News
2 Techniques
art struggles beginners paint tips
In the interest of "work smarter, not harder" & "done is better than perfect" in 2023, I'm resurrecting some blog posts I started months (or even years) ago and posting them in whatever state they're in. There are only 2 techniques in watercolor.You read that right. There are only two (2) techniques in watercolor: wet on wet, and wet on dry. Everything else is just icing.Now, getting these two things right (especially the wet on wet part) takes YEARS to master. I still consider myself a watercolor beginner, and I've been working with watercolor for almost 3 years. 3...
Breaking Through Fear
In the interest of "work smarter, not harder" & "done is better than perfect" in 2023, I'm resurrecting some blog posts I started months (or even years) ago and posting them in whatever state they're in. One sentence in my "kitchen sink" mantra I've been saying 21 times a day for a couple months now is: Fear no longer rules my decisions. Despite that, I've been living with a fearful scarcity mentality when it comes to art supplies, and it took a challenge from my coach to finally break through it. Despite meaning to paint on a full sheet...
2023 Small Business Superstar!
area events news nothing to do with art
Wow! A new surprise in my inbox last week: I'm a Small Business Superstar again for 2023! This is a program run by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce to recognize area small businesses. I was nominated last year totally out of the blue but I'm excited to see I'm keeping the goodness going. It's always energizing to get confirmation I'm on the right track and doing a good job. Being a solo entrepreneur, and especially an artist since it's an extremely popular field, can be isolating and competitive. I know, I know: I'm not supposed to compare my journey...
The latest addition to my house
I've been procrastinating on this post for...oh, about 4 months now! My excuse was that I wanted to figure out how to get a nice photo of the addition in the title. Well that still hasn't happened, so come with me on this journey of "done is better than perfect" in action! In August I attended a networking event at an auction house that was showcasing all female artists. It was great to see the art in person, partially because I have no sense of scale when I see measurements online. They provided fun goodie bags, tasty snacks, and the...
Holiday Gift Guide: 2022 Edition
Now that I've been painting a few more years since I published my original holiday gift guide, I have new additions to suggest as gifts for the watercolor artist in your life this year! As always, these are not sponsored suggestions. They're supplies or tools I use and love in my own watercolor practice. I'll provide links to websites where you can purchase them, but I highly encourage you to shop your local brick and mortar businesses this year if you can! Cheap Joe's Watercolor Paper Sample Packs Watercolor paper is hugely personal. Each artist has different styles or brands...