Hello !

It's one of those weeks where there's so much happening that I almost don't know where to start - is that a 'Spring thing' around the world? It certainly seems to be the way here in lovely Toowoomba. Our Carnival of Flowers starts this Friday and all over the city there are flannelette sheets being packed away til next year and some lovely flower murals appearing on windows. This one (above) on The Linen Chest window was a dream to paint. Now I'm seeing wisteria everywhere!

What have I learned from all this seasonal busy-ness???

Well, I consciously decided to approach everything involved with JOY. Not overwhelm or worry. Just JOY. So there are bright colours under every painting, I'm appreciating every lovely friend and relative that's offered me a hand or suggested an idea, and now that we're up and running the joy continues every day when we open the blinds to the world.

The Show is on!

Of course, my Shiny Happy Art + Ideas Show - a year in the making - opened to a wonderful crowd just over a week ago. It was Father's Day - a perfect day to launch Turkey Smugglers (boardshorts for men who are bigger than) and for all my siblings and all of my own children to be here. A 'forever memory' day for sure. My brother, Michael, took this pic as people were arriving... the gallery is 22 metres long!

The icing on the cake was that just before we opened, Toowoomba's well respected local art writer, Sandy Pottinger, came through and wrote a (glowing) review that made my day in a serious way. It's one thing to have an idea, but a totally different thing to know that the idea resonates with other people too. Quite chuffed.

This past week the art whirlwind (my favourite kind of whirlwind) has included kids classes, an urban sketching session, a watercolour flowers session and guest hosted a Scribblesesh... and it's been fabulous!

This week we have a lot more demonstrations... and then Carnival starts for real on Friday so next week will be different again!

For out of towners

If you're not within visiting distance this month's Online Paint Along is 'Framed Proteas'. USE THIS SPECIAL LINK to save 50% (email list only offer) and paint with me at home - you'll feel like you're right here with me!

So I hope you are able to find pockets (or waterfalls) of JOY in this coming week too.

And if that joy for some reason is not easy to find, perhaps try picking up a pencil and sketching something that means a lot to you... a piece of jewellery, a favourite coffee cup, a flower... and get lost in the art of noticing. You may just find your world becomes a little bit richer (like the most delicious chocolate mousse you've EVER tasted).

Hope to see you in real life, or on a screen, very soon,