A Paintbrush is not a magic wand. Oh wouldn't it be great if it was? 
This video describes the process of painting in a series to achieve a more successful result. 
If you want a lesson with me on line or in my studio contact me today and let's get started. Better paintings can happen right now! 

What I have learned so far: 
A series is important to develop a strategy to implement successfully over a period of time. 

I have given myself immunity. I am painting for the next two weeks with freedom and abandon. I want to see how few strokes I can use to identify a form. I also want to use thicker paint mixtures so that color values are correct on the first pass . This requires thought and planning but I am all in. 

What I have learned so far; 
Simplicity is an illusion. The human eye wants to see everything and report back. The challenge is to try to see like an animal who has no language structures to fall back on . Nothing can be explained . It is only about value and shape a flower or a bird...a form is  a form.  

Yes, you read that right I said an "emotional hairball". I am not posting this on Facebook . An emotional hairball is when you are just overcome with lots of feelings and end up venting by being either angry or crying or shut down. We all have them . But should we share them on social media? 
What is your opinion? 
What I have learned so far ; 
It is OK and necessary to feel all the feelings ...the good ones and the not so good ones, but sharing them is an art too. How and where to share them needs to be weighed carefully. 

I have no idea how this phantom shape went unseen for over a week. It seems pretty obvious to me now. 
For more videos like this please subscribe to my Youtube channel here. 

What I have learned so far: 
Paintings are always a work in progress just like life. You do your best and then make adjustments as needed. Zigging and Zagging, 

Piracy is the price of doing business on the internet. I know for cake decorators it is a big issue. Big companies like Disney protect their trademark characters and will go after small home bakers for infractions. Sugar artists get around this by creating Disney theme inspired cakes and buy the characters to place on the cakes themselves. But for most of us that is not an option. What do you think about this issue? 
Have you been pirated? 
What I have learned so far: 
I have learned that my ego is so human so incredibly weakly human. But I get up everyday and try to be a better person and artist . I try to remember to be grateful that I can participate in any way at all. 
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This video is about how we can take good care of ourselves and have a more enjoyable and memorable day.  Please sign up for my Youtube channel here and tell a buddy to join too! 
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This  exquisite self care tea cup is off to Alaska to live in the home of a true creative spirit named Teal Sky Heller.  She is one of the women in my sugar artists business group. She does not make cakes she does however make and design lighting installations and can also make moose sausage. That's a 'Wonder of a Woman " Don't you think? 

For the past week I have been "Fishing without a Net". My website was down while I changed some of the behind the scenes structure. I am glad I did it but I had ads running in Front Porch Forum so when people clicked on my address they got a blank screen. 
I hope they will try again but now that I am back up and running there is no need to look back. 
I am planning a series of peony painting days and will be letting you know all about that soon. 

What I have learned so far: 
Oh my gosh...I am more than impatient  I found out I am "hyper impatient" I don't think that is a word but the last week was really hard for me.  As Tom Petty rightly said "The Waiting is the Hardest Part"....indeed. 

Oh Heck...I love making these little videos so why stop now! This one cracked me up because I drove into town and even with cameras on the bumpers this gal still can not parallel park. I will be circling the block for the rest of my life....But here is a funny comment I received about this video.


Suzala Suzala14 hours ago
This was an interesting topic, but I have to tell you how hard i laughed because just last nite I taught my 17 year old how to parallel park! ( in my family it is competitive sport, we are experts. He did terrifically and any time you want a lesson...lol) thanx for the laugh. We are keeping the whites of our paper white, and the bumpers of the nearby cars in sight!

What I have learned so far: 
There is always something you struggle with or don't achieve mastery with. But with the ability to strategize everything is "figure-out-able!

This week I had a moment to reflect and realized I had lost my way a bit. I enjoy making Youtube videos but it was never my intention to be a Youtube creator....My goal is teaching and so I have started a local push on social media to get more students who want to paint with me. 
It is so easy to forget what your initial intention is when the numbers on the computer reward your silly ego. That's the way it is for me. I had to remember what the reason was for starting this whole thing. 
Has that ever happened to you? You find yourself in a place you didn't plan on and there is nothing wrong with it but you realize it is time to pivot and be clear about what you want and who you are? 

What I have learned so far: 
Ego has a voice and it is powerful. I try not to engage in activity that just feed my ego. It is just an emotional happy meal of fast food .It fills you up but it is temporary and can make you forget what you purpose is. 

I got this photograph from the morgue file. You can go there and search for barns and this photo will come up. Perhaps you will want to paint it too. It is a free site and the photos there are all for artists to use. This had such a strong NOTAN pattern I could not resist. Here is a link to my YOutube channel for more videos. Click here

What I have learned so far: 
I am trying to learn not to let a single "troll" on the internet bother me. I am super sensitive so I am kind pf "ripe for the picken"s". If you are going to be public it is just part of being out in the world today.