For years, I stopped painting. Art was the thing I loved to do growing up and in high school, but I didn’t know how to make money from being creative. All of my early work ended up in the basement or trash. I felt like my creativity didn’t matter. I went to college to study biology, but I couldn’t stay away from the art room.... Continue reading

Hello! I’m writing today from my studio balcony where I’ve been spending so much time painting a few larger pieces! It’s such a fun experience to paint barefoot outside. Whenever I’m stuck with something I always get into nature, whether it’s picking flowers from my garden or going for a walk. It’s so helpful to just get out of my studio and get out of... Continue reading

Sometimes my paintings happen intuitively. I might see an eye or a spot that looks like a nose in my first layers. When that happens, I go with those instincts. But most of the time, I don’t see anything in the paint. That’s when I return to my simple shape template (the one I shared in your free workshop… there’s a link below in case... Continue reading

Do you ever get stuck with your art? Painting daily helps me to follow my intuition. I paint quick, small paintings in my sketchbook every day, especially when I need to loosen up with my art or get grounded. But I also follow a step-by-step practice so that when I do get creatively stuck, I can get back into my flow with complete ease. From... Continue reading

When I’m stuck on a face, I often set aside my brushes and fingerpaint. This keeps me unattached to my character rather than getting into my head and “thinking” the eyes and features should look a certain way or be a certain shape. Yet even after lots of layers, the eyes can still look too perfect and painted on. That’s when I make a mess.... Continue reading

When I’m at a creative block, there’s no way I can be loose in my art. A few days ago, I was painting and I started to feel like I’d never get my painting right. I just couldn’t loosen up and let go. Everything looked too rigid and tight. Everything felt like a struggle. That’s when I take a step away and start to play.... Continue reading

One of my biggest inspirations has always been owls and we’ve had a pair of owls visiting our woods in the evenings. When I first started painting owls in 2009, I’d no clue what to paint. But when I stood back to look at my first layers, I distinctly saw the outline of an owl and they’ve been one of my favorite things to paint... Continue reading

I used to be afraid to cover up my art. I didn’t want to ruin a painting. I feared I wouldn’t be able to create anything better. Having photos of my art in progress helps me understand what works and what doesn’t, where I’ve gone too far and how I got to a finished painting I love. It reminds me there’s always an ugly stage.... Continue reading

Whenever I allow myself to have fun, my paintings come to life. Sometimes all I need is to get out of my comfort zone and start having fun again so I can stop thinking so much and really get into a flow. That’s when a whole new world opens up and creativity is set free. The other day when this happened I was in the... Continue reading