In today’s project, I feel all the things that I’ve been experimenting with over the last year coming together.

And that’s what all the practice and play is about. To get new tools for our art tool belt.

I brought together new texture making ideas with paper and sandpaper, a bold color palette and bits of paper peeking through the layers. So many little things that I’ve picked up this year that I’m excited to start putting together.

I even made 3 new stencils just for this project.

Also, today’s inspirational book is called Botanicum, it is a visual feast for the eyes and I will be inspired by this book for a few week I think.

My other inspiration for this piece was from a note from Morgan Harper Nichols. I have an app on my phone that I subscribe to called story teller by Morgan and its daily encouraging prompts and journaling space. I love it! But this week one of the messages was called practicing hope one day at a time.

Morgan talked about how sometimes we want this giant event to happen that will bring us hope. But it’s in the noticing of the little things that we can find our hope and joy.

Hope is practice and if we can find little moment to be grateful for everyday…. that is when hope takes over.

When we notice the sunrise, or a yummy dinner, or the laughter of our loved ones, or a song that we love and so many other little things that we overlook in the business of each day.

I share more about this and the project in the video. I hope you enjoy it and always know that you are loved!

This Original is available HERE and the prints HERE

Supplies used:

1. 12 x12 wood panel
2. Liquitex fluid matte medium
3. Liquitex gesso white
4. Blick matte black acrylic
5. Acrylic paints – green gold, olive green, cottage white,
6. Nova color paynes gray acrylic
7. Winsor and Newton raw umber
8. Utrecht gesso
9. Soft pastel pencils, and soft pastel sticks, Generals charcoal pencil
10. Daler and Rowney paynes gray acrylic ink
11. Brayer, sanding block 120
12. collage paper
13. Wet-strength tissue paper

Stencils used: THESE WILL BE ON SALE THIS WEEK

1. Botanicum algea large
2. Botanicum algea
3. Botanicum ginkgo