Day 79, 100 Happy Days: A Job Well Done

Painty fingers. This after washing them once.

I had a very satisfying class tonight. Ten people, most of whom had never painted showed up to paint water lilies.

They were open to learning and exploring the paint - they had "beginner's minds", which is really a wonderful thing. 

A couple of women came in stressed out and left blissed out (that always makes me happy). Everyone really seem to enjoy themselves and liked their paintings.

But the best part was when someone said thank you for helping me see that I can paint. As odd as this may sound; I think that's one of the best compliments that I can get as a teacher. Because I teach much less than I guide. I do believe that we are all born artists, but that we forget. My job is to help people remember. So, when they do remember I have done a good job.

And that makes me happy. :)

Day 69, 100 Happy Days: Transformative Power of Art

"Wash Away The Pain"Acrylic on Canvas ©Tabetha Hastings

Painting is amazing. It can help us get in touch with who we are, and what we need to change in our life. It can bring out our insecurities, or it can soothe us. (I think all of this can be said of viewing art as well as creating it.)

People who come to my classes are often very brave. In my Artist Way classes we talk about fear and insecurities that we have surrounding creating art.
It's very common in our culture.

We are all born artists; it's true. But then we grow up, and somehow life beats it out of us. Puberty beats it out of us. Well-meaning - or not so well meaning - teachers, family members, and friends beat it out of us.

So yes, coming to a painting class like mine can be a brave act.
Some people handle it by having the attitude of I'm just there to have a good time and it doesn't matter what my painting looks like. Others either don't have the fear, or are willing to explore anyway. And then there are others who are just so fearful and beaten-down that they criticize their work and themselves the entire time that they're painting. That's hard to watch, and I try my best to get them through to the other side feeling better. Sometimes my job is 90% cheer leader.

So to have one of those people leave my studio either happy with the painting that they created, or happy with the experience, is a wonderful thing. It is why I do what I do. It's beautiful to witness those breakthroughs.

Day 53, 100 Happy Days: Watching People Create

I have to admit that I took to Facebook to complain after tonight's class. But it wasn't about the class - the class was wonderful. I complained because I was exhausted and just stretched too thin right now. And then I had to walk a dog, which was the last thing I wanted to do. But, just like last night, I was able to focus on the present during the walk, and bring myself back to a good state.

Which made me think about how amazing it was to watch people create in my creative space tonight. People came in with little or no painting experience, and came up with the most amazing paintings! Using my painting for inspiration, I give them a bit of guidance and encourage them to do their own thing on the canvas. And the do. And that is a brave and bold thing to do, and a beautiful thing to witness.

Day 52, 100 Happy Days: It's All About the Journey

I had a really great conversation with some ladies in my studio tonight. One of the things we touched on is that there is no destination, no end; it's all journey.
As artists we may be more in touch with that than the general population. As painters we love the process. I suppose some of us (and at times most of us) get frustrated with the process and look forward to the finished product, but... is a painting ever finished? No, not really. It just stops in interesting places.

So, creating art is a very zen experience. It's about the process, not the product. It's a journey.

I tried to think of this as I headed out into the dark, cold, snow packed streets to walk a dog tonight. Instead of trying to rush through the walk and get it over with, I enjoyed that leg of my journey.

Having that mindset made it possible for me to see things that I otherwise might of missed. It really was a beautiful night. I love how the snow seems to make everything more quiet - is that an acoustics thing, or is everyone just indoors? Probably both. But hearing the snow crunch under my boots is a wonderful thing. As is looking at the little trail of footprints that the dog in front of me makes.

Day 32, 100 Happy Days: Inspiration

Sunrise with a PS filter on it. I love how hazy it looks.

My alarm was set for 8 AM this morning, but I woke up just as dawn was breaking. I thought about how I should go back to sleep, but then I thought that it was a good opportunity to watch the sun rise.

Now… I didn't want to watch the sunrise because I thought it would be pretty. Let's face it: a pretty sky won't get me out of bed at the crack of dawn. No, I wanted to watch the sun come up to see the trees in the backyard in various stages of light.

It was the last morning of a pet sitting job. I've been working on a series of sunrises based on the view from this particular house, and I just needed more information. For instance: why does it look like there's a hill in the backyard when I know there's no hill? Why does the horizon look like it so high up? Why do those trees that are so old and tall look so short when silhouetted against the morning sky? These were the questions they got me out of bed.

So where does my happy come in? I tell you, it comes from the feeling of being dedicated to my work, and it comes from being inspired to work. Even though I haven't painted in 2 weeks, I'm still working. I'm working on those paintings in my head, I'm figuring them out.

To be excited to get back to the canvas is a wonderful thing. To know that those paintings are waiting for me and that I have fresh information for them… That makes me happy.

Day 19, 100 Happy Days: Kids Painting Class

Today I taught a class full of kids.
My classes are usually for adults, although every once in awhile a kiddo or two will show up. But this? This was eighteen kiddos! A whole different ballgame. They were ages 8-13, and they were awesome!

Kids are really fun to teach. I love how free they are with the paint, and how willing they are to do their own thing. They look at the original painting, take my instruction, and then unabashedly put their own spin on it. Very cool.

They try new things, take risks, and aren't afraid to shake it up. We could all learn something from them.

Watching these kids go definitely made me happy today.

"All children are born artists, the problem is to remain an artist as we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso

The Trials of Finishing Paintings

In Progress: "Churning" ©Tabetha Hastings

I had a lovely day in the studio yesterday. It had been awhile - my studio time (aside from teaching) has been very sporadic this year. Part of the reason for this is that I got several paintings to the point of being nearly done. I have to be honest with you: this is not the most exciting stage of a painting. It requires more thought and decisions, and... frankly I'd rather just start another painting. (And I have a bad habit of not finishing things... I'm sure no one else can relate to that...)
The other reason I haven't been in the studio much, is that the pull to play has been strong - especially with the warm weather. Of course play is an integral part of the creative process, but still.

Yesterday I went to my studio with the intention of finishing "Churning" (above). Like so many things in life, the final stages of a painting always take much, MUCH longer than expected. I'll continue to work on it today. It's at that stage that the changes are subtle enough that there won't be any obvious differences, but the changes are necessary.

When I went to log yesterday's hours, I was surprised that I hadn't worked on this painting since January!! It's been far too long.

Looking forward to spending some quality time with it today.

Happiness Project Day 94: Class Full of Kiddos

Today I taught my first all kids class. It was a group of girls age 10-11, and they were awesome - so much fun!

It's a whole different ball game from teaching adults. I was surprised at how not messy they were. But I was not surprised at their willingness to be creative and have a good time with it all. They were much bolder than most adults, less judgemental, and happier with their paintings. 

I'll tell you what though; those girls wore me out! Every one of them was polite and friendly, but the were little chatter boxes!

I gave a few of them some group canvases to work on when they were done (canvases that class after class use their extra paint on), telling them "do whatever you want - work with what's already there, or obliterate it completely". Most adults are become very precious with what's already on the canvas, and are afraid to cover up other people's work. But these kids? They went to town, mixing every color they had on their palettes, and completely covered the painting that was there. Way to be bold, girls!

This song came on the mix, and a few of them started singing. Too cute.

Happiness Project Day 92: Feeling Solid

Today's bit of happiness didn't come from thing or an event, directly. It's more of a feeling that comes more from the knowledge that the older I get, the more sure I am in my beliefs. I've become stronger and less afraid of other people's (possible) disapproval of me.

Maggie Kuhn said "Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes." This is getting easier and easier to do. I am speaking more, and my voice is shaking less these days.

Part of this is from getting older, it's true. In some ways life really does begin at forty. But this sureness of self also comes from introspection, solitude, having a rich creative life, and writing. I write to explore my inner world. I write to figure out who I am, what I want, and who I want to be. And I write to just get the thoughts and ideas out of my head.

Above is a picture of my writing... several layers of it. Seeing it like that makes me realize that is how my brain feels sometimes before I write: a jumbled mess! Then I pour the words from my brain onto the paper and I feel so much better.

So, I'm happy to have writing as one of my outlets, and I'm happy to feel solid in my beliefs. My foundation feels strong.

Happiness Project Day 82: Morning Pages in My Studio, Pink Trees and John Muir Quote

Studio Window

Yesterday I inadvertently left my Artist's Way book and my Morning Pages notebook at my studio.

If you're not familiar with the Artist's Way, Morning Pages are three pages of long-hand stream of consciousness writing. It's like a brain dump, and it's done every day, preferably in the morning. The Morning Pages are a basic tool in the Artist Way, and I have found them to be a great way to free up my mind for the important things in life. Like creativity.

Anyway, I had plenty of paper at home, but I like to keep my Morning Pages together. So after my acupuncture appointment (which of course left me blissful), And before my weekly dog walk, I got myself to my studio for the sole purpose of writing my pages.

Impossibly Pink Blossoms

It was really nice hanging out in my studio without the intention of working in any way, shape or form. I pulled a chair up to a sunny window, and let my brain pour onto the page.
It was a tiny bit of my day - just a half hour - and it was lovely.

Then I went for a walk with Twiggy the Wonder Boxer in Infinity Park, where I had to stop to take in the beauty of this pink blooming tree. Gorgeous on it's own, and made all the more rich and powerful against the lush green grass.

We walked a little farther, and a plaque caught my eye. I must have walked past it dozens of times and never noticed it, but for some reason I looked at it today. At the bottom of the plaque was a quote that provided food for thought for the rest of the walk:

Happiness Project Day 60: People Creating in my Space

Focused at Paint Club

Oh, what a great day in the studio! First class of the new Artist's Way session, followed Paint Club.

People come to my studio all of the time to create. I think that I usually take it for granted, but once in awhile I have to stand back and just wonder at the thought of all of the art that has come out of that place.

Normally we're a pretty chatty bunch at Paint Club, but for a few minutes today the only sound was the music playing. I stopped painting and took in the sight of everyone being fully engrossed in their work. It was a really satisfying sight, and a sense of well being came over me.

Many people have said that my space has good energy, and it must be because it's filled with creative energy.  I love my studio, and I love the wonderful creative people who come out to get lost - and find themselves - in art.


I told the Artist's Way group to feel free to doodle as we discuss the book, and this is what happened to yesterday's fresh paper. I love it!

Happiness Project Day 59: A Fresh Start and Diana Krall

Another First Friday has come and gone, and today my studio is mine, once again. I pulled out the work tables and put fresh paper on them. I don't know what it is about having fresh paper on those tables that makes me happy, but it does feel like a fresh start. I suppose it's like a blank canvas: it represents pure potential. I'm excited to think about who will be in my studio this month creating things that haven't even been dreamed up yet. And creating paintings that start out as copies of mine, but end up their own creations.
And of course me. What will I create this month??  I can't wait to see.


 As I was putting my studio back together today, my happy music was Diana Krall...

5 Bits Advice for Beginning Painters

I've had a lot of beginning painters come through my studio in the three and a half years that I've been teaching my Painting Soiree workshops. There is much advice that I would like to give newbies based on my observations, and I have compiled some of it here. This advice works whether you're in a class or painting at home. I hope you find it helpful...

1) Don't expect to be a master painter right away.
Yes, I know that we live in an instant gratification society. And I know that the painting studios (including mine) tell you to come to class and paint your masterpiece. What we mean by that is come paint your masterpiece. Not Monet's, not Van Gogh's, not mine, not your neighbor's. When you come to my class I want you to create your own version of my painting. It will not look exactly like mine, nor should it. Painting is a form of expression; your expression.
I want you to love your painting, or at the very least be satisfied with it, and with the experience. One way to do that is to...

2) Keep it Simple
So many people come to my classes with big ideas of what they want to do with their painting, and it turns out that they've never painted before. I love confidence and a sense of adventure, and I really do encourage people to shake things up. But keep in mind that generally speaking, the more complex the idea, the harder it will be to put onto canvas.
If you haven't held a paint brush in your hand since you were six years old, then it might help to get some command over the brush before diving into something an experienced painter might hesitate to approach. Also it's good to...

3) Get out of your left brain and simply enjoy the process.
Painting can be very relaxing and therapeutic. To this day, I still enjoy watching the paint blend on the canvas. Watching yellow and blue turn into green before my eyes is such a soothing thing.
The majority of people who paint in my studio seem to have a similar experience, but every once in awhile someone has a really hard time getting out of that analytical mind. Trying too hard to make the paint look like something you think it should look like can be stressful.
Painting is an exercise in letting go. For those who have a harder time letting go, I recommend - well a myriad of things - but trying out abstract painting is a good start. (I happen to offer a fun abstract class...)
That said...

4) Painting is also about figuring it out.
Whenever I'm having a hard time with a painting, I try to remind myself that as an artist, I like to figure things out. It's one of the reasons I paint. I don't want it all laid out for me. I like to work at it and have the satisfaction of having found my way and figured it out.  And it gets easier to figure it out if you...

5) Practice, practice, practice!
Just like any other skill, the more you paint, the better you'll get. 

So, have fun with it. Forgive yourself. Be patient. Experiment. Explore. Read books, watch videos, but I encourage you to go to a class, take private lessons, or simply paint with people who are more experienced than you.

For a full list of classes and lessons that I offer, please visit http://PaintingSoiree.net

My Happiness Project Day 24: New Use for Old Paint

I absolutely hate throwing away paint. I tell my Painting Soiree students that I don't care how much paint they use, as long as the use it. I even have "group" paintings specifically for left-over paint, that class after class works on. 

The other night as I was cleaning up after a class, one of the painters told me what she does with paint that is left on her palette. She lets the paint dry, then soaks the palettes (paper plates) in water and peels off the solid paint. What's left is really cool pieces of acrylic paint that she uses in other art projects.

So I decided to give it a go. I saved the palettes from Wednesday's class and let them dry for a few days. Then tonight I put them in a plastic bin and filled it with water and let them soak for a bit. I was very happy with the results! I was able to peel even very thin layers of paint off of the plate (or tore the plate away from the paint); and the thicker gobs of paint just separated on their own and drifted to the bottom of the bin.

Some of these pieces are beautiful on their own. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them yet, but I'll come up with something.

These pictures are of some of the paint that I peeled off. There is a whole bunch more, but these are the ones I like the best. They're drying on my kitchen counter.

I'm really inspired by these palette blogs! There are so many things in these forms. I love the big blue and white form with the shock of pink. I can't wait to work with it!

It kind of boggles my mind how much paint I've thrown away, when I could have been doing THIS with it!




Day 24 Bonus: Bruce Springsteen covering Lorde's "Royals"

My Happiness Project Day 16: A Clean Desk

Having a clean desk perhaps brings more of a feeling of relief than of happiness. But... being able to breathe easy makes me happy. Therefore, a clean desk makes me happy.

I've had two "desk jobs" in my life and each department I worked for had cycles. The cycle would come to an end and I would tie up loose ends, file everything away, clean my desk and start fresh.

Now I work for myself, and there are no natural cycles in my business. Except perhaps First Friday, and that really only effects my studio, not my office (which is at home). My studio gets a nice cleaning once a month before and after First Friday, but my desk remains a disaster. I'd like to say that I'll take the opportunity of First Friday to clean my desk once a month but... we'll see. The only thing I tend to be consistent with is inconsistency.

That said, I found this great article: Why You Should Have a Messy Desk. Yay!! Finally, justification for my mess (I really should have posted a "before" picture, but feared judgement...)

According to the article, people with messy desks tend to be creative and risk takers, and people with orderly desks tend to follow the rules and not try new things or take risks. "Disorderly environments seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights.”

YES! My messy desk helps my creativity. I knew it!

The article also said "When you’re generating ideas and concepts, it could help to have a messier desk. However, when you’re trying to be productive, getting a specific task accomplished, or simply need to execute on a creative concept, cleaning your desk can “trade in” your creativity for efficiency."

And there you have it. My clean desk makes me happy, and now I'll feel better about my messy desk in a few days. And that makes me happy, too. :)

Learning To Be Creative

Often people come to my painting classes and say things like "I'm really not creative." Kind of makes you wonder why someone would show up for a class that will require some creative effort. Sometimes they were dragged by a friend or spouse, and sometimes they just want to try something different. Or perhaps they're holding out hope that then can actually learn to be creative. Whatever the case, I give them loads of credit for just showing up; that's half the battle.

True be told, I used to say the same thing. From the time I was a kid (when creativity should come naturally), through my 20s, I thought I was just not the creative or artistic "type". And I was right, really. At least until I found that I was wrong. What I mean to say is: whether you think you're as creative as Salvador Dali, or as unimaginative as Eeyore: you're right. (Until you change your mind, that is.)

I think the most common misconception about creativity is that you either have it or you don't. The truth is that we're all creative people. But it takes work. Contrary to popular belief, creative people are not overwhelmed with ideas all the time. It does take work, and we do get blocked. Part of the creative process is actually taking a break from the physical part of creating. Part of the work is play, daydreaming, frolicking. And part of it is thinking, researching and contemplating. Creativity is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets. If you don't use it, it atrophies. But it can be built up again.

I just found this great article on creative thinking. I recommend it to everyone - creative thinking can help in every part of your life. It's not just for artists.

Thankfully, I finally found that I am a creative person, and I'm lucky to make a living helping others to be creative. If you think you're not creative, just create something. Anything. Make the main idea be not to create something beautiful or meaningful or funny; the idea should be to just create. Art for art's sake. And here's the key: don't judge your work or yourself. Judgement is the enemy of creativity. But that's a whole different blog entirely.

Now go create something. 

"Wash Away The Pain" acrylic on canvas 16x20 ©Tabetha Hastings

The Artist's Way Creativity Workshop

Artist's Way 12-week Creativity Workshop

The Artist's Way is a life changing "spiritual path to higher creativity". This 12-week program is designed to remove your artistic blocks and free up creative energy.
I've done this program twice, and I'm here to tell you that it works! It's not easy, however. It takes work. Daily work. There is a lot of soul searching and digging into your psyche, but there are fun exercises, too.
It's totally worth it.

The first time I did the program, in 2006 (I believe), I was only able to do the first four weeks of the course because my life changed so much in that time that I simply did not have time to finish. Nor did I feel a need at that time; I was on a creative high.

I did it again in 2010 and ended up starting my art business as a result.

The program is all detailed out in the book, and a person could go it alone - that's what I did back in 2006. But after doing the program with a group in 2010, I have to say that I recommend the group. You get dynamics in a group that are just missing when you go it alone. And it's nice to get feedback from others, and to know that you're not alone on this journey. Also, having to be accountable to the 12-week time frame, and to a group, helps keep you on task.

 I offer Artist's Way creative classes a couple of times a year. We do creative exercises that I've designed, in addition to following the 12-week program that Julia Cameron maps out in the book. 

If you're in the Denver area and are interested in joining a class, check my website for the schedule, or email me to find out when one will be offered.

You'll need to purchase the book if you're going to take the class, and you can purchase it pretty much wherever books are sold.

Questions? Feel free to email me.