My show opens this week and we’re at the final step — getting the work to the gallery! All the canvases are now removed from the support panels they’ve been stapled to and are ready to go.

Here’s the process…

The canvases will be stacked, rolled, and flown to Julie Nester Gallery. Once there, they are given to a framer to be restretched. I love this system because it keeps the final painting lighter than if it were made directly on a panel. Plus, now my support panels at the studio are ready for a fresh blank canvas. My process keeps evolving, and I’m excited to see where it takes me next.

Do you have a similar process for preparing for a show, or do you have any special tips? Let me know in the comments.

The new show opens at Julie Nester Gallery on Saturday, July 27th with an opening reception at 6pm. If you’re in the area and can stop by, I’d love to see you!

This week on the Art2Life Podcast, we feature artist, designer and educator, Rukmini Podar. Her art journey explores diverse methods to create art and convey emotions effectively. We’re making art together as she shares the powerful project that got her started and continues to enrich her life. I hope you’ll join us this Wednesday.Tune in wherever you stream podcasts or grab a sketchbook and create with us while you watch on our YouTube Channel.

Have a great day in the studio!
Nicholas

PS: If you want a sneak peek at my upcoming show, click here to join my Fine Art Insiders List to be sent all the details in the coming days.

I’m standing in front of the largest painting I’ll be showing at Julie Nester Gallery at the end of July. This has been fun to work on! The painting is much looser and more direct than the other paintings in the show, but it will still fit in with this new body of work.

Check it out…

All my paintings initially have this loose quality, but they become more refined as I add layers. For this one, however, I’ve stayed loose, and some parts are very raw, but it still works because this quality is consistent throughout. The takeaway is that each painting is its own universe, and whether you approach it loosely or more refined, it can hold together as long as that approach is applied throughout. There’s so much freedom in that!

Let me know if the comments if that resonates with you.

This week on the Art2Life Podcast, you’ll get to see my conversation with the amazing artist, Silvia Poloto. We’re making art together and talking about her vibrant art journey and her thirst for the unknown! This exciting episode is available this Wednesday wherever you stream podcasts and you can watch it on our YouTube Channel. Bring along a sketchbook and join us!

Have a happy Sunday!

Nicholas

PS: Do you want to receive a special sneak peek at my show before it opens later this month? Click here to head to my website and sign up for my Fine Art Insiders List. In the coming days, I’ll email you more info on my show.

My July opening is coming soon so I’m stealing time and working away! Whatever I can do to maximize paint time is a priority. Here’s a time-saving tip I came up with that’s helping so much.

Watch here…

My buckets of paint have lids, but they are awkward to open and seal. Now, instead of the lids, I’ve placed 12×12 panels to cover the paint. It works great! The neatly stacked buckets keep the paint and brushes wet so when I come back to the studio I’m ready to roll. It’s the little tips that add up to more ease in your practice.

Do you have a time-saving tip to share? Leave it in the comments and let’s help each other!

My guest on the Art2Life podcast this week is artist and photographer, Kristin Little. We met recently at the Art2Life studio and I found out she’s been doing the Creative Visionary Program while on a sailboat! I have long dreamed of doing workshops on a sailboat so I couldn’t wait to talk to her. Join us as we make art and listen as Kristin shares about her amazing adventures! You can tune in on your favorite podcast streaming service, or grab some supplies and paint along with us while watching on our YouTube Channel.

Have an awesome Sunday and make some art!

Nicholas

PS: We’d love to see you at one of our Art2Life retreats in Morocco or Mexico this October! We only have a few spots left. Click here to learn more.

Today I want to show you my favorite finish for a painting – cold wax.

Watch here…

I use cold wax on both acrylic and oil paintings to create a final beautiful surface. It often takes two coats that I then polish to create a river stone finish — it’s not glossy, and not matte, it’s just right. I love the natural quality of the wax and the yummy luster it leaves after polishing. Cold wax works so well for all my paintings, I even use it in my sketchbook!

Do you use cold wax? Let me know in the comments if you have any tips to share.

After a short break, the Art2Life Podcast is back with all new episodes! Coming this Wednesday, I paint and talk with Bay Area Artist, Raquel Baldocchi. Raquel is a mixed-media artist who has a unique process of working with self-made papers and collage. I’m loving this new format where I make art with friends. Bring your sketchbook or something you are working on and join us wherever you stream podcasts or watch on our YouTube Channel!

Hope you make some art today!

Nicholas

PS: I am so excited to announce two transformational Art2Life Retreats available this year, at two extraordinary locations — Morocco and Mexico! Ready to transform your art and life? Click here to learn more.

I’m in beautiful Mexico and I want to make some big art down here for my upcoming show. A change in environment always gets my creative juices flowing! I paint on canvas but like to mount it to large wood panels for support. Luckily I found a woodshop who can make panels to my specifications. I just tested one and it’s going to work great!

Check it out…

Having this new place to make art is so exciting! A beautiful location that’s so different from your studio can’t help but energize your life and art! This is what I love about the Art2Life Destination Workshops and Retreats, too—artists feel free, and breakthroughs come. Creating here will undoubtedly impact my new work, and I’m super excited to see what comes!

What change do you bring to your practice to shake things up and revitalize your practice? Let me know in the comments.

Nicholas

PS: Being in Mexico is getting me super excited for our upcoming Art2Life Retreats! Announcements are coming soon, so make sure you are on our notifications list to be the first to see where we are going!

This week I have a tip for you that I regularly use to create cool marks and texture – some dark and some light.

Check it out…

I love the idea of working with these opposites. If I want a light painting for instance, my first layer will be very dark. Then I cover that underpainting with lights. Once I do this, I can go back in to bring out the dark marks by scratching through the light surface.

It seems counterintuitive to start a painting with the opposite value you want but the resulting marks and scratches have more energy! If you want a light painting, start dark and if you want a dark painting, start light. Give it a try!

Do you think about whether you want a dark or light painting when you are just starting a new piece? What tips do you have? Leave me a note in the comments. I’d love to hear!

Do you have questions about color? Check out our Color Tips Mini Course! This helpful mini course addresses the most important aspects of color and this foundational knowledge is a must for all artists. It could be a game changer for your art!

Hope you are having a great Sunday!

Nicholas

I learned a hard lesson this week! Read on so you can avoid making the same mistake I did.

I really like the direction my new paintings are taking, but unfortunately, the paint is peeling off on one! It’s an old acrylic painting I was working over and the acrylic paint is not sticking. I realized the previous version had a very thin layer of wax. Now this new painting is ruined.

Watch here…

The lesson is that acrylic does not adhere to anything oily or waxy – not even a thin coat. I’m going to attempt to take the paint and wax off and start again. I’m not sure how best to do that but I’ll start with a heat gun and alcohol to remove it. The new layer of paint needs to be secure since these paintings get rolled and shipped to the gallery. I hope this cautionary tale keeps you out of peeling paint trouble!

Has this ever happened to you? Let me know in the comments.

The Art2Life Podcast is back with an all-new episode this week! My guest is my friend and artist, Louise Fletcher. She came through the Creative Visionary Program several years ago not thinking she was an artist and has since exploded! She warmly shares her wonderful wisdom as we paint together.

While you can listen to it anywhere you stream podcasts, I want you to be sure to check out the video version on our YouTube Channel so you don’t miss out on the art-making! Bring along a piece of art to work on and join us this Wednesday for our next episode.

Have a great Sunday!

Nicholas

I’m back in the studio and using a lot of acrylic paint! The work is coming along at a nice pace because I have a time-saving tip.

Take a look.

I’ve used containers and palettes to mix color in the past, but now I’m using large buckets. What’s so cool is that after using the color I’ve mixed, a thin coat of acrylic dries in the bucket. Once dry, I can peel it out and have a clean bucket again! This is so helpful when mixing a new color. Plus these buckets are so big that if I haven’t used all my paint yet, I can keep my brush in the bucket and cover it. Not having to clean my brushes after each paint session is a huge time saver! I love having these larger containers around with mixed paint ready to go!

How do you manage and mix your paint? Let me know in the comments.

Hope you make some art today!

Nick

PS: Have you downloaded our Free Color Tips PDF yet? Click here to see the 5 key Color Principles I use in my own art. I hope you find them helpful.

It’s Sunday and I’m back to talk more about preparing for my show that is coming this summer! What I like to do in the beginning is gather all the shapes and sizes I want to paint on. I love having a variety!

When using canvas, I temporarily wrap and staple it to panels. This way, I can work into the canvas and scrape it like I would if working on a panel.

Check this out…

The paintings will all be in acrylic on canvas. I hope you are enjoying the behind-the-scenes look into the early stages of my show preparations! When you are preparing for a show, what helps you envision your collection? Let me know in the comments.

Make some art today!

Nicholas

PS: If you haven’t yet, subscribe to my YouTube Channel. We have hundreds of videos, including past vlogs and podcasts that can help you on your art journey.

Welcome back to the Sunday Vlog!

I love making art every day. Working even five or ten minutes in my journal is so fun! I usually don’t have a plan but here’s one way I get things going quickly. Since I use tracing paper as my palette paper, I have a collection of dried colorful sheets that I’ve saved.

Watch here to see how I use them in my journal…