Just over a year ago I found out that I was expecting in January 2017. Expecting not only a child but expecting to lose my sense of identity as an Artist. The sudden inability to just lose myself for hours in my art ate at my core. My sister was an artist, then two kids happened...

At that time, my art consisted of intricate Commissions and Abstracts in Acrylic, Oil, or Illustrations. Each creation may take upwards of a month or two to complete. And I loved it. I loved my H-Frame Easel, my paint-stained rug, my collection of paint brushes and excess canvases.

Last July, I was invited to be a guest teacher at the International Music Camp at the Peace Gardens. There were four other Artists in various media who were invited for the Visual Arts Week. I was honored. I was the Painting instructor. Acrylic was no trouble. I could teach that in my sleep... But Watercolor? Hey. I had never liked nor enjoyed (but most likely never understood) Watercolor. And I had to teach it to a group of Middle Schoolers followed by Adults?

I signed myself up for an ONE DAY Watercolor lesson founded by BreckCreate in Colorado. The three-hour lesson focused a full our on color theory and the direction of the sun... And then we painted aspens.

Two weeks later, I was in the middle of nowhere teaching what I had learned. I painted two watercolors during the week. One was a beautiful passion flower. The other was a Heron.

And then that "Baby Curveball" kept coming my way... I grew to love the idea of being a Mom. To be able to pass on a love and appreciation for art. To cultivate Creativity. It became to be my new obsession! It wasn't until after he was born that I picked up the Heron and thought... Hey, this is pretty good! I bet this would look darling in his Nursery!

And thus began my attempt to paint 25 more animals, in profile, for Torin's Alphabet, a nursery decor painting in watercolor, an amazing media characterized by fast dry-times, patience, layering of colors, and luck...

Here, you may see these fun and regal portraits that have proved very meaningful and able to be completed within the unpredictable life of a newborn baby!

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