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When I Grow Old

October 26, 2018 by Nancy Medina 4 Comments

I used to think when I got old, I’d learn how to play piano. I would watch my Mother play and imagine what it would be like to have a talent that transports you to another place and fills you with joy. But time has raced by, and it turns out I arrived at old age years ago, and have yet to schedule a single piano lesson. These days my goal is to slow down, but the Flower Mound Studio art train seems determined to stay on the crazy track. Next week we have students from across the US arriving for a workshop and the new online class, Paint Brilliant Santa Fe, launched 2 weeks ago. We also added a new family member to the pug crew, 1-year old Oliver, because one can never have too much of a good thing when that good thing happens to be pug-shaped.

How do you slow down when life seems determined to sweep you along on a tidal wave of news, chores, checklists and worries? Smart friends say they schedule “me time” whether it’s in the morning or evenings, for reading and relaxing. It’s all about scheduling! Sometimes it seems impossible to stop the crazy train, so I have a plan up my sleeve, next time the train slows down for a curve, I’m going to hop off, drop and roll, after tucking in the pointy bits to fend off bruising. My favorite holiday is just around the corner, so this always puts me in an optimistic frame of mind. I suspect that I’ll be safely ensconced in a turkey and cherry pie coma for at least a day or two afterward, thanks also to lots of foods that require butter. (That sums up the extent of my cooking knowledge!)

What’s your escape plan in the coming holiday season? I would love to hear your advice and wisdom. And if you also have a recipe that requires lots of butter, that would be grand, since we all know that a recipe without butter is a recipe for disaster!

gratitude quote

Nancy and Avery — Avery, aka the Queen Bee

Oliver and his sisters, Avery and Taylor

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Little Miracles and Fairy Dust

August 27, 2018 by Nancy Medina Leave a Comment

Angel Wing Peonies, 24X24, oil, information

I’m counting little miracles today, as the local flower market got its third weekly shipment of Alaskan peonies on the exact day I was shopping on a supposed quest for bread and milk. It’s no secret by now that I make a beeline for the blossoms, even if I’m under strict orders from the chef not to dally. There is only one thing that can be done, when a plethora of peonies keeps piling in: Paint those little darlins til the cows come home!

I hope you’re not tired of peonies by now, and as an apology for all the binge painting of these bloomers, I’m sharing a video of Fairy Dust Peonies from my Youtube channel. If you enjoy the show, be sure to Subscribe for more goodies to come.

Your peony video is blooming here

I feel quite certain you won’t judge me harshly for indulging in all this pink. One of the fringe benefits of working in a culture largely made up of women is forgiveness, love, and unending encouragement and support. The pace of my art life is frantic these days, with a video shoot tomorrow, a workshop being hosted here in studio next week, and shipments for the Italy class going out the week after. I’m surrounded by good stress, most of the time, rather than the bad kind, and working from home has its benefits. Whenever needed, I take hummingbird breaks to inspect my three large feeders, all for my one hummer who visits quite regularly. (We have to make sure she doesn’t go hungry, after all.) My coworkers underfoot have paws and have been known to snore on the job, but they do give the best kisses. With the chef also heading up the business side of things, I have to say I’m one lucky duck. I hope you enjoy the peony video, even if the best part is watching on your break time with your feet up and a little furry friend nearby to help with the popcorn!

My 2 girls, Avery and Taylor, lending a paw!

Fairy Dust Peony — Pink Fairy Dust Peonies, 14X14, oil, information

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France canva banner 2 — Prepare to unleash your inner child…in France!

France boats — We’ll take a tour to the coast

France cabin — A visit to the Land of Color!

french vineyard — Join us for a visit to the wine region

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Be Still, Life

August 22, 2018 by Nancy Medina 11 Comments

Peach sorbet banner — Peach Sorbet Peonies, 24X24, oil

The blue pillow by my easel is empty today and my heart is broken. After 15 years of a life well lived, Howard Pee Pugpants is in his new home, Heaven. I do think he’s waiting for us there, even though my beautiful little man occasionally had a little devil in him. Howard developed acute bronchitis and, for the past weeks, his condition had gradually worsened. We made the decision this morning that he would not suffer.

This afternoon, the studio has been very quiet, and I rediscovered how grief and exhaustion go hand in hand. After a fruitless few hours, I put away the brushes and took a nap, and my little pug girl Avery crawled on top of my chest. She is not a lightweight by any means, but I didn’t consider shifting her away, not for an instant. Her love anchored me to the earth for a few moments in the sweet forgetfulness of sleep.

When I consider inspiration in the studio, and what drives my art journey, I have rarely given enough credit to the little pugs at my feet, the studio helpers who always remind me to play, to rest, to laugh, and, sometimes, to cry. They allow all of these things without judgment. Mister Howard (he did prefer titles) never doubted his place in this world, and was secure in the knowledge he was loved every moment of his life. His midnight paw pokes would wake me up for kisses and hugs, or requests to be taken outside or given a drink of water. In his later years there were more such requests, but I cherished every moment with him. Tonight the chasm beside me, where he slept, will be deep and terrifying. I’ll cling to better angels and not let sadness quiet or dim the powerful light of his personality, even if it is now in memory. He deserves better than that.

I’ve never liked painting inanimate objects, I’ve always been drawn to painting from life, to gardening, and never, from the moment I left home at the age of 18, never ever been without a dog by my side. I’ve always wanted to instill every flower I painted with movement, every still life with a shower of petals on the tabletop, something to shake the tableau, and remind me, that we are moving and alive and whatever we create on canvas is a celebration of that, and also of what surrounds us. Nature is not a still life or a photograph. It’s full of color and movement and love and laughter, and, for that, I’m so very thankful. For the love and companionship of a little soul with four feet and a bit of an attitude, my life was changed for the better. Here’s to you Howie, and to every little helper who comforts our hearts, and reminds us to smile. May you go gently with the angels and be adored in their care, until you are in my arms again.

Howie 2011 — Howard Pee Pugpants surveying his domain

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The Art of Reinvention

August 13, 2018 by Nancy Medina 2 Comments

detail 2 Pink Cloud — Pink Cloud Peonies, detail, 24X24, oil

About a month ago, one of the gals in my Flower Mound Studio workshop and I discovered we had taken watercolor lessons from the same teacher over 20 years ago. I love when the circles close and the ends connect and I’m reminded once again we are all part of the same beautiful tapestry in this art journey. There are no coincidences. This also reminded me that what we refer to as an art journey is a road with twists, turns, diversions, potholes, mountain paths, treacherous tunnels, and those oh so glorious peaks along the way.

Lately I’ve been taking a few side roads, trying new ways of approaching familiar subjects. If Flower Mound Studio were a laboratory, all the beakers would be bubbling right now. I just ordered a whole set of colors in a new brand (stay tuned, I’ll be sharing tip videos on these soon!), and have spent the past 3 weeks experimenting with creating wet underpaintings in transparent gray tones, pulling out the shapes with my soft towels and finishing with opaque colors. Pink Cloud Peonies, shown here, was pulled from a bed of earth tones, and consists of extremely thin opaque color notes in most areas. There is a balance between what can be left undone, versus what requires a bit more attention, and I’m loving “less is more” with greater fervor each day!

Have you found a new approach, or some absolutely fabulous tool or color that makes your heart go pitty pat? If so, please share by commenting here. I bet I’m not the only one who would love to hear about your new treasures!

PS – Did you know there are a whole collection of free painting videos on my Facebook fan page? To get first ticklers when I go live, select “Like” and under “Follow” choose “see first.” Next look for the “videos” button and dive into all the color you love.

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Alaskan Peonies and a New Journey Workshop

August 5, 2018 by Nancy Medina 1 Comment

It’s been a busy week in the studio, since Alaskan peonies were in abundance at the market during my visit Wednesday. Unlike the last time these beauties made their appearance, I did not knock any fellow shoppers out of the way in my haste to grab as many bouquets as I could. The quizzical looks I got walking through the store buried beneath a plethora of peonies was well worth it, though, since my studio has been filled with the sweet smell of these pink blossoms for almost five days! This morning the shattering began, that little tinkling sound of petals falling to the table, because all good things, even Alaskan peonies, must come to an end.

There is some good news, however, almost as exciting as finding fresh Alaskan flowers for sale in Texas in August: I’m excited to invite you to join me for my 2019 journey workshop to Southern France. We’ve found a new location to explore with you September 2-11, 2019 in the Languedoc, spending nine nights in a beautiful hotel in the heart of the medieval city of Carcassonne.

We will be staying in a 4-star hotel in a thriving village filled with shops, cafes, and open air markets with lots to explore, and enjoying meals at the best restaurants, with airport pickup in air conditioned buses! These may seem like small things, but they add so much comfort when you’ve traveled across the world to make a dream trip come true.

We want everything about this journey to be absolutely unforgettable for you, and a first class experience. There is already a growing list of interested painters, so let me know if you would like to join me, because the workshop will fill up. We are very excited about the September journey, and being able to take you along is the icing on the French pastry! Drop me a line at support@nancymedina.com and here are a few photos of our trip to come!

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newsletter quote

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Better Together poppy lesson — The new poppy lesson coming up in The Joyful Brush

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Peace Offerings

July 23, 2018 by Nancy Medina 5 Comments

Heat Wave White Sunflowers, 20X20, oil, Live Painting for The Joyful Brush

Every morning I take my tea in the garden. Even though I can’t stay outdoors long, with the Texas summer heat, it helps me to clear my head and take a few deep breaths before diving into my crazy schedule. Making peace with my day before it begins is a lot like making peace with each painting. Good or bad, fast or slow, a triumph or a tragedy, it’s taken years for me to learn to part graciously with some pieces, and let them simply be what they were intended to be – practice.

By no means do I endorse walking away from a problem, but you do have to pick your battles. For example, I refuse to talk to the new electronic trashcan the hubby has installed in the kitchen. You’re supposed to say “open can,” and – voila – the lid opens like magic. Alternatively, you can wave your hand over the top and the lid opens. That I can live with. However, each time I walk by, the lid always opens, as if to thumb its sensor at me and say, “Smell me!” Carlos says it’s because I’m not walking by correctly. So, you see, this is a battle I won’t win.

However, if you’re painting at least three times a week, sooner or later you’ll realize there is more ahead to learn, than running in place. Taking the same subject and starting fresh with a new approach is sometimes a better solution than placing the offending painting at the foot of your bed for a year, in an attempt to puzzle out all the problems. And, yes, I am guilty of having done exactly that.

If you’re painting daily, or at least three times a week, in less than a year, your body of work is going to evolve beyond the piece into which you’re investing all your angst. You can paint the same subject again, later in your journey, and it will look vastly different from your original. Walking away and coming back with a clear mind and a different point of view, is the best way to start fresh. And, sometimes, on second approach, we’ve forgotten to be afraid of the subject. Isn’t it funny how we artists give vast amounts of energy to our shortcomings, and call off the party early when we should be celebrating the parts we got exactly right, even if that celebration is just a glass of tea in the garden with your favorite pug and a few bumblebees!

PS – Congratulations to Kate Nicholson, winner of the $100 Dick Blick art supply gift certificate! A million thanks to everyone who entered by leaving a comment on my blog! We have another big giveaway coming your way soon so stay tuned to the blossom blog and share your thoughts right here to be entered – I love hearing from you!

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Italy is almost full!

Italy window — The view from Sant’Angelo

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French Gardens

July 9, 2018 by Nancy Medina 4 Comments

Poppy edge — Pirouette Poppy Garden, detail, 30X30 poppy garden, information

I fell in love with French bees in the gardens of Southern France this year. These happy creatures flit about in the poppies and lavender, filling up on pollen and working steadily at jobs they seem to relish. Much larger and fluffier than the little bees here in Texas, they seem to linger over their pollen, swirling tiny wine glasses of dew and musing to themselves about the quality of French honey. Or perhaps they’re thanking their lucky bee stars they’re not French snails, destined for a pot of bubbly warm butter. I captured some video footage of these fuzzy creatures in action for you, be sure to turn up the volume and linger for the proper cultural immersion…

Click here to see the bees

This week we’re painting brilliant birds and bees in my Flower Mound workshop from my French garden photos. We’re also celebrating the winner of the Garden Party photo contest – Sharon Dwello’s image of her garden was the winning entry, and she’ll be receiving a fine art print of the painting I created for her (scroll down for a peek!). There were over 100 amazing images shared! Thanks a million, Sharon, and to everyone who entered the photo contest. What a fun task, going through all these gorgeous photos of gardens from around the world.

In the meantime, here are some French gardens to contemplate and, if you look closely, you might just spot a few happy bees….

PS – On July 12, I’ll be announcing the winner of a $100 art gift certificate. How to be entered to win? Just leave a comment here on the bloggy!

All photos of French gardens are copyright protected, s’il vous plait!

July blog quote

Garden party blog script

Garden dwelling — Garden Dwelling, 12X12, oil

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The Colors of Paris

June 18, 2018 by Nancy Medina 2 Comments

Pink Splash Peonies — French Pink Peonies, 12X12, oil

I started my French journey this month with a week in Paris, since getting over jet lag and cafe hopping are absolutely a must for preparing to teach a 10-day workshop in the Southern regions! Each time I visit, I fall in love with Paris all over again. There is something gentle about the beauty of this city and a physical poetry to its flower gardens that reaches out and wraps you in a perfumed embrace.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the most recent journey, and read on below for travel tips for the faint of heart – and for the courageous adventurers, too! Do you have a fabulous European travel tip to share? If so, please let me know – I would love to hear from all of you intrepid road warriors!

All images fully copyright protected, merci beaucoup!

Nancy bio paris lamp — I never passed a flower store without absconding with blossoms!

heart in paris — I left my heart….in Paris!

montmartre — Montmartre, and a street lined with historic chateaus…

nancy paparazzi — Everywhere you go, mon Dieux, the flower paparazzi are there!

blog quote June 2018

Do you have a European painting workshop on your bucket list? In my first leg of our trip to Paris this month, I squeezed in some tours, a trip to Monet’s Garden, dinner in Montmartre, a few museum tours and a trip to Sennelier, one of the oldest art stores in France. After Paris, we we were on a plane to Toulouse to begin my workshop in Southern France with students from New Zealand, Canada, and across the US. This will be my eleventh time teaching a European workshop, and I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way. I want to share a few of those with you here! Here are the top five tips for traveling to paint in Europe:

1 – Shipping your goodies

Going LuggageFree – are you planning to stay for more than 10 days? If so, I recommend shipping your luggage (and supplies!) ahead. LuggageFree.com is a company I’ve used for years. They will pick up your bags on your doorstep and deliver them (almost) anywhere in the world. Like all shipping services, you have to account and insure for possible losses, but this is true when you check bags on flights these days, also.

2 – Noise-cancelling headphones

These are not just for the plane. Older hotels and buildings in Europe tend to have thin walls, and even if you have a private room, chances are you will be able to hear a fellow traveler snoring in the next bedroom over. If you get the kind that plug into your phone, you can listen to an Audible book or your favorite tunes to drown out even the loudest noises.

3 – Priority economy seating

Maybe you can’t afford to fly first class or business class to Europe. As an alternative, book seats in priority economy. You’ll have a bit more breathing room and space. These seats do cost a bit more, but if you book them early it’s golden!

4 – Car rentals and Uber-ing

If you’re traveling cross country in Italy or in France, renting a car is super easy at most airports. Driving in Southern France is similar to driving in the US countryside ~ lots of country roads. French and Italian drivers drive on the same side of the road! Rather than rely on our phone, we bring our own road navigation unit, and download the European map system in advance, although many European rental cars come with great navigation systems. If you’re in a big city such as Paris, Uber is a lifesaver, and is super convenient and reliable. Be sure to download the Uber app before you leave the States.

5 – Be like Gumby

The most difficult thing for me to do, when I first began traveling to Europe, was to slow down. I couldn’t believe that our van driver spent 15 minutes chatting with the traffic cop, when he was simply needing to ask the policeman whether to turn left or right at the next intersection. But I quickly learned, this is the pace of life in Europe. It’s not the frantic connectivity that we’ve become addicted to here in the US. Going to Europe is a bit like traveling back in time. As much as you can, imagine you are doing just that: Breathe in and enjoy the beauty around you. This is your dream come true trip, and it’s all on you to make it a great experience.

Art supplies – this is a MUCH bigger discussion; I’ll save it for you for a rainy day coming up soon. However, here are a few quick tips:

Never, ever pack solvent in your suitcase. It is flammable and combustible. If you’re painting in oils, you can find solvent at art stores after you arrive, or you can find substitutes such as baby oil at the local markets. Often your workshop host will provide solvent for you, so be sure to check on that in advance. PS – Want to join me in Italy this fall – learn more here!

Thanks to everyone who submitted a painting to the Garden Party Contest. There were over a hundred entries, and it was a feast for this flower lover’s soul to go through all of the gorgeous submissions! Please join me in congratulating Sharon Dwello. Sharon submitted the winning photo from her garden. In the next few weeks, I’ll create an original painting from her image and she will receive a fine art print (and I’ll share it for you here). I’ve also sent notes to the top 10 runner up submitters, with tips on color choices to paint the images provided.

Merci beaucoup for sharing all this beauty, flower friends!

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Overlay Image Better Together Poppies TJB — Coming in The Joyful Brush!

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A Super Supply Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artist’s heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Italy is calling!

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Garden Party

May 21, 2018 by Nancy Medina 9 Comments

Sunlight Ballet Peony detail — Sunlight Ballet Peony, detail, 16X12, oil, information

The garden has been calling me lately, and each time I answer, I get into trouble. I linger, dally, and spend utterly too much time puttering around pots and clipping faded blossoms. Right now, for example, I’m distracted by some red geraniums peeping in the window, pressing their faces to the glass and making little come hither gestures with their petals.

I should be writing, packing for France, editing filmed lessons, and painting! But outside, a whole ‘nother world is blooming. There’s a queue for the bird bath (no peeping please!), the hydrangeas are opening, and a new baby dove is cooing in the alcove above my porch swing. Instead of feeling guilty, I’ll invite you to join me. What say we dawdle in the garden together?

Here are a few images I discovered yesterday when I stepped out with my cuppa tea. Tell me, do you get a sense something happened overnight, a party to which you nor I were invited, perhaps?

Here’s a spring invitation with your name on it! Email your garden photos – I’ll pick the top 10 images and send you the written color steps for how to paint them in my palette. For the winning image, I’ll paint the scene and send you a fine art print as my thanks. Please, only send images of photos you have personally taken.

Email your large sized garden images to: nancy@nancymedina.com

Avery garden party — **Everyone needs a little helper!**

**I’m saving a comfy cushion for you in the garden, my dear!**

**Because you never know when you’ll need to water something…**

**Apparently the lamp shades were all taken…**

**The sun reached down and bathed the flowers in rays of love…**

**Yes, little turtle, pansies are edible!**

**Someone is ready for the royal wedding…**

**I must have geraniums, always, always…!**

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A Super Supply Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for my upcoming Fredericksburg workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Italy is calling!

Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy in October 2018. Earlybird pricing is here, so take a peek!

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Heart Signs

May 13, 2018 by Nancy Medina 20 Comments

This is the week we honor our Moms, and it’s been two years since mine went to Heaven. I spent most of my life preparing myself for the day I would lose her, because I intuited that it would be the event from which I would never recover. Now that I’m on the other side of the heartbreak, I find myself rejoicing in her memories, instead of crying. I’m thankful, and still relieved, for this, and wonder if it is strength or simply numbness. The last two years of her life were spent in hospice, in a hospital bed in her home, with my three sisters and I taking turns caring for her, along with the help of a night nurse. My evenings with Mom were on Tuesdays, and I remember reading poetry to her (Shel Silverstein was a favorite), playing old records from the 1950s for her, and watching her favorite shows with her (Ellen and Wheel of Fortune). She used to save up programs she recorded for me each week that she wanted me to see, and keep a list of books she wanted me to read. (Tuesdays with Morrie comes to mind).

My Mother was the sun and her daughters were her satellites, our lives were intertwined not only with hers, but with one another. I realize now that I am older how rare and beautiful it is, to have this female cohesiveness, this love, among siblings. It’s her legacy. Shortly after she passed, I was scheduled to teach in Italy, and recall standing at the top of a hill in a vineyard, and seeing a large, heart-shaped hole that had naturally formed in the bushes before me. The sunset shone through the space, and I was bathed in a golden light for a few moments as the day drew to a close. I decided this was a small sign that she was still with me.

That’s when the heart signs first began appearing.

. relax

Over the past year, instead of seeing less hearts, I see them everywhere. Dozens have appeared and sometimes it is a daily occurrence. I began documenting them, because their frequency was clearly one of two things – either wishful thinking on my part or something completely unexplainable.

While filming in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last fall, just outside the front door of the cottage was a bench covered with heart-shaped rocks. I’ve shared a picture of that with you here. A month ago, while teaching in Fredericksburg, Texas, a sign hung in our bed and breakfast with a very simple message: “Relax, relax, relax,” signed with a heart and the initials: EB. My Mother’s name was Elsie Becker. There is rarely a week that goes by that I don’t receive one of these love notes from my Mom, in the shape of what she represents most. She is and always will be my heartbeat and my soul, my stubborn, guiding angel and the compass that carries me through every crashing wave that lifts or drowns me in this life.

I have so many friends now who have recently lost their Moms, or are caring for their Mothers in the twilight of their journeys. Focus on the good memories, breathe them in deeply and bathe your mind in those moments, this will keep you afloat, long after she is gone. And take comfort in your sisters, they may not be your blood sisters, but you are surrounded by strong women who want to love and comfort you, and who have been through what you are experiencing. Ask for help when you need it. You are not alone in this. And finally, watch for the signs. They are there if you choose to see them.

this is the recipe of life
said my mother
as she held me in her arms as i wept
think of those flowers you plant
in the garden each year
they will teach you
that people too
must wilt
fall
root
rise
in order to bloom.
– rupi kaur

Santa Fe heart rocks — Heart rocks outside my cottage in Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Overlay Image Heavenly Hope Hydrangeas — A Joyful Brush Lesson – Heavenly Hope Hydrangeas, 20X16

A Painting Prize Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for my upcoming Fredericksburg workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Italy 2018 – Catch the Earlybird Pricing!

Italy hat — Dinner at Castello della Pieve, where Dante once lived

Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy in October 2018. Earlybird pricing is here, so take a peek!

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Searching for the Sizzle

May 6, 2018 by Nancy Medina 5 Comments

Drama Queen Poppy, 20-minute painting, oil, sold

Every week or so, I abandon everything I know and let the brushes charge ahead without an off switch or edit button engaged. This past week I finished a series of 20-minute paintings each day, pushing the envelope outside my comfort zone with small works. The final painting in the series was Drama Queen Poppy, in all transparent color with the timer counting down. One of my friends asked how many poppies I’ve painted, and it was hard to pinpoint, looking back over 8 years of daily painting, exactly what that number would be. But poppies I had painted that I felt excited about, poppies that leapt onto the canvas as if fueled by some magical energy sizzling through the brush, I would count as a much smaller number.

One thing that draws the line between a work of art and an exciting work of art is the personal enthusiasm the artist feels at the moment of creation, an effervescent joy that comes through on a subliminal level. Years ago when I was a runner (yes, MANY years ago!), the toughest thing to overcome in reaching the five, 10 and 12 mile mark, was mental rather than physical. What did you eat the day before, how much sleep did you get the night before, are you stressed about something – these were all the questions asked, when trying to determine how to get peak performance. Trust me, with my 11-minute mile, I was not a real runner by any means. My goal was not to collapse into a frothing heap at mile three.

Where is your head when you’re painting? Are you present, rested, and well prepared? And, more importantly, what is your level of excitement about the subject you’re painting? Daily painting in some ways is like training for a marathon. It’s predictable, it’s a process, it’s ritualistic, and, after it becomes habit, it is a comfort. Cleaning the brushes, prepping the canvas, getting your mind in the right place, all of these steps help you to do that one thing that’s crucial – they help you put your whole heart into the work. On your last painting, was the spark there, were you fully engaged and joyfully participating in every stroke that made the painting come to life? I would love to hear from you, flower friend. Isn’t it a beautiful, fickle, and mysterious thing, this painting journey we share, that keeps us coming back for more?

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Patio Pillows Are Here!

I’m so excited to announce a whole crop of colorful pillows and aprons are now blooming in Flower Mound Studio. Add a bold statement to your studio wardrobe or pick out a squishy new pillow for the patio! These are beautiful gifts, and are perfect for decorating, crafting, kitchen work, and – of course – painting time. In bright, fun colors, with front pockets and machine washable, gather a bouquet of aprons or redecorate the garden furniture with new pillows. Give yourself a treat!

Check out all the goodies

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A Painting Prize Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for my upcoming Fredericksburg workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Italy 2018 – Catch the Earlybird Pricing!

Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy during the National Truffle Festival in Le Marche region in October 2018. Earlybird pricing is here, so take a peek at all the fun!

Get all the delicious Italy details here

Join me for France, Italy, and more! Here’s the scoop!

Submit a Comment

The Most Important Thing

April 22, 2018 by Nancy Medina 6 Comments

Spring Harbinger Hummingbird, 16X16, oil

For years I’ve told my students that the most important thing in the studio is light. Not color, not fresh flowers, not fancy vases, not high quality paint. The number one ingredient for a successful painting, when painting from life, was light. That’s what I said. But yesterday I realized I was wrong.

The most important thing in the studio is not lighting or equipment or high quality tools or even decades of painting experience. The most important thing in the studio is you. The time you spend in the studio is measured in more than minutes, it’s an investment in building something real, creating something using your own vision. The more time you spend painting, the more you will learn and grow. The more time alone, putting those hours in front of the canvas, the more you’ll see progression in what you understand, and what you create.

So many of my students are women in my own demographic, mature gals who are finally finding they have time for a pursuit for their own enjoyment, after spending most of their lives giving. Giving to their families, to their friends, to their jobs, to everything society expects of them, as they (we) are, in fact, paramount multitaskers. But giving constantly comes at a cost. Painting and creating is more than cathartic, it recharges your batteries, so you can give more, and you can give better, to those you love. Carving out your sacred studio space involves setting boundaries for your time, your attention, and even the physical square footage dedicated to your easel and supplies. Setting boundaries like this means, once in a great while, you have to say No. You know that old song that goes, Sorry seems to be the hardest word? I think for many of us, “No” is much more difficult to say. Setting boundaries means holding onto boundaries. That inner, playful, creative side is depending on you to stand your ground – even if it’s just an hour a day, give yourself a chance to relax, and heal, and recharge. Now pull up the drawbridge, intrepid artist, don your painting apron, and slay those dragons!

Every flower has a meaning, every petal speaks a word, but unless you speak their language, something special goes unheard. ~ Sheila Roberts

Monthly online classes are blooming…

Click here for the scoop!

New Aprons Are Here!

I’m so excited to announce a whole crop of colorful aprons is now blooming in Flower Mound Studio. Add a bold statement to your studio wardrobe with flowers! These are beautiful gifts, and are perfect for crafting, kitchen work, and – of course – painting time. In bright, fun colors, with front pockets and machine washable, gather a bouquet of them for yourself! Choose your favorite colors from six designs.

Click here to indulge in an apron

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A Painting Prize Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for my upcoming Fredericksburg workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Italy 2018 – Catch the Earlybird Pricing!

Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy during the National Truffle Festival in Le Marche region in October 2018. Earlybird pricing is here, so take a peek at all the fun!

Get all the delicious Italy details here

Join me for France, Italy, and more! Here’s the scoop!

Submit a Comment

Painting the Imperfections

April 16, 2018 by Nancy Medina 10 Comments

Growing Wild Poppies, detail, 16X16, oil

I am just back from a week in the Texas Hill Country, flower peepin’, wine sippin’, and painting up a storm of colors. In our whirlwind 3-day workshop, we painted Texas poppies, home grown irises freshly transported from our host’s garden, hummingbirds, and Texas delphiniums. We took a field trip to Wild Seed Farms and got bunches of photos of fields of poppies, larkspur, buttercups, and bluebonnets. In addition to gals from across the US, several ladies from my France trip joined the workshop in Fredericksburg, Texas, an impromptu reunion, sans berets, but with plenty of joie de vivre!

Excitement like that is a big part of the experience of being an artist. If someone is painting a subject they love, their brush strokes are purposeful and energetic. People are drawn to art that speaks to them on an emotional level. They may not be able to explain why they love your painting, but they will love it, regardless, if your own excitement is there. They will sense your joy, and respond in kind. I choose flowers because they inspire and excite me – especially when I can paint them from life.

A fresh flower is vivid, its shadows are not altered or lost in the translation of a camera lens, and a real flower is imperfect. Real flowers are tattered and torn, faded and missing petals and other parts and pieces. Embracing these imperfections – and amplifying them rather than disguising them – gives our paintings authenticity.

Mother Nature does not make perfect flowers, and I love her for that. I like my flowers imperfect and I like paintings that are impressionistic. I feel exactly the same about my girlfriends, a little imperfection is so much more fun, it’s relatable! It also makes life feel just a bit kinder, and let’s us realize, also, to forgive ourselves for those instances when we, too, fall from grace.

There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. – Leonard Cohen

New Aprons Are Here!

Click here to indulge in an apron

.

A Painting Prize Giveaway!

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on this blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for my upcoming Fredericksburg workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the gift certificate winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Pizza on the patio in Italy – with a priceless view!

Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy during the National Truffle Festival in Le Marche region in October 2018.

Get all the delicious Italy details here

Join me for France, Italy, and more! Here’s the scoop!

Submit a Comment

The Light Makers

March 19, 2018 by Nancy Medina 6 Comments

Sweet Dreams Geranium Garden, 16X20, oil, sold

A friend was terribly upset yesterday when a social media troll attacked her post on Facebook. She had shared how joyful it made her feel, to see all the artwork shared there by so many talented people. By sharing her joy, she attracted the ire of someone whose goal it was to share darkness.

This reminded me of something I’ve been considering for some time – something that is not unique to artists, but is consistent with so many of the artists I know. It’s the way artists live, it’s who they are. Artists are the light makers and seekers. By nature, artists who are steeped in their journeys are creators, painting, producing, growing and learning, and sometimes sharing that journey with others. All of these actions are a way of giving positive energy to the universe. While this may sound a bit kumbaya, it’s been interesting to see how different my life has become when I compare 30 years in corporate America to the past 5 years working with artists. I know one thing for certain, when you give positive thoughts, when you create, when you paint, when you bring beauty to this world, there is a reciprocating joy and fulfillment, a positive energy that is given back to you. Doors open, when you move in the right direction, toward your dreams and toward who you are truly meant to be.

Let us dance in the sun, wearing wildflowers in our hair, and let us huddle together as darkness takes over. We are at home amidst the birds and the trees, for we are children of nature. – Susan Polis Schutz

Painting Brilliant Birds and Bees

My March 23 workshop is full, but there are a few seats left for Painting Brilliant Birds and Bees in Flower Gardens, July 13-15, 2018, here in Flower Mound, Texas, just 15 minutes from DFW International Airport in North Texas. You’ll get to meet the pug helpers, and have special meals prepared by Chef Carlos, with lunch in the flower gardens, in this super small workshop with plenty of teacher TLC.

Painting Brilliant Birds & Bees
July 13-15, 2018
Flower Mound Studio

Get the Buzz Here

As a bonus especially for you, spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on the blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for the July workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Disclaimer: Content in the July Birds & Bees workshop has been approved by the Workshop Association of America with a rating of Bee Gee, suitable for all audiences. Some scenes do depict shockingly bold color, however.

Italy shutters — A day of life in an ancient Italian village – filled with color!

PS: Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy during the National Truffle Festival in Le Marche region in October 2018.

Get all the delicious Italy details here

PPS: In 2018, big changes are here for monthly online class members of The Joyful Brush, with cool new features and new paintings. Get your color on here!

Join me for France, Italy, and more! Here’s the scoop!

Submit a Comment

A Studio Tour and Where Do the Stories Go

March 12, 2018 by Nancy Medina 7 Comments

Final Afternoon Aperitifs Hummingbird — Afternoon Aperitifs – the latest little hummingbird in the studio, 16X16, oil

It’s been awfully quiet around the studio lately, namely because the artist lost her voice! A serious matter, since corralling a Pug puppy involves boisterous hollering from time to time (okay, every 20 minutes or so). The good news is – the bug that made the rounds has left the building. This delayed our plans to unveil the new studio for you in a timely fashion, but I’m delighted to finally pull back the curtain now! The sparkly bits are polished and the fluffy parts are fluffed.

Join me for the home studio tour!

It’s not the biggest studio in the world, nor the fanciest, but it’s another milestone in the journey. If my Mother were still alive, there would have been weekly phone calls with updates on each little step in the process, starting with the flooring and the glass doorknobs, and ending with anecdotes about what the contractors discovered under the sheetrock. I’ve been flooded with memories of her lately, as the anniversary of her passing is approaching.

On some of the nights I stayed with her during her 2 years in hospice, I would read to her from poetry books. Her favorite was Shel Silverstein, Where the Sidewalk Ends. She had written hundreds of poems in her lifetime, and won awards for her writing, so her love of language was a part of who she was. But it was her imagination – and her storytelling when we were children – that fueled my dreams and my writing. She used to sing silly songs to us when we were young, and, when we were older, took us the library every week. She saved money back from the grocery budget to buy us Disney records, which we played on summer days, sitting on the floor in the bedroom I shared with my three sisters. Her piano room had shelves lined with poetry anthologies and literature textbooks, and binders filled with her written and typed work.

Where do the stories go, when the storyteller is gone? As long as I can still remember the sound of her laughter, and see her hands turning the pages of a book at her kitchen table, maybe the story isn’t finished, quite yet. Maybe the storyteller is still here, a part of the fabric of who I am today, and who I am growing to be.

Birds and Bees Abuzz in the Studio

Painting Brilliant Birds & Bees
July 13-15, 2018
Flower Mound Studio

Get the Buzz Here

My March 23 workshop is full, but there are a few seats left for Painting Brilliant Birds and Bees, July 13-15, 2018, here in the new studio. Flower Mound, Texas, is just 15 minutes from DFW International Airport in North Texas, and the gals who joined me in February said the new Marriott in Flower Mound is lovely, with waterfall gardens and walking paths just outside. July students will get to meet the pug helpers, and have special meals prepared by Chef Carlos. If it’s not too warm that weekend, we’ll have lunches in the flower gardens. Best of all, my studio workshops are super small with plenty of teacher TLC!

Spring is the perfect time to give away a new $100 gift certificate for art supplies! Tubes of joy, boxes from Dickblick.com on the doorstep, brushes in pristine clear wrappers, all the things that make an artists’ heart to go pitty pat! To be entered to win, leave a comment on the blog, easy as pie. And please, if you’re already signed up for the July workshop, don’t bring the artist pie. She has already converted all her jeans to stretchy! I’ll announce the winner on July 12, just in time for the Birds and the Bees in the studio!

Disclaimer: Content in the July Birds & Bees workshop has been approved by the Workshop Association of America with a rating of Bee Gee, suitable for all audiences. Some scenes do depict shockingly bold color, however.

Our hotel courtyard in Italy looks out over this colorful village scene and the flower market below!

PS: Join me for a VIP painting dream getaway to Italy during the National Truffle Festival in Le Marche region in October 2018.

Get all the delicious Italy details here

PPS: In 2018, big changes are here for monthly online class members of The Joyful Brush, with cool new features and new paintings. Get your color on here!