Just for fun, a quick little video “road trip” with scenes from my travels up and down the west coast in The Tiny Escape, my trusty camper van.
The Tiny Escape’s Big Adventure, in 5 Minutes
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Studio
My Cure for Winter Blues
Wild and garish? Sure, but I can always paint over it (or parts of it) later. For now, it has the same effect on me as opening a brand-new box of 64 Crayolas. Just what I needed to get me past the “winter blues”!
Why Paint?
Considering why you are painting, in general or this particular painting, can help you create work with more impact and get more enjoyment and satisfaction out of the process.
What Makes a Good Painting?
That pesky inner critic! I don't know about you, but simply telling her to sit down and shut up doesn't work for me. Oh, I can get her to leave me alone. It just doesn't lead to paintings I'm happy with. I need my inner critic. We all need time to explore, experiment...
Present Your Watercolors Without Glass!
I’ve been presenting my watercolors without glass for quite some time. I love the clean look! Here's everything you need to know to present your watercolors using this method. In the video, I demonstrate one way to do this, using the method (and products) I use...
Currents & Eddies, Lakeview Hospital Triptych 1 (detail)
“No Mistakes” Art-Making
Do you ever make mistakes when you're working in your journal? Or doodling? Ever put down a wobbly line? Smear some ink? Drip watercolor where you didn't mean to? How does it make you feel? Perhaps a bit aggravated or disappointed? Do you ever want to tear a page out...
Another Big Project Coming Up!
Did you enjoy following along on the "giant" painting? I'm in the planning stages of another large multi-panel piece like that. We're still working out the details, but I'm very excited to have been asked to do another one! I'll tell you more soon, but I can tell you...
The “Mindfulness” Craze—What’s It Got to Do with Art?
I want to talk to you for a minute about mindfulness. Wait! Before you hit "delete", please hang in with me for just a little bit. I promise I will get back to art and creativity in a minute. Mindfulness is trendy. Everywhere you look there are articles on the health...
Second Large Triptych Completed!
I may not post my painting for the 30-paintings-in-30-days challenge until this evening, or maybe tomorrow. While the first few days of the challenge have been going on, I've also been completing this second large triptych for Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, MN. The...
The “Giant” Painting is Now 3 Panels
Ulp! It's a scary moment when I finally make the decision where to divide one of these "starts" into the individual panels. No going back! But, I'm happy with where things stand. Even though the paper edges weren't square, so I'm going to barely have enough...
Update on the “Giant Painting”
Here's where things stood last time: And now: Doesn't look much different yet, does it? At this stage, I tread softly, slowly "carving" into the whites and lights so I don't lose the freshness of the washes. You...
Yikes!—That’s a Big Sheet of Paper!
I'm working on an exciting commission for Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater, MN. When completed, this piece will be on three large panels, and will be the largest piece in this series to date. This large sheet of paper (about 32x55") is from a roll—no double-elephant...
What If I Don’t Feel Artistic Today?
Some days, I wake up feeling the pressure of everything that has to be done that day, and taking time out to work in my journal seems like a luxury I can't afford. Some days, I am so exhausted at the end of the day, I just want to crawl in bed and sleep. Some days,...
“Nothing’s Sacred!”
Well, actually, I think pretty much everything is sacred. But, even sacred things can evolve, develop and transform. So your journal pages certainly can! In fact, if you don't transform certain journal pages, they become the journal equivalent of that mysterious...
Tips for Sustaining a Vibrant Journaling Practice
It seems we’re all busy these days. Often, too busy to take time for things that we know would really enhance and enrich our lives—like journaling or art-making. We long for a creative outlet, and every day we wind up scrambling just to get through the necessary tasks...
How I Mount My Paintings
People have been asking, “what does it mean when you say something is mounted on cradled hardboard?” Click the image to see a brief description of how I mount and protect my work without a frame or glass.