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Dear fellow artists and art lovers... I wanted to share something exciting in my art career!

I recently began a mentoring program with fiber artist, Matt Tommey called, Created to Thrive. For the past ten years Matt has been helping artists learn how to thrive as creatives according to the Kingdom of God. He shares what he has learned during his personal journey struggling as an artist to thriving as an artist. Thousands have been impacted.

I am forming new habits in every area of my art business. With hundreds of tools available in this mentoring program, change is not impossible. Where my beliefs were paralyzing me emotionally and creatively I am replacing them with what is true and painting new pictures on the inside. The time invested in visualizing what a thriving artist looks like is probably the biggest paradigm shift I have had in many years. Discovering the purpose of my work and how I tell my story is producing joy, reward and fulfillment. How very much like the heart of God... He who gives every good gift also gives us joy as we use the gift the way He intended.

It's time to tell this story with fresh eyes...

I am studying peonies at this time in my artistic endeavor and love looking into these delicate flowers. Natures colors, shapes and smells give me a great deal of pleasure. As an artist I long to connect with the heart of our Creator and give my best effort to record this gift of beauty fleeting as it may be.

Here is a new painting just off the easel. I may be creating a new category as these little paintings are being developed over a couple of days as the need occurs. As I paint, I find more learning opportunities than I initially realized and sometimes it takes a bit longer to unravel.  

This painting was actually completed over a couple of days and is the result of grabbing a couple of hours here and a few hours there. Happy with the results, I am ready to put this one to rest and move on to maybe a companion piece...

Nothing remarkable about this little cabbage but it just caught my eye while shopping. Really enjoyed working on this one. But I seem to always enjoy working on whatever is before me. This is painted on a 6" x 8" board in oil.

I have inherited a number of beautiful shells with unique forms. I hope to include them by and by in small still life paintings. This oil painting is 6" x 8" and on board.

A favorite color scheme for me. Always current. This oil is 6" x 8" and is number 6 of my dailies.

I bought my first bunch of cherries for the season with the intention of painting some of them. Of late that is nearly my sole purpose of grocery shopping! This is a 6" x 8" oil on board, unframed.

The white flesh peach is one of my favorite fruits to paint. The bowl gave me an opportunity to paint two sides at once! This daily painting is 5" x 7" and painted on board.