Believe

 "Believe"

Unicorn 2018

 Maybe for the first time in my life I really understand what the word " Believe" means. And why it is so important to us.I'm not talking about anything other than believing in ourselves because until we do we have nothing to offer others. From childhood I was often told what I couldn't do. The focus then was always on telling me what would be impossible to achieve. Strangely this had the opposite effect on my young soul. Knowing I couldn't do anything made me fearless in attempting new things. Because as I knew I couldn't do "it" whatever it was I had nothing to lose by trying. My expectations of myself were never high. I wasn't worthy, good enough or important enough to matter. How sad. But maybe that was my grandparents' way of parenting.

Now as an adult I believe we are all worthy and capable of far more than we realise. Apart from  talented artists I also meet people constantly on my watercolour workshops from all over the world who think they "aren't good enough".  Not just at painting. They are.  It saddens me to meet so many wonderfully incredible people too on my courses who have been through so much and yet still smile and give freely to everyone around them.  So where am I heading with this blog post. The last of the year.

We are now seeing out a twelve months period and we have a choice of how to face the new year. I would love everyone to face it feeling positive. Feeling as though something really magical is about to happen. And it might just happen. If we allow it to. We could see dreams coming true. We could simply enjoy relaxing more or making or creative time even more fantastic.

We have so much power individually to make a huge difference to our own lives and the lives of others. We really have if only we knew it.

With age comes wisdom so they say. I decided long ago to avoid any form of negativity. I have surrounded myself with amazingly positive people who not only smile but share their joy for living in so many ways with everyone they know or meet.

So here's my wish list for 2019.

I am going to make this new year the best ever.

I am going to continually keep looking for the magic in life. The magic of kind people who are everywhere making miracles happen when least expected.

I am going to try to inspire everyone who loves watercolour to paint non stop and encourage them to try something new as often as possible.

I am going to discover as many new watercolour techniques by the end of the new year and have shared each discovery with as many art friends as I can including you.

I am going to enjoy every minute on this earth while I can and make each minute count.

I am going to share as many smiles as possible

BUT importantly..................

I am going to be kind to myself by resting more often and enjoying my home and garden.

Happy New Year.

Please make your own positive wish list!

 And may all your wishes and dreams come true. 

*************************

Berry Christmas and a Berry Happy New Year

 Berry Christmas 2018

After what seems like a lifetime I am finally back on my blog and how I have missed being here!

I left UK for my Fall USA tour back in October. First I travelled to Seattle where I taught workshops at Daniel Smith Art Store. Here I held four workshops to try to relieve the long wait list there for places on my courses. Thank you so much to the wonderful team there for not only hosting my courses but giving each artist time in the store to discover many wonderful watercolour treasures. 

I then travelled to Kennewick to a new art centre and here taught two workshops before heading to the airport to fly to Florida and my return to Keeton's Art Store. Next I headed to Bonita Springs to complete my tour with further workshops at the Bonita Springs Centre for the Performing Arts. In total I taught twelve workshops and gave three book signing presentations. It was indeed a very full on and hectic time. I visited Miami for a break afterwards before heading home to UK where I immediately threw myself into Christmas preparation.

Thank you so much to everyone who hosted and attended my workshops in each location. I loved meeting everyone and sharing my passion for working with my favourite medium.  This last trip was certainly amazing!

Now I am sat here in my studio with my hands already covered with paint wondering where to begin with all the excitement that lies ahead for 2019. A new year faces all of us and, oh boy, it is a great time of year to be full of determination to not only succeed in discovering new approaches to working with our favourite medium but we should be looking ahead to making each week full of glorious colour applied in fantastic ways to make our artists' soul scream with joy.

I am back.

I am happy.

I am excited.

I am ready for the best year ever.

Are you?

I'm so sorry I have been off my blog for so long but I plan to make up for it. Mainly because I have so many new colours and new techniques to share.

"2019" watch out because here we come!

For now though a belated " Berry Christmas" and a "Berry Happy New Year! "

" Berry Christmas" Close up 

Created using Daniel Smith Aussie Red Gold to make my red shades sing.

Red on its own can be so boring and 2019 is definitely NOT the year to be boring!