Making of “Heart Song”

 

Welcome to My World of Painting

I began painting seriously during COVID, during one of the loneliest times of my life. At the time, I was working at a seniors boarding home and had to stay isolated to avoid bringing the virus to them. My routine was limited to work and occasional grocery trip, beyond that, I was stuck at home, staring at four walls that seemed to close in on me.

I’m not much of a phone talker, so even that wasn’t appealing. The loneliness became overwhelming, and I felt like I was on the verge of losing my mind. Desperate for something to fill my time and keep me grounded, I searched for an outlet, something that would help me stay sane.

For some reason, painting came to mind. I had dabbled in it before but never felt confident enough to continue. Self-doubt had always held me back. But this time, with more life experience and a newfound determination to overcome my low self-esteem, I made up my mind: I was going to succeed.

I had once heard that there are angels assigned to help us, but many remain “unemployed”simply waiting to be called upon. That idea stuck with me, and I decided to hire a team of them to guide me in my painting. Around the same time, I had been following Demitra Milan, who often spoke about finding her painting voice. I didn’t fully understand what that meant, but I was determined to find mine.

I started gathering inspiration, asking myself: What do I love? Who am I? What needs to come out of me? I quieted my soul and listened. The world had become a bleak, dreary place, filled with uncertainty, and I needed to create beauty and lightheartedness, not just for myself, but for others.

I focused on what brought me joy: faces, hearts, pearls, doves, butterflies, gems, roses, and romantic, spiritual themes. But I didn’t want my art to be too overtly romantic. I needed something to balance it. That’s when my unique style, Ethereal Eclectic Romanticism, was born. I’ve never found another artist with my exact style, and that makes it even more special to me.

I love the dreamy essence of spirit, the softness of romanticism, but I also crave an eclectic touch, something unexpected. That’s why I incorporate geometric patterns to contrast the delicate elements. The combination creates harmony: dreamy yet structured, romantic yet grounded.

My color choices are just as intentional. I’m drawn to Clear Spring colors, vibrant yet fresh, full of energy and light. After much trial and error, I realized that these colors also suit me personally. With my neutral skin tone and a slight warm undertone, I can wear shades from multiple seasons, Summer, Winter, Spring, and Autumn, but Spring tones are my absolute favorite. They bring me joy, and I use them not only in my paintings but also in my decor.

Art has given me purpose, joy, and healing. It has transformed my loneliness into something beautiful. And through my paintings, I hope to share that beauty with others.

This is my beginning stage of “Heart Song” 

I named it “Heart Song” because that is what it is. 

It’s what I found that was in me. It’s my very essence at the core of my being. It’s what makes me…me. 

I made a source for my painting and put a grid on it and then a grid on my canvas. I drew it out and put everything in place. You don’t have to follow your source exactly. Let the paint lead you. Look at it and see what it needs. 

Here are some steps to the finished painting. You will see it changed a few times. 

I added base colours to everything next. Getting the colours in the right place is key. 

I then started refining the colours, brightening or darkening accordingly. I also started honing in on details. 

Next I started shading and refining the face, hands and doves. I added more details to the flowers and made them drip. I added med the pearls which I love in a lot of my paintings. The eclectic shapes started shaping up. 

I continued adjusting and working on the face and doves as those are the focus of the paintings. 

Something bothered me about the lower half of the painting and so I started working in shape of the torso and arm. It was out of proportion and so I had to figure out a way to make it work. 

I refined and adjusted until it looked in proportion with the head. I also wanted the light to shine in a certain colour and kept tweaking the colours around the halo. 

I refined the body even more to get proportions more accurately. I then needed to figure out what I would have her wear. I wanted her to be classy looking but still sensual. Details were added to the pearls. 

I opted for painting a lace dress. I refined the face even more until I had better face proportions. I then looked online for a nice pair of earrings and painted them. I painted more details in the flowers and dark area. I added tiny flowers to the blue flowing veil. 

I next honed in on the blowing in the breeze ribbon. Added still more details to the flowers and drips. Also refined some more of the background. 

The painting was finally starting to come together. 

The finishing touches are always the most exciting. Figuring out what to place in her hand, making the different coloured pearls pop, adding the lattice work in the background as a last minute decision, doing the fine lace detail around the halo, adding lines and touches of gold and the finally getting to sign my finished piece! 

I like to add poetry for my paintings as well. In this piece it describes from where I’ve been to where I am now. 

It shows what I had to suffer to get what I have now. It did not come easy. 

The Answer Within

Why does she see the beauty—

Is it all she’s ever known?

Or has she faced the shadows,

The cracks, the thorns, the stone?

Has she seen the bad, the unclean,

The bitter taste of loss?

Was life unkind to break her,

Or to teach her what it cost?

Was her innocence stolen too early,

To leave her broken, torn?

Or was it meant to shape her heart—

To feel what others mourn?

Did the world strip away her trust,

To fill her soul with pain,

Or mold her into tenderness

For those who felt the same?

Was she bullied just to knock her down,

To make her rise once more?

Was shame a cloak to weigh her down

Or strength she learned to store?

Why did life seem to hate her so—

Was it envy for her grace?

Did it sense the fire she carried,

The courage it couldn’t erase?

Did it know, beneath the quiet,

A voice was whispering clear—

You are not a quitter, love,

You’re stronger than your fear.

Did she hide behind a fragile mask,

Afraid to show her tears?

Did life grow too cruel for her gentle heart,

Trying to silence the light she steers?

Yet she did not break—she only bent,

Her spirit held its ground.

She wore her scars like battle marks,

Proof she was never bound.

For beauty bloomed in cracks of pain,

In places torn apart.

The scars she bore became her art—

A map of her healing heart.

She rose because she chose to rise,

To own both ache and grace.

For even when life burned her down,

She found beauty in that space.

I hope you enjoyed the making of “Heart Song” 

It was my pleasure to create it and share it for everyone to see and hopefully learn how your worse night mare can become your greatest strength. 

Wear your scars with pride, you owe it to yourself. 

chief Aarav

This is Chief Aaraf.
I recently started doing poured paintings but I have been
letting them dry and then seeing things in the background paintings.

This is what I saw in the painting and so I did a quick sketch
Of what I saw in the background. I showed this on facebook before I drew out the native and asked what everyone else saw. Some saw a woodpecker, another saw a lion and others saw a horse and a naked woman.  Some have very vivid imaginations I'd say. 😂

At this point the painting was already sold, not even half way finished.
Can you see the woodpecker by his chin facing him?

Playing around and getting ideas. Had suggestions from a talented friend that
I agreed with so I changed a few things.

Beginning to come to life

Done! I totally enjoyed painting this.

This painting went to a nice home. I know
It will be well looked after and appreciated.
This man who is friends with me on facebook had asked to buy it before it
Was finished and I told him he could buy it. A few weeks went by and his
wife messaged me and asked if I would sell it to her for her husband for Christmas.. She had no clue that he had asked to buy it. What a great surprise it was for him on Christmas
morning. What a great thing for his wife to do.

I tried to incorporate everything people told me they saw. Can you guess
what the native is looking at??? Lol

"A dream getaway"

This painting is from a digital painting  that I painted a few years ago. I really liked how the digital painting turned out and I wondered how it would look in Acrylic paints. So I tried it and I think I like the Acrylic version better! Much more richness to it I would say!  How about you? 

The idea for these paintings are not from a photograph but imagination. 

It's a place I would love to have. Doesn't have to be fancy, just peaceful and quiet. A place I can ride my horse( a horse I don't have) everyday with the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. A place of freedom, a place of peace with no one to bother you. A getaway when life gets tough and you need a change of scenery, a place to regroup and recharge your batteries. We all need places like this once in a while, what would be your getaway place? 

 

Digital painting. 

 "

16 X 20  Acrylics on canvas.    $175.00 

For those who don't know what a digital painting is, it is a painting done in a special program on the computer. It has a blank canvas, paint brushes and paint and you can use a tablet with a special pen to paint with or as I started, with your finger on the touch pad on your laptop. Not quite as fun as the pen! 😳

It takes about a month to get used to painting on the tablet and looking at the screen on your computer, but once you learn, it's fairly easy.

 I did this for quite a few years as I am sensitive to paint and only recently started painting with Acrylics again. I don't seem to be as sensitive to the paint fumes as in my younger years. I believe it's because they make the paint less harsh than it used to be. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed doing this painting, very easy and relaxing. 

The next one I will be working on won't be as easy as it is a person. Someone had posted a nice portrait type photo of a man I know and I thought "oh that would make a nice painting someday" I saved it to my computer intending to ask permission if I wanted to paint it but now a year later I cannot remember what's so ever who took the picture!!? 

I will have to post the picture on Facebook(as that is where I got it from) 

The reason why i have decided to paint this painting of this man is because

He won't stop bugging me to paint it!!! Lol I told him last year that I had seen a picture of him on Facebook and asked if he would mind if I painted him someday, now every time I see him the first thing he does is  ask if I painted his picture! Hahaha, then I feel guilty because I didn't so looks like I will have to paint his picture so I don't feel guilty anymore 😄

Hope you enjoy my paintings 😊💖😊