20 Years Ago Today

I am sharing this post as a reminder to myself (and anyone else that might need to hear it) that dreaming big and not being afraid to go for it can lead to some pretty amazing adventures.

Today marks the 20 year anniversary of that time this mural (and my friend & business partner, Zoë, and I) were on the Oprah show after a whirlwind trip to Racine Wisconsin (and Chicago!) to paint a surprise mural for one of Oprah’s angels, Julia Burney (now Witherspoon).

In April 2001, our mural and decorative painting business was still just a fledgling company... I was a young, wide-eyed dreamer who was only a few months away from getting married. When Zoë and I saw Julia’s inspiring (and close to our hearts) story, I had no doubts about what I wanted to to. I wanted to volunteer to paint a mural for her new reading center, so I immediately emailed Oprah... No second guessing, no hesitation, no questioning whether or not it was a crazy idea.

Looking back, there is a lot that I can learn from my younger self. So, to celebrate this special day, I thought it would be fun to share some of the things that I knew then (without even realizing it!!), but need a reminder of now:

1. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. So, you might as well PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE.

2. POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS, if you...

3. DREAM BIG, WORK HARD, and GO FOR IT!

4. It’s okay to be nervous... Feel the fear, but DO IT ANYWAY! And, finally...

5. FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD.

If you’re interested in reading more about my time on Oprah, you can find the whole story on my website HERE.

I would love to hear about what big dreams YOU are dreaming today!

(Please share them with me in the comments!)

2018: 54/365

Today's wisdom courtesy of The Daily Wonder App.

2018: 47/365

Tomorrow is Random Acts of Kindness Day!

Above is a poster I created (in action)...

You can print out copies of this poster

and other kindness goodies I've created here.

2018: 24/365

Happy National Compliment Day!

Armed with post-its, pens, and positively punny praise, Tyler and I headed out to spread a little kindness today...

(Since it is also National Peanut Butter Day, we had to make sure to include some of the nutty stuff in one of our compliments!)

Leaving little notes of encouragement is one of my favorite things to do.  I even created some free printable kindness cards, in case you're interested!

When All Else Fails... Make Art.

I have been at a loss for words lately.
I have been feeling all sorts of feelings, but I can never seem to find the right words to express them.  

When I was little, I was painfully shy.  (So shy in fact, that school conferences were arranged to discuss my shyness.)  While I had a difficult time speaking up in the typical verbal sense, I discovered a way to communicate that didn't involve words... Art.  Throughout my life, I have found that even when I don't know what to say, I can turn to my familiar friends, drawing and painting, to help see me through... It's my visual voice.

Since I currently find myself in the all-too-familiar predicament of struggling to verbalize my feelings, I was excited to read this post by Alisa Burke.  When she shared the #artistsforlove movement that a beautiful and generous group of artists have started, it felt like a call to the easel.  
This is my offering...

Click here for a hi-resolution downloadable & printable version.

Please feel free to download, print, and share this image.  Or, if you feel called to do so, create your own image for the #artistsforlove movement.  I love the idea of humans around the world creating beauty for a common purpose, don't you?

No matter where you live, no matter what you believe, I think we can all agree that we could all use a little more kindness right now.

(A painting I made of Patience in February 2014.)

Even though I often struggle to find the right words, I am very grateful to know people who don't.  My friend Patience Salgado is a kindness revolutionary, and her words are magic.  I am so happy to be able to share them with you...

Kindness is not doing acts to appease our guilt

or to try to prove our goodness,

Revolutionary Kindness asks us:

.....to be bold in our resistance to what we know is not right/true

for our fellow humans…

...to be honest with each other and ourselves about the state of our nation (and hearts) and the ways we have individually contributed…

...to be willing to be uncomfortable while we learn the nuances and implications of our white privilege…

...to keep trying when we get it wrong…

...to be quiet and listen to the groups of people who have a different

skin color, religion, sexual orientation and abilities…

...to be ridiculously bold in our belief of the power of empathy and kindness…

...to act, to serve, to give - not because we are good people,

but because we *know* and deeply feel our own humanity...

and know just how much we need each other

and how much we need kindness ourselves…

...to believe that kindness can change or touch something

when no one else around you can see or believe it…

....to take kindness to places where none seems to exist, or to seek and discover it in the unimaginable…

...to try, just try kindness as a way of understanding the world and yourself…

...to offer what we have and nothing more, not to save the world, not to fix, but to follow our call as humans - the outcome is not our business.

This kindness humbles you, makes you fierce, stretches you in ways you didn't see coming, checks you, heals you, reveals your biases, comforts, disturbs, empowers, surprises...it changes *you*. ❤️

-Patience Salgado

You can read the original post at:

https://www.instagram.com/kindnessgirl/

Oh, How I Love This Challenge!

Daisy Yellow's Index Card A Day Challenge has officially started, and I couldn't be happier!  Creating a daily drawing or painting on an index card is liberating...  It's a chance to play without having to worry about any specific goal or the finished product.
I'm having a blast!

So without further ado, here are the cards I've created so far...

Kristin Dudish     icad #1

Kristin Dudish     icad #2

Kristin Dudish     icad #3

Kristin Dudish     icad #4

Kristin Dudish     icad #5
(National Donut Day)

Kristin Dudish     icad #6

Kristin Dudish     icad #7

Kristin Dudish     icad #8  

Kristin Dudish     icad #9

If you're interested in seeing my daily progress, I've been posting them to my Instagram account.

Happy World Smile Day!

(click on image to enlarge and print)

Happy World Smile Day!

In honor of World Smile Day, 

I am posting one of my favorite freebies again :)

It's easy to share a smile (or 28!)...

1. Print the poster on a full size sheet of paper.

2. Fold (accordion style) along the horizontal dotted lines.

3. Unfold and straighten out paper.

4. Use a scissors to cut along the solid vertical lines.

5. Hang the poster wherever you think someone could use a smile!

You can find more of my kindness freebies here.

The "Unselfie" Project: Process Pictures & Questions Answered

The response to The "Unselfie" Project has me excited, nervous, thrilled, anxious, giddy...  All good things, I think, when you're working on something new and something you're passionate about.  In addition to observations and critiques, I have been receiving lots of questions through comments, messages, emails, and phone calls!  I love the questions because they challenge me to focus on my intent and provide me with an opportunity to see things through the viewer's eyes.
So, since there are many questions that keep popping up, I thought it would be a good idea to put the answers to the "frequently asked" all in one place...

The layers of "Stevie"

What is The "Unselfie" Project?  
How did you come up with this idea?
The "Unselfie" Project is:
The unselfish desire to see beyond the "selfie"... To learn more about the layers of personality behind the photo.

This project was born from the idea that everyone wants to be seen, not just looked at, but really seen.  This project is a way for me to combine my passion for painting with my passion for kindness.

The layers of "Casey"

Where do these faces come from?
With a few exceptions, the faces come from "selfies" that were posted to either instagram or facebook.  (I also feel it's important to mention that I ask permission to paint their picture.)

How do you come up with the words that go with the paintings?
The words are a very important part of the project, they work in tandem with the painting.  People are so much more than what you see on the outside, or in a single photo.  The words describe the things you may not be able to see, but that are (some of) the qualities that make the person unique beyond their physical being. 

The layers of "Lisa"

What size are these paintings?  Are they on canvas?  What is your technique?  What medium do you use?  How do you create your backgrounds?
All of these paintings begin on an 8" x 8" square piece of 140lb. watercolor paper.

I begin each "unselfie" by writing (with an ordinary graphite pencil) about the person who I am painting.  It is a way for me to set my intentions for the piece, and they are the same words that accompany the finished painting.  After I am finished writing, I start adding some colors that remind me of the person (usually with watercolors or watercolor crayons).  Then I start playing while still thinking about the person... Just as each person is unique, so is the process.  Some of the techniques I use in my background layers include:  drippy writing (of more words inspired by the person), finger painting, stamping and stenciling (I like to cut my own stamps and stencils whenever possible), collaging papers that mean something, more painting...  I just like to build up lots of layers.

The face is painted using shades of paynes gray (acrylic).  When I paint a face I start with a quick sketch (in graphite if the background is light, or white charcoal pencil if the background is dark).  Then, I roughly paint in the values using a (fairly wide) flat brush.  I keep going back in with successively smaller and smaller brushes until I'm finished.  (Adding detail to the eyes is always the very last thing I do.)

The layers of "Patience"

What is the point of creating so many layers if you just cover them up anyway?
I love this question!  The layers add depth, both literally and figuratively, to each painting.  Just like it takes many layers of personality to create a whole person, it takes many layers to create each painting... Sometimes the layers peek through and you get a glimpse, other times the layers are hidden beneath the surface...

The layers of "Jenny"

Why aren't the faces in color?
When I was in college (many years ago!), I was taught that paintings should start with an underpainting (a monochromatic value study).  My professors explained that the better the underpainting, the more depth the subsequent painting would have.  We always added color, sometimes limited color, but we always added color on top.

It wasn't until very recently that I realized there is a beauty in the underpainting all on its own...  And for this project, leaving the underpainting "as is" seemed very appropriate...  The "exposed" portrait in shades of gray set against the vibrant background layers creates a contrast that adds even more depth to each painting.

Thank you so much for all of your comments (and questions!) about my paintings... I am so excited about this project, and all of your interest helps keep me motivated!

Jenny

Jenny

Jenny is... a nature lover and camper who thoroughly enjoys her family time... bravely exploring, magically traveling, and opening her heart to adventure... prolifically and passionately painting portraits... squeezing in as much studio time as possible... learning, teaching, and sharing her love of "the masters"... turning her dreams into realities... She is #beautifulinsideandout, #morethanaprettyface, and #beyondaselfie.

The 29 Faces Challenge: "Kindnessgirl"

Patience

Patience is... looking through her lens and capturing magic... passionately paying tribute to her family... a kindness pioneer and guerrilla goodness guru... paying attention and listening with love... connecting, laughing, sharing, and embracing (even the messy parts)... lighting a path and changing the world one bulb at a time...feeling it all deeply... She is #beautifulinsideandout, #morethanaprettyface, and #beyondaselfie.

The 29 Faces Challenge: Happy Random Acts Of Kindness Day!

In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day, 
I have created 28 faces...

(Click on the image to enlarge and print.)

28 Smiley Faces!
(Please feel free to share!)

It's easy to spread some kindness...
1. Print the poster on a full size sheet of paper.
2. Fold (accordion style) along the horizontal dotted lines.
3. Unfold and straighten out paper.
4. Use a scissors to cut along the solid vertical lines.
5. Hang the poster wherever you think someone could use a smile!

You can find more of my kindness freebies here.

The 29 Faces Challenge: Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day Friends!

It seems very appropriate that I am sharing the latest portrait in my "Unselfie Project" on a day that celebrates love, because Lisa and her family are self-proclaimed lovers of the holiday.  (When you read more about her you'll see why...)

Lisa

Lisa is... a creative mama... seeking joy and paying attention to life's little moments... actively grateful... cozy cuddle coordinator and creator of the adorable "GFU Bakeshop"... kind and supportive... playful with color and maker of magical garlands... filling her home with beauty, love, and happiness... She is #beautifulinsideandout, #morethanaprettyface, and #beyondaselfie.

The 29 Faces Challenge: #3 (A Work In Progress)

(Layer #3 of #3)

I would like to start this post by thanking you for all of the kindness, support, and encouragement you've been giving me about my latest series of paintings!  I have received multiple questions/comments/emails about my process, and I plan on writing a post about it (I've taken lots of progress pics), but until I do I wanted to give you a little glimpse of my latest painting in progress...

(Finally starting to draw in the face after 7 background layers.)

Be sure to check back to see the finished painting!

The 29 Faces Challenge: #2

Casey

Casey is... a good sport... sweet and sometimes bashful... sassy but kind... the youngest of five, but definitely not a "baby"... caring, gentle, and eternally attentive... creative, bright, and passionate about music... always ready to belt out a tune... a supreme songstress and daring doo-wopper... courageously going for it... She is #beautifulinsideandout, #morethanaprettyface, and #beyondaselfie.

The 29 Faces Challenge: #1

Stevie

Stevie is... eager to help... a good listener... kind and generous... a creative thinker and wonderful word weaver... artistic...  best friend to "Bellie Bean"... sometimes shy, sometimes silly, sometimes serious... super smart and wickedly funny... an adventurous fire spinner... curious, strong, and brave... She is #beautifulinsideandout, #morethanaprettyface, and #beyondaselfie.

To Tracey With Love (And Humor!)

(a page in my sketchbook)

I originally created this drawing for my Clooney-and-tea-loving pal, Tracey, in July.  Then, when EVA & I decided to host a tea party for her, I thought it might be fun to revisit this drawing and play with some new ideas...

It started off pretty harmless.  I printed my drawing and cut it out to try different backgrounds.  But, knowing how much Tracey shares my love of silly (and actually encourages my antics), I couldn't stop there...

So I took George for a ride.

(Yes, that's George Clooney in my passenger seat.)

I brought him with me to the post office.

And, I took him to the grocery store.

(It's pretty appropriate that this photo was taken by the bananas.  Because, if you are taking pictures with a cardstock cut-out of a George Clooney drawing, people are going to look at you like you are... bananas.)

Since George is truly a gentleman, he wouldn't think of attending Tracey's Tea Party without bringing flowers.

Or chocolate!

(I had so much fun with George, I can see why Tracey loves him!)