I really tried to make a video with me talking, well in fact I did make one but in the end I thought this was way better.

I will be making videos for the workshop though! I have been working hard on this. I am super excited for this! One of my passions, not a surprise I am sure, is sketchbooks! I have been working every day in mine. DREAMS+ACTION=MIRACLES

It is a little nerve wracking but remember my word for the year is GROW. So there is my little secret thing I have been working on. I hope to share it with YOU!

Here is the link to more info and please contact me if you have any questions! I hope to see you there. xo
http://www.danabarbieri.com/artfull-sketchbook/

It is Friday and I have five things for you!

*Advanced Style. Do you know this site? A blog that showcases older women and their awesome style. I just love going to peek there. I think because I have no style and these women are so fearless. I love seeing their color choices and how they combine it. They make getting dressed into an art form. Ari Seth Cohen runs it and now has a book coming out. I love this post titled “More Beauty and Style Secrets from Stylish 60 Somethings”. I was inspired to create the above painting because of this site and I plan to do more.

*”Paint like nobody is watching and paint like you don’t need any money. ”
~ John Ferrie ~=FREEDOM in your work

*One of my favorite sites, A Creative Mint, shares her Color Me Pretty posts on Decor8. I love this one that showcases red.

*And if you need some more eye candy, go read Adore. Love this online magazine.

*This post on Kitty Genius is very much how I feel. Hmmm..

Wishing you a great weekend! xo

I have a list. An uplifting one.

If you need a lift here are some links to help you do that:

*Artist Lisa Congdon shares an in depth interview here
Plus, Lisa is doing 365 project on her blog.

*I love, love, love New Yorker Magazine covers. Here you can see plenty of them. I especially love this one, this one, this one,oh and this and this.

*I have a bit of wanderlust lately and this book by Pia Jane Bijkerk looks lovely. She is a stylist and her photos are gorgeous! Her blog and site.

*Visit Diana Delgado and get inspired by her interesting use of color. I wish to someday paint as large as that.

*I love that Brenda Beerhorst’s husband, Rick, wrote this lovely post about her new ritual of morning painting. He expresses the difficulty women artists face and Brenda expressed in the comments that Rick has been a true 50/50 partner.

I hope you get a bit of a lift from these links. Wishing you a great weekend! Xo

Just stopping in to say “HELLO”. How are you? I have been into blogging alot lately,reading them and writing this one. Here is my sketchbook page from today. I had an idea and I am still working on it.

It is day 24. There were maybe 2 days I have missed.

In the current issue of O magazine some of the contributors shared how they stay inspired. I thought it would be fun to do the same. I hope you will share your own answers either in the comments or on your own blog.

I’m most creative when…I do creative work consistently. The more I work the more the ideas seem to flow.

If I were a color, I’d be…Aqua. It is soothing and tranquil,reminds me of the ocean. Plus, it looks good with everything!

I often imagine myself…Designing and decorating a new home and studio. Without a budget! Oh, wanted to add using a really nice camera, having a day totally alone with hubby, going on a nice family vacation…

I really wish I knew how to…Speak another language. There are some awesome foreign magazines I really wish I could read. Plus, I really want to travel outside of the US. I studied French in high school and in college but somehow that is all forgotten.

I’d love to spend a lazy Sunday…Reading, relaxing with the family, drinking tea, walking, making art.

My secret talent is…I really have no secret talent. I know how boring.

Yesterday things were going wrong. Not in the way of complete undone, more in the way of frustration.

Patience was strained, things broke, upsets were had. In short it was just an off day. And I didn’t even get to work in my sketchbook.

I really just wanted to go to bed. Get up and start fresh. Wipe the slate clean so to speak.

I mention this here because this bit about life mirrors how art making can sometimes be.

You start out with the best intention. You pull out your paints, your favorite paper. You have a really great idea that you can’t wait to try out.

Then the colors get muddy. That really nice paper buckles this time. That really great idea you had just isn’t so great anymore. It just isn’t turning out how you planned.

Do you keep going? Of course. Maybe not right then.

Maybe you, like me with my grumpy day, go to sleep and start fresh the next day.

Today is my new day and as I write this I feel better. Maybe it was sleep. Maybe it was just recognizing that sometimes it just happens. It is the way of life, the way of art.

Things get muddy, things buckle. Everything changes, everything passes. The point is to get up and start anew.
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*P.S. I am working a new something that I am super excited to share here. Very soon!

Happy Friday! How did your week go?

I have five fun things for you today!

*I love this sampler that Pam Garrison made, along with her super awesome post called the start of something good. I feel much the same.

*Crochet School. Seriously. For free on line. So if you have ever wanted to learn. Here is your chance!

*I know Valentines Day is still a month away but I just love this heart bowl and spoon set.

*Artist Katie Lewis is making me so happy this morning. I love her paintings. Do you agree?

*I love Kim Smith’s sentiment here. Yes, Kim it sure does.

Have a great weekend everyone. xo

It had been really pretty weather wise. The sun had been shining every day. I was able to go for walks. My daughter didn’t even want to keep her coat on yesterday. Today it is different. Gray, snow, rain. I needed to post a bit of color. It helps me get through the gloomy, slush. The above pic is my palette. It is disposable palette paper. I never like to dispose of them.

My mom gave me this orchid as an early birthday gift. I wanted one. I just love the color!

This is the center of an old doily. Off to play in my sketchbook. I am still doing it.

I won’t go and say it will last forever. As soon as I do that then it won’t. But I will say I am having tons of fun doing it.


I have been dating them and noting what works/what doesn’t. It has become my time alone, my time with my daughter. She climbs up with me and the things she creates I only wish I could.

And how was your weekend? Was it a good one?

Today is a great day! The sun is shining brightly here. I got a much needed haircut. The library book wasn’t lost after all.
I am suddenly in love with purple and am painting my nails a shade of it. I am desperately craving flowers. I am going to paint some.

I have just a few minutes to finish up this post and then I will head out for a walk before picking my little girl up from school.
Here is list of five for you!

-The Pulse of Mixed Media by Seth Apter. I am excited for this book to come out and was even more pleasantly surprised to find out he is coming to my little, bitty town in March.

-Charlotte Hardy’s beautiful work

-I watched I AM last night on OWN. Have you seen this movie by Director Tom Shadyac? If you have a chance to see DO! It is incredible.

-Monday starts Creative Courage with Stephanie Levy. I am super excited and if you think you might like it too, you can still sign up! We can get some courage together

-I have been pulling out my sketchbooks for something very exciting! Stay tuned.

Wishing you a GREAT weekend! xo