New Painting Inspired by Donna Downey - Canvas Create series

Do you love to scrapbook, papercraft, sketch, paint, create stuff (of any kind) with your hands?  Well that's me in a nutshell.  I am happiest when I can create something. 

So, for anyone that is involved in the scrapbooking or paper crafting world, you probably know the name Donna Downey (she's very talented in everything she creates!!).  She has been an inspiration for my scrapbook/paper crafting, for a few years now. Last month I happened to wonder across her blog Simply Me and she is offering online classes (how did I miss out on her online classes?!).  One of her new ventures is the 2012 Canvas Create series.   Video instructions with Donna creating a new Canvas each month with her awesome advice and inspiration. 


Image taken from Donna Downey site (link provided above)

 Seriously people, I was so excited to have an opportunity to learn from this talented crafter/artist.  And for only $20/month...Count me in!  Woot, Woot!! 

I signed up for a full year of canvas painting classes at 2012 Canvas Create Series.  You can find tons of inspiration on her blog as she regularly posts videos of her Art Journal creations.  So now I also have a keen interest in Art Journals so I will be sharing my creations with you soon.

Below is my version of the January canvas, inspired by Donna Downey's class.  The flower didn't turn out quite the way I wanted but you live and learn.  I was pretty pleased with how the background looks and my ability to freehand the word "inspire". I learned a lot about gesso (my new favorite product for painting), in addition to mixing paint colors so they don't end up muddy (really ugly) colored.  Her video instruction was truly awesome.  Being a tad OCD and perfectionistic, I reckon I will re-paint the flower this weekend and post the update. Why you ask?  Well because I learned that you can put gesso over what you painted, let it dry and start over.  Holy cow....how cool it that!!  See me....I'm doing my happy, happy dance!! (which my two teenage boys think is completely uncool! --- Ha, what do they know!?)



New painting on a 14x16 gallery wrapped canvas

Hugs and a happy dance, 
Erin