In May of this year I began a year-long journey attempting to capture the city of Liverpool in paint. I’m taking to heart the words of French poet and philosopher, Gaston Bachelard, who said. . . read more
Today, you’ve decided to get an early start. You wake before the rest of the world, grab a cup of coffee and head to your studio/spare room to create. But then the flashing icon on your computer screen says "you've got mail!" and you're drawn away. . . . . . read more
Objects from nature, interesting patterns, and architectural details always attract my attention. Often the images are captured in unexpected places - along a busy street, in the yard or on a daily walk. . . read more
I will get straight to the point. The biggest social networking mistake artists make is . . . not social networking! (Or not doing it enough.) I often hear artists say that social networking is too time consuming. And I will admit, I used to. . . read more
Pursuing what you love requires courage, especially when it is a career in the arts. As any artist will tell you, this type of work is unconventional, and challenging. For instance, since artists typically don’t have. . . read more
I lost my head this time, and I’m woman enough to admit it. I was up in my studio with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, poking around the old muffin tins, bowls and jars overflowing with stuff. Wasn’t looking for trouble, but trouble found me. . . read more
When I first started painting, the genre I was least interested in was portraiture. I was more interested in learning about floral, figurative, or landscape painting. After my daughter’s wedding, however, I began thinking about creating a portrait. . . read more
Are you an artistic person who loved to draw as a kid, or took art classes in college, but was discouraged from pursuing art at as a serious profession? Maybe you’re a struggling artist frustrated with working a “real” job, or a busy parent with no time to create.. . . read more
It’s extremely important to be self-aware as an artist.
We should always be thinking about our processes, our decisions, our strengths and weaknesses, and our prejudices. Knowing these things will help you learn from your mistakes and use your strengths to their fullest advantage.
When you. . . read more
One common misconception about artists is that we are able to envision things perfectly in our imagination. People assume that we instinctively know what patterns and textures go together, or can come up with effective colour combinations off the top of our heads.. . . read more
Believe it or not, watercolour painting can be “extreme” under certain circumstances - for me, extreme watercolour painting must be done on location, in a foreign country, in a place that you can only reach by taxi. . . read more
Boy, struggling for proficiency in art is one uphill climb! I’ve studied plenty of articles that stress the “miles and miles” of painting needed for technical skills to develop, and to gain an eye for color and value - crucial things for a painter, obviously.. . . read more
I don’t know about you, but my response when friends ask how I’m doing lately is usually, ”I’m exhausted!” Maybe you can relate. If so, let me ask you: “How does that affect your art?”. . . read more
Typically, many artists think of habits as being negative. We like to be free thinkers and often fight against structure and rules. But, just like any winning entrepreneur, we must have good working habits in order to be effective and successful artists.. . . read more