THE BLOG
Dear Wonderful, Creative You:
Welcome to Mindful Art Studio. I am Amy and I’m here to show you how to paint from your heart and soul and play with art again.
The Simplest Things
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: At the Nature Spells Book Retreat last week, one of the things we discussed was the power of making space for the simplest things. We think our ideas need to be grand, or complicated, in order to be good enough. But it's not true. I think...
Do Less, Make More.
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: One of the things that has fascinated me most about art over the last few years is how powerful it is when we create space. I find the less I do, the more I make. For me, and my students, it's about creating space: Physical space in which...
To Get Creative, Get Curious
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: What is sparking your creativity these days? For me, it's been the tiny, itty bitty interior spaces of natural objects. I'm fascinated by the abstract shapes made by the gills of a fungus, or the holes and crevices in a piece of algae. I...
5 Minute Art Journaling Prompts
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: Finding the time to do the things we love can be hard - especially when so many things compete for our attention, and especially during a pandemic. I've been hearing from students for years about how hard it is to find the time to create,...
Playing With Inchie Art
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: I had to keep quiet about my BIG ART approach for a long time while I was building my class - it's so fun to share with you now about it. I wanted to get playful, I made a little video for you that shows my process:...
Making Small Art Work
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: When I line up a bunch of little papers, and make playful swoops, marks, and swaths of color, it feels playful and free. When I'm staring at a big, blank piece of paper or a canvas, it can sometimes create pressure. - you invest a lot of...
Art Can Help Us Through Times of Loneliness
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: Like many of you, I'm feeling some anxiety in this time of uncertainty. When I lay down to go to sleep at night, there are a host of thoughts and anxious questions that start reeling through my mind. These questions need to get set aside...
How to Sew Your Own Journal
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: I have been making my own journals for some time - some sewn simply, some rolled or loose, and some folded accordion style. I love the playfulness of these techniques. But I have longed to sew a more traditional book - a beautiful journal...
Journaling Prompts for Coping with Quarantine
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: One of the things I've thought a lot about since the start of the pandemic is how we not only cope, but thrive amidst difficulty. Some folks are in survival mode because of their family, job issues, mental health issues, or other...
How Art And Nature Are Helping Me Through The Pandemic
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: Greetings to you in 2021! In the fall each year, I take time to reflect on the year just past. Overall, Iv'e been very lucky, and despite all the difficulties, I feel very grateful for what 2020 taught me, especially from many great...
The Best Gifts for Artists 2020
Dear Wonderful, Creative You: Each year I compile a short list of gifts that I think would be wonderfully nurturing for the artists in your life. It's a list that I hope you as an artist share with your loved ones to give them ideas, and also as a way to spur you to...
