On the top of my head

Breathe in

I opened a favorite word book to find words for this painting. I love that process.... sometimes it takes me a long time to find words that feel right, but not this time. On the first page these words "Breathe in

 every joy of the world" from three different places on the page - just jumped right at me.

I love Fridays! Wishing you a happy weekend!

12"x12 on gallery wrapped canvas.

Show your colors... Bloom True

As you know from my previous post, I was lucky to spend the weekend in Flora Bowley's workshop. I'm still in that special space/mood/feeling as I was over the weekend.

You know the feeling you get when you are in company of someone that is authentic and real and present? Amazing, right? That's how I would describe Flora Bowley. She teaches without trying... And as she laughingly said - these were life lessons dressed up as an art workshop. I couldn't agree more. It was so much more than "just" painting. 

What surprised me the most was that while she paints intuitively, she was still able to dissect her method and teach it step by step. Intuitively... but in a way that we can understand, and learn and implement. That was pretty amazing! There were spontaneous applauses after some of her demoes because it was very relaxing to watch her paint and the results after every demo were simply great. 

The workshop was held in a lovely place that recently opened in Berkeley called Teahouse Studio. It is a beautiful, spacious, artistic space that Stefanie Reneé, Mati Rose and Tiffany Moore dreamed up. All three of them were friendly and sweet and made sure that there was an unlimited supply of coffee, tea, fruit and chocolate... not to mention the amazing catered lunches that we enjoyed sitting outside, relaxing in the sun, with the view of a beautiful park...

If you look through my blog you'll notice that I love color and use it freely, so this was happy-land for me! Enjoying the process, painting to interesting music, moving with the flow.... What can be better than doing something where you can't make a mistake? Here are some of the stages of one of my canvases:

This is how it looked when I left the Teahouse studio on Sunday. I knew something was missing on the top... but I didn't know what. After I brought it home and looked at it for a while, it was obvious that it needed a bird. I know, big stretch - me and birds....

Here is the finished piece! It is big.... 30"x30" and bold and colorful and I completely love it.

So, at the end - I think I'm going to thank our dear teacher not only for painting lessons but for something else. I went to the dentist today without the usual horrible anxiety... and I think it's because I implemented some of the things we did and talked about over the weekend (simple yoga moves, breathing techniques, feeling gratitude). Now isn't that something - painting and healing at the same time... Flora Bowley rocks!

Future giveaway?

I'm thinking about creating a new workshop... It's been five months since I launched "Mixed Media Playground" and I'm in a mood to play some more. I started dreaming a color scheme that I would like to use, and I have a basic plan, but don't have the full workshop thought through yet. 

I wondered if you have any wishes? Ideas?

How about if we make this more fun.... like - you write what kind of workshop would you like to see, and I pick a random number and give away some of the future art that I will create for it?
Is that confusing?
Probably....
I am giving a piece of art that I didn't create yet, but I will... that should be interesting (or weird).

Can't wait to see if it will be birds, portraits, journals, canvas art... or something completely different.

You can also say that there are already too many workshops and that I really don't need to add another one to the list and that will be fine too.

I'm wishing you a happy weekend!

Colorful gathering

 - 30"x10" on canvas -

Anxiety (journal page)

Anxiety is useless - Jillian Michaels says so... 

I just finished this page trying to get that message in my head.

It didn't really work... but at least the time went faster.

I'm about to go to the dentist and I don't think it will be a pleasant visit.

I wish they made some magic potions that would heal the teeth without them having to do whatever they are doing....

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Intuitive and colorful

Too colorful? You should see how it started.
Actually - you WILL see it if you look at the following photo:

Before this it was a bright red canvas with white flowers.... catastrophe... I was trying something and it didn't work out. Someone would say that this didn't work out either, but it made me happy to create it and it makes me happy to look at it.

I was very much inspired by the process that I think Flora Bowley uses... and I'm extra happy to say that, in a couple of weeks, I will have an opportunity to watch her paint for two full days!!! I can't wait to see what kind of cools things I'll learn and incorporate in my art.

- 24"x36" on canvas -