Bloom True with Flora Bowley -- a heartfelt giveaway

UPDATE: The giveaway has ended. Congratulations Natalie Joelle Schwarting! The next session of Flora Bowley's beautiful, soul-stirring, painting e-course Bloom True begins one week from today on October 20, 2015. As promised with the auction of my first painting, Raining Hope, it is time to host my giveaway for a spot in this course. Nominate a friend to get them a free ($297 value) Bloom True painting e-course with Flora Bowley! Leave a comment here on this post, on my Instagram post or on my Facebook post and I'll pick a winner on Saturday, 10/17 at noon Pacific.

Bloom True painting e-course giveaway with Sweet Eventide

This giveaway is happening because I won a space in this course in January 2015 and vowed to sponsor another creative soul in this class someday. I auctioned my painting and here we are! Flora has given away many spaces in her course in the past and I'm inspired by one particular method she uses to give spots away: Nominate a Friend.

She says, "This particular Giveaway has become a Bloom True tradition, and we absolutely LOVE it because we get to hear you gush about your favorite people and why they deserve a spot in the course.  We think this is a pretty great way to share your gratitude…AND offer something awesome to your loved ones."

be true be you photograph of flora bowley

So leave a comment on this post and nominate a friend and tell me why they'd be perfect for Bloom True and why you love them so much! I will draw a name out of a jar on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 12 p.m. Pacific time and announce the winner. This way the winner has a few days to gather supplies. Here is where you can read about what materials are recommended for the course.

Bloom True was a huge gift to me during a very dark time in my life when I was trying to heal from lymphoma for the fifth freaking time. I do believe the joy and magic I feel while painting had a direct effect on my healing process. I have fallen head over heels in love with painting. I have shared a lot of my painting journey on Instagram under the hashtag #jessbloomstrue. I wish the same for you!

jess blooms true collage

So go ahead and nominate someone! Let me know why they would be a perfect candidate for the course and why you love them so much. If you want to be entered, don't be shy and ask someone to nominate you! You can even ask me to nominate you. :)

I can't wait to hear the stories. Good luck.

Beautiful Losers

I borrowed this incredible, amazing film, Beautiful Losers from a friend this week. I know it's from a couple of years ago and maybe you've all seen it already. But I am off from work today so made myself a cup of coffee and settled in bed to watch it.

It has been a wonderful way to spend my day. I am still processing it all but I have a major new fascination with Mike Mills, one of the artists featured in the film. Most of what he said in the film was very moving and profound to me, like in the chapter called Success in Art and Commerce, he said, "I am wary of my involvement in my artwork."

I have experienced that my whole adult life from every single essay I wrote to earn my English degree and now in my photography. I never put it into words like that but when I heard him say that, it was phenomenal and instant for me -- a suddenly authentic realization about me, and my own artistic self.

I could (and might!) do an entire blog post about Mike Mills but for now, here is a clip from the dvd featuring Mike. It's one of the extras. I just love it.

If you have seen it, or plan to see it now, I would definitely LOVE to hear your thoughts on the film. Like I said, I'm still processing. I can't even get started about Margaret Kilgallen right now. Too raw.

Update: Alex shared her September 2009 post about Margaret with me via Twitter. It is worth your time. I left a comment on her post explaining a little bit about why it's hard for me to talk about Margaret.

Artist Profile: Yangyang Pan

Y'all! I saw this image on the Fey Handmade blog recently and I cannot get it out of my mind. I had to know more about the artist.

© Yangyang Pan

Listen to this: "Her current work focus is specifically to the natural world’s beauty and cruelty, its hostility and hospitality." I am positive this piece of art made its way to me this week for a reason. 

My heart has been very heavy and distracted from pretty things because my old friend has been told there is nothing more the doctors can do for his precious daughter Lauren. I have been driving through my town, I have been seeing nature bursting with beauty every which way, and all the while something so cruel and unfair is happening to an innocent child.

I am in love with this piece of art. 

It is like winterwinterwinterwinter----->SPRING. 

It's like insomniainsomniainsomniainsomnia-----> SLEEP. 

It's like toobusytoobusytoobusytoobusy----->A FREE DAY. 

My wish is that there is some miraculous, colorful burst coming my friend's way that can't even be imagined right now.

View more of Yangyang's work in her website, Etsy shop and Flickr.

Sweet Zendalas

Sometime last year I saw this video about how to draw a zendala and I was hooked. I tried it a time or two but then forgot about them.

Who knows how or why, but I went crazy for them over the holidays. Ask my family how I spent my vacation and they'll say she was almost always with the paper and pens working on a zendala.

On Saturday I tried scanning and printing the technicolor one (second from far right) on some cardstock to make a birthday card for my niece. I really liked how it turned out (but forgot to take a pic). I find the process very soothing and meditative, plus it's a great creative challenge. It's very different from photography, which is my main creative outlet.

P.S. I'm over in the Booth today heating things up. :)

Artist Profile: Noemi Manalang

I am not normally a follower of fashion so I was surprised this morning when I had a sudden urge to search Flickr for fashion illustrations. Even though I don't subscribe to Vogue (or any other fashion mag), I have always had a fondness for fashion illustrations.

Autumn

Still, fashion illustrations are not on the front burner of my art stove or anything. But Flickr never fails to provide eye candy and I became smitten with Noemi Manalang's stream.

Must be cold outside

Especially the girls looking away from me.

Those really catch my eye, heart and imagination.

20s lace nightgown

Girl in the red dress

My mind cannot help but start to fill in the back stories here. And clearly, I am in a red mood. Plus I cannot resist anything camera related, that is a known fact.

Holga girl

You can enjoy more of Noemi on her blog, Noomie Doodles Fashion.

(All images belong to Noemi. Isn't her name lyrical?)

Artist Profile: Ninainvorm

Nina is a 26-year-old Dutch student with a blog and Etsy shop downright bursting with eye candy.

I stumbled upon Nina's work via decor8's feature on Wood & Wool Stool. That was charming enough but really I fell for Nina's ceramics straight away. How could I not share her wonderful creations with you considering her color schemes?

Nina also makes original collages, I have no idea what the message is in this one but that makes it all the more fun to look at. It's titled Primary Colors and Nina writes, "Primary colors never bore." She's right, they do not bore when they are in her talented hands!

Like the proverbial cherry on a sundae, Nina also has a beautiful photostream on Flickr. Go ahead, get lost in Marrakech.

photo credits all belong to Nina!

Artist Profile: Jen Corace

Jen Corace is the illustrator of one of our favorite children's books, Little Pea. I thought I had blogged about the book's author Amy Krouse Rosenthal* last fall, but it turns out I merely shared this amazing video with a couple of people by email. 

(So I see another Little Pea post in our future).

The illustrations in this charming book are so whimsical and effective: they carry me away every time I read the book to the Noodle. I feel like rolling through life instead of walking with my feet. 

It turns out that Jen has a blog called think think, stare stare and it's really fun that she shares her Flickr -- here is a link to her collection arrrrrt! which is where I'll be spending some time today.

* Amy seems to be most active on Twitter lately.