Paintings With Soul

A couple weeks ago I taught   my first zoom workshop , mono printing in our journals, and it was a wonderful experience. Zoom allows me to demonstrate my process, simultaneously share my journal and my palette, and interact with participants in real time. Additionally, the class video becomes available afterwards for direct download for any students wishing to try the lesson on their own time after the fact. If you haven't yet tried journaling, what's holding you back? There's no need for previous arting experience (I promise you that - as complex as my pages may look, they are simple exercises that can be completed by anyone), no specialized art materials or equipment. And no expectation that what you make will hang on a wall or even ever have to be shared. All you need is the desire to make some marks and play with the tools. So please consider joining us - either in a zoom session, or one of the free   #journalthroughit classes. If you are an avid journaler, you will be

"Grace," 18" x 24" x 1-1/2", acrylics on cradeled panel, commissioned portrait of a wonderfully sweet chocolate lab. Grace was perfectly behaved while here in the studio. Isn't she just the absolute best? Pearls and a Tiffany blue ground for a princess of a pup. This painting has been in the works for the past 5 months. The studio seems a little gloomier without her sweet little face to brighten things up. And while I hate to say it, it's not too early to be planning for holiday gift giving. I'm booked well into September at the moment.. I am happy to discuss a portrait of your beloved family member - prices start at $499 for an original painting of museum quality.   Reach out now   and we can lock your project in before the year's end. Thanks, as always, for following along on my art journey! Warmly, Kim

There's a new Santini in town - meet Bean! The Princess brought home a cattle dog-corgi mix puppy over the weekend, and it didn't take long for this little girl to make it onto my easel. Well, actually, into my journal that is. This week's   #journalthroughit lesson   will be one giant dose of puppy therapy. Which, I think given the uncertainty and unrest in the world right now, we all could use. We'll create a mixed media page inspired by Bean - or your own special furry family member. Pull up   the studio's Facebook page   at 11:30am eastern this Thursday (July 23) for the live lesson, or   tune in   at your convenience afterwards. As always, #journalthroughit classes are free, and the programming is   funded by your donations . And if you want even more time working in your journal, join me again at 6pm that same day for   a journal lesson delivered via Zoom   on monoprinting. I decided to offer my monthly in-person journaling class online, which means that you c

"Lola," 8" x 10", commissioned pet portrait, acrylics on cradeled panel, private collection. This painting is slated to be gifted soon - I have permission to share her, BUT, if you happen to know a Lola who looks exactly like this, you are now in on the secret. Want a portrait for your own self? I'm currently selecting projects for fall delivery. Inquiries can always come straight   to me . Thanks, as always, for following along on my art journey! Warmly, Kim

"Mending the Rift," 18" x 20", acrylics and mixed media on paper, $749 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. Please note that this painting will need to be framed by the collector. I accept paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Inquiries can always come straight   to me . Still painting hope, but there's a tinge of heartache in this one too. Tomorrow's   #journalthroughit lesson   (live streamed on  my Facebook page ) will be about taking a line for a walk. Tune in at 11:30 am eastern to learn how to create lines with personality and character. I've also got a special evening journaling session via Zoom scheduled for next week - all the details are   here . Thanks, as always, for following along on my art journey! Warmly, Kim

"Possibility," 18" x 24", acrylics and mixed media on panel, $799 plus s&h to the first asking nicely. I accept paypal, venmo, personal checks and payment plans. Inquiries can always come straight   to me . A quiet painting, one to make you pause. I've been thinking a lot about fall's return to school, and what that could mean to this generation of children. And to The Man Child (my oldest son, for those of you new to my mailing list), who is an educator. And to all my friends and loved ones who also work in the schools. It's a complex situation without precedent. It weighs heavy on my heart, and I know I am not alone. But this painting holds out hope. So I'm going to run with that. Hope that those in charge of determining what the classrooms will look will like do their best in creating a safe model for education system. Thanks, as always, for following along on my art journey! Warmly, Kim

Did you participate in this weekend's Create Retreat? there was SO MUCH content crammed into 48 hours - really, about 2 hours per lesson, if you pulled an all-nighter. It was hard to fit it all in. My favorite part was that for 2 days we celebrated being creative and making art. There was so much support, enthusiasm and delight getting passed about the classroom. It was breathtaking. Do you wish you had more time to discover and play? Did you not get to all the lessons you had wished? well, there's a solution for that..... other than crying over your journal. Come join the yearlong Make Create Express 2020 workshop .  You will receive a Lesson every week - and there is no expiration on said lesson, so you can take all the time you wish to dive deeper, linger, and experiment. You will also be a piece of the above mentioned community, a group of creatives eager to try new things and share inspiration. That's over 52 lessons, an entire year of prompts and sparks and amid a cre

Wanna learn how to paint butterflies in flight? Then you want to sign up for the free   Creative Retreat Weekend,  which is THIS Saturday and Sunday, July 11-12th. This weekend (which includes my butterfly lesson along with 25 other classes from international artists) kicks off Make Create Express 2020, a  year's worth of weekly lessons delivered to your email box   . More details, including how to sign up for the free weekend's worth of instruction, are   here . Studio News from June 2020 I feel like I wrote May's newsletter last week. How is it that June has gone by already? While we are still a household mostly in quarantine, we have gotten out a little the past few weeks. Always social distancing and with masks as needed, but we went rock hounding (I found so many beautiful treasures, and the sound of the water was so restorative), kayaking, and took some wonderful long hikes with the dogs. We also tore the back sunporch off our 100 year old home and rebuilt it ourselve

"Blue," roughly 8" x 10", acrylics on a shield shaped wooden panel (yes, the painting is this shape and roughly 3/4" high), my personal collection. I'm not letting this one go anywhere!  Message me   if you would like information on commissioning your own pet's portrait, or maybe you want something like this, in a special shape. Portraits start at $400. Trekell Art Supplies   has a pet portrait contest where submissions must be painted on their panels. I hadn't worked with Trekell previously, although I have been intrigued by their panels' delightful shapes for quite some time. I bought a couple extras when I ordered this, along with a larger fancy medallion one and a shrine shaped piece, just to have fun with. I don't know what I will put on them yet, but they are sitting here, waiting patiently for inspiration to hit. Meanwhile, I hope to finish 2 other commissions tomorrow. I know it's technically a holiday here in the states, but I&#