Hello Spring - Save the Dates ...

After the long, gray days of a Michigan winter, I am absolutely starving for green growing things!

I was on the hunt for the Spring Expos put on by my local garden centers this year and put myself right into the middle of it all.

I approached both English Gardens and Bordine’s about painting on-site during their Expo hours and they both loved the idea. So, my friends, I will be painting live on-site:

April 4-5, 2020 during the Garden Party Weekend at the W. Bloomfield location of English Gardens.

April 18-19, 2020 during the Spring Expo at the Rochester Hills location of Bordine’s.

My sister and I have attended both these events in past years and found that these two locations are the ones you want to visit. The displays are amazing, there’s more ideas, and SO many more plants.

Even though we both know it’s too early to plant, we always come home with some beautiful plants or herbs. Being surrounded by all that wonderful uplifting energy is contagious - you just can’t help yourself. At least, that’s what I tell my hubby when he cocks his eyebrow and shakes his head, LOL.

Anyhoo, it would be great if you stopped by to say ‘Hi”. I mean, c’mon, who doesn’t want to be surrounded by all that gorgeous splendor?

I know for a fact that these two are really easy to care for.

So here’s to celebrating SPRING in all her glory!

How to Save a Failed Painting

Not every painting I create is a success, which is why I like to work in a series. Last year I created these funky flowers in different formats and color combinations.

Most worked. BUT …

There was this one piece that just did not make the cut. What to do, what to do?

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one this happens to, so I decided to make this a teachable moment. I filmed the revamping process I went through, including my thoughts on WHY I was making my next move.

I believe it’s essential to understand how to use the principles and elements of art in order to create strong compositions and successful art. I love the colors but, oh my, it’s so busy. When that happens, it’s difficult to hone in on the focal point - which should be the flowers. Do you notice how the bottom area keeps drawing your eye away from them? The top and bottom are fighting for your attention but only one should dominate. It’s about letting one thing be the star and everything else is just support staff.

When you see the before and after below, it looks like the colors of the flowers changed, right? They did not. What changed was the color around them. The color combination of complementary blues and oranges stayed the same; what changed was the background. I took away the busy-ness by using a solid color to surround the flowers. I also eliminated all those unnecessary lines from the bottom, which let those funky stems shine.

So, head on over to my YouTube channel to watch the whole process. I’d love to hear your comments. (Oh, and please subscribe so you don’t miss any new videos.)

3 Gigantic Mistakes To Absolutely NOT Make In 2020

Here's What We Absolutely Should Not Do:

1. Make preposterous promises.

2. Set gigantic goals.

3. Make no master plan.

Here's a couple examples:

• I'll lose 20 pounds by Feb. 1st. (Unless you're getting rid of a small pet, that's not likely to happen.)

• I'm going to pay off all my credit cards. (Really? You gonna cut them all up?)

The excitement of the season overtakes us. But ...we strangle our enthusiasm with unrealistic aspirations, with promises we know down deep that we're unable to keep.
                  
Here' Some Suggestions of What You CAN Do:

• Brain dump all the 'wants & shoulds', write them down on paper.

• Prioritize them - what is the absolutely, positively, most important sure thing you really, REALLY want to achieve?

• Lay out a plan to get yourself there. What are the baby steps? What is the 'one thing every day' you can do to move ahead to your goal?

I don't know about you but my life is stressful enough without putting unrealistic expectations on myself. My New Year's resolution is to provide you with outstanding opportunities to improve your creative, artistic skills. Oh yeah, it's on baby!

Please accept my sincere wishes for a Happy, Healthy, Joyful, Creative New Year. See you on the other side.

Big, Powerful Love,

There is so much going on I hardly know where to start!

Let me begin with the most exciting news first:

House & Garden Magazine.UK approached me to include my work in their January, February, and March 2020 issues! My work will be in a section called ‘The Art Edit’, as well as digitally represented on their website in the section called H&G Shops: Art.

How . Cool. Is. THAT?

I am totally geeked and ever so grateful to have this opportunity to share my work with thousands of people across this big, wide world.

……………………………..

Next item on my list is about giving back.

I was contacted by John who hosts Art. Bundles for Good, which touts being the best deal in online classes. Details will be coming out next week but let me share a little of what to expect. Right now there are almost 50 artists offering over 95 classes. From soup to nuts - well, art soup and nuts, lol.

I offered 3 of my digital classes to the mix. The total value is over $3700 dollars and you will have the opportunity to get all 90+ classes for free! I mean, seriously, folks, it doesn’t get much better than that. Even if you don’t win, you will be able to purchase the package that include a whole year's worth of access to all the classes.

Best part? 25% of proceeds goes to charity. This is the 4th year he is doing this and it is wildly popular. So many great artists are participating.

………………………….

New Fun Art for Sale

December 7 - I will be participating in a Holiday Pop Up Shop at the Northville Art House. The Shop will be open from 9-4pm and I’ll be featuring small florals and my quirky birds; perfect for hostess gifts and/or stocking stuffers. I just love those quirky birds and I’ll share some photos in a future post.

December 14 - I’ll be at the Troy Athens High School Art & Craft Show. This is the 29th year and the show will be open from 9-4pm. Don’t know exactly where I’ll be located yet but will keep you posted. Should be some great holiday shopping opportunities.

…………………………

Don’t Forget to Visit the Brighton Chamber of Commerce

My new works will be on display until the end of the year and you can visit any time during business hours. One piece already sold and if you are interested in purchasing one of my paintings, because you are on my mailing list, I’m offering you a 20% discount.

Maybe you want to put one on your Christmas list? You just never know …

………………………

Whew! That’s a LOT.

And that’s not even counting all the art classes coming up this month. I’m going to be a very busy girl!

……………………….

As we rush head-long into the holiday season, don’t forget to stop and enjoy the small moments - they often become treasured memories.

Solo Exhibit at Brighton Chamber of Commerce

Have you ever seen a photo of a particular artwork and then had the opportunity to see it in person? The difference is incredible.

One of my favorite self portraits by Van Gogh is on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts. I had seen many photos of it but when I went to see it at the DIA, I was stopped in my tracks. The colors! The brush strokes! The energy of actually seeing the artist’s handiwork.

I invite you to experience that same sense of wonder. Along with some yummy treats and maybe a glass of wine.

STOP BY AND ENTER TO WIN ONE OF MY ORIGINAL 11” X 15” STUDIES

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!

There are over 20 new works on display and I would love to chat with you about my process. This past summer was an exciting time for me artistically. I’ve been experimenting with new techniques to achieve a fresh, energetic look to my work. Something a bit more raw than my previous paintings.

I’m very excited about this new approach to making paintings and would love to hear your input.

So mark you calendar right now:

Friday October 18, 4-7pm, Brighton Chamber of Commerce.
We’ll have a chance to chat, have a snack or two and maybe a glass of wine.

Here’s a little preview:

There will be an event on my Facebook page where you can RSVP. I so look forward to seeing you!

Solo Exhibit at Brighton Chamber of Commerce

I invite you to experience that same sense of wonder. Along with some yummy treats and maybe a glass of wine.

Stop by and enter to win one of my original 11” x 15” studies

Looking forward to seeing you!

Falling Back into Creative Mode

Do you feel a hint of sadness as September rolls around?

It marks the end of carefree summer days and is a harbinger of cooler weather and the inevitable down hill slide to the holiday season. (Some stores have been displaying Christmas merchandise since mid-August!  Seriously?)

September is also a time of renewed motivation for me:  to start new projects and finish old ones.

As the weather cools, the seasonal tempo changes to less outside time and more inside time. Less time spent mowing the grass and more time for making art!

I find myself purging, organizing, arranging …

• Purging clutter.

• Organizing my schedule

• Arranging my studio for the inevitable flurry of activity to come.

How does September affect you?

When my kids were little, it was all about back-to-school. The hustle and bustle of buying school supplies, new shoes (because their feet grew over the summer), and new clothes (because they shot up 2-3 inches and all their pants were now floods).  

And did I mention all those exciting school supplies? I absolutely LOVED my new set of crayons and fresh paper. Remember the smell of those new books? Ahhh … such a good memory.

Every year I would get a new box of 64 crayons – remember those? After my knee surgery last October, those very same crayons helped me keep my sanity while recuperating. Simple delights.