Moving in New Directions!

 
To stay fresh, one must explore uncharted territories, even if the ocean explored has been explored by others-it's still your new journey and time to stretch your own wings.  That is exactly what I have been up to this month...moving in new directions and exploring processes that are very new and exciting for me.  These are 5 of more than 15 new pieces in a body of work I'm creating (which will grow by leaps in bounds over the next few months) as I wrap my artistic mind and skills around a new medium, new techniques and lots of uncharted territory.     I've dabbled a bit in cold wax, but nothing to the extent I've been playing with this month.   As I look to the future, one thing is clear.  Nothing stays the same forever, and everything is about to change.  I consider that a good thing.

Never be afraid to grow, change, and simply hone your skills by stretching your wings.  You never know what you'll discover, you may even fall in love...and that is the precipice that I'm standing on right now.

While I plan to do a series of classes down the road, the first major class I will be conducting on Cold Wax and Oil painting will be this October during our ReMe Retreats-The Sandhills.   The retreat is now open for registration with more info coming up shortly...this is your sneak peek at my class which I'm so stoked about!    I'm also sharing in this blog post, some of my favorite supplies used in creating this body of work.  Go ahead and try it, and then if you want some guidance, come back to me and I hope to give you what you need to blossom just as you should.

Here's to always spreading your wings and growing.  New doors open when you push through them.

 Cold Wax and Oil Painting Supplies

In 2017, I'm working on a new collection of abstracts along with new in person workshops, online classes and perhaps even a dvd down the road around the mysterious and beautiful qualities of cold wax and oil painting techniques and processes.  Stay tuned for more details.  In the meantime, I'd like to share some of my favorite supplies that I've found fun to use in the creation of this new body of work.   

Oil Paint medium, use to thin out paint, add glazes and gloss.

Gamblin Cold Wax Medium

Dorland's Wax Medium

Add some texture to your paintings with this diverse set of  palette knives.

Basic palette knives you need for mixing and applying cold wax and oil paints.

Smooth, blend, mix, and apply your paint mixture with this flexible, silicone wedge by Princeton.

Shiva Oil Painting sticks- colorless blender

Yes you need a big daddy titanium white paint stick!

Assorted oil painting sticks

Basic starter set of oil paints, add on as you need-- (larger set click here)get extra titanium white.

Oil pencils, great to draw on your surface prior to painting or over top once dry. 

Other scraper options--check out items in the baking section of a homegoods store such as this silicone scraper.

Davinci wood panels

I actually prefer the square format but any size or shape to paint with, but any wood panels you can find will work.

Oil paint brushes

Oil Paint Brush Washer-stainless steel 

Brush Cleaner Lavender Oil  is one option you can use.

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Not ready to dive into abstracts using cold wax and oils, be sure to check out my new book!

22 exercises and tons of inspiration are included in my first solo publication, "Abstracts in Acrylic and Ink" 

Back To School? It's Not Too Late!

I know many of you are sending your kids off to school soon if you haven't already, or for those of you who are just enjoying the end of a busy summer and ready to get your hands dirty in a fun sort of way,  I am having a back to school sale on my online courses over at Colourarte and  Creative Workshops.  The special is ending on 8/31 so don't miss out on these fantastic deals!!

To see all of my classes on sale over at Colourarte,  Click HERE.

I do believe there is something for everyone between my two venues which hosts all of my classes.
Portraits to journaling, abstracts to sweet projects...I aim to offer both the beginning  and the more intermediate  artist something fun and educational to work on.


To see all of my classes on sale over at Creative Workshops,  Click HERE.


I was really hoping to get another new class up and running before the end of summer but my professional life threw out some curve balls that I had to handle so a new class project will have to wait until I can focus solely on it.  I probably over obsess about things being perfect but I am also realistic on how much time I need to produce a class in the manner which I like it to be done.  For those of you who are waiting for a new one, thank you so much! I appreciate you sticking with me and when I have my new offerings ready, it'll be worth the wait!

In the meantime, this October I will have  4 dvd's released from F&W media featuring fun techniques to keep your creative juices flowing, stay tuned for the upcoming release dates.  I'm super excited about this project finally coming to fruition after months of anticipation!

Other crafty news:

Stop over to my ReMe blog for an amazing series of posts we've been doing featuring some must have artsy favorites. You might just be inspired to try something new.  By commenting on the posts over there during "Our Favorite Things" countdown, you'll be entered to win a sweet giveaway of ReMe goodies and other fantastic surprises. :)

Check out all the posts HERE.     If you are in the mood for a last minute addition to your artistic (and soulful) travel adventures, there's still time to join us for our flagship retreat this fall on Ocracoke.  Other than travel, this is an all inclusive retreat!!  Food, lodging, classes, supplies, snacks, arty parties, and island life immersion are just some of the things you can expect to receive during your stay with us.  With only 8 students hosted for the week, you can be sure that you will receive tons of one on one instruction and attention. All of our students have remarked how they have truly made friends that will last  a lifetime and have been uplifted by the bond of sisterhood we have fostered during each one of our experiences.  If you are looking for something more laid back and persona, check out the tabs on the top of the blog for more information and FAQ.  Or to ask questions directly, contact myself, Jean or Penny at reme@remeretreats.com

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That's about all the news for now...some other big things are coming up but I'l save that excitement for next week (some of you may already know if you are part of my Facebook crew!!)

Don't forget to sign up for one of my classes on sale over at Colourarte or  Creative Workshops by 8/31 to take advantage of the sale prices!

Looking for original art or sweet 'articrafts',  my online shop over at Etsy is starting to fill up for the holidays!  Lots of new items added over the last few weeks with more to come.

I'd love for you to be a part of my insider list by signing up for my Newsletter.  Published once or twice a month, and loaded with inspiration and special offers as well as great ideas on how to live a creative life--there's something for everyone!   Sign Up Today by clicking HERE.

Check out some of my latest additions by clicking HERE.

Have a great rest of the weekend!