Paulette Insall ~ mixed media artist & mom

I just started a new group on Flickr

After endless searching for a group for mixed media and folk artists who are Christian and not finding quite what I was looking for (many Christian mixed media/collage artist groups have lots of swaps, round robins, etc. and I am never able to participate those and feel kinda out of place), I decided to start a group myself. :)

My intention is for it to be a place where artists (both new and experienced) who are Christian and also create any type of mixed media or folk art.......painting, collage, jewelry, or assemblage....to share their work (with or without a Christian theme), encourage, and support each other.

The only requirement is that you be an artist and a Christian. The art you create doesn't have to have a Christian message. I hope to see some of you there. I've made the group by invite only, so you'll have to request to join the group if I haven't already sent you an invite.

Click here to visit --> Christian Mixed Media & Folk Artists

More progress pics

I'm off to bed, but I thought I'd post a few more progress pictures to show you how much I managed to get done on this new painting this evening. I would work on it more, but I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open and Aiden's getting up earlier and earlier these days so I'd better hit the hay. Please excuse the not so great quality of these pics....I didn't turn on all my lights here in the studio, so they may be a little blurry or grainy, but I just couldn't wait to share! :) Nighty nite y'all!! xo

Started another painting...

While Aiden was at the drop-in daycare for a few hours today, I decided to start another painting. This is one of the sketches I showed y'all yesterday....thanks for all the lovely compliments on them btw! :)  I had hoped to play with some new brushes I'd ordered, but they didn't show up 'til after I got back from picking Aiden up. LOL! Oh well, maybe later in the week.

Sketches...

Things are still pretty busy for me, so I've had no time to paint in the last week......but I have been grabbing minutes here and there to do some sketches for new paintings. Sometimes I have so many ideas in my head, if I don't get them out I feel like my head might just explode! LOL! These are just a few of the many, many sketches I've done in the past week....hopefully to be turned into paintings soon. :)

Better pics of work in progress

Just popping in really quick to post a couple of better photos of the piece I'm currently working on. Would love to hear what you think of her. I've tried a few new things while working on her face and I'd love some feedback.

Well I'd better run. Aiden's got an appointment with the speech pathologist at the elementary school down the street and we need to get going in a few if we're actually gonna be there in time. Much love to y'all! xoxo

Studio time.......finally! :)

Finally back in the studio...

High quality version of latest video & online classes update

                                       
                Click To Play        

Good morning y'all! Here's a bigger and higher quality version of my last video. You'll need the Quicktime player to view it. When you click on it, a new player will open in a pop up window....go ahead and click play and then pause it. Let it load for a little bit before you hit play again, otherwise the video will stop and start. This version is at a higher resolution that the YouTube version, therefore the file size is much larger and will take more time to load. I think it'll be worth the wait though. ;) This is more along the lines of the quality of the videos you'll be getting in my online classes....and actually they'll be even better because they are not sped up and I have the camera right beside me while I'm demonstrating and explaining what I'm doing. It'll be like you're standing in my studio and looking right over my shoulder! Pretty great, huh? :D

Speaking of my online classes, I'm getting ready to post the first class supply list to the private class blog in a  little while so if you're signed up for the backgrounds class that starts on February 18th be on the lookout for an email from me later today. I've been getting emails asking if there's any room left in the classes....there's still some room left in both the backgrounds class and the faces class, but at the rate people are signing up I may have to close class sign ups soon....especially for the backgrounds class. Once I close class sign ups, I will take the payment buttons down off of the online classes page. So if you still see the payment buttons, then sign ups are still open. :)

Well I'd better get a movin'....so much to do today and Aiden's home sick from school. Poor guy been coughing his head off all morning....and as all you moms know, it's even harder, if not impossible, to get things done when you've got a sick little one to look after.

Mixed Media Portrait - Episode Three (new video series)

So finally.....here's the last installment of my "Mixed Media Portrait" series. First I'll show you the finished painting since the pics at the end of the video don't give you much time to really look at all the details. Be sure to check down below the video in this post for close ups. Thank you all sooooo much for all your support and comments! I read each and every comment and email and haven't had time to respond to each one individually...but please do keep leaving comments and sending emails. I truly appreciate each and every one! Each time I get a new comment or email it makes my day a little brighter and all the work on I do on these videos worthwhile!! Y'all are just the best!!! :D

Oh and both this original painting and prints will be available in my Etsy shop in the next few days, so be on the lookout. I'll be sending info on the exact date and time of the next shop update to my mailing list subscribers, along with a chance to reserve and buy items before they go live in the shop. There will be at least two new original paintings (including this one) and several new prints in the next shop update. :)

Use the link if you can't see the video above
YouTube - Mixed Media Portrait - Episode Three.

Art journal....page in progress

New page in my art journal done with Caran d'Arch Neocolor IIs and pencil...just didn't want to pull out all my acrylics and stuff, so I decided to see what I could do with just the artist painting crayons. Still in progress, but almost done...just need to add some words/quote, I think. This page is about keeping your eyes on your dreams....to never stop dreaming and continuing to move forward towards your dreams. This is a theme that keeps reoccurring in my work....guess it's something that I need to keep reminding myself of when the pressures of day to day life get to me. I need to remember to not let anything push those dreams down....I need to keep stiring them up, keep growing and learning, and to quote a line from one my son's favorite movies right now "keep moving forward" (from "Meet The Robinsons").

I've been in the mood to do some really fun girly art (been loving what Marla, Jenn, and Suzi have been up to lately) and my art journal is the perfect place to play with new ideas. I'm really just a kid at heart....still love to watch cartoons and color in coloring books...good thing since I have a little boy who loves these things right now as well. :)

I'm thinking that this might be something that would be perfect for a little girls room (or someone who loves fun and sweet girly art like me)...what do y'all think? Is this something you'd like to see me add to my art offerings? Each would have stories behind them, like my other paintings...a story about what inspired the painting. I'd love to hear what you think. You can either leave a comment here or email me. :)

P.S. Tomorrow (Tuesday) is video day, so don't forget to check back in sometime tomorrow afternoon for episode three of my new series. Oh and I found a wonderful mixed media challenge website that this journal page was perfect for today....check out Mixed Media Monday. :D xo

Mixed Media Portrait - Episode Two (new video series)

As promised, here's the second episode in my new series.....and actually on Tuesday this time!!! Yea!! ;) The last episode will be posted next Tuesday, February 5th. Oh and I'm planning on posting detailed info on my online classes later on this week, so please do check back in if you're interested in learning more....or you could join my mailing list to make sure you get the info as soon as it's available. Once you enter your email addy, you'll have the option to sign up for my "Online Class Information" list, as well as my monthly newsletter. :) I keep my lists private and I don't send out a bunch of emails, so rest assured that I won't be filling up your inbox. ;)

Thanks soooooooo much for all the comments y'all left for me on the first episode!!! And I'm so tickled to hear you guys are excited about the classes too!!! Y'all are awesome!!! I decided to keep things as simple as possible, so I will be setting up a private blog where the classes will be conducted from. This is where you'll have access to all the class info, videos, handouts, etc. once you've sent your payment and the classes begin.

Oh and I'm gonna try my best to get caught up on emails/messages this week...I'm waaaaaaaaaay behind. Thanks for being so patient and understanding. Love you guys!!! xoxo

Link: YouTube - Mixed Media Portrait - Episode Two

New Video Finished...Mixed Media Portrait - Episode One

Well I finally managed to get the first episode finished and uploaded to YouTube....which was no small feat this evening, let me tell ya! Aiden probably woke up like 20 times tonight and didn't want to go back to sleep. So I had to keep going upstairs and getting him back into bed. Then when I went to save out the finished video, the file size was too large for YouTube with my normal video settings in iMovie. So I had to play around with the settings and by trial and error finally got a video file size small enough to upload. Hallelujah!

Now y'all be sure to leave me some comments and let me know what you think. There will most likely be two more episodes to this new series. The next one I will post next Tuesday.

Oh and also I included a little announcement in the end credits of the video that I'm hoping you'll all be very excited about. So be sure to watch it all the way through okay? :) G'nite! xoxo

Edit: And I meant to tell y'all that if you want to grab the embed code to post the video on your blogs, please do! Spread the painting love!!!! :D Just click on the "Menu" button on the video player and click on the "Copy to Clipboard" button under the "<>embed" section. Happy painting to everyone!!! :)

Mixed Media Portrait - Episode One

Painting...where I am today

Well all the packages that are going out in the mail today are waiting at the door for our sweet mail carrier to pick up (hi Kay!). The rest of the orders will go out on Thursday. Thanks to everyone who's been visiting my shop and purchasing my art!!! Without your support, I wouldn't be able to stay home with my son....it just means the world to me!!!

Speaking of Aiden...I'm about to go make lunch for me and the little man, but afterwards I'll start to edit all the footage I shot during the progress of this new painting for my next YouTube video. Yea! So the wait is almost over ya'll! *hee, hee* I know you've all been patiently waiting and I really appreciate it...it's so hard to get all I want to do done....just not enough time in a day, especially with a little one to look after.

Here's some better pics I took with my "real" camera so you can get a better idea of the stages of the painting...

Painting progress so far today...

The colors aren't quite true to life in these pics 'cause I'm using my iPhone for these quickie progress updates. :)

Back to work...

Running behind

This was the state of my shipping table yesterday afternoon as I tried to get caught up on shipping...I'm running a few days behind, but I managed to get all finished up today. So all orders placed prior to January 5th are now on their way. Thanks so much for your patience. :)

I'm now shipping all art prints in boxes to make sure that they get to you safely. The post office is not always careful with packages, so this gives the prints extra protection on their journey and gives me more peace of mind.

So much more to tell, but the dirty dishes are calling my name...

One more peek...

Okay one more peek before I call it a night. :) I really want to work on her more, but with it being 11pm already I know if I work on her more now that I'll be up half the night....not good since I gotta get up early for Aiden's speech class in the morning.

And below is how she looked when I started working on her this afternoon. Only managed to get a few hours off and on to work on her today. It takes me many, many hours to finish a painting. Most take me at least a week to finish because usually I only get, at best, a couple of hours a day to work on a piece. So.....I'm hoping to get a few hours over the next couple of days to work on this painting and if all goes well, I hopefully will have a new video ready by the first of next week.

Today was the first day I've painted since mid December. With the holidays and Aiden being out of preschool, I really wasn't able to wrap my brain around getting into the studio. It felt so good to paint today! I have a feeling I'm gonna sleep well tonight!!! :D

Oh and something fun that I'll hope you'll join me for....tomorrow afternoon (Thursday) at 5pm pacific time (8pm eastern time), I'll be joining in on a live group chat with Miss SuziBlu. We're hoping to make it a weekly thing. She's thinking she's gonna do it over at Stickam and create a private chat room for the group (to keep the creepy guys out that like to ask inappropriate things), which means you'll have to join Stickam and add her as a friend in order to join the chat. So be sure to tell her you heard about the chat from me and she'll add ya. :) And while you're over there, add me too. She and I (and hopefully a couple more artists) will be live on our webcams, so it'll be almost like talking to us in person. :D Be sure to check back in here tomorrow (Thursday) just in case the location changes...if it does, I'll post the new location/info asap! Nighty nite!

New video sneak peek

Taking a break from the studio to go play pirates with Aiden and thought I'd post a sneak peek of the video footage I've been shooting today while working on a new painting...I'm such a tease, aren't I? *hee,hee* Well I'm off for some playtime with Aiden....Arrrrgh matey! :D

A New Beginning....Happy New Year!

This painting was inspired by something I remind myself of each day...that no mater how awful things seem, tomorrow is a new day...another chance to start again.

New originals & prints in the shop.....lots to tell, but I'm pooped. LOL! Just wanted to pop in and say happy new year and to tell you all that you've all made 2007 such a special year for me and I just know that 2008 is gonna be even better!!! xoxoxoxoxo

Illustration Friday - Soar

"Sing"

You must sing your song for all to hear...sing it loudly...sing it proudly...let it give you wings to soar.

Many of us spend our lives searching for our voice...whether it be our voice as an artist or just our own individual inner voice...and once we find it, it can bring us much joy and peace. Do not let anyone keep you from expressing it...for in letting them silence it, you let them keep you from being your true self.

I've posted this painting before, but when I saw the topic for this week's Illustration Friday I knew that it would fit the theme perfectly. Hope you're all having a wonderful Friday! I'm busy trying to get things back in some semblance of order around here....a huge feat since we really don't have room for all the new toys Aiden got for Christmas this year from us, Santa, and the grandparents...plus I'm still cleaning the kitchen from Christmas dinner. Amazing what a huge mess can be created even when you get a pre-cooked meal from the grocery store! LOL! More later... xo