Andrea Fryett Studio | June Newsletter
- andreafryettart
- Jul 3
- 5 min read
June Studio News | New Paintings, Live Event Art, Classes + What’s Coming Next
Hello friends,
Welcome! This post is a little different from my usual blog articles. It's actually a glimpse into the monthly newsletter I send to my subscribers. One perk is that subscribers receive a 20% off discount code and priority access to all of my released originals
Once a month, I sit down and reflect on everything that's happened in the studio, the paintings, exhibitions, commissions, classes, behind-the-scenes projects, and the lessons I'm learning as I continue building a full-time career as a professional artist.
Some months are incredibly busy, while others are quieter and filled with experimentation or planning. Whatever the season, I enjoy sharing not only the finished paintings, but the stories behind them.
As I sat down to write June's newsletter, I realized it wasn't defined by one big event. Instead, it was a month where lots of little pieces started fitting together. There were paintings to finish, weddings to capture, exhibitions to attend, videos to edit, classes to teach... but beneath all of that, something else has been quietly happening.
It feels like the business I've been dreaming of is slowly becoming more intentional. Less about chasing the next opportunity, and more about building something sustainable. I'm still learning every day, but this month left me feeling incredibly grateful.
From Snapshot to Story
One of my favourite commissions this month is still taking shape on the easel! Every commission begins with a conversation. My clients usually come to me with photographs and a story they want to preserve, but part of my job is helping decide how that story is best told. For this painting, my client shared several family photos from the beach. As I looked through them, I immediately thought of Joaquín Sorolla, whose beautiful sunlit beach scenes have inspired artists for generations. His work captures not just children playing by the water, but the warmth, light, and feeling of summer itself. I suggested we use that spirit as inspiration for the painting, and the client loved the idea. From there, I combined elements from multiple reference photos, created a digital concept sketch for approval, and then transferred the final design to canvas. The painting is now coming to life in oils, layer by layer. One of the things I love most about commissions is this collaborative process. My clients bring me their memories, and together we transform them into something that never existed before, a painting designed specifically for them, rather than simply a painted version of an existing photograph.
Work in progress in oil. 18x36"
A New Chapter: Joining Mastrius
The biggest surprise of the month came when I was invited to become a mentor with Mastrius. Teaching has always been one of my favourite parts of being an artist. Long before I painted professionally full time, I spent years teaching 3D graphics, later taught painting workshops, and even before that I taught dance. Watching someone discover what they're capable of never gets old. This September I'll be leading my very first mentorship group, helping artists strengthen not only their painting skills but also their confidence, creative voice, and artistic direction. It's an opportunity that feels like a natural extension of everything I've been building over the past few years, and I'm genuinely excited to begin.
FATHOM
June also brought the FATHOM exhibition. Art shows are funny things. You spend weeks preparing paintings, planning your display, and wondering if anyone will connect with your work. Then the doors open, and suddenly you're having conversations with complete strangers who see something in a painting that reminds them of home, of family, or of a place they've loved. Those conversations are often my favourite part. Thank you to everyone who visited, shared a story, asked questions, or simply stopped to say hello. Those moments stay with me long after the event is over
Painting Love Stories
This month also kept me busy with several live wedding paintings, 3 in total. Every wedding is completely different. Different lighting, different weather, different emotions, and different moments that become the heart of the painting. There's always a little pressure when you're painting live, but it's also incredibly rewarding knowing that I'm creating something that will become part of a family's history. After each event I bring the painting back to the studio, where I spend additional time refining details and making sure it becomes the best version of itself. I never get tired of watching people's reactions when they see the finished piece
A Gift for Dad
One of my favourite paintings this month never went up for sale. I painted it for my dad after he retired from forty years of glider flying. If you've ever seen towering summer clouds drifting above farmland, you'll understand why pilots love them, they're beautiful, but they're also signs of invisible currents that allow a glider to stay aloft. The painting became a way of celebrating not just the landscapes he loved, but an entire chapter of his life. Sometimes the most meaningful paintings aren't the ones hanging in galleries, they're the ones made for someone you love.
More Than a Painted Photograph
One of my favourite commissions this month almost became something I wasn't happy with. I began by following the reference photo very closely. As the painting developed, I realized something important. My clients already had the photograph. They hadn't hired me to reproduce it brushstroke for brushstroke, they'd hired me to create a painting. So I set the first version aside and started again. I kept the same moment, but redesigned it as a painting. I cropped the composition tighter, simplified the background, refined the lighting, and focused the viewer's attention on the couple's expressions and connection. The result feels more intimate and more intentional than simply copying the original photo ever could. It's something I think about often when creating commissions. A camera captures a single instant exactly as it happened. A painting gives me the opportunity to preserve the memory while gently shaping it into something even stronger. That's why I love painting from photographs instead of simply copying them.
Sharing More Than Techniques
I also released a new YouTube video this month. Lately I've found myself talking less about simply how to paint, and more about what it means to build a creative life. There have been wonderful moments in my career, and there have also been difficult ones. If sharing those experiences helps another artist feel less alone, or gives them the confidence to keep going, then it's worth pressing "publish," even if the videos don't always reach as many people as I'd hoped. Building a YouTube channel is definitely teaching me patience!
Building the Business Behind the Art
One thing social media rarely shows is how much time artists spend not painting. June included bookkeeping, planning workshops, organizing systems, learning more about business, and thinking carefully about how different parts of my career can support one another. The result was another encouraging month, finishing at roughly $7,000 in art-related income. What makes me happiest isn't just the number itself. It's seeing that the income is coming from many different place, paintings, teaching, weddings, workshops, ambassador work, and online content. Little by little, those pieces are creating a stronger, more resilient business.
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Until next time,
Andrea
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