Day 30....

Well friends,
All good things must come to an end...sigh.  I am always so in love and inspired by this challenge.  Leslie Saeta has a way of making things amazing...and bringing together artists from all over the world to paint together for 30 days is simply magical to me.

Today is our final day, and having a look at all of the artists work is so inspiring. 
Have a great day, and a creative weekend.
Until next time,
Ophelia

Day 16....

Happy Friday, Blog Friends...
Hope that you all have a fantastic day!!

After todays painting session, I made myself put these colors away!  I just get stuck sometimes, but I thoroughly love this color combo!!  These little 4x6 are available in my Etsy shop under card bundles.

Side note, do you have an art tribe??  You know, good friends that share your passion for art...maybe you all get together and paint???

I am so lucky to call this gal my friend.  She is truly a blessing and such an inspiration.  She just is.

We get together to paint, play, bounce ideas and most important, laugh a whole lot.

I hope that you all have a great day, and a creative and restful weekend.

Until next time,

Ophelia

Day 15 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days...

Its the half way mark....
Some days, I feel unstoppable and yet others, I struggle.  I find that when I get stuck on a color combo - as is the case here, I just can't get enough of it, and it is very easy to fall into a color rut.

Tomorrow, I may change it up a bit...you know, to keep things fresh and exciting, but I truly love the moodiness that these colors convey.  Maybe its me finding this Liquitex Blue Violet color buried deep in my stash that ignited this series, or the fact that I just love the darkness that these colors seem to bring...not sure yet of why I am in love with these colors together...but I shall make it a point to dig deep in my studio to find those buried gems that await my play.
Until next time,
Ophelia

What a Month!!!

Happy 2018 Blogfriends!!!
I hope that each of you had a wonderful holiday season!!!  I enjoyed every single snippet of time off with my family, friends, and of course, no break from school would be complete without studio time!
My holiday officially began with my crazy college kid safely landing back in North Carolina!

It is always such a relief to have him home and for our family of four to be all be under the same roof.

I celebrated my birthday on Christmas Eve...Every year, I try to remember to get a screen shot of the exact time and day....nailed it this year!!!

Every single time I sell artwork, it makes me extremely happy!!  The thought that someone out there likes something that I create brings me such joy.  This one, Fire and Ice, heads to its new home in Seattle, and I am so thankful that out of all the artists in the world, Kate wanted one of my pieces.

Years ago, I set a goal that I wanted to start a YouTube channel...years and years ago!!  This year, I gave myself a deadline of January 1!  A few days ago, I uploaded my very first video!!!  Fingers crossed, my second video - One Little Word - will be up today!!!  I have a brand new respect for YouTubers out there as it is far more difficult than they make it seem!!!

Speaking of One Little Word, I decided that this year, my word would be TRUE.

True to my artwork, my style of creating, and to myself.  True in everything this year.  Do you choose a word to guide you for the year?  What is your One Little Word??

I have lots of ways of filling my creative well, and one of them is spending time with my art friends.  Jodi Ohl and I have been friends for many years.  We usually try to catch up a couple of times a year, and whenever we do, I leave so very inspired and with loads of new ideas!!

I hope that you have the most amazing day, and a happy, healthy, joyful and creative 2018!!

Until next time,

Ophelia

How Things Have Changed...

Good Morning, Blogfriends,
I hope that you had an absolutely amazing Thanksgiving holiday. 
 I have missed this blog and definitely have plans now that things have calmed down quite a bit to be back more often.
Things for me have been busy - a great kind of busy, but busy in a different direction.
Despite the busy, I still show up daily in my studio....as I am never too busy to play in paint.

Playing daily sets my day, and keeps me grounded.  It seems that no matter what is going on in my world, all is forgotten when I step in my studio and pour out some paint.

For such a long time, I was terrified of painting on canvas---Terrified!!  I have no idea as to why, but I simply froze when it came to painting on canvas.  I have been busy putting those fears to bed and have really been enjoying painting abstract paintings.

This is a small one, an 8x8 but the whole idea of making marks and just painting with abandon completely sets me free.

Things around my house have changed as well.  My son graduated in June, and is now a Freshman at Western New England University - yes, New England!  He is in Springfield, Mass...such a long way from home, but he absolutely love it...

We were able to go up for a visit and to watch him continue to do what he absolutely loves doing.  That makes this mama's heart smile.

Thank you so much for being here, and I hope you have a fantastic week.

Until next time,

Abstract Boot Camp

Hello blog friends and happy Monday.  I post today...on the road...on my phone.  I headed out this morning, to my parents for a week, but spent an incredible weekend being 100% distracted with paint.

I attended a workshop this weekend at Jerrys, and what an amzing time it was.  The only things that I knew I wanted from the weekend workshop was to be completely distracted from daily life, and to use up some paint....and thats exactly what happened!

I just played around...wanting to use some of the paint that sits on my shelf.

It dawned on my that it has been quite some time since I have actually painted something...not like a demo or teaching a class, but painted for me...for the pure pleasure of painting.

I pulled out my biggest brushes, inks, and anything else that I could get my hands on...and simply lost myself.

And it was GREAT!

Until next time,

One Little Word...

Happy Monday Blog Friends..

Hope your holidays were amazing...filled with everything that you wished for.

For us here, we spent time surrounded by family in the hospital with my mom, where her journey with this cancer began a full year ago.  The fact that it has been a year since her diagnosis is a blessing in itself, and the fact that we were able to spend time with her is a miracle.

I sat in my studio a bit ago, and mulled over words that I wanted to go into the New Year with, one word just would not go away...

Flourish-verb

Grow, Thrive, Prosper, Increase, Multiply.

Yesss!

Until next time,

The Art of Showing Up!

Good morning blog friends!  I hope that todays post finds all of you well with many, many things to be grateful for.

Today, instead of heading off to work, I headed to my studio for some alone time.  I realized a few days ago via my daily journal, that it has been month since I have been here to do anything.  Other than to pack or unpack for classes and demos, I have done not a thing!

It almost feels daunting--showing up after being away for so long, so todays quest is just to spend some time in my space.

Like playing around with my Prismacolor pencils and watercolor pencils....

 



Or filling up my trusty Lukas watercolor palette.

Or gluing down a random bit in an open journal on my table...

Than, making a mark with my favorite pencil!

I find that there is loads of inspiration in my studio....magic doesn't always happen...

But, I sure love being in this space!  And today, I am honestly grateful to have this little corner in my world to call my own!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Until next time,

Happy Monday Blog Friends!!

Christmas Break has officially started for me!  Lots and lots do do on my list of things to get done during this break!

Like.....get back to my art journal...

 

It seems like forever since I have done anything in my journal except demo...
So I soent some time over at the Art Bar in Raleigh....imagine hours of uninterrupted journaling time...

Its a start....

I have about 6 pages left in this journal....I REALLY want to get it finished by the end of this year...we shall see...

I also know that I REALLY want to learn to draw...always, always have...yes...its that nasty word called practice that is to make me better at drawing...

I started this journal for practicing...
No pressure, right??

 

 

 

Yikes!!!!  Lots and LOTS more practice needed!  I have also signed up for Sketchbookery with Mary Ann Moss...I have always enjoyed and definitely wanted to learn sketching---like Urban Sketching.  I am simply amazed by the sketchbooks of people that sketch on location.  So, I am rxcited to begin my journey on December 26th!

Anywho, I hope you all enjoy your day.

Until next time,