Willowing Arts: Year of Magic Taster Sessions (1-10)

These are the first third of the "taster sessions" from the 2026 mixed media lessons from the Willowing Arts online classes.  They're kind of like a sneak peek or preview of what's to come. I don't know if I'll get to all of them before the "real" lessons begin, but I've enjoyed learning from and working on these!

Drawing & painting a mermaid
[watercolor, colored pencils, paint pens]

Drawing whimsy
[watercolor, colored pencil]

Telling a story with images, torn paper, and marks on journal page
[gesso on journal layout, pencil, colored paper,
glue, paint applied with palette knife]

Finding a face on the textured page with only two colors
[collage scraps, gesso, paint
applied with brush, palette knife, & credit card edge]

Drawing & painting the ultimate magic & fairy tale creature.
[watercolor, colored pencils, paint pen]

Inventing a surreal landscape
[acrylic paint, collage papers, paint pens]

Creating cards with my "word-of-the-year" words from past years.
[cardstock, magazine pictures, photos, glue, collage paper]

Folding a tiny booklet
[paper scraps, stamps, glue, markers]

Putting different reference photos (butterfly, cup & saucer, granddaughter)
 together to create a new image
[watercolor, acrylic paint, marker, colored pencil]

Making "blooms" of watercolor to discover shapes
[watercolor, silver marker]

Little Guy

What 'cha doin' little kitty?

Sweet little thing... Does anyone else get funny cat videos in their feed then scroll and laugh and scroll and laugh and scroll? Yeah, I know there's an algorithm that says I'll click.

I didn't set out to be a painter of cats, but several have popped onto my easel lately. This little guy is a cutie. He looks like he needs to be picked up and cuddled.

Helen, once again you have honored a very special pet for a family member. Barrie, my youngest daughter, made a move in 2018 to start a new life and a new job. She left behind a rascal of a shelter cat she had learned to love. Within a week of moving, she knew she needed a furry friend of her own.  An online photo from the local shelter provided a look-alike kitten who needed a home. It was love at first sight, and the rest is history. “Little Guy” became cat #3 in the family but will always be #1 for Barrie! Thank you, Helen.❤️ 

Original Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Canvas Board

[SOLD]

Guitar Dreams

I never know when the next inspiration will come or where it will come from.

And, I can never guess who the next commission will come from.

If you read my blog or know my work, you know I do love a painting with a story.  Either the painting tells a story, or there's a story behind how the painting came to be.  This one has both.

This is Aaron.  I see Aaron on a regular basis.  By "regular basis," I mean that he comes to my house once each year for the annual termite insurance check up.  Every year as he goes around checking baseboards, he also looks at and asks about my paintings that are hanging on the walls just waiting for their forever homes.  This fall was no different except that he seemed very specific when asking about my paintings... How much did I charge... How long did one take... Did I ever do commissions....

He was interested in a painting for his son.

It turns out that when he's not doing his day job, he plays guitar.  He invited us to a gig, and he's really good. A few days later, he sent me a photo and asked if it would be a possibility to paint it.

I do love a commission piece that challenges me.  This one certainly did just that. 

Usually, the idea is to simplify the photo, paint only the important things and leave out things that don't add to the story.  Well, in this case, just about everything needed to stay. So... I focused on one thing at a time.

It's fun to watch the process. 

Click and enjoy this little 38 second video that will take you from blank canvas to finished painting.

Original Oil Painting on 12"x 16" Wrapped Canvas

[SOLD]

A Vintage Christmas

It's a vintage inspired holiday scene with seaside greens!  Right?

I hope so... 

Every third time, my Weekly-ish Challenge partner and I "go to the cards" for our new task.  

We draw a card from the Subject section, the Color section, and the Wildcard section.

Here were the cards drawn.

And, speaking of drawing... I was drawing a blank... nothing...

Until...

My friend Joyce said, "Look at this cute picture of us putting our Christmas tree up!" 

Ahhhhh!!!! I need that! Send it to me! Can I use it? It's just what I've been looking for.

I'd like to say that Joyce was shocked and confused... No, she knows me.  She just texted me the photo.

Original Acrylic Painting on 8"x 10" Canvas Board

[SOLD]

Mr. Tut Tut

He looks pretty comfortable there, doesn't he.  He doesn't seem to mind having only one eye. My friend showed me several photos, and I immediately knew that this was the one.  He not only looks comfortable, he looks like he owns the place and simply allows his humans to live there too. I didn't know him, but think I would have liked him. 

I'll share my friend's words:

"Thank you, Helen, for honoring Mr. Tut Tut with a beautiful pet portrait. He was adopted many years ago by a cat-loving mountaineer, park ranger who would eventually become my son-in-law. Tut was accompanied by another Maine Coon who Mike named Little Girl. They resided with him in Yosemite National Park and 3 more parks beyond. He was beloved by Mike and Barrie and all who knew him. In Mike’s words, 'He was a singular cat, and everybody loved the big, big guy.' Helen, you captured his spirit."

Original Oil Painting on 7"x 9" Canvas Board
[SOLD]

I Like... (11/25)

 Thank you to Leeanne of Not Afraid of Color for reminding me to notice things I like. 
Click on HER BLOG to see what positive things others like.

I like autumn.
I like watching this tree across the road from our mailbox as it changes with each season.

I like having these little ones come over.

I like gathering eggs. I got my first one in a while!
My silly hens have been on vacation lately.
They molt during the autumn and don't lay eggs.

I like Greece. 
I have to admit that I new little to nothing about it a month ago.
We had 13 days of traveling, seeing, and learning
with 25 friends and family members last month.

I like making Blurb digital photobooks.
If you have any interest in following us on our trip, here's a chance.

Here's the link.

https://www.blurb.com/bookstore/invited/10796863/2c52fd016aaad459f49f80651cdd6675d30623d8

You should be able to see the whole thing.

Click "Preview" on the bottom right of the book.

Then click the arrows at the top to make it bigger.

Then use  your arrow keys to skim through and enjoy!

I like getting all the Christmas presents ordered in one weekend.
Then we try to take care of the delivery guys for the next week.

This is the cutest video from our doorbell camera.  

At the end, the guy says, "Best delivery ever! Best delivery ever!"

In another one, the guy says, "Yes! Oatmeal Pies!"

I like the season.

LeeAnne's  conversation starter topics this month:

What fun board games have you've played? Do you have any games you always do when people gather at Christmas time? I'm just not much of a board game player. 

The holidays can be stressful. What always calms you down when you’re really stressed out and upset?  To be honest, I'm really not easily stressed, but that doesn't mean never.  When I'm stressed I sing "Peace Like a River" over and over and over. 

When peace like a river, attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Another thing I do when I'm worried is to organize a drawer. If I'm still worried, I find another drawer that needs to be organized.

Do you like red and green? What shades do you like best? Just as colors, red is fine, but I rarely choose it.  If I do, it would probably be a deep red that would lean towards purple.  I love green, always. Do they lift your spirits?    Red & green as Christmas colors.  Sure! I like traditional Christmas decorations.with bright red and pine green.

Do you decorate with traditional things year after year? What are they? Can you show us? 

My favorite nativity set. Each of my kids made one in Sunday school when they were 4.  During the three decades since, each of them will always move them to put the ones they made on the front and the ones their sibling made on the back.

No, it's not a mistake. Yes, our N.O.E.L. stocking holders actually say L.E.O.N. When our kids were little, they thought it was hilarious to move them. So, it's been tradition to leave them that way.