You may have noticed the profile picture is this colorful elephant. I want to share why I made this choice and what it represents here in the group. This painting is a large mural style 7 foot by 10 foot, UV reactive painting that lives on the back wall of my art studio. Ganesha is a a symbol of resilience and is said to be the the remover of obstacles. The lotus flowers included are also a symbol of resilience as the lotus gains its strength by pushing itself up through the mud as it grows in order to emerge on the surface and bloom. Together these help remind me of why I pursue the artists life as it is often difficult and not always monetarily fruitful. My question to you is: what obstacles do you see in the way of creating the art, the love or the life you truly desire? In what ways to you want to be supported here in this group and what challenges do you face when thinking about being more creative in your life? I intend on making this group a safe, supportive place for us all to cheer each other on and thrive in the goals we set for ourselves so drop some comments and let me know how we can grow together here! Images here again if you’d like to explore it more in depth 😇

Hello everyone! I wanted to start this group with a post about my intention for the space I want to create here for everyone. Beyond just sharing my painting techniques and creative processes, I want this to be a unique and collaborative group where we can all share our passions and our wins as we accomplish our goals and inspire others to do the same! Soon I will be making a video of how I start a pet portrait as I have a class coming up very soon teaching a large group how to paint their pets for a fundraiser that will benefit animals in need of extra care in our local Spokane area. Soon on that note, I wanted to get some conversations started to allow us all a I get to know each other a little better. With that being said, I would love to know what your favorite kind of pet is! So please introduce yourself, your favorite pet, and what you would like to gain from being a part of this group! I’ll go first, my name is Sam but I have gone by Squid for over 15 years as my chosen self, a reminder of my creativity and how much I have overcome since my early years. My favorite pets are my dogs (that I will be painting and sharing soon) bearded dragons, snakes and of course Squids! (If I could have one as a pet that would be rad lol) I would love to create a supportive community here that reaches far and inspires others to follow their dreams and passions in whatever endeavors in life they may want to pursue. I intend on sharing my Divinely inspired paintings and processes while providing helpful tips and techniques to help everyone learn how to bring their heartfelt creations out into the world as well. This can be anything from arts and crafts, to business ideas or workshops they would love to share. I want to see us all win and I believe it takes a strong community to do that. Now let’s here your ideas and what you want to share and express here! Feel free to share a picture of yourself, your work space or whatever you are currently working on with your introduction and let’s create some meaningful conversations! 💚😇