I'm an artist who creates Scripture inspired paintings to encourage people and make them smile, not to make light of the heavy parts of life but precisely because life is too dark and discouraging and I want to shine a little light to remind you of the faithfulness of the Lord and the peace He offers.
Growing Takes Time
Dear friend,When I was learning to drive, I was really frustrated with my Dad. He just made driving look so easy! He seems to be able to drive in reverse like Tow Mater, is somehow calm and has quick reflexes even amid crazy big city traffic, and even driving in different countries on other sides of the road doesn’t phase him. And yet if I said something about it he’d tell me “Well I’ve been driving for a few years.” Now I realize what he was saying was that I didn’t see him when he was learning to drive and trying to figure out how it all works. He was saying that he had practice, experience, and he wasn’t new to it like I was. A bit like comparing my learner’s permit self to his years of driving experience was like comparing apples to oranges. And how does this connect to painting you ask? Great question. I realized that when I look at my art, I see the hours of practice, the time spent erasing or throwing away failed attempts, and all the hard work that went into the skill that I have today. I can see the beginner-not-knowing-what-I’m-doing-Isabel stage and I can see the practicing-and-improving-Isabel stage I’m in now, and I wonder if the professional-artist-gallery-quality-Isabel stage is in my future. But I realized not everyone can see that. So I wanted to encourage you that practice makes better. I see how far I have to go to reach the quality of art I want to create. But I want you to see where I started. Because if you practice the skills you want to build, you’ll improve too. We all start with a learners permit and no experience. But if we work at it, we’ll find we’ve grown and improved. So, all this to say, don’t assume that where someone is today is where they started. Don’t assume where you are today is the farthest you can reach. Happy Friday! ~Isabel GraceP.S. The print club is open for new members until the 20th! I'd absolutely love for you to join us. If you want to read about what this club is you can check it out HERE. Also you can spy on the original paintings and prints I have available HERE too. |
Isabel Grace Studio
I'm an artist who creates Scripture inspired paintings to encourage people and make them smile, not to make light of the heavy parts of life but precisely because life is too dark and discouraging and I want to shine a little light to remind you of the faithfulness of the Lord and the peace He offers.
Dear friend, There's something so freeing about painting and drawing for no reason other than to create. So often, when I get out my paints and sit down to create something, I wonder (and worry) if it will sell, how much people will like it, how amazing I can make it... and the magic of creating dulls a little bit. And I just got a chance to paint without any pressure of selling whatsoever. No pressure of recording it for social media, no pressure of making it within a timeline, no pressure...
Dear friend, What's something you saw outside as a kid that you thought was just so cool?? I loved exploring outside as a kid. I'd lay in the grass and watch the little ants working together. I'd look for the little beetles and bugs, and get excited with each butterfly that I saw fly past me. I've been thinking about inspiration lately, and the things that inspire me. And I've realized that most of the time, the things that inspire me again and again are things that inspired me as a child....
Dear friend, So I gotta be super honest. This has been an insane week. And it's almost 9pm Thursday night right now as I write this (normally I have it written before 3pm). February's Flower One of the things that comes with my decision to make each and every email newsletter fresh and the day before it goes out so that it's genuine and real is that sometimes I'm exhausted and I've had crazy weeks and I don't have any words left. Sneak peak at the other months flowers! I was going to write...