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 →

Hey friends! Today I thought we'd chat a bit about scrap packs and how they can be a help in your art practice. I make scrap packs about 4 times a year -- usually when my collage paper has gotten out of control. But, more than just a way to declutter, scrap packs can significantly boost your creativity. What Are Scrap Packs? Scrap packs are bundles of various collage papers. These papers can be of different types, including book pages, tissue paper, deli paper, and more. The beauty of scrap packs lies in their diversity; they bring together a mix... Read more →

Hello! My son had a birthday party about a month before his actual birthday because he is a Thanksgiving baby. And, as you know, everyone is busy with their families at Thanksgiving. So we teamed up with some friends who are all turning 4 this Fall and had a joint birthday party that his entire preschool class was invited to. I made him two things for the party: a birthday shirt... ...and a cake (kind of). I didn't bake it. Rather, I took a supermarket cake and did a mini makeover on it. Today I'm sharing a video detailing the... Read more →

I'm currently participating in a critique group and we had to introduce ourselves to each other with a short (5 minute) personal history. I thought you might be interested to see mine: I hope you feel you know me a bit better after watching that. I'm going to encourage you to make your own version -- even if it's not a video. Maybe a social media post? Or simply a presentation for your family and friends? It could be the basis of an artist talk too! The point of an exercise like this is to force you to think about... Read more →

Artists, like me, have long loved Golden's Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold for several reasons: Vibrancy: Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold is known for its vibrant and intense hue. It has a rich warm tone that can add a brilliant pop of color to artwork. Transparency: It can be layered over other colors or used as a glaze to create luminous effects and depth in paintings. I love that it doesn't cover up what's underneath, but instead seems to highlight it. Mixing Properties: Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold is particularly useful for mixing various shades of oranges, browns, and earthy tones. It's a... Read more →

This week I'm sharing a little bit about 3 art supplies I'm currently loving: Sulphite Paper The Tim Holtz Tonic Rotary Media Trimmer Wet Strength Tissue Paper Watch the video for more: Sulphite Paper - The Ultimate Multitasker This isn't your ordinary construction paper; it's construction paper on steroids! Sulphite paper is made by extracting lignin from wood chips, leaving behind pure cellulose fibers. I've found it to be incredibly versatile and durable. It's my go-to for drawing and printmaking. It can take a beating and still come out strong. Whether as a base for gelatin prints or as a... Read more →

My son says he wants to be a garbage man when he grows up. I think it's mostly because of the cool robot arm that the garbage trucks around here use. But, sometimes I think it might be my influence. I do looooove garbage. It has so many uses for art! In this week's Studio Snippet, I'm waxing poetic about the magic a bit of corrugated plastic packaging can do when combined with the gelatin plate. Watch the video for more: Here are the papers I made in the video: Lots of delicious texture! Here are the key takeaways from... Read more →

Welcome to another Studio Snippet! Today, I'd like to talk to you about something that's central to my art practice and a principle I encourage in all my classes – the importance of practice. And why mistakes are vital to becoming a better artist. The instructions for the exercise I'm doing in the video can be found in the Maker & Super Learner Classrooms. For me, I can't stress enough how crucial it is to practice. You should use your best materials, embrace your precious items, and be prepared to make lots of mistakes. The more mistakes you make, the... Read more →

I'm working on some new artwork in the studio this week. It's very much WIP - work in progress. Watch the video for more: As you can see from the video, I'm currently working through the final stages of a couple of mixed media pieces -- doing my best to figure out how to push them to the finished stage. I'm using my knowledge of the Elements and Principles of Art to guide my choices. You can learn more about how to use the Elements and Principles of Art in your artistic practice in Design Boot Camp. Registration is now... Read more →

You may have noticed that I changed the name of this Tuesday series from "Studio Visits" to "Studio Snippets." When I came up with the idea for this video series -- a short peek into what's happening here in my studio -- I didn't really know what it was going to be. Now that we are 21 weeks/21 videos (about 5 months) into it, I have a better sense of what the series is all about. So "Studio Snippets" -- tiny little bits from the studio -- feels like a more accurate title for the series. If you want more... Read more →