustration I get the chance to jump on board of the project “Voor de Kunstenaar” (for the artist).
My resume is now a versatile one. I am and always will be someone who enthusiastically indents and tackles many exciting projects. Now that I am open to all creative possibilities that life has to offer, ideas are flowing and want to break out, and I find myself in many inspiring collaborations. I’m mainly working as an illustrator and an illustrative designer, but frequently I also let myself be tempted to work on independent projects.
In my creations you can often find a connection between my artistic background and my experience as a psychologist. In both fields I work from a (positive) naïve perspective.
To make contact with my environment is paramount, in my visual works that often involves laying down tension and making use of humor.
In the coming weeks, the place should fill up with examples of this. My focus within this program should be: to focus. Plus a considerable amount of acquisition.
Why I want to participate in this project?
One month ago:
I get the feeling it is time to make some important decisions. I want to focus more on my art work. I start working less as a psychologist and rent a studio with other creative people. In the same week I see a twitter message from coach Marion Beltman being very enthusiastic about the project “Voor de Kunstenaar” (for the artist). The boot camp feel of the course immediately appeals to me: a kick in the butt towards a more businesslike attitude. Just what I need!
Unfortunately, the spots in this project are already filled. Never ventured nothing gained, so using google + (still nice and quiet there so few competitors) I let initiator Marca know that I really really would like to participate. A few days later everything is arranged. Someone has canceled and in a final selection round I am being chosen.
What an opportunity!
The past year and a half I have put myself out in the creative life as much as possible and fully enjoyed it. I have sought colleagues, initially to learn from them and later to make the most fantastic things together. A dream that seemed impossible went to being real just over night: suddenly a 3D artwork of mine is put up in a huge gallery! I never thought I was a networker.
Currently there are some final steps to be taken, that I avoid time after time, because they bring me tremendous frustration. Being such a flutter, they feel unnatural to me. Thinking businesslike. Planning. Acquisition. Words that evoke an allergic reaction, but that I would like to learn to embrace. I need them to get to do more of what I like doing the most. I am convinced that Marca’s warm blanket will bring me exactly what I’m looking for.
How nice to begin this inspiring journey with this diverse group of people!
19 Jul 2011
by ellenin digital media, humor, illustration, inspiration, mixed media, pencil Tags: book, collaboration, don't-do-it-yourself, dream, humor, humour, illustration, orange, sloth, tree
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Already a year ago, after a decade of deliberation, I decided to finally cut the knot and go for creative entrepreneurship. Since then I have felt more inspired in life than ever before. Perhaps most of all because of all the sweet, nice and interesting people I’ve met.
In the past year, among other things, I came across the organization Don’t-do-it-yourself. Don’t-do-it-yourself organises networking events, where it’s not so much about networking, but more about working for each other. For me, it represents a guarantee that I will have the most inspiring day or evening, full of brainstorming and sharing cool ideas. Arnoud and Marcel and their friends always know so well how to inspire people, to make them let go of what they know, let go of fears about a room filled with new people, and to just have a wonderful afternoon. Every time the best new connections arise. (Dutchies: kom op, waar wacht je op, meld je aan!)
When Don’t-do-it-yourself announced that they would organize an evening especially for illustrators, I immediately responded. They were scouting for illustrators to work on a book about the analyzing of dreams. Interesting! We came with dozens of us to team up with the writers. I’ve already showed you before what work I made that night. After submitting it I had to wait for months to know if I was selected and as you’d expect by now…I did it! I’m in the book!
The book has turned out beautiful. Dream Coach Nicoline Douwes Isema attracted writer Cathelijne Esser to put all her knowledge into words and they have certainly succeeded. In a very accessible and entertaining way, they discuss how your brain works at night and how you can make the most use of all those nocturnal images. Besides the compelling content the book is filled with the works of talented illustrators.
(Unfortunately for now it is only available in dutch)
Find out more about the power of dreams here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y5fJ_t3zvQ
http://www.wathebjijgedroomdvannacht.nl/boek/
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