art Gallery
When we bought this house 3 1/2 years ago, the flower beds were totally neglected and overgrown. Matt said he wanted to rip it all out and start fresh but he found this one small yellow rose blooming under one of the windows. Since yellow roses were my dad’s favorite, he promised to leave that one little spindly rose stem. This past summer, it produced 3 big yellow blooms!☺️💛
🎨This canvas painting is my latest tutorial for our Creative Connection group.
🎨Each month, I give them exclusive tutorials and show how to grow an online creative business.
👉🏻You can find out more in my profile.
🫶🏼Now, adding new members.
4 👈🏻 important tips to remember when you’re creating. 💋
1. None of us start out as an expert. You’re “best I could do” is always good enough.
2. Learning = willing to be humble. Humble = Knowing you have so much to learn.
3. You are LOVED for who you are, not by what you make.
4. Respect is earned not assumed. Show it to receive it.
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#handPaintedDress #ArtStudio #TipsforCreatives
Yesterday, I was telling my friend about having a newspaper route 14 years ago. We were building a house and I wanted to make a little extra money so we could have a concrete driveway instead of a gravel one. I would wake up and be gone from 1:00 am to 5:30 am and then go teach at my other job where I cared for 12 2 and 3 year olds all day.
As I plan my weekly training today for our Creative Connection group, I’m going to remind them to take some time this week and remember how far they’ve come. Remember the hard things they’ve overcome, the lessons learned and the new skills they practiced and developed.
This, for example. If you’d told me 14 years ago, my job was to create art pieces to share with the world while also teaching others to do the same, I’d probably have thrown one of those newspapers at you and said, “wrong girl!”
If you’d like to learn more, you can go to my website, click under “Creative Connection” and let me know if you have any questions. ♥️, D
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#ArtTeacher #CoachtoCreatives #SmallBusiness #PaintwithMe All paint by DIY Paint and available on my website, too!
They remind me of piano notes, as if an artist were playing their own symphony of colors. I’m taking style shots for the spring @theturquoiseirisjournal and finding the most gorgeous textures to photograph. More to come! #IrisJournal #PropStyling #ArtSupplies
The his is the furniture piece I painted at our latest workshop in Boerne, TX! The hosts were @sanctuaryvintage Thank you for making us all feel so welcome!! My hand painted blooms were done with all DIY Paint @diypaintbydebisdesigndiary
Next up, this halter dress is getting a new look this week! I’ll be trying a technique I haven’t used before so let’s have some fun! #handPainted #WeddingDress #PromDress #Homecoming
Let’s explore! Where can creativity take you? Join us on a journey of artistic exploration as we learn about taking a leap, trusting the process, capturing the moment, and finding joy right where we already are. Your own adventure awaits inside the pages of @TheTurquoiseIrisJournal #IrisJournal #MagazineforCreatives #ArtJournal
We’ve been so welcomed here in #BoerneTexas @diypaintbydebisdesigndiary Thanks to The Sanctuary for the Vintage Soul for hosting this weekend!! Come see us!! Today…..we paint!♥️
For me, this year is about DOING LESS... With MORE INTENTION. Here’s what I’ll be doing to make it happen:
Focusing on the things that matter and ignoring the rest.
Assessing the results of my efforts so I know where best to invest my energy.
Taking a little extra time to plan ahead so I can knock several tasks off my to-do list all at once.
🤔 Does that sound crazy? Doing less but expecting to gain more from it? ☺️ I think it will work out beautifully!
📣 Let’s commit to building a life that’s so wonderful we can’t help but give it our full attention!!! Who is with me?!
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#AbstractArtist #CoachtoArtists #CreativeBusinessCoach #PaintWithMe
This. This is what I love so much. Designing custom hats for you brings me joy! You all have supported me from the beginning of my hat design launch almost two years ago and continue to wear them with pride.
Remember my post yesterday? 👇🏻
It’s been a tough few days around here so I took time for self care yesterday. Winter isn’t my favorite season because the flowers aren’t blooming. So, I grabbed all of my floral paintings that would fit in my patio nook and created my own flower garden. I repotted a couple of plants, listened to birds singing and let the sun shine on my skin.
I’ll have a new video on self care coming but until then, I’m taking breaks when I need them and listening to my heart.
Art. Is.Therapy. And I’m so grateful for time spent in my studio today. I only broke down once. I opened the door of my studio to go outside, but this time it was just me. My 4 legged best girl didn’t come running. 🥲 I sat down outside and cried a few minutes and went back to the easels. It will help to get all of these “firsts” over, I suppose. Thank you for all of your sweet messages. 😘 I truly appreciate you.
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#ArtTherapy #FloralPainting #AbstractFlorals #PaintTherapy
We had to say goodbye to our best girl, Abbie, yesterday. 💔 She was always right beside me, like my shadow. We have been attached at the hip for 11 1/2 years. Many of you saw her photo bomb me or pop in to say hello during a LIVE video. She was our “Abbie Dabbie, Flabby Abbie, Sissy, Baby Girl, Fancy Pants and Stinky Butt”, among many other nicknames we had for her.
Thank you for always loving on her and letting her be our best model! She lived to protect her family and that she did! 💕💕 The good thing is I happen to have a million photos and videos of her. One day, I’ll laugh at all of her silly memories but today, I’m just so darn sad. There’s an empty space where my shadow belongs.
Above everything else she loved, Abbie’s favorite thing to do was play with the boys. I think she thought she was just like them. Just one of the boys. 💔 They were her besties. Matt called her Daddy’s girl.💕
I trust my creative instincts. Oh boy! Imposter syndrome was heavy on me over this past year. Who do I think I am painting on dresses?
My upcoming video walks you through my overcoming this. Trust is the key word here, my friends, because there are times when you are going to think that you cannot do some thing. It might take time and a few dozen failures, but if you’re willing to let go of fear, and truly trust that your creative instinct will carry you through then I promise you will soar.
This week in my email course I decided to share something that’s been weighing on my heart:
We cannot GIVE the best versions of ourselves if we are not NURTURING the best versions of ourselves. This week’s action step is to be intentional about taking care of ourselves this month. Attend a workshop (tickets to my Boerne, TX event with Debi Beard are still available) or take up space or simply make time for a few quiet moments of creativity every day.
What will you do today to fill your cup? ( Me? I made those. Cup full ✔️)
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#acrylicpaintings #StudioTime #Intentional
Weekend mood. May you find a quiet space to create, a sunny spot to rest, and a happy song in your heart. #Mood #HandPainted #weddingdress
We are on FIRE in my Creative Connection this week! Goal setting, heart talks, and a new tutorial have us all fired up about 2023!
❓What steps are you taking to achieve your big dreams this week?
If you need a little extra help, come join our group! It’s an amazing space just for creatives who want to grow ♥️ We have art challenges (this month we’re doing a watercolor challenge!), a book club, weekly check-ins, open Q&As, community feedback and support... It’s the best place EVER!
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#HandPainted #Otomi #PaintedFurniture Wallpaper by @anthropologie #HowTo #FurnitureArtist
This year, let’s time to shake things up and embrace our inner adventurers! Whether it’s trying a new hobby, exploring your hometown, or taking a trip to a new destination, stepping out of our comfort zone can lead to amazing experiences and personal growth. Let’s make a pact to be more adventurous this year – the world is waiting for us to discover it!
Get started with the newest issue of @theturquoiseirisjournal The January issue is all about adventures big and small, from the adventures we can find in our own backyard to the world of wonders waiting for us around the world. Subscribe now and learn how you can make 2023 your year of adventure!
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#LifestyleMagazine #VintageSupplies #Pastels #ArtSupplies #ArtVlog
If not now, when? ~ @jamieleecurtis Thank you, 2022♥️ You brought many opportunities, lessons, new friends and wisdom. You’re also my map through 2023!
Friends, many thanks for the support and encouragement. If I can offer you anything for the new year, let it be to create with your heart. It will calm your chaos, free your breath, and bring you hope. Happy New Year!! #GoalMap #Highlights #2022Highlights #CreativeCoach
I created our watercolor collection because the science and alchemy behind all of it is fascinating to me. #IrisPaints watercolor are made here in our home. Hand poured, handmade with the highest quality of pigment and natural binder. We’ve restocked the website under ‘paint.’
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#watercolorpaint #AllNaturalPaint
I am READY to level up my personal growth journey and I’m taking you with me!!! My email list is going to get weekly personal growth challenges every single week of 2023 and I’m not talking all work and no play... my goal is to make 2023 our HAPPIEST year ever! I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes us.
WHO IS WITH ME?!
My favorite thing about abstract art is the perception viewed from others. I see one thing and every other person could see something different. This started as a landscape, and when I hung it on the wall finished, my husband said to turn it. He saw a woman in a long flowing dress with brown hair. She’s dancing as if totally enchanted. It’s hard to share our art sometimes because we might not like the feeling of vulnerability. Look at it this way. Believe that you and your art have so much more to offer. You are a gift.
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#MoodyAesthetic #CozyMaximalism #SpackleWallArt #abstractpainting
I feel like I found a tiny gold mine? Is this silly? #OilPastels #ArtSupplies #VintageArtSupplies #UsedandLoved
1. Every challenge has helped me grow. I see the proof now.
2. I don’t have to do it all by myself.
3. I can always start again. Again, I see the proof.
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#LifeLessons #MindsetMatters #ArtTalk #CreativeCoach
Finger painting for adults, too♥️ Every week, the members of my creativity at your fingertips group, explore fingerpainting, and all of the joy it brings! You can learn more about this on my website. #FingerpaintingForAdults #landscapepainting #artteacher
This can even be used as a vision board! A vision board can be whatever you want it to be — a collage, a piece of art, or even a digital scrapbook — as long as it allows you to get into an intuitive, creative space. I’ve seen people use corkboards, create posters, and make digital wallpapers for their phones. Some folks like to make it pretty so they can hang it on their walls and see it every day while others find that just creating the board is enough to set things in motion. How you customize your board is up to you! Read more > @theturquoiseirisjournal site under “exclusives”.
This dress feels different. I feel many emotions attached to it so I really want to take my time. I plan to give it more of a watercolor design than previous ones. But, if I’m being honest, sometimes I feel like an imposter painting on these dresses. I don’t have a plan but the excitement I feel while doing so drives me to push through the self doubt.
What are you painting this week?
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#BridalGown #WeddingDress #HandPainted
Addicted. Yes. 💁🏻♀️
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#designerhats #HandPainted #WinterOutfits #winterstyle
Art journal therapy + a few words of encouragement
• Mistakes are how I learn to get better.
• It is never too late to start.
• Progress over perfection.
• Challenges help me grow.
• I do not need to do it all.
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#ArtJournalTherapy #WatercolorPainting
Saturday challenge 👉🏻 find the beauty in the simplest of items. #Abundance #Simplicity
Fill in the blank:
The most unexpected thing I’ve ever painted is ________.
#WearableArt #DressDesigner #ArtTip #MindsetCoaching #WeddingDressIdeas
This is a total pinch-me moment...
I will be on Maker Moments with Where Women Create tomorrow at 3pm ET!!! Save a spot to hear me talk about embracing our individuality while painting LIVE. I can’t wait!!! @wherewomencreate
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#MakerMoments #LiveStream #MeettheArtist
Day 7 of 15 in my 5 minute watercolor a day challenge. It’s getting easier, I think….
Self care tips for you
🥰 celebrate small wins
🥰 quiet time
🥰create something just for fun
🥰get outside
🥰write it out
🥰move your body
Today, I did all of those things.❤️
Brush used is from the IRIS Pro series with @paintpixiebrushes
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#ArtBrushes #ArtJournals #GiftsForHer #giftsforfriends
Your outpouring of support for @theturquoiseirisjournal magazine has been amazing! Your support of the 15 creatives inside these pages is authentically refreshing, too! Some of you missed the deadline for the fall Subscription, but do not fret. I ordered additional copies for you to order now before they’re gone. Buy today, ship tomorrow! 🎁 Available on the website!
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#artMagazine #MagazineForArtists #CommunityForArtists #MagazineForWomen
Gift 🎁 box included! The last day to order is December 19th to guarantee a Christmas Eve delivery.
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#HandPaintedGifts #ArtJournal #ArtBible #LeatherJournal #GiftsforFriends
Day 6 of 15 in my 5 minute watercolor challenge - Anyone who has seen my latest special with BloomTV and What Women Create wouldn’t be surprised to find out that I think about this quote from Pablo Picasso all the time:
“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
One thing I’ve learned over my years as an artist is that we are all born creative but, somewhere along the way, we stuff that creativity into a box. We stuff ourselves into boxes, too, and then we tell ourselves it’s safe in there. Fear of “outside the box” creeps in until the idea of just LETTING GO is enough to trap us in there.
But I NEED y’all to know that it is beautiful out here. The possibilities outside the box are endless (which is scary in its own right!) but there is nothing more freeing than finding your own voice. Letting it all out on the canvas, whether that’s a dress or a dresser, is one of the most empowering feelings in the world.
It’s easy to start. Go back to being a child again — what did we use to paint back then?
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Just our fingers.
Get in TOUCH with Creativity At Your Fingertips 👉🎨 My finger painting group is always open to all!
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watercolorChallenge #FingerPaintingforAdults #WaterColorPainting
This time of year can be really difficult. Whether we are stressed, overwhelmed, grieving, lonely, or just plain tired, it’s always important that we take time for a little self care. Here are some things I do for self-care over the holidays:
❄️ Dance like no one is watching! I love to put on some of my favorite music (LOUD!) and dance around my house until my blood is pumping.
❄️ Take myself on a solo date. Sometimes it’s good to get back in touch with the people, places, and activities that make me feel the most me.
❄️ Journal. Whether it’s a watercolor doodle or 16 pages about something that’s been bugging me, I always feel better after I put something down on paper... and if that happens to be watercolor paper in a hand-painted, leather-bound journal, well, then I’m certainly not complaining!
What other self-care options are great for this time of year?.
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.#SelfCare #HolidaySelfCare #WatercolorArtist #WatercolorChallenge
When you’re a creative person, you tend to have a lot of ideas. The tricky part is deciding which one to play on, which one to jump on, which one to put it on canvas? This five minute watercolor challenge I’m doing is giving me the opportunity to not think and just do. Who is participating? Do you take at least five minutes a day to create some thing?
Magic fingers ✋ Great minds 🧠 Extensive training 👩🎨We can call it many things, but the reality is, we painted with simple creative energy & freedom. This mural looks like this because we had the perfect ( in my opinion ) mix of imperfect creatives with the same goal. We wanted to have FUN, paint from our HEART and create a beautiful art piece that had yet to exist. We laughed, danced, painted, sang, encouraged, learned and listened to one another.
This was amazing to watch it unfold. Mel started with her sketch of the design and then gave us the GO! Angie jumped in with the first swipe of paint, and then it was if we were children for the next few hours: uninhibited, vulnerable, trusting.
Thank you, Ladies, for making this an experience so much better than I imagined!! You’re so special to me.
Art By Melanie, Angie Nordstrum Design, My Vintage Chairs & Eleven Eclectic, Funkyfindsanddesigns, Restyled Lemons, Sheila Meyer, Painted Raven Studio
