Hunter Jay

Painter Hunter Jay in his studio in downtown Asheville, North Carolina that was washed away in last year’s catastrophic flooding.

Hunter Jay knows that the most important step when it comes to creating art is to just get started. "The act of doing something—anything—is like priming a pump," he explains. Once you get that water flowing, chances are you'll be surprised what results.

So when Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina last year and disastrous flooding wiped out so many businesses—including Hunter's studio—he knew that the only thing he could do was keep making. With his downtown studio and gallery space washed away, he switched to painting in his home studio. That space for creativity, even in the midst of such turmoil, was too important to let go. 

He takes a similar approach to balancing the administrative tasks that come with being an artist with the creative work of painting. Over the years he's learned to use tools that streamline his business tasks as much as possible so that he can maintain a good chunk of artmaking time each day. That artmaking can sometimes be fun, it can sometimes be hard, but as Hunter explains: "I have done this long enough to know I have to stick with it to the end, and that's what I do."

The Artist: Hunter Jay
Age: 67
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Medium: Painter
Art Admin Tool of Choice: Artwork Archive
Years on Artwork Archive: 9
Studio Secret Weapons: A babbling creek on the property, and two miniature dachshund studio assistants

7:00 to 9:00 AM: Rise With the Dogs

Living with two miniature dachshunds means I can wake up earlier, but no later. I carry the short-haired, tinier one like a baby in swaddling clothes outside to do his business. The long-haired younger one would never consent to this.

One of Hunter's dachshunds enjoying the creek that runs behind the artist's home studio

Am I thinking about art at this point? The truth is I am always thinking about it. Living with two dogs means I have a lot of work based on them and their antics, but I am really a landscape painter. I'm fortunate to live in a lush forest setting with a creek running behind my house. I soak in the sound of rushing water for a while and then head inside for coffee and to relax a bit before I officially start my art day.

9:00 to 10:00 AM: Making Art Business Admin Look Easy

I check my email for anything related to painting. It could be calls for art, commission requests, or notifications that I have either been accepted or rejected for any art projects. Yes, rejections! People think that established artists are just shoe-ins for everything they apply for, but let me tell you from personal experience: this is not the case.

Is it disappointing? I confess it used to really bother me, but as the years pass I have a greater understanding for how these things work. Sometimes your work is too similar to someone else's. Sometimes it's too different. It could be a multitude of reasons. But I am happy to say that being accepted is always a great way to jump-start the day, and that does happen often enough that it gives me a sense of security in knowing I am heading in the right direction.

I have a loose schedule for my administrative tasks. I start the day with it and I end with it. That way, I can leave the bulk of my daylight hours for creating new work. I’m glad that I found Artwork Archive years ago, since I use it every day.

Getting organized with Artwork Archive has definitely taken a load off my shoulders as far as administrative functions. Previously I was trying to come up with my own system, which was a series of notebooks combined with excel spreadsheets. Totally ridiculous.

Now? In a few keystrokes I have it all under control, which leaves me that much more time to create. also like to review my past work on there, to get a sense of where my practice has been, and where it might be headed.

I sound like a commercial, but I have converted several other artists over to it.

Keeping administrative work as simple as possible with Artwork Archive has made it possible for Hunter to focus more time and energy on his art.

10:00 to Noon: Painting Is the Heart of My Art Business

This is the real studio time; getting down to physically touching paint, pastels, paper or canvas. If I am beginning something new, it can be a little intimidating, but the only way to move ahead is to push forward and get SOMETHING on the canvas. You can always wipe it off or start over if need be.

Interestingly, that rarely happens at this stage for me. But the act of doing something—anything—is like priming a pump. You think it's going to take some time to get that water going, but surprisingly it begins to flow freely, and it's the same with creating.

If I am in the middle of a painting I have already begun, I confess this is my favorite time of the day. It's all so fresh and you have lots of energy to devote to it. Most days I have music going. Sometimes it relates directly to what I am working on and sometimes it does not. Sometimes I have NO music on whatsoever.

My retail studio gallery was literally washed away in the Asheville Flood last year. It was a terrible time for everyone in my artist community, and in many ways we’re still recovering from it. Thankfully, I have always had a wonderful home studio, so I have transitioned here until the new space is ready. I love my home studio. Two large windows look out over Reems Creek, which has a high bluff covered at the top in pines, sweet gums and oaks.

Hunter’s home studio includes plenty of light and a bright orange wall.

I’ve painted one wall of this bright studio a vibrant orange/raw sienna color, where I hang all my work with a gallery system. It's truly inspiring to be here. That bright pop of color is like a battery on full charge for my creativity.

Noon to 1:30PM: A Restorative Lunch Break

I take a break. Take the dogs out again and get lunch. I rarely go out for lunch. In fact I don't think I ever have. But the time is always the same. Twelve noon. I am religious about it. My husband says he never has to look at his watch when I'm around. If I'm in the kitchen, it's noon.

It's never anything huge but I look forward to it nevertheless. I sit at the kitchen nook and watch the creek and try to leave my phone alone.

Hunter's two dachshunds.

1:30 to 4:00PM: More Painting, What Could Be Better?

This is when the bulk of my painting gets done. Most of the time I am still riding the creative high of the morning, but in all honesty not all days are like that.

I feel like all artists have times that go thru a cycle of: A) "Wow this is going to be awesome!" B) "This is getting a little complicated but I'm okay with it." C) "Good grief, I've ruined it." D) "What am I even doing?" E) "Okay I may have panicked a little too soon." to F) "Oh WOW, this is going to be really good, thank the heavens."

But whether I am going through a good phase or an uncertain phase, I have done this long enough to know I have to stick with it to the end, and that's what I do.

4:00 to 5:00PM: Tracking Art Business Progress in Artwork Archive

I usually take a photo of the work in progress at this point. I can use the photo to show a piece's stages of development in Artwork Archive, and I can post it to social media. I know Instagram is what most artists use. However, I've found I get the most interaction on Facebook. I have no clue why this is true, because I post to all three. I suspect it is because on Facebook people tend to read more, and since I like to write, and people seem to enjoy my writing...they like following me there more.

Bluesky is very limited to word count and if it weren't for that, I would use it more. If I have completed a painting, I do the same thing; post to Instagram, Bluesky and Facebook. I use software to show my paintings in different environments.

Finally, I log on to Artwork Archive and add my new work there. This is very critical for me. It allows me to easily track everything. I can instantly find dimensions of my art, I know where it is located (my studio, my home studio, or any number of galleries). I work with four different galleries, so staying on top of piece locations is vital for me. I can know in an instant what's sold, what's available, etc. It's easier than using my own personal website.

I also use Artwork Archive to keep track of expenses. In the past, I would pile all my receipts (hopefully) into a brown folder and then tediously enter them into a spreadsheet that was very complicated, at least for me. It literally takes only a few seconds now.

Invoicing is also incredibly simple with the platform and I use it several times a week, depending on sales of course! Generating reports on revenue or expenses is equally simple, and such a godsend.

Thinking back to where I was before I started using Artwork Archive, the biggest change has been peace of mind. Knowing I have all the information I need, all in one place, has given me the freedom I have needed to push ahead creatively.

5:00 to 6:00PM: Shutting Down for the Day... and Getting Ready for Tomorrow

I log on to my email one final time before calling it a day and check for anything urgent. Admin never really ends, but hey...I do have a life. In order to create, you gotta have that to draw from.