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Hi Reader,

It’s been an interesting few weeks and I’m realizing that creating a newsletter each week might be beyond my capacity right now. But I didn’t want to let too much time go by before getting in touch again. Maybe once a month is a better cadence?

I’ve been delving deeper into the From Paint to Pattern Photoshop class and learning lots of new techniques, so I’m deep in creation right now. What most excites me is the possibility of bringing older artwork back to life, similar to the cardinal painting I shared last time.

I also love the idea of combining older pieces with new work, like this fox illustration that I created most recently. I painted the fox in colored pencil over 2 years ago and the black-eyed Susans in the last few weeks and yet they live together harmoniously in this new piece. I’m hoping to turn this new work into a greeting card, journal cover, and art print in the near future. But I’d love to hear what you think, Reader.

I love that I can preserve all the texture and inky lines of the original work with ease. There’s so much more to come, so stay tuned!

I also wanted to mention a new practice I’ve started that was inspired by the Magic in the Making Symposium by Jamie Ridler and The School of Creative Magic.

Each morning, I’ve been heading outside for what I’m calling 5 minutes with nature. I set a timer on my phone and take a walk around my yard. The idea is to concentrate fully on the nature around me and nothing else. It’s kind of a meditation and grounding exercise all in one.

And you know what’s crazy about really paying attention? I discovered several “new” trees that I swear I hadn’t seen before. How is it that I’ve lived here for 23 years and failed to notice 3 gorgeous evergreen trees growing behind our large expanse of forsythia bushes?

The biggest surprise of all was how much this simple 5-minute exercise sets the tone for my day. I’ve only been doing this for about a week and a half and I already notice that my mood is lighter on the days I go outside first thing.

Simple rituals can be magical!

That’s it for now. I hope you’re enjoying the new fall season and taking in the gifts it has to share.

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Until next time,

In the Shop:

The cardinal painting, Cardinal Couple on a Branch received wonderful compliments and brought my first sale from the newsletter when I shared it last time! If that was you, Reader, thank you so much! I'm looking into other potential products for this design, but for now it's still available on these products in the shop!

Art Print ​ Shop Now

Canvas Print ​ Shop Now

Spiral Notebook ​ Shop Now

Greeting Card ​ Shop Now

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Inside My Sketchbook:

The quick sketch on the left is a cute owl with a cheeky expression I drew from a reference photo I found online. I'd like to come back to this and add a bit more detail. The tree sketch on the right was inspired by the trees I "found" in my yard this week when doing my 5-minutes with nature ritual.

Pictures of the Week:

Here are some of the trees I discovered in my yard this week as I really paid attention. I just love the evergreen trees on the right. I can see them in all kinds of designs!