Show your art
Show up and show your art
I have some amazing news to share today! My painting "Riverside" just won Best in Show at the Salon de Peinture et Sculpture de Trélazé (France)! I feel so grateful and this means a lot to me on so many levels:
First, it is such a joy to see my art being recognized close to home. I’ve sometimes had the feeling of having two “art lives”, with my art getting more attention internationally while being more quiet in my local area in France. But things have been shifting over here lately and this is so exciting! Because it is here that people get to see my art in person, which is such a different, deeper experience than seeing it online or in print.
This in-the-flesh connection between people & art is irreplaceable. It’s at the heart of my purpose as an artist, which is why I keep showing up and showing my art!
The award also means a lot because this painting has been a turning point for me this year: it is the first in a new series of abstract landscapes that I’ve been working on in the past months. Landscapes, whether imaginary or inspired by real places, are one of my favorite subjects and something I really feel called to exploring more and more. I did last month at a beautiful retreat in Ireland, and will share some of my processes and discoveries in a new class next year. We’re moving next March to a gorgeous place in the country where I’m eager to grow some roots and connect to the land through art.
This painting is far from being the biggest or boldest in the show; it is subtle, peaceful and gentle, and simply true to my soul. It also has a very unique, ethereal feel that is created with a personal acrylic technique inspired by encaustic. I’ve been refining this process over the years and lately I’ve taken it to a new level on much larger pieces. So to me, winning this award also confirms what I’ve been believing all along and what I strive to teach my students all over the world:
Show up, just as you are.
Make art that is true to you, art that comes from your soul.
Find what you love, follow your inner compass, and forge your path.
Experiment, play, explore and welcome the unexpected: that’s how you will find your own personal techniques and style.
Show up, again and again, and above all, show your art!
Now, “Riverside” was supposed to be one of the artworks in the upcoming, online Handmade Holiday Auction Event with Stephanie Gagos, but since it might find its kindred human during the show, I’ve been at work creating a sister painting just in case… Which is also a very inspiring and exciting process: I’m finding even more flow in this second painting than I did in the first. And flow is precisely what this series is all about…
Here are a few pics of the under-layers of the new piece, which include words, dried grasses and leaves, and layer upon layer of color:
Before I head back to the studio (time for the first layer of translucent medium, yum!), there is so much more to inspire you this week & the next, so here is a quick recap!
> layers of light opens on friday!
Registration is about to open for Layers of Light, my most in-depth online art class! (it even includes my faux-encaustic process) I only open group sessions for this class once or twice a year, so don’t miss out! There will be a sweet Black Friday offer…
* Limited Seats - Instant, Lifetime Access *
> True colors and White wanderings
In December I will be teaching in True Colors, my friend Kellee Wynne’s online class! My lesson will be a white-on-white abstract landscape done in my art journal (maybe a study for a big canvas!)
> art for the holidays!
I’m so excited to be participating in The Handmade Holiday Auction Event hosted by Stephanie Gagos! There will be lots of amazing, super affordable art to snatch from me and other artists. It’s happening on Facebook and previews have already started! Click below to see some of the art I’ll be offering and to join the event:
This is such an exciting and inspiring time at the moment and I hope you will hop on board and join me for the ride and SHOW UP in the coming days!