So pretty!

Somerset Studio & YouTube . . .

Helllloooo & Happy New Year!

I hope this finds you happy, well, and in the throws of creating. . . .

As for me, I have an article in the latest Somerset Studio that I wanted to share with you here. It's a bit of a turn from my usual hearts & rainbows, but I'm really proud of the results. Check out, "Unintentional Storytelling" on pages 14-18 of the Jan / Feb issue if you're interested in learning more.

And videos! I have a few newer ones that you may want to take a peep at. I'm excited about my YouTube plans for the new year (read, I'm going to do more) and look forward to seeing where that may take me.

Thanks for poping in and I do hope your New Year is off to a smashing start!

Yours,

Kristin xo

Art Auction for Puerto Rico!

Hi Friends,

I'm honored to participate in a beautiful art auction created by artist and illustrator Jessica Sporn for the victims of Hurricane Maria. 

All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Hispanic Federation, a non-profit charity which moves quickly to help those in need, with 90% of every dollar going to community services. For more on their efforts, please head over here.

The auction will run all week, from Monday, October 30th to Friday November 3rd. To read more about the event and participating artists, check out our Facebook page here.

To see all the auction items and participate in the bidding, please pop over HERE for the DIRECT LINK to Artists for PR.   

I will be offering this 10 x 10 cradled wood canvas, "But I Only Just Wanna Be A Bunny," for the auction. I do hope to see you there!

With light & love,

Kristin xo

Art Journaling in The Dina Wakley Media Journal {3} . . .

"Just keep taking chances and having fun."

-- Garth Brooks

Can't stop. Won't stop. Playing in The Dina Wakley Media Journal. 

But at least I keep recording the process so you can (hopefully) join in my latest obsession. This time, it's the KRAFT paper's turn. . . 

Part {3} - here we goooooooo:

With love,

Kristin xo

Playing in the New Dina Wakley Media Journal . . .

"If you find yourself really asking yourself, 'Am I REALLY a good writer? Am I REALLY a good artist?' Chances are, YOU ARE. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self confident. 

The real one is scared to death."

-- Steven Pressfield

I'm. So. In. Love. with the new Dina Wakley Media Journal! 

Have you seen it? Tried it out? The smoochy thing about it is that it has four (yes, 4!) types of paper within; burlap, watercolor (in a lovely cotton rag), canvas fabric and kraft paper.  

It's unique, exciting and has me wrapped around it's little finger. So much so, that I've decided to do a bit of a series using it on my YouTube channel. 

Wanna see how the first pages came together? Check out the following videos (parts 1 and 2) below:

Thanks for taking a peek! 

Until next time, 

Kristin xo

"Fixing" an Art Journal Page I Disliked . . .

"It's only paint."

-- my Mom

New video is up! 

Working in my Strathmore 400 Series Journal trying to "fix" a page I was hating on . . .

With Love, 

Kristin xo

"How Many Children"

"Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh 

and the greatness which does not bow before children."

-- Kahlil Gibran

This set of 4, 6 x 6 Gesso Board panels really surprised me.

It was my intention to create a pretty little set of canvases using vintage materials and photos wrapped in big blocks of acrylic. I wanted something raw and rough to compliment the soft color of Robin’s Egg Blue, but beyond that, I had no direction.

As I stared to gather materials for the project, beginning with vintage photographs, I decided to focus on children. I had a fabulous old shot of a 3rd grade classroom that I’d been saving forever, and this project seemed the perfect chance to play with it. I added old children’s school papers and assignments, old nursery rhymes, a broken vintage ruler and - this is the best part - an old circuit board of some kind that I found last year in the desert. As I began to piece it all together, the story began to tell itself.

And it wasn't pretty. As I arranged this and that, I saw a pattern emerging; one that I didn’t sign up for. This was dark, a bit ominous and, if I’m being honest, rather creepy. It was a story of child abuse, that was clear, but why it came out of me, the girl who’s usually all hearts and rainbows, I do not know. But, I went with it. And I have to say, it turns out to be something I’m very proud of.

I hope it tells a story without being obvious, and I hope it’s message is one that will inspire others to get out their old ephemera and see what THEY have to say, because the unintentional story telling is, in my view, the most magical part of creating.

Kristin xo