I’ve now had time to digest my 2025 retreats, and have two more this year, and planning three in 2027.

Let’s chat about it.

“Traveling for work” had always been a dream of mine, but I had brushed it off as a far away goal. Something that future Sarah could figure out.

What exactly goes into planning a workshop or art retreat?

A weekend workshop is a little simpler. Usually you book a studio location and everyone shows up from 9am-5pm (ish). You might provide lunch, or maybe not. But mostly people are figuring out their own logistics.

My first piece of advice would be to attend a workshop to experience it yourself. Get a feel for what they are typically like. Some students attend many workshops per year so they have certain expectations.

An art retreat is much more involved. It’s a retreat from everyday life. The students show up and everything is taken care of. They pay a lump sum and the money is used to book EVERYTHING: Venue, food, field trips, etc.

First, you need a venue. Somewhere comfortable you can settle in for a week. Somewhere that can accommodate many types of needs. A place with a chef that can cater to several dietary restrictions in each meal. A place with an attentive and trustworthy staff. A location with an secure indoor studio space with good lighting and ventillation. As a bonus for me (for plein air) the venue would have an amazing view to paint.

The venue is the most challenging piece of the puzzle. Some places look great online but in person might be a totally different experience. Do you go in person to vet them or trust online reviews? Have others done retreats there?

Depending on the location, people might have to take multiple flights to get there and maybe even a taxi, bus, or train. Do you require them to arrange their own transportation from the airport to the venue? Or do you cover that? If so, do you pick everyone up at the airport at once or arrange multiple buses?

For field trips, do you hire a small or large bus? How many hours? How long is the bus ride. Is there a bathroom break?

Lastly, consider if you want the venue all to yourselves, or if you’re willing to “share” the experience with strangers- like at a larger resort. At the least you should have a lockable studio room booked just for your students that can be the “home base” for your lessons.

Logistics Companies

The logistical considerations haunted me when I thought about starting this journey. I desperately wanted to experience what it was like to teach an international art retreat but didn’t know how to start.

Then a company, Uptrek, contacted me with a proposal for teaching in France. It sounded way too good to be true. Go to France for a week, teach enthusiastic artists, and get paid?

Uptrek does an amazing job with very personalized attention. They handled all the logistics: transportation, bookings, the field trips, the food, the money, everything. During the week they were available 24/7 for questions and concerns.

In short, they made it happen!

So if you are interested in teaching a retreat, search for logistic travel companies.

Curriculum

Once they sent their proposal, I didn’t hesitate long before accepting. Then the real work began.

We needed to have a day-by-day schedule ready before we published our retreat, to make sure students knew exactly what to expect. Managing expectations is critical from the very beginning.

Uptrek and I spent weeks going back and forth with ideas to settle on our daily itinerary. They had to book the excursions which needed to be paid in advance.

Once we had a schedule I could hone in on my specific curriculum, on my own. I’m a bit of a control freak with my teaching and I wanted to leave nothing to chance.

Since my workshops include plein air (painting outside) I knew there was a chance weather could disrupt my plans. Having studio lessons ready to go was key, and I definitely ended up using those a lot too.

Our days were divided into morning and afternoon art sessions. Each was about three-four hours which is a nice amount of time for lessons. So I planned out at least two studio lessons per day, just in case. I pre-printed all of our references because I didn’t want to rely on everyone having a phone with internet for digital photos. Students could work before and after as well, and I was often around for questions after-hours.

After Hours for Teachers

One of my biggest lessons came from managing my energy. I’m not used to socializing all day, let alone for 7 days in a row. So I knew that would really drain my energy. Not in a bad way, just that it was something I needed to prepare for.

In addition, teaching and painting is mentally exhausting. If you paint for 4 solid hours, you’ll feel it. Add in teaching and it’s a whole new level! So it became critical that I protect my energy by regularly resting during free time.

I’ve always struggled with a sore throat if I talk a lot. To manage hours and hours of talking, I had to carry a water bottle with me and sip constantly. I also had endless cups of herbal tea, and Ricola drops which really helped. During breaks and after hours, I went somewhere quiet and rested. Sometimes I was with the group, but I was just less talkative (they totally understood) or sometimes I went to my room to rest. My mental stamina was tested, but I was able to get through the week without burning out.

Final Thoughts

Don’t get me wrong - it was luxurious. It was everything I dreamed and more!

But I’ve never been so tired in my life. 😂

I have spoken with artists who tried teaching workshops and retreats and ended up hating it. I’m happy to say I found the opposite. I am so looking forward to future retreats and even weekend workshops.

I loved exploring new places with other artists. Sharing that excitement was wonderful. I really loved interacting with students, and especially helping them progress throughout the week. Being able to show a technique in person makes such a difference! Nothing beats seeing the paint moving up-close.

Well…except maybe cake.

Have you attended a weekend workshop or art retreat? If so I’d love to read about it in the comments. What did you gain from it?

We recently bought a home and moved back towards Inverness - an area we’ve always loved. As I was packing and unpacking, I kept coming across dozens of old paintings. Lots of unfinished oil or acrylic landscapes on canvas that were tucked away in the shed, each one holding a beautiful memory. Each one representing a special time in my artistic life. It got me thinking - wow! I’ve changed.

Not all of me has changed. But my artistic path has meandered quite a lot over the years. Nowadays I spend most of my creative energy in my sketchbooks, not on large canvas.

I’ve been thinking about how much I’ve changed as an artist over the past ten years. I still paint landscapes mostly, and nature is still my biggest inspiration. But for a long time I felt that selling work (especially in a gallery) is what legitimizes your artistic career. I’m sure it’s because I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s without internet, when that was the only way.

But there’s a flaw in that logic - it assumes you need permission from others to call yourself a “real” artist. And times have changed. The internet is our new gallery. You can make a living as an artist and reach huge financial success without ever leaving your home. Without ever touching a canvas. The possibilities are endless.

Perhaps with age I became more confident in who I am. I don’t feel the need to apologize for what I want, I just go for it. And that means if I don’t want to paint large gallery pieces, I don’t.

(side note: I do miss painting large, and plan to get back to it now that we’ve moved to a bigger home!)

Another thing that shifted for me was the realization that time is my currency. Money comes and goes (mostly goes it seems). But time is truly the only priceless and precious thing I have. Freedom of time is everything to me now.

Making my own schedule and choosing what I want to do, when I want to do it, is how I define my own success.

Realizing this set me free in a way. Free of confusion about what I want. I will work as hard as I need to in order to maintain my freedom of time. Granted, most of my free time is spent on painting, because I love it! So it often feels like I never stop “working” - but again, that’s not so bad when you love what you do.

In recognizing that, I’ve started pursuing other creative hobbies more heavily, with absolutely no pressure to share or monetize it. Knitting has become a huge passion and takes up a lot of my free time now. I think this has helped me create a better work / life balance, so that I take breaks from painting but my creativity can still thrive.

When Change is Scary

Sometimes I fear creative change, because when your income depends on the success of your art business, that creates a certain amount of pressure to maintain the norm. It does depend on the audience and product, but it’s a legitimate concern.

However over the years I’ve realized that change is healthy and my audience likes it, to an extent. My passion lies in painting and sharing the beauty of nature, and that will always be the basis of my business. But within that there is room to play.

I have to constantly remind myself that it’s OK to try new mediums and subjects and styles and that in the long run, my audience is there for it all. They recognize the joy in the act of creation. The enthusiasm is contagious.

So when I found all these old canvases in my shed, it brought back a flood of emotion, back to times when I was scared about pivoting, wondering if I was dooming myself.

I’m happy to report that through all of those changes, my business has not only stayed afloat but it is thriving. And that is a direct result of me following my passion. The audience is there for the passion!

Let’s hear from other artists

I reached out to some artist friends to ask how their creative process has changed because I wanted a wide range of perspectives. Here are their answers (and make sure to check out their work if I’ve linked to them!)

Emma Lefebvre - https://www.emjwatercolourstudio.com/

How long have you been a professional artist?
”It’s funny you say professional artist because to be honest, I don’t feel like I am. I think I’ve always thought of myself more as a teacher than an artist. I think that may come from the fear of creating work to sell, which I don’t do (yet… maybe one day). As for my art teaching career, specifically on YouTube, it’s been almost 8 years!”

Have you gone through creative changes over the years - if so what were they?
“I think I’ve gone through a ton of creative changes over the years. I feel like I’ve evolved so much in my style, skills and approach to art. A huge reason for that is because I am constantly being inspired by other artists on YouTube and Instagram. I have learned so much from other artists that push me to want to try new things and explore new mediums and I’m so grateful for that!
When I was first starting out I was sticking strictly to watercolour because of its ease and accessibility with my son who was a baby at the time. It was easier to jump in and out of a painting with watercolour more than other mediums. But as he grew older and I discovered more artists (like yourself) using gouache and other mediums, I became so excited and inspired to try new things!”

How did your practice change? Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?
“I think there was a part of me that became bored with creating watercolour florals again and again. While it will always be my first love, I was creating 3 videos a week for years on end, and I craved something new! With that definitely came so much fear that my audience wouldn’t like it. YouTube was my main source of income and if people don’t like the videos I was creating while trying new things, that would impact my career! But I also needed something to keep me going creatively! I found myself feeling so much burnout and stress over the years trying to create for others rather than creating for myself. There was a period when I lost my joy in painting because of this. I had to change my mindset and realize that people got more out of seeing me creatively excited in my videos than burnt out. So I ran with it and started creating for me and trying new things!”

Lindsay Weirich - https://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com/

How long have you been a professional artist?

I have been a professional artist for 27 years. Most of my income has come from teaching classes.

Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

Before blogs, youtube, online teaching platforms and social media I taught in person so im not super worried about followers or the algorithm. I can always do more in person teaching if the internet as we know it goes away. Don't get me wrong, I have my little "freak outs" about subscriber and view count but nothing is certain so we might as well enjoy it while it lasts. I am grateful for the opportunity that YouTube gave me but I also look at it like a windfall and think about how I will let people know about my classes if it goes away. Everything does eventually. Tastes change and things that were once popular become irrelevant. You just need to collect enough skills along the way so you can support yourself in the future. There are a million easier ways to make a living than being an artist so if I don't make the art I want to make than what's the point? That's not to say there is no compromise when you are share art as a product but you have to make work thst sustains your soul, not just your bank account.

Marion Boddy-Evans https://marion.scot/

How long have you been a professional artist?

This is a tricky question to answer. Did the first painting I sold make me a professional artist or was it when I started selling enough to make a living or when the income from selling my art exceeded my income as a writer and editor? I went full-time freelance about 20 years ago.

I wrote the painting section for About.com for 12 years, from 2002 to 2014, in the era of big content websites. A lot of these articles are still online in various forms, but the quarterly payment I now get buys a cup of coffee not boxes of art supplies. To read my articles as I wrote them, use WayBackMachine. I have current followers and newsletter subscribers who met me through Painting.About.com. I have met quite a few in real life when they've travelled in Scotland, which is fabulous.

How did your practice change? Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

I learnt early on that whatever I do online there'll be someone who doesn't like it. I once had someone take the time to email me to complain about my free printable stencils, that they were too simple. I mute such people ruthlessly because they're not my tribe.

Have you gone through creative changes over the years - if so what were they?

I think of my art as as circular, that I move through the different subjects I enjoy, and work in different mediums. I regularly come back to something but it's never the same as I have more miles under my paintbrush. If you look at my Instagram you'll see it's eclectic, not tightly curated.

One example of change is that this past year is that I have done a lot of ink drawing on concertinaed paper. Part of the reason is practicality: I moved to within walking distance of the sea and started putting a pen and piece of paper in my pocket. The format and medium are a change, but my love of line is not.

Another part is tied into how I have been unable to "pick up where I left off" after losing my soulmate, and needing a new approach to my art. I worried a lot that my followers wouldn't like my talking about my grief, but ultimately felt not doing so would be denying my reality. I needn't have worried: I have received so much love and support.

Be your authentic self, not the tidied-up version. It's what makes you the artist you are.

Sketches.n.Scrubs - https://www.sketchesstudio.com/

How long have you been a professional artist?

My journey to becoming a professional artist was not linear. I started painting in 2020 for myself, and sharing with others as a way to put something positive and joyful out into the world. That simple 100-day challenge gradually evolved into making YouTube videos, then teaching through an art membership with people from all over the world… and now hosting art retreats!

Picking up a paintbrush was one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. There have been so many phases in my creative journey, each with its own gems and lessons. I hope I always carry pieces of each version of myself forward—the enthusiasm, curiosity, and fearless enjoyment of the process (regardless of the result) from when I first started painting, the dedication I found through teaching, and the confidence that took years to build to use my favourite, precious supplies—and to help others do the same.

Have you gone through creative changes over the years – if so what were they? Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

I do sometimes worry about how my art will be received. I find myself wanting things to fit into clear themes or subjects—to feel cohesive and easy to follow. But art isn’t always logical, and my creativity definitely isn’t linear. Some weeks I’m painting gouache landscapes, other times I can’t put down my watercolours. I love painting landscapes, still lifes, florals and abstracts. Creating art and sharing the joy of creating art through teaching are two different things, I love both, but they require balance.

I’ve tried being very structured, and I’ve also tried having no structure at all…

Ultimately, I’ve found that the best way I can inspire others to paint is to stay inspired, curious, and excited about art myself. So I allow myself to explore; whatever the medium, subject, or outcome (and regardless of analytics). I trust that this will help me grow as an artist, and that the right people will find me, learn, enjoy it, and stay.

Suzanne Birch - https://www.suzannebirch.com/

How long have you been a professional artist?

I consider myself a semi-professional artist, by far not a professional one as my art is not my main source of income, nor do I want it to be! I first started putting my artwork 'out there' online in 2019, and the social media vs artistic freedom dilemma has been quite a big one for me, especially in the earlier years when I was exploring my art more as a business. 

Have you gone through creative changes over the years – if so what were they? Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

In my view it is vital to always follow your artistic curiosity, even if you're creating something completely different than your followers are used to. Social media is a difficult beast to please anyway - the algorithm is always changing and for a few years now there has been a big shift towards video-content, which is very time-consuming to create and hard to keep up consistently. If you really pursue your art as an online business and want to get eyes on your work in order to drive sales, you have to develop your online brand identity and stay coherent in your work, and push out the stream of content that does well online. I've always found this very difficult to do - it is the direct opposite of what I need to thrive as a painter. I need freedom to explore, take creative U-turns, and also freedom to not create at all at times when my creativity ebbs. I first suppressed my creative changes when I felt the work would be too different and put people off, but that was not sustainable for me as an artist. I felt that I was creating pretty social media content first, and authentic artwork second, and I quickly lost the joy in doing that. In my creative work I've switched from figurative bird portraits, to abstract collage, to minimalist geometric pieces, to expressive landscapes and back to figurative again.

I might have lost a few followers along the way but it was the best thing I could have done for my artistic growth. Freely exploring, creating messes, experimenting, failing, doing 'ugly' pieces and enjoying where they take you, is so vital for an artist's growth and joy in their work. Some artists are great at taking their followers along that journey with them, but I've found it very difficult to do this - the social media part was always interfering with my own intuitive inner voice. I'm now using social media more as an artistic outlet rather than a marketing platform: I post whatever I want, whenever I want. I post ugly things, sketches, 180 degree turns and unfinished paintings. My feed is a lot less polished now than it used to be when I still tried to stick to a brand identity - but I'm a much happier artist for it!

Melody Wiggin - https://melodywigginartist.com/

How long have you been a professional artist?

I started painting late in life and thus began professionally working as an artist in 2020.

Have you gone through creative changes over the years – if so what were they?

I would say the biggest change is that I now paint with more intention. I pay closer attention to the focal point and making sure the rest of the painting supports it. As an example, rather than thinking “gee that’s pretty – I should paint that”, I think of whether the scene has a good composition that directs the eye to the focal point and keeps the eye within the painting. I also think of how I can change the structure of the painting to benefit the focal point.

How did your practice change?

I spend more time on preparation of a scene and also the finishing process. The preparation includes more thought around the area of structure. The finishing process is typically the last 1/3 and makes the painting “pop”, so it is very important that I do not ruin a well structured painting by veering off in a direction that disguises the original structure.

Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

Yes, certainly. In my case, my fear revolves around pricing rather than creativity. I do not fear changing my creative process, such as mediums or expression. However, I am working on “upping my game” to get into more prominent galleries and museums, which means a price increase. That is scary. Are my paintings worth it? Who are they worth it to? Who am I hoping to reach?

Clem - (Prefers not to use real name - she attended one of my workshops and we became long-distant friends) - https://bsky.app/profile/artandcrafter.bsky.social

How long have you pursuing art / working on your craft?

I’d been drawing very sporadically since I was a kid and it’s been 10-15 years since I actively learn and practice and slowly embrace my creative endeavours! Not necessarily only a painter but I find joy in creating things, it’s the only occupation that I find fulfilling. 

I'm not a professional artist and I don't have followers or a presence on social media, it's something I consider from time to time but it's very scary and so far, I've not found enough commitment or energy in me to deep dive into a more serious existence online.

Right now I'm looking for smaller platforms that feel less daunting and hectic, I don't like how Instagram makes me feel now. So on that score, I'm not really fitting in with your question but the topic of change in general and in one's practice I find really interesting!

How did your practice change? Do you ever fear change, because it is uncertain, or worry your followers won’t like it?

I think I've always been scared of change, up until relatively recently when I realised that it was pretty useless to resist change in the end - that's what everything is about, we always change and we always adapt.

Have you gone through creative changes over the years - if so what were they?

In terms of art, the most important change for me is when I stepped up from being very precise and slow, when I started drawing more regularly (so I was an alright copyist and was able to draw nice enough portraits for instance) to being more loose and less precise. That really scared me because at first it felt like I was going back and not forward, but actually it opened a lot more possibilities for what I ultimately want to do and can do.

It's very true for arts and creative processes, I feel like we're always changing because our interests and inspirations change as well. Somehow I feel it applies in more aspects of life too.

About the followers and the risk of losing some, I also feel that it's always a possibility, whether you keep doing the same thing and some people stop following because their own interests are moving on, or you change style and it does not suit some people anymore either.

Personally, I'm following you because a lot of what you share resonates with me and I find your approach very inspiring and reassuring. I also really like what you do and it's motivated me to work more with gouache as well for instance, but I don't know if it's my favourite medium and I'm fine with that :)

Other artist I follow I don't necessarily love their style or what they do but I find them very inspirational ; I appreciate and am grateful for the work it takes to share what you do in the way you do it. It's not 100% about the art or the style : I'm passionate about the processes and the decisions that lead to the creation of a piece of art.

So to wrap this up, what I've recently learnt, partly thanks to you and other artists and life, it's a bit cliché but I feel like it's normal and alright to be scared of change but it's better when fear does not stop us from experimenting and evolving.

So, here’s past Sarah with some musings.

Finding Joy in Painting (in a World of Criticism)

January 6, 2025
I’m coming up on my ten-year painting anniversary, as well as my 40th birthday, and with that a flood of emotions and memories crop up daily.

I remember my desperation to start this journey, when nothing but untested potential was in front of me - to see what I could achieve when I dedicated my life to it. Now, nearly ten years later I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Maybe my progress seems slow to some people. Maybe it seems fast to others. I fluctuate between the two depending on my mood.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that a lot happens quietly, internally, when you go through life with artist eyes. It doesn’t always show on the page.

And beauty is not always the result of dedication. We’ve all heard “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” My beauty is not your beauty. We see what we want to see and read between the brush strokes depending on our own life experiences. There is no universally beautiful painting - not one painting that would satisfy every human on earth. Some might come close, but I guarantee there will always be at least one pair of eyes that doesn’t see it the same way.

With the dawn of social media, everyday artists and even hobbyists began to feel the same criticism that used to be reserved for celebrities. Now we are all compared side-by-side on a daily basis. On one hand I rejoice knowing that more people are seeing more art than ever before. On the other hand, art has become almost unrecognizable from commodity. “Fast Fashion” they call it now - here one moment, gone the next. Hours, weeks, months of work consumed in a single swipe. It’s a harsh reality for today’s artists.

How do we avoid falling into that trap ourselves?

Let’s assume we aren’t making art to get rich. We are making it for the joy of painting. That already changes our internal narrative to be less self-critical and more accepting. It means even our failures have value. The value came from the experience of creation. Sharing it with others is just a bonus. If you value the process more than the outcome, no one’s criticism can touch you. If we can hold onto the real meaning of creation, the criticism stings a little less.

[end entry]

And that’s all she wrote.

I still carry those sentiments, and perhaps feel them even stronger now that AI has become totally normalized.

The interesting thing is that despite having a bit of an existential crisis when I wrote that (who doesn’t when they turn 40??), I was creating some of my favorite little gouache studies and having a blast.

Outdoor painter is the website partner to Plein Air Magazine and is dedicated to helping artists discover the benefits and new perspectives of being a plein air artist. They offer tons of advice from world-renowned artists and many masters.

Link to article.

This is a huge honor for me, as I’ve looked at Outdoor Painter as a beacon of information and inspiration for several years, so to be recognized even just a little bit by them makes me speechless. It’s owned by Streamline Publishing, who run my favorite podcast: Plein Air Podcast with Eric Rhoads which I’ve listened to for years! They also run several huge events like the Plein Air Convention and Expo (PACE), Watercolor Live, Realism Live and more.

This interview came after being invited by Streamline to teach in the upcoming Acrylic Live event - 3 days of acrylic tutorials by many of the world’s leading experts. I’ll be teaching on the bonus “essentials” day.

Use my code to get 10% off: BURNS

Since it’s our two year anniversary, I wanted to share some highlights and words of wisdom. I asked some group members if they have any advice or encouraging words to share with people who might be interested (or intimidated) to join a local art group.

How do we organize? At first it was just Ruth and I choosing a date and location, then scheduling the event on Facebook Groups.

Now, our most dedicated members share a What’s App group chat so we can decide dates/locations, then we schedule it on Facebook which is how new people find us. We are still very small, and after two years there are regularly 3-7 in attendance each month. But the group hasn’t missed a month since it’s conception! We are pretty proud of that.

It’s been such a great way to meet other artists and to get outside, even in the cold gloomy months. You kinda need that in Scotland.

What to bring?

Ahhh..the eternal question.

One of my favorites parts is seeing what others like to use, which has led to many new discoveries. It’s also interesting to see how different we all are and what we each consider our “essentials.”

I usually bring the bare minimum (left), focusing on one particular medium. Sometimes it all fits in a pocket. But I like a very small bag. Then we have the medium-sized kits, demonstrated by Ruth’s backpack here (middle). Finally, we have Phil (right) with the big stack of goodies.

To each their own!

These meet-ups are a great way to test new kit. If you like to travel but never know what to bring, you can try things out or see what others are using, get a feel for it, and be more confident for longer trips.

Brand new to plein air? I shared a video with all of my favorite gear and plenty of advice:

Scotland is often very windy, cold, or raining when we meet. We’ve gained a thick skin by persevering through all weather. Over the last two years I’ve seen some good ideas for keeping comfortable in challenging conditions.

• Cold weather - Thermos with hot coffee, tea or chocolate. A small stool/folding chair to keep you off the cold ground/benches. A foam camping seat to insulate your bum. Rechargeable hand warmers were a great find by Ruth. Bundle up with extra layers - thermals, wool, and water/windproof jackets, thick hats to cover ears, and gloves. Fingerless gloves offer a little more dexterity.

  Warm boots are another great option, especially with thick soles to insulate from the cold ground.

• Wet - waterproofs are great but not very breathable. A poncho is a quick solution that is easily removable between showers. It also withstands wind, unlike umbrellas. It can even fit over your entire body + backpack.

Worst case scenario - head to a coffee shop!

Even on a cold day, I never regret spending time with artists doing something we love!

I’ve been inspired by watching how others work, even if we have totally different styles and materials. It sometimes sparks an idea in my own work. One time I was watching Marion paint in an accordion sketchbook, and her piece spanned many pages. It made me realize how often I am stuck in a small box.

Admittedly, I was a little nervous when we first started. Would people be friendly? Would we get along? What if I feel super awkward? All my fears melted away after that first meet-up. I quickly realised that no one is there to judge. We are all just on a mission to get better at art and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Moray coast. We have such a wide variety of skill levels and walks of life in our group.

Sometimes we can’t coordinate a date or time that suits everyone, so we do two meet-ups in a month. This also helps spread out locations since people come from far and wide.

Each meet-up is around 2-4 hours which is perfect to get one or two sketches in - or in some cases several very quick loose sketches.

Ruth pre-painted the pages of a sketchbook with different colors, and each meet-up she uses mixed media to draw and paint on whatever color inspires her in the moment. I love that idea!

Phil often paints one larger piece during a meet-up, and is never shy to tackle a difficult subject. So inspiring!

Marion is a fabulous artist with an excellent blog - go check it out for more inspiration!

I’ve been to places I normally wouldn’t go, and now return to often. Forres was a hidden gem.

We go to the coastal towns, with a special affinity for harbours, as well as inland to some of the iconic places like Brodie Castle.

If you are ever planning on stopping in Moray, anywhere between Inverness and Aberdeen, feel free to jump into our Facebook group to see when our next meet-up is! We’d love to meet you. And feel free to drop a comment below and tell us about your local art group!

We recently found out a couple of others were inspired by our group, and made their own plein air groups in Scotland. Make sure to check them out if you are visiting!

• Black Isle Sketchers

• Caithness Sketchers

The new site will be called the Fearless Brush Club. I announced it last year, and since then I’ve continued to develop my business strategy and make a plan for the new year.

Like I said, the goal of the Fearless Brush Club (henceforth referred to as FBC in this blog post, sorry doctors) is to replace my Patreon membership. I want to take back my power and own my content fully. I don’t want to rely on a third-party for the majority of my income anymore.

I had originally planned on launching FBC this year, but then life happened. Some really fun and exciting projects came into my world, and I accepted. That left little time for designing a website for FBC and especially for advertising that. So I set it aside and continued using Patreon.

On the plus side, Patreon is getting more popular so I have less difficulty explaining how it works. And overall it’s been fine. It allows me to do what I need to do for the most part. But year after year, they have increased their fees in exchange for very little increased value.

The Plan

Knowing this, I’ve made plans to get FBC up and running in January 2025 - kind of.

I will start simple. I’m going to rebrand my Patreon membership as the Fearless Brush Club. Since it’s still on Patreon, I can only do so much, like change my page title and banner. My hope is that it will create a more seamless transition to the new site if people are already familiar with FBC and what it offers.

My Patreon membership currently has a few different tiers - each one offering different levels of tutorials and guidance. I’m going to adjust them slightly to fit my new study plan which aligns better with my vision for FBC. But otherwise things are staying the same, for now.

2026 EDIT: 2025 came and went…and I’m laughing at my past optimism. Funny how life throws us curveballs! For now, I’m still calling my Patreon the Fearless Brush Club, but plan on making the transition…TBD! Sign up for my newsletter to find out when it happens.

Want to stay in the loop? Join my newsletter and catch all future announcements!

I’m really excited about this because for so long I pictured my audience as a really fun art club. Even though we all live in different countries, we are each drawn to art and that becomes a universal language. I can envision future meet-ups with Fearless Brush Club members. How fun!

A Cautionary Tale

I have used Patreon since 2015. I’m one of the OGs of Patreon. I still have the “founding members” plan, which is supposed to make me feel some kind of way.

But in reality, Patreon is not mine. I don’t own it, I cannot change the design, I have no say in their business policies. And because of that, there is always the risk of losing it. Technically they have the power to change everything overnight, and I’d lose all my members. Not that I expect that to happen, but it wouldn’t be the first time a company did something drastic and a lot of people were suddenly out of business, would it?

The internet is like the wild west in my view. There are no actual rules. Companies come and go, setting up camp for as long as suits them. They can change their camp whenever they want, or just pack up and leave in the dark of night. They can pretty much do what they want. Big internet companies like Google, Amazon, Twitter (X) and more are so embedded into society that they know even if a big portion of the world “hates” them, they are still going to make millions.

If the internet is a sea, I am a minnow. Maybe even plankton. I have so little power. So little control. There are only two drops of water that I can fully control:

1. My website. I own the domain. I design it. No one can take it away from me. People willingly go to my website to look.

2. My newsletter. People willingly sign up. And it’s the only way I can contact my audience directly if social media suddenly disappears.

These are my drops of water and I love them and protect them.

Tip for other artists who are starting out - start a newsletter as soon as possible. Even if you don’t plan to send out many emails. Get that list started! People are interested in you and your art, not the platforms you share on. Your newsletter list is the most direct connection to your audience and no one can mess with it.

Despite knowing this, I rely on third-party websites like YouTube and Patreon to “allow” me to share my content in exchange for money. Which kind of scares me in the long run.

I have seen the internet evolve drastically over the past 30 years. It’s a strange immaterial entity that plays a massive part in our lives, and yet most of us have so little control. We are guests. We are allowed to use social media and streaming platforms and websites until we’re not - until they disappear, change, get hacked, get cancelled, etc.

Therefore making a living online is an even stranger and riskier business. Especially when you rely on a system of trust that the third party will not behave badly or worst case, disappear. Remember what happened to Tumblr? That’s obviously a morally complex case, but it still led to a seemingly overnight downfall of a huge platform. But even Patreon isn’t immune to controversy. In 2017 they announced a fee change for members which led to a huge backlash and ultimately they reversed their stance. (they’ve sinced increased fees for creators)

And Patreon’s most recent hiccup was due to Apple’s announcement that people signing up for memberships through the iOS app would incur an additional 30% fee. This led to a multitude of protests, but Apple is too big to care. Why would they? Even the likes of Patreon is a small drop of water in Apple’s sea. (by the way, the work-around is that you can tell members to sign up through a browser instead. But we all know that adding an extra step to any kind of sign-up leads to drop off)

To wrap up this rant, it comes down to ownership and control. The safest route is to limit (or get rid of) third-party control of your content. Easier said than done. But it’s possible! Take it from someone who wishes they had done this from the very beginning and is now wrestling with hard decisions and changes. This is why I’m excited for the potential of Fearless Brush Club. I’ll come back and update about this in the new year as things develop.

As always, hope you are staying inspired!

Although it’s a little harder to get to (for some visitors), Cullen is a favorite painting spot of mine and I knew that if people came to paint here they’d feel the same. It has a quiet charm but is absolutely stunning in the right weather. Luckily, we had a bit of everything on this fine July weekend.

I can’t say the same for June, which unfortunately was a very wet month (one of the wettest on record). But I rent a room at the harbour specifically for that reason. In case of poor weather we have a warm, dry backup spot to paint. It was also the perfect place to start the day with a little warm up exercise.

I’ve been teaching online for over 5 years, so I have developed a very clear form of communicating my thoughts as I paint. But what I didn’t realize is that teaching in person is so much easier! I feel I can more thoroughly express myself to people. I loved the instant feedback that is possible when people are right there. I loved being able to walk around and help those who needed it. Seeing them work and offer tips as they go is incredibly valuable.

And perhaps one of the greatest joys was listening to people speak passionately about their art and what inspires them. Watching them interact with the beautiful environment and get excited to paint it. That is pure gold.

These workshops were focused on watercolor and gouache, my two favorite mediums. I was happy to get sunshine for my demo but the wind was quite strong. It definitely created a challenge for me to stay focused, speak loud enough, and produce something I was happy with. But that’s the funny thing about teaching. You don’t have to make a masterpiece, or even finish the painting. It’s much more about articulating a strategy for painting that people will understand. If what you are saying sinks in, the finished result shouldn’t really matter. And I find that is especially true when I’m outside in the wild elements. Teaching in person has taught me a lot about what’s important during the painting process.

If you’d like to be notified about future workshop dates, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. That is always the first place I share it!

When I really think about it, it must come from the assumption that someone will read this. At least one soul in the universe will stumble across this blog. Therefore the thought must be articulated. Articulation requires more care and attention. The processing of the thought and feeling happens as the words flow through my fingers to the keyboard. Like self-therapy. I write something and think about it from an outside perspective, as if I were speaking to someone directly. In a private journal the words flow quickly without editing. They are raw. Not that my blog isn’t…It’s just polished slightly. Like, I actually try to spell everything correctly.

Anyways, earlier today I sat down to write and noticed a few old draft posts that I had forgotten about. As I read through them, I couldn’t help but laugh. They are full of angsty feelings, struggles, thoughts that I might expect from a young person stumbling through life. Then I remember…when I wrote them I was a young person stumbling through life. The same struggles seem to repeat themselves over the years. How can something I felt in 2018 still be so relevant as if it were yesterday? I guess I’m still stumbling.

Many of those old posts were extremely heartfelt and vulnerable. And although I share a lot here, there are some things I just can’t seem to bring myself to publish.

As an early-adopter of the internet I’ve experienced the creation of Livejournal, MySpace, Facebook and more. All of which were revolutionary in their time. All of which were created to give us a space to share. To put something out into the void. To say “Hey, I’m here. And this is what I feel.” In fact every good thing that has happened to me is because I took a chance and was vulnerable to a stranger.

But wow. I cringed so hard when I read those old posts. They are actually very difficult to read as a nearly 40 year old. They made me question everything I’ve ever blogged. Will I be cringing that hard in 10 years about what I write today?? Maybe.

I like the idea of a slow-drip record of what I’ve gone through as an artist. Or even just as a human. The ups and downs.. just figuring it out as I go. The same as I was when I was 18. And over the years of blogging, I’ve come to rely on the self-therapy it provides. I’ll have to embrace the potential of cringing in the future, in order to get through the now.

Another great thing I’ve discovered about writing my thoughts is that it gives weight to meaningful things I should think about more, and releases those that don’t serve me. When I write something I can instantly tell the difference.

So I’ll continue to use this as my safe space to share those thoughts and feelings.

Self-Critique

The act of self-critiquing isn’t just related to art. We can and should do it daily to improve as a human. Critique isn’t harmful, it is necessary for growth.

I recall my college days when the entire class gathered around my project and took turns explaining why it was good and bad. That’s the key - good constructive criticism is sandwiched between positives. What worked? What didn’t? What can we improve next time? Those experiences instilled a healthy appreciation for critique and I’m able to apply it to my daily art practice.

Failure is a daily part of an artist’s life, and without a way of understanding it, chances of getting past it are slim. When I say failure I mean anything- even as simple as drawing a circle. Let’s be honest, drawing a perfect circle is nearly impossible. Recognizing that is step one. Step two is trying again. And again. Eventually we might be able to draw a nearly-perfect circle. This idea can be applied to anything: drawing the human form, color mixing, painting, music, language.

Expect millions of small failures throughout your artistic life, and they won’t catch you by surprise or devastate you. See each little failure as a lesson. Our minds are pretty good at catching a mistake and adjusting. It reminds me of when I was learning to play the ukulele. At first nothing worked. After a few months of almost daily practice, I could play a song. I was internalizing every mistake whether I realized it or not, and making tiny adjustments until it worked.

Can it be frustrating at times? Hell yes. But no one was ever born being able to speak fluent languages, play a concert, or paint a picture. Every skill in life is learned.

I turn 40 next February, and it has been weighing heavily on me. Not because I’m holding onto my youth, but because it was the number I expected a lot of things to have happened in life, which haven’t happened yet.

For one, I was to be living in a house I owned. I was to have a physical studio space nearby in which I would teach classes. I was to have at least 5 cats. You know, the important things.

I don’t know what it is about reaching a new decade that makes us take stock in our life. I can logically see it’s just another number. Another year in the great journey. But 40 has that connotation of being mid-life which makes me hyper-aware that my life is half over (if I’m lucky). Maybe that’s OK, because the first half was tough. Maybe the second half will be even better. At least now I have the wisdom and self awareness of those years to work with. Because of that I am hopeful. And yet aging is bittersweet. As my mind and body slowly decay over the next few decades, my artist spirit will be filled with endless inspiration as I continually put myself in the way of beauty. Is that a sad or a beautiful thought? That in our last moments we are physically fading, but our spirit is more full and alive than ever before?

I hope none of this sounds morbid or complain…y. Complainy. Still working on that spelling thing.

Anyways, it’s just me processing as I type. From a place of curiosity and always striving to be a better version of myself.

All this is to say, I’m back.

After lots of consideration, I’ve decided to give my Sketching Scotland project it’s own place on the internet.

When I first started the project officially in late July 2022, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make progress as quickly as I have. After over 180 miles, 12 blog posts (trail notes) and 15 videos dedicated to it, I feel that it deserves a bit more space to grow and take on a life of it’s own.

Check out the new Sketching Scotland Website

From now on, that is where I will post trail notes, keep track of mileage, post news about my journey, and more. Anything related to the project will live there.

This project continues to inspire me and I look forward to sharing it all.

A chapter I call “My own membership platform.”

Maybe that’s not an exciting title, I’ll come up with something better.

How about…

The Fearless Brush Club!

The Fearless Brush Club will be my very own members-only art community focused on embracing our love for painting without fear. All of my future tutorials and classes will live there. It will be community-focused with exclusive chat, art shares, live streams and of course, videos! This will all be part of my art blog at The Fearless Brush.

What About Patreon and Skillshare?

I will be creating my own membership website and moving away from Patreon. Don't worry! I won't suddenly abandon Patreon - my Patreon page will still be there and ALL the content will remain. It will become an 'archive of content.' Afterall, there are over 5 years worth of tutorials there! But when my new site launches, I will no longer update Patreon. 

I'll also keep some classes on Skillshare only because they offer a marketing incentive (they have their own search engines and some people find me that way). But I won't advertise those anymore, it will be all organic traffic.

As a heads up, I will most likely have a single entry fee into the new platform. Something reasonable and competitive. 

Benefits of my own membership platform

• My own branding

• Full control over the content

• Streaming videos + One time purchase options (individual classes)

• Build Community through group interaction features (member's only chat, 'art shares' and challenges)

• My own mobile app! (I pay more so I'd have to scale up to this)

• Less fees

As a creator on Patreon, I paid over $3,700 in fees to Patreon in 2022. Ouch.

So, not only will this benefit my business, but it will allow me to create a very intimate community directly on my own website. There will be a members-only place to chat, share art, and talk about painting! That really excites me.

When Will it Launch?

(UPDATED) I hope to build the new platform site during winter, to launch in 2024. If you’d like to be notified when it goes live, sign up for my newsletter.

Someone recently called me a “YouTuber” in the comment of one of my videos. At first it was a shock. I thought ‘No, I’m not a YouTuber, I’m an artist.’ Then I realized it’s actually true because it’s a label given to those who upload weekly on youtube. I hardly make any money directly through YouTube so I always thought of it as another form of social media, not a career. But technically I fit the label. So, I guess I’m a YouTuber. Let’s think of it as a sub-label. I’m an artist and photographer, but I use YouTube as a way to connect with others.

It made me wonder…how many people see me as a YouTuber first? I suppose it’s only natural, as that is a big way people find out I exist.

It’s funny how much a label can mean to us. It’s just a word after all. But we grow attached to labels, even subconsciously. I don’t often think about labels until something like this happens.

While I was sick I had too much time to think. Since I had no energy to paint, I would stare at my art. I spent a lot of time thinking about my “style” and what I call it. I struggle so much to see my own style. Usually when I look at my paintings, one of two things happen. I first see the memory, the place that sparked my interest in painting it. Then I see all the things I would do differently if I painted it again.

Whatever the viewer sees is a totally foreign experience to my own which I find fascinating. All I can do is hope that it resonates with them in some way. 

Since I’m also a “YouTuber” or “content creator” and share my journey online, I have to be able to speak about my art. I call it ‘expressive’ when it is not really realistic. Or if I feel really playful I call it abstract because I let the paint do its thing. 
I like the fact that my paintings that are already out in the world represent a specific time in my life. I can look at each of them and remember what happened that month, where I was and what I was going through. Some are very wild, very bright, colorful, abstract and others are moody and realistic. Whatever they are, it was important in that moment to paint it that specific way.

One of the hardest things about being online is to avoid being afraid to experiment and push myself. On social media as a whole, the algorithm favors consistency, and all of the advice says that to grow a following it’s important that people instantly recognize your style. If you want to be noticed among the millions of visuals that flow past someone’s eyes in a week you have to follow the rules. Since I love to try new things and I’m constantly pushing myself to play with different mediums, that is a big challenge. All of my work does not look the same. All of my choices don’t stem from one place.

I gave up trying to fit into the box a long time ago. The algorithm’s box exists within a matrix of labels. Of 0’s and 1’s. So those of us who are many things, do many things, and share many things will only benefit on the fringes of the matrix. We’ll grow a following, but not as quickly.

But do numbers mean anything? It depends on the context. Since I am a freelancer my income is directly impacted by the algorithm. So yes, labels matter if I want a bigger paycheck.

However, the more I put myself out there online, the more I realize I’m OK with being on the fringe. If I’m not at the center of attention, I feel less confined. I’m able to follow my heart without worrying about the algorithm punishing me. I can share my truth and connect with others in a deeper way.

It makes me wonder how many people change themselves or their art to conform to the algorithm. Does performing well on social media drive them? That is a slippery slope.

There was a time that it drove me, because I wanted to quit my day job. But now that I’ve been doing this full time for many years, I’ve learned there is much more value in being completely true to your own vision. In sharing what matters to you. In quality over quantity. That last one is especially important. Quality. Not feeling forced to post every day or even every week. That pressure is immense for artists nowadays.

I urge you not to get too lost in the weeds of algorithm research. It can completely consume you. But if you do want to dive into the numbers, this is a website which has been useful to me over the years: Socialblade. How I use it is to look at the overall trends in growth. I compare that to decisions I’ve made in my business. For instance, if I’ve started posting more or less in one month, did that lead to a spike in followers? Or if I start sharing a different kind of painting, did that effect it? What if I use different #tags for a month?

See that big spike in October 2021? That happened because I launched my Kickstarter to sell my books. I was driving tons of new traffic to my Instagram account and ended up gaining over 1,200 followers that month. I used new labels like #artbooks #artistauthor and #scotlandbooks which tapped into a new audience. But mostly, I just posted a TON all over the internet.

Here’s my secret sauce - I only open this site a couple times per year. I look back on these things months later. By doing so, I’m able to get a broad picture of how things are moving, rather than let it guide my every step. If overall growth is up, great. If I notice some dips, I assess what happened that month and decide what to do.

Mostly, I just keep doing what I want and say fuck it.

The reason for this is because I want my choices to be backed with passion, and that comes from within. Passion doesn’t start with the algorithm. With this strategy over the years, I’ve been able to grow a successful business while maintaining some semblance of sanity.

So, whatever you label yourself as, or how much you share, it’s worth remembering that your unique voice is what people are drawn to, not how many times you post in a week.

Anyways…just some thoughts. To my fellow creators, have you experienced this as well? Leave a comment and tell me your experience with labels.

I’ve been meaning to make this post for a while…like years. Apparently “gouache” is the number one search term on my website.

Firstly, it’s not the only thing I use, nor my favorite medium.

If I had to rank my favorites it would look like this:

1. Drawing

2. Watercolor (for ease of use)

3. Gouache

4. Acrylic

5. Oil

6. Digital

But 2 & 3 are VERY close, almost tied. The reason watercolor wins is because it’s just plain easy. Especially for plein air and traveling.

What makes gouache extra special?

A few things stand out to me.

• The vivid matte color is mesmerizing. The way it layers and blends but also allows for a HUGE variety of textures is astonishing. It’s kind of the “all in one” medium. You can use it like watercolor or like acrylic.

• Blend, blend, blend! I love that I can keep blending, long after the layers dry. It allows me to work very thoughtfully, taking my time. Something that REALLY helps when working on a painting is to step away for a while and come back with fresh eyes.

• The impermanence of the membrane is easily solved with some varnish or cold wax.

• I love painting on toned paper. The gouache seems to pop off the page!

My Gouache Process

I approach gouache in two main ways.

1. Layers

2. Chunks

With layers, I typically start off with a wet wash of color - either with watercolor or diluted gouache. At this point I can add any “soft” effects I want - like mist, clouds, water, etc. After the first layer dries, I add a slightly thicker layer which usually blocks in the main elements like mountains, hills, trees, buildings, etc. Lastly I add a layer of thick, opaque color which are the final details. Most of the time I add lots of dry-brush textures because it just looks glorious. My dry brush process (video).

This is a very flowy intuitive way of working and leads to very stylized landscapes.
Example:

See how I layer gouache. And here. And here. (videos)

With chunks, I draw my composition carefully, then paint the individual sections without layering. This is usually for paintings that have tons of detail which required a careful drawing first. Or for objects, like apples:

The background behind the apples is plain, therefore there was no point in layering the apples on top, it just would have made life harder.

See how I painted the apples. And another example of my chunk technique. And here.

A lot of times I use gouache for little thumbnails. These small paintings are quick, and allow me to work on composition and color ideas before jumping into a larger more detailed painting.

I love gouache, and will probably be using it forever. It’s special. However I have to be in the right “mood” for it, just like anything else. It’s not the easiest medium.

What makes gouache difficult

The main challenge is that it dries incredibly fast - on the paper AND the palette. Therefore to use it, you have to do a little extra work.

You must keep it moist which requires constant attention. A tiny spray bottle and diligence. My tips and tricks for keeping gouache moist. (video)

You can save your custom mixes by investing in an air-tight palette.

See my palette here. (affiliate link)

I also use a sealed tray with sponge and palette paper to keep my gouache moist during and between each session. There are a few on the market, but currently I like using the Redgrass palette (not affiliated).

See more examples of my gouache sketches.

I post lots of gouache videos on my YouTube channel and Patreon. I hope you enjoy!

This month has been pretty incredible in terms of growth and finding balance. In a recent YouTube video I confessed I've been feeling confused about my path. For a while now it's been really hard to stay motivated and inspired while painting bigger studio work at home.

The amazing summer weather and energy I feel while painting on location is what truly moves me and excites me to create. But for so long I thought of my plein air sketching as:
1. A way to relax and feel connected to nature between the stresses of life, and therefore not “real” art.

2. As a means to an end - to improve my skills and knowledge of the landscape so that I could translate that to bigger canvases.

But I had a breakthrough this month, realizing that those moments out on the trail are what truly matter to me right now, so why aren't they the protagonist of my story? Why do I make them the supporting character (sometimes villain) when they are the driving force behind everything I do?

So, I decided to change that with a simple project. It’s an idea I've had for years but never felt "ready" (whatever that means). I had to give myself permission to start this idea. And I did, yesterday.

Walking the Moray Coast Trail with my Sketchbook

I live in Moray county, a beautiful coastal region between Inverness and Aberdeenshire. Since I moved to Scotland 7 years ago, it's been a dream of mine to walk the entire length of Scotland's coast. But...that's a bit daunting isn’t it! There are over 6,000 miles of coastline in Scotland, and over 11K if you factor in the islands.

So I am starting small. In my own “backyard.”

The Moray Coast Trail is approximately 50 miles long, is well marked, accessible for most walkers, and best of all, close to home. I can take a bus to and from any of the towns that are evenly spread across the coast.

I started the journey yesterday in Cullen, near the Salmon Bothy (ruins) on the very eastern edge of Moray county. I will share the Day 1 journey in my next blog post.

Click here for my gear list

The Route

The Moray Coast Trail is 50 miles long covers almost the entire length of Moray county, but the entire Moray coastline is a little longer so I’ll need to adjust my route after Forres. I’ll stick to the trail, starting in Cullen and walking west. I will divert slightly into each town to refill water or use facilities as I go.

I’m breaking the hike into multiple days and going home between walks. Each town along the trail has a bus stop, and it’s approx. £6 one way to/from my hometown. So as long as I start and stop in a town, I can go home after a long day and pick up where I left off another day.

Being Realistic about The Schedule

Since I’m sketching every 1/2 mile or so, this adds on a tremendous amount of time. I’m also recording parts of the journey with my camera and drone which adds even more. Yesterday I only walked 6 miles (I walked an extra mile than I needed to just to get a specific view). But that measly little 6 miles took me all day. It was humbling and for a brief moment I thought I should give up.

But, then I remembered it’s OK to take my time. It’s not about some wild physical challenge. It’s about living the dream step by step no matter what the pace. I don’t want to rush the process. I want to capture lots of details and scenes along the way and be PRESENT in each moment. When I’m old and unable to walk I’ll look back on the sketchbooks, writings, photos and videos and relive it all.

It’s not possible for me to pause my life and do the whole trail in one go - even if I could. This is something that stopped me from ever starting until now. I thought I had to do the whole thing in one go to “make it count.” Silly right? If you want to do something, just do it. Find ways to fit it into your schedule. Take ownership of your time. EVERYTHING YOU DO counts, because it’s life!

My goal is to finish during August (this would be amazing considering how busy I am). The green dotted line on this map shows the trail and the names are the main towns along the way.

If you’d like to follow along this journey, make sure to bookmark this blog.

I will also be sharing all the sketchbook scans with my Patreons. And I’ll be sharing some of the journey on both of my YouTube channels: The personal journey side will be shared on my Scotland channel, while the sketches will be shared on my art channel. Subscribe to either or both for lots of fun in the future.

Life feels very chaotic lately, and my mind feels very foggy. I used to be able to organize my thoughts clearly and make efficient use of my time, but lately it seems that no matter how many hours I work, I barely achieve anything. 

Something this summer has shifted inside me, and I think even since the start of the year I have changed. 

Predictably, the beautiful summer weather has drawn me outside more and more, and the only moments I feel normal, clear minded, and fully like myself are these. Wandering in the forest. Walking over cliffs. Among the waves. The grasses. The flowers. Perhaps the peace of these moments is my medicine to staving off the daily anxieties that can easily flood in and paralyze me. 

Every artist knows that there are two sides to the coin. One side, what the public sees. A prolific artist living the dream. Painting, visiting amazing places. Existing in that beautiful flow state.

And the other side, the real side, the engine. The engine that drives us forward, sometimes faster than others. Sometimes it breaks down. It needs constant maintenance, especially to get up the mountains with rough terrain. The longer the journey, the more fuel it needs.

And I think this summer I finally realized that I have not been refueling enough. I’ve been coasting on fumes. That’s OK during slow times. But when there is a lot on the calendar, I really struggle to keep the engine on.

So, as the summer continues I’m loving every moment I get to be alive in this beautiful world. Drawing and painting outside every day is not only healing and uplifting, but I learn so much. 

Not every painting is a success, that’s obvious. But getting the brush mileage in and allowing myself room to just breath is where the real growth happens.

My internal evolution will lead to something amazing, I can feel it. The scary part is allowing it to happen.

Routine feels good. Safe. Easy.

You know what doesn’t feel good? Change. But nothing great was ever achieved without change and growth.

Watch the VLOG related to this topic:

Living near the coast provides ample opportunity for this ex-Coloradan to explore a new type of subject. After being land-locked for most of my adult life, I find the Scottish coast absolutely fascinating. Boatyards especially provide endless opportunities for creative photography and ample sketching subjects.

As some of you know I recently switched from Canon to Fujifilm and I’ve been enjoying the process of learning a new system. I often go out for mini “scouting” trips to sketch and take photos, stretching my artistic legs (if one leg was an illustrator and one leg was a photographer).

Here are some photos using my new favorite lens, with a self-imposed challenge of shooting in full sun, hand-held, wide open (meaning I used the F2 aperture for everything).

Other details:

• Everything is unedited, straight out of the camera.

• Jpeg format (not RAW) with the X-T4’s Classic Chrome film simulation

Examples from the Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR

Location: Lossiemouth Harbour, Scotland.

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If you’d like to see the video capabilities, you can watch it here:

Taking a bit of time away to explore a new bit of the highlands - even in the middle of winter - is always rewarding. Ever since I first moved to Scotland I’ve wanted to visit Loch Lomond, famous as the largest loch in Scotland and mentioned in dozens of famous Celtic ballads. I don’t know how it took me 6 years, but it finally happened.

Last week we ventured southwest towards Scotland’s “finger lakes” as I call it - an area that reminds me so much of my birth country. I grew up near Lake Oneida in New York, which is part of a larger series of long skinny lakes that are reminiscent of Scotland’s endless lochs.

Anyways, onwards we roamed, taking a detour to drive through Glencoe then down south to our first destination, Pucks Glen Lodges. Tucked into the side of a forested hill, this little hideaway provided us with two nights of relaxation.

One of the days we decided to drive over to Kilmartin Glen, a region famous for being home to hundreds of prehistoric stone monuments in the form of standing stones, circles, cairns, cists, slabs and more. Some of the sites date back to Neolithic and early Bronze Age (over 5,000 years old) and contain some of the best preserved examples of cup and ring markings in Scotland.

Unfortunately, we arrived in the midst of a brutal wind storm, which made walking, breathing, and talking in this large valley extremely challenging. We stayed just long enough to read the provided signs and snap some photos. I’ll definitely be back to explore more! We mainly stayed near the Nether Largie standing stones, and Temple Wood, an unassuming stone circle thought to have been used for ritual burials over 6,000 years ago.

Examples of cup markings on the central stone (Nether Largie standing stones).

On our final day in Pucks Glen, we went for a walk in the nearby forest. Big Tree Walk lives up to it’s name, as the first thing you see when entering the trail are some towering Californian Redwoods, Western Hemlocks, and Douglas Firs. Across the street is Benmore Botanic Garden, containing it’s own array of tree giants.

For our final night in the mountains, we headed towards Loch Lomond. As a birthday gift, our dear friends bought us a night at the Loch Lomond Lodge, situated directly on the shores of the largest loch in Scotland. We had a beautiful and relaxing evening followed by a gloriously sunny (and hot!) morning on the water.

I always love experiencing so many seasons in a short amount of time - everything from snow to hot sun. It also creates some truly magical atmosphere over the water and mountains.

Three days goes by quickly especially when you drive for almost five hours each day. However, the beautiful thing about Scotland is that there is such a massive variety of land features to discover in a small package. Site-seeing and exploring is exhilarating when you know you can expect something beautiful around each bend.

I recently solo-traveled to Glencoe - yep - in the heart of winter! But instead of snow covered fields I found rolling walls of mist, a trade I’m more than happy with.

In this photo essay I want to share the spirit of winter in Glencoe. I hope you enjoy!

My 4 hour journey went quickly, passing through several areas of lush green fields and lots of wildlife. Wanting to get to my destination before sunset, I didn’t stop much to take photos, but there were a few spots I couldn’t resist.

I checked into my B&B, a cozy cottage in Lochearnhead with views of the loch below. I spent some time by the shore, watching the evening colors take over.

The next morning I woke at dawn and headed straight towards Glencoe. About an hour later I was in the middle of the famous mountain range, though I could barely tell at first!

Mist shrouded most of the mountains for most of the morning. As the peaks peeked through the mist I enjoyed a leisurely stop at the eastern edge of the mountains.

I continued west, stopping every few minutes to take in the view. Thankfully, there are plenty of pull-overs/”car parks” on the side of the road. I imagine during the summer these are packed with cars. Evidence of erosion and litter is clear along most of the road. I picked up trash at a few of my stops, and saw someone else doing the same - I believe they worked for the Land Trust.

Anyways..onwards towards the eastern edge of Glencoe!

I stopped at the Glencoe Visitor Center, a well appointed facility with a cafe, toilets, gift shop, and more. I learned about the tragic history of the area, which gave me a new appreciation for this land and it’s ancestors.

A short drive later and I was walking through the well-manicured forest at the Glencoe Lochan, taking in a breathtaking view of the mountains behind a pristine mirror reflection.

Since I was already on the western edge of the mountain range, I decided to check out the coast. Heading south along Loch Linnhe, I found a mysterious castle with an unfortunate name: Castle Stalker.

Perhaps the gloomy mist contributed to the chills that run up my spine as I gazed upon the weathered stone, standing tall on it’s secluded island.

Sheets of rain flowed over the loch, so I ventured back into the safe embrace of the huge Glencoe mountains. The sun, though hidden behind walls of mist, had offered a decent amount of even light throughout the day, but I could tell that by 3pm, I would soon need a torch to find my way on the darkening trails. I opted for a short walk around Loch Achtriochtan, then headed back to the B&B.

The next morning I enjoyed a tranquil coffee on the edge of Lochearnhead before my 4 hour drive home, but not without saying goodbye to the resident raft of ducks.

On the way home to Moray, I took a detour to Dunkeld to meet the Birnam Oak, a 600 year old oak tree made famous by Shakespear in his play, Macbeth.

I also enjoyed a relaxing walk along River Braan to the Hermitage, also known as Ossian's Hall of Mirrors: a glass enclosure overlooking a huge waterfall.

This area merits a return!

Thank you for joining me on this visual journey. I look forward to seeing Glencoe in the summer!

Wow, what can I say?? It’s an honor to be an artist featured on Wilderness Scotland’s blog!

I met up with Rupert Shanks, a videographer who does many creative projects with WS and I spent the day sharing my journey and artistic process while he filmed it all.

Hi, I’m Sarah, a full time artist here in the Scottish highlands. Painting is my career and nature photography is my favorite hobby. Many years ago I ran a wedding photography business, which is how I developed my skills in photography.

I’ve been using Canon full frame sensors for over 10 years, and most recently had the 6D mark 2. I made the most of my time with that camera, but it’s time for a change.

So today I’m talking about why I switched from a Canon full-frame sensor camera to a mirrorless Fuji x-t4 (which is a crop sensor). 

Time

Time is the most precious resource in the world. We each have a finite amount of it, and how we use it is not always in our control. But for moments I can control how I spend my time, I’m trying to be more conscious of my choices. As I was transitioning into the new year, I sat down and really looked at where my time went in 2021, and what I want to do more or less of.

We each have deeply personal reasons for why we use specific equipment - and for me the joy of photography has always been about the experience, not the results. I started out as a film photographer, and still absolutely love film. The tactile nature of film and the analog cameras creates a very visceral experience and makes me feel more in tune with my equipment and more present in the moments I spend doing photography. But as I looked over the photos and videos from last year, I had a moment of realization. I spent soooooooooooooo many hours culling and editing photos.

Some of you might be thinking, “what’s wrong with that? That’s what photographers do.”

Well…yes and no. It depends.

When I used to shoot film, I would focus on getting the image perfect in-camera. Send my film to the lab, and receive beautifully developed images in Jpeg form - no edits, no messing around on the computer. Just click, print, hang on the wall. My walls are still lined with hundreds of film prints that bring memories of my travels flooding back. THAT is the photography experience I love.

Not that Canon jpegs are bad, but they don’t come close to the color science that Fujifilm has perfected. One of the biggest pros to the Fujifilm X-system is that you can get INCREDIBLE jpegs straight out of the camera using some of their “film simulations.” You can even customize these so that your jpegs are exactly how you like them before you even download them to the computer. As long as you nail your exposure and focus and composition in the camera, you’re done. Beautiful jpegs, ready to go.

Weight

The more I hike and camp with my photography gear, the more I despise big bulky equipment. Mirrorless crop-sensor cameras are small and lightweight. The lenses are (mostly) lighter and smaller. Enough said.

Sensor Size

When I ran my wedding photography business, I needed high performance cameras with the ability to produce big beautiful RAW files. Despite no longer doing that for a living, I recently realized that I have been chasing higher megapixels and bigger sensors over the years. It’s that seductive “full frame trap.”

I can count on one hand how many photos I actually printed larger than 12x12 inches. The majority wind up being used as painting references, in my newsletters, blogs, or printed 8x10 or smaller.

So, why? WHY was I willing to spend thousands of dollars to “upgrade” every few years to the next biggest and best cameras, with the biggest best sensors, when what I really want is a better user experience? 

VIDEO

For those of us who also need high quality video, the Fuji X-T4 offers 4K, 60 fps AND the option for HD 240 fps which looks amazing in slow motion.

The IBS (In-body stabilization) is incredible. I’ve tested it out in the video below.

So this is definitely a hybrid camera. But what matters even more is that it’s fun. It’s fun to use, it excites me to pick up and take it out, the film simulations are beautiful, I don’t need to edit my photos at all (as long as I get it right in the camera). I just love that simplicity.

Over the coming months (and years) I’ll be sharing my experience on my YouTube channel. Feel free to comment below or head to my channel to ask questions if you are on a similar journey!

The Applecross experience is different for everyone, and for us it was full of the classic misty moody atmosphere you might expect from Scotland. The west coast of the Highlands is always dramatic, and this was no exception. Escaping the daily grind for a few days of peace at Applecross is one of our favorite ways to prepare for winter. Autumn is a beautiful time in Scotland, but the weather is very dramatic. and though it's just beginning, you can see some of the drama in this video.

When you are looking forward to a few days away, your expectations can be really high, so you hope for good weather which can sometimes end up as a reason for stress. But this experience reminded me that it’s better to just surrender to whatever comes.

The weather is not always perfect, but exploring this remote peninsula provides endless inspiration for artists and photographers and tourists alike. The single track roads get really busy in the summer, which is why we prefer the end of the season.

I will let the photos do the talking, or you can watch my video about the experience