So why does this go with that?

So my last post was about harmony in design, a subject near and dear to my heart and one I had been wanting to write about. After I was done with it though, I started thinking and well, second guessing. It was boring. Way too simplistic. Who the heck would be interested in that stuff anyway. why do I bother and why am I so into it. My inner monologue pretty much talked me out of how inspired I was to write about it.

The next day I was at my job, which is the accessories department of Macys. A customer came in with a bag which contained her new dress she had bought to wear to a wedding. She said, " The problem is, I have no idea how to pick out jewelry that will go with it!"

   "Ah, my favorite thing to do!" I said, and had her show me the dress. It was a sun dress with a bold geometric print in black, plum and white, and black around the yoke.

   Great dress, but did it match her? She was petite and fair, brunette with soft features. The challenge was not just to find a necklace that matched the dress, but one that would harmonize with the bold print of the dress and her soft features.

   We found a few pieces that went with the colors in the dress, me all the while pointing out what makes things harmonize. What we want is visual harmony, not just matchy matchy. And with the right jewelry pieces the attention is drawn up to the face, which is what you want. Then we found a necklace that was perfect for her. Not just for the dress but for her. It had colors and shapes similar to the dress, but added a very feminine and soft touch she needed. It was the right balance between repetion and discord. Plus it was on sale and she was thrilled.

   She thanked me several times and kept saying, "I just never have a clue how to put the jewelry with the clothes. You have helped me so much! "

   It really is one aspect of my work that I love; I look forward to helping women harmonize their look. And it made me realize that my attempts at explaining visual harmony ARE worthwhile and need to be continued. So, you that find that boring, beware!

   Sometimes you just got to tell your inner voice to shut up and take a hike.

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Where it All Started

I have always believed that people love to see behind the scenes in the artist studio. It’s like looking behind the curtain and seeing what goes on backstage, to see how the art is crafted, what tools and materials are used, and how the artist thinks. To this end, I am thrilled to unveil a new video that tells my story of the origins of Parts of Art. A big shout out to the producer and videographer @Moguefilms . Here are some of the pieces seen on the video. Want to see more? visit my shop here

Just add paint!

It’s just that simple when painting with watercolor. This is how I start my day in the studio. Open to a new page, fill a brush with sparkling clean water, and fill the page or pages. Then, add watercolor paint and let it do its thing. The daily studio routine is this: clock in at 9 and paint that page in my journal. I realize that the painting on this page could become a beautiful fabric design, a batiked collage, or an amazing painted wall hanging. But my POINT is that I start my studio day with water on a page and go from there. As far as the illustrated journal, yes it’s true. Any thing done on these hallowed pages could become some great masterpiece someday. But that’s clearly not the intent. The journal is the place to play, to experiment, to express, to answer the question “what if ?” It’s about the inspiring and refreshing place my mind enters once that water on the page turns to color. It’s where it starts. Does it matter

Best advice ever

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Parts of Art

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