I suppose I should share May’s Books of the Week before we get into July!  It’s just been that kind of month.  We can’t keep all of the spinning plates in the air all the time, right? It’s been great to dig into projects, though, and it’s okay that it’s distracted me a little. So, here are my picks for May… I purchased this book when it first came out and it is absolutely fantastic for those interested in oil or acrylic painting.  I bet it covers more material than you would get in a college class.  It is so thorough, yet approachable. It’s not just filled with information, but step-by-step demonstrations that show a variety of classical techniques. Yes, art has a strong artistic component (hence the name), but it is also highly technical.  If you learn and study the techniques your skill as an artist will improve. It

I must pat myself on the back for picking some great books in the month of April!  I feel like I can say that because I just picked them off of a shelf, read them, enjoyed them, and I’m sharing them with you. The Art of Beatrix Potter I enjoyed this book on a few different levels.  First off, I liked learning more about Beatrix Potter as a writer, artist, and creative.  This book is part biography with family photos and details about her childhood and how her stories and art began and evolved. I also enjoyed this book as a subject to study as an artist.  There are so many delightful sketches and watercolor paintings, as you would imagine.  I always learn so much from studying other artists.  I feel overwhelmed at the idea of sketching a street scene, but I can learn how to do it by making

Welp, it’s April 23 and we’re just now getting to March’s books of the week.  That’s just how things have been going lately.  I have definitely put too much self-imposed pressure on myself in a variety of areas and it’s starting to compound.  I know other over-achievers will sympathize.  You know you’re doing fine, but every little thing that slips through the cracks or gets done a little later than desired starts makes you feel like you’re not doing enough.  It’s completely unfair to ourselves and completely ignores the numerous things you’re doing right and well, but it’s a cycle that’s hard to break nonetheless.  Especially when busyness is a kind of sanctuary during stressful times. So, I’m typing it out in the hopes that acknowledgment works as a kind of antidote.  And I’m sharing it in the hopes that others who are feeling the same way will find safety