I am GROWING!

I wanted to share what I am working on and how my creative journey is FEELING currently. I go through a lot of feelings in my creative process - love, hate, fear, sadness, overwhelming, anticipation, anxiety, patiences, happiness - I can keep going here. What I am trying to do is process these feelings in my work. I can hold on to some of these feelings but how can I unload those feelings on my canvas.

I can honestly say - I AM GROWING! My work is transforming before my eyes. The process is beginning to have more understanding. I AM understanding how to do it. I am feeling more confidence or self awareness and an ability to let go of the fear.

I have a solo show coming up in March of 2024 and I have been busy CREATING. Some failures have come forward on the canvas and a few success have emerged. And guess what? THAT”S OK!

Taking honest breaks on social media have helped - I find I compare too much, get distracted and spend too much time trying to impress. I have been taking time for myself - taking long walks with my almost 1 year old puppy, baking bread and spending nothing time to daydream. With all that - I find myself GROWING. Growing big and tall. My insides feel like they are busting out of their seams. My creative mind feels overwhelmed with ideas. This has taken me over 2 years to get my act together. Two years of focus and soul searching. Two years of getting to know who and why I AM AN ARTIST.

So I share with you a few fruits of my current labor. What I am working on - and how its going.

This is a self portrait - my first large scale self portrait. The size is 30x40. This one has been challenging since it is so large and I have been struggling to capture my expression correctly. But it is finally getting to where I want it. Taking on challenging projects like this one has really boosted my creative confidence. I look forward to seeing how this one grows.

This is my friend Alicia. Ugh I have been fighting with this for awhile. Alicia loves trees with history so I wanted to incorporate her connection to nature and what fuels her own creativity. I am feeling confident I will get through this painting and obtain her likeness. But currently I am in the I hate it phase lol. I will get through this - I know I can do it.

Another piece on my easel and another self portrait. Somehow it comes forward as a younger version of me. This began as a demo for one of my Let’s Face it 2024 lessons. I am now continuing on with this adding skin tone and working through the background. This is a new theme for me. Connecting my love for painting landscapes with my portrait work.

And lastly, a finished piece. This continues this new theme - connecting my love for nature with my self portrait. Putting myself in the environments that I find connection with, that speaks to me and where I find my inspiration. This is a self portrait with one of my favorite places, Big Sur, California. I always feel a sense of expansion and growth when I visit. The red yarn in my hair symbolizes this connection.

On a side not for this piece. I have recording the entire process of the making of this self portrait and will be sharing it in a new course coming soon.

So this is where my easel is currently. Working hard and discovering new things about ME and my own CREATIVITY. I AM GROWING! Growing tall and Growing more confident. I can’t wait to see where this journey goes.

Thanks for listening….