Hello friends! It has turned mighty cold around here. My Mom is convinced that it's going to be a brutal winter because the squirrels are super fat this year. I also saw a video online from a beekeeper that said the bees are really packing away the honey and so we should all prepare for a long cold winter. I wonder if the animals are two steps ahead of us? In the meantime, here's the news from around here: Family News We have three November birthdays in this family. One Scorpio and two Sagittarians (I had to actually look up... Read more →

As you know, we're in the midst of a 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline: Art Supplies for Painters Art Supplies for Printmakers Art Supplies for Art Journalers Art Supplies for Collage Artists Today we've made it to #3: art journaling supplies! I've put together a video with all the details about why I like and use these particular supplies: And here's the list of goodies from the video: Listo China Markers Neocolor I Crayons Neocolor Sharpener Posca Pens SoFlat Acrylic Paint Ranger Heat It Craft Tool Grey Matters Palette Paper Scotch Blue Painter's... Read more →

As you know, I've put together a 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline: Art Supplies for Painters Art Supplies for Printmakers Art Supplies for Art Journalers Art Supplies for Collage Artists Today I'm excited to share #2 on the list: my favorite art supplies for printmakers! I will always be a gelatin plate fanatic. Gelatin printing is immediately fun for beginners and so deep and complex that it can keep advanced printmakers hooked for years. You can make super fun accidental prints, but with a little know how, you can make glorious purposeful prints.... Read more →

From my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! For our Thanksgiving table, I made some updated versions of these paper utensil pockets from last year: This year I used painted papers and I temporarily parked my art supplies in the pockets. Later today, I'll set the table and they'll get silverware instead. ❤️ For all who celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope it's a happy and healthy holiday for you! Read more →

Hello! I've put together a 4-part series on some of my favorite art supplies, divided by discipline: Art Supplies for Painters Art Supplies for Printmakers Art Supplies for Art Journalers Art Supplies for Collage Artists Obviously, there's some overlap in there, but I hope you'll find it useful. Today I'm sharing items from the first list -- my favorite art supplies to use when I'm painting! Golden Acrylic Paints will always be my #1 pick for acrylic paint. They're incredibly versatile with lots of different choices in viscosity. For paintings, I primarily use: Golden Fluid Acrylics Golden Heavy Body Acrylics... Read more →

One of the skills I've developed over the years is figuring out how to fix my mistakes...because I make a lot of mistakes. In fact, as you've probably heard me say many many time, there are no mistakes, simply creative opportunities. In this video, I show you how I create a creative opportunity for myself! Members can watch the real time version of this video in the online classroom. And here is the finished piece from the video: You can grab this piece in my online shop. The holidays are coming and original one-of-a-kind art makes a great gift! Thanks... Read more →

I run a monthly group coaching session through the Super Learner membership program. It was originally called "critique group," but so many people had a negative reaction to the word, "critique," that I decided to change the name. Critique can be terrifying -- especially since it is so often done incorrectly (meaning in an unhelpful and hurtful manner). The good news is that if it's done correctly, critique can help you grow much faster than you could on your own. So today, I thought I'd share the special sauce recipe -- aka how to do critique so that it nurtures... Read more →

Today I'm sharing my current 2023 favorite stamp carving tools. If you have any supply questions, feel free to ask! Here's the list: Speedy Carve Plastic Photo Boxes Self Healing Cutting Mat or Glass Mat Clear Grid Ruler Clear Grid Ruler with a Metal Edge Speedball Linoleum Cutter Kit Flexcut Mini Palm Tools Permapaque Dual Tipped Markers Bone Folder Box Cutter Clear Stamp Blocks Carve December Work Book class Archival Ink Pads VersaFine Clair Ink Pads I hope you'll join in on the fun! Thanks for stopping by! Read more →

It's time to prepare for #CarveDecember2023! Here are the official prompts: What is #CarveDecember? It's a free-open-to-everyone online challenge to carve a stamp every day in December and post it online. Why would I do this? Here are a few reasons: Skill Development: Daily practice in stamp carving throughout the month can significantly enhance your skills. You'll have the opportunity to experiment with different carving techniques and develop your expertise. Creativity Boost: The daily requirement encourages you to think creatively and push your boundaries. When you have to come up with a new piece every day, you're more likely to... Read more →

During yesterday's Book Club, we tackled Beginner's Guide to Abstract Art by Laura Reiter. The short version of the video is: I share my impressions, highlighting the book's shallow but useful content, the absence of detailed instructions, and its value for adventurous beginners. You can watch the replay below: Here are some of the things I shared during Book Club: And here are some takeaways for you from the video: Keep a Notebook: Maintaining a notebook of some kind is crucial for artists to capture and process ideas, thoughts, and inspirations. Use your notebook to document what you see, think,... Read more →