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NEW Painting - An Amazing Journey

An Amazing Journey. Original (SOLD).
Prints available in my shop.

This is the November project for my online course SERENDIPITY - A Year In Mixed Media.

SERENDIPITY is all about overcoming creative blocks and strengthening your own unique style, so with every project I try and push my paintings in new directions and share just what inspired each piece. 

So An Amazing Journey came about after I'd been inspired by my friend and artist Efi Kokkinaki. 

by Efi Kokkinaki. 

by Efi Kokkinaki. 

I just love the dreaminess in Efi's work. But when I tried to let her imagery inspire my paintings, I froze. 

I had been trying so hard to repeat Efi's beautiful four-legged creatures in my own way, that I lost the beauty I felt while looking at her work. So I gave up. I set my expectations aside and decided to let go of any idea of what I wanted to paint. 

I grabbed a background I wasn't liking and decided to cover it up. 

I was looking for something new and remembered an image Efi had shared with me of one of her fluid backgrounds. So I repeated the motion I saw in her background. From there, I started having fun again.

I found a way to incorporate something from her work into my own. I let go of trying to push my artwork in a new direction and allowed what was inside of me to be set out into my own painting. 

And immediately I saw a horse running in the paint. 

An Amazing Journey. Original (SOLD).
Prints available in my shop.

I titled this piece An Amazing Journey as a reminder to keep letting go, allowing new inspirations and revelations to lead me just where I need to be. 

Happy painting!

xo,

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ps. If you're interested in seeing An Amazing Journey in progress and painting lots of different characters together for the entire year, find details on SERENDIPITY-A Year In Mixed Media and register here.

A NEW Painting - STAR RISING

STAR RISING. Original (SOLD).
Prints available here.

This is the October project for my online course SERENDIPITY- A Year In Mixed Media.

It was a painting I created to demonstrate two characters based on inspirations from some of my past paintings. 

However, as I was painting, I realized I was "trying" so hard to paint certain things and to make the left character a moon and the right character a girl. 

Because I was "trying" I stopped having fun. 

Then I remembered these characters could be whatever I dream. And from there, the painting evolved into a new story I never would have thought of. 

STAR RISING. Original (SOLD).
Prints available here.

For this piece I used some of my favorite art supplies (especially when I got stuck)... shiva oil paint sticks, spray paints, tissue papers, cookbook pages, acrylics, and water soluble oil pastels.

My favorite part in this painting is the rainbow on the bear's forehead. That was one of those beautiful mistakes- something I never could have planned for, but that I let work into the painting.

I had been painting something in the girl and smudged red all across the bear's forehead. Instead of covering it up, I made it into a rainbow.

Happy painting!

xo,

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ps. For more art supply inspiration and lots of painting find details on my online courses here. 

A NEW Whimsical Owl Painting - GENTLE

GENTLE. 6x6" on aquaboard. Original available here.
Prints available in my shop.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." -Robert Frost

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This owl came out of a moment of frustration with all of the other paintings I'd been working on. 

I reached a point where I'd pushed myself so far out of my comfort zone, that I just needed to paint something I knew I would like. So I painted an owl.

GENTLE. 6x6" on aquaboard. Original available here.
Prints available in my shop.

I had all of these little squares of aqua board that I'd dripped with watercolors and inks. So all of the fun and play was already infused into them... the perfect surface to keep playing and paint an owl.

I added lots of fingerprints and layers with my favorite blue and white acrylics, leaving just a bit of the yellow and green to show through.

I called this owl GENTLE as painting it was a reminder to be gentle and kind to myself. To take all of the care and concern I so often turn outward, giving to others, and to give it straight to my own heart.

xo,

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ps. My newest class SERENDIPITY just started. If you're interested in painting lots of different characters the entire year, find details and register here.

A NEW Video- How To Create Whimsical Animals

Here's a little video snip-it of DREAMERS WILL SAVE THE WORLD... one of the paintings I demonstrate from start to finish in my online course HOW TO CREATE WHIMSICAL ANIMALS.

For this painting, I played with all sorts of my favorite art supplies: water-soluble oil pastels, vintage postcards, book pages, and acrylic paints. 

Whimsical animals are some of my go-to characters whenever I'm feeling stuck. 

I hope you enjoy this video!

Prints available here

Happy Painting!

xo,

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If you'd like to paint together, find details on my online courses here.

My Texas Vacation & Filling the Well

"Every child is an artist.  The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." –Pablo Picasso

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I was lucky enough to spend a few extra days vacationing before the Lucky Star retreat.

I felt like a princess, spending my days lounging by the pool and reading on the balcony with hillside views.

I seriously filled the well. And now I am trying to find more ways to take time for this in my every day.

Because I can't even say how much this little vacation filled me up. It made my creativity bubble up and over. It made me remember the importance of taking down time to allow space for new ideas, spontaneity and serendipity. And it reminded me of the happiness I feel when I am creative. 

I started journaling with doodles and writing picture book stories. I got lost in the woods. I saw a jack rabbit, deer and another fox!

Here are a few Texas vacation photos...I hope they bring you a little of the happiness and peace they bring me.

xoxo,

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ps. My newest class SERENDIPITY just started. If you're interested in painting lots of different characters the entire year, find details and register here.

Creativity, Inspiration & Lucky Star Art Camp

Taking silly photos with Aleli and Vivienne 

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men."

-Roald Dahl 

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Well, I’ve just returned from Lucky Star Art Camp in the beautiful Texas hill country where I spent a week soaking up inspiration and connection… and spent a whole lot of time painting. 

The experience reminded me of the necessity to take time to “fill the well.” 

For me that means taking time to slow down and keep calm, reading in the sunshine, stepping outside at midnight to watch for shooting stars, doodling, writing poetry and finger painting. 

More than anything I am reminded that my every day is a process with one thing leading to the next. That there is no right or wrong way. And that I will figure it out. 

Sometimes it takes letting go and stepping away for things to fall into place.     

Here is a bit from my time away, teaching Happy Painting at Lucky Star Art Camp...

Photo by Vivienne McMaster

Some of the paintings created during class.

Photo by Danielle Davies

A painting demo I did for class.

An art journal page I created during class.

Me with Aleli and Vivienne 

Can you believe we got to paint there, right down by the river each day? So inspiring. I wish you all could have been there.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo,

ps. If you're interested in going to next year's retreat, definitely sign up for the Lucky Star newsletter.

pps. I'll have more photos for you from my time in Texas... next week.  Happy painting!