This Week On My Table

It's Monday! I use to dread them, but now I find myself looking forward to them.
I'm always happy to get back to work. Here's a peek at what's on my painting table this week.
I'm finding more time to paint, and I'm looking forward to adding many more originals to River Luna.

 I'm also feeling more earthy tones and subtle shades.

A shot of my painting in process. I use watercolors and go in with white gouache for the fine details.
Everything I work on is nature inspired, so I keep a lot of stones, coral, shells, and plants in my work space.
My large abalone shell works perfectly as a separate pallet for my white paint.
It's a nice way to feel that connection as I paint.

Feathers await their patterns...

Royal Antler Stone, new in shop - In the meantime I'll be using it as my paperweight while I paint.

Painted Stones

My mind just flooded with this childhood memory, something I'd completely forgotten about. I must have been around 7 or 8 when I began drawing diagrams of the human heart. It was so interesting to me, this device that kept us going, living and breathing. This piece that we pay so much attention to, and look at as a guide. "Follow your heart" they say. Even still, when something moves me deeply, my thoughts are "there's so much heart in it". 

I had this large photo album, with those old fashion photo album pages that you had to lift the clear plastic, place the photo, and stick back down to stay in place. Yes, those old things. Well that was my drawing book, paired my my white board dry erase pen which I was thrilled to use since all the teachers at school had them. I was an only child and completely in my own world. I spent hours trying to perfect the anatomy of the heart. I would draw in my old school photo album and erase with my very special marker, until I had it perfect. Once mastering, I learned about the four chambers, and the way our blood circulates throughout. It's such an interesting memory, and for whatever reason, it was very special to me. 

It's inspired me to get into Valentines Day this year and create some fun designs for the occasion. 

In the meantime, here are some of the stones that will be listed tomorrow in shop. The heart and arrow is specially for Valentines Day, and I plan on doing some anatomical hearts as well!