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July 02, 2024

Should You Pick An Art Style? 🤔

By Dan Tanner  |   in art journal  | Tags: art musings , art journal , tamara laporte , Willowing Arts  

Should You Pick An Art Style? 🤔

Hello Creative Friend,

Hey ho there fellow creative travellers! How are you hanging in there over there? I hope you’re ok and that you are finding moments of joy and creativity in your days and that you take time for breathing and sitting still.

I’ve been busy preparing the final EVER Kaleidoscope 2024 course and prepping a little trip to Scotland with the fam while reminding myself to breathe and sit still for some moments in my days too. Even with all this chaos going on, it’s important, if possible, to take moments for grounding and centring. Not always easy to do but it’s keeping me going, that and spreading kindness, painting my heart out and lately; sending contemplative poetic pieces of writing into the world.

I wrote this on my facebook last week:

“I try.

I keep trying to see the sacred in everything but shadows blur my vision. She said: “When all is dark, consider you might be the light.”

I used to be, the light, but I’m so thin now, emotionally, that is. I’m thinned out by carrying the weight of the world, the weight of the shadows, the weight of myself; too thin to hold it, old bones about to crack, wispy like mycelium but untethered, maybe candy floss in the wind, is the better description, easily melted by a few drops of water, ghostly, transparent. I fear I’ve almost fully faded.

But I keep trying to see the sacred. To *find* the sacred and sometimes I do.

I catch the divine sometimes; it’s on my tongue in a word I speak, or in a paragraph of a book which makes me cry uncontrollably, in a crinkly smile wrinkle on someone’s face, in the lavish rawness of a singer’s voice, in a soft breeze that kisses my cheek, in mysterious concepts like string theory, in silver worn around wrists, in the intricacy of eyelashes, in orange & teal watercolour paint, in someone’s random act of kindness, in loyalty, in my dog who will not give up on trying to get me to pet her furry head, her body language so comical it’s an instant awakening.

Sometimes I’m attuned to the magic that is in every single moment, it’s as if each second is dripping with delectable manuka honey, magic everywhere, buzzing with intelligent electricity, and I am struck by a sense of ‘how could I not see this all along’ and it elicits a chaotic, explosive and colourful galaxy of euphoric emotions in me. It suddenly all makes sense, the profound everything of it all.

And finally, when the shadows come again, and I can feel myself sinking, there is that whisper; “you are the light, you are the light”. And the shadows? They are divine too.”

– Tamara Laporte

And I painted this owl to go with the piece of writing:

Both were very cathartic to create!

And because I’ve not been on youtube for a while, I made another rambly but fun vlog/ studio update/ paint an owl/ warble about things type video for you all the enjoy! 😜

I share a bit about my days, the art I’ve been creating, the books I LOVE reading and I answer the question: ‘Should You Pick An Art Style’? 

WATCH THE NEW VIDEO HERE


And a little heads up:

  1. Expressive Soul Portraits has finished running live, but is now available as a standalone!
  2. Summer Sale: if you wait until August 9th, you can buy Expressive Soul Portraits at a discounted price and many other good deals will be included in this sale too!
  3. Missed the Kaleidoscope Taster Week? You will be able to enjoy a 5 day replay early next week, yay!
  4. Kaleidoscope 2024 – is the final ever Kaleidoscope I will run! Don’t miss out on it, join here if you haven’t already. ♥️♥️♥️

Much love,
Tam ❤️🌟💕

PS. If you have a question for me you’d like answered in one of my youtube videos, pls leave me a comment or simply hit reply on this email and I’ll try to answer it in the next video! 😊

You may also like:

  • Paint An Owl With Me

  • Free Downloadable Print: The wound is the place where the light enters you.

  • Want to win a copy of my brand new book? :D

Comments:

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Mixed media artist, teacher and author. I don’t see all IG msgs. For enq pls email hello@willowing.org - Join Creating Cuties:

In and amongst all the admin work and all the prep there is little to no time for art but managed to grab a small hour to create a quick sweet thing. 😊 🐱 🐈‍⬛ 😍😍😍

Open
In and amongst all the admin work and all the prep there is little to no time for art but managed to grab a small hour to create a quick sweet thing. 😊 🐱 🐈‍⬛ 😍😍😍

Frensies! I’m SO MEGA excited because it’s nearly time! On 1st September, A Year of Magic & Fairy Tales will open for enrolment, and for the first 1,000 magical souls, you can join at the lowest price available (these always go fast, so keep an eye out!).

If you’ve been longing for a year of creativity, comfort, and everyday enchantment, this is your gentle nudge. We’ll wander through glowing forests, meet enchanted creatures, and rediscover the magic hidden in the ordinary, with a sparkling taster event to start our adventure! 🧚✨🦄

We are deep in the trenches of prepping this magical event, I can’t wait to share it with you! 😍😍😍

If your heart needs a warm, creative hug and a sprinkle of fairy dust, this is for you. Full details, teacher line-up, and taster info are coming very soon; watch your inbox!

If you`re not on the newsletter, now is the time to join! Join the newsletter here: https://bit.ly/WillowingNews to be the first to get all the deets!! 😍😍😍 (or link in my bio/ linktree/ stories)

Open
Frensies! I’m SO MEGA excited because it’s nearly time! On 1st September, A Year of Magic & Fairy Tales will open for enrolment, and for the first 1,000 magical souls, you can join at the lowest price available (these always go fast, so keep an eye out!).

If you’ve been longing for a year of creativity, comfort, and everyday enchantment, this is your gentle nudge. We’ll wander through glowing forests, meet enchanted creatures, and rediscover the magic hidden in the ordinary, with a sparkling taster event to start our adventure! 🧚✨🦄

We are deep in the trenches of prepping this magical event, I can’t wait to share it with you! 😍😍😍 

If your heart needs a warm, creative hug and a sprinkle of fairy dust, this is for you. Full details, teacher line-up, and taster info are coming very soon; watch your inbox!

If you're not on the newsletter, now is the time to join! Join the newsletter here: https://bit.ly/WillowingNews to be the first to get all the deets!! 😍😍😍 (or link in my bio/ linktree/ stories)

Celebrate Joy. In 2014, I went on a retreat in Bali with the wonderful Flora Bowley, and for some time afterwards, I found myself playing with the techniques and ideas I learned from her in my own art. I loved discovering all the luminous colours and acrylic brands Flora used; Quinacridone Magenta, Cobalt Teal, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (sadly discontinued, I think), and Turquoise Phthalo have all become favourites over the years!

This painting is one of those where I experimented with methods and ideas from Flora, but you can definitely still see the ‘Tamness’ shining through. The whimsy and quirkiness are classic Tam! I love learning from other artists and weaving little pieces of their style into my own. Over time, this process gradually transforms into something that’s uniquely yours.

That’s why I always reassure my students not to worry about ‘copying’ a teacher’s style too much. In the beginning, you might follow closely; eventually, you’ll drop the bits that don’t resonate, and keep the things that do, putting your own spin on them until, voilà, a whole new style emerges! It’s such a beautiful thing, because we’re all interconnected as humans; we learn from each other in so many ways, and it’s lovely to have a legacy of teachers leaving gentle traces within the art you create.

For me, it speaks to a kind of spiritual oneness. It reminds me how connected we all are to the whole. ✨🙌✨

Have you ever noticed little hints of your favourite artists peeking through in your own work, or a moment when something you learned from someone else transformed into something uniquely yours? I’d love to hear your stories!

This is day 17 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

Open
Celebrate Joy. In 2014, I went on a retreat in Bali with the wonderful Flora Bowley, and for some time afterwards, I found myself playing with the techniques and ideas I learned from her in my own art. I loved discovering all the luminous colours and acrylic brands Flora used; Quinacridone Magenta, Cobalt Teal, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (sadly discontinued, I think), and Turquoise Phthalo have all become favourites over the years!

This painting is one of those where I experimented with methods and ideas from Flora, but you can definitely still see the ‘Tamness’ shining through. The whimsy and quirkiness are classic Tam! I love learning from other artists and weaving little pieces of their style into my own. Over time, this process gradually transforms into something that’s uniquely yours.

That’s why I always reassure my students not to worry about ‘copying’ a teacher’s style too much. In the beginning, you might follow closely; eventually, you’ll drop the bits that don’t resonate, and keep the things that do, putting your own spin on them until, voilà, a whole new style emerges! It’s such a beautiful thing, because we’re all interconnected as humans; we learn from each other in so many ways, and it’s lovely to have a legacy of teachers leaving gentle traces within the art you create.

For me, it speaks to a kind of spiritual oneness. It reminds me how connected we all are to the whole. ✨🙌✨ 

Have you ever noticed little hints of your favourite artists peeking through in your own work, or a moment when something you learned from someone else transformed into something uniquely yours? I’d love to hear your stories!

This is day 17 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

When I was a teenager, I collected elephant statues; by the time I was 18, I must’ve had hundreds. I’ve always adored elephants. There`s something about their grounded presence and quiet wisdom that feels profoundly comforting. I love that they’re matriarchal, that they mourn their dead, that they move through the world with a seeming intelligence and heart.

When Andy and I lived in Sri Lanka for three years, we visited an elephant sanctuary and it was honestly one of the most magical experiences of my life. Watching the gentle connection between carers and elephants moved me deeply. They had a beautiful closeness I silently envied!

So it’s no surprise that elephants have wandered their way into my art again and again. I love painting them both whimsically and realistically. Their shapes are so satisfying to work with: cute chonky feet, soulful eyes, those expressive trunks and giant ears; it’s like they’re built for art! 🎨🖌️

This piece, painted back in 2014, is a special one. I was exploring how to bring more “grunge” and texture into my work; layering deeply, playing with contrasts. The rough, earthy background felt like the perfect contrast to the milky-white skin of the elephant, who gazes out with such a soft, knowing expression. Even here, she seems to whisper: be gentle. be wise. be still.

I hope she brings some of that same quiet comfort to your day, too. 🤍 🐘

This is day 16 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

Open
When I was a teenager, I collected elephant statues; by the time I was 18, I must’ve had hundreds. I’ve always adored elephants. There's something about their grounded presence and quiet wisdom that feels profoundly comforting. I love that they’re matriarchal, that they mourn their dead, that they move through the world with a seeming intelligence and heart.

When Andy and I lived in Sri Lanka for three years, we visited an elephant sanctuary and it was honestly one of the most magical experiences of my life. Watching the gentle connection between carers and elephants moved me deeply. They had a beautiful closeness I silently envied! 

So it’s no surprise that elephants have wandered their way into my art again and again. I love painting them both whimsically and realistically. Their shapes are so satisfying to work with: cute chonky feet, soulful eyes, those expressive trunks and giant ears; it’s like they’re built for art! 🎨🖌️ 

This piece, painted back in 2014, is a special one. I was exploring how to bring more “grunge” and texture into my work; layering deeply, playing with contrasts. The rough, earthy background felt like the perfect contrast to the milky-white skin of the elephant, who gazes out with such a soft, knowing expression. Even here, she seems to whisper: be gentle. be wise. be still.

I hope she brings some of that same quiet comfort to your day, too. 🤍 🐘

This is day 16 of a ‘gentle return to social media’ read more about this practice here: http://bit.ly/3IHFxir 🌱

You are the light. ✨⭐️🌟💫

Open
You are the light. ✨⭐️🌟💫
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