“We do not always create works of art, but rather, experiments.
It is not our intention to fill museums. We are gathering experience.”

Josef Albers

Advice for my younger artist self

Advice for my younger artist self

I've been thinking recently about what advice I'd give my younger artist self. Especially because I see other artists at an earlier stage in their artist life struggling with a lot of the same things I struggled with. So I thought I'd give my younger artist self - and...

How to know if you’re an artist

How to know if you’re an artist

I’m going to make two guesses about you. Ready? 1 |  I’m guessing that you are like most humans, in that you want to be happy. You make choices based on what you think the results of those choices are going to bring you, which in broad terms we can equate with what...

Featured on the Artish Plunge Podcast!

Featured on the Artish Plunge Podcast!

A little while back, Kristy Battani, artist and host of the Artish Plunge podcast, asked me if she could share my blog post, Swimming Lessons for Artists, as part of her series, Artish Words. Of course I said yes! And so now you can enjoy an audio version of the blog...

which art supplies are worth investing in?

which art supplies are worth investing in?

If you're sort of new to this art game, it can be hard to know what supplies are worth investing in. You don't yet know what works and what doesn't, and what you like and don't like, although you're probably drawn towards a few things. And even if you're not a...

The unseen work of the artist

The unseen work of the artist

An artist and member of the Happy Artist Studio asked me a while back for some "insight on the amount of 'unseen work' behind it all."  'It all' being the life and work of an artist. I love this question because you just have no idea what's behind a piece of art...

How to Create a Painting Collection or Series

How to Create a Painting Collection or Series

Have you been wanting to create a painting collection? Are you ready to move from one-at-a-time painting to creating in collections or series? Or have you already started working in collections and are running up against some blocks? If you've never worked in this way...

21 Days in My Art World Instagram Challenge 2022

21 Days in My Art World Instagram Challenge 2022

It’s almost January! And you know what that means… the return of the popular free Instagram challenge for artists of all kinds, 21 Days in My Art World! Part of the richness of being an artist is the connection – to your own inner artist and to creative source yes,...

Tara Leaver

Welcome, artist friend!

I'm Tara, an artist, teacher, author, mentor, and all round creative encourager living by the sea in Cornwall in the UK.

I'm the creator of the Happy Artist Studio, an artist membership providing practical, process oriented guidance to support you in building a sustainable and fulfilling happy artist life.

If you're looking for confidence, clarity, and freedom of expression in your art, that's what we do around here. It's all about making art that looks and feels like YOU.

Thank you for visiting and welcome aboard!

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