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Author: Artist

Playing with Water-Soluble Pens

Playing with Water-Soluble Pens

Those of you that have watched my DVD, know that I love to play with water-soluble pens.  I don’t think that I can pass up a good looking pen.  I have so many that I really can’t keep track of them.  I have been playing around with water-soluble pens for an article that will be in the 2014 summer issue of the PAGES magazine.  To organize my pens, I made examples of each one in my watercolor journal.  Do you have a pen you love?  What is your favorite pen to use in your journals?  How do you organize your pens?

Happy Colorful New Year – It’s a Beautiful Day!

Happy Colorful New Year – It’s a Beautiful Day!

“Your success and happiness lies in you.  Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”  Helen Keller

Today is my birthday and the beginning of a new year!  I feel blessed in many ways.  I am so happy that I made the decision 14 years ago to quit my secure job as a lab technician to stay at home and pursue art.  I was scared, lonely and I had no idea what I was doing but I just knew that I had to draw, paint, mix gooey colorful messes and create.   I have made so many wonderful new friends.  Artists are the best!

The Good, the Bad and the Beauty of Color DVD

The Good, the Bad and the Beauty of Color DVD

My DVD, The Good, the Bad and the Beauty of Color watercolor workshop is available for pre-order.  If you missed this online workshop you will soon be able to own a copy of the DVD.

I am currently filming and editing and working on my 2014 watercolor workshop with Artful Gathering Online workshops.  I will be offering some step-by-step watercolor painting lessons.  Please stay tuned for more details!
New for 2014

New for 2014

Here is what I have been working on for 2014 Classes and Workshops….
Watercolor journaling demo and workshop at Daniel Smith Fine Art Supplies, Seattle and Bellevue, Washington – Dates and times TBA

ARTFUL GATHERING ONLINE ART RETREAT – This summer!  I will be teaching follow-along watercolor paintings.  My 2013 workshop – The Good, the Bad and the Beauty of Color is now available for pre-order.  

Art Unraveled:            Watercolor Art Journal – Tuesday July 29, 2014
                                    Kaleidoscope Hearts – Wednesday, July 30, 2014
                                    Inky Doodle Watercolors – Thursday July 31, 2014

CREATE – Chicago & Seattle – Times and Dated TBA


Just in Time for the Holidays!

Just in Time for the Holidays!

Watercolor Journal Page using Expansion Kit colors.

I am happy to announce that have designed a Daniel Smith Expansion Kit and it is now available for purchase.  It is the perfect complement to my Daniel Smith Jacqueline Newbold Travel Kit.  These additional six Daniel Smith colors are my favorite go-to colors and are always on my palette.  I suggest these when students ask for more color ideas to fill up their palettes.  Along with the addition of these beautiful colors, a larger and smaller brush, artist tape, water holder and a great vinyl art bag to hold it all, you now have everything you need to paint at home or while you travel!  It ships priority mail at no charge.  If you want to add additional art supplies to your order, be sure to tell them my TRP number (phone-in orders only) and you will get an additional 10% off of your order!  A gift for you šŸ™‚
Here is my TRP NUMBER:  TRP00274
 

Painting Highlights…..

Painting Highlights…..

My favorite time of 2013 was painting daily in Provence, France with a wonderful group of artists.  Twelve wonderful artist joined me on my 3rd watercolor journaling trip to St. Remy de Provence.  I love this charming town not only for its own charm but because within an hour in all directions, we were in awe inspiring locations painting plein air.  Here are a few highlights from our trip:

One of our favorite times of the day was sharing our paintings in our journals

The red poppies were out in full bloom!

We were lucky to be in St. Remy for the traditional costume parade

There was lots of dancing in the streets of St. Remy

 My next European Watercolor Trip:  ADVENTURES IN ITALY

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is fresh snow in the mountains and there is a family of deer grazing in the field.  My daughters are home and we are jockeying for oven time: pumpkin pie, potato gratin, homemade cranberry sauce, key lime pie… What are some of your favorite dishes?

I wish you all a wonderful week with family and friends! 
Back in Stock – a Great Gift for the Watercolor Artist

Back in Stock – a Great Gift for the Watercolor Artist

Today I excited to announce that am picking up a fresh load of my self-publish book, Watercolor Journeys & Inspirations from Travel.  
Here are just a few emails that I have received about my book:
“Wow! What a treasure! I love it! You need to expand on it and publish it big time! What a gorgeous book and filled with great information and beautiful artwork!” ….. Lynn

“I just wanted to follow up with you…I LOVEthe book, I have been pouring over it and working on the lessons – I feel like they should be called “workshops”, they have proven to be so productive and interesting for me. Your careful, organized, right-to-the-point explanations and ideas to try out the concepts (especially color mixing, love the chickens:-) has been very helpful, fillling in the holes in my watercolor education. I am having so much fun with it, and not feeling any of the tentativeness or anxiety around the outcome as I have in the past.” …..Jeanne

 “Got the book today and I do indeed love it!  I’ve already taken a couple of ideas from it for my travel journal [my palette and colour wheel] and will take your book to Italy with me.”    …..Lori 

“I received your book today, and absolutely LOVE it!!!  So much so, that I just ordered 2 more, to go along with the additional copies of the DVDs that I purchased.”   …..Cori
To buy my book, please see the PayPal button to the right.  Thank you!

Here are a few pages from my book:

Keeping a Watercolor Journal – Umbria, Italy

Keeping a Watercolor Journal – Umbria, Italy

I am teaching a watercolor workshop in Orvieto, Italy, Sept. 7 – 13, 2014, with Adventures in Italy.   It is filling up fast and there are just a couple of openings left in this workshop.

Dates: September 7 – 13, 2014;  Cost – $2995 

Create a visual diary of watercolor painting, journaling, and mixed media as you slow down, observe, and savor your time in Italy. Learn how to make on-the-go paintings with watercolor washes, water-soluble pens and pen-and-ink. Enhance your journaling style with maps, Italian book pages, pockets, tags, and more. You will discover how much fun it is to record your life journeys with watercolors. Umbria is rich with sights, sounds, and colors–all wonderful inspiration for developing your artistic eye. Exploring the streets of this historic hilltop village, we will discover stone archways, alleyways and Italian piazzas, the Duomo of Orvieto, Gothic and medieval designs, and colorful flowers cascading from windows — every corner a possible painting.  The Etruscan palette will inspire us as we experiment with luscious ochres and rich gem-tone colors from the past.

We will not just be observing and painting our week in Orvieto, but we will be experiencing it in a new, invigorating, lasting way. When you return home, you will have your watercolor journal as a lasting keepsake more unique than any photo album, and new skills to continue watercolor journaling on your next adventure!

This workshop is for all levels – beginners welcome! ā€¢ Create a watercolor art journal about your stay in Orvieto, Italy ā€¢ Take drawing and watercolor painting lessons ā€¢ Learn how to keep your colors fresh and lively ā€¢ In studio and en plein air painting ā€¢ Add interest to your journals by incorporating mixed media