Upcoming Classes

Here are a few of my upcoming classes for August.   Email me with questions.   Click on the titles of the classes to go to the registration page and find out more.

 Watercolor for Relaxation

August 4, 2018.    9:00 am - noon

So often we sit down to creative work with the heavy expectation of creating a masterpiece...or at least something that will bring compliments from viewers.  The purpose of this class is to let go of the expectation of creating something perfect and finished and replace it with the calm of simply observing what the paint and water do together.   No expectations, just fun.  

We will play with color, learn how different pigments react with water, experiment with salt and plastic wrap effects, play with abstract compositions and a few other surprises.  

This class is appropriate for all levels of skill, including people who have never touched watercolor before.  [It will probably be hardest for people who are used to trying to paint 'something' instead of just playing].     Click on the title of the class above to register.

Color Mixing Bootcamp

August 4, 2018.   1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

For all creatives working in color!  You will learn how to mix any color you want using only 2 sets of primary colors.  

Appropriate for all mediums.   I will demonstrate with transparent dyes, but you are welcome to bring paint, colored pencils, fiber, ink, etc.  It will be useful for you to see how different mediums mix. Contact me ahead of time to make sure you bring appropriate primary colors. Click on the title of the class above to register.

The Artist's Way:  Getting Started

August 18, 2018.  1:00 PM  4:30 PM

Julia Cameron wrote The Artist's Way as a method for helping creatives identify their blocks and release their creative flow.   In this one-time class, we will start the process together and get you on your way to a happier and more productive creative life.   

If there is enough interest, we will schedule regular meetings to go through the entire Artist's Way or Vein of Gold books.  Click on the title of the class above to register.

Support is an important part of the process.   If you're an artist looking for better balance between your art, professional and personal lives, please feel free to check out and join my facebook group - 'The Well Balanced Artist'.  We are there to support each other in the journey.  

Five and a half minutes

I think spiderwebs are really pretty and it's a good thing, because they are everywhere out here.  Our spiders are industrious and not put off by meddling humans who remove the webs.  The spiders just make more. 

I like that determination and focus. 

Which brings me to my meditation practice.   I had meditated many times over the years but never had a 'practice'.   By practice, I mean a regular place, method, time, etc.   When we re-did the studio this year, I finally had the place, so I set it up with a candle, incense burner and comfortable place to sit. 

And then I just didn't have time to sit and meditate.   Apparently, I liked the idea of meditation more than actually sitting and meditating.

Let's face it, on the surface, meditation looks like sitting still.   I hate that.   Seriously, I have way too much to do to sit still doing nothing for 30 minutes. 

And I was explaining that to someone who pointed out that the monks at the local Tibetan monastery only meditate for 10 minutes at a time because it's not reasonable to sustain that kind of focus for hours. 

OK then. 

And in the same conversation, we talked about how the purpose of meditation is to get centered.   When the mind starts spinning, you bring it back to center.   It wanders, you bring it back.  Doesn't matter how often.  The point is to learn to come back to center.  It takes a bit of determination and focus.

That's something I can do. 

I chose an amount of time that I know I can manage.   Five and a half minutes.    During that time, I can pray, repeat a mantra, or just focus on my breath.   Doesn't matter.   The point is that I keep coming back to center.   

I sit down, I light my sage or candle, I set the timer and I breathe.   For five and a half minutes. 

And that has made all the difference.  These five and a half minutes of quality time with myself have opened up all kinds of possibilities which are making it possible for me to live my best life now. 

What sorts of things do you practice regularly that are making it possible for you to live your best life now?

Watercolor Meditation #2: Flow

Happy Thanksgiving!   You are one of the things I'm most grateful for.  I hope you can squeeze in a moment of peace and quiet today.   If you need an excuse, here's another meditation. I hope you had fun last week with the first of my Watercolor Meditations on Observation.  This second one is about going with the flow.   I need that today!   Ok, I need that a lot of days. Watercolor Meditation:  FLOW Take a deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! The purpose of this meditation is to enjoy watching paint and water move down the paper and mingle. You're creating your own waterfall. Gather your materials: You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series. Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper: Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper. Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities. You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing. 6 x 6 inches or so is a nice size. Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating. If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead. [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.]  Brush: Any watercolor brush will do. Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.]  Water jar: To clean your brush in. A recycled food jar is great. Pint sized is great.  Paper towels or plate to catch drips and things as they flow. MEDITATION:  FLOW Swish your brush around in the plain water. Get it good and wet.  Tilt your paper or prop it up so that things can flow down the paper. You can hold it over a plate or paper towel to catch drips if you like.  Starting at the top of the paper, brush the clear water on and OBSERVE it as it FLOWS down the paper.  Get your brush wet again, choose your favorite color and get some of that paint on your brush. Don't worry about how much. You can't do this wrong.  Put the paint in the water at the top of the paper and watch it flow down the paper.  Try it again in a different place. Keep your brush wet.  Try it again with just clear water. Get your brush wet, touch it to the top of the paper and let the clear water flow down the paper pushing the paint aside.  Now play. You can't do it wrong. Try it with a lot of paint to get dark colors and just a little to get light colors. Every once in a while you can let plain water flow down the paper, too. When you're done, lay it down and let it dry. Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today.  I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day.  If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me. See all of my classes here. The other activities in this series: Meditation #1: Observation Meditation #2: Flow  Meditation #3: Resistance Meditation #4: Obstacles Meditation #5: Opposition Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers

GIFT! Watercolor Meditation #1: Observation

I think about you guys a lot.  I think about what makes you happy, what makes you peaceful, what stresses you out.  We're getting into the crazy time of year with too much stuff on the calendar and many situations that might bring up some uncomfortable issues.

I decided I needed to help you relax.   I've developed a series of watercolor meditations especially for this time of year, when you need something calm and creative to help you balance.

Bonus!  You can't do them wrong.

Bonus!  An excuse to try a new art form.

Bonus!   They are so much fun!  [Send me pics!]  Enjoy!

Meditation #1:  Observation

Take a deep breath and relax. Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax your shoulders. Relax your arms and hands. Breathe. You are going to have so much fun! Gather your materials:   You will be able to use these few materials for all of the activities in the series. Watercolor pigments: Tubes, pans, or sets. Whatever is easy for you to get and use. Make sure you like the colors. [You can also use coffee or tea if that's all you have close by.] If you have tubes, then you'll need an old plate or lid to use as a palette.  Paper: Any size mixed media paper or watercolor paper. Thicker watercolor paper won't buckle if you decide to use a lot of water in one of these activities. You'll need at least one sheet for each activity, but you'll probably have so much fun with some of these that you'll just keep playing. 6 x 6 inches or so is a nice size. Big enough to play, but not be too intimidating. If you have larger paper and want to cut it down, go right ahead. [You can also use a napkin if that's all you have close by.]  Brush: Any watercolor brush will do. Size 8 or 10 round is good for starters. [You can also use a straw, spoon, etc. if that's all you have close by.]  Water jar: To clean your brush in. A recycled food jar is great. Pint sized is great. MEDITATION 1:  OBSERVE Swish your brush around in the plain water. Get it good and wet. Brush that plain water around the paper. Observe what happens to the paper. See where it is shiny. See how long it takes for that shine to go away. See where it pools.  Get your brush wet again, choose your favorite color and get some of that paint on your brush. Don't worry about how much. You can't do this wrong. Touch the tip of the brush to one of the wet spots and let the pigment move onto the paper. OBSERVE. What happened?  Try it again in a different place. Just touch the color to the water and watch. OBSERVE. What happened?  Try it with less paint or more paint on the brush. Just touch the color to the water and watch. OBSERVE. What happened?  Try it with the side of the brush. Just touch the color to the water and watch. OBSERVE. What happened?  Now play. You can't do it wrong. Just touch the paint to the water and watch what happens. Thanks so very much for spending some time with this today. I hope you've used this meditation to relax and put some calm in your day. If you have a question, observation or photo you want to share, I'd love to hear from you! Email me.

The other activities in this series: Meditation #1: Observation Meditation #2: Flow  Meditation #3: Resistance Meditation #4: Obstacles Meditation #5: Opposition Meditation #6: Wabi Sabi Bonus Meditation:  FLOW-ers