16 January 2022
Handmade Birthday Cards
09 January 2022
Learning a New Medium: Gouache
A New Year means new skills to learn!
I stumbled upon the work of Emma Block on Instagram and I've been a fan of her work ever since. She creates whimsical illustrations with watercolor and gouache. Goo-what? Gouache is pronounced "gwash" or "goo-ash" and some describe it as opaque watercolors. Ever since I heard about gouache, I kept seeing different artists using it and the desire to try gouache kept growing inside me.
"People often worry about finding their artistic style. I always think everybody's style is like their handwriting, it's intrinsic to them. Everybody's artwork will have a unique quality due to their brushstrokes and line work. I don't think it's a good idea to try to choose a style that you think is on trend and produce work like that. It's important that your style feels natural to you and reflects the way you see the world. Don't worry about trying to find your style as quickly as possible; just enjoy the process and create as much work as possible. Also, don't worry if your style is changing. That's completely natural. It will continually evolve as you are inspired by new things, new materials, and become more confident in your drawing and painting abilities. The number-one piece of advice I can give anyone is to just keep painting. Don't worry about making mistakes, just keep going and have fun." - Emma Block, illustrator and author of "Get Started with Gouche"
02 January 2022
Making New Memories in 2022
Happy New Year Everyone!
I hope you are all feeling optimistic with renewed gratitude for new beginnings.
I serendipitously discovered the book "The Art of Making Memories" by Meik Wiking, the same author of "The Little Book of Hygge." It caught my attention because I value memories. Memories carry us through difficult times in our lives. Take for instance the Covid-19 pandemic. It wasn't safe for us to travel and clearly there was that desire for adventure. On social media, many people posted their travel photos from years past with wistful captions, "Hope to do this again soon" or "Can't wait to travel again." Nostalgia was one of the ways that helped us through lockdown.
For those we lost during the pandemic, we look back on all the lovely memories we had with them and keep these in our hearts.
Again, nostalgia.
We should be more mindful about creating new memories and the book has these suggestions or what Meik Wiking calls, "The Memory Manifesto."
These are the eight ingredients for happy memories:
Make sure your memory isn't lacking in sensory richness. Be aware of what you see, smell, hear and feel when you are happy. The more of your senses -- sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch -- you can use, the more vividly you can remember; and the more cues you line up, the more likely it is that you can hold on to that memory and retrieve it.
An emotional reaction will make the experiences and moments more memorable: first kisses, getting married, traumatic events, doing something that scares us.
Retrieval is one of the best ways to strengthen a memory.
Meik Wiking ends the book this way:
Let's turn this New Year from "blah to TADA!" and let's all make an effort to create lasting memories.
01 January 2022
Welcome 2022!
Well hello there everyone and hello 2022!
Do you know one thing I love?
Sharpening pencils.
It makes me feel in control. That even if the pencil loses its point after so much use, I just have to sharpen it and the pencil is brand new again.
I love this long point sharpener.
I love the curly wave produced by sharpening. Bonus points if it's long and ribbon-like.
I love the smell of lead. It reminds me of shopping for school supplies and the beginning of a new school year.
I love a blank page. Sure, it's intimidating.
But if you draw some lines or make some rectangles...
Then color in the spaces...you begin to fill the page.
Write down the year.
Instead of resolutions, I choose a word. This is my intention for 2022: SIMPLIFY.
If you'd like to know, these were my words for 2021.
Just like that, I turned a blank page from "blah to TADA!"
As we begin 2022, may your pencils be sharp and may your blank pages be filled with blessings. Happy New Year!
30 December 2021
Farewell 2021
26 December 2021
A Monthly Embroidery Project
Hello there! As many of you know, I try to maintain a creative practice, blocking off a few minutes each day to make some art. It lets me play freely (no end goal in mind) and I think it improves my problem solving skills (ex. how do I draw a skyline with just one shade of paint?).
I chanced upon "Stitch This in Your Style" sewing challenge hosted by Brianna and Krista on Instagram. On the first day of every month, they post a word that participants use as a prompt for an embroidery project.
Can I share what I made?
January's prompt was "one word". I chose LOYALTY because it was heavy on my mind after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. We all have our loyalties: family, friends, brands, companies we work for, sports teams, celebrities, leaders, political parties. But how far does one go to prove his or her loyalty? What if the one we are loyal to has gone against the moral standards of what we uphold, do we still remain loyal?
The word is hand lettered and finished with embroidery. I added some bluebells because these flowers convey loyalty.