Ellen Brenneman Studio: original works of art

How An Artist Took Charge

As part of my Artists Loft Etsy team  promotional series, I'd like to introduce you to Ellen Brenneman. I am so enamored of her art work, and of her perseverance in the light of  what could have been a depressing experience. She is an inspiration to all of us. Let her tell you herself.

Life Unexpected Leads Artist Back To Her Roots

Many moons ago, I used to be quite the successful artist. I was six years old at the time. Furiously working with lined paper and crayon, I'd sell my wares in front of my makeshift 'store' whenever company came over.

"Grandma," I'd say. " Wouldn't this pretty picture look great on your refrigerator?"
'You're right. It would!" she'd say while handing over a shiny quarter for her newly acquired picture of 'Doggie Asleep on Floor'.

I never really let go of my desire to run my own business. After college, while decorating my walls with paintings, I also ventured into many creative jobs: Mural painter. Illustrator. Furniture Painter. Eventually I fell into private home care and that is where I remained for over a decade.

A couple of years ago I was drawn to the art of writing and started my own blog about life as a long term weight loss maintainer. As a result, I developed a love for photography and am always looking for ways to share a piece of my world with my readers. Life however, as you know, has a way of leading us to unexpected places.

As a result of unforeseen circumstances, my self employment had to come to a close in May of 2012 and at the same time I found myself in need of major surgery.

With a recovery time of 6+ weeks, I found myself inactive for the first time in years. Thankfully, I had my personal blog to keep me connected to the things and people I cared about, but I also realized that my recovery time was precious; I didn't want to squander it.

My convalescence, at first seen as a hindrance, ended up leading me back to my original love: art. Once again, the six year old within me began working fast and furious, and my shop here on Etsy was born.

You can find Ellen's works on Etsy at EllenBrennemanStudio, and on Facebook . She also has a blog for her shop here.

I hope you enjoyed Ellen's story. Don't forget to visit CozyCornerCrochets for your handmade gifts.