Who Are You? Who, Who, Who Who?

”The only person you are destined to become

is the person you decide to be.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Alcohol Ink Tutorial From Week Six of the E-Course

 “Do whatever it takes to find the real you,

don't be daunted if the rest of the world looks on in shock.”

~ Stephen Richards

Do something for yourself.  Discover and express the real you!

Check out my FUNdamentals of Alcohol Ink E-Course.

Create at your own pace. No experience necessary!

Winter Class Opens Feb. 9th

Thanks So Much for Stopping By

X ♥  O

Decide Your Destiny

”The only person you are destined to become

is the person you decide to be.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Still Standing Strong - Original Alcohol Ink on Yupo ~ $129.

2018 Calendars available now!

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

X ♥  O

The Trees Are Not Serious

“Take hold of your own life.
See that the whole existence is celebrating.
These trees are not serious, these birds are not serious.
The rivers and the oceans are wild,
and everywhere there is fun,
everywhere there is joy and delight.
Watch existence, listen to the existence 

and become part of it.”
― Osho

30 Paintings in Alcohol Ink by Sandy Sandy - Jan. 2017

As some of you who follow my work already know, I've been knee deep this month in creating #30paintingsin30days. I decided to revisit the theme of my very first 30 in 30 back in January of 2013 - Paintings Inspired by Quotes About Trees.

You can see each one of my 2017 alcohol ink paintings close-up on my website blog.

And some of my favorites have already sold, YAY! 

The 30 in30 is a great way to jump start the year! This is the 9th one and 

I highly recommend it if you're not afraid of a little pressure!

Now I'm looking forward to painting something other than trees!

Happy creating!

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Yupo Demo Opportunity

ARTIST OPPORTUNITY - We are looking for someone who's somewhat accomplished with watercolor and/or alcohol ink on YUPO paper who lives in the Salt Lake City, UT area. If you are interested in a paid demo opportunity, at the NAMTA (National Art Materials Trade Show), please send a few samples of your work to me at: ssandyssan@gmail.com. Thanks.

Alcohol Ink on Yupo paper by Sandy Sandy

Day 25 - 30 Paintings In 30 Days - Only 5 days to go! 

See all images for the January 2017 Challenge here.

There are still two spots open for my Feb. 5th Alcohol Ink Studio Workshop.

See details here.

“We often miss opportunity because

it's dressed in overalls and looks like work”
― Thomas A. Edison

Thanks for stopping by. Hugs and Happiness!

X ♥  O

Forget-Me-Nots Of Angels

“Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven,
Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Meadows of Heaven

This 6" x 3" alcohol ink painting is on black ceramic tile using only white. 

I have been having lots of fun painting on the black backgrounds.

They are just so different! Here is another one I just did.

Merrily Merrily Merrily

Our Dec. 5th and 6th Holiday Workshop was a blast.

The 2016 Workshop Schedule can be seen here.

The first Workshop is already half filled.

 

Out of 100 calendars, I only have a few 2016 Wall Calendars and Desk Calendars left!

I will gift wrap, attach a personalized note and send them to your recipient when you 

leave me their address in the note section of the PayPal window.

And remember, it's still not too late to book a Holday Drink & Ink Party! 

I hope you are well and enjoying life!

Once Again, Thank You for Your Friendship!

with Love,

X ♥  O

Emulation or Immitation?

"Man's heart away from nature becomes hard."

  ~ Standing Bear

Sisters

This 8 x 6" alcohol ink painting on ceramic tile was influenced by

the fact that I have three sisters. Each one of us is represented here.

This reference photo (used with permission) is by my sister, Denise Bush.

Among the Aspens ~ © Denise Bush

I sought Denise's permission before posting "Sisters" online. Although my painting is quite different from her photo, I did duplicate some tree details and got considerable inspiration from her vision. Normally, I extract information from various sources, but with this one, admittedly, it mainly came from this shot. She was fine with me posting this painting, but she also replied; "I was also thinking about how I would feel if it got to be a regular thing though, and don't think I would like that. It still starts out as my vision, my new surroundings, my communing with nature and process... a personal experience."  I understand and respect Denise's feelings and her unique creativity. She works very hard at perfecting her craft and it shows. Her photography is truly a very fine art.

I talked a little bit about copyright at my workshop on Saturday and I used this situation as an example. Bottom line: It is not alright to copy other artist's or photographer's work without their permission.  Even if you have permission, it isn't ethical to do so with the intention of copying an exact likeness in form or spirit. Copying to learn however, as my students do, when in my classes or even when practicing on their own, is a different situation. They are paying me to learn my process and techniques and I encourage and expect them to emulate my work. Learning to draw and paint has been done this way for centuries. I practice interpreting the old masters' works from time to time, myself. Everyone has to start somewhere. Just make sure you have permission, give credit where it is due and as you progress, try to develop your own perspective and work from several references at the same time. The more you create, the more you'll discover and grow. Don't get bogged down in imitation. Realize that there is only one of you and your art should eventually and ideally be as individual as you are.

Holiday Alcohol Ink Workshop
Dec. 5th & 6th, 2015
Early-bird discount extended until Nov. 12th,
but don't delay, there are only a couple of seats still available! 

Happy Creating My Friends! 

X ♥  O

My Favorite Time of Year

"When witches go riding,

and black cats are seen


the moon laughs and whispers,


‘tis near Halloween."

When Black Cats Are Seen

I have been decorating for Halloween since the fourth of July! Every year I start a little earlier. I love the autumn and Halloween has to be my very favorite holiday. It gets my imagination invigorated. After a couple of months of paintings only abstracts, I've been having some fun painting more representational images.

I'm thinking ahead to my upcoming workshops and sorting out various projects and lesson plans. Our "Painting Trees in Alcohol Inks Workshop" on November 7th is filled! I am taking requests by email to be put on a waiting list for this workshop if you are interested.

My two day, "Winter Holiday Alcohol Ink Workshop" is filling up fast. Students will use pouring and blending techniques to incorporate festive, beautiful backgrounds on ornaments, tiles and Yupo paper. Making gifts with holiday and winter themes will be the focus of this fun filled workshop. The process is quick and easy and each participant will produce several mini masterpieces each day while honing skills and making unique art pieces they’ll be proud of, ready to display or give as gifts. Be sure to get your registration in to reserve your spot ASAP.

As always, private, semi-private and group classes are available at my studio, tailored to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

"Shadows of a thousand years rise again unseen,


Voices whisper in the trees, 

'Tonight is Halloween!'"


~Dexter Kozen

Thanks For Stopping By.

Happy Creating My Friends! 

X ♥  O

Painting Trees at Sandarosa Studio

"Today's accomplishments 

were yesterday's impossibilities."  

~ Robert H. Schuller

See Seeking Enchantment here

 Attention inkers, there's only one spot left for the
 Nov. 7th Alcohol Ink Tree Workshop.

Although there were only three participants,
my October 3rd Watercolor Workshop was held
at The Sandarosa and was a great success.

Wet-in-Wet Watercolor Trees on Arches and Yupo Workshop - 10-3-15

Between medical issues and obligations, our

group filtered down to three exuberant enthusiasts.

It was a cold, dark, rainy day, but the studio

was bursting with light and laughter.

I threw my demos down on a board and snapped this pic.

The workshop focused on painting fir trees on Arches and Yupo paper.

I haven't painted more than a half a dozen pieces on cotton rag since I started using Yupo paper almost exclusively back in January of 2013. It felt really good to re-explore old, familiar territory and find out that I still have the upper hand.

After watching my first demo, each artist did two trees (7.5 x 5.5")

(after wetting both sides of the paper) on the Arches 140 lb. cotton rag.

While they painted, I was able to help each artist with physical issues like color mixing, consistency of pigment, holding the brush, wetness vs. dryness, and techniques like flicking and squiggling. This is one of the big advantages of physical training over only using video or virtual instruction. It is hard to know if you are doing something wrong or ineffectively when there is nobody with trained eyes to observe you. After so many years of painting and art teaching experience, I can usually spot bad habits or faulty techniques that may be holding someone back. Then I can help nip them in the bud, before they become problematic or ingrained.

Student work on cotton rag from the 10-3-15 Watercolor Workshop

"I value a "don't know" attitude highly,

because it's ambiguous,
and fosters a "beginner's mind"

in which there are more possibilities
than in an "expert's mind."

~ Theresa Bayer

Student work on Yupo from the 10-3-15 Watercolor Workshop

Each participant also successfully finished one or more trees on Yupo paper.

In the end, it was unanimous that the
Yupo paper was the favorite surface of the day!
Hooray! Yippee for Yupo!

"Man is always more than he can know of himself; consequently, his accomplishments, time and again,

will come as a surprise to him."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Only Two More Alcohol Ink Workshops
Scheduled for 2015!

As of this post, there is only one slot available for November 7th.

A NEW Two Day, Holiday Workshop has just been added!
See more information here. 

Happy Creating My Friends! 

X ♥  O

Into The Light

"Oh yes! He loved yellow, did good Vincent.

When the two of us were together in Arles, 

both of us insane, we were constantly at war 

over beautiful colors."
~ Paul Gauguin

"Into The Light"
~~~~~~~~16 x 12" Alcohol Ink On Yupo, matted to 20 x 16"~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~     ~~~After Vincent van Gogh's "Undergrowth"~~     ~~~~~~~~
email: sandy@sandysandy.com for purchase info.

For the past couple of weeks, I seem to be obsessed with Vincent van Gogh's paintings. I've been seeing his works and reading stories about him everywhere online. I really enjoyed working in his color palette and interpreting his painting "The Undergrowth" on ceramic tile, posted here, earlier this month. I decided I wanted to try to paint the piece again only larger and in a vertical format, so here is my second attempt at it. You can see my first painting and Vincent's lovely painting here.

Thank you for your continued friendship and feedback.

Happy creating everyone!

X ♥  O