We are all goddesses, in our own special way. Just need to trust her. Something I believe in and still learning to do. Having a teenage daughter is a constant reminder of how important this is. Teen years are so hard, the insecurity, the need to be accepted, to fit in. Thankfully it gets better with age…

Watercolor painting. Think she looks a little different from my usual paintings… a touch of anime? Painted her with no reference. Must be my muse speaking to me😉

The recent tragic event in Charlottesville rocked the core of my being. I cannot believe it happened.. in this day and age…. in this wonderful country I call home.

I have never felt afraid being a minority here. On the contrary, I have always been grateful for the opportunities I have been given. And felt welcomed here. To be clear, I work hard and proud of the life I have been able to build.

I am shocked and sad to see bigotry rear its ugly head more and more boldly these days. We seem to have taken so many steps backwards.

That said, I am also inspired by the people speaking up against it. Bigotry thrives on silence. We have to speak up!
We are better than this. We can fight this! With love, not hate. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Butterflies fascinate me. They are so beautiful and delicate. You would never have known that they emerge from caterpillars and have to go through such hardship to transform to what they are. Thank you nature for your inspiration and lesson.

Mixed media page in my altered book. Collage, acrylic paint, stencil, molding paste and doodling.

Why do we get angry? Where does that instinct to fight back come from? Sometimes it is irrational, you just want to lash back. Sometimes you find yourself acting like a child when you fight back, it is emotional not rational. Perhaps it’s our inner child taking back its power? Protecting us?

Inspired by the picture of these rag dolls I saw in a magazine. Created a mixed media piece in my alteredbook and added journaling in it. Acrylic paint, stencil with molding paste, doodle, marker pens.

Sometimes silence is the best answer. Sometimes, the words just get stuck in your throats and can’t get out. And sometimes it is best not to say anything. I still have a lot to learn here..

Watercolor painting. Practicing drawing hands. And using different colors for the skin tone.

I find the creative process fascinating. I don’t have a vision in mind when I start and the end result always surprise me.. in a good way. Thought I would share my process with you. Wonder if any of you can relate to this.

I usually start with drawing a face. Then I begin to paint the face, leaving her eyes to the end. It is so satisfying when I paint her eyes in and she comes to life. Then comes the question, what color her hair be? Usually it’s a trial and error. In this case I decided on reds and oranges.

Then comes the most difficult part… what should I do about the background? Should I leave it blank? Paint? Collage? Today,  I decided to go with some texture and pattern. It was fun to do…

And once that is done, I look at her and wonder what she is trying to say. With some key words in mind, I turn to Pinterest to find a quote to express it. In this case, the quote by Dorothy Parker spoke to me.

Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.

So true….