Painting is an intuitive process for me. If I’ve the inclination to try a swipe of yellow orange azo ink across the body, I’ll swipe a thick layer along the bottom, then use what’s left on my fingertips to add polka dots throughout the rest of the painting to make it all fit together. But sometimes that doesn’t work out. The ink can smudge with... Continue reading
When I’m at a creative block, there’s no way I can be loose in my art. That’s why every painting I create begins with a playful background. This is my time to experiment and let go so I can be more free when I paint my whimsical characters. I try and remember to always have fun with whatever I’m creating. If I think too much... Continue reading
In 2009 I lost my job. To heal my spirit, I started painting again. As friends stopped by and saw my work, they encouraged me to have a local show. I asked at the library and in a few months hung my paintings and hosted an opening. It was mostly friends and family, but little by little people I didn’t know began complimenting and buying... Continue reading
I’ve added a few new original paintings to my shop… click here to see them all. These last few weeks I’ve been on an artist residency, soaking up new inspirations and painting my heart out. All of these latest pieces are inspired by my love of nature, but also the heart-centered-ness I feel whenever I get out into nature – whether it’s to relax and... Continue reading
Whenever I’m stuck with a painting or don’t know what to paint next, I start a new background and play. This helps me to get out of my own way, so I can let go and be loose in my art. The background I create in my Free Painting Workshop was inspired by color blocking, using finger painting and a foam brush (if you haven’t... Continue reading
I LOVE trying out new art supplies, but I’m not one to spend a lot of money on them. My art supplies are not precious. There’s paint on and in everything. And, if they’re brushes, I forget to wash them. I’m also pretty picky about my colors. So I rarely buy a whole set of something. I know I love blues, so when I try... Continue reading
There’s a few supplies and colors I use in every painting. One of my new favorites is liquid watercolor (especially in fluorescent red and pink). Lately I’ve been experimenting with the liquid watercolor in my backgrounds, layering it with acrylic inks and titanium white acrylic paint to see what happens. Once the colors dry, the layers remind me of stained glass. I love the look... Continue reading
Do you ever get stuck with your art? I do (all the time). For this new painting, I think I covered up her face and wings at least ten times (the original painting has sold, but click HERE for prints). But then, after a beautiful mistake, she finally started to come together. I tried all sorts of different wings (some with paper, some etched into... Continue reading
The other day I was struggling to be loose with my art. I just couldn’t get any of my paintings to fall into place (not even an owl). It wasn’t until I got out a few unfinished pieces that were all stuck at an ugly stage that I finally started to let go. I wasn’t afraid to ruin my ugly paintings, so I didn’t care... Continue reading
As I’ve been painting my heart out these last few weeks, I’ve realized that whenever I’m about to reach a really incredible breakthrough, there’s always many ugly stages (just before). Oftentimes, I nearly give up. But I’ve learned to allow the weird and wonky bits of me, the imperfections, mistakes and color experiments to stand out. I’ve learned to be okay with being unique. So... Continue reading
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