MONTHLY RECAP August 2020

 

Pictured above is my journal spread for this week's upcoming ZOOM journaling class. Third Thursdays  of each month are currently ZOOM Journaling evenings. Classes are taught in real time, with multiple camera angles so that everyone has a front seat for the demo. This month's session includes an affirmation exercise, along with writing and other symbolic content. More information is here or you can email me directly. Live class participants must be registered by 4pm eastern the day of class.

Studio News from July and August 2020

Where did the summer go? Here in Michigan, yellow has begun creeping into the trees and blooms are turning to seedpods. It won't be long before Winter Sal shows up - or rather, disappears (our little dog buries himself in blankets when the temps drop) - and I'll have an eager lap warmer for the rest of the year. This week my workshop at Painting Miles in Raleigh, NC was officially cancelled due to COVID. While this was rather expected given the past seven months, it felt rather final, too, a little ominous, even. What will the winter months bring us during such unprecedented times? I have literally no out-of-studio commitments, period, until July 2021. Meanwhile, a new-to-us routine is emerging. The Princess opted to do college from home this term, so we flipped and remodeled a couple rooms to better accommodate her needs (plus I will get an art library when she moves out). During the remodeling process, I carved out a dedicated yoga and meditation space for myself, which I have been taking full advantage of, given current circumstances. Our other household stress relief comes from the addition of a new puppy - somehow The Princess convinced her father that this was a good idea. So far, we are all still on board, although there have been moments when I, at least, have doubted my sanity ( follow #yourdailybean for adorable pics of the little one). #journalthroughit classes are live streamed Wednesdays at 10am eastern on my Facebook page. Tomorrow we will be walking through a few of my favorite journals as I share my personal journaling history. All the lessons, including Ardith's, are indexed on my website. We are grateful for those who continue to support this project with their donations. ZOOM journaling sessions began in June as a way to provide in depth real time journaling demos. Presentations have included meditation or reflection along with varied art practices centered in our journals. The sessions boast multiple camera angles, providing a front row seat to all attendees, and live q&a as the pages evolve. Additionally, classes are recorded and available after the fact as a digital download. More information can be found on my website - please note that our next ZOOM class happens the 17th, this Thursday. If you are wanting additional painting instruction, you are in luck - Bean (the puppy) inspired a pet portrait demo which I filmed and gave to my online students. You can join The Magic Space, my online classroom, for a mere $5/month. This unlocks Bean's lesson, along with 18 months of previous instructional content. Additionally, through the end of this month, students (new and old) who commit for a full year get 2 months free. Meanwhile, do yourself a favor, check out the space - and the Bean lesson - to see if it's the right fit for your own creativity goals. (Online tuition will be increasing soon as a reflection of the quantity and value of the content and classroom experience - this truly is a tremendous value!) I continue to be grateful for my collectors, both old and new, who have purchased and commissioned work the past seven months. I have gotten to ship some pretty phenomenal projects the past 6 weeks, and am so proud to have these works added to my portfolio. I have a few remaining commission spots open prior to the year's end - message me if you are interested in something extraordinary. Meanwhile, heres a checklist of the ways you can see my artwork and invite a little beauty into 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 - including facemasks!!) into your home, including a new gallery of Bees, 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