Nurturing your creative spirit
Taking time to nurture your creative spirit is essential for personal growth, but let’s be honest—it can easily fall to the bottom of the to-do list. For me, it's like working out. Even though I know how important it is, life gets so busy that it rarely makes the schedule. Between painting, teaching, prepping for art shows, galleries, shipping art, taking care of the house, and most importantly, being a mom, finding time for focused learning often takes a back seat. Sure, I take walks to think, read art books, and watch videos, but that’s not the same as dedicated practice.
Last week, I finally made the time for a workshop with Jae Gyurcsak (https://www.josephgyurcsak.com/), an incredible plein air painter, in nearby Marietta, PA—only 20 minutes from home! Hosted by Susquehanna Art Workshops (https://www.mhartgallery.com/workshops , it was such a great experience, and I got to attend with some of my favorite art friends.
Mary, Jackie, Michael, Lisa, Barb and Ellen…a few of my favorite art friends!
Joe is a wealth of knowledge, and he generously shared his process for capturing a scene and simplifying it to its essence. The first day, he demonstrated painting a complex alleyway, then sent us off to try for ourselves. I wiped my painting off a few times, but I reminded myself it was all part of the learning process. When I went back to look at Joe’s demo, I realized his painting was so much looser than mine, so I kept pushing myself to loosen up. By the third day, I finally started to get it. We painted small landscapes, picking a spot and just turning our easels to find different views.
Joe Gyurcsak teaching in the alleyway
As a bonus, Joe even did a nocturne painting after dinner one night—something fun and challenging I can’t wait to try!
Joe demonstrating a nocturne painting outside of McCleary’s Public House, Marietta
So, here’s my advice: if you have the chance to take a workshop—whether it’s painting, scrapbooking, sewing, or anything creative—do it! Trying new things is one of the best ways to nurture your creative spirit.
The painting that I wiped off several times…
My paintings I was finally happy with :)
And we stayed at the cutest airbnb called Poppy House…so if you ever need to stay over in Marietta…