Summer Brush

Maine,lambs and Spring

So Spring finally arrived while I was in Maine.... I left with bare trees...came home to a beautiful green canopy 

This is Liam, Nina's one rooster... a very friendly and colorful bird... just love painting him....

Our last two lambs of Lamb Camp 2016,  such a wonderful surprise to walk in the barn and find these two sweet lambs... already enjoying life on the farm... 

It was a great two weeks in Maine... will miss all the animals and all the fun times working with Nina... such a joy to be together... thanks Nin... looking forward to next year.... and I will bring my own Milanos!! 

Spring Things

 Spring arrived early this year... it's been glorious... and inspirational as always... Out come the yellows and lime greens....oh those Daffodils... they are the happiest in the sun...... 

 The seasons instill in us many feelings... they change our whole system... from different foods, to wearing different colors... to getting out into the yard... looking for something growing green... I love it's power that moves me forward... without saying a word!!!

 The spring cards in the shop and some  new ones also... https://www.etsy.com/listing/286835141/spring-birds?ref=shop_home_listings

 The Birds are singing early in the morning... love that... get me right out of bed... singing with them... soon there will be babies hoping around... have you planted pansies yet?... love those happy faces... just put them in pots around the front door.... It's Spring... and it's wonderful!!! 

 Working on a new business card... finally finished one...but this is not it... although I like the tea cup, I will post my card next blog.... looking forward to the new look on Etsy... after April 5... check it out!! 

Don't miss the Spring thing happening outside... it is unveiling fast... and you don't want to miss one leaf !!!

For the love of Sheep

My cousin, Nina Fuller has a sheep farm in Hollis Maine, one of my favorite places to go! And all the sheep I paint are her sheep. Scottish Black Face sheep. Nina is a worl renown photographer and takes incredibly beautiful pictures of these sheep... And of course it inspires me to pick up my brush and capture again the beauty. This is only a few of the many paintings and illustrations I have done. Sheep have always reminded me of my relationship to God, I am a sheep in his pasture , The Lord is my Shepherd. I also love painting farm life .. Always a challenge to get the animals to stay still. Life on the farm is peaceful, a spiritual journey, a wonderful place to be. I love visiting Nina, and pitching in with all the chores, knowing the place helps to paint it better 

Birds and Bees

On this journey of painting I have seen myself gravitate to several favorite subjects. Flowers, sheep, landscapes . My love of painting flowers grew out of my love of floral design... And my love of sheep drawing is because I love sheep! You usually paint what you love, makes sense 

So where do the birds and bees come in? I love those also! I think putting birds and bees in paintings help to bring life into the art.. Something alive going on, they seem to fit well. I usually add them

last . Next blog I will talk about sheep

Here I used a stamp , and hiding birds among the flowers seem a natural place for them.. So now you try this idea.. Put something living in your composition and see what the response will be . You can find these bouquets in my etsy shop , WatercolorTales on Etsy . 

Where do you get Inspiration?

 Often I ask other Artists.... where do go for inspiration?.... We are all different...but these are a few of my secrets.... and sometimes I don't know where it will come from....but looking for it is key... 

I think getting out of the studio and spending time with people that inspire you and challenge you, my grandchildren light my fire...and cause creativity to flow out in wonderful ways... I love painting with them and getting them excited about picking up brush and color...they are so free and unafraid of what happens to the paint on the paper...and it is all so fun.... .

 Went to the Art Museum this week..... twice... with two good friends... looking at the Masters....the ones you love is always a great way to get inspiration... go up close and study the brush strokes...talk about the color...the light, the subject... it is fun... you learn so much... 

 Here is Merrit Chase... one of my favorite artists... he was Indiana born...studied in Europe, and painted in NYC...and painted much out on Long Island....where I grew up... maybe that is why I like Him so much..... 

 here is T.C. Steel... fabulous portrait... light and textures that dazzle you and cause you to stand and just admire it... 

another trick of mine is to get a new tool... a new brush, or here I bought some new ink pens...and have had a wonderful time sketching with them... especially since the landscape now in the winter is mostly beautiful silhouettes of naked trees..perfect for pen and in... .So get out of the studio... and search for beauty... it's out there in many forms... let me know what inspires your work...  

Getting it all together

Hello creative friends! It's so exciting and fun to see all the creative folks out there! To touch people around the world with so much beauty and to be a partner in this great movement is thrilling! I finally figured out how to put all these cool tools together , so they work as a whole . Instagram, blog , Etsy . I may be older than most of you... But I'm not stopping the creative journey! If you want to jump into this journey! Go for it! I will cheer you on !! See you on IG !! laurawinslow.dee on IG, and Etsy is Watercolortales .....