Painting in … New Zealand!

Remember this tutorial I posted back in 2011? I had no intention of writing a serious tutorial, but I thought it would be a fun way to show how I paint. Turns out, it’s my most popular blog post, ever, with almost 10,000 views. I am still stunned by how seriously people have taken that post! And happy!

Most recently, a group of students at the Kokatahi-Kowhitirangi School in New Zealand used the tutorial to make their own paintings. The class was led by their teacher, Megan McLellan, in the process. Megan and I went to high school together (and used to take the same bus!) and we have been connected on Facebook for several years.

Here’s a photo of the students and their paintings:

I feel like a proud mama!! I hope they all had fun with it (I see smiles – good sign)! One of my greatest wishes for children is to enjoy the process and have fun with art!

New Cards in the Shop!

I love how these new cards turned out! I had them printed at moo.com, even though I have to pay extra to have them cross the border – it’s still worth it. If you haven’t checked out moo yet, you should; their products are superb quality, turn out gorgeous every time, and the website is easy to use. Hope you like the new cards!

Gratitude Tuesday and some sold paintings!

Today I am grateful for:

• Chef Stephen (who cooks amazing lunches for the kids at our school) and his yummy dinners. I bought one tonight and it was delicious.
• My amazing friend Shelley. I have been seeing her for Belief Re-Patterning sessions, which are so powerful. Shelley gave me a copy of the new book about this technique, by Suze Casey (who is also in Calgary – yay!). Thanks, Shelley!
• Dr. Brene Brown and her wonderful blog and books about vulnerability. If you get a chance, read her post from April 15. I loved it.
• Crying with my kids while watching “Hugo” today. They are so sweetly innocent, still.
• Selling a bunch of my paintings recently! I am grateful that there are people who enjoy my art and wish to hang it on their walls. Here they are:

 
The first two are paintings I made for Matt and Meghan.

Here are the paintings in their new home:

I sold these two paintings to Amy:

Deborah bought these two:

And these are two that I sold to Monica. (I am also making a large painting for Monica, and I am very excited to see how it is turning out! More on that later!)

Uptight Chains

The next spread in my Sketchbook Project, Limited Edition. I really like the chains, and I totally meant to do more in this book, but it just didn’t happen. As for the doodling comment, I was definitely fighting my gremlin that day. I would really like to develop some new doodling patterns, designs, techniques, etc. I guess the only way for that to happen is to keep drawing and hope that some pop out.

Two more sleeps until I leave for the Makerie! I can’t wait. I will be posting about it when I return!

New pins in my shop!

For Christmas, my family bought me a button maker! What a great gift! I’ve been making some art especially for the buttons, and some custom designs for other people. There is a woman who sells B.C. apples at our school, and other markets, every week – we call her the “Apple Lady”.  A few months ago, she asked if she could sell my pins at the markets and our school. It turns out that the pins have been a huge hit with some of the kids at our school! Apparently they have become collector’s items, and some parents have even told me how their kids talk about the pins. One boy was so happy to be the first to buy my new design! How cute is that?!

I just started selling pins in my shop! I will also set up a custom design listing, but that may take a little while for me to set that up. In the mean time, you can let me know if you are interested. Here are some of the custom designs I’ve made so far:

The pins are 1 1/2″ diameter. Check out my etsy shop to see the listing for my pinback buttons!

Art Secrets Revealed!

Last year I posted a tutorial showing how to make a striped painting. I thought it would be a captivating way to show my art, and I never thought anyone would actually try it. Then people started pinning my painting on Pinterest, and re-pinning, and it is still getting pinned. It’s my most viewed painting on craftgawker, too. I was really taken aback by how much exposure it was getting.

Last week, I received a comment about that painting. Part of the comment was, “I can’t believe you gave away your secret!” I’m a pretty firm believer in artists sharing information about techniques. Why should there be any secrets? Artists are “copying” each other by using the same techniques all the time.

I am curious to see what happens to my painting style when I take “Bloom True” with Flora Bowley (whose paintings I adore) at the Makerie in April. I have noticed that paintings by Flora’s workshop participants look a lot like Flora’s own paintings. I am realizing that this is to be expected when an artist is teaching their techniques. I wonder whether my paintings will start looking more like hers, or if I will be able to maintain my authentic look while still using her techniques.

Twins! Tears! Tiring!

We went to visit our friends’ baby twin girls yesterday. When we arrived they were lying on a nursing pillow while their mom fed them their bottles. Their eyes were closed, their little mouths were sucking, their teeny necks looked so fragile. Well! I did not expect myself to cry, but I just couldn’t help it! They reminded me so much of our twin girls (who are 10 now) and I had the sense that I missed so much back then. I was so happy to hear how well these parents are doing, and how grateful they are for these babies – I think they are getting the most out of their time with them. I wish I could go back in time, just for a bit, to really appreciate those little bundles! It just reminds me so much to appreciate who they are right now.

I held Jenna for most of the time we were there. While I loved holding her, one thing is clear: I am done having babies! I don’t think I have the energy for that any more. The whole time I was holding her, I was thinking, “How do you do this, with two babies?” How easily I have forgotten!

Here are the paintings I made for the girls:

 

Art at the Library!

Five of my paintings are on display at the Signal Hill Library for the month of February. And it’s a longer February than usual, so yay! Crossing my fingers to get some inquiries and sales from this. The last time I showed my art at the library was pretty successful, so I’m hopeful!

Here’s what I want.

I’m such a follow the rules kind of person. As soon as a teacher or coach says something, I stick to it, follow the words like they are the only truth. Then I am reminded that there is no single right way of doing things. This idea that there is a “right” and a “wrong” is so engrained in me, that it makes it tough to break free from this way of thinking. Here’s what I want:

 

 

I want to be authentic, paint what really needs to be painted.

I want to have fun painting.

I want to admire my own work.

I want to try new things, but not shut out the old.

I want to paint rainbow stripes sometimes, even if I think it’s a way for me to feel safe. Or maybe because it’s a way for me to feel safe.

I want to paint things other than rainbow stripes.

I want to take risks.

And now, I will go back and reread these statements without the “want to”. Because it’s really happening.

 

Gift to my Dad.

I have fun painting.

I admire my own work.

I try new things, but don’t shut out the old.

I paint rainbow stripes sometimes, even if I think it’s a way for me to feel safe. Or maybe because it’s a way for me to feel safe.

I paint things other than rainbow stripes.

I take risks.

But I’m not ready to show any risky paintings yet.

Painting for me.

Lately I’ve been painting safe. Painting for others. Painting what I think other people want to see. What evidence do I have that staying safe will actually help me? None, actually. What evidence do I have that taking a risk will benefit me? Surprisingly, there is some; the paintings that people respond to the most, are the ones that I have painted from my heart, rather than my head. They are the ones that piss me off, make me angry, and the ones that I dislike the most. But they are also the ones that people respond to, and the ones that people want to buy. I guess it makes sense; if I’m feeling something as I paint, you’ll feel something when you look.

This is my goal now – to paint more from my body, less from my head. Paint what I like, not what I think others will like. It sounds so simple, but sometimes it isn’t easy. Using watercolors forces me to accept what is happening – they are harder to control than acrylics. I’m going to start playing more, and accepting more and using more watercolors. Oh, and dancing before I paint, to help me get out of my head.

After taking the intuitive painting workshop with Michele Cassou, I thought that I had to keep this kind of painting separate from my “work painting”. Now I am not so sure. This is all an experiment. I’ll let you know how it goes!