Trapper keepers! Baby Ballet. Taos and more!

 

Well it's almost that time again. The school supplies are out. And for all you 80's and 90's kids, mead has released new Trapper Keepers! There are also Lisa Frank folders too. I kinda wish there were some rainbow hearts/cute animals/balloons designs for the trapper keepers but my guess is that these will come back again. 

original for sale 

Over on Illustrative Flair, James Burke is back with another incredible lesson. Baby Ballet. I just completed the lesson this morning. It's so rich with design and he truly breaks it down into simple shapes and walks us through each stage. I love his that he is a dancer and could give us all the nuances of how lighting works on stage.

*this is what I created from the class. The subtle, delicate lighting. I'm in love and can't wait to explore these darling babies in more poses. I stuck straight to the step by step so this is a "Master Copy" of what James created. My tool belt has expanded and each time I do a lesson with James, I feel my artistry grow. 

For back to school time, I was inspired to create my own glue bottle sticker. I remember loving to cover my hands in glue and letting it dry only to have the satisfaction of peeling it off. Please tell me I'm not the only one. The glue with the brush in a bottle was my absolute favorite. It smelled amazing and I think it's called rubber cement. I looked it up and was trying to figure out what the difference was, and it looks like it is a stronger form of glue mainly for gluing down pictures and such.

This is Ginny. She went through many stages. The face came easy. It's the body that took some time and direction. 

I started with her hand in the motion to hold something and also wearing pants. It just wasn't working and it felt tight and I was thinking too much. When that happens, I simply swipe paint with a wedge*over the areas I don't like and revisit it later.

Then I saw a very Taos, NM vibe....and went with the long flowy outfit above. ps. I only have a few spots left open for my in-person workshop in October. I would love to have you join me and the amazing group of kindreds we have at Mabel's.

here I didn't know where to go and I was having major issues with her hands. hands are hard!

*affiliate link from Amazon where I earn a small percentage at no cost to you.

Pac-Man and Pixie Dust and a much needed hiatus

 I've been playing lots of Mrs. Pacman again. I got a tabletop arcade and it has Mrs. Pacman, a few other pac-man games like super pacman, Galaga and Digdug. Apparently there is a Dig-dug 2 that I had no idea about. 

I was kinda worried that we wouldn't play it much but the competition in having the high score with your initials keeps Tim and I going back.

New goals for me lately have been to keep honing of my art and growing. A bit less teaching but not too much less. I enjoy it too much!

I found that I lose focus when I try to post to social media everyday so I am taking a few weeks to a month off from Instagram. I may post some on Facebook but it's instagram that I have issues with. I first thought it was mostly not being good enough and comparison. But I'm thinking now it's also more about losing focus. And ya know, I have been stagnant with new followers since last December. I am absolutely grateful for everyone that follows me, but to not grow in over half a year really can be exhausting to try to create content continuously. It looks like instagram is moving more into the video arena along with tik-tok......which is unfortunate. 

So in the mean time, my focus is growing my art journey.... playing lots of mrs. pac-man and collecting scratch -n-sniff stickers. 

I'll be posting here more....hopefullly once a week. And then of course the shop is always open! 

Now I need to go open my new Rebecca Green Holbein gouache palette and get to work. happy painting and having the most fun as you can stand. (oh I just saw that they are out of stock. hopefully they'll get more back in very soon!)

Here's a little pac-man and pixie-dust for your day....

Next month on patreon, we are creating in our sketchbook with alcohol markers, neocolor ii's, gouache and sticking all the fun things into it. I share my complete process starting August 1st.

New stickers are also coming in about a week!

Rachel Awes blog hop!!

This girl. Rachel Awes! I met Rachel in Sedona, AZ at an art gathering. I don't think I've ever met someone with such compassion, magic, and light.....as Rachel! There is a beautiful ease in being in her presence. An energy that feels light. I felt seen and appreciated. What a gift !

I hope that you enjoy meeting Rachel and she has left you a downloadable gift below. Check out her stunning new website and book.

Rachel Awes

                                psychologist, speaker, author + art playgroundist

at http://rachelawes.com  & http://rachelawes.etsy.com  

1. Please tell us about you. What are you up to lately?

I work as a psychologist, author, art playgroundist, and speaker out of St. Paul,

Minnesota. My deepest passion is listening to the beauty within people and reflecting it

back through affirming words and vibrant colors. I’m illustrating and writing my fourth

book and also just completed a new website that I poured my heart into! I’m quite

excited about them both!

2. What are a handful of your favorite art supplies?

I’m a magic marker magnet! I adore their bright colors and way they feel in my hands.

The ones that smell like fruits and candies are especially delightful! My very favorites

are Copic markers. I also recently created “Soul Collage Cards” and LOVED making them

with just scissors, glue sticks, index cards and magazines! (You can find loads of YouTube

videos with instruction and inspiration about them!)

3. If you were to pass on some encouragement about people being who they are in

the expression of their everyday and in their creativity, what would you like them

to know? 

If you are also hoping to express yourself in some creative way, my encouragement is

this. Write out pages of your ordinary thoughts. Spill you on to the page. Then read your

life. Notice what moves you. Don’t judge. Invite compassion. Pull out crayolas. Let

cornflower tell your story or all one hundred and twenty colors. In words. In pictures.

Send love to your whole story. Play with it all.

4. Quote from one of Rachel’s books, all i did was listen:

“I am learning from the wild kingdom. From the starfish in the depths to the mountain

goat in the heights and all life in between. Who abide in their strength. Who breathe

into all they are and who are art on earth. Maybe our only business is to be beautiful.” 

*Books are available alongside NEW ART at http://rachelawes.etsy.com //////

http://rachelawes.com (WEBSITE)

http://rachelawes.etsy.com (SHOP)

https://www.instagram.com/rachelawes/ (INSTAGRAM)

https://www.pinterest.com/rachelawes/ (PINTEREST)

https://www.facebook.com/rachel.awes/ (FACEBOOK)

1. Free downloadable 9 X 12 inch art.

2. A free exercise called "The Gift" to receive a gift from their inner child. (click the link and print out. This is a fun prompt for your journal!)

Free download from Rachel! 

(for personal use only please)