My creative process

Today I've been thinking a lot about my creative process. I guess it's different for other people, but for me it is a wild ride. First an idea starts small in my mind. I visualize the project coming together and very often switch it around many times in my imagination. I thoroughly enjoy this process as it gives me a chance to make the project over many times without using any resources other than my time. I can change everything about the project, the colors, scale, etc. Finally, when I'm ready to commit my idea to canvas, start the quilt, begin to sculpt, or write it down, (depending on the kind of idea I'm noodling) I love the beginning. I'm thrilled as my vision begins to take shape...

Then, almost always at the half way point, I HATE it! It's wrong, what was I thinking? Since this always happens, I push past the middle point and begin to fall in love again. Once it's finished, (in the case of a painting) I sign it and put it up on the mantle. When I pass it, I have mixed feelings of love and displeasure as I see what I think are imperfections. Within a couple of days, the imperfections become my favorite parts and I no longer want to part with the project at all! :)

Here are my latest pieces. I'd love to hear your process, too!

Monarch on California Poppy (16x16) on the mantle.

Monarch on Sunflower II with Karen Wall Garrison's little gift

New butterflies just in time for my big show on Friday

I just finished these little paintings for the art show I'm doing on Friday. I'm so excited! Please stop by J27 Gallery between 2 and 9 this Friday, September 16. Check out my web site www.LauraPallatin.com events section for more info!

Butterfly and Lantern Gallery visit

Jim and I went to visit Sunshine, the owner of the gallery in Pacific Grove that carries my art, Butterfly and Lantern. Since I've been invited to show my work at J27, we motored over to the coast to get a few of my pieces so I'll have plenty to show. Here's a picture of me at the gallery with Sunshine.

While I was admiring Dick Crispo's work, I noticed this cute little birdie pair in a nest that I created! How fun! Now I've been shown with Dick Crispo! I'm really moving up in the world. :)

Two galleries have invited me to show my art!

Can you believe it! On Thursday, I received two requests for my art! As I type this, I'm in denial... My artwork is wanted... I'm so excited!

So, just to let you know, this didn't happen all at once. One gallery (Heart & Soul - more info at http://www.facebook.com/HeartnSoulStore) is also a shop which sells my book, cd's, and pendants. The owner, Carly, has been working on her gallery for some time. I wasn't sure that my work was what she envisioned for her shop, so I didn't really say any more than, "If you'd like to see my work, to see if it fits in, let me know and I'll bring a few pieces by." Well, she went to my website (www.LauraPallatin.com) and checked my work out herself and decided that my work is what she wants! Woo-hoo!!!

The other gallery, in downtown Sacramento called J27 (www.j27gallery.com) was recommended to me by another gallery I am in called Trezhurs in the Land Park section of Sacramento. I submitted some images of my work and was invited to do a showing on a Friday, September 16th!

I guess that this success feels sudden, but really it's the result of working on my business. Every day I get up excited and happy because I get to work on products that help people feel good. Be it art, pendants, books, cd's, cards... they all go together to help people live happier lives.

Blessings,
Laura P.

EnVision Cards

I've been working on putting together a workshop to share my love of art as well as support people in their personal goals. The result is EnVision Cards. The cards are 2.5 x 3.5 (ACT/ACEO size) and are all inspirational in theme. I'll post some examples of the cards here. I also started a blog just for the cards at www.EnVisionCards.Blogspot.com

I'd love to get your feedback, and maybe see you in a workshop sometime!

Getting Ready

I feel that I'm in a "getting ready" phase right now. I have so many wonderful things coming up, my head is swimming. On Friday the 5th, Jim and I will be attending the grand opening for an art gallery which features my work in Pacific Grove. Sunshine, the owner of "The Lantern and Butterfly" is such a wonderful lady! I'm so excited about seeing her and celebrating her special day. (now to figure out what to wear!!) I wish I knew Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl personally, I know she could help me pick out the perfect outfit.


At the end of the month, August 27th, I'll be teaching a class I'm really excited about, too. I'll be helping people create their own personal inspirational art cards. I am pleased that it will be a fun class that will uplift and inspire each participant. And, everyone will walk away with little works of art that inspire and support their life's path.

Then, when Jim's knee is all better, we'll be heading up the coast through Oregon and maybe all the way to Washington. We're going to wander up the coast as the spirit takes us. I'm really looking forward to the adventure.

But, before then, the boys will go back to school… Rachel will be coming home... Jamie’s working her fanny off and will be back in school soon… The work and family blend into a wonderful life.

I hope you're feeling as blessed.
Love,
Laura

First steps in the Art Truck "Belle Mariposa"

I've been working on creating an "Art Truck" in my mind for months! I love to visualize my creative ideas and, when they're solid in my mind, drawing them out on my sketch pad. So, I've been playing with this idea for quite a while. In earnest over the last few months but, in truth, I've loved the idea for years!

At first I started visualizing a car, then a vw bug. When I started bringing art to galleries and doing street fairs, I was led to the idea of an art truck. I'll have a shell to put over the bed so that I can put my art back there and not worry about it blowing around. I also want a tiny backseat for my dog, Gracie! She loves to come along wherever I go!

If you take a look at my art, you'll see that I love painting butterflies. My first one was at the suggestions of my son, David. We were doing a mural on the side of our shed and I found a picture of a purple cone flower that happened to have a lovely monarch visiting it. When we finished the flower, David reminded me that it was time to add the butterfly. I told him I didn't think I knew how to paint a butterfly, but I'd try. Well, it was pure magic. The giant image just flowed and I dearly love that first butterfly and see it almost daily when I look at the artistically painted shed in our yard.

Since I'm probably a ways away from being able to buy my truck :(, I thought I'd start practicing painting on cars with bits of car that I can get from wrecking yards. So far I've gotten a piece of bumper which I've hand painted a couple of butterflies on. I used acrylic paint and brushes to do these two. I'm going to try creating a stencil and using my airbrush to do the background and adding the details with brushes.

Finally, I have a friend who is an auto body guy. He'll clear coat the whole truck and protect the images as well as the original paint.

If you've created an art vehicle, I'd love to hear from you and learn what you found worked and what didn't. I'll continue to share my experience and, hopefully, will have a finished truck to show you!

Here's the piece of bumper I've been practicing on.

Open  view of monarch

side view of Monarch, no legs yet!

Two new monarchs

I've always loved butterflies. There's the brighter than life colors, the fact that they FLY, transformation symbolism... The cover of my book, Walk in Your Own Footsteps is a photo of the trail that ends in a butterfly sanctuary in Santa Cruz, CA. There are really a lot of reasons that I love butterflies. About 2 years ago I painted my first one. I fell in love all over again. Each one is like a snowflake, it looks just like the others, but not quite. Today, I finished two more paintings. I have so many ideas for butterflies fluttering around my head, it looks like I will be painting many, many more. So, here's what I finished today.

I will be printing out tiny versions and creating pendants with them. Gosh, what a lovely way to spend my time. It surprises me that my heart, soul, and imagination can be so excited and my body gets so tired that I can't create. I'm never out of ideas or inspiration. I hope you enjoy these, too.

My art work is now in a gorgeous gallery in Pacific Grove!!!

While on a little vacation to celebrate our anniversary, Jim and I happened upon the most wonderful gallery in Pacific Grove, CA. We were lucky enough to meet the owner of the gallery and I told her about my artwork. The owner, Sunshine, invited me to bring in my work for consideration in her shop. Well, I'm excited to share that she included everything I brought in.

The town of Pacific Grove is tucked in with Monterey and Carmel and is a quaint romantic getaway known for it's Monarch Butterfly migration. Well, if you've looked at my work, you know that I love to paint monarchs. Here's a couple of the paintings that are in the gallery.

I also created pendants from these images. If you'd like a copy, stop by the gallery or contact me directly.

The gallery also stocks copies of my book, inspirational cards, an original handmade purse, as well as my little hand sculpted and painted birdies.

Please let her know you learned about her shop from me.