I believe the commonly held idea of artists toiling away alone in their studios, isolated from each other, guarding their techniques and often in some state of despair is becoming a thing of the past.
It’s a myth that no longer serves our collective human need to come together, support each other and move our evolution story forward. The bottom line is:
We need each other.
DetailsWHAT AN AMAZING WEEK THIS HAS BEEN.
Sharing seven soulful days of painting, laughing and connecting with sixteen amazing women gathered from all parts of the globe (U.S., Canada, Honduras and South Africa), has left me, once again, in a state of gratitude and awe for the work I get to do in this world.
Although an incredible amount of energy goes into creating these special retreats, I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being a part of the beautiful transformations I witnessed here this week…on and off the canvas.
DetailsTHE BEAUTY OF AGING
When I received an invitation from Susannah Conway to participate in a blog series about the AWESOMENESS of aging, I got full body goose bumps, aka “truth bumps.”
How refreshing to focus on the positive aspects of aging, rather than replaying the same old, “how to hold onto your youth” conversation, over and over again.
DetailsHOME
I’ve been home from my month-long trip to Bali for exactly one week, and I gotta say TIME is so strange when flying halfway around the globe is part of the deal. In some ways I feel like I was just there, but mostly it feels like a distant exotic dream. You know how that goes…
Anyhooo, my trip was lovely. Bali is lovely. My students were awesome and many thresholds were crossed. I know I’ve said it before, but AGAIN, I can hardly believe I get to do this work in the world…and all over the world at that.
Details“REMEMBER THE ENJOYMENT FACTOR”
This sweet reminder was offered up by my yoga teacher yesterday. In fact, remembering to enjoy the experience was the focus of the entire class. We were given permission to throw away strict yoga “rules” and ideas about what the practice was supposed to look like. Instead, we were encouraged to move and breathe in a way that simply….FELT GOOD.
Ah yes. That.
DetailsLAST NIGHT WAS THE PERFECT NIGHT TO PAINT.
My schedule was clear, the air felt delicious and it was still light out at 9pm. I turned up the music, cleaned off my palette, lit a candle, burned some sage and hung a halfway finished painting on the wall. To be honest, I wasn’t feeling incredibly inspired, but typically I just need to START in order to find my rhythm.
So, I started…
I choose a few of my fave colors of the moment (grey, yellow, violet, magenta and white), and began to move the paint around. I tried out some of my signature moves, turned the canvas upside down and waited for the magic to take hold. Any minute now…
DetailsLOOKING BACK
Four years ago, I was invited to teach my very first painting class at Squam Art Workshops in New Hampshire.
Although I had never shared my painting philosophies before (or even considered doing so for that matter), the timing felt divine.
I was ready for a shift.
DetailsSIX DAYS AGO, I ARRIVED AT SQUAM ART WORKSHOPS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
The woodsy scene there is all kinds of gorgeous — quaint cabins, an unbelievable lake, awesome women everywhere — but there I was with knots in my stomach.
I was there to teach a totally new class — one that involved more movement than painting and more watercolor, ink and pastels than acrylic. Most of my security blankets, comfort zones and feelings of “I got this,” had left the room.
DetailsAS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I’M MAKING SOME PRETTY MASSIVE SHIFTS IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW.
After four years of fairly intense globe-trotting to spread the Bloom True love, I’m shifting gears and rooting down in my hometown of Portland, OR.
In support of this grand shift, I moved out of my little backyard studio into a large and lovely (like woah) studio nestled in a groovy creative industrial area about ten minutes from my house. I feel beyond blessed to have found such a magical space that is EXACTLY what I envisioned, hoped and prayed to find.
DetailsI RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THIS QUOTE, AND IT REALLY HIT HOME.
I thought, “This is it. This is what it means to really love. It is art of the highest order.”
If you have been following along with me on Facebook and Instagram recently, you know I have been sharing a deeply personal story — a story of love. My dear friend and professional photographer, Tara Morris, also documented my journey in this beautiful and intimate blog post.
DetailsThis new website has been emerging behind the scenes for quite some time, and I couldn’t be more happy to finally share it with you today. Seriously — what a satisfying feeling, omg.
DetailsOne of my favorite ways to explore new territory and keep things interesting is to mix up my own new colors.
In one of this month’s videos, I share a few super easy tips on how to mix your own colors. Mixing colors is such an awesome way to keep the spark of inspiration alive in your work. It’s also a powerful way to set your paintings apart with colors that are all your own.
I’m happy to give you an idea of what you will find in each Studio Diary by offering you a free peek at this month’s Color Mixing video.
DetailsGREETINGS! It was great to see how many of you enjoyed the Free Color Mixing video I posted a few weeks ago, so I thought I’d share a couple more videos with you today. These are two mini clips from the January edition of Studio Diaries. The first is from a Creative Exercise all about finding new tools and…
DetailsThis month’s Studio Diary is all about finding your own style (aka a super hot topic), and so many unique paintings are being born as a result!
Seriously ya’ll, good stuff is happening, and I couldn’t be more proud of all the folks who are really embracing this theme and discovering their own style along the way.
To get more of a feel for the videos, I’m happy to offer you a four clips from this month’s Creative Exercises. To watch the sample videos, simply click the images below and enjoy!
DetailsEver wonder how to find your creative community or what “creative community” actually looks like? If so, you’re definitely not alone. I think it’s safe to say that most creative folks crave community in one form or another. For me, community has always been super important. In fact, I’d go so far as to say surrounding myself…
DetailsWe’re exploring Collaboration over in Studio Diaries this month, and there are some seriously cool creations happening between parents, kids, partners, friends and pretty much anybody who is willing to play with paint.
It totally warms my heart to know so many people are connecting to their families and communities through the creative process — the world certainly needs more of this right now.
To give you a glimpse into this month’s Studio Diary, I’ve put together a really fun little video clip of one of the collaborations I did with fellow painter, Jennifer Mercede.
I hope it inspires some collaborative paint flinging of your own!
DetailsEver wonder how to get more dynamic POP in your paintings?
Well, you’re in luck!
In this month’s Studio Diary, I get all kinds of geeky over the many ways dynamic contrast can breathe life into a painting.
For example, playing with dynamic color, value, mark, texture, size, shape, mood, speed, materials, and scale (whew!) can all add a potent visual spark to make your paintings SING.
This month’s Diary is packed with fresh creative exercises, painting videos, an awesome interview with painter, Jeremy Szopinski, ideas for exploring contrast in everyday life, and so much more.
With an abundance of creative exercises, I’m happy to pass along one of the full-length videos for you to enjoy right now. This exercise offers some super easy and fun ways to explore Color Contrast.
I hope you enjoy it!
DetailsI’m embarking on a fun new offering called, Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, and I’m happy to share the very first episode with you today!
In each Hey Flora episode, I’ll answer one burning (or not so burning) question about my Brave Intuitive Painting process or creative entrepreneurship. I’ll share these short videos each Monday’s through my News, Art, Love newsletter.
DetailsIn this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I offer some simple ways to keep your colors fresh, while staying in your creative flow.
If you’ve ever struggled with muddy colors or experienced creative block, this one’s for you!
DetailsThe very thought of public speaking makes my armpits sweat.
This is exactly why I said, “YES” to my first public speaking gig this summer at the Brave Girls Symposium in Boise, Idaho.
DetailsIn this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I’m sharing why two simple items from the hardware store are my favorite tools for blending colors.
If you’ve ever struggled with blending one area of color into another, this is for you!
DetailsIn this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I’m sharing why two simple items from the hardware store are my favorite tools for blending colors.
If you’ve ever struggled with blending one area of color into another, this is for you!
DetailsI’ve got some BIG news for ya’ll today.
My second book, Creative Revolution: Personal Transformation through Brave Intuitive Painting, is now available for pre-order and will be a real life book you can hold in your hands this Fall.
{{WOOOOOOO – HOOOOOOOO!!!!}}
DetailsIn this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I’m sharing a few insights into how I was able to make money from my art in the early days of my career.
If starting a business as an artist feels overwhelming or straight up impossible, this one’s for you!
For more in-depth conversations about art, biz and busting the starving artist myth, head on over to my Press Page, and scroll down to the bottom of the page for interviews. I recommend starting with The Creative Entrepreneur, Luna Jaffe, and the Abundant Artist!
DetailsHi everyone! In this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I’m sharing my thoughts on how to manifest the dreamiest creative community you can imagine.
If you’ve ever dreamed of attending super inspiring art gatherings or longed for more connection with like-hearted creatives, check this one out.
It’s actually easier than you think!
DetailsWe’re Kinda Blown Away Over Here.
Thanks to you, my second book, Creative Revolution: Personal Transformation through Brave Intuitive Painting, has been sitting at the TOP of the “Hot New Releases in Acrylic Painting” list for the last two weeks!
Seriously you guys, what an honor. THANK YOU for trusting in this new vision and for pre-ordering the book months in advance. I cannot wait till you have it in your hot little hands.
As a tiny token of my appreciation, I’m happy to send love-packed boxes of Flora goodies to these three awesome Giveaway winners:
JACKIE WOOD + JOANNA PRICE + LOUISE WARD. CONGRATS TO YOU ALL!
DetailsHi everyone! In this week’s Hey Flora: Weekly Tidbits for Your Creative Adventure, I’m answering the question, “How do you title your paintings?” from Elias.
While there is certainly no formula for how to choose a title for a painting (in fact, titling your paintings is totally optional!), I’m happy to share a few of my own tricks for what can sometimes feel like tricky territory.
DetailsBesides, “What kind of dog is Pearl?” there are two questions I hear on a regular basis:
“Where do you find inspiration, and how do you stay inspired?”
I could happily riff on these gems for days, but I’ll keep it clear and to the point in this week’s Hey Flora Episode.
And by the way, Peal is a Maremma Sheepdog! 🙂
DetailsI love how this week’s Hey Flora question is disguised as a painting question, but can actually be applied to life in so many ways.
Our question comes from a Studio Diaries participant, and she writes:
“I have a hard time simplifying. The first layers are pretty chaotic, and then I feel like I just paint over them. How do I simplify without just painting over everything.”
This is a great question for anyone who paints in layers or anyone who struggles with simplification in life off the canvas! In this video I offer a few super simple tips about the magic of translucent paint, letting go of what you like, focusing on what you love, and working with what’s working.
DetailsI recently had the honor of meeting teacher, artist, poet and founder of Intentional Creativity, Shiloh Sophia. I’m guessing many of you already know Shiloh, but if not, I’m honored to make the introduction.
About a month ago, Shiloh was in Portland teaching a workshop in my studio, so of course I had to steal her away to record a couple of couch chats in my living room. As suspected, we hit it off like dear old friends.
DetailsIf you’ve ever thought, “I can’t paint, because I don’t have the space to paint,” it’s time to get creative with your creative space!
Consider where you might be able to carve out a little space for yourself?
Do you have an extra room, garage, patio, basement or attic? Perhaps you have a friend who could easily lend you a little extra space or happily go in on renting a shared space?
Even if you’re painting on a kitchen table, in the corner of your bedroom, or in your backyard, cultivating physical space in order to create is one of the most powerful things you can do to support your creative habit.
In this week’s Hey Flora episode, I’m sharing a few basic tips to help you get your painting space up and running. One of these tips took me YEARS to figure out, so I’m thrilled to pass it along and save you some time!
DetailsThe one regret I have in my career as an artist is that I didn’t professionally document my earlier paintings. In this week’s Hey Flora episode, I’m answering these questions, “When you’re documenting your work, how do you pay the photographer? Per photo, per session, per month? How does it all work?”
DetailsFriends. I’ve been keeping this excitement under wraps for awhile, but today is the day I finally get to share it with you!
A few months ago, I had the pleasure of filming a three-part Intuitive Painting class in my Portland studio with the fine folks from Creativebug, and my first class is launching today!
If you’re not already in the know, allow me to fill you in on the sweetest deal ever. This awesome site offers you access to hundreds of art classes for just $4.95/month…
DetailsI often hear people say that FINISHING their intuitive paintings is the hardest part of the process. And I totally get it. I would LOVE to help you all with this, so in this week’s Hey Flora episode, I’m offering up a few helpful tips about finishing intuitive paintings.
DetailsIf you’ve ever wondered how to move through your creative blocks, this “Hey Flora” is for you!
DetailsIn this week’s Hey Flora, I answer a question from Grace, who writes in about the delicate dynamic of receiving unsolicited feedback.
Has this ever happened to you?
Someone sees your painting and spontaneously begins to offer tips, critiques, and ideas. Sometimes this advice is absolutely welcome, and sometimes — not so much.
DetailsSeptember’s Diary is all about Creative Business with Heart. In this Diary, we’ll dive into my favorite practical and intuitive tools to support a soulful, sustainable and successful creative business.
Every Diary also includes a special Diving Deeper Podcast where I share my thoughts on questions from the Studio Diaries community. The podcast this month is SO full of great questions about creative business, I’m happy to share the entire recording with you right here. Enjoy!
DetailsFor years, when folks asked me the meaning behind my paintings (which they LOVE to do), I struggled to respond – feeling like I needed an intellectual answer to explain the meaning behind my work. I’ll dive into this hot topic in today’s video!
DetailsAfter much consideration and reflection on your feedback, I’ve decided to make a few really exciting shifts in my monthly offering. Starting on November 1st, Studio Diaries will be called The Painting Sessions, and the focus of each month will be on…you guessed it…painting!
DetailsJoin Orly and I in the studio as we consider the topics of honesty, vulnerability, and bridging the gap between how we live and how we create.
DetailsThere’s something pretty magical about watching an intuitive painting come to life from start to finish. To offer you a front row seat to this mesmerizing experience, I’ve created a unique online offering called The Painting Sessions.
DetailsToday is the first day of The Painting Sessions, and I’m super excited to finally share this new offering with you! To give you a little glimpse of the very first episode, we put together this short video for you.
DetailsIn the wake of last week’s election results, a couple of my artist friends gathered together. Collectively, we were reeling from all the emotions, and asking each other, “What can we do? How can we make a difference? How can we, as artists, stand for inclusivity and love when such intense hate and fear is sweeping the nation?”
DetailsI went to my studio last weekend to paint out the knots in my stomach and to give my anxious thoughts a place to rest. I went there because painting has always been my medicine, and more than ever, I’ve been feeling called to paint it out. But what does “painting it out” actually look like, and how is this different from any other day in the studio?
DetailsIf you’re looking for gifts that are incredible to receive, while directly supporting the makers, doers, and creators behind them, I’ve got some ideas for you! Supporting artists and changemakers who spark inspiration, catalyze change, and create products that soothe the soul feels like an act of love and justice in itself, and I’m happy to share some of my personal favorites with you here.
DetailsIf you’re looking for some fresh podcast action, I’ve got ya covered with some of my favorites, as well as some of your favorites compiled from a recent Facebook post on this very topic.
DetailsWho’s ready for a brand new year? I am. I am! I believe that strengthening our brave, intuitive muscles (both on and off the canvas) is more important than ever before, so to give you a little jumpstart of creative inspiration I’m happy to share some of my favorite videos with you.
DetailsI’m happy to let you all know that Episode Three of The Painting Sessions is ready to roll, and it’s a goooood one! Enjoy this sneak peek.
DetailsI gotta be honest with you, I haven’t felt super inspired to paint for the past few years. Yikes, I said it. However, I have been examining what kinds of shifts might get me back in the flow. I can’t wait to share my breakthroughs with you!
DetailsI believe shifting creative gears is an essential part of staying inspired and developing your own unique style. Discover a fun creative exercise in today’s video in my blog!
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