How has it been since June that I last blogged?! Well, I’m starting this resolution before the new year so, hopefully, it will be easier to maintain.
I have grown so much since we last chatted. I have been learning so much from Amanda Evanston’s Insider’s Studio group in the last several months. Though I don’t do all of the classes, despite them being totally awesome, I have learned so much and my confidence as an artist has burgeoned. If you want to paint with fun color and reckless abandon, consider checking out joining her subscription group when admission opens again in February.
I also have been supporting two other artists via Patreon: Karen Margulis and Alison Fennell. In case you are not familiar with Patreon, let me tell you a little bit about the platform. It is a way for people to provide financial support to artists… to be a patron of theirs. In exchange for paying a small amount each month (the amount depends on the different tiers that the artists come up with) you have access to content that is developed by the artists for their patrons.
The first artist I am a patron of is Karen Margulis. I have been expanding my soft pastel (and general art) knowledge by watching and reading her content. I don’t know how she is so prolific with her blog posts and patreon posts, but I have come to rely on having an interesting read and/or video almost daily. Not everything is new content, but she curates her extensive blog for blog posts relevant to the current topic we are studying.
The second artist I support on Patreon is Alison Fennell, The Pottering Artist. Alison is a watercolor artist from Wales and is relatively new to Patreon. She creates detailed printable documents to make it easy for beginners to be able to paint along with her very thoughtful tutorials. Initially we focused on a different country each month, but recently we have moved on to different festivals.
I truly get a lot of value, for a small monthly outlay, by participating in these monthly subscriptions. I very seldom actually do the tutorials that I watch, but I have gleaned a lot of skills and techniques that I am using to create my own art and develop my own style.
Oh, I forgot that I am a subscriber of the Critique Club with Lindsay Weirich from The Frugal Crafter. As a subscriber, I have access to two really long, real-time tutorials each month and I can submit my own creations for a critique by her. I have had my art critiqued once or twice a month and I value having a seasoned artist take a critical eye to the painting and provide constructive criticism.
I have painted a ton since I last posted, but have taken a little pause currently. If you know me personally, you know that I have a rare, aggressive form of breast cancer. I have been stable for 3 years, but it looks like the cancer may have come back in my spine. I have had a slew of tests and, most recently, a biopsy of my spine to confirm what is going on. It was very painful, and I am still in pain, but I am determined to rest now so I can heal and get back to creating my beautiful, unique art.
I’ll leave you with this image of one of my recent paintings. I have been called to created angels for months now, and they keep evolving, but this one is one of my favorites. Her name is Hadassah.
Brandi Made It! 