5 Art Quotes by Wassily Kandinsky

Many years ago, I had the joy of visiting a retrospective exhibit of Wassily Kandinsky’s paintings. His work and that exhibit has stayed with me ever since. It felt as if each painting drew me into his inner world.

I have been most inspired by the way Kandinsky approached two of his greatest influences: music and spirituality.

His book, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, is one of the books that lives on my night table.

Here are 5 of his quotes:

“Lend your ears to music. Open your eyes to painting, and… stop thinking! Just ask yourself whether the work has enabled you to ‘walk about’ into a hitherto unknown world. If the answer is yes, what more do you want?”

“Every man who steeps himself in the spiritual possibilities of his heart is a valuable helper in the building of the spiritual pyramid which will someday reach to heaven.”

“The work of art is born of the artist in a mysterious and secret way. From him it gains life and being. Nor is its existence casual and inconsequent. But it has a definite and purposeful strength alike in its material and spiritual life.”

“The impact of the acute angle of a triangle on a circle produces an effect no less powerful than the finger of GOD touching the finger of Adam in Michelangelo.”

“Every work of art is the child of its age and, in many cases, the mother of our emotions. It follows that each period of culture produces an art of its own which can never be repeated.”

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Art Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack
5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

Art: A Divine Connection

Mixed Media Painting in Process

Early this morning, I found myself writing much of this as I worked on a small painting on paper. This was my experience…

Art is a form of prayer. It is a profound connection to a greater sense of love, Divine Love. Through art, we tap into an expansive love that transcends boundaries and connects us to our deepest spiritual essence. It is a dialogue between ourselves, the piece we are working on, and the Divine.

I am never alone in the creative process. There is an open communication with spirit guidance and a trust in the flow of inspiration that comes through. This connection feeds my soul and fills me with a remarkable energy that fills me up and permeates the space that surrounds me.

When I align myself with this understanding, barriers to communication dissolve, and guidance flows more effortlessly. I begin to vibrate with the energy that is filling me up, an energy of love and oneness. Tears of gratitude flow as I am carried on a wave of creative momentum.

Creating art is an opportunity to be fully present in the moment. It allows us to immerse ourselves in the work before us, leaving behind thoughts of the past or worries about the future. Each brushstroke or pen stroke becomes an act of mindfulness, grounding us in the here and now. In this moment, we become both the creator and the Created, experiencing the power of creation firsthand.

The opportunity to create and to connect with Divine Love through art, is something to cherish. May your creative endeavors be filled with gratitude and serve as a gateway to deeper self-expression and spiritual growth.

Why Do We Create?

Creating is an innate human desire. We yearn for the time and space to write, draw, paint, compose, and engage in various forms of artistic expression. But why? What drives us to create? What are we seeking through this act of creation?

Might we be seeking the feeling of accomplishment? When we create something out of nothing, it can provide us with an amazing sense of achievement. We get to witness our imagination coming to life. This sense of accomplishment can be incredibly fulfilling and empowering.

And… the act of creating provides us with a means of self-expression, allowing us to communicate our unique perspective in a very personal way.

In addition, the act of becoming immersed in the creative process can be uplifting and deeply satisfying. It allows us to tap into a child-like wonder, reminding us of the pure joy that comes from engaging our imagination.

Moreover, creativity provides an outlet for introspection and self-discovery. As we engage in artistic endeavors, we gain insights into ourselves, our desires, and our beliefs. It allows us to explore different aspects of our identity and encourages personal growth. Meanwhile a creative practice becomes a means for engaging our intuition and connecting with our inner wisdom.

Ultimately, the act of creation fulfills a natural need within us. It is an integral part of being human - to seek opportunities for self-expression, to feel a sense of accomplishment, to connect with something deep inside ourselves, and to experience the joy that comes from bringing something new into existence.

Why do you create?  I invite you to leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

What Would You Do Differently?

When you look back on your life, what one thing would you do differently? What comes to mind? I recently saw this question posed somewhere and when I pondered my response, I had my art career in mind. I immediately thought of the time, many years ago, when I bought way TOO MANY frames. And spent a ridiculous amount of money. 

It was sometime around the early 1990’s. I was producing quite a lot of art and it seemed like a good idea to begin buying frames. At the time, I lived on Long Island, New York, and there was a wholesale frame manufacturer that I could drive to in Queens. It wasn’t a terrible trek but something of a schlep.

So I began buying frames and attaching them to my completed work. I felt so very professional as I took those journeys to Queens. At some point, I decided to buy a quantity of frames in a variety of painting sizes so I wouldn’t have to make as many trips. It was not a feasible financial decision. Not at all. I spent way too much money and then had less need for the sizes and style I had purchased. In fact, all these years later, I still have too many of those metal frames hanging around the studio.

For years, I felt a sting when remembering that purchase. It’s probably one of the reasons I shy away from any real framing. I love the gallery wrapped canvases because I can paint the sides and avoid the framing. And if I really feel the need to frame a painting, I usually resort to the simple method I learned in High School… cutting wooden slats, sanding the ends, and nailing them to the stretched canvas.

It’s easy to look at a decision like that from my current vantage point and want to have chosen differently. But honestly, if I had it to do over again, I might end up doing the same exact thing (at that time). I remember my thought process back then and it seemed to be such a good decision.

What comes to mind when you think of one thing you would want to do differently?

Freebie: Mini Creative Retreat Ideas

In as little as 5 to 20 minutes, you can infuse your day with creativity.
Get the 24 Mini Creative Retreat Ideas as a FREE downloadable PDF. 

Looking for ways to infuse your days with the energy of creativity? Trying to fit a little time for creative pursuits into your busy schedule? Don’t feel like you have the time and opportunity to fully immerse yourself in your artistic passion?

These mini creative retreats provide brief interludes for stepping away from your must’s and to-do’s. The act of stepping into a creative space, can have a powerful impact on your overall well-being and sense of fulfillment. Whether you have just five minutes to spare or can carve out a more substantial block of time, these mini retreats can be a valuable tool for fostering your creativity and nurturing your soul.

Click the button for the downloadable PDF.

Ten Ways to Re-Purpose Old Calendars

Re-Purposing Old Calendars…

What do you do with your old wall calendars when the new year begins? I have trouble parting with old wall calendars, especially the ones with images I have grown to love. Each calendar that hangs on the wall (or sits on a desk), was most likely chosen for it’s images. The calendar and it’s pages becomes part of everyday life, making it more likely to connect to the visuals. So, if like me, you have trouble discarding these visual gems, here are some ideas for reusing your favorite calendar pages in the new year.

• Use the images as colorful elements in personal collage creations. Or create a collage of the past year and incorporate the calendar pages into the design.

• Work them into creative journals or use them as backgrounds for scrapbook pages.

• Frame your favorite art or photos from last year's calendar or choose this year's calendar with the intention of framing them at the beginning of next year.

• Cut the pages into gift tags. Punch holes and add a strip of ribbon. Some of the calendars I have bought are produced on thick paper and lend themselves perfectly to a gift tag. For thinner calendar paper, glue the pages onto cut pieces of card stock or poster board in order to make a stronger gift tag. OR create a bookmark instead.

Binder with inserted image from calendar.

• Insert a calendar page, cut to size, into the clear front pocket of a 3-ring binder. This is a great way to reuse one of your favorite calendar images. (See image above.) Am I the only one who still uses binders?

• Cut calendar pages to create dividers for sections of a recipe file, folder, or binder.

• Use your calendar pages as wrapping paper.

• Turn calendar pages into decorative envelopes. Check out the instructions for making envelopes at Wiki How.

• With some scissors, a glue stick, and an old calendar page, you can turn any piece of folded card stock into a decorated note card. OR consider redesigning old note cards you have around the house. Just cut the calendar page to the size of the note card (to either cover the front of the card or for both the front and back) and glue it on.

• You can even make a gift bag from a page of a calendar! See how it's done on this video, found at:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSi25TNoqho (It's all visual with no verbal directions.)

This is a revised repost from a 2015 blog issue.

Art-Full Gratitude

My days are filled with gratitude. Gratitude is a big part of every day, whether I’m spending my time in the studio or out. Recently, I decided to go on a gratitude rant about my life as an artist and generate a list of many of the reasons I feel so very thankful. I’m sharing 30 of those here today.

1. Thankful for the exhilarating joy and wonder in the amazing gift of being an artist in this lifetime.

2. So very grateful to have my own studio… a designated place to create.

3. So appreciate that I can leave the studio as it is, with anything in process at the end of the day and not have to clean it up.

4. Thankful for the art materials and supplies that surround me, accessible for my use at any moment.

5. Thankful that I saved some materials, years ago, that can now be used today.

6. Thankful for all the storage space to store all these materials.

7. Thankful for that “mistake” on the canvas that has led me to creating something I never would have created without that wonderful “blunder.”

8. Thankful for feeling this joy and delight in the process of creating.

9. Thankful for the gift of having the time to create.

10. Grateful for the clarity of how to proceed with any painting I’m currently working on.

11. Grateful for the continuous flow of ideas that light me up and call to me.

12. Grateful for the experience of being in the creative flow.

13. Thankful for the images that come to mind of a new painting to create

14. Thrilled and thankful for the idea of a new way to use the cloth in a painting… one that I had not thought of before.

15. So thankful for the funds to buy the paints and canvases I use in my paintings and to be able to replenish whatever I have used.

16. Gratitude for having mixed up yummy and luscious paint colors.

17. Thankful for the feeling I get just by walking into my studio, even before beginning to create.

18. Thankful for all the creativity that happens in my mind when I’m away from the studio.

19. Thankful for the tremendous world of inspiration that occurs anywhere and everywhere.

20. Thankful for the immense feeling of love that fills me up when I’m creating.

21. Thankful for the vibration of energy I feel throughout my arms as I write about my gratitude for all these creative gifts. 

22. Grateful for my hands and my ability to create through the use of my wonderful hands and fingers.

23. Grateful for the opportunities I have to show my work.

24. Grateful for the beautiful people that show up for the events when I am sharing my art and process.

25. Thankful for those who connect with my art and appreciate what I have created.

26. Grateful for those who choose to give one or more of my works a place in their homes and their hearts, or to give my work as a gift to another.

27. So thankful for the feeling of love that is present (between me and a buyer) when my art is purchased.

28. Thankful to still feel so good about the work I did years ago… even after much time has passed.

29. Grateful for the love and support I receive from my family around my work as an artist and for me being me.

30. And… always grateful for another day to create.

What are you grateful for in your life? Want to do your own gratitude rant? Let me know if you do. It’s an activity that leaves you feeling so very good!

Weekend Retreat for Women

Women coming together,
creating connections,
and building community
in a safe and supportive space.

Join us for a weekend of play, relaxation, creativity, conversation, reflection and contemplation and leave feeling uplifted, empowered, and inspired.

The weekend includes:

• 2 nights accommodations.

• Delicious meals throughout the weekend. 

• Access to a variety of classes and presentations.

• Movement sessions to start the day

• Group circles and a sound bath
  

Friday to Sunday - November 17th - 19th
in the Santa Cruz Mountains
$699 USD for the weekend

---

Last year, I attended this wonderful weekend as a participant. This year, I am thrilled to be one of the organizers, with a fabulous group of women. And I’m excited to be presenting a class, called Creativity in Motion. Here’s the class description:

Through playful exploration, we will tap into the freedom of creative expression, embracing mindfulness, movement, and dance as a means to connect with our bodies and our creativity. Together, we will experience the flow of energy as it moves through our bodies giving us access to the joy of self-expression. With the use of a colorful collection of music, we will channel our movements into expressive marks and drawings on paper. Our focus will be on the process of creating rather than on any final product. As we mindfully engage in the creative process, the flow becomes a dance of the soul, where time ceases to exist, and we become fully present in the moment. Your desire to play and willingness to move and have fun is all you need as a prerequisite. 

Click the button below to learn more about the retreat along with the workshops and presenters.

Upon registering, you can choose to pay in full or save your spot with a deposit of $299 and pay the rest later on. To do so, use the code: $299DEPOSIT

Note: The retreat location is both beautiful and peaceful. And the food REALLY is delicious. They do such a great job in catering to a wide variety of dietary needs.

Finding Inspiration in the Majestic Presence of Trees

Trees are a magnificent presence in our world, standing strong and tall, lifting their branches towards the heavens, growing their roots down into the earth in order to support their height and breadth and to feed the tree with nourishment. They are able to bend with the winds, withstand the storms, and in the case of our local redwood trees, are even able to survive the fires. 

With their remarkable longevity, I have often reflected on the history they have witnessed and the environmental changes they have experienced through the years. The intricate shapes and textures on the bark of a tree tell the story of its personal history of growth and resilience. And these beautiful formations, sculpted by nature, become visual inspiration for those who take a moment to observe this artistry.

Years ago, I used to spend time in a peaceful forest behind a museum. With each visit, I would sit under the canopy of leaves and limbs, asking the question, “What lesson do you have for me today?” And I always received one. The lessons had to do with concepts like: flexibility, balance, or growth. 

Now, in considering the lessons in the ridges, nooks, and crannies of a tree trunk, we are reminded of how we are able to thrive and grow through life’s challenging moments. Just like the textured bark, our own journeys are marked by experiences that shape us into the unique individuals we are today.

Trees offer many lessons… such as the importance of staying grounded and drawing strength from the foundations we create for ourselves. They teach us about the beauty of flowing with the natural rhythms of our lives. As a tree changes with each season, it becomes an ideal symbol of gracefully accepting life’s natural cycles.

In these final days of summer (and beyond), as you walk out among the trees, may you find inspiration and wisdom in their presence, their resilience, and their beauty.

Pondering Change

If we are always changing, why do we hold onto the expectations we held in the past? 

As an artist, it’s quite common to get to a point in working on a piece of artwork where it feels like the process is no longer flowing. The creative flow has ceased and its time to step aside. There’s reason to feel confident that when returning to it the next day or at some point in the future, with “fresh eyes,” a new flow will be generated.

It is my premise that we can see our work from a new perspective not just because we have given the creative process some space to incubate, but because we have changed (even if only slightly). We are constantly changing and evolving all the time, with new input from the world around us, new experiences, new inspirations, and influences.

It becomes quite clear to me that this is true when I shelve a painting for a longer period of time, maybe a few weeks or a few months. It’s harder to merge who and where I am now with what I had in mind at that time. I have changed. My perspectives on my life and art have been altered through the many moments of my life since I began the painting. I have been shaped and reshaped through time. When I look at this, I wonder why do we hold onto what we believed and wanted yesterday?

How can we not update our goals and aspirations on a regular basis. When we hold onto the expectations of the past, what are we denying in the present? What possibilities are we missing out on? And what do we miss out on when we continually focus on and cling to the past?

Getting Started With Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks can become a safe haven for artists and creatives, a place to explore their innermost thoughts and feelings, and any wild ideas. They are a sanctuary of pure freedom where there are no rules to follow. A sketchbook provides a space for trying out new techniques, experimenting with different materials, and exploring any spark of creative inspiration.

In order to maintain a free flow of self expression, avoid any tendency to view the pages as precious. This means not putting pressure on yourself to create perfect, polished pieces of art. Instead, use your sketchbook as a place to play and experiment, releasing any internal judgments or criticism. Your sketchbook is your personal space. Make it your own. And nobody else ever has to see it if you don't want them to.

The development of a sketchbook is a process, YOUR process, which will evolve over time. So be present in the now and invite your inner kid to play with you. Scribble, draw, paint, collage, or do whatever makes your heart flutter.

To get started, ask yourself what materials you enjoy using or would like to try. Consider what types of marks make you feel good, and what colors make your soul sing. Also, think about what "crazy" ideas you could have for your sketchbook that would make you giggle within.

When it comes to choosing a sketchbook, there are many options available. Some people prefer spiral-bound sketchbooks with perforated pages, while others may opt for a bound sketchbook with thicker paper. Choose a sketchbook that feels comfortable for you and suits your creative needs. A local art supply store is a great place to explore the many sizes and options available.

Here are some of the sketchbooks that I have enjoyed using over the past few years:

Bee Paper Company Pads

Bee Paper Company Super Deluxe Mixed Media Pads: This handles any media I’ve used, including acrylic paints and I’ve even added stitching to many of the pages. It has acid-free paper and the cover is a heavy duty cardboard. I keep coming back for more.

The Bee Company makes a wide variety of pads, including: Bee Paper Co-Mo Heavyweight Sketch Paper Pad which you might prefer… acid-free and for use with pencil, pen and ink, crayon, chalk, charcoal, and light washes.

Canson Mixed Media Book XL

Canson Mixed Media Book XL: This is a hard covered, wire-bound sketchbook with heavyweight paper that can handle a variety of wet and dry media. I’m a real fan of these books. In fact I am planning to buy a new sketchbook for drawing and I want it to be a Canson.

Two concertina sketchbooks with a different number of pages

Hahnemuhle Zig Zag Sketch Book A5: This is an accordion style pad with 18 sheets of acid free, watercolor paper. I bought it by accident when I really needed a concertina book with many more pages. But I was so glad to have this sketchbook with much fewer pages later on to play with inks, collage, and acrylics.

What I was wanting at the time, was the Seawhite Concertina with 35 pages on each side which would give me a total of 70 pages. I did manage to find one on Ebay, in the size I was looking for (around 8” x 5-1/4”). Amazon has a larger sized book (8.3” x 11.7”) HERE.

Feel free to send me any questions you may have and enjoy your sketchbook explorations.

All About Books

I grew up loving books and loving to read. As a tiny tot, I thought the most amazing thing anyone could ever do was to be an author. Books were truly magical. And before I knew how many books there were in the world, my goal was to read them all. By the time I was 10, I wanted to write children’s books and even had an idea for my first book. Years later, I did finally write and illustrate a book for my niece when she was born.

So, books have been part of my DNA all my life and it’s no wonder that in 2016 I began creating paintings with books attached to the surface of the painted canvas.

Now, as I await the launch of the Creative LifeBook on Wednesday, I find myself reflecting on how I have somehow managed to experience the joy and delight of being involved in a handful of book projects through the years (even when my primary focus has been on painting). These have so satisfied my original and foundational desires. And as I reflect on all of this, I thought I would share my published book history:

Back in the 1990’s, I collaborated on the creation of the Lakota Sweat Lodge Card: Spiritual Teachings of the Sioux (card deck and book). This endeavor became a reality through the teachings of Archie Fire Lame Deer, the tenacity of Helene Sarkis, and the beautiful words of Ann Louise Goulene.

In 2012, I was inspired to produce and publish The Gratitude Habit: A 365 Day Journal and Workbook. For several years, The Gratitude Habit had lots of success on Amazon and it even spent some time on the top 100 list of books in Happiness.

So, in 2015, I followed that up by creating and publishing Parenting The Gratitude Habit: a journal and resource for fostering gratitude in your heart, home, and family. And recently, I found my notes for a third book in the series, which I was too busy painting to complete.

Now, it’s 2023, and I am so grateful to have stumbled into an amazing book project with an impressive and supportive community on the Creative LifeBook. I so appreciate Jessica Hughes vision for this book and her remarkable ability to make this collaborative effort a reality.

NOTE: The Creative Lifebook became an Amazon bestseller in 23 categories and in 5 countries shortly after it launched. It is now available in Kindle and in paperback editions. Soon to be out in hardcover as well.

Creativity Takes Time

Several years ago, I came across a wonderful video produced by Cafe Next, a Hungarian ad agency. Their short film showed how creativity cannot be rushed. It requires more time. Students were given a simple clock-like design and told to complete the image within 10 seconds. Every child drew a simple clock. But when given the same image with ten minutes to draw, they were much more creative. Each child created a unique and individualized drawing.

When I was in college, I had an art teacher who had us draw a grid of 10 thumbnails for each of our assignments. The idea was to keep us from choosing our first idea when completing the project. Instead, we would have 10 ideas to work with. From then on, in all of my art assignments, in all of my art classes, I would come up with a series of thumbnails before beginning my work. It was a great lesson to learn early on.

Creativity is a process of trial and error, exploring various ideas and methods, and staying open to a flow of new thoughts during the creative process. It's no surprise to find that when the process is rushed, creativity is limited, and as a result, both the flow and the outcome suffer.

You can find the video on YouTube at HERE.

Threads in Art

I love to use threads in my artwork, to have them appear as lines of stitching on cloth, and to watch them hang down below the defined border of a canvas. I love when they become another element in a painting as a jumble of tangled strings or simply provide texture on the surface below a layer of paint.

One of my friends on Instagram asked me the following question… Do the threads have meaning for me, do they represent something or symbolize something?

This is my answer… I am so attracted to the look and movement of threads, the way they meander and flow. For me, their meaning shifts depending on the specific piece of artwork.

In general, at the core, they are the threads of our connection to one another, to all life on the planet - past, present, and future, and to the Divine. They are the threads of a prayer shawl and those in the tapestry of life. They are the link that bind us to our collective history, to the pictographs and cave paintings, to the philosophers of ancient Greece and the builders of the pyramids. They are our heart connections and the very threads that pull at our heart strings.

And like the magnificent underground network of mycelium that enables communication between plant life, threads represent the unseen connections between all living things.

New Beginnings

“Opening to the Next Chapter” 18” x 18” Acrylic Mixed Media on Canvas

New Year, New Beginnings

I recently completed a painting for the New Beginnings show at Pajaro Valley Arts. I not only want to share images of the painting and it’s parts, but I’m also here to share the words that have been incorporated into the painting. The concept, words, and construction were all created in tandem. 

When I first heard about the show’s theme, I immediately wanted to incorporate a book into the painting I would create. That’s when I began to ponder the concept that as a new year begins, we are just starting to write the next chapter of our lives. The painting is titled, “Opening to the Next Chapter” and it is built with a cloth folded open to reveal the place to begin writing that new chapter.

As I began to develop the canvas and the pieces that would become part of the whole, I wrote. I wanted to clarify and understand the concept that I was building the painting around. And in the end, I included quite a bit of text into the work… much of it hidden under paint or cloth. I thought I would share some of it here along with images of the whole and it’s parts. 

These are the words that can be found under the piece of cloth on the left side of the painting: 

This is your past. You know what it holds. It no longer exists except for the place you choose to give it in your mind, in your memories. And you may add layers to it from a new perspective, from a different vantage point. You may try to hold onto some of the past with a firm grip while letting others fade away. As you stand in your now, with the new pages before you, can a firm grip on the past impede your ability to write your new chapter? Your new chapter begins today. What lies ahead?

Here are some details images of “Opening to the Next Chapter”

And if you are in the area, visit the show. It is filled with fabulous and fascinating pieces of art from local artists.

Pajaro Valley Arts Annual Membership Show
NEW BEGINNINGS - Exhibit dates: Jan. 18 – Feb. 26, 2023

Opening Reception: Sunday, January 22, 2023
from 2:00PM – 4:00PM

Location: 37 Sudden Street, Watsonville, CA
Gallery Hours: 11.00AM – 4:00PM
Open: Wednesday – Sunday

MASKS ENCOURAGED

My History with Art Therapy

A few weeks ago, I published a post on IG and Facebook, sharing some of my history with art therapy. Since that was somewhat brief I thought I’d expand on it here both for sharing purposes and for the opportunity to look back on that history.

As a kid growing up in New York, and spending my first 10 years in Brooklyn, I was exposed to amazing museums, a wide array of music and opera, and spectacular libraries.

It was a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art that became the most memorable and impactful museum visit of my childhood. I so clearly remember that cold and gray day. I may have been around 9 years old. Although the Met is filled with beautiful open spaces and galleries, on that day we entered a smaller more secluded room filled with works on paper by Jackson Pollack. They weren’t the giant paintings that come to mind when you think of Jackson Pollack. They were smaller works, packed with imagery, and representing his creative process while undergoing psychotherapy. That exhibit has stayed with me ever since and it fueled a fascination with art as a therapeutic tool.

By the time I was in 9th grade, I became my own art therapist, using art for stress reduction, to express my feelings, to make decisions, and for greater personal understanding. For years, the foundation for many of my paintings were self discovery and processing inner work.

In college, when it came time to sign up for a student teaching assignment, I announced that I only wanted to be assigned to the Rosemary Kennedy Center, a nearby special education school. It was an ideal experience. I worked as the art teacher in the vision impaired program and spent one day a week with the school’s art therapist. I loved being there and ended up staying on after graduation. Around that time, I also spent a summer as the art teacher at a camp for physically handicapped children and adults.

My intention was to become an art therapist, and although I began a graduate program, my life path took me in a different direction. Over the years, I did get to hold workshops for adults, with the goal of giving participants an opportunity for self expression that might lead to their own inner discoveries.

Now, within the next few months, my goal is to begin sharing some of the art activities I designed for myself and those that showed up in my workshops over the years. I’m excited to step back into that focus and share it here and in the Shared Easel Newsletter.

A 12 Piece Painting Exercise

Just beginning the 12 works on paper

Earlier this year, I began playing with 12 small pieces of watercolor paper (8” x 8”). I taped the group to the closet door in the studio and started with ink lines, scribbles, watercolor pencil and a bit of paint. I wrote a word at the top of each of them and added a related quote in pencil.

Last year, I did a series of 12 Meditations and wanted to create something similar this year.

Ready to take them down and work on them one by one.

I continued to work on them as a group, using charcoal and an orange water soluble Woodie. Then it was time to take them off the wall and complete them individually.

Although each piece began with a word and a quote, I had no intention for those words to influence the paintings. My expectation was for the words/quotes to partially or fully disappear under the paint.

The pieces developed individually based on their initial marks and lines. I played with layers of paint and colored pencils, and chose circles and shapes from a growing collection of pre-cut papers.

I’ve completed 9 of the 12 so far, with 3 more to go.

Wholeness - The 3rd one completed

These will each be matted and available for purchase on the website. Contact Me for more information.

You may also be interested in:
The 12 Painting Meditations

5 Quotes on the Nature of Art

Rick Rubin quote

It has been a few months since I posted a series of Art Quotes. This group of 5 includes quotes on the relationship between art and nature, and on the very nature of art itself.

I’ve included quotes by:

Rick Rubin (record producer)
Scott Adams (Dilbert creator, cartoonist and author)
Neil Gaiman (author of novels, short stories, comic book series and more)
Anais Nin (diarist, writer of essays, short stories and more)
Saint Francis of Assisi, who needs no introduction (Italian Catholic friar)

“The power of nature is such that it’s what all art strives to be. The more we can get in tune with the harmony of the planet, the more our art can benefit from that relationship.”

~ Rick Rubin

Scott Adams quote

“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. ”

— Scott Adams

Neil Gaiman quote

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before. ”

— Neil Gaiman

Anais Nin quote

“It is the function of art to renew our perception. What we are familiar with we cease to see. The writer shakes up the familiar scene, and, as if by magic, we see a new meaning in it. ”

— Anais Nin

Saint Francis of Assisi quote

“He who works with his hands is a laborer. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands. his head, and his heart, is an artist.”

— Saint Francis of Assisi

NOTE: On the Anais Nin quote, I added (or artist).

You may also be interested in:
5 Art Quotes to Inspire
5 Quotes by Famous Artists
5 Art Quotes by Audrey Flack

Connection and Disconnection

Threads of Connection and Illusion of Disconnection are two of my recent paintings. They are currently hanging in the tri-gallery “This is Now’ show at Curated by the Sea, in downtown Santa Cruz. The show is being held in partnership with Arts Council Santa Cruz, and showcasing the artists of the Visual Arts Network. It focuses on works created within the past two years that relate to current issues in our world.

First Friday reception April 1st, 6 pm - 8 pm
with live jazz music

About the Paintings: Although we think of ourselves as individuals, separate from one another, we are all connected through an intricate web of energetic threads. We are like single cells that come together to form the whole organism. Our actions, reactions, thoughts, and beliefs are not isolated within our small piece of the world but emanate out in unseen ripples to all. This was never more apparent to me than at the beginning of the pandemic when the worries and concerns of the collective unconscious seemed to be present in air. Meanwhile, in recent years we’ve seen an increase in a mentality of separation, an exaggeration of our differences, and an avoidance of finding common ground.

“Threads of Connection”

So, as soon as I heard the theme for This is Now, I wanted to create a pair of paintings around the concept of our connection to one another and the illusion of separateness we experience.“Threads of Connection” and “Illusion of Disconnection” were painted in tandem, stepping them through the process of development together, side by side. 

“Illusion of Disconnection”

In “Threads of Connection,” the cloth cut-outs on the top layer have been connected like a web, with each of the holes tied to all of its adjacent cut-outs. There are two quotes that reference our connections. One is by Martin Luther King and the second is from Mitch Albom.

With “Illusion of Disconnection,” the cut-out squares from the upper layers of painted cloth seem to hang in their separate spaces yet they are still connected, by the red threads, to the whole. I’ve placed the words of Albert Einstein in the painting, present but barely seen under the paint.

Show will be closing on
Saturday, April 9th.

Curated by the Sea:
Address: 703 Front Street, Santa Cruz
Hours: Thursday through Saturday noon - 4 pm

Sketchbook Love

Sketchbook Page: Playful Joy

It’s a joy to get lost in a sketchbook page. The art play that’s done in a sketchbook is a gift an artist can give themselves. I love being able to fill the pages with anything that’s calling to me. It could be pure experimentation and pure play. Any page can be unique and totally different from any other, or it could become part of a series of multiple images, exploring a single concept. The focus might be on an idea that’s been in mind for a while or just playing around with paint and materials with no idea in mind. And each creation becomes part of a hand held collection of ideas, a history of moments in time in an artistic journey.

Each of the 5 sketchbook pages being shared on this post, were a creation in joy. Although they are very different from my works on canvas, I’m fully aware of how my sketchbook art can end up influencing my paintings.

Playful Joy: The sketchbook page above, was started with the paints that remained on the palette from works on canvas. It was a playful process, filled with joy and gratitude. The marks, the colors, the writing, the cloth pieces (remnants of the current work on canvas), all coming together in a sketchbook experience.

Sketchbook Page: Grid First

Grid First: This painting was begun by drawing out a grid and once again, using up the leftover paint on the palette. The goal was to just play with paint, pencil writing, adding a bit of paper collage, and some scrapes and scribbles. The quote that I added was within arms reach, the first one I saw. Usually the quotes I use are related to the focus of the work, but this was for the fun of it.

Sketchbook Page: A Dialogue

A Dialogue: I began the page with the following written words: “a painting is a container for a conversation… dialogue between the artist and the Divine, between the created and the creator. It’s a give and take, a shared creation, a joint effort - the co-creative process.” When I paint, I am well aware of the dialogue taking place… the questions asked, the answers given. With this page, the focus was on that conversation… on the co-creative process that resulted in a playful sketchbook experience with a different look and feel.

Sketchbook Page: Color Play

Color Play: The goal here was to use a different palette, one that’s out of my comfort zone. The first colors I thought of were purple and quinacridone crimson. Then with some pink, red, and a bit of orange added in, this collection of colors didn’t look at all like me and what I am used to. I found this color palette to be too loud for me. I prefer a quieter, more earthy set of colors. Yet, I have to admit, I found the experience to be totally enjoyable and look forward to playing with new mixes of colors in the future.

Sketchbook Page: Playing with Paint

Playing with Paint: My primary focus here was to take the opportunity to get lost in a sketchbook page… to fill it with paint and then flick some sprays of paint off an old toothbrush I use for such things. I wanted to keep up with the sketchbook even though my days were being filled with the development of a new series. That’s where my head was at the time. So, I stepped away from the new works on canvas and gave myself a playful sketchbook experience.

I have lots of ideas on how I want to use the sketchbook moving forward. For now, I am more focused on the works I’ve been developing on my easel. But maybe this post is a reminder to take some time, from time to time, to show up and experience the joy that can be found on a sketchbook page.

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Finding Inspiration in the Sketchbook