It is impossible to get better and look good at the same time. Give yourself permission to be a beginner.
~ Julia Cameron, The Artists Way
So many people hold back from making art, or trying a new style, because they’re afraid to be bad at it. They want to skip the awkward, messy stages and jump straight to mastery. But here’s the thing: no artist ever became great without first being… well, not so great.
- This week’s artist is – Leaf Kizior – is a Durango artist who’s greatest wish is tha tyou find peac, comfort and joy through their work. See their work in person at Sun Sapphire’s gallery, or see more on their website and instagram!
- Elizabeth Bradford Holbrook would have had her eleventy-first birthday tomorrow!
- The Durango airport has a Call for Artists out. Here’s more info.
- The Durango Library’s also booking art display spaces for 2025. You can display your art for 1-2 months and there is space for three dimensional items too! Whether it’s a handful of pieces or enough to fill the Program Room walls, there are options! Contact Darcy at darcy.poletti@durangoco.gov or 970.375.3384 for more information!
- Some thoughts on artist’s self-portraits. (It was good enough for Rembrandt…)
- These are 5 tips on including buildings in your paintings.
- Here are 5 reasons we need art.
- Thoughts on thinking:
If you look for evidence that people are conspiring to hold you back and the world is working against you, then it will take you no time at all to find precisely that.
If you expect to encounter helpful people and experience a world that is working with you, then you find plenty of evidence to support that view as well.
The raw material for a sweet life or a bitter life is always there. The story you emphasize is the one you notice.
- And another one:
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. ~ Corrie ten Boom
- Advice on breaking into the art industry, from an experienced pro.
- From the NIH, a collection of 2,000+ public domain science and medical art visuals (molecules, plants, viruses, proteins, brushes for repeating items like DNA, fungi, equipment…). High-resolution, free to use
- See also PhyloPic, a collection of 10,000 “free silhouette images of animals, plants, and other life forms, available for reuse under Creative Commons licenses”.
- A new Chopin waltz was discovered.
- Apparently fire rainbows are a (beautiful) thing. (They’re a type of Circumhorizontal arc.)
- An ancient Peruvian site reveals a remarkable painted throne room.
- Did you hear about the artist who always took things too far? They didn’t know where to draw the line.
Fun Fact: Ansel Adams, the legendary photographer, originally trained to be a concert pianist before turning to photography after being inspired by the natural beauty of Yosemite.- Head to the Durango Library today for a free Word Honey Poetry Workshop from 6-7:30.
- Friends of the Library Booksale is this weekend if you’re looking to score some great deals and stock up on books to read this winter. Friday and Saturday from 9:30-4 at the Durango Library.
- The Center of Southwest Studies will host a free screening of the recently released documentary, Navajo Solar Sunrise, which tells the story of the Navajo Nation’s transition to clean energy through a community solar project. A panel discussion will follow. Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College on Friday from 4:30-6.
- Also at the Library on Saturday, from 10-12, is a Wool Fiber Processing Demo & Workshop. This all-ages program with the Southwest Fiber Alliance will feature demonstrations, hands on activities, and even some live animals! You will see hand processing methods to turn raw wool into yarn and learn about the various natural fibers in our area.
- The Four Corners Vinyl Record Club is hosting the Durango Record Show on Saturday from 9-3 at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Swing by to Buy-Sell-Trade vinyl records, stereo equipment and accessories.Proudly Serving SKA Beer! Most vendors are Cash Only. Vendor space available. Please email Animasman@hotmail.com for more info.
- There are lots of live music events, open mics, live jam sessions, etc, scattered about the area throughout the week. There are too many to list here, so if you’re looking for such things, head over to WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- There are classes/workshops/projects available at the 4 Corners Gem and Mineral Club, the Bayfield Library, Create Art and Tea, the Dancing Spirit Center for the Arts, Durango Sustainable Goods, Let’s Letter Together, the MakerLab, Picasso & Vino, the Scrapbook Nook, Seed Studio, and the Durango Arts Center. There are a lot more things happening that I don’t include – so if you’re ever looking for something to do, start at WhatsHappeningDurango.com.
- We love these acrylic brush pens—they cover larger areas and blend beautifully, giving you more creative freedom than other paint markers. And while these pens work on just about any surface, they’re especially fun to use with our new acrylic paper pads. These pads really let the colors pop and make experimenting even more satisfying. Swing by and check them out!
Embrace being a clumsy apprentice again. Let yourself fumble and be okay with making something that might not be your best work. Give yourself permission to be a beginner. Art isn’t about instant mastery; it’s about letting go and exploring, even when the results are messy.
Take that leap—make art without worrying who’s watching. Just start; the beauty lies in the process, not just the outcome. The world needs your art, imperfections and all.
Matthew & the Art Supply House crew
P.S. – Ready to create every chance you get? After testing hundreds of supplies, we’ve narrowed down what needs to be in our Curiosity Kit. (Sign up here for the chance to preorder.) It’s compact but capable. Need tutorials? We’ll have them for everything in the kit. Only got 10 minutes? You can still make art. We can help!