3 secrets to starting your personal art journey

Have you ever seen a piece of art in passing and thought “I would love to be able to
create something like that”? Does staring at a blank piece of paper or canvas make you
want to do something to make it not blank? Even if you have no idea what to do, this is
your inherent creative spark trying to get your attention.

So many people get stuck at this very stage. They experience the feeling of inspiration
and then let it fade, sometimes due to negative thoughts like, “I’ll never be an artist” or
“What am I thinking? I have no idea what I’m doing”
If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. Many of the people I’ve met at public paint-
and-sip events and private guided painting parties start the experience with the fear of
putting brush to canvas because it won’t be perfect.   Today I want to discuss why I think
creating is good for everyone, why everyone can do it, and how to get out of your own
way!

What is a personal art journey?
This is your lifelong experience with art or your chosen form of creating. Your journey
may take you in many directions, but often I find it eventually settles into one or two
mediums. Your medium might be painting, drawing, writing, scrapbooking, collage-
making, knitting or other textile arts, jewelry making . . . see? The possibilities for
creative expression are endless!

Your personal art journey begins the minute you feel the impulse to create something. I
like to think of this journey as a river: When you first start you are just stepping into the
water. There are many different boats you can take down this river. You could even
swim! As we move down this river, we will discover more and more new things and
places to explore creatively. You are always growing and changing on this journey and I
encourage you to take that first step and dip your toes in!

GETTING STARTED
Getting started is undoubtedly the hardest part. Make the decision right now that if you
want to find out what awaits downstream, you will take the first step. This doesn’t mean
you have to spend hundreds of dollars at the craft store. SECRET #1 – Start Small!
Decide on your first project and get the supplies for that project only. Then just tell
yourself you are going to do some things with those few supplies you have. It probably
won’t be your best work ever, but remember, you are just getting your toes wet! The
important part is that you’ve started.

FINDING MOMENTUM
Keeping creative momentum is difficult even for professional or long-time artists. Stress,
daily life, distractions, and our professional work can all sap our energy and our creative
drive. SECRET #2 – Stick to it! Start by committing one hour a month to your creative
time. Soon you might realize you want to commit two or more hours per month. Then
stick to your schedule. Make it a special time you can look forward to for yourself. We

can’t create weekly or daily before we can consistently create monthly. Mark it on your
calendar or put it in your phone reminders. One hour a month: You can do this!

OVERCOMING NEGATIVE FEELINGS
Now you are creating once a month and building momentum! Woohoo! But watch out:
This is when negative thoughts can start to intrude. Perhaps you are not achieving the
level of perfection in your work that you were hoping for, or maybe you are struggling to
learn a new craft. This is the most important part of keeping us in the river and on our
journey. SECRET #3 – Stay positive! Do not let frustration or imperfection sink you! Be
patient and kind to yourself as you learn new things. Some of the skills you’re acquiring
take many years to learn and master, but you can still enjoy the journey along the way!
Be your own best cheerleader, not an anchor. Cheer yourself on when you feel like you
fall short and recommit to the joy you find in the act of creating, rather than the finished
product.
I hope these tips help you to start your own personal art journey or continue it from
wherever you are. Of course, I must recommend the Artvana Painting Club as a great
way to help you through these potential sticking points. This club is designed to help
you start, keep you creating, and give you support to get through those pesky
negative feelings.

Learn more about the Artvana Painting Club here.

Today we are talking about in person paint-and-sip events. Have you tried a paint-and-sip class and been left wanting? Maybe the instructor wasn’t very good, or didn’t give you the attention you needed. Or maybe you couldn’t hear or see well. Or maybe your stress got the best of you. Regardless of why you didn’t fully enjoy your paint-and-sip experience, I want to give you some tips on how to have a better paint-and-sip night!

My 3 tips to have the best paint-and-sip night experience

I have been teaching live paint-and-sip classes for almost nine years and I have compiled my biggest tips on how to have the best paint night experience.

Tip #1

First of all, wear something you feel good in, but don’t mind getting paint on. Some companies provide aprons and some don’t, the truth is an apron is not going to protect all of your clothing. You do not want the extra stress that you are going to ruin your favorite shirt.

Tip #2

Secondly, every venue/event is set up differently, sometimes we have no choice on how we need to seat the guests, so if you are left with a poor view, PLEASE do not be shy, come and ask to take a picture of the painting, or ask your artist to bring the painting over to you once and awhile to see it close up, if they are a good company and a good instructor, they will not mind doing this for you.

The same goes with hearing, due to it often being loud in the venue and people having a good time, sometimes it is very hard for the artist to communicate to everyone equally. Take this into your own hands, raise your hand if you miss something. Your artist should be more than happy to repeat things for you so that you do not miss anything.  But they don’t know that you didn’t hear what they just said.  I cannot say it enough, ask, ask, ask!

Tip #3

Alright, the biggest one, your own stress and nervousness can ruin a paint night for you faster than anything else.

Remember the goal is to let painting relax you, to feel yourself being creative and getting to experience that with your friends or family. It is not serious, no one is judging your work, this experience is just for you. Keep that in mind and you will have a fun night.

One more thing….

Lastly not all paint and sip companies are created equal. If you have a bad experience with one company try to find an event hosted by another, usually once you find one you like you will find yourself returning to paint, again and again. We personally love to see our painters coming back over and over for new classes.
I hope these tips will give you an inside look at things you can do to get the most out of your paint night and I hope your next paint and sip is great!

You can find all of the in person paint and sip classes and events hosted by Artvana in Washington state HERE

To see what kind of venues we are partnered with here in the Puget Sound Area check out these current partner venues:

Top Rung Brewing, Lacey Washington

Rumors wine Bar, Lacey Washington

Heritage Distilling Company, Tumwater and Gig Harbor WA

The Shiplap Shop, Yelm and Olympia WA

We have many more partner venues this is just the beginning of the list!  We also host private parties in all of our service areas as well so you can host your very own paint-and-sip night at your home, office or any location that is convenient for you.  Contact us today to check availability or with any questions about our public or private events and classes!

Are you brand new to acrylic painting and looking for acrylic painting classes for beginners? If you need a little help getting started  consider joining a paint club!  You may now be asking, “what on earth is a paint club and how does it work?”

What is a paint club?

Paint club, it’s like a book club for your creativity.

 Hi, my name is Rikki and I hear this question all the time. I am an Artist and art coach and I began the Artvana Paint Club to make being creative more exciting, more fun, and more engaging.  Wondering if an acrylic paint club is for you?  Keep reading.

Who should join a paint club and why

So what is it and who is it for? In a nutshell, it is a program that will make accessing your creativity easier, sharing your artwork with others more enjoyable, and make excuses a thing of the past!

Is it only for artists? No. Our paint club is designed for beginners. Starting something new can be intimidating, I was very nervous to try painting in the beginning too. I learned that with practice, positivity, and the right support I didn’t need to attend art college to become an artist.
Over the last 18 years, I have learned a lot about painting and the struggles that come with learning a new skill. I have taken everything I have learned and built this club so that others can find joy in painting and creating.

It’s perfect for those who are new to acrylic painting

In the club, we talk about things like self-doubt, self-belief, patience, and how to stop judging ourselves. Each month we paint a new painting, then we get to share our progress and struggles with each other in a group setting. This is where you get support from the other members and me. I will be able to coach you through any difficulties you might be having in your journey or any parts of the tutorial that you didn’t understand. We get to share our art no matter our skill level because we focus on the process, not just the product.

Find your place to share and grow

Every month I look forward to seeing what our members have been able to create, and where they have improved. I love to see their creativity growing as they gain confidence and try new things and learn new techniques.

Benefits of acrylic painting classes for beginners

Starting a painting practice can be a great way to add to your self-care routine, decrease anxiety and depression and have a lot of fun.
Every month, when you become a member you will receive access to a new tutorial of the month in our members’ area. You will also have access to our library of tutorials in addition to the Tutorial of the month.  Each of these tutorials are acrylic painting classes for beginners.
You get an exclusive 20 minute one on one session with me when you sign up, where we can pinpoint your creative hurdles and goals. Then each month you get to paint, reflect and share with the group in our group coaching session. Comment on different projects in the members’ area and share your finished art with all of us. Each month includes the supply drop for the tutorial of the month or you can use your own supplies.

Ready to join the Artvana acrylic painting club?

I designed this program to make it easy for you to start learning to paint. Everything you need is included and at your fingertips. All it takes is YOU!  If you are ready to start acrylic painting classes for beginners, join us today!   I look forward to seeing you in the club next month!

Find out more and become a member!

Here is another great article from the Sage Clinic on how art and creativity can help your stress levels and so much more.  I highly recommend this quick read-

Read the full article here

I am so excited to talk about today’s topic with all of you! We are going to be looking at our creative spaces and how to make the most of whatever space you have to make art in.

I speak with a lot of painters in our painting club and in live classes that don’t know what they need as far as a makers space goes. How much room do you need? Where should it be? What if you don’t have natural light? What if your kids will ruin it?
These are all good things to consider but before we get going I want to assure you that you will be able to make your creative space inspiring and easy to use.

Make It Inviting

First things first, your creative space should be all about you, if you don’t feel like being in that space it’s going to be really hard to get yourself in there and want to create right? The more inviting you can make your space the better. I do this in my space with plants, sunlight, bright colors, candles, incense, and music. This will be different for every person but the point is that you want to make this space somewhere you look forward to being in.

It Doesn’t Take Much

The second big issue I discuss with people is space. If you have an extra room you can use for art great! But most of us don’t have that. My first ‘studio’ space was a 3×3 foot corner in my living room. So I want to assure you that you do not need a lot of space. It could just be a desk or an easel in the corner with a filing cabinet. Stay open to the possibilities that are in your house right now. The good thing about having your creative space in your living area is that you get to look at it all the time.

Here Are The Basics

Here are some basic things you will want to start with in your studio/space:
1: A flat surface or standing easel to create on
2. Some drawers or shelves for organizing your supplies, I personally use old filing cabinets for my paints
3. Some jars for your brushes and pens
4. A cozy chair, a lot of the creative process involves sitting and thinking about your art, watching tutorials or looking at your art. You need a comfy chair that will keep you in your space.

Those are all the basics, all you really need to get started creating your own art oasis. I would love to see a photo of your space or where you create.

Artvana Members:  Share an image of your current creative space with me and the community HERE

If you want even more inspiration I love this article, it is chock full of visual ideas.  Read it HERE 

Not a member?  You can join us HERE