Sharing a whimsical illustration of a poisonous plant is such a little vibe; I really love the juxtaposition of making this killer appear ‘cute’.

It’s so hard to talk about my art because, I will be totally honest, it isn’t that deep. I just like things and want to draw them. For example, in this case, I really like the colors that I am seeing, and I love nature and all of her little babies, so as I was looking for something to draw one day, I stumbled upon this type of mushroom in a textbook and was inspired to do a quick, field studies-type of drawing of it.

I’m not trying to get philosophical or metaphorical here, I’m just drawing for the sake of fun and practice. When I studied drawing, the person I was learning from was very skilled, and I learned so much about “looking with a different eye,” and while that sounds very weird and ominous, it’s such a game-changer in how I observe objects when I draw. I don't really know how to explain it — it's kind of like looking at the object, but also looking past it too, like imagining the back and side that can’t be seen from the current view. It’s also about imagining how the object would feel and its texture, and incorporating that observation into the drawing. It's definitely a skill that helped me improve my work, but now that I am not drawing for a living, I can just draw a heap of wonky mushrooms. I kind of like that.

Thanks for hanging out with me today. Do you have a favorite mushroom?

— R

When I first got into watercolor about 20 years ago, I found a muse that still inspires me to this day and seems to give me endless resources and references. I just love bugs, guys, I love them. Butterflies, moths, spiders, beetles… all of them are exceptionally beautiful and offer so much to the observer’s eye. I’ve been painting bugs (and their cousins) for so long, and I have yet to find boredom in their form.

This particular butterfly is the Cymothoe beckeri, also known as the Creamy Glider Butterfly. It’s also one of my all-time favorite pieces that I have created over the years. It’s a perfect example of the flow state, and I made it during a time when I was discovering, I wasn’t yet a professional artist and selling work, I was just making art to make it, to learn, to enjoy it and play and let whatever happen, well, happen. I feel like you can see that in this one.

I am actively seeking that feeling, chasing the state of joy, flow, and play. I want my work to regress to this moment again and create a joyful space for me to just create without intention. As a retired commercial artist, art was work for so long that it became grinding and grueling, and it just wasn’t the same. It’s been about 5 or 6 years since I left that space, and now, I’m starting to dip my paintbrush in dirty paint water again, and the feeling is, dare I say it, magical.

If you are trying to get into the biz, please know I am not knocking it; I am just sharing that this way, for me, is so much better. I applaud those who enjoy the grind and who chase the work, and I truly hope that you land that deal, baby! This, however, is my little slice of the internet, where I can reflect on the time I spent doing all that hard work that made me hate making art. This space is my little recovery zone, my soft pillow, my ease back into making art for the sake of joy. I hope you enjoy seeing what I created in my past life and what I uncover about this version of myself along the way.

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this little guy, this particular piece and moth are one of my favorites.

— R

Sharing an inky spread of snails from one of my sketchbooks. For these little guys I used Liquitex Liquid inks in a range of browns and a brown fineliner. This page was a lot of fun to reference and make.

I love using old text books or field guides for reference when I am playing around so that I am not only giving my eyes a break from gazing at a screen but also, I feel like it gives me an opportunity to learn more about the subject, there is something about learning why a creature or plant does what it does that helps me understand their personality or energy, and while it sounds really abstract, it can also help me understand how to illustrate them better.

I fell in love with these little snail studies and then got the itch to add to the pages. I really want to start incorporating journaling into my spreads, similar to what one of my favorite artists, Jo Brown, did in her book, Secrets of a Devon Wood: My Nature Journal. I’d also like to start adding more collage to my work.

While I was digging up the images of these snails, I also remembered that I made stickers of them! These are small, I think measuring 2 inches or less, and are so cute for a journal, calendar, or another sketchbook page. I think that a new spread with new snails may be in my future soon.

Thanks for joining me on a walk through this sketchbook spread.

— R

A long time ago, I made this banana in my sketchbook as part of a guided online art class hosted by an amazing creative named Jenny Granberry. I'm sad to say that out of three prompts, I only finished two of them, and since then, Jenny’s site is no more. So I hold on to this page in my sketchbook; it’s probably my favorite page, if I am honest.

Although this drawing is somewhat old, I believe it's at least two years old, possibly more. It’s the page I turn to when I feel like I am not really an artist. It reminds me that I can create, that I’m actually pretty okay at it and that even though time stands between me and my last page, it doesn’t diminish the fact that my art exists.

This thread on my Substack is hopefully going to be my accountability partner. I want to post here at least once a month with something — even if it’s terrible, honestly, especially if it’s terrible because art is meant to be made even if it’s ugly.

So, onward I go into this new chapter of creating art again, filling pages in a sketchbook, writing words, and smearing paint… making it all, at least that’s what I plan to do!

I can feel myself returning to the version of me that was always covered in paint and ink, that didn’t own a single piece of clothing that wasn’t stained by a studio session well spent, that lived on coffee and tea alone because stopping to eat meant leaving the muse at the easel, and we just can’t ever do that! I was created to create, and I exist to take up space creatively and share it.

I’m excited to share it all here! I hope you enjoy it too!

Thanks for reading along and spending your time with me! What should I add to my sketchbook? A bug, a kettle, a squirrel? What little wonder would you like to see next?

— R

During the month of December, I have been fortunate enough to take 22 consecutive days off from my day job. During that time, I will treat my holiday like my own personal artist residency program at Freehand Collective, my shared studio.

Accomodations

During my residency, I’ll stay in a storybook estate designed to resemble a traditional Cotswald cottage, just a few minutes’ drive from the studio. Its staff (i.e., my husband and me!) will prepare meals and host game nights. On-site, the cottage offers Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, and a selection of movies, books, and other relaxing entertainment options.

Meals

During the residency, I will have access to both sit-down meals and grab-and-go fare from the on-site chef (aka, my husband) at the Cottage (aka, my house). During some of the studio outings, I’ll have the opportunity to enjoy tasty local coffee and cuisine from The Little Store and The Iron District, only a short distance from the studio.

Creative Immersion

The studio offers both dedicated and communal workspaces, as Freehand Collective is home to three other local artists specializing in various media. During my time in the program, I’ll have the opportunity to collaboratively create. The studio is equipped with oodles of supplies, Wi-Fi, engaging banter, great music, and ample inspiration.

During my time at the residency, I plan to:

• Challenge myself to complete at least 1 new tarot card

• Write and publish a chapter of my yet-to-be-named story

• Dedicate lots of time to my sketchbooks and fill as many pages as possible

• Read a book

Creative Curriculum

A font of creative, self-paced workshop topics are also available. Hosted by renowned artist Alisa Burke, a collection of courses will be provided (I purchased these a while ago and have let life get in the way of enjoying them), should I find that I need a jolt of inspiration or want to jump into a guided creative warm-up.

Final Thoughts

While it may be silly to pretend that my holiday break from work and real life is the magical artist residency of my dreams, I am doing it! I hope to close out the month of December refreshed and renewed with a new sense of gratitude for the things I have in my life and the folks I get to (and choose to) spend time with. While I won’t have picturesque scenes of the French Countryside filling up my camera roll during this artist-in-residence-staycation, I will have the opportunity to make a lot of art for me and enjoy a much slower pace, which, let’s be honest, is the majority of the appeal for the far-away residency anyway.

Thanks for reading!

Looking forward to sharing some day-to-day glimpses of my artist-in-residence adventure with you all soon!

— R