This week, I have a fun video for you. In the video, I create a watercolor greeting card and talk about my obsession of painting flowers.
The card is A5 in size, so about 6 x 8 inches and I have painted it on watercolor paper.
My smallest brush is very narrow and I could have coped with two brushes. In the course Freely Grown, we use the similar process, but finish with colored pencils, so it’s much easier than working with tiny brush strokes.
Watercolor Flower Obsession – Watch the Video!
In this video I confess how goal-oriented I am about painting flowers but also talk about the importance of play.
This video has a lot of material, you may want to watch it more than once to see them all! Also, here’s the link to last year’s greeting card, watch that video too!
Boutique of the Heart
In the video I talk about a boutique that’s not a commercial thing at all, vice versa:
“I believe that we can create the best boutique out of our own art. Imagine your workspace as a paper shop where you sell hand-painted cards, bookmarks, hand-drawn stickers, patterned papers – everything that is already art as such, but from which you can look for inspiration for bigger works. I have even come up with a name for this kind of personal shop. It’s Boutique of the Heart. There’s only one customer in the Boutique of the Heart – you, and one seller and manufacturer – you! The longer you keep the shop, the more you learn to love the things you draw and paint yourself.”
My message is that the essence of art is in play. Thus no matter how high you want to reach, you can still create art with a playful attitude and have your Boutique of the Heart. I know there are art instructors that solely focus on the techniques and those who are about fairytales and imagination, but I feel I am something between. I want to create art with people who want to move forward in art-making, but who also love imagination and free expression.
We can have obsessions, but there should always be time to play too.
What do you think?
Watching this video and listening to you filled me with great joy. Although my art skills are very basic, I can see the beauty in your work and the progress you have made in the last year alone.
My own explorations using my own skills, have bought me pleasure and satisfaction. I realised not too long ago that I would always fail if I tried to be ‘just like so-and-so,’ it was an impossible goal, destined always to make me sad. Now, I try and improve the skills and ideas I have. That was when my joy and satisfaction started to grow.
I love your art, but I know that it is not my art. So, I just read your blog and watch. your videos, I’m afraid I don’t take your lessons. Tiny bits of knowledge and understanding find their way into what I do, nothing like you do, but very meaningful to me.
Thank you for all that you share.
Jakki
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Jakki! We all have our own paths, but that doesn’t mean we travel alone. At least that’s what I think when creating courses – trying to add both mental and technique-based ideas, emotional support, and some challenges. We create all by ourselves, but still with a sense of belonging.
I enjoyed watching and listening to this video. I always learn something while relaxing into it.
Thank you for showing us your WIP, your unfinished oil. Lovely to see what you are working on.
I love both your cards, last year and this years.
Such a joy to watch you creating.
So wonderful that you feel the freedom to explore as you wish.