I’m of two minds regarding 2020. While part of me can’t wait to drop-kick it into oblivion, the other part is appreciative and even grateful. I’m still standing; I have my health, my home and those I love near to hand; and, I am more creatively focused than ever before. That last bit is in direct response to the social restrictions we’ve all been subjected to.

Moonchild Final Version: I am pretty much in love with this painting. My PBJ tribe friends gave me ideas to enhance this piece - adding yellow to liven up the bamboo and the moon by providing tension from using complementary colors on the color wheel and then adding that yellow to the “stars” in the night sky. This is one of the paintings I will put into our group show in January. I’ll let you know more about that soon.

Covid 19 effectively closed gyms where I would meet my fitness clients and other friend-clients cancelled for cautionary reasons. Understandable, yet the impact for me was both challenging and unsettling. It was also pivotal.

Moonchild design: Bamboo and full moons soothe and inspire me. I turned to these as inspiration for a video my friend Pamela is creating for me to promo our online art show we’re having in January 2021. This is the original pencil design.

Covid social changes continue to restrict and concern everyone. I pray that you and yours are safe and healthy. I have observed positive changes in the lives of others and hope that you are finding ways to cope and perhaps even to improve aspects in your lives as well.

Here you see my first light color wash with turquoise and cerulean blue only.

Personally, the income shut-off solidified the point of no return and squarely aimed a well-placed kick to help me claim my childhood dream. Although it no longer involves working for the Disney company, most of you know this dream does involve being an artist. With my safety-net income dwindling, my only other choice was to become the artist I always wanted to be.

Two other amazing creatives and I have formed a group that continues to awe and delight me in its depth of support and talent, encouragement and growth. We are a vortex that is evolving through our respect for each other. It is effortless and very, very satisfying to be a part of this group.

This stage shows a second darker color wash of blue and blue-green. The darker “gray” blobs on the moon show where melted wax was put down to save some of the white parts and bamboo highlights. I love how the wax wrinkles the page, giving the watery paint channels to follow.

To that end, our first ta-da! is a joint online art show in January of 2021. This first stroke is one of many we plan on making for ourselves and also to benefit fellow artists. I am thrilled to be a part of this forward-thinking, adventurous group.

As I move (finally!) toward my dream, I am very much grateful to those who supported me as fitness trainer and massage therapist. To you I give my heartfelt appreciation and love for your trust and willingness to persevere. It really was a very fun ride.

This is my third color wash and layer of wax. If I’m not too reverent about how I spray down the painting as I prep to color wash, I get these fun bubbles and folds as I spritz the painting with water. This is one part of the creative game I adore - I never know how each painting will turn out. I don’t really care about results when I’m in this kind of flow - it’s the feeling of fun and what might show up next that satisfies.

We three - Pamela Roberson, Bonnie Anthony and Judy Aveiro - make up the “PBJ”. Our shared alchemy continues to create the “Effect”. I love what the initials imply - another playful nod that reflects the joy of this group and what we hope to share. I am eager to see how 2021 unfolds.

Ok, here's the painting after all the wax layers have been ironed off. See the blue on the moon? That was unintentional, the result of my fat, juicy color washes seeping under the wax on the back side of the painting. I love this. At this stage, the design is far too one-dimensional for my taste. Here I begin building visual interest by outlining the bamboo and the moon with pencils and crayons. I start slowly, asking the painting how much contrast it wants and, almost always, I am too timid. The final marks I lay down are bold and thick and I enhance them using moistened fingertips.

Stay tuned!

Judy

What a crazy mix we’re in these days. With one hand, I am forced to navigate social limitations, while the other provides opportunities to embark on new adventures, reimagine my future self, and tick off to-dos. I find I’m more busy these days than when living my pre-covid life. Go figure.

This is the final result. A fun and new approach in my quest to expand and explore creativity.

Anyway, it’s definitely been an emotional toss-up and, luckily for me, one that has changed the play in interesting and surprisingly satisfying ways. For example, I’ve connected with two like-minded artists who are inspiring me to up-level my creative game. We are a fun and future-leaning tribe and we’re planning events for 2021 that force me to reach and to believe. (Ok, and to sweat a bit, but that’s my choice, right?)

These lines were copied from a previous painting’s color wash that had dried on the backer board. I transferred them to the rice paper to begin my new painting.

Ever run across the saying: When the student is ready, the teacher appears? Teacher is a loose term; for me, teacher encompasses an enlightening book, a perfectly-timed online course in all things art related, pushy friends, and opinionated critics. I’m revamping (yes, again) my website (but for real this time and I’m so clap-my-hands-jump up-and-down-excited). I’m updating my paintings on view, ruthlessly deleting those that don’t reflect my future self. (Who of us hasn’t cleared out stuff lately?)

This is the first free-hand, loopy lines of melted wax on virgin paper and followed by thefirst color wash. I use light color values so I can see the original penciled in design.

It is beneficial to be immersed in the details of reaching towards this Judy; I can’t hear my critic when I am busy. In my imagination, this future self is so cool and fun and creative and accomplished and generous and free. She keeps me going when I’m tired, when I doubt my abilities to pull this off. I really want to be her.

Here is the second wax pass where I have used a very tiny brush to apply the melted wax to the outlines as well as specific color wash areas I wanted to keep.

All this to say, I’m on the move and valuing the uncertainty of it. The pop-up detours and challenges provide an edge, a tension, that suggest new methods and actions. I’ve successfully figured out how to solve numerous issues and so-called mistakes while making art so I am equipped to move forward with a fair amount of confidence. Even if I fail to reach my goals, I will be far ahead of where I am now. And that’s a definite win.

The painting has been completely waxed and ironed off. Now I can only use water-color crayons and/or pencils and/or acrylic paints to embellish. (Waxed paper won’t accept watercolor paints.) I’m always experimenting with my approach and here I wondered how would it look to apply black gesso to punctuate the interesting batik results already showing?

Be safe, stay sane and let me know how you’re doing!

Life is moving again…stores and restaurants are reopening and I can see more traffic as I look out my windows. Things are shifting and I am considering “re” words as life resumes - reimagine, reorganize, rejuvenate, reset, and redefine are a few. What “re” words apply to your life, I wonder?

I created this little canvas a couple of years ago and still appreciate its message. This was a fun project - molding paste for the bamboo leaves with words printed from my computer onto a clear transfer sheet and then decoupaged onto the painted canvas.

Self-quarantine has afforded me more time for my creativity and to tackle some of my To Do list. One item on that list is now happily checked off in spades. My new and improved Website is up and running and I love it! Lots of new paintings in the “Beaux Batiks” section and more on the way.

Here you see outlines copied from a dried color wash left from a prior painting. I’d been intrigued from the random patterns left behind, beautiful designs I don’t think I could make on my own. I thought it would be fun to make another painting from leftovers.

I just finished an upbeat and inspirational book by Elizabeth Gilbert (of “Eat, Pray, Love” fame) titled, “Big Magic”. You all know what a huge fan I am of all things magical and sharing that in my paintings. Gilbert’s take on creativity has reignited my creative engines. If you are ready to reboot your life, you may want to check this book out. It felt so good as I read it the first time that I immediately reread it.

This is my first color wash after “drawing” loops and swirls on virgin paper with melted wax using the still uncontrollable wax tool.

In the last letter, I told you about Jean’s 7 Levels Deep Q and A. For instructions and explanation, click on the “7 Levels Deep” blog (on my - ahem - new and improved website).

After applying melted wax along the outlines of the original design with a tiny paintbrush, I dropped in stronger values of color on very wet paper and left the colors mix and mingle.

Here are my responses starting with the Level One Q: “What is important to you about becoming a successful artist?”

1. To prove to Dad that I could, indeed, succeed. (Sigh…)

2. More deeply, to prove to everyone that I have value as I am (as opposed to earning value by doing what everyone else wanted me to do).

3. Because this is the real me. I love who I am. I love who I have become.

4. This is where real sharing and healing come from - loving and nurturing self and then helping others to do the same.

5. It’s most important to me to reach as many people as possible, to remind them of their own special childlike sparks.

6. It’s what I’m here to do.

7. Final answer: Living is all about expressing who I am and connecting from that fullness with others.

When the last wash dried, I applied wax to the whole painting. I then ironed off the wax. The painting is now ready to embellish and enhance. I ask myself (and the painting), “What next?” I loved some of the serendipitous color mixes and wanted to call attention to them so I decided to…

As always, I’m interested in your thoughts about you! I extend my invitation to take you through the 7 Levels Deep Q and A game. It’s surprising and insightful.

…use black gesso in areas nearby those fun color combos. Mixing gesso with any color will tone it down and, when painted next to focus points or areas of interest, gives pop to them. Final decision was to flip the painting 180 degrees.

Wishing you a joyful and safe reemergence!