September 2021 in the Garden: Delighting in Every Bit of Color as the Season Dwindles

In September in Wisconsin, the gardening season is winding down.

art classes, garden, inspirationAnne ButeraSeptember 17, 2021garden, garden colors, end of summer, savoring my garden, flowers, joy, color, Year in Color Summit, Creative U, garden tour, garden tours, monthly garden tours, what's happening in the garden, what's blooming in the garden Comments

How a Sunflower Painting Brought Back My Creative Joy: Behind the Scenes in the Studio

Right now zinnias, dahlias, cosmos and marigolds color my garden and feed the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

New Beginnings: 10 Ideas for Welcoming a Changing Season and Embracing Your Dreams

September is here and I’m relishing the seasonal shifts.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Sketchbooks! Week 4 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

It’s hard to believe this is the last week of my month of gratitude. August has flown by.

I think back to childhood Augusts with school looming and days of freedom dwindling. Back-to-school was both exciting and welcome but also tinged with sadness for the ending of summer.

Celebrate Summer Joys: Color, Week 1 of a Month of Gratitude Practice

Did you end up writing a Gratitude List after my post last week?

Are you ready for today’s prompt to help open your eyes to the beauties and joys of summer*?

This week I want you to focus on COLOR.

You Can't Do Everything (and Why That's Not a Bad Thing)

Piles of fabric line a shelf in my studio closet. Sewing patterns fill a drawer. I love wearing handmade clothing. I love to sew. Most of my fabric has been matched up with sewing patterns — some bought especially for specific projects — but it’s been a year or more since I’ve done any sewing.

Painting Violas and Pansies: in My Studio with Spring Garden Inspiration

For me, springtime in the garden always means violas and pansies. They’re some of the first things to show up at garden centers and one of the first things to bloom in my garden.

Prioritize Your Big Work

I recently purchased Sarah Greenman’s Oracle Deck and this is the first card I pulled: “Prioritize Your Big Work.”

art, business, joy, inspiration, lifeAnne ButeraApril 30, 2021inspiration, oracle deck, oracle cards, Sarah Greenman, My Big Work, my purpose, prioritizing art, prioritizing our work, goals, making goals, setting intentions Comments

Why Protecting Creative Time and Space is So Important for Your Creativity

Today I was supposed to be wrapping up the Get Re-Inspired Creative Retreat. I planned to share my finished papier-mache pieces and sum up the lessons I learned over the course of the month.

But as this week approached, I realized I wasn’t finished with the retreat. So I’m giving it one more week.

art, creativity, inspirationAnne ButeraMarch 26, 2021carving out time for creativity, creativity, protecting creative time and space, reclaiming creativity, reclaiming inspiration, March Creative Retreat, patience, practicing patience, going slow, skillshare Comments

Five Beautiful Books That Are Inspiring Me During The Creative Retreat

Sun streams in through the window and I curl up on a comfy chair in my studio, a book balanced on my lap.

Sounds nice, doesn’t it?

In reality…

Five Things You Can Do Right Now to Boost Your Inspiration

When you hear the words “Creative Retreat” what do they bring to mind? Perhaps you envision a cabin in the woods, light streaming through the windows and a fire crackling in the hearth.

creativity, inspirationAnne ButeraMarch 12, 2021Creative Retreat, March Creative Retreat, creativity, inspiration, doing something different, flipping your schedule, being in nature, get organized, studio, messiness of life, discovering inspiration, where does inspiration come from Comments

An Invitation to Join Me in the Get Re-Inspired Creative Retreat

On February 16 before I did anything else in my studio, I sat down and worked on a page in my sketchbook. Since then I’ve started every workday with sketchbook play and have only missed one non-work day because of a migraine.

art, creativity, inspirationAnne ButeraMarch 5, 2021Creative Retreat, March Creative Retreat, get inspired, get re-inspired, join me in creativity, how to be more creative, how to be more inspired, how to be creative, how to make room in your days for creativity, sketchbook, daily art making, daily creativity, be creative every day Comments

Pursuing Curiosity: Using Art Books for Inspiration and Self-Care

When I was 16, a newly-minted driver’s license in my wallet, where did I go on my first solo drive?

books, inspiration, lifeAnne ButeraFebruary 19, 2021books, inspiration, Inspiration Deck, Skillshare classes, self-care, self care, joy, about me Comments

Why I Love Valentine's Day Plus an Invitation to Creative Self-Care

I love Valentine’s Day. It’s probably not cool to admit this, but I do.

Are You an Artist? Writing an Artist's Manifesto

The shop was a jumble of art, jewelry and funky secondhand furniture. Although the town’s population was tiny, it was crowded with people attending the local art festival. I browsed, more curious about what was for sale than because I wanted to purchase anything.

Sips of Inspiration: an Interview with Karen Lowry Reed

Today’s Sips of Inspiration conversation is with my long-time blogging friend Karen Lowry Reed.

Finishing My 10 Year Painting Celebration with Gratitude

Bright sunshine and warm breezes. Clear blue skies and crisp snow. Cold, dark, wet days. This month I’ve tried to be present for it all.

November has been a gift. A strange month, but a gift, too.

Sips of Inspiration: an Interview with Dana Barbieri

I’ve been giddily anticipating posting it and I’m so happy to finally be able to announce this month’s guest: Dana Barbieri.

art, inspiration, life, Sips of InspirationAnne ButeraNovember 20, 202010 years of learning to paint, 10 Year Painting Celebration, 10 year painting celebration, 10 years of learning watercolor, 10 years of watercolor painting, 10 Years of Learning How to Paint Comments

10 Lessons from 10 Years of Learning How to Paint

You’ve quieted your mind and listened to the whispers. Your heart longs to learn something new, to be creative, to craft a different life.

Now what?

art, creativity, inspirationAnne ButeraNovember 13, 2020advice for artists, creative advice, 10 years of learning to paint, 10 years of watercolor painting, 10 years of learning watercolor, creativity, creative doubts, creative inspiration, Creativebug, skillshare, developing a creative habit, Elizabeth Gilbert, Georgia O'Keeffe, Vincent van Gogh, joy, enjoy the process, being a beginner, give yourself time to be a beginner, advice for creatives, Let creativity take over your life, have fun, enjoy yourself, enjoy creativity, enjoy creating, creative challenges, creative classes, creative community, focus, Lilla Rogers, development as an artist, developing as an artist, creative dreams, creative development, 10 Year Painting Celebration, 10 Years of Learning How to Paint, How to take your art to the next level, 10 year painting celebration, popular posts Comments

10 Year Painting Celebration: Nudging You Toward Your Dreams

My heart raced and I held my breath. I felt a flutter in my stomach as I sat down with a set of watercolors, some paper and a brush to paint for the first time.

notes from the studio