The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention” (Aesop) Every Thanksgiving we all are bombarded with the “hype” of the season and very few of us actually take time to think about the things in our life that we should take a minute to be thankful for. Painting and my participation in product design have allowed me to meet so many other gifted artists and gave me the self confidence to share my adventures through blogs, magazine articles and educational

There is evidence that engagement with artistic activities, either as an observer of the creative efforts of others or as an initiator of one’s own creative efforts, can enhance one’s moods, emotions, and other psychological states as well as have a salient impact on important psychological parameters.” (Stuckey & Nobel, 2010, p. 254) As artists, we have the unique ability to touch people through music, mixed media, performance arts and other mediums. Every year, at the end o

Each time I get ready to pack up and take off for a convention or seminar, I always think about painters, students, artists and newbies that don’t get to attend. This week, I am in Chicago at the Society of Decorative Painters convention. Last night, I took part in a roundabout event that featured 5 teachers that offer demonstrations or make-it, take-its in a giant room. The students attending got to learn from a different teacher every 20 minutes and leave with a gigantic

It is February already! With Valentine’s Day almost here, I thought it would be fun to make a little tote to hold all of my valentines. The Woodsie heart pack and the Double Filbert brush made it so quick and easy for me to decorate the tote and hearts that I might just make a few of these little totes for some of my favorite valentines! Supplies: Loew Cornell Natural Tote Mini Mini #TBMN5-3636R Loew Cornell Woodsie Hearts #1021209 Loew Cornell Brushes: La Corneille Double F

Thanksgiving is in our pocket and we move closer to the holidays, and if you are like me, I move into high gear to create gifts for friends, parties and family. This year, I have decided to keep it simple and will be creating candle and goodie holder to bring to parties and give to friends. Always up for a challenge, I promised myself that I would limit my supplies to jars, paint, and one brush! I chose Decoart Gloss Glass Paints in white, and my Aura™ brush. I love the way

Each year as the leaves fall and the days get colder, I can’t help but reflect on how quickly the days add up. I watch the colors change a little every day and reflect on how easily nature follows its natural cycle and it tunes my sense of simple order and renewal. Creativity is a guiding force in my life and I wanted to reflect on how little and big innovations have changed the way I create, interact with and perceive the world around me. We all take so many little things f

I love the fall and chilly nights inside when I can have friends and family over to play games and sip on spiced cider. Recently, I was taking a little trip through JoAnns and saw the Half Pint Ball Jars and thought they would work well for a fun Halloween game. The jar can easily store the pieces when you are not playing and work as a perfect “pod” for the game of Tiddlywinks. I thought this might be a fun family project-and the bonus is you get to have fun playing year a

Recently, my son, the college man, left to purchase and occupy his own home, leaving an empty room in our house to be redone and reoccupied. After much deliberation, my husband and I agreed to make it into the project/sewing room that I always dreamed of. As I began to organize the new digs, I rediscovered so many great art supplies that I had not recently used and it sparked a lot of creativity in my mind and got my wheels spinning! Last month, we talked about mixed media a

The Artist Wife by Jim Pope Let me start off by saying my wife is my life partner as we have been married for almost 34 years. She is one-of-a-kind and I can’t imagine my life without her. Now I can start the article. There is a difference between Artists and Non-Artists, and I hope to shed some light on the differences for you. As a Non-Artist, I learned the color wheel in school as most of us did. It is simple: Red, Green and Blue, all of those colors combine to make the r

“You learn something everyday if you pay attention.” Ray LeBlond Recently, I was talking to a friend about her great designs and how she had incorporated pencils, inks and textures into her altered art. As we got talking, she expressed curiosity in my use of paint mediums, brushes and tools. She never thought she could use them in her art because she was confused and fearful of the results. Our conversation got me thinking about how we all put up these invisible fences in o