3 new paintings and a little blue kiddie pool

TITLE: Give Me Wings. The Original Painting and Prints available in my etsy shop.

Sometimes I wish I knew in advance what little events would turn out to be big moments in my life. A few years ago, I was living in Chicago, and happened to see Julia Cameron. I had a free evening, so I picked up the paper and looked for a reading to attend that night. And here, Julia Cameron was reading at this book shop in half an hour! Now, I knew her by name, but I had never read any of her books. I just had this HUGE urge to see that reading. So, I jumped on a bus and made it to the book shop, just in time!

TITLE: Believe. The Original Mixed Media Painting and Prints available in my etsy shop.

At the time, I was working full-time as a web developer and thinking of taking writing classes. Julia Cameron was on tour promoting her memoir, Floor Sample. And I remember having the most fun talking with the other people in the audience. Somehow, I sat next to two other aspiring writers who were both super passionate and wanted to share their stories, just like me. Only I had no idea how to tell my story. I'm still just figuring it out and slowly putting the pieces together, but after hearing Julia talk, we were all so inspired. I remember writing in my journal the entire bus ride home and thinking how crazy wonderful it was that I just so happened to stumble on that reading. 

Fast forward 3 years later to last Fall, and I am reading Julia Cameron's The Artists Way, going through the chapters each week and studiously completing each and every exercise. To me, this was a real turning point. I needed to learn how to take myself out on artist dates and paste glow in the dark stars on my bedroom ceiling. I needed to remember it was okay for me to draw with chalk on the patio and play with Play-Doh, even if I was an adult. It's so silly, but somehow I just forgot.

 TITLE: Serendipity (Sold).  Prints available in my etsy shop.

That's why when I was feeling a creative slump last week and dreamed of being on summer vacation, I bought myself a kiddie pool. Now this is a super small thing, but I cannot tell you how alive that little blue pool makes me feel. It's a symbol of me listening to what my spirit needs and allowing myself to have fun. And its inspired me to get back into my studio and play! 

 For these three paintings, I really wanted to experiment with texture and pattern. I got out my stencils and spray paint and experimented with lots and lots of layers of paint. I carefully cut their outfits from vintage wallpaper and had so much fun creating their matching belts and adding embellishments to their necklines and hems with pen and ink. Then I added all sorts of other materials from my studio-pastels, acrylics, pencil, glitter, vintage maps, and origami paper-for a lovely mixed media effect.