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: 117-124/365

Wow... this week flew by!

Photo courtesy of my sister, Stevie.

The weather was finally Spring-like, and I definitely took advantage of it... I had a great time helping my sister paint her truck
(but that is a story for another week).

This week, I promised to share more about my trip to Springfield, Massachusetts...

Art by Priscilla Alpaugh

While at the New England SCBWI Conference, I took workshops with Dan Santat, Josh Funk, Russ Cox, and Sara Zarr.  I listened to amazing panels and speeches with incredible authors and illustrators including Jane Yolen, Rita Williams-Garcia, Amy Reed, and Matt Phelan.  I listened, learned, and talked about books.  I volunteered, participated in the Illustrator Challenge, met with an editor, had books signed, and made a lot of new friends.  It was a very full, very fun, and very inspirational, weekend!

It would be impossible to share everything, but here are my top takeaways from NESCBWI 2018...

 Nothing is more important that being good.

Hard work develops talent.

 Practice & push yourself.

Learn from others, but don't compare yourself to them.

 Explore, evolve, & try new things.

and...

Don't be afraid to take risks!

2018: 110-116/365

This past weekend, I went to the New England SCBWI Conference in Springfield Massachusetts.  My days were jam-packed with learning, inspiration, and fun.  I am still processing all of the information I received from the incredible workshops I took (I will definitely post some highlights next week).  But...

In the meantime, I wanted to share some photos from a trip my friend Dee and I took to The Dr. Seuss Museum.

It was so much fun to get a glimpse into the life of Theodor Geisel... I really enjoyed looking at his work space, seeing his original art, and reading letters he wrote to family and friends.  It seems pretty obvious that the man known as

Dr. Seuss would be funny, but I never knew just how clever and fun he really was!

(More from my trip next week...)

2018: 106/365

Cinderelephant

I'm back!!!

It's hard to believe that it was a Spring break.  Snow and ice would definitely suggest otherwise... But that's a story for another day.

The illustration that I was working on before my blogging break reminded me of a Cinderelephant painting I did (shown at the top of this post).  And, since today is also "Save the Elephant Day", I would like to share a variety of elephant art that I've created over the years...

(See the start to finish process pics here.)

(Find out about this painting's unusual inspiration and see the process here.)

I hope you found this post as fun as I did...

(I didn't remember how many elephants I've created over the years!)

You might think that I've had my fill, but seeing this actually makes me want to make more elephant art in the future!

2018: 57/365

More inspiration for the journey.

2018: 55 & 56

I took a very big step this weekend.

2018: 54/365

Today's wisdom courtesy of The Daily Wonder App.

2018: 51/365

This quote is ringing especially true for me today.

While working on a big project, shiny new ideas kept popping into my head... Over the course of my workday, I came up with four new picture book ideas!

(If my PB critique partner happens to be reading this, please don't worry... I'm just jotting the ideas down so that I can stay focused on the task at hand!)

2018: 14/365

I believe that in order to keep the creative well full, it's important to spend some time outside the studio.  Today I wandered around Buffalo ReUse gathering inspiration.

2018: 11/365

I spent most of my day working on a project that I can't share yet.  But, even when I'm busy working on one thing in particular, I always try to keep my eyes open for new and different things that might be a source of inspiration for a "rainy day".  Some say I'm easily distra... ooh, something shiny! ...cted,

but I say I'm just gathering resources.

While taking a break this afternoon, I looked out the window and saw the ice formation pictured above.  I was fascinated by the warped landscape created within the curves of the ice.  And, although I'm not sure what this photo will inspire, I know there is possibility trapped in that ice just waiting to be let out.  So, for now I will put it in a folder I keep on my computer labeled "inspiration".  Then, when the time is right and the icy idea has had time to thaw and percolate, I'll be ready.

2018: 8/365

Today's I am implementing some advice from Jess Keating's Storystorm post.  It was a fantastic post filled with so much useful information.  (I would highly recommend reading it if you're interested in learning more about tapping into the inspiration that is all around you.)  

2018: 4/365

"Thinking of Ewe"

It's nice to know that you're not alone...

I am still in the rosy honeymoon phase of my 2018 Creative Every Day challenge.  But... I can already feel some of the old anxiety about sharing unfinished, warm-ups, exercises, and sometimes just plain crappy artwork.

I really want to stick with it (giving up is not an option!), not just because it will push me out of my comfort zone, but because I think it might help other hesitant artists decide to put themselves out there more...  I love the community of artists I've found online, and I really think we have so much to learn from one another.

There are so many artists that I find inspiring for so many reasons, and I'm looking forward to sharing some of them with you.  One artist who I am currently drawing motivation from is Erika Lee Sears.  Erika is beginning her fourth year of making art every day, and she has a lot of useful advice for anyone embarking on a similar journey.
Her rules for the Art Every Day project are:

1. Make art every day, no matter how big or small. Any medium counts. Even if I draw a stick person or just snap a blurry photo, the point is just to make art.
2.  I am not allowed to give up. This is very important.
3.  I am not allowed to throw away any artwork or rip out any pages in my sketch book. I am allowed to start over. I am not allowed to start painting over canvases or ripping out pages in my sketchbook.

That sounds good to me!

2018: 2/365

Sometimes you just need to see things with fresh frozen eyes...

Yesterday, my uncle sent me a link to an article in The Washington Post about how spectacular Niagara Falls looks right now.
I have lived a short car ride away from the falls my entire life, and like many things that are in our own backyard, I have come to take the magnificence of this natural wonder for granted.  Reading a national news article about it was just the wake-up call I needed.  So, late yesterday afternoon the boys and I bundled up and headed north...

Now, I think I need to express how intensely I dislike cold weather... So much so, that when I asked Bob if we could go check out the frozen falls he said, "Who are you?!?"  But, there is something about the start of a new year that makes me want to shake things up and get out of my comfort zone.  
And, I'm so glad I did... The view was breathtaking!  
(Literally.  Record low temperatures combined with mist that freezes in the air and turns to mini-ice-daggers-that-stab-at-your-face will actually take your breath away!  Hahaha!)

It turns out that once I got past the extreme cold,
I was left with some pretty remarkable inspiration...
Today I played with textures based on yesterday's view.

Things I experimented with:
- Scratching into the paper before applying a watercolor wash
- Using a glue stick, and white crayon as a resist (to keep white areas) before applying a watercolor wash
- Torn paper as relief
- Using torn paper edges as a "stencil" for pastel application
- Applying paint with plastic wrap
- Layering all of the different techniques

2018: 1/365

Happy New Year, Friends!

Whaaat? The subject line from an email I received today. (My name is not Jeff.) Hahaha!

It is probably no surprise that I've been doing some reflection the past few days.  I love beginnings (especially the start of a new year)... but, as a recovering perfectionist I also have a tendency to put a lot of pressure on myself.  This year, I've decided to approach 2018 a little differently...

My (very well-timed) fortune!

The new year is usually about putting your best foot forward and trying to fix imperfections...  But now I'm wondering what if...

I decide to accept that life doesn't have to be perfect to be good?
I find a way to accept the wonky bits & maybe even enjoy them?
I share more?  (Even the not-so-pretty stuff.)

Pulling back the curtain...

This is scary for me, folks.  In a carefully curated internet world, it can appear that you're the only one who doesn't have it all together.  As I write this and commit myself to sharing more, I feel nervous.  But... I'm hoping that you can relate to my desire for authenticity, and that you'll join me as I journey into 2018 (messy parts, and all)!

p.s.  I have decided to *try* and share something about what I'm up to every day (Creative Every Day style).  In order to take some of the pressure off and set myself up for success, I've decided to keep my post titles simple to reduce "decision fatigue".

p.p.s.  You can click here for an article I found very interesting about "decision fatigue" and "the science of simplicity" 

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/

I'm baaaaack!!!

For reasons I will not bore you with in this post, I am officially beginning my new year right now!  Yes, I am a month late, I have no resolutions, and I have no word of the year...

But... What I do have is fresh perspective, a whole lot of enthusiasm, and a motto for the year to come... Let's Dudish!

So, what does "Let's Dudish!" mean?
For me, it's a reminder to:

Stay true to myself, my goals, and the things that make me feel alive.

Say "Yes!" to opportunities that make my heart sing, and politely decline ones that don't speak to my soul or that just don't feel right.

Take better care of myself physically, emotionally, and mentally... 
And, be kind and gentle with myself along the way.

Leave plenty of time for play.

and...

Have fun!

I'm really excited to (finally) be leaping into the new year...
I've missed blogging and YOU!

I would love to hear what your plans are for 2016!
(If you wrote a New Year's post, 
leave me the link in the comments so I can catch up!)

Life Book 2016 Giveaway Winner Announced AND Something For Everyone!

Wow!  I have been blown away by the amazing response to Life Book 2016 so far!  I am really enjoying meeting so many new people - it has me SO excited to teach next year... I wish I could giveaway a spot to all of you!!!  

But since I can't, and since I don't want anyone to walk away empty handed, I drew & painted a FREE (hi-resolution) inspirational piece of art for YOU...

click on image to enlarge, save, print, etc...

(personal use only please)

Please feel free to save it, download it, print it, frame it, hang it, etc... 
(As long as it's for your personal use).
I'm really looking forward to seeing where our imaginations take us next year!!!

Now, onto the Life Book 2016 Giveaway...
(My son, Tyler, was so excited to pick a random name from the hat!)
The winner of 1 spot in the AMAZING year long course is...

Congratulations Kim Costello!

Thank you to everyone for sharing your enthusiasm about Life Book 2016!  (It's totally contagious!)  For those of you still hoping to win a spot, there is still time to enter the other giveaways (see my last post for the list).  And (just in case), please be sure to bookmark this link to sign up for Life Book 2016 when it goes on sale on October 5th!

Don't forget to download my Einstein drawing, and I look forward to seeing you in class!!!

Where Inspiration Comes From

Would you believe me if I told you that this drawing was inspired by an oil spot in a parking lot?!?

While walking through a parking lot after a storm last week, I came across a perfectly circular, perfectly beautiful oil spot on the wet pavement.  (Yes, I'm the crazy lady that stops in the middle of the road to take photos of the ground!)

The rainbow spot reminded me of the sharpie tie-dyed t-shirts that I had just helped Tyler's class make at their year end party.  That made me wonder if I might be able to re-create the same effect on paper.  So, after an unsuccessful attempt using sharpie markers, rubbing alcohol, and index cards, I pulled out my water soluble markers and started to play....

There is tremendous joy to be found in experimenting with supplies in new ways!  In the end, it turned out that the simple combination of water soluble markers and a spray bottle filled with water created some pretty remarkable results.

And to think, it all started after seeing an oil spot!  
It just goes to show how important it is to keep your eyes open, because...

Inspiration is everywhere!

A Colorful Train Of Thought

This week, the colors for The Summer of Color were pink and orange.  Even though I don't use those colors all that often, I had a lot of fun with them...  They even led me on a 
"If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" type adventure!
Here is how it went:

If you give an artist a color (or three),
she will create a flower...

After she paints her flower,
she will want to put them in someone's hair...

The girl with flowers in her hair
will make the artist think of butterflies...

The butterfly will remind her of the pinks and orange
she started with...

And if she paints with those colors,
She'll want a few more!

(I can't wait to see what next week's colors are...)

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.