a NEW painting: Your Heart Makes A Difference

YOUR HEART MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Original Painting (SOLD)

lately i've been avoiding painting. 

part of my creative process is letting things flow and not holding back. but sometimes that's really hard to do. 

i know that when i avoid painting it's usually because i'm tired of creating the same things and want to unearth something new. yet i resist it because it's comfortable to paint what i know or what i am confident people will like. but it gets to a point where i just can't hold back anymore.

i have to follow my heart as i paint, knowing that one piece always leads into the next. it's not just about a finished painting, it's about building a collection and telling a story. to me, that's the beauty and fun of my creative process.  

this painting started as the first i created in my friend mindy lacefield's online course true free spirit.

i was having trouble getting my girl's face right, so i started with a few sketches.

but i froze up whenever i'd get to painting on canvas. 

while i loved this girl's softness and beauty, i realized she just wasn't me. she felt flat. and i couldn't leave the painting half-hearted.

i kept what i loved... those funky, etched houses and soft colors. 

and painted over what i just couldn't relate too...her face. it felt too much like she was holding everything inside.

so i covered her up. and this wild and awkward imaginary character emerged. 

YOUR HEART MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
Original Painting (SOLD)

to me, she's one step closer to her story just falling out of her mouth and saying...

be still and stay true to yourself because underneath it all, YOUR HEART MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 

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ps. mindy and i are teaching with the lovely danielle daniel at the sugar and spice art retreat in port townsend, washington this june. 

if you'd like to paint with us (and have an incredibly creative adventure), find all of the details here.

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pps. if you want to keep up with new paintings in real time, follow me on facebook, where i always post new paintings first.

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ppps. i'm so excited to be a monthly contributor on the blog YOUR HEART MAKES A DIFFERENCE. you can read my interview here.