healing and friendship

Sometimes as I am visiting the blog world I will hear the same message over and over . Little snippets in different places but all with the same message. A message that I feel I am meant to hear. This time the message that I see repeating itself is about healing and friendship. I think I have mentioned it before but I am happy to see some new art classes embracing healing as part of the class. For alot of us when we create we are met with resistance inside ourselves . Lots of negative voices saying all kinds of unkind things. The one thing I am learning is that in order to really create authentically and to be creative at our best we need to learn to let go . To let go of expectation and judgement . For me ,this is always hard, but I really do think that it is the key to finding my own unique style . I believe that slowing down and losing myself in the process and not the outcome is the way to heal . I know that I have struggled this year with things outside of art . I have seen my fellow bloggers struggling . We all want and need support to heal . We want to be "OK".Which leads me to the next part. Friendship. If you have friendships who support you and share your love of art , count your blessings. I am going to be very honest here and say that I find it very hard to find loving nurturing friends where I live. I am not saying they don't exist. I would love to have some girlfriends who could share my love of art supplies and who I could just sit together with and create. This is why I rely heavily on my online support system and friendships. What about you ? Recently, as I was cruising the Internet I found this post . It is about finding a tribe of people who support you. I hope you will find time to read it . I think as artist we should show support for one another . I appreciate those of you who support and inspire me . I consider you part of my tribe. I also want to Be a support . I really love seeing the work of all my creative friends out there. I believe that if we support each other and share there is wonderful healing power in that . Art heals right?

I also want to bring your attention again to Juliette Crane . I love her new post on" how art heals and the beauty of friendship ". I hope you will have a chance to visit her.

How are you healing and connecting?

Shades of Orange and Wyanne Giveaway

I was so excited this morning because I won Wyanne's giveaway. I love her and I will cherish the print because it's amazing!! Thank You Wyanne!!

Also here is a piece I did for fabulous faces in shades of orange.The writing says"If you are not at peace with yourself,you are at peace with Nothing"

In the new pic I uploaded I added some white stamping for more texture:) Umm .. I think it's done ;)

Watercolor Inspiration

I was inspired by a Free watercolor class that I watched online today .It was a class taught by Molly Murrah.Molly seemed to be a wonderful teacher but it seems they need to fix a few bugs. The live screen kept going blank after a few minutes in which I had to refresh but it was well taught. I think I will purchase the downloads . So the watercolor medium inspired me and I found these portraits done by an artist named Molly Brill

I thought you may enjoy the inspiration as well!

Fabulous Faces Portrait

I know I have mentioned before that I am in the process of taking the Fabulous Faces Workshop. I was a little behind because alot was going on .Tonight I watched the second video from class and this is the portrait I painted. I am just learning to add color to things. I used Caran d' ache crayons and acrylics and graphite with this portrait.She is not finished .I need to paint a background . For the first time tonight I wasn't totally frustrated with painting. I actually enjoyed it. Thanks Tam:).

Friday Find

How beautiful are these paintings? When I was looking for an artist to feature I came across these pieces by artist Daniel F. Gerhartz. His work is so beautiful and so romantic . I love the feel and the brush strokes. His work touches my soul. He even has a video available in which they filmed him painting for a whole week .Just like looking over his shoulder. I remember reading that in older days the student actually moved in with his teacher to learn . Following his every move in the studio . Well this is one artist I wouldn't mind watching . I really love his work and I have a new appreciation because painting is difficult . I know, I am struggling to learn. right now my hands smell of oil from shiva painsticks (Oil paints) ,but this is what keeps me going, the hope that someday I can produce something beautiful . I hope you will check out his work!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Find

Isn't this a striking portrait?I love the emotion in the face .I also love that it isn't so overpowering with color. It is a piece by Roman Sprenger .Visit his Online Gallery here . I love that art is a universal language .There is no language Barrier with art .

Trusting and Moving forward

So it is the start of a new week.I am keeping my commitment to myself to sketch. I started two of my workshops this week.Sunday , Julie Prichard and Chris Cozen Class started .It is going to be about color and color theory .Right now we are making a reference catalog of our paints.I also started my fabulous faces class and still working on my Misty Mawn class.I am starting to feel as if I want to paint some of my sketches.Paint is totally intimidating to me but I have been using my word for the year"Trust" to move forward in my art and it is helping.When my voice of self doubt has been creeping in and my fears can be heard ,I say to myself,"Jackie,Trust Yourself" and I move forward. I will use that as I learn to paint.So here is a few new sketches .

The first one was a practice for the misty mawn class in a 3/4 profile .I really , really want to paint her but she is on sketch paper.I have been sketching on 14x17. The second is for my fabulous faces class.I wanted her to be more stylized but I think she looks more realistic than I wanted.She just evolved on her own. I am also learning to share more of my art .It is a very vulnerable thing to do but I love when others share and I think we all learn from each other.Here is to trusting and moving forward!!

Monday ,Monday

Happy Monday, I know it's been a while since I posted so I thought I'd catch you up on what I have been up to. I was finally able to order my "Nook" , it's an e reader from Barnes and Nobel.It won't arrive until February ,but I am excited. I also found this cool shop on etsy called Mud Stuffing , I bought myself this coffee mug

He has some beautiful pieces if you want to check it out. I also signed up for a couple new workshops. No surprise ,right? I think I am addicted. Soon ,as I work through all of them ,I am going to do reviews on my blog ,so watch for those.They may be helpful for those of you who have never taken an online workshop and even for those who are just wondering about the classes.

One class that I have registered for is Fabulous Faces. I have never taken a class with Tam so I am looking forward to the start of it. You can check it out here . I am also taking my first Portrait class with Misty Mawn . Here is a sketch I did for the class.

I am sketching faces and going to try to do at least a sketch a day. Art can be very humbling.It is something that takes lots of practice and sometimes you produce something your proud of and then it reminds you not to get cocky about it by making the next time your draw a struggle.I think art has alot to teach me about patience and devotion and hard work . It has also taught me to truly see. I am seeing things I have never saw before and paying attention to details I would have taken for granted before. I tell myself if you just show up and put in the time you will progress. So that is where I am . I am learning and taking small steps. My word for the New year is "Trust" . I chose it because I need to learn to Trust myself and the process.I am also learning to slowly share some of my art. Thank you to all of you who teach and share your art. I am so grateful because I am learning through you.

Have a great Monday and don't forget to look for some reviews from me soon !