blog - Tara Leaver

If you're looking to uncover and develop what's unique about YOUR artistic voice, or to loosen up your art, that's what we do around here. Thank you for visiting!

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Artnotes

“Your encouragement has helped me hone in on the logistics. I'm far better a business woman and an artist because of your newsletter. Thank you for all you pour out to others. I find your work refreshing and fabulous. A lovely piece of the sea for me here in land locked Kansas." —Jillian Sandcastle

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Aug 10

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Aug 6

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Instagram post 17864169850989421 $Excited this morning because I conquered a significant long term resistance and made a video for my Happy Artist Studio peeps! I put a call out for questions and some fantastic ones came in, and I spent 25 minutes responding - apparently I have a lot to say! If you're a Studio member you should have received an email with the link, and the video will also live inside the Studio for future reference. If you'd like access to this kind of feedback and all the courses inside the Happy Artist Studio {not to mention the new one coming soon!} Check out the link in my profile! I'm off to have a celebratory pain au chocolat. . . . . . . . . #happyartistmovement #happyartiststudio #inmystudio #wip #artpractice #studioscenes #mystudiotoday #artwork_in_studio #doitfortheprocess #artprocess #paintingprocess #creativeprocess #ontheeasel #artiststudio #artistlife #lifeofanartist #artwork_daily #homeinthestudio #createeveryday #createmakeshare #artsbeautifulx #mybeautifulmess #wednesdayworkspace #artgram #createmagstudio #abstractpainter #abstractartist$

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Jul 31

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There's a thick fog rolling in off the sea this morning so I'm glad I made the most of yesterday's sunshine with, yes, more agapanthus field shenanigans. Happy weekend to you!
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#happyartistmovement #agapanthus #pendrawings #drawdaily #worksonpaper #artonpaper #dailysketch #sketchy #sketchbookdrawing #drawanyway #waketomake #watercolorsketch #creativeprocess #mybeautifulmess #sketchbook #lifeofanartist #artprocess #artistlife #artist_share #sketchbookart #watercolourart #showyourwork #beinganartist #sketchbookery #pleinair #mixedmediaart #detailoftheday #outdoorart #artoutside

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Jul 30

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I have some exciting news for those of you who enjoy my courses! A new course is in the works, and it's all about connecting and working with nature through your art as a means to wellbeing.
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The course will be called 'Into Nature' {my usual play on words 😉} and I'll share more details soon. In a nutshell, it's for artists who:

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👉 Are in what I call the Afterslump - that period of quiet after the end of a creatively active period which can feel uncomfortable. You don't find 'doing nothing' particularly restful, but some gentle low key creativity is very well filling for you.

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👉 Are finding this year 'challenging' and would love to rest and restore a bit.

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👉 You would love to collaborate with nature more in your art or haven't connected with it in a while and have a hunch it could really help you reset and feel better in yourself.

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My nutshells are always more coconut than peanut.😆 Anyway, that's our starting point. I'm aiming to have it ready by September and will share more as it develops!
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#happyartistmovement #artandnature #paintingcourse #onlinepaintingcourse #onlineartcourse #onlineartclass #communityovercompetition #makearteveryday #dailyartwork #arteveryday #artforyoureveryday #makeart #waketomake #creativeprocess #artprocess #doitfortheprocess #passioncolorjoy #artistlife #lifeofanartist #createeveryday #artcommunity

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Jul 29

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Instagram post 17876961562764167 $A close up from yesterday's field trip. . Agapanthus are everywhere here at this time of year, but their season is fairly short and I gather they're not that common or easy to get hold of elsewhere. Pickers come and tie them into bunches ready to be sold, whereas I can go into a field and gather the fallen and rejected ones {also known as gleaning} and take them home to adorn my kitchen table {swipe left}. . It's easy to overlook something you're used to seeing or experiencing, exactly because of its ubiquity and familiarity. Making art about something 'everyday' shines a spotlight on it and reconnects us with its inherent beauty. I'd sort of stopped truly seeing the agapanthus until I started drawing them. . What have you made art about lately that has given you fresh eyes or deepened your relationship with something? . . . . . . . . . . . #happyartistmovement #agapanthus #pendrawings #drawdaily #worksonpaper #artonpaper #dailysketch #sketchy #sketchpaddrawing #drawanyway #waketomake #creativeprocess #mybeautifulmess #sketchpad #lifeofanartist #artprocess #artistlife #artist_share #sketchbookart #paintinginspiration #showyourwork #beinganartist #sketchbookery #pleinair #watercolourart #watercolorsketch #outdoorart #artoutside$

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

‘You’re only a REAL artist if….’: Busting some common myths about what’s required to be an artist

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My solution to a common artist stumbling block

How to read a painting

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9 reasons to paint in multiples

Student Stories: Sharon Bruster

How to work out what your unfinished painting needs

Student Stories: Tracy Waite

Year in Review: 2019 as an artist and business owner {and human}

Student Stories: Gina Axlund

Gifts for Artists: for Christmas and beyond!

Making art with a chronic health condition

7 day series challenge 2019: Participant Art

Student Stories: Nicky Oram

How to develop consistency in your art: a conversation between artists

How to stop procrastinating and make your art