LIBRARY OF PAINTING SESSIONS

Episode One

Every painting unfolds in a different way. While there are always twists and turns, some paintings just “click” more easily. Episode One gives you a glimpse into one of these more easeful paintings. It’s also a great example of a playful painting. By exploring some of my favorite old tools in fresh new ways, I discovered an array of brand new shapes and motifs — which is always exciting! In this Session, I also reflect on the many ways our life experiences are reflected back to us through the painting process.

Episode Two

This painting was created during a time of intense emotion, so when I stepped up to the canvas, my intention was to move this energy out of my mind and body and onto my canvas. I started with a layer words and continued to build up layers of raw, emotive marks, color, and text. The whole experience was so cathartic, and I also painted a very different and expressive painting as a result of letting my emotions lead the way. If you’re looking for ways to turn your own emotions into potent creative fuel, this one’s for you.

Episode Three

In this Session, I start by using colors I don’t normally use, but the big breakthroughs come later in the painting when a couple totally new design elements start making their way across the canvas. A major theme throughout this Session is the importance of staying open to big changes, while simultaneously making strong commitments along the way. I also touch on the idea of “place” as a way to give direction to your composition. As you can see from the final painting, there’s also a lot of soft color blending in this one!

Episode Four

This Session introduces a brand-new way to begin a painting using an exercise I call, ‘Musical Lines’. This approach is a truly powerful, effective, and fun way to discover brand new shapes and images, and I was happy with the results. Throughout the layers, you’ll see many interesting twists and turns which allow the new imagery to emerge and morph in unexpected ways. If you’re looking for ways to create a narrative in your paintings or you’re seeking new imagery, this is the perfect Session to check out.

Episode Five

In this Session, I begin by using the traditional layering process I present in my Bloom True E-Course. This approach involves separating the warm and cool colors in order to keep colors bright and fresh. Throughout the Session, I also offer tips about working through the “awkward teenager” phase and allowing your color palette to emerge naturally. This painting is a true mix of my older style with my newer work, which was a really interesting dynamic to explore. If you’re curious about the foundational elements of the Brave Intuitive Painting process with an emphasis on staying loose and letting go, I made this for you.

Episode Six

I started this Session by giving myself two rules: I was not allowed to use blue, and I had to incorporate new shapes by using potato stamps. This little “game” ended up to be quite a challenge, and as a result this painting did not come together easily. In fact, you’re in for a  real struggle here, which forced me to find new, innovative ways to break through feelings of stuck-ness and discomfort. If you’re feeling stuck or have a stack of unfinished paintings, this Session will offer lots of inspiration!

Episode Seven

This episode is a fun departure from the past six episodes. Instead of painting one large painting on canvas, I used a variety of supplies such as watercolor, ink, graphite, collage, acrylic, and markers on watercolor paper to create three new mixed media paintings. I had no specific expectations going in beyond trying new materials and seeing where they took me. That said, the whole experience was one big playful experiment.

Episode Eight

We filmed this Session right after I taught a brand new workshop in New Mexico, so I was feeling all kinds of inspired to try out some new ideas. I gave myself specific parameters going in with the hope that they might lead to some new discoveries along the way. I worked with a very limited palette, the human figure, and the written word, and these limitations or “banks of the river,” as I like to call them, resulted in an interesting new palette and a whole posse of female figures. If you’re interested in moving in new directions in your work, check this one out!

Episode Nine

If you’ve ever struggled with finishing a painting, or you have a stack of “attempted paintings” lying around, you’re not alone. I often hear that completing a painting is the hardest part of the process, so instead of letting these painting pile up in a neglected corner of my studio, I decided to take two of them out to breathe some fresh air into them. As you’ll see, this Session is about inviting change, embracing reinvention, and staying present to the ever-unfolding story of your canvas. Out with the old, in with the new. Let’s go!

Episode Ten

In this Session, I decided to step out of my comfort zone by embracing the world of pure abstraction. By not allowing myself to use any of the quintessential, recognizable imagery I often incorporate such as flowers, figures, plants, and animals, I was forced to explore color, mark-making, value, and form in a whole new way. What I found really interesting was how free this process actually made me feel and how many new discoveries I had as a result. If you’ve ever wanted to explore a more abstract way of expressing yourself with paint, this Session is for you!

Episode Eleven

In this Session, I explore something I’ve been inspired to try for sometime, and the process results in a big breakthrough! Combining family letters, photos, stencils and my archive of creative studies with acrylic paint, I weave together a large-scale mixed media creation on a wood panel. This Session is both emotionally moving and personally energizing, and I can’t wait to create more paintings using these materials! If you’re curious about adding more mixed media elements and personal ephemera into your paintings, this Session is a must watch.

Episode Twelve

This is a very special episode for a number of reasons. To add some spice to the process, I created a “Painting Prompts” game. As a result, the painting went through many interesting incarnations and eventually turned into something truly special and unique. In the Session, you’ll find a downloadable PDF with prompts for you to print out and follow at home.

Episode Twelve is also the final Painting Session. I’ve truly enjoyed creating a full year of Sessions for you, but I’m feeling called to switch gears and create something totally fresh and new. Stay tuned for details about the new offering starting in January 2018!