Finding support for your art efforts is an ongoing struggle for many of us. It is for anyone in a creative endeavor. I hope my observations bring some comfort and humor to you. 

Color value swap out day! This is a video of speeded up painting with music by Patti Casey. If you want to hear the narrated version step by step please go to my Youtube channel here. and please hit the subscribe button. 
What I have learned so far: 
As long as I follow the strategy of finding my dark , medium and light masses and plugging color into them , it does not matter what order I work in. I can decide this on a subject by subject basis. 

I have been organizing my home since Jan. 1. Today I was in the kitchen and I had something in my hand and I said to Tom ..."what should I do with this?", He said "Gee it's a shame you don't have any storage containers.". Good one Tom...Good one. 

I was asked to make this video and it is especially timely because I have just had to go Gluten Free. Now you know how much I love my cake and cookies so eating  white rice and mashed potatoes is not a place where I find a lot of joy. What I miss the most is coffee. My heart aches for coffee and my brain does too. But pain is a great motivator so I am determined to see this through. 

What I have learned so far; 
You can only deny symptoms for so long. Eventually you have to accept the facts, make a plan and change your life as needed. 

I have spent a couple of weeks painting shiny ornaments and making videos that describe how to do this on my Youtube channel. I have learned a lot. Now I want to find some shiny objects I can continue to explore but that are not round. I am off to see what I can discover. More later...Jo 

There are lots of great deals at jomackenzie.com. These are a way to say thank you for joining me on the art journey this year. It was a year with lots of firsts. We had events here at house and I put up my first pdf of an online curriculum. The Youtube channel is now over 2000 subscribers so there has been lots if growth and excitement. 

Today I sat down and wrote my goals for 2019 and there are going to be more changes coming. I will let you know more about this in January when I launch new adventures for all of us. I think life has lots of beginnings and endings. This year will be a continuation of a commitment to growth and sharing information . 

Special holiday sale of 25% off all original art work on my website. Find what you like from any category and put it in your cart. When checking out use the code ART25OFF and you will receive a great price for a one of a kind piece of art for your home or for someone you love. 
This offer is good through Dec 29th 2018. Click here. 

This is how to make a color dab  wreath. You can make one too. 
What are some of your artistic decorations? I need more ideas because now I am in the holiday spirit and I found a glue gun....uh oh.......

I have a lot of things to be grateful for. I am lucky to paint everyday. I am lucky that I found painting at a time when I needed a companion in my life. But today I was given a gift. 
First I lost my mother in July and of all the things I miss the most it is her voice. As much as it killed me to hear it on her answering machine once she passed, it is now erased and I can think of nothing more personal than someones signature voice. 
I live with a wonderful man and he is not a demonstrative type. He is stoic and rock solid. A few days ago he gave me this audio of him singing Tom Petty's Angel Dream. This is my favorite of Tom Petty's songs and I often sing it to calm myself down or to get centered but to have the song in Tom's loving voice is the most healing thing I have had happen in months and I am so very grateful for it. 

This video will show you how to draw and then paint an apple. This is the whole concept behind my Visual Learners Guide to Painting. The downloadable PDF is available here . If you purchase the program between Nov. 17 and Nov. 21st. I will add as a bonus a 2019 Jo Mackenzie wall calendar with your order. This is a value worth 28 dollars! 
This offer is only available to blog subscribers and people who have signed up for my Newsletter because you are special to me!