Beginnings, start of a new painting, exciting to begin & see with fresh eyes tomorrow

Healing in the Days of the Corona

Beginnings, a new painting, symbolizes a new time for us all as we enter the Unknown. I think we have multiple truths happening these days. First, we have the crazy world out there, where we can only contain ourselves. Secondly, we have Nature, where our senses can be filled with the first light, fresh scents, and new growth of Spring. Third, we have the inner journey, a return to our true home of the heart, feelings, and love.

The third is the Artists Way. The inner artists journey brings Balance in every way. This is the Path we seem to step away from when we need it most. The most Essential aspect we can bring into our lives is Balance. In this unprecedented time, consciously shift away from the noise, and into the sanctuary of your Truth.

The Deeper Truth

Your heart will tell you what you really need. It’s times like these when the most important thing you can do is focus on what’s meaningful and valuable to you. I’ve heard from so many artist friends that painting is the most calming thing to do in their life. They feel a new level of inner peace. And all this has a ripple effect. Everything is energy. The more you come from a place of peace and love, the more this radiates out into the world, and to those all around you.

Doing Art brings Beauty Into the World

I challenge you today, to move away from the head, the thinking, worrying, sad place (social media). Choose to enter into the heart, the imagination, the inspirational land of the soul. Create your art, whatever that may be, and immerse yourself into it completely. Have a new beginning for yourself, and go there every day. Imagine if each of us did this daily, if we created uplifting energy with beautiful art, if we moved our mind out of the abyss and into the light, we just might heal the madness.

Posted on 21 March, 2020 by admin | Comments Off on Come Home to Art


lushest new colors

Green Gold is a new color I Love!

I’m told you can buy it, but I really like mixing my own. It begins with the other wonderful color I’ve added to my toolbox, Indian Yellow. It’s a lovely golden yellow that when mixed with the deep rich Viridian Green, makes the most beautiful green gold you’ve ever seen.

Add Green Gold to a dot of Alizarin Crimson, which is a wonderful burgundy like shade, and you have a great olive green. Reverse that mix, to Alizarin Crimson add a dot of Green Gold, and you create a rich palette of harmonious colors that flow together.

Colors to explore: Indian Yellow, Viridian Green, Alizarin Crimson. All worth adding and playing with in your art toolbox. What colors do you use the most? Are there any wonderful colors you’ve discovered in mixing that really surprised you? Share your ideas and discoveries on our post page!

Have a great paint in your home week-end! #washyourhands

Pat

Posted on 14 March, 2020 by admin | Comments Off on Green Gold is Glorious

different tools make
Some of my favorite tools! As with any Profession, never stop learning and growing with new tools and techniques. Exciting and Fun!

Different Tools Make Art and Life More Interesting. Four Reasons to Never Use One Tool for an Entire Painting

Different Tools Make great art. You hold each one differently, your body moves in various ways, but most of all, your marks vary greatly from each other. This creates Difference: the key to interesting, moving, contrasting, great art.

Differences Keep It Fresh. They aren’t Boring! Differences capture the viewers attention because there’s something new to see, to discover, to explore. A painting never get dull. Shifting from your same usual strokes also puts you in more mindfulness. It wakes up new directions for you to follow so you don’t get bored with the same old habits.

Secondly, striving to try something different and new, pushes you to take risks. Consciously trying to change your mark makes you take chances, do bolder strokes, and create moves you’ve never done before. Here is where soul comes alive. Your inner spirit loves trying something New! Art from your inner intuition feeds your soul.

Thirdly, Throwing yourself into your painting, scraping/spattering/dripping new colors makes for exciting, unpredictable art. This triggers happiness as you lose yourself in the process. A very desirable place to be. And this attracts viewers since they can feel your passion. This is the art they want to own, gaze upon, and live with each day.

Fourthly, Difference creates energy and movement. Our eye is carried around the canvas. Each artist’s stroke carries the knowledge of its speed, thought, and care when applied. Discover a piece of the artist in their process. You see and feel their personal marks, intuition, and brilliance.

Explore this in your art, too. As we progress monthly through the Dragonfly, we aim to discover each artist’s unique Expressive Style. Doing art consciously, lets you find your favorite materials, shapes, and lines. You learn to know exactly what your art needs and how to create it. You’ll never again wonder what to do next. Only through experimentation and play will you touch on something original, your personal style, your voice, and make art that you love. Ignite your passion. Learn to trust your deepest instincts. We are all artists, to our core. That’s what makes us human.

Join us at Dragonfly Art Studio to learn more. Do you vary your tools? Have unique marks that you use often and love? What do you think of trying this approach? Let’s talk about this here.


Mark Making!

Posted on 7 March, 2020 by admin | Comments Off on Different Tools Make Unique Marks

You never stop learning and growing with art. New Tools are a great way to jump start your creativity and set you off on a new journey. Here are three that I use all the time.

First is a great multi-media sketchpad, Arteza, 110 lb paper, spiral bound to lay flat, and a generous 11″ x 14″ size. I found mine in a two pack at Amazon.

Second, are the brilliant Neocolor II watersoluable color sticks. I love the smooth flow of them and the blending with water. Dip each in water and draw for great effects.

Third is the Koi Waterbrush. Fill the reservoir with water and take it along with your Neocolors for instant art on the go.

Have a great Sunday!

In Gratitude,

Pat


Sketch Anywhere

Posted on 29 February, 2020 by admin | 2 Comments


Fire Expressive Painting Made with my home made Wet Palette

The Magic of a Wet Palette

This is the latest best new product for any water based paint, and here’s how to make one for yourself! Paints dry out so quickly no matter what our location or weather. There used to be extender, but it was just another thing to buy and mess with. So the Wet Palette is the latest trend, and I’m beginning to love mine. Click on the video to find out just how easy it is to DIY.

Let me know what you think of it in the comments below. Would you like to see more tools like this to improve your art? What do you think of a month to month Art Site to explore your Art Style? Tell me what you’d like to do in art. I’d love to hear from you.

Have a great day.

In Gratitude,

Pat

Posted on 22 February, 2020 by admin | 2 Comments

Art Alchemy, Secrets of Master Painters


Fog on the Ridge, from a photo taken one afternoon, Earthy Palette

Art Alchemy at its finest. I have been taking an advanced color mixing course on line that is really stretching all the artists in the group. It’s been a struggle, but well worth it! As I assimilate all these amazing mixing color secrets, I will be adding them to our monthly Dragonfly Art Program that starts in April. It really is alchemy, beautiful, and takes a thoughtful approach.

There are warm and cool tones of every color. Knowing how to mix them is a game changer. In the meantime, mix your own warm white. Titanium White is very cool. Warm it up with Yellow Ochre. Start by adding just a speck of Yellow Ochre until you get the color on the palette knife. It’s the color of the sun first hitting the winter woods. Try mixing it with other colors, go with your intuition, and keep a record of the ones that strike you emotionally. You’ll be honing your intuition as you expand your color knowledge. Have Fun.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Pat


Creating a Warm White

Posted on 15 February, 2020 by admin | Comments Off on Art Alchemy

An Update and Great Drawing Tip

The Foundation of Art Class ran a bit longer than 30 days. Which is all fine, since then we had a week of implementation and catch up time. Now I can focus on the upcoming monthly group which will start April 1st.

I’ve been taking some extraordinary classes myself lately, because we never stop learning, growing, and evolving. As I implement these into my own work, they will all find their way to you in the monthly program. I still believe that is the best way to do Art: over Time. Plenty of days to try each project, get inspiration from other artists, dive deep to try the new in your own work, and then hear from some established artists. This is the True Artists Journey. When the monthly begins, these Sunday Art Stories will drop down to 2 a month.

Attached is a proven way to get in touch with your inner artist. This video speaks of drawing any image upside down. This turns off your talkative left brain and you tune into really having to see as an artist in order to do the project. No longer seeing ‘eyes, nose, mouth’ , you’re instead looking at dark shapes, light angles, and curves. It’s an amazing experience so I hope you all give it a try. Use any photo you have.

Have a great Sunday!

Pat

Posted on 9 February, 2020 by admin | Comments Off on An Update of Art Stories and Great Drawing Tip

Thoughts About Art Inspiration: Contour Drawing Video

Posted on 1 February, 2020 by admin
what do you think

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Thoughts about art inspiration and Artist’s Beliefs shift our actions. Would you like this Art Stories Newsletter sent to your inbox once a week as we do now, or just twice a month? There will continue to be thoughts about … Continue reading →

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3 Ways to Create Your True Art

Posted on 25 January, 2020 by admin

3 Ways to Create Your True Art When You Are Influenced by the Art of Others that You Know & Love What is our Truest most authentic Art? We are influenced by so many who have come before us. Colors … Continue reading →

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Art Making is the Hero’s Journey

Posted on 17 January, 2020 by admin

Art Making is the Hero’s Journey when we Experiment and Enter the Unknown. We aren’t trying for a specific outcome, we just know that we are adding to our story. We enter the unknown. I think of Joseph Campbell and … Continue reading →

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