Hello,

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So thank you for visiting, and hope you enjoy the many art tips in my BLOG, and paintings in my SHOP and just feel blessed while you hang around awhile.

Joanie

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ART TIP and BLOG: Life Doesn't Look Quite the Same Anymore...

Friday, April 3, 2020


No matter where you reside in this world, not a one of us has been untouched by this coronavirus pandemic. I wanted to write just to send you all my love, and to share with you a few things I am doing to keep my sanity, inner peace, and I trust that you are finding your sea legs in this ocean of change, as well!

BAKING
A few times a week I bake fresh bread. I found this recipe online, and made it per the baker’s instructions, since the recipe seemed flawless I started to experiment. I have shared most of these experiments on my Facebook page, as well as posting the modifications I have made. None of my mods have yet to cause a flop. How exciting is that? And even more fun, making bread and delivering it while still warm to friend's doorsteps. Here's a pic of an Oatmeal Raisin Artisan loaf I made last night. Yum.




GARDEN
I got my culinary herb garden planted....Here it is: 2 thymes, sage, 2 parleys, rosemary, chives, oregano, and a couple cute little flowers to boot. Basil growing in separate pot. Oh yeah, mint.



I also planted two new rose bushes.....I love me some roses.


And  AT MY ART DESK, here's an ART TIP for you.
Let's see, cleaning up things, getting organized (yet again) and this past week, besides preparing for my online art classes, (more later...) I took all my colored pencils and sharpened each one, took some toilet paper rolls, oh that precious toilet paper, right? and created little color pencil separators with them. Organizing art supplies makes me happy. And it makes my creative process that more smooth, when every supply is within close reach and ready to go.

This Derwent Long Point Sharpener is the bomb!

As you can see, I had a huge collection of blunted and dull pencils.


Here you can see the toilet paper rolls, and a couple of hand rolled scrap cardboard cylinders I made to organize the pencils by primary (red, yellow, blue)  and secondary colors (orange, green, purple). 

I couldn't get the earth tone, and metallics to fit, so they got shuttled over to a cup. 


TEACHING MY ART CLASSES ONLINE
As with most of us, the first week at home I was in utter shock - after my in-person venue at Riley Street Art Supply shut down due to coronavirus. I felt bereft to no longer be able to do what I love most - sharing creativity with my 3 classes of students each week. They are not only fellow artists, but dear friends and soulmates. As much as I have a hermit side to my personality and love my 4 walls and alone time, this was clearly going to be wayyyy too much alone time for my taste.

To the rescue, Zoom (online web conferencing app).  It took me a week to figure it all out and that with the help of another dear student and friend, Christi, I was able to do a test run on Zoom with the majority of my students and everyone enthusiastically agreed "Let's keep this going!" Hope arises, and for that I am so grateful. Some normalcy amidst the crisis.

This past Monday I started teaching my weekly art classes online, and I can't say it went entirely without a hitch - my new laptop lost internet connection a few times, aaargh, but figured out it was due to some security software I had installed, now uninstalled. So i believe that problem is solved. A few audio and video questions among the participants, and those got resolved. Figured out how to keep my Art Desk in full view for everyone, Brava!  All in all, I was able to demo per usual, and then give instructions as to the assignment as well as to move around from person to person to check in and see what each artist was working on and give suggestions. We also got to chat like we do in class. So though meeting online is DIFFERENT, it is definitely doable and we each painted for two hours and produced some fun pieces. More to come, and I am confident each week we will have fewer glitches...And for those who don’t feel confident at all with technology, this is a simple and fun way to grow in your learning as well.


One of the great Advantages to teaching online is that artists outside the area can now join in! 

I am currently teaching two classes online per week, Mondays and Wednesdays at 1pm - 3pm Pacific Time. Let me know if you are interested in joining us....This is a great opportunity to let your creativity fly and meet up with some other wonderful creative artsy folks. Oh yeah, and Learn and receiving Instruction!!! Contact me for more info....

IN CLOSING
Please be gentle with yourselves, these are more stressful times than usual. Read uplifting books, watch way less news, try Korean Dramas (I kid you not, so fantastic and now I am completely hooked) and try meditation and or yoga, daily walks, painting(!) and anything that renews your spirit. You and all your loved ones, may you Be Well & Stay Well!!

Be Creative. It's Good for the Soul!
Blessings, Joanie

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