NettiNotes

About Page

Hi, Im Jeanette - or Netti

as I’m known to close friends and family. I’m the owner and creator of NettiNotes in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, where I live with my husband and five young children.

Committed to following my passion for helping others, I left my job as a graphic designer at a greeting card company to pursue a master’s degree in education.

I taught elementary school for over a decade, where I experienced the joys – and also the emotional stress – of touching so many young lives in need of extra attention.

I used basic crayons and paper to build relationships with my students. While we sat and colored during our free time, students would open up to me about their joys and struggles happening in their lives. I valued this connection and used this to help me “see” my students, beyond a test score. This experience provoked my studies into art therapy, for use in my classroom. This was also before I had a family of my own.

A passion for painting

My passion for painting was ignited at a young age and kindled by my family, who always ensured art supplies and resources were accessible for me. Even though my professional and personal lives have taken me down a variety of different paths, art has always been a central part of my journey.

Like so many, I experienced a childhood and adolescence full of ups and downs – including many uncertain times of transition and unwelcome change. The twists and turns of life continue to take me through adulthood as well.

But what has always been a constant in my life is art. When I am sad, hurt, or confused, I paint. When I am happy, playful, or peaceful, I paint. Painting makes me a better human, and I am grateful to have found this incredible outlet.

Art as a refuge

Painting for me is both an emotional and physical outlet. It is an opportunity for me to quiet my mind and focus on peace, rejuvenation, and tranquility. When I’m painting, it’s as though the walls of my home melt away and I imagine myself surrounded by the beauty of nature – whether it’s sandy beaches with crashing waves, a setting sun beneath soaring mountains, or a quiet desert with colorful skies. My senses become alive when I am painting, and I feel balanced and restored.

Recently, much of my work has focused on landscapes featuring bold colors, striking lines, and the captivating elements of nature. The landscapes I paint are not ones I can see out my window, but rather ones I can feel within my soul.

Painting is – and always has been – my refuge.

My calm through the storm.

The beauty and complexity

in art and life

Life and the relationships in it are complex – much like my paintings. What may look like a bright sunrise over shadowy mountains can also be a sudden burst of fiery emotions through a still soul. You and I might have contrasting interpretations of my paintings – or different needs we are looking to fulfill

But that is the beauty of art, and life.

A painting is worth a thousand feelings

As with all of life’s most difficult experiences, the global pandemic produced mixed emotions for many of us. It was a time of struggle entangled with a few subtle silver linings. For me, the latter was the rediscovery of my love of painting.

With a world full of uncertainty, I appreciate the therapeutic benefits of using bold, lustrous colors and sharp, striking lines to elicit the complexity, hope, joy, and beauty in living.

During our time spent in isolation, we were provided with the opportunity to get to know our homes better and discover what makes us feel joyful and relaxed within our four walls. My paintings satiate the desire to surround yourself with beauty, peace, and a natural sense of renewal throughout your home.

Journey with me

as I learn and grow as an artist

I am excited to journal my experiences developing as an artist as I launch my own blog.

I’ll be sharing the inspiration behind my paintings, explaining the tactics I use to create art (some just might surprise you), revealing how art has played such an important role in my life, and much more.

Thank you for visiting my boutique and for your support of my small business – and my dream.

If you would like to learn more about how to purchase my artwork, please contact me at [email protected].