Paintings With Soul

  Color Therapy watch the video It is a scientific fact that color can greatly impact our mood. So why not settle in and give yourself the chance to just play with it. No expectations other than to enjoy the paint and the colors you mix. In this surprisingly simple session, students will pixellate a favorite image and use that to fill a gridded page with color. While I worked in acrylics, this process could be adapted for any media involving mixing. So gather some friends and collectively enjoy this newest art journaling experience. Also, there’s plenty of other streamable free content, including nearly 3 dozen art journaling lessons, on   my youtube channel. Love to you all, Kim available paintings reproductions student membership online classroom on demand painting lessons & workshops intuitive painting workshop through Kara Bullock On the Fly, in person workshop (Tustin, CA), Oct 2025 Acts of Art project want more eye candy?

In process detail view of "Incredulous," 18" x 24", acrylics on panel. This one is currently unspoken for - inquiries can come to   me . On the eve of American Thanksgiving, I am feeling enormously gratefu to be living a creative life. And this is a life that you, the reader, has made possible.  "Thank you" can't possibly sum up the entirety of what I am feeling. Regardless of whether you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, know that I will be celebrating your presence in my life. Love, whether delivered in person or across the miles, is coming your way from Michigan. Thanks, as always, for following along with my artwork. Warmly, Kim PS I have gotten SO many Black-Friday-Markdown-Buy-Now-and-Buy-Lots emails the last couple weeks that I've become numb to them. It saddens me, my culture's seemingly total focus on consumerism vs a focus on joining together around a table to share a meal. I hope that your hearths and hearts are overflowin...

My brave crewe of painters from the Louisiana Art and Artists Guild. I've been in Baton Rouge the past week, painting alongside these lovelies, working on color, brushwork, and what it means to honor one's path as a creative. They were fearless and inspiring, each one tackling their own wish list of lessons and finding ah-ha moments. Including me! Now I'm in New Orleans with  Dianna Reilly (A.K.A. Stella Gray)  for a few days. New Orleans is the perfect setting for further discussion about the way creativity weaves itself into our lives, and how we can best feed it. There are also grits. Lots of grits.

"Cheeky," (2) 8" x 8" x 2" museum quality cradled panels, a diptych featuring a little chipmunk with his cheeks packed full of goodness, wearing a crown of delphinium, stock and moss roses. The image is entirely painted/wrapped around the edges, so there is no need to frame - he can hang as is!  Cheeky is available for purchase (I accept credit cards and can structure a payment plan - just ask!) - he's $599 which includes complimentary shipping and handling inside the US. Inquiries may always come  to me . SOLD (thank you very much!) Our vacation/dance nationals was fabulous! We packed so much into our trip around my daughter's performance schedule and made lots of fabulous memories. On top of that, her team danced incredibly well, bringing home national titles, scholarships, special recognitions and numerous awards. And I brought home a mess of ideas for new work. I have never left the studio for 12 whole days before. It was terrifyin...

"Maude," 30" x 30" x 1-3/4", acrylics on cradeled panel with the image wrapped around the edges. This painting was a commission, and I cannot wait to see Maude installed in my collector's new kitchen!  Original art is the best way I know to brighten up and personalize any space. I would be happy to paint something custom for your home -please  email me  and we can begin discussing your project. Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   

"Dude," 9" x 12", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a delightful red and white cow (I am so not an expert on bovines - what breed cow is this?), $469 to the first one asking nicely. This includes s&h to a US address - email me . Today, Tulsa brought yoga with a lovely sunrise, inexplicably perfect macaroons and tea from Paris (in an Oklahoma based bakery), artisanal pizza served with Australian wine, some sort of street fighting that celebrates Cinco de Mayo, the Philbrook Museum (and a long overdue conversation with Bougereau, Sargeant and Henri), a lovely evening with a new friend enjoying her home and her fab art collection, both lunch and dinner al fresco, a gorgeous late afternoon stroll through an equally gorgeous historic neighborhood, loving on some most excellent dogs, a successful couple hours pushing paint, and cementing friendships with a few wonderful artists. In no particular order Have I said lately how much I love Tulsa...

"Mona Lisa's Garden," 10" x 20", acrylics on a museum quality panel, a portrait of Mo Bug (my studio kitty). This delightfully impressionistic garden painting can be yours for $399 (this is a bargain price, but it's also much looser and juicier and sketchlike, so I thought I'd price it accordingly) - let me know if I can wrap her up for you! There's several gardens growing in the studio ( Daisy and Posey ), and another one blooming outside. Life is good at Casa Santini. ALSO: come paint with me in Tulsa next week - May 4th and 5th. More information can be found here . Thanks for following along with my artwork, Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com  

"Frolic", 12" x 16", acrylics on museum quality panel, depicting a foal (photo reference courtesy of PaintMyPhoto.ning.com ) stretching her legs. Further exploration of edges and blending courtesy of inspiration from studies with  Stanka Kordic . This painting, this little one, she need a home. $959 will bring her to your doorstep (inside the contiguous US) - inquire directly to moi , with in process photos  here . More Gut Listening Pursuant to Puff Ball's painting on Monday , I bring you Frolic. Painted mostly with a wedge and my fingers, with a conscious effort to lose edges, and a focus on super fun color. And size - if you haven't noticed, I've been painting larger lately, too - and this one carries some moderate texture. I'm liking this approach. A lot. It's a new way of capturing energy and motion, all the while allowing me to also dabble with the abstract qualities of the composition. What do you thi...

My book of color, "A Dog Named Blue," was released about a year ago. The pages feature full color images of my paintings paired with clever color-centric phrases. You can see inside the book here , and order your own copy (or copies of any of my other publications) here . But keep on reading - you could win a copy, too! Last week the Warrior Princess got her wings. Those of you who have been long time subscribers know The Warrior Princess, a friend of my teenage daughter. When The Warrior Princess was diagnosed with leukemia last summer, many of you rallied by donating blood and platelets, purchasing artwork flagged as a fundraiser for her family, donating items for a charity event, and sending notes/cards /prayers of encouragement. You made a difference. Because of your love and support, she rallied for an extended stay with us. But last week, that time ended, and we said goodbye, fittingly, at a funeral service capped by a community-wide group hug. Be...

PLEASE NOTE: If you would like me to come teach in your neck of the woods, shoot me an email and we can talk about it! Thank so much! Kim Santini

    The cover of "A Dog Named Blue," a labor of love the last couple years.     "A Dog Named Blue," my first children's book, will be available for holiday gift giving. This year.   Some of my fondest memories are of reading with my kids, and this book was designed for just that - snuggling in with your little one and learning the names of colors. Together. I'm finishing up the last bit of editorial revisions, choosing paper quality, and determining binding options.   I'm very excited to share this book with you!! Kim ksantini@turtledovedesigns.com   About Kimberly Santini