MONTHLY RECAP June 2020

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 ourselves, an unplanned project that became necessary when we found a good amount of dry rot. I'm convinced it's just the universe finding one more way to postpone the installation of my pond, lol!!

I'm working in the studio on commissioned portraits, filming lessons (for #journalthroughit, my online classroom, and some other upcoming ventures), and dealing with some unexpected network and hardware issues (if anyone has experience with router boosters, please let me know!). I've also been studying with a handful of artists as I refine my own creative practice. One wears all the hats when one is self employed. It's a good thing I like hats!

July promises more of the same (although let's hope that we are done with the sunporch!). I am building a Zoom classroom for my local journaling students, since it appears we will not be able to safely gather still for a number of months. I miss them too much to allow any more time to pass without us creating together. I'm considering sharing this Zoom lesson as an on demand video - if you are interested, let me know (It will be a much more involved/complex lesson than the #journalthroughit bits, although leveled for anyone regardless of arting experience). I have 10 commissions waiting patiently and a couple (online) exhibitions to create work for, too.

I continue to be grateful for my collectors, both old and new, who have purchased work during this time and sent me notes and letters of support. I feel as if we are a chosen family, and I know how special that is.

Here are all the ways you can see my artwork and invite a little beauty in your world:

See them in your inbox 2-3 times per week - subscribe to my newsletters.
See them on Facebook - like/follow and then comment on my threads so I continue to show up in your newsfeed - I post art-related content multiple times daily
See them on Instagram - please follow along!
Visit them in person at an exhibition or gallery (check with spaces to see if they are open/open by appointment prior to visiting)
They are on my website and blog (my blog even goes back to 2006, if you really want to binge!).
If you can afford to, buy an original.
You can bring prints (and other items) into your home, including a new gallery of B ees, Birds and Butterflies.
Leave a book of my artwork on your coffee table or nightstand.
Write or make art in my Reflections journal based on the Siren series of paintings
Attend a journaling class in person (not able to come to me? find a group in your area)
Take a class with me - online or in person, in a group or one-on-one - for as little as $5 a month

If you are wanting to start an art practice of your own, please check out #journalthroughit. The lessons are family friendly, can be adapted for for all ages, with no previous art experience needed. If you want something a bit more advanced, my online painting classroom might be for you (it's $5/month, about the cost of a double venti flip-whip decaf two pump special drink). And finally, I am also available for online mentoring and critiques, to help you move your art to the next level..

Feel free to respond to this newsletter, shoot me an email, comment on the blog or interact via Facebook or Instagram. Locals can join my journaling group that meets monthly (we are hopeful for July..... time will tell!). There's all sorts of ways for us to connect!

THANK YOU so much for making it this far, for reading all my wordy words, for buying my art or taking my classes or commenting and sharing things on social media. I am so grateful to share this journey with you.

Warmly, Kim

Tabby Kit

"Tabby Kit," 5" x 7", acrylics on a museum quality panel, depicting a tiny little orange striped guy from Morgue File . This painting can be yours for $289, which includes s&h inside the US. And in case you didn't see it, a little doodle of him is also available for sale here . Inquires may come directly to me . Although it certainly doesn't FEEL like spring here (snow and ice and wind chills, brr!), I can tell that spring is coming. The mercury is rising a wee bit each day and the days are getting longer and brighter. Over the weekend we drove with the moonroof open just to feel the sun's meager and oh-so-very-welcome warmth (although the heat in the car was cranked, too, in the interest of full disclosure!). I wanted to work with spring-like colors today, and this little guy was still on my mind , so I grabbed a small panel and got to work. Of course, I also have Poppy to finish and some changes to make to another po

“Rapt (Shadow),” from the Larger than Life series, 16”x22”, acrylic black lab mixed breed pet portrait on gallery wrapped canvas, $699. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com . SOLD. This is Shadow, who went missing on Sunday night. He belongs to a friend of mine, and has been a fixture in our community for many years. Errant fireworks scared the silly old guy into running off, and his family is busy searching for him. (If you happen to be in the Lake Orion/Oakland County area and have seen Shadow, please call 248-391-0867 or 248-391-6817) I’m confidant that he is safe (somewhere!) and awaiting discovery, but meanwhile, couldn’t help myself from posting his portrait as today’s dog a day painting . He’s constantly on my mind, and probably will remain so, until he finds his way back home. Hug your four legged guys while you can! Thanks, as always, for looking. And for sharing these paintings with friends and family, Kim Kimberly Kelly Santini http://www.turtledovedesigns.com/ dis

NEW! Etsy Store

One of my favorite unsold paintings from 2008, "Lashes & Corkscrews," 5" x 8", acrylic on canvasboard, depicting a tobiano buckskin curly horse, $289. Inquiries to ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com (but read further on how you can get a special deal on this painting!). Now it's ridiculously easy to browse my painting archives. All you have to do is visit my Etsy store . Etsy has a Shopping Cart (so you can pile it high with purchases from a variety of artists), is integrated with Paypal (although you may still pay by check if you prefer to), and is terribly simple to navigate. When the week has ended, I will have listed almost 100 of my favorite (UNSOLD!) paintings here, grouped loosely by subject matter. During 2009 I'll update the shop regularly, and add non-Dog-a-Day pieces as a bonus, thus making it easy to search for that perfect gift. Watch my daily postings for announcements, promotions and discount codes. If you do not receive the Dog-a-Day emails (

Paintings With Soul

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