12 Years of Calendars: a Record of My Journey and Inspiration to Keep Dreaming

As we near the end of 2024, I can’t help but feel reflective. I look back at the year, the projects I’ve tackled, the goals I’ve accomplished, and I begin dreaming about 2025.

Savoring Summer and Embracing Creative Play

Hello my friend!

Summer has arrived in full force and my garden continues to enchant me every day.

An Art Tour, My Blogging Break and Shaking Things Up

I’m back from my blogging break and although I only skipped one post, it seems as if I’ve been gone a long time.

art, business, bloggingAnne ButeraJune 8, 2024Winding Roads Art Tour, 2024 Winding Roads Art Tour, Anne Butera, Charna Schwartz, Charna Pottery, Keewaydin Farms, Driftless Wisconsin, Driftless Curiosity, trying new things, trying something new, blogging, Substack Comments

Hope, Patience, Joy: Lessons from the Garden for Art and Life

My peach and cherry trees are filled with flowers. Daffodils are blooming and everywhere I look outside, spring is progressing.

Dreaming Big, a New Project and 5 Ideas for Moving Forward with Your Dreams

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been dreaming about projects and setting goals for this year. As I mentioned here on my blog and in my Joy Letter, I’ve been taking my time with this. And it feels good.

art, creativityAnne ButeraFebruary 10, 2024dreams, creative dreams, dreaming big, dreaming big dreams, moving from dreaming to doing, stickers, art journey, creative journey, creative journeys, how to move forward with your creative journey Comments

The Business of the Studio: a Class, Calendars and a New Painting

In September I mentioned some of the projects I’d been working on after moving into my new studio. One was prepping for my show at Viva Gallery, which I wrote about last month. I’ve since finished the others and thought I’d share them with you today.

Showing My Art at Viva Gallery and Becoming a Member of the Artist Cooperative

On Main Street of my little town of Viroqua, Wisconsin there’s an art gallery run by a cooperative of 23 local artists.

artAnne ButeraOctober 14, 2023art, art gallery, art shows, art exhibit, Viva Gallery in Viroqua Wisconsin, Viroqua Wisconsin, botanical art, botanical watercolors, botanical watercolor paintings, art by Anne Butera Comments

Painting in the Garden, A Fun and Different Project: Barn Quilts

Some projects live in my head for a very long time before I get around to bringing them into the world. Painting a series of “barn” quilts for my house and garden is one of those projects.

art, books, joy, gardenAnne ButeraAugust 12, 2023barn quilts, quilts, quilt blocks, garden decor, art in the garden, painted quilts, flying geese painted quilt, projects, art projects, books, quilt books Comments

Reminders About Life and Art and Recommitting to Noticing and Savoring Joy

Today on my blog, I planned to share about the Winding Roads Art Tour, but as I was driving home on Sunday evening I realized I hadn’t taken a single photo all weekend.

Is Perfection Possible? Contemplating Simple Shifts in Business, Art and Life

When I was first starting to learn to make art I thought that if only I could discover the perfect art supplies, I’d be able to create the beautiful, perfect art I imagined in my head.

Falling in Love with Sketchbooks Again and Again (and a New Class)

In the middle of winter when frost decorates the windows of my studio and I pull on another sweater, I’ll think back to summer days in my garden, cicadas singing, sketchbook on my lap.

sketchbooks, art classes, artAnne ButeraAugust 27, 2022sketchbooks, sketchbook class, sketchbook practice, sketchbooks as self care, self care, self-care, how I use sketchbooks, why I love sketchbooks, skillshare, Skillshare teacher, creative self-care Comments

My Favorite Self-Seeding Annuals For Effortless Beauty Each Year in the Garden

One of the things I love most about my garden and gardening is connecting with nature. I plant my garden and I tend it, but I’m not really in control.

garden, art, inspirationAnne ButeraAugust 6, 2022garden, self seeding plants, self seeding flowers, growing herbs, garden flowers Comments

June 4 and 5 is the Winding Roads Art Tour

After being canceled the past two years because of Covid, the Winding Roads Art Tour is finally going ahead.

art, inspirationAnne ButeraMay 28, 2022Winding Roads Art Tour, Kathleen Aaker, Deborah Conlon, Viroqua Wisconsin, Viva Gallery in Viroqua Wisconsin, 2022 Winding Roads Art Tour, Artist Studios, Wisconsin, Driftless Region, Driftless Wisconsin, art and artists, art community, local artists Comments

April 2022 in the Garden (And Indoors Dreaming, Planting, Painting, Reading)

I spent Monday in my garden. Mondays are technically the weekend for me and I was so glad my time off coincided with good weather.

books, garden, art, houseplantsAnne ButeraApril 16, 2022garden tour, garden tours, monthly garden tours, books, book review, garden books, painting, watercolor houseplants, indoor garden, seed starting Comments

How to Discover Joy in Subtle Colors: Lessons from the Winter Garden

The sun is shining, warm and bright. The garden is humming with bees and I catch the scent of roses, mint and spicy tulsi. I step among the blooms with my scissors at the ready,

Gratitude and a Giveaway Inspired by an Exciting Collaboration and Fun Stickers

Sometimes a project comes along which is a complete joy. My collaboration with Kickapoo Meadery was one of those projects. This fall I worked with Roots and Refuge Farm on another.