Poinsettia

 Hello.

This is quick update to share my newest painting collection. When I first started painting mini 4x4s. I only did hearts and pumpkins.  I felt that Christmas was not my holiday. Friends asked me about holiday paintings but I didn't do anything.  A business associate asked me about holiday paintings and I was hesitant, but I gave it a shot with mini reindeer. I really love reindeer, so paint what you love, right!  Then I painted a mini green poinsettia for myself as a test. I left it up in my place not really thinking about holiday work anymore. Then for my 100 Day Project I painted a poinsettia. I felt it came out beautiful, but still Christmas was not my holiday. My friend came by and bought some paintings and fell in love with the poinsettia from the 100 Day Project and I showed her my mini green poinsettia painting and that I had been unsure about Christmas work. At first I felt my reindeer didn't come out good. I was convinced they looked like a dogs wearing antlers. Even though I shared my reindeer with friends and the public I was not feeling solid about it all... could this be imposter syndrome? My friend bought the 100 Day Project poinsettia and encouraged me to paint mini poinsettias. So I did; two collections. The first are mini 4x4 paintings. They came out great and I practically sold out of the small batch I made.  There are only six left for sale. You can grab one at Co Op California Boutique in Edison Park.  My reindeers also began selling and my fears began to deplete. So maybe Christmas is becoming my holiday.   This all brings me to my next poinsettia collection. I am thrilled with these gorgeous red and green florals with wonderful texture. There are only six, 10x10, acrylic on canvas paintings. Hurry to grab one for you and a loved one.

You can email me directly too with poinsettia in the subject for purchase details: oktoberstudio@hotmail.com

THANK YOU

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Inspo

 Hello,

You have heard of the saying "Creatives/Artists need to sit around and do nothing" something like that. I have to say that it is not my favorite. I feel that it should be "Creatives/Artists need to live."

I do my best work from going out and living life. I need my friends, need to laugh, need to be active and then take all that energy, take all the moments and feelings to the canvas.

I thought I would share 4 experiences that fuel me.

1. Concerts
I love live music. The energy, the liveliness of the audience. Everyone singing together. We are all there to dance and belt it out and that togetherness is contagious ... frisson. Here are a couple musicians I am recommending to see that will get you off your feet. 

Trombone Shorty
Cold War Kids

2. Fitness
I am obsessed with working out, but "running makes me feel free." (Mizuno pay me for that quote!) You don't need anything to run. Just your feet and you go; slow or fast. You move, you loosen up and that knowing you can "GO" is the free feeling. Biking makes me feel swift, like I am the wind. Yoga makes me feel peace. Deep, slow breathing and stretching that opens my muscles, my joints, my body. I feel a release and then serenity.  Swimming makes me feel tranquil; that BlueMind happiness kicks in. The water wraps me up while moving me with the waves.  Walking makes me see. I look at houses, trees, gardens, people and the sky on my walks. I see shapes, sizes and colors. These activities are rousing and bring wellness and good vibes.

I am not a trainer. These are my own workouts. Here are a couple mini bricks to get your blood pumping. Please be careful not to push yourself and work with a trainer for safety and learning experiences.

1.
30 minute run or walk or bike
Yoga: 2 breath holds: Hands together at heart, arms up to extended Mountain > hands open, arms open to mini standing Camel, back to extended Mountain > swan dive hands to floor > half way lift, hands to floor again > jump back to plank > tricep push up to floor > Up Dog > Downward facing dog > Right leg lift > Left leg lift, Right leg lift, Left leg lift > Downward facing dog > Up Dog > Sphinx > Down to belly, left arm stretched out, roll body to left side, back to center > stretch out right arm, roll body to right ride, back to center > legs squeeze together, mini Cobra > belly down > Bow pose > Roll to right side plank, roll to left side plank, center plank, knees down > Cat Cow: 4 reps > up to Toe Sit > down to Saddle pose to Reclining Saddle, up roll to Rabbit > sit legs straight out to Caterpillar > right leg in, left forearm down, right arm stretch over head, left leg in right forearm down, left arm stretch over head > Caterpillar > Butterfly fold over > Half lotus, right side to Square, half Lotus left side Square > Spine Twist right, Spine Twist left, back down, Supine left, Supine right > Happy Baby, extend left, extend right > Wind Removing > Good Morning stretch > Savasana

2.
Swim: 100 Free warm up > 50 Back > 100 Free > 50 Breast > 100 Free > 50 Fly > 100 Free > 50 Frog cool down

Yoga: 2 breath holds: Standing Deep Breathing Pose (Pranayama) > Half Moon Right, Half Moon Left, Half Moon Backbend, Half Moon Forward Fold Hand to feet> Up to Extended Mountain> Warrior 1 left > Warrior 2 Left > Reverse Warrior > Triangle Left > Extended Mountain > Warrior 1 Right > Warrior 2 Right> Reverse Warrior > Triangle Right > Extended Mountain > Warrior 1 Left > Dragon Left > Half Split Left > Pigeon Left > Seal > Pigeon Right > Half Split Right > Dragon Right > Warrior 1 Right > Up Dog > Downward Dog > Up Dog > Downward Dog > Puppy Pose > Frog > Child Pose > Savasana

3. Flowers
Flowers make you happy; this is true, they are beautiful and smell good. I teach flower workshops. I teach tips about flowers and flower arranging. This experience is therapeutic. What fuels me the most are the colors. Mother Nature is a creative too. Sign up for my next flower workshop.  You may just find your next color pallet or get  inspired to write about beauty or find your next photo subject. 

4. The Beach   
The beach is my happy place.  I have beach ritual. I set up my hair with a leave in hair treatment. I bike to the beach very early in the morning only stopping to pick up a favorite sandwich at the Chicago Bagel Authority. I eat breakfast on the beach and lay out until early afternoon. Then head home for lunch and a shower. A perfect morning. The shades of the water and the sky is a lovely color pallet even on a cloudy day. I collect rocks and at the beach they are interesting shades and shapes and textures. The water is so pulling I cannot jog or bike or walk at the beach because, I constantly stop to take photos of the waves. 

Thank you for letting me share a few of my passions with you.  Please follow me on Instagram to see more day to day of my creative journey.  

Talk to you soon!

Summer Updates

 Hi

Just a quick note to share my upcoming workshops.  Click to sign up now!

September 23, 2023 Abstract Painting 
November 11, 2023 Abstract Painting
November 18, 2023 Flower Workshop

Here is a peek at my next juicy GoBig painting in the works.

Thank you for sticking with me! 
Follow more of my creative journey here.
Happy Summer!

Fire

 Hello,

I am afraid of fire. When I was a kid I would sleep holding as many dolls as possible while I slept so no one would get left behind in case my house was on fire. I had them all in my arms and all around me all night long while I slept. Maybe it was a a past life creating this fear or a foreseeing. In 2016  I participated in an exhibit where I was paired with a business to exhibit my paintings. The business owner liked my work and I stayed exhibiting in the space for a long time after event. However, there was a fire in the business next door that spread into where I had my paintings. I lost thirteen paintings. Some completely gone the rest damaged. It was devastating to me. I had maybe two exhibits after that in other places that year. I was too nervous. I stopped exhibiting. Then in 2020 created a sketchbook and submitted to the Sketchbook Library in New York; they had a fire. My sketchbook was lost in the fire and I was devastated again and began to wonder if fire is following me?  Would I die in a fire? I have only had  maybe five exhibits since the first fire. It am still very scared to hang my work anywhere, but this is affecting my livelihood and I know one needs to face fears. I am exhibiting this year at the Edgebrook Art+Wine Walk at Dakota94 at 5304 W Devon in Chicago. Yes, this is the event I did years ago that paired me with a business that caught fire. You can imagine I am terrified, but we must move forward. I hope you will buy a ticket, drink lots of wine and buy lots of my paintings.  Click here for tickets!

Thank you for supporting my painting journey. Be sure to follow me on Twitter too.

Thank you!

Workshops

 Hello Friends,

This is just a quick message to share that I am teaching three workshops this Spring.  I hope you will share this blog with friends, family and I hope you all will grab tickets to these experiences.

Learn a flower tips and take home a beautiful arrangement.

Click here for tickets

Whether you are a beginner or experienced painter this workshop will bring out your creativity and you'll take home a unique painting.

Click here for tickets.

I am also teaching my Muse workshop on June 10, 2023. 

Both workshops are perfect gifts if you are looking for a Mother's Day gift. Check out more gift ideas: prints, pouches,  yoga mats, and notebooks.

Thank you for following. I appreciate you sharing my art with everyone!

Fresh Flowers

 I am happy to share my next two flower workshops.  

Click through TODAY to sign up!
Perfect experiences to celebrate Spring with loved ones.

Bring home a fresh flower arrangement you learned to create.

At all the flower workshops I have taught many, many, participants say the experience is therapeutic. We have great laughs and wonderful conversations. If you are looking for a different fun event, a workshop for inspiration; this is for you... and it's true flowers make you happy.

I look forward to meeting you. I appreciate you sharing my blog and events with your people. It's the best way to support an artist.  Thank you!

Where We Are

Hello Friends,

Here is what is going on...

I am about to start my 7th painting for my GoBig collection.  I am running out of room in my tiny apartment. This brings me to the search for Oktober Studio II or 2. I cannot remember. Anyway, it has been such a struggle to save money and I had a breakdown (which was crying for an hour over money and feeling poor) because, even though I am closer to purchasing; it still seems so far away, but we carry on. I have to remember to have faith and patience.  I have narrowed down the neighborhood I want to be my forever home. It's a place that reminds me of where I grew up and that nostalgia feels good and it feels like this must be the place. Here is a close up peek at the current GoBig painting covering my kitchen floor. This giant collection is literally closing in on me. I'm going to need a pole barn!

I recently took a free class with artist, Jodi King out of Texas. Her class structure was about getting grounded before painting by journaling and meditating; then paint. It also covered color tips and being confident and honest with your art. My favorite part of the class was the meditating, but I am always looking for another way to sleep, because I really love mediating to sleep. I just feel so rested afterwards. Journaling is not for me though, however after this class I feel I want to journal more with paintings not writing. Here is one of my journal entries.  

I really enjoy painting with a blending/smoothing technique. I do not have many pieces in this style, but I want to create a large size collection with this technique. Here is a small canvas I recently painted blending the colors with my hand instead if brushes. For me the energy of this painting is the calming from the sea blues and sea greens. It reminds me of my 50th birthday in the Outer Banks. The painting strokes create a waving movement and you can feel a light feathering touch. This painting is 12x36, acrylic on canvas and titled, "Kill Devil Hills".  This painting is $100.oo + Shipping/ US Shipping only. To purchase you can contact me directly: oktoberstudio@hotmail.com.

Are you looking to add some brightness to your space? Check out my framed prints at my Society6 shop. These prints are perfect starters for beginning your art collecting.

Thank you for reading by blog. I appreciate any referrals and please check out what's fueling me on Pinterest.

Talk to you soon.

Goddess Collection

Hello,

You are the first to see this. I am pleased to share my new collection.

Goddess Collection

 "Love"

 
"Grateful"

 
"Joy"

 "Awe"

 
"Peaceful"

 
"Enchanted"

Each painting is acrylic on canvas, 10x10 and $50.00+shipping (US Shipping ONLY) each.

I am an abstract painter and the majority of my work is designs, patterns and shapes. I had always wanted to try to paint people, portraits or faces, but still have an abstract vibe. I always feel that I do not know how to paint people or faces. This collection helped me take a step to getting over that fear. What came to was a collection I am very excited about and I hope it gives the feeling of a strong woman. 

Thank you for your continued support. I would be grateful if you would share my blog. To purchase from this collection or the whole collection, please contact me: oktoberstudio@hotmail.com.

Thank you.

Come back to see more.