Meet contemporary Oshi-e artist Wendy Duke
Kon’nichiwa! (“Hello!” in Japanese). I am super excited for this week’s spotlight because I get to showcase my dear friend, Wendy Duke. She lived in Japan for a few years like I did, and that’s where she learned an ancient Japanese art form called “Oshi-e” which she’s been practicing for 50 years now!
If you’ve ever wondered if you’re “too old”, Wendy is the perfect inspiration for you. She joined my Pattern Design Academy® program in her 70s. She’s now launching her own course about Oshi-e and she creates fabrics, with her own designs on them, for her students to use in their Oshi-e creations.
The video of my interview with Wendy is over on my YouTube channel HERE. Please subscribe to my channel when you pop over there to watch it.
Here are three key takeaways from this interview:
#1 – Teach a new way
Wendy says, “to learn Oshi-e, the old style, you would be an apprentice for maybe 10 or 15 years before you were allowed to hang the shingle and say you were a sensei. I now teach how to do it in 2 – 3 hours.”
If you’ve ever thought about teaching but you’re not sure what to offer, consider teaching a new way for people to learn something you once struggled with. Can you offer an easier learning experience? Remember, even if other people teach the same thing, no one can teach it like you.
#2 – Create what’s missing
Along with offering a course, Wendy decided to create her own fabrics for Oshi-e because as she explains, “I want to create starry skies, sunsets, clouds…and all that kind of stuff. You can’t find that stuff anywhere!” Filling a gap like this is the best way to stay relevant and continuously offer value, especially as a creative entrepreneur.
No matter how old you are or how long you’ve been doing something, remember that there may be a need or something missing that you can offer. Ask yourself, “can I create and offer something to make this easier”?
#3 – Get excited by the possibilities
Wendy notes, “there’s a lot about doing Oshi-e that I’ve discovered, but I know I haven’t tapped the limit yet… I’m really hoping I inspire my students with all the possibilities”. I love this, and you may often hear me say about Surface Design that the possibilities are endless, and that it’s never too late to create.
There will always be new ideas, and there will always be ways to combine your interpretations to make new ones. Keep an open mind and keep learning.
Whether you’re thinking “what can I make easier?” or “what else is possible?”, I hope this interview has been inspiring for you.
If you would like to see more of what Wendy is up to, you can find her on Instagram, @cloud_haven_studio.
Pop over to my YouTube channel to watch the video of Wendy Duke’s interview. I hope her journey inspires you to believe that doors of creativity are always open to you. Click HERE and please subscribe while you’re over there.
Bye for now. I’ll see you next week.
xo,
Anne
P.S. The Pattern Design Academy®, Summer Intensive closes tonight! You’re not just joining an online course. You’re entering an amazing community and a 5-week coaching program that will help you pursue your own unique path. Students join from all sorts of artistic backgrounds. They all have the desire to learn the key skills required to become Surface Designers and take full advantage of the endless possibilities in this industry.
In the Academy®, you’ll get training and coaching to master Adobe Illustrator - the Surface Design industry program. You’ll learn how to create stunning patterns and collections to make up a comprehensive portfolio, and strategically establish your own business with multiple income streams.
The program includes 8 beautifully crafted modules that come complete with videos, workbooks, cheat sheets, practice files and more, which are all based on my step-by-step framework that shows you how to leverage your work to increase sales. As you do the work to go from pattern to product, you’ll have 5 weeks of LIVE Coaching in my students-only Facebook Group for continuous support and accountability. This is one of the special bonuses I offer to help keep you on track.
To enroll, simply go to this page where you can find more information about the Academy® and scroll down to select a payment option that works for you. Remember you have to join by tonight. Your access starts right away. You’ll be prompted to log in instantly to watch the Welcome module that orients you into the program. The Welcome Celebration is this Friday, July 22. I can’t wait to get started.
No matter what you may fear, I assure you that you don’t need to be Picasso to make profitable patterns and I encourage you to take the leap, take yourself seriously and get started on making your creative dreams a reality.
I can’t wait to see you in the Pattern Design Academy®!
xo,
Anne
P.S. Dive even deeper into how to Craft a Career You Love in Surface Design by downloading my free ebook HERE.
Remember,
It’s Never Too Late to Create®
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MEET ANNE
Hi…I’m Anne!
My creative inspiration comes from a lifetime of observation. I grew up in Paris on the Place St. Sulpice and walked to school through the Luxembourg gardens. And that was only the beginning… Learn more by watching the video on my About page.
