Each October, I like to offer an adult watercolor class that explores the colors and themes of autumn.  This year we painted pumpkins and loose florals after we created a fun swatch of autumn colors.  My Koi watercolor pan sets, though very affordable, never disappoint in their rich, saturated colors.  My goal is to teach students how to properly load their brushes with the right paint:water ratio, and then how to use the brushes to their full potential.  That's where the magic happens. 

Each student has her own flair with the paints, even though I demonstrate "my way" of painting.  I LOVE encouraging individuality within a framework.  I try to model laughing at yourself and reframing "mistakes." And I enjoy simply spending time with women who make creative expression a priority.  

Enjoy the slideshow...

I think I could paint rainbow popsicles all day!  The wet on wet technique combined with glazing the shadows was fun to practice and teach to my upbeat students.  The only complaint of the night was my failure to provide ice cream at the end of the class!  Check out the slideshow below for students at work.

I'm so grateful to the 13 folks who signed up for my first Watercolor Bootcamp.  Not only were the enthusiastic learners, the were excellent encouragers to me as I experimented with new ideas and teaching methods.  We agreed the class should be longer, so my next bootcamp, coming in September will be every other Thursday for 6 weeks.  I will keep some projects the same and try some new ones.  Check out the slideshow!  

I teamed with two dear friends who are also wonderful therapists to host a workshop and art project on the topic of grief.  The project I chose was based on the Japanese are of kintsugi, in which broken pottery is repaired with gold instead of thrown away.  The paintings have a secret layer of words, a beautiful abstract background layer, and a "broken" pot whose cracks are "filled" with gold leaf.  The message is that our cracks and brokenness can be beautiful and part of our character.  

These ladies let me guide them through watercoloring feathers and nests in honor of the long-awaited arrival of spring!