Studio Arts Blog

January 6, 2017

If These Wings Could Speak Studio Arts Blog

Mary, Did You Know?

Part of my If These Wings Could Speak Collection, where I take the average person and transform them with wings. I try to find a diverse and sometimes overlooked ethnicity, sexual orientation, or neglected seeming spirit, all practicing being human. I'm sharing how to see differently, how to find our common ground together. It's deeply nourishing to my soul to paint people in an elevated way. Painting them as having the same aspect of 'goodness' we all feel we have inside of ourselves. Everybody has it, somewhere,...

by Emily May

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January 5, 2017

If These Wings Could Speak Studio Arts Blog

In the Aftermath There is Light

I woke up the morning after election night and couldn't believe my eyes. Trump won? I wasn't particularly excited about any of the candidates on the ballot. And I wasn't excited about him either. But I certainly didn't expect a win from that corner. I sat in bed, leaned back and stared at the ceiling, trying to comprehend what this meant. Because, I find him strangely disconnected and unbalanced. And that's the nicest way I can put it. That's not really the kind of guy I expected to...

by Emily May

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January 4, 2017

Morning Sketches Studio Arts Blog

Freak With A Beak

I aptly named this guy (drumrollllll) "Freak With A Beak". Freaks are brave. They hold their heads high. Their tail feathers are proudly displayed. Color shoots from their sometimes awkward (have you seen them walk?) and often quirky selves. You might see a freak in the most unexpected places, let this open you to shine your light so bravely. Fly your freak flag with no regrets, for you are one of a kind and this world needs your voice. Just by being your full, freaky self, you give others permission to be...

by Emily May

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January 4, 2017

Morning Sketches Studio Arts Blog

Who Emu?

Another Morning Sketch that I just adore. I could sit and paint Emus for hours. Not kidding. Have you seen those dreamy eyes?? Well, in this one I had fun playing with my calligraphy pen and ink nib. Which I absolutely love to use. There's something about the scratch of the nib on the paper, the ink control as I press down and the tines separate and ink flows out, sometimes unpredictably. The ink I used in this one was just plain old India Ink and it bleeds....

by Emily May

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January 4, 2017

Morning Sketches Studio Arts Blog

Figs In The Morning

Another one of my Morning Sketches that I did during the month of Inktober. I was having fun playing with some of my M. Graham watercolors and really love this one little tiny spot. On the lower right fig there is a patch where just a twiddle of granulated blue can be seen poking through the glorious purple shades. Because I mixed color on my paper when it was wet. Oh this small thing just makes my morning to witness. Pigment on paper. Smile....

by Emily May

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January 4, 2017

Morning Sketches Studio Arts Blog

Inktober October

In October there is a month long art challenge made by 'Inkologists'. (Made that term up myself.) When I was on WetCanvas I was perusing the boards and saw some folks doing a watercolor version of Inktober. The idea was use pen and ink as a base and main feature but add in a light wash of watercolor. Fun! This was my first one. I did get busy and wasn't able to keep the entire month up. HOWEVER, I did notice something rather perfect about this exercise. It loosened me....

by Emily May

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January 3, 2017

Animals Light The Way Studio Arts Blog

Everything Means Something

Everything means something. In the spirit of keeping paradoxes alive, everything means nothing as well. What I mean is, meaning is completely subjective. (Insert my laughing husband right here. He will tell you that I am right about everything. Smirk.) What I'm really thinking about here is how I just begin to paint after all of these years, and immediately, instead of just painting to paint.. I'm already wanting to add 'more'. To add deep and powerfully moving meaning behind my 'amazing great works!' that are being...

by Emily May