My characters begin with the eyes, but they’re always the hardest thing to paint. Oftentimes my character looks nothing like it did when I started. It takes lots of beautiful mistakes and so many ugly stages before I can even begin to figure out the best posture, profile and facial gestures. Yet whenever I start a painting, my mind tells me I should get it... Continue reading

Hello! I’m writing to you today from my studio in the woods where I’ve been out in the garden, working on a few new portrait paintings and lots of watercolors too. The flowers are blooming like magic and I’ve been waking up in the early mornings to photograph the sky and clouds. Summertime is one of my biggest inspirations, so I’m always taking photos for... Continue reading

Happy June! I’m writing today from my studio balcony whereI’ve been spending so much time painting a few larger pieces! It’s such a fun experience to paint barefoot outside and return to that place of blissful creativity and completely reminds me of being a little girl. When I was little, I used to lay out all of these sheets of paper and drip watercolors all... Continue reading

I’m so crazy excited… today I get to share with you something I’ve been working on for a very long time. In lots of ways I created the Portrait Painting Masterclass for myself – because I needed to simplify my creative practice. I’d just been finding that showing up to paint felt too hard. I want to feel joyful and creative and I want it... Continue reading

Hello! I’m writing to you from my studio balcony, where I’ve been doing these daily watercolor paintings for my new class… It’s the Portrait Painting Masterclass and if you’d like to learn more about what’s included, and how it works, you can learn more HERE . The watercolor portraits we’re creatng in this class are so calming and soothing to create. They’re like meditation. They... Continue reading

When I’m at an ugly stage with a painting, I have to turn off my inner critic and let go. But that’s way easier said than done. A few days ago, I was painting and I completely overworked the eyes and face of my character. My first thought was, “I’ve totally ruined my painting.” Then I thought, “There’s no way I can save this piece.... Continue reading

When I get stuck with my art, it usually means I’ve reached an ugly stage and need to return to play. The other day when this happened, I went back to splattering acrylic inks over wet acrylic paint. Then I squirted a little neon pink liquid watercolor on top to see what would happen (I got this incredible stained glass effect). This is one of... Continue reading

Do you struggle to cover up your art? I do (all the time). In my free workshop I shared a bit about how I draw my character with the eyes closed whenever I’m having trouble with the face. Another way I cover up my art is to splatter and drip. There can never be a wrong way and it’s so fun to just smoosh paint... Continue reading

I’ve realized that sometimes I hold myself back when I get too uncomfortable with my artwork. This especially happens when I’m trying something new. I start to go back to painting the same way I did before. So instead of falling back into my comfort zone, I’ve learned to take a step away and look at what I like and am enjoying most about the... Continue reading