News

c'est l'été! it’s summer! well, we officially survived the 1st week of summer madness. summer with teens & summer jobs are not for the faint of heart but we’re embracing all its goodness and soaking up all the learning & time together. in today’s episode you’ll hear a family & studio update on all the things. i’ll also share a podcast episode that will up your artist/entrepreneur game when it comes to business organization. it’s my dad’s 70th birthday this week and i’ll share some of the things we love most about him. lastly, we’ll consider a red pill about elon musk, what he’s been up to, possibly revealing to us and what it all means for us personally. bravo pour l'été!

hear about a great opportunity for female figurative artists as jessica libor of “the inspired painter” podcast interviews the collectors, curators & creators of “the bennett art collection” and “bennett prize”: dr. elaine melotti schmidt & steven alan bennett. I’ll also be sharing 7 things i’ll be doing to make the trasition to summer with our family of 7 a bit smoother. being a mother artist is probably hardest for me in the summer time, but here are some things i’ve learned to adapt over the years. finally, the red pill you’ve been waiting for lol…no seriously, after last week’s episode i thought, oh they will think i’ve officially lost it and the next red pill will be about ufos…and then i saw that there was a senate committee hearing on just that yester day…so i listened and here are some of my thoughts. much love to you and best wishes as you prepare for summer!!!

do you ever worry about sharing too much or too often? what about with a big event? have you ever been so sad you missed something because you got behind on your email or social media? it's the worst feeling to realize you didn't hear about something you'd really liked to have attended until after the event. here are some ways to embrace the happy broken record and serve others in the process.

several years ago, marissa & heather combined forces to support mother artists & create a much-needed community on instagram. artists themselves, they were learning how to set aside tradition or opinions of others, and go after their own creative pursuits while being working mothers. soo many conversations and uplifting love shared between creative caregivers, artist takeovers, interviews, and hashtag challenges. (they even created a global directory on their website: carveouttimeforart.com) last year, their book, the motherhood of art hit bookshelves, continuing the support and conversation. most recently, they have started a patreon podcast called the creative instigators! enjoy this extra sweet conversation full of all the raw realness of mother artists, art journeys, boundaries, knowing yourself, an important litmus question, prioritizing, furthering your art through education, goals, passions, going for it...thunderstorms...and so much more. enjoy, enjoy! (make sure to enter the giveaway)

being a mother artist, like most passions and paths, is not for the faint of heart. it requires time, commitment, focus, humility, change, invention and reinvention, and help from others. our CANDYclub has been discussing workflow and systems in our studio and homes. we’re hoping to find new solutions to add and strategies that will help us refine our flow. one of our club members who i love and admire admitted that she’s intimidated with the idea of being both an artist and mother. what an honest and familiar thought. i think very few of us feel like we are balancing both beautifully...but i do believe we know deep in our hearts that it’s worth the work to enjoy this parallel journey mothering and creating.

with all the corona-craziness...events everywhere are being cancelled, kids are coming home from school, fear is in the air, and it seems like things will never be normal again...

despite it all here are 10 ways we can thrive instead of merely surviving...you've got this!!!

From unexpected fantastic weather to lots of beautiful artwork, days enjoying the people, culture, food, history, and it’s gorgeous land...my recent painting trip to Scotland was filled with treasured memories as well as so much learned. So many new connections and things to inspire new work.

Preorder framed print of “welcome children to the garden” for the next week

"How do you do it all?!" I don't lol! There are so many things we have to give up each day to pursue our passions...we all have to make tough choices. No plan is perfect and there is not a one-fits-all solution either. Katrina shares some of the things she gives up as well as things other artist besties Cristall Harper and Claire Tollstrup give up to find time to paint.