As I mentioned in a previous blog post, the past year has been full of opportunities for me to connect (and reconnect) with people from all over the world and they have offered me so much expansion and fulfillment on my journey as a writer and first-time author. This is what inspired me to have a "collaborations" page on my website. If I had to describe the last year in one word, it would probably be...you got it..."collaboration." The other day I remembered something that I heard someone say at the beginning of the year: "The ultimate kind of art is the kind that inspires people to make more art." The phrase became the foundation and focal point of how I operate as a creative. And I think that quote in itself is some form of art, because here I am wanting to pass on that message, with the drive to continue creating.
I’m dedicating this post to a dear friend of mine, Beth Belden, who shares with me a love for nature and "herbal witchcraft." She's also known as @barefootbethie on Instagram and Twitter, where she brings to life her daydreams of “garden blooms and full moons.” I told her about my book and we discovered our mutual appreciation for dandelions. As she is a plant mama and animal empath, you’ll also find plenty of plant photography and adorable animal content. She has a bunny named Juno and a dog named Duke. She told me how she lets the dandelions in her backyard “grow like crazy” because her rabbits love them (she has a late rabbit named Nora who passed last year), but will now have to forage elsewhere in her town of Minnesota. “The house we are moving into actually has a very, very, very clean manicured lawn. But there are nature paths nearby so hopefully I can find some goodies! I need to thrift a cute little basket with a handle for all my foraging needs.” Beth had told me this with anticipation of moving into her new home where she now uses the built-in desk in one of the rooms as her creative spot.
Before moving she was able to get a few shots of the dandelions in her backyard for me. It truly is one of the best feelings to connect with like-minded individuals who share the same interests and passions as you. Or what we would call, people from our "soul tribe." Beth is such a sweet soul and captures her perception of life around her so beautifully that I just have to share her talents. Please enjoy some of her work displayed here!
As an early bird, Beth is always up when the sun rises. "I'm most creative in the morning. I wake up craving to paint and love spending the entire morning painting." Beth said. She and her partner began sketching around this time last year and a couple of months later bought supplies for watercolour painting, before moving onto acrylic. When she began painting dandelions, she hadn’t yet found the right balance of colours. Recently, she has been practicing depth and figuring out her style.
“I've decided dandelions are incredibly difficult to paint. They're like the manic handwriting vs. the cursive writing,” she said as she compared dandelions to other dainty flowers, which she finds much easier to paint. In my opinion, she is simply too humble! But also, I don't consider myself a painter, although I'm no stranger to self-deprecation and the need to reach a level of perfectionism. Here's a visual comparison of her works. What are your thoughts? Any other painters out there?
She added that painting still takes her a lot of time to do. As they say, you can’t rush art!
"I was playing with some new paints that I got and the detail is so much easier to control. It doesn't feel as messy to work with so I am excited to make some more floral art. I’m still learning a lot but it’s so much fun. And so therapeutic," Beth said.
She showed me a video that captures the essence of what she is creating for her best friends and what she calls a “fairy garden gnome wonderland vibe.” I think it's just the most adorable little world.
Σχόλια