Are You Ready? It's Getting Closer!

Just wanted to give everyone a sneak peek 

at some more lovely goodness that will be coming up 

in Junelle Jacobsen's online artsy class...

"A Summer Faire".

I'm so jazzed to be a part of the fun. 

I've been getting more and more excited with the postings 

Junelle has put up, giving us a sneak peek at the projects we'll be doing.

Her wreath.... oh my oh my!

And recipes from Rhetta...yummers.

Also getting more and more excited myself, 

making video's and projects to share with a most artsy 

tribe of  lovelies!

There will be herb pots and seed packets...

along with a lovely birdfeeder and birdies of summer.

Sure hope you'll feel inspired to paint, sketch,

and get silly with us. 

There's still time to sign up for the discounted price... 

Time to get your seed packets on!

It's right around the corner....

I can feel the gesso on my hands already!

I am always inspired by the artsy tribe that love all things Junelle!

Hope you'll join us...

Class starts Friday July 10th...

Open House is in one more week and

the discounted price of $32 

ends on July 1 

3 weeks of Summer Art Inspiration.
Click the link above to sign up today!
regular price 44.95 ~July 1

pssst...I've got a secret…an Online Class...

So here it goes… I am over the moon and a little cray cray here.

A few weeks ago... one of my favorite online teachers, 

bloggers, and all around wonderful human beings 

asked if I would like to do a segment on her next online class.

Enter the "woot! woots!" and "happy dancing".

After spending the past couple of weeks figuring it all out, 

and prepping… 

I am thrilled to announce the launch of 

Junelle Jacobsen's 

Art of Spring!

Sign up's are taking place right now 

for the early bird price of $29

Open House is March 28th

Class starts April 1! 

I guarantee there's nothing more fun than getting creative with Junelle. 

Between her loosey goosey journaling style, 

happy flowers, recipes and her forever loving farm family of sheep

there will be plenty to play with as Spring arrives!

Oh, and then there's my part too… 

I've decided to teach a project using watercolor, 

wherein I can demonstrate some wet into wet watercolor technique 

and lots of glazing of color.

The image above shows my rooster and a couple of flower pieces 

that will be part of the little watercolor booklet we'll design...

along with the fun script lettering styles I'll teach how to draw.

Just enough of a simple project to share some watercolor 

love with you all!

So, here's the dealeo… sign ups are going on now…

I have one "FREE" spot to give away in this lovely class.

If you leave a comment HERE on the blog mentioning the class

or on my FACEBOOK page, (include the code: SPRINGART )

your name will be entered into a drawing 

for that FREE class space.

A name will be chosen by 4pm on Friday March 27th

and that person will be notified by email or personal FB message

or on the blog if I don't have your contact info. 

Good Luck everyone! 

This class is truly a blessing in so many ways!

http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com

 p.s. my website is getting all spiffed up and ready for a launch in the very near future…

keep your eyes open for  http://valerieweller.com  …more watercolor… coming soon

What's so BIG About January & February?

(working as an apprentice under the masters, allows one to explore 

the master's style… and later apply to your own works)

Part of my BIG for this year 

was a commitment to learning & growing…

a promise to myself to develop my own art with intent, 

as well as the art that I am teaching.

Kind of like those New Year promises that we make

that involve a gym, losing weight, and eating really healthy.

I am happy to say, that I haven't joined a new gym- 

haven't been drinking green blender drinks either...

 but I have kept the commitment to develop my art 

and I am really happy with what I feel is happening.
Part of the BIG 
was taking two online classes while juggling the rest of life.
Turns out to be one of the best decisions ever!
The quality of the two classes, along with the content has stretched me, 
pushed me, disciplined me, and opened a sense of freedom 
beyond what I was accustomed to in own my process.
So… the recommendation's go like this…
Studying with the Master's
a Jeanne Oliver class with some all-time favorite teachers 
(including my beloved Junelle Jacobsen)...
and Full Circle Workshop with Misty Mawn.
Both are in process, but are accessible online for a year or more.
Both have been instrumental for creative growth bigtime!

The charcoal sketch above and two pieces below are from

 Misty Mawn's Full Circle workshop.

The variety of work Misty teaches is amazing, and the techniques she shares, 

soooo allow you room to build upon. 

The parallel I found here, 

was whether working from 

the "masters" or working 

from a "master"…

you're going to learn about yourself & build upon your own style.

Just as "art learning" should be… 

I can see the BIG part of the past 7 weeks or so... 

to be that self-discovery 

that will only sharpen 

the process, and make my art 

and teaching better for the people I share with.

So grateful that we can learn so much from and with other kindred spirits

through this crazy thing called e-course!

…more master's study with Matisse..

2013... a new word... a new year... another journey...

 The word for this year... 

A D V E N T U R E...

with an emphasis on the word 

"V E N T U R E".

In order to adventure, 

you must be brave.

You have to be willing to step out...

try something new...

something exciting... something risky.

Last year was spent learning, exploring and developing.

This year it will be about

V E N T U R I N G off...

into unknown territory"

with a plan.

(Always good to have that map when you go on an adventure!)

Painting will be predominant. 

There are plans for local workshops and kids classes 

on my map of 2013.

I learned how to make a video

 through the beauty of Vivienne McMaster's ecourses,

(which I highly recommend)! 

Making video tutorial's and/or an ecourse 

in watercolor is also on the map.

All based around "color" 

(my favorite thing) 

and learning to "see".

... and lastly...

I'll be posting an idea for a painting challenge.

Stay tuned for the first posting in February. 

It will be fun, inspiring, and have an end result, 

that's advantageous to all!

oh- yeah... and there's that website that I need to finish up...

(It's on the map of 2013 as well) 

In the meantime, I just cleaned up my blog space to prepare for new things ahead.

I hope you'll join me 

as we journey through 2013

A D V E N T U R I N G

together.

Bring your own map and check back often...

I am sure our paths were meant to cross.

BLOG HOPPING...on a Saturday

Welcome to the official 

Art of Wild Abandonment 

bloghop post!

If you've made it here, you've probably popped by after visiting with the lovely

Valerie Hebert at

www.valsartstudio.blogspot.com

(wasn't her birdie just grand! Love her work- and she has a cool name too!)

This bloghop was created to showcase some of the work that we've created 

after learning from two absolutely fabulous artistes

Junelle Jacobsen

& Christy Tomlinson

There are around 50 artist's that are part of this lovely group 

who have been using watercolor, acrylic, pan pastels, gesso, pitt & scarlet lime pens,

fabric, parchment paper... and the list goes on... 

to create and express in their journal books in their own style.

I first came across Junelle's blog... yes and amen

a year or so ago, 

and I was fascinated, enchanted and just downright hooked 

on her every word and every image.

Immediate connection~ girl crush~ kindred spirit~ God connection....

But it was the journal pages that she posted 

that would touch the inner most part of me! 

I often thought how I'd love to learn to express like that!

And along came this class!

I am forever grateful to Junelle for her teaching...

What a joy it has been creating this book- my art life is forever changed 

having learned a new way to express and create 

alongside a fabulous community of people.

So, I've decided to complete the cover of my journal book 

"a la Junelle"...

Ta DAhhhhhh!

I'm loving the nest feeling, stuck on my watercolor poppies, 

enjoying making leaves out of the pages I tore out from the book, 

and always layering paper and paints to make interesting things happen.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Here are a couple more spreads from the inside of the book. 

I do  L O V E  my watercolor paints!

My previous post highlights one special spread and the story behind it.

Gratitude to all of my bloggy, wild & artsy with abandon friends!!!

When traveling on, be sure to stop by and see what Gina Lee Kim is up to.  

 http://ginaleekim.blogspot.com/ 

Many thanks to Claire at 

http://clairesmillie.wordpress.com/

for her hard work in organizing this bloggy good time!

Seeing the Magic

“Children see magic 

because 

they look for it.” 

- Christopher Moore

Yesterday, I had a lovely opportunity to spend 

a couple hours with my dear friend's grandkids.

We had been talking about 

a painting day for a long time. 

Not only do I have a love for the watercolor medium,

 but I really enjoy introducing children to 

"real"watercolor for the first time. 

It's kind of like...

 taking friend's to Disneyland for the very first time,

and seeing the look on their faces 

when they get off of Space Mountain.

...p r i c e l e s s ...

So, as I am trying to impart some art knowledge, 

and create a fun, playful, experience for the girls,

several thoughts come flooding into my soul....

... children seem to approach painting

u n i n h i b i t e d  

with

w i l d   a b a n d o n

and 

w i t h o u t  r e s e r v a t i o n.

This is my 

t a k e   a w a y, 

every time I work with children.

And it was a 

l i g h t b u l b   m o m e n t 

for me 

when I realized 

that this is the very same thing 

I seem to be striving for 

every time 

I put a brush to paper or canvas.

Perhaps that is why I am loving the concept of intuitive painting

that I learned from Flora Bowley's class. 

Perhaps that is why I love watercolor, 

as it forces me to not be 

so in control of every part of the process...

...and perhaps 

this little painting experience

was timed just right, 

for me to be open 

and anticipate 

*magic!

* I am sooo excited to be participating in an online 

ecourse that starts tomorrow called 

hellosoulbusiness

Another fabulous course taught by the one and only
KellyRae Roberts & Beth Nicholls.

I'll be posting about my experiences in the coming weeks- promise.

Check out the website-
there's still time to join the huge community of creatives!

I'm feeling the magic coming!

and...
...a special thank-you 
to 3 sweet creative little girls
for letting me share 
their beautiful 
artwork above. 

(another beginning of one of my intuitive paintings)

...linking up with Jennifer and the creatives at studiojru -feel free 

to take a peek to see what everyone has been up to!