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My Relationship with Social Media: It’s Complicated As the title implies, Social Media (particularly Instagram) and I have had a rocky friendship recently. We need some serious group therapy.  Before we get into it, everyone is going to have their own opinions and individual experiences regarding social media. This is my own personal experience, and while mine is probably not the average person’s, I wanted to share my thoughts openly. It's not easy to talk about, and feelings of shame surfaced when writing, but maybe it will help others out there to feel less alone. The Honeymoon Phase Six years...

Have you ever spent hours on a painting, hunched over with crazed eyes, face inches away from the canvas only to step back and realize that it’s over-rendered, stiff and lifeless? ME TOO. The good news is that there are ways to learn to let go and loosen up, no matter how rigid, cold, controlling or uptight you tend to be. (KIDDING of course...) Set A Time Limit One of the quickest ways to loosen up is to set a time limit. No, I’m not talking about trimming your 8 hour session down to 7.5 hours. This limit should have you sweating...

Have you always wanted to go plein-air painting, but are overwhelmed by all of the things you need or maybe are shy about painting in public? You’re not alone! Today I'll address some of the most common concerns and help make those initial paintings a little less scary and a little more enjoyable. What if I Don’t Finish in Time?  Start Small - Leave that giant canvas and ego at home. I suggest a postcard sized canvas or smaller. Working on these little pieces will allow you to finish more than one, and is also lighter to pack. Use Big...

Many of us have had those teachers. The ones with notorious reputations for being tough as nails, and making students drink their own tears for breakfast. Some people loathed their existence, yet others thrived on that brutal criticism.  Anyone that knows me, knows that I lean hard on the soft-hearted, positive, and sappy side. It’s crucial to keep people motivated and excited about creating. One needs a certain level of confidence to gain that brush mileage and work towards their 10,000 hours. However, when it comes to myself, I only have tough love, and think it’s what helps me grow...

After a few years devoted to wrapping my head around gouache, I decided it was time to dip my toes back into oil paints (not literally 😝). I missed the rich smell of the drying paint, the buttery feel, and the taste. Kidding...not the taste, but you can ask our dog Pancake which color is his favorite since he recently gave my palette a taste test. (for those that are concerned, we did indeed manage to get most of the paint back in a slightly altered condition, I specifically choose non-toxic pigments, and he is back to his mischievous self) Currently I’m teetering...